The No.5909 isn’t designed to be an audiophile reference level headphone, and wireless headphones are still unable to rival wired designs at the same price point. Driver materials are incredibly important to a speaker or headphone’s performance. Beryllium is prized for its combination of lightness, rigidity, and superior pistonic performance. Beryllium drivers typically don’t have breakup in the audible frequency range. Mark Levinson’s high end loudspeaker sibling, Revel Speakers, reserves Beryllium for its top-of-the-line models.

The soundstage here is reasonably expansive, rigorously organised and simplicity itself to follow. Dynamic potency – both where big volume shifts and minor, transient variations are concerned – is never in doubt. Even when asked to properly rough it with a compressed file of Slaughter & The Dogs’ Cranked Up Really High, the Mark Levinson are willing and not in any way judgmental. The second is the prowess of the noise cancelling itself. Switch the ANC on and the Mark Levinson is a veritable iso-tank. It can handle truly enormous levels of outside noise (my customary standing on a footpath under the M1 elicits the same response from fellow pedestrians as it always does but it’s a hell of a test) and you can listen to the delicate Interlude 1 by Sarah Jarosz while you do so. There is very little I’ve tested that can get close to it; again PSB and Yamaha run it close but they exert more effect on the material being played than the 5909 does. There is nothing I have ever tested that keeps delivering a performance that warrants the term ‘Hi-Fi’ in the conditions that the Mark Levinson can. Yes, I used an absolute and used it deliberately. Strings have good energy and timbre making the No.5909 a great choice for string quartet pieces. Piano notes are delivered with excellent weight, detail, and very realistic timbre and it was rather impressive how well the headphones reproduced one of the most challenging instruments to get right.

The Mark Levinson No. 5909 were comfortable to wear for long listening sessions, even with the surprisingly thin padding on the headband. What makes this headphone special isn’t necessarily its pedigree, premium materials, onboard tech, or noise-cancelling performance (though it has all of those, too). Rather, what’s notable is the No. 5909’s voicing to the so-called Harman target curve for headphones. The result? A gorgeous headphone worthy of the Levinson heritage that will exceed the sonic expectations of even the most demanding music lover. Up to this point, it might have been possible to dismiss the Mark Levinson No. 5909 as tinsel for the wealthy - beautifully made and good-looking tinsel, yes, but tinsel nonetheless. But give them some music to deal with (any kind of music, really - this test included everything from Billie Holiday’s Fine and Mellow through The Creation’s How Does It Feel to Feel? to Rudimental’s Waiting All Night) and they stop being an accessory and start being a thoroughly impressive source of thoroughly impressive sound.

The Mark Levinson No. 5909 is a magnificent choice. In fact, it is one of the best wireless all-rounder headphones I’ve come across lately. The wireless features are just a bonus for me. My gripes concern the controls and app that are too basic for a wireless headphone at this price, and the ANC which cannot be used during phone conversations. If those two items can be fixed with a firmware update, this becomes a mandatory listen for anyone considering a high-end wireless headphone. The Focal Bathys and B&W PX8 are serious competitors at better price level, not speaking about the MW75, which is almost the same headphone and almost as good. A comparison between these would be very helpful. :)Theo Nicolakis is a C-Level technologist and digital communications professional. He's also a passionate audiophile and home theater aficionado. The No. 5909 performs admirably for a Bluetooth model. On wired mode, you can hear the difference in quality across the board, of course. On wireless, you get a bit of a drop-off but that is normal for this type of headphone.

Disclaimer: our company Madrona Digital is a dealer for Harman products in custom install industry. So while we theoretically could source this headphone, it is not something we remotely sell. Still, if you want to read bias into this review, by all means, do so. The mid bass is very linear and clean sounding with more than enough detail and texture; there was no bleed at all into the upper bass or lower midrange. One can use the app to engage the “bass boost” feature and while that does add more impact and emphasis to the bass in the mix, it also comes at the expense of some clarity.The right cup has buttons for volume up and down, and a button in the middle that pauses and starts music as well as answering and ending calls. On the left cup is the power button, which also pairs Bluetooth, and also the ANC button, which activates noise cancellation and sound rejection. Press three times to disable noise cancellation completely. Carrying case and a selection of cables are included. (Photo: Geir Gråbein Nordby) The feeling of luxury Along with a high-resolution wireless sound, the 5909s also are equipped with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). ANC has climbed the audiophile ladder as one of the more important qualities in the wireless headphone world, so this aspect of the 5909s would have to compete with some of the best ANC cans today, like the Sony new generation WH1000-XM5 (I also reviewed these headphones at length for Audiophilia). Suffice it to say I had pretty high expectations. High power doesn’t add fidelity or more bass, so look to smoother-sounding sources and amplifiers instead. For example, I prefer the XRK portable amp here over my CEntrance HiFi-M8 V2, which is 4x the price. Why? Because it is buttery smooth and has a musical flare, while the M8v2 is more clinical in tone. Mark Levinson No. 5909 are very exclusive headphones, which elevate wireless sound to completely new heights. The noise reduction itself is good, but still not among the best. The sound, however, is top notch.

The Mark Levinson No. 5909 is a middle ground vocal presentation experience, one that is not forward, but not recessed either. It plays it safe and apparently was tuned to the Harman Curve, specifically. Lose yourself in your music with the first-ever headphones from Mark Levinson, a pioneer in high-fidelity audio for the past 50 years. Reference-quality sound meets luxurious comfort in a lightweight and durable set of headphones featuring Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) that’s perfect for travel. Reveal the hidden details in your music – at home, on the go, or anywhere you find a moment to listen.Controls are split between cups with the power/pairing and ANC modes button on the left and the volume up, play/pause/volume down on the right. The right cup also has the USB Type-C charging port. Samsung, JBL, and AKG have a strong focus on the headphone and wireless categories and it was only a matter of time before a brand like Mark Levinson ventured into the space. ANC works very well and is on par with Sony and Bose for noise reduction and extremely good when it comes to not changing the sonic signature when engaged. Like most models, it works more effectively with lower pitched droning noises and I found that the low or adaptive settings were quite sufficient for most listening environments. The app doesn't render properly on the Samsung Z Fold 4 big screen, which is weird for a company owned by Samsung.