Headphones — Psb M4U 8 MKII

The M4U 8 MKII from PSB is a wireless over-ear design with active noise cancellation, sold in Jet Black and Espresso Brown and launched on 12 July 2022. Compared with the original M4U 8, the MKII adds aptX HD, Audiodo Personal Sound and improved battery performance, while keeping physical slider controls rather than touch surfaces. Personal Sound measures the listener's hearing and compensates for individual differences, and it is joined by PSB's RoomFeel room simulation. The calibration runs in the dedicated PSB Headphones app for iOS and Android, and PSB describes the signal path as all-digital.

Key specs that matter

The transducers are 40 mm dynamic drivers in closed, circumaural earcups. Frequency response is 10 to 20,000 Hz at the -10 dB points, 15 to 20,000 Hz at -3 dB and 20 to 20,000 Hz within 1.5 dB. Distortion is 0.25 percent with ANC off and 0.5 percent with ANC on, both at 1 kHz and 1 mW. Passive impedance is 32 ohm and maximum power handling is 30 mW. Battery life is up to 25 hours in wireless active mode and is rated at 18 hours with noise cancelling engaged. The headphone weighs 342 g with cable.

Engineering and use context

A switch selects passive, active or noise-cancelling operation. PSB supplies tangle-free detachable cables, one for audio and one for USB, each 2 m long, plus a 6.35 mm adapter and an airplane adapter. The sliders handle volume, power and ANC activation, and track navigation, and four noise-cancelling microphones are spaced around both earcups. Earcup controls also answer calls, play or pause music and skip tracks. The earpads are oval in shape. PSB fits sensitive microphones intended for phone calls and uses a Bluetooth chipset chosen for a stable link. The 3.5 mm jack keeps working while the battery charges over USB-C. The headband is spring steel and expandable, and the driver enclosures are made of ABS and polycarbonate. Earpads are gyro-suspended and tilted at 15 degrees for ergonomic support, with super soft fabric and leatherette options available. Each ear cushion measures 68 x 98 x 17 mm on the outside, and an EVA travel case is included, giving an overall packed size of 200 x 200 x 70 mm.

Pairing

Bluetooth pairing covers sources with aptX HD or AAC decoding, and the charging cable has USB-A and USB-C plugs.

Alternatives

PSB also offers the M4U 9, a wireless over-ear ANC model with graphene-infused drivers.