JVC WOOD Masterpiece Review: Is It A Sonic Masterpiece Too?

When you think of true wireless earphones, what brands come to mind? You may think of Apple AirPods or Samsung Galaxy Buds, which are designed to be compatible with your phone, or perhaps JBL or Sony if you're looking for something more geared towards music. The audiophile crowd might think of Bowers & Wilkins or Noble Audio instead, and now there's another model to look out for. JVC is a company based in the US that specializes in various types of audio. Today, we got to take a listen to their high-end true wireless earphones, the JVC WOOD Masterpiece. Inspired by musical instruments, the WOOD Masterpiece is a single-driver Bluetooth earphone that has turned some heads in the audiophile world. Is this the masterpiece that JVC claims it is? Or will its competition still outperform the fresh face? In our review, we will go over all the details and features that make the WOOD Masterpiece worth listening to. 

SOUNDSTAGE & IMAGING

So, the question everyone is asking: how does the WOOD Masterpiece sound? When I first listened to them, I was blown away by the amount of detail you get from each track. The bass was definitely very strong, especially when you pair it with the active noise cancellation, but the treble detail still came through with excellent force. I was really put at the center of my tracks, as the wide soundstage wrapped around my head easily to create an immersive listening environment. The soundstage was very intimate, staying relatively close and up front through each of the frequency ranges. You get a good sense of height to create a wall of sound, and with the loudness that the WOOD Masterpiece is capable of, you are able to focus on your music easily and without distraction. 

The overall sound signature of the WOOD Masterpiece leans towards the bass, but it is incredibly dynamic with a lot of treble detail. Sound reproduction is natural and precise, falling into the stereo field to create a pretty accurate picture in front of you. Vocals come to the front to take the center stage, and everything else filters around them in the open space. You get a nice sense of depth that doesn't go too far backwards to get lost, but instead stays tight and intimate, and still has decent separation. For bass lovers who prefer loud, attention-grabbing music, the WOOD Masterpiece will certainly be one to consider. The clean sound makes a great contender for the analytical listeners, especially with the accurate imaging in the wide sound field. 

BASS FREQUENCIES

The bass in the WOOD Masterpiece is one of the first things you notice when you start listening. The low end is thick and powerful, coming in with a direct and driving punch in every genre. It was definitely noticeable in classic rock songs that had a punchy kick drum, or in EDM tracks that made 808 hits the star of the show. The sub-bass extension was clean and smooth, making those really low tones all the more impactful. The WOOD Masterpiece made sure the bass stayed clean and precise amongst all the weight it carried, not letting the thickness cover any details to make the instrument unrecognizable. I could see the bass being a bit overwhelming if you kept the tuning in the 'FLAT' preset, but lightening it just a tad or bringing up the treble response made the balance a little more even for a less fatiguing session. 

MIDRANGE FREQUENCIES

The midrange frequencies in the WOOD Masterpiece came to the front to create a V-shaped signature, holding out strong against the powerful bass. The melodic elements in this range were easy to recognize, like voices, pianos, and various guitars. There was a lot of good separation in this range, making sure each element got a space to shine but still working cohesively together to create a good flow. In more instrument-heavy tracks, it was clear to see how all the timbres worked in harmony together and expanded across the soundstage to give you a good image of the ensemble in front of you. I liked how the textures and tones of instruments were very natural, and any added color could be adjusted in the JVC app or through a third-party application if you so choose. Still, with the color and timbre that came out in the WOOD Masterpiece's stock signature, I didn't find myself missing or craving any additional flavor in my tracks. 

TREBLE FREQUENCIES

Rounding out the signature, we take a look at the WOOD Masterpiece's treble range. This is the range that may seem the weakest in terms of power, but it holds its own in the face of a detailed midrange and thick bass. This top-end stays equivalent in power to deliver precision and clarity throughout the entire signature, doing so without being too shrill or piercing. The treble range opens up space at the very top, creating a roll-off that is soft and spacious. You can hear more of the natural tones of instruments through this extension into the upper treble, as well as an openness to help the signature from sounding compressed. Even in a more intimate and forward signature, the treble keeps its brightness and airiness to make the WOOD Masterpiece easy to wear for hours. 

The JVC Wood Masterpiece sits right at the center of a lot of other true wireless earphones. In a similar price point, you have earphones like the Sennheiser MOMENTUM TWS 4 and the Sony WF-1000XM6. They both come with the same features and customizability as the WOOD Masterpiece, making it a hard sell for a higher price point. The WOOD Masterpiece impresses more with its audiophile sound quality. The level of detail and exact timbral staging make the WOOD Masterpiece just a short step in sound quality, and it goes into competition with higher-priced earphones like the Noble Audio Rex5 or the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8. 

Both of these earbuds have the same level of sound quality, but with slightly different signatures than the WOOD Masterpiece. Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 has a lot of the same strong bass response, though the JVC cleans it up a bit better to make it punchier and clearer. The Noble Audio Rex5 may have a better balance and tonal clarity than the JVC WOOD Masterpiece has, but at $100 more in price, the WOOD Masterpiece proves to be a better value for the quality you get. 

The JVC WOOD Masterpiece lives up to its name: yes, it is a masterpiece. Not only does the physical design impress from the first unboxing, but the sound quality is also something that competes with some of the greats. The bass is punchy and still detailed, offering good color and precision throughout the signature and space that carries all the way to the treble. The midrange sound reproduction makes instruments well-placed in the soundstage, and nothing is left behind with the timbral color and detail. With strong ANC and clear microphone quality, the WOOD Masterpiece earns its title as an aesthetic and sonic masterpiece for audiophiles. 

The JVC WOOD Masterpiece is available at Audio46.