The MW75 Neuro headphones read your brainwaves and their potential is fascinating

If you’ve been a reader of Digital Trends for any length of time, there’s a pretty good chance you’ve heard us mention Neurable before — a company focused on developing and implementing brain-computer interfaces (BCI) and finding ways to incorporate them into our daily lives. The company’s recent foray into the consumer space comes through a partnership with Master & Dynamic and the release of the MW75 Neuro headphones. As one might deduce from that model number, these are essentially the same as the Master & Dynamic MW75 headphones which Simon Cohen reviewed in 2022. The Neuro version, due to the extra bits necessary for the brainwave interface, costs $100 more, coming in at $699. A pricey headphones proposition, to be sure, but also an intriguing one. Enough so that we gave it an award as the most innovative headphones of 2024.

A look at Neurable

Neurable was founded back in 2015, and by 2017 it had developed an EEG (electroencephalography) strap to be used with the HTC Vive headset for neural control in a VR environment. At the 2017 SIGGRAPH conference, Neurable and VR graphics company Estudiofuture showed off a VR game called The Awakening. Players could put down their controllers and instead control characters with just their thoughts while wearing the HTC Vive with Neurable’s technology.

Since that time, the company has changed focus from brain-powered control in a gaming VR space to everyday wearable solutions. The first version in 2019 was the DK1 — a cap that had six dry electrodes that could be calibrated in just a couple minutes. A big step forward from the company’s proof of concept that incorporated 32 wet electrodes and a half-hour calibration time, but still not what would be considered an everyday device.

That’s what led to Neurable’s partnership with Master & Dynamic and the MW75 Neuro headphones. They look remarkably similar to the MW75, apart from some Neurable AI branding and black and gray fabric ear cups (where the EEG electrodes are housed). And that’s the intention — being able to wear a BCI that otherwise looks like a normal pair of headphones.

As co-founder and CEO, Dr. Ramses Alcaide told Digital Trends when the as-yet-unannounced headphones were being developed, “Because they’re headphones, you can just put them on and nobody will know that you’re wearing a brain-computer interface,” Alcaide said. “It just looks like an average pair of headphones, but [will give users] the ability to do hands-free control. It can also track your cognitive states throughout the day.”

I’ve had the opportunity to talk with Dr. Alcaide on a few occasions, and his excitement and knowledge of the BCI industry is incredible. It’s also personal, with his interest starting when he was a child and after a tragic accident caused his uncle to lose both of his legs. It pushed him to an undergrad degree from the University of Washington and then a Master’s and Ph.D in neuroscience from the University of Michigan, where he was part of a breakthrough that increases the signal-to-noise ratio for EEGs. It’s part of what makes the MW75 Neuro possible.

How well do the MW75 Neuro work?

Since the MW75 and MW75 Neuro are virtually identical in their design and auditory performance, I’m not going to spend much time discussing their performance as headphones, other than to agree with Cohen’s previous assessment of the MW75. They’re incredibly well constructed, a bit heavy although still comfortable, look fantastic, and have excellent sound performance with a handful of EQ presets and a five-band equalizer. From the traditional headphones point of view, I enjoyed my time with them listening to music and podcasts immensely. All audio and ANC adjustments can be found within the Master & Dynamic M&D Connect app.

The brain-monitoring functionality happens with a separate Neurable app. Within the app, you can check the sensor connection, start a new focus session, look at the data from your previous focus sessions, play a focus demo game where you try and fly a rocket into space by concentrating on an ever-changing series of numbers, or access some information videos and articles from Neurable.

The EEG sensor connection requires you to sit still while the headphones check for a strong enough signal. Ideally, the earcups are against as much skin as possible, and it’s recommended that while you put them on, you move excess hair out of the way as best you can. I never had an issue getting the initial connection to happen, but as I approached the time of needing a haircut, I would sometimes need to swipe away my hair as I put the MW75 Neuro on. You then start your focus session, add in notes of what you plan to accomplish during the session, classify what it is you’re doing — work, entertainment, study, creative, or other — and then begin.

I found that the sensors worked more consistently when I wore the headphones while sitting doing work or listening to music. There were a few occasions where I wore them as I walked around the neighborhood listening to a podcast, and the movement would at times cause the sensors to lose connection (there’s an audible message that plays when it happens). I’d then have to stop walking, open the app, and reestablish the connection. It never took that long to do, but would still interrupt my focus on the podcast.

Once you’re done with your session, you just press the “Hold to complete” button in the app, or hold your hand over the capacitive button on the right earcup. The data is then synced with your app (if your headphones aren’t paired with your device, up to 16 hours of data can be stored in the headphones and then synced at a later time). There’s a synopsis of your session with an efficiency rating, amount of focus points accumulated (more on this in a moment), and minute-to-minute breakdown of your session.

The session data is broken down into different levels of focus — high, medium, and low — that award focus points. High and medium award two focus points per minute, while low (and time where there was low-quality data) will give you one per minute. The preset goal is to achieve 100 focus points per day, which gets you a trophy for the day. The gamification adds in a way to be engaged and, ideally, keep you coming back (there are streak awards, as well).

In my time using the MW75 Neuro, I found it interesting to see where my focus waxed and waned. Time I spent at my computer while working showed me how having other apps open, such as email or Teams messaging, would drastically affect my focus levels while writing. My most consistent moment of high focus would be while walking around the neighborhood listening to a podcast. Seeing my ADHD tendencies mapped out on a daily chart has helped me to understand my brain a bit more. I can see the potential for improvements to my focus and how I structure my day (in particular, the tools I use that might be harming more than helping at times).

What could Neurable mean for the future?

Taking the information that I learn and adapting my work style to improve my focus is beneficial, but the potential of what’s next is the real interest for me. I have a neurodivergent son who has difficulties with focus and emotional regulation, and being able to have documented brain data (without being hooked up to a machine with loads of wires and electrodes) could lead to a greater understanding of how his brain works and discover strategies that help him thrive in the future. The MW75 Neuro aren’t the ideal wearable for his head size, though.

Putting Neurable’s technology in a smaller package could help get to a wider audience, and it looks like those plans are already in place. The Neurable website includes images of earbuds, indicating an intention of continuing development into a smaller size — which would be great for him — but also images of sensors incorporated into a helmet. Being able to monitor soldiers on active duty, or athletes on the field could further push research development into traumatic brain injuries, how our bodies deal with them, and how we might better our treatments to improve quality of life for affected individuals.

To me, that’s the most fascinating aspect of Neurable.

The bottom line

Future developments and discoveries is all well and good, but knowing if the Master & Dynamic MW75 Neuro are worth getting is what we’re here for. As with the non-Neuro version, the MW75 deliver excellent sound, a stylish design (I’ve been a fan of the Master & Dynamic aesthetic for years now), and very good battery life. The extra $100 for the Neuro capabilities might feel a bit hefty, but if I was in the market for more luxurious headphones, I see the value in the focus tracking features the MW75 Neuro provide. Is this an expensive, niche product? Absolutely. But getting a high-quality set of headphones paired with tools to help me focus in my day to day life is a worthwhile investment, despite the price tag.