PSB M4U TWM Review

I recently reviewed PSB’s over-ear Bluetooth headphones the M4U 8 MKII, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The M4U TWM is its true wireless counterpart, possessing most of its major features and its price point. Let’s see how it compares to other popular true wireless earbuds on the market.

What You Get

• TWM earbuds
• Charging case
• Two extra pairs of ear tips
• USB-C charging cable

Look & Feel

The TWM is shaped like a guitar pick that has an extended cavity. It’s a good enough design for their general comfort level. If you’re only looking at pictures, you might not be able to tell that the front plates are actually psychical buttons rather than a touch-panel. When you feel them, the panel feels loose, but it doesn’t make the design seem flimsy at all. They should be able to stay in your ears fine, and with a good seal too.

Design

I was initially surprised to find out that PSB opted to using planar magnetic drivers for their true wireless earbuds. Of course, these need to be smaller transducers that are 6mm. Come to find out, the TWM’s drivers are actually a hybrid planar dual-driver configuration called Magneto-Static, which controls high frequency resolution while a dynamic planar regulates bass and mids. Everything that makes the TWM special is centered on the sound, which is why you won’t see any noise-canceling or ambient features used here. Instead, the TWM’s companion app allows for features like RoomFeel tuning, personal sound profiles, and EQ as its main feature.

Bluetooth

The TWM features fast pairing and a very stable connection that I never experienced any interruptions with. In terms of CODECs, the TWM only features aptX adaptive outside of your standard SBC and AAC. It also features a multipoint connection which is always a plus.

Battery Life

For the price, the TWM exhibits a very good battery life, totaling 8 hours of continuous playback time. The charging case adds 3 additional charges to that, and it only takes 2 hours to get the case back to full charge.

Soundstage

Their over-ear counterpart engaged you with some surprising imaging depth. While the TWM doesn’t quite replicate that, it still brings a better soundstage than some of the more popular true wireless earbuds on the market. The left and right channels feature good balance and make pan movements feel distinct. Spatial positioning is more centered but still retains solid stereo accuracy. It features a fair amount of width, but don’t expect anything past shoulder length. Only the most extreme pan positions feel particularly wide, but there’s enough dimension and separation between elements to heighten the soundstage.

Low End

The bass frequencies feel evenly distributed, with a dynamic response that has enough detail to impress. While it’s rarely the spotlight of the sound signature, you can always feel it crawling underneath, vibrating subtly. This isn’t the thickest tone though, and sometimes the bass doesn’t cut through as defiantly as you might expect it to. Even messing around with EQ and using the ‘deep bass’ preset gives me the same impression, albeit with a slightly more throaty appearance. It’s still a good performance though, as the bass has a consistent presence that features no bloated properties. There’s no dullness either, as there is always a solid foundation that underlines the bass.

Mids

For analyzing the mids, I kept the EQ at RoomFeel most of the time. The idea here is that the sound will feel more natural, and I think the mids showcase that well. When using this preset, the mids have a clear response, with a warm timbre and detailed artifacts that elevate it in comparison to most other true wireless earbuds in this price range. You feel instruments and vocals layer over each other, and cut through when necessary to show the best clarity.

Highs

Without EQ, the highs have a clear presence in the mix while not processing any distracting characteristics. The upper-mids and treble have the most detail and clarity, with pluckiness and crispness layered throughout. It always feels smooth and equally presented through pure gain. With EQ, the highs become more pronounced but still never sounds harsh or artificial.

Summary

With the TWM, it’s all about the sound quality, and it’s hard to name anything better for the price. At least in terms of pure, natural detail, the TWM is impressive for true wireless earbuds. It’s not always what you expect though, even with EQ and personalized sound features. What PSB is offering is certainly different compared to most other true wireless earbuds, so if you’re okay with sacrificing some quality-of-life features for sound quality.

The PSB M4U TWM is available at Audio46.