Master & Dynamic is an audio brand renowned for its iconic high-end audio devices, but until now, it has apparently lacked a gaming headset that their loyal customers so badly need. The new MG20 wireless gaming headset aims to fill that need and has all the hallmarks of M&D headphones: exotic materials, sleek design, excellent audio, and a knee-jerk price.

Priced at $449, this headset is not for the faint of heart. In addition to high-level craftsmanship, you get dual USB 2.4Ghz wireless and Bluetooth multipoint connectivity, excellent audio, a great microphone, and lambskin genuine leather ear cups. Curiously, there is no active noise canceling feature, which is common at this price.

Few gaming headsets can match the MG20's sleek design and craftsmanship; the MG20 is very similar to its World War II aviator-inspired sibling, with Alcantara leather for the headband, lightweight magnesium for the cups The use of premium materials and lambskin leather ear cushions make the headset easy to wear for hours on end.

All of the MG20's controls are located on the ear cups, with the left ear cup having buttons for power, pairing, 7.1 surround, mic mute, and an anodized aluminum dial for mic gain. On the right side are the main headset volume dial and multi-function buttons for media and call control.

High-quality craftsmanship also extends to the removable boom microphone, which has the same anodized aluminum finish as the main headset. The connector plug that plugs into the left ear cup also has the same textured finish as the volume dial. The microphone is very bendable, and there are convenient mute LEDs near the mouthpiece and windsock to mute heavy breathing during competition matches.

I was surprised at how well this mic reproduced my voice clearly and warmly while keeping noise down. There is also a built-in beam-forming microphone for taking phone calls on the go, though not as good as the boom mic.

Charging is done via the versatile USB Type-C port on the left cup, which also serves as a special 3.5mm cable connector for use with devices such as Xbox consoles. Battery life is listed at 22 hours, but my experience was a bit shorter, around 18-20 hours.

As for the sound, I have nothing but good things to say; living up to the Master & Dynamic name, the MG20 is one of the best sounding headsets I've heard. It has rich and balanced audio characteristics without the low-frequency bloat of most gaming headsets. The clean soundstage makes it sound great in-game and makes it easy to pinpoint audio cues.

I played a variety of games and was impressed with the MG20's ability to pick out the tiniest details in boomy combat; Zeta Halo and Novigrad's open world sounded rich with vibrant detail and depth. The MG20's built-in virtual 7.1 surround sound is similar to most implementations, except for the extra software, and it works with a 3.5mm connection.

There was no significant difference in overall game immersion, but the sound was more natural than other headsets. The bright, wide soundstage made my favorite scores and soundtracks sound a bit cooler, as if I were in a live concert hall.

However, while the MG20s gets a lot of praise, there are still some issues, especially when it comes to connectivity: setup via USB and Bluetooth is easy, but it doesn't work well when connected to two devices at once. Often, audio will randomly stop working even though it is obvious that both devices are connected.

This happened every time the headset went into standby to save battery power when not in use. This resulted in repeated reboots and re-pairing, eventually frustrating me to the point that I stopped using the multipoint connection altogether.

Hopefully, this is something that can be fixed with a firmware update. Come to think of it, firmware updates are only done via the very basic M&D mobile app.

Despite these issues, I really like the Master & Dynamic MG20 and will continue to use it as my main wireless headset for the foreseeable future. Nevertheless, the $450 price tag does not make it easy to recommend it, as cheaper headsets offer similar features and performance. Prime examples are the EPOS H3 Pro Hybrid and the Steelseries Arctis 9, both nearly $200 cheaper; the MG20 is certainly a great headset, but for most gamers, it is not a great value for money