Artwork by Aidan Zamiri

Words by Maria Jabal

Master & Dynamic is known for its highly sophisticated, impeccably sounding headphones. Leica is known for its highly sophisticated, incredibly high-quality cameras. When asked what led him to team up with Leica, Jonathan Levine, co-founder and CEO of the New York based audio brand Master & Dynamic, expressed his admiration for the cameras’ brand, stating that “the opportunity to work with a company with the heritage as well as technical sophistication has enabled us to learn so much.” Leica rarely lend their trademark red dot and font to products other than cameras, but Master & Dynamic gained access to the signature trade dress by launching the exclusive collection ‘Master & Dynamic for 0.95’. “When working with Leica, it’s not a simple handoff of a product for slight tweaks and feedback.” Reflects Levine. “They’re incredibly detail oriented, so everything has to be just right.” The 0.95 brand takes inspiration from the iconic Leica Noctilux and applies the all-black colour scheme and famed Leica red dot to the MW60 wireless headphones, as well as the older MH40 headphones and ME05 earbuds. And along with the black-and-red colour scheme, the 0.95 collection also features ridges on the ear cups that are intended to echo the rides on the classic Leica lens. When talking about his products, Levine is unable to disguise his pride: “We’re building best in class, technologically sophisticated products that don’t scream technology aesthetically. We think of ourselves as a luxury audio company. We’re very proud to have a consistent track record of designing and developing wearables that people actually want to wear.” The changes to the headphones are purely cosmetic. That’s not to say the collaboration is not a meritorious one, though. The Master & Dynamic 0.95 Series still offers the same great sounding, balanced pair of headphones as they always have been – just with a sprinkling of timeless Leica design. The collection ranges in price from $199 to $549 and is currently available at Leica stores globally, online at Mr Porter, and from the Master & Dynamic site. To those who wonder why they should on the gorgeous but costly headphones over more affordable ones, Levine explains: “We pride ourselves on building products designed for decades of use and we are confident that they can and will last and be used that long. The durability of our headphones, aided by the use of forged aluminium, stainless steel, cowhide and lambskin, along with the ability to replace worn ear pads and swap out cables, ensures longevity.” And we believe him!