Sometimes, it’s amusing how you evolve over the years. Every day, I interact with individuals who recount their life experiences and the development of their personalities and mindsets. These changes resonate deeply with me, whether in love, work, or music. Growing up in a highly conservative household, my parents disliked music and never bothered to listen to it. Consequently, it was my responsibility to fill this void. In a way, my passion for music was a journey of self-discovery. I could effortlessly transition from Beethoven in the morning to Coleman Hawkins in the afternoon and Jane’s Addiction at night. This “process” was exploratory, creative, and incredibly enjoyable. And surprisingly, this thirst for music has not diminished over time.

This review of the PSB M4U TWM True Wireless Earphones (USD 199.99) and their sound reminded me to go back to the basics, the experience.

The Canadian audio company PSB has garnered a reputation for years with its exceptional loudspeakers. Now, they have ventured into the wireless realm. Although their journey began in 2018, they introduced a new generation of their true wireless components. Several over-the-ear wireless headphones have emerged, including the PSB M4U8 MKII Wireless ANC Headphones, which I previously reviewed.

Specifications

Type: true wireless in-ear

Colour: Black

Housing: closed

Driver: 6mm dynamic

Bluetooth: 5.2

Codec: AptX Adaptive, AAC, SBC

IP65 Rating: Water-resistant, sweatproof, and dustproof.

Battery life: earbuds 8hrs, charging case 24 hours (also has Qi wireless charging)

Weight (g): 5g (earbuds); 66.2g (charging case)

Aesthetics, design, and functionality

Upon receiving the PSB M4U True Wireless earbuds, I initially thought they were just another ordinary pair of wireless earbuds. They came in a small and slippery charging case with four tiny lights indicating the battery life. The black earphones have an interesting design resembling an upside-down raindrop or teardrop, featuring the PSB logo. While they are a bit larger than I prefer, they are comfortable and fit well without any sound leakage.

I immediately appreciated the need to physically press the button on each earbud (rather than tapping a sensor like on other earbuds, which I find frustrating), giving them a more analog feel. When the button is pressed and audio starts playing, an additional press on the right earbud controls the volume, while the same press on the left earbud skips tracks forward or backward. Answering calls is also easy: a single push/press to answer, a double push/press to hang up, and a long push/press to skip the call. I love the push/press button style, especially since I'm not too fond of sensors.

I did, however, miss some aspects of other true-wireless earbuds technology, like automatic pause when taking the buds off and the possibility of changing settings to your liking regarding the tapping mechanism. Noise cancelling would’ve been good, too, but I have a hypothesis that that feature could interfere with the sound, more on this later.

Back in 2020, PSB began its partnership with Audiodo Personal Sound Technology, a company that provides and customizes sound. The PSB app has a great feature: with a couple of minutes of a hearing assessment, each earbud is calibrated for a personalized experience. The app also includes an EQ with presets for you to choose your preference (lower/higher bass, mids, etc). I found the app very easy to use, with an analog feel, by this, I mean that the design, outline, and look are pretty basic, which I didn’t mind. I like that you can switch between the factory tuning and the personal sound with a single tap on the screen. And even though they don’t have noise cancelling (this could be a deal breaker for many), the PSB TWM has “cVc™ (clear voice capture) technology that minimizes background noise, ensuring clear voice quality in any environment.”

I used both the personal sound and the factory tuning; I found the latter better for an overall listening experience. I don’t know why that is, but that was my preferred sound, so my review is mostly of the PSB factory sound with no EQ. I listened on my iPhone 15 and my Digital Audio Player, the iBasso DX-180.

Sound

PSB describes the TWM’s signature sound as “clear, detailed, and natural.” They emphasize the use of powerful Magneto-Static technology in a Hybrid Planar dual-driver design, which delivers crisp, high-resolution sound even at low volumes. The high-frequency Magneto-Static driver provides a clear and detailed treble, while the dynamic planar midrange/bass driver offers deep bass and a natural midrange.

One thing that caught my attention was the ease of sound. These dynamic planars had a natural feel that reminded me a bit of over-the-ear planars. However, I didn’t experience the closed-over-the-ear headphone feel of some true-wireless earbuds that include noise cancellation. Perhaps this is the most natural listening experience I’ve had with Bluetooth earbuds.

While the PSB TWM may not be the best sounding in terms of clarity, separation, and bass boost, it’s the most enjoyable to listen to. Each time I put them on, I have a very pleasant experience. I compared them to similarly priced earbuds like the Sennheiser TW Momentum 4, the Sony WF-1000XM5, the Cambridge Audio Melonamia M100, and the Jabra Elite 8, but none of them were as natural or analog sounding.

This was spot-on of my listening experience, as described on the PSB site:

PSB’s RoomFeel™ technology emulates the experience of listening to high-quality speakers in a well-designed room, creating a natural sound. This technology incorporates research on ‘Room Gain,’ which accounts for the warmth and energy that room boundaries add to a speaker’s response curve. RoomFeel minimizes the ‘in your head’ sensation, offering an open, in-room listening experience with the M4U TWM, ensuring a non-fatiguing and natural sound.

These earbuds are some of the easiest to listen to that I’ve owned. I once forgot I had them with me and took them to the gym. When I realized it, instead of putting on my Jabra Elites to run and hit the heavy bag, I used the PSB TWM. The non-fatiguing sound and the fact that they have an IP65 rating made them just right. Additionally, I didn’t have any issues with them falling out (they come with several tip/foam replacements).

“Natural sound,” yes, but what does that sound like? Well, subtlety is key. When you listen to these earbuds on low volume, you don’t miss any clarity of the recording. Neither does the sound get coloured by high volume levels. They just sound right. Now, the soundstage isn’t their forte, nor is bass, but that doesn’t mean listening is less enjoyable. True-wireless earphones tend to focus on the mid-range frequency, which is the “safe” sound. And the more affordable buds (less than USD 100) tend to focus on treble, which I’ve found.

I listened to Roy Hargrove’s meticulous trumpet playing live recording, The Love Suite: In Mahogany, and was blown away by the incredible detail and soft-sounding notes. There wasn’t a harsh note to be found on this recording or the PSB earbuds. Next, I listened to Weezer’s ‘Say it ain’t So,’ which features a pull D note on guitar at several moments throughout the album. Usually, this note is too bright for my taste, but not here. It was like a soft note that didn’t overpower the vocals. Finally, I listened to Johnny Hodges and his 1954 masterpiece, “On the Sunny Side of the Street,” featuring Coltrane on tenor sax. It was a delightful and flowing recording.

PSB comments about their TWM signature sound, “The TWM utilizes powerful Magneto-Static technology in a Hybrid Planar dual driver design for clear, detailed sound. A high-frequency Magneto-Static driver offers crisp, high-resolution sound even at low volumes, while the dynamic planar midrange/bass driver delivers deep bass and natural midrange”

And I will give them this: they do sound more natural, less shouty/bright, especially when listening to heavy guitars and big distortion like Pantera’s ‘I’m Broken,’ which have serious treble-focused recorded guitars (Dimebag Darrell’s signature Dean guitar making a statement on this track). This Magneto-Static tech and Hybrid Planar dual-drive design is described by PSB as “In-studio sound-quality sound, in a compact form,” and I agree.

In conclusion, these PSB earbuds feature a unique dual driver, a planar magnetic transducer paired with a dynamic transducer, as far as I know, a first for a true-wireless component. This combination results in a sweet and natural sound. At USD 199, they are priced well. If you’re into the tech that comes with earbuds at that price, these PSB earbuds may not be for you. However, if you’re looking for a more analog sound, comfortable, and natural-sounding earbuds that can be used anywhere, even in the gym, with buttons instead of those dreadful touch sensors, then these PSB earbuds are your best bet.

Further information: PSB Speakers