JVC were once titans of the electronics market, constantly innovating with each new product. While their company’s scope and influence has shrunk considerably since the start of the 21st century, they still continue to innovate on a smaller scale. Recently, they’ve thrown their hat into the crowded wireless IEM market with the JVC Wireless Wood Masterpiece. Does this new product live up to their innovative legacy and stack up to the competition?
What You Get
- Wood Masterpiece earbuds
- Charging case
- Spiral Dot Pro SF earpieces (5 sizes)
- Charging cable (USB Type‑A to Type‑C)
The Wood Masterpiece comes in a nice box with an impeccably designed charging case. It has a great, textured finish with a sleek gold-colored JVC logo in the center. I do wish the chase was a little bit smaller, as it’s harder to fit in a pocket than some other wireless IEMs that I’ve tried such as the AirPods, Sonys, or JBLs. If it were just a little bit thinner and had a slightly smaller radius it would be perfect.
Look, Design, & Comfort
JVC has excelled in this category. The Wood Masterpiece looks and feels great, not only with its case, as I’ve mentioned, but with the individual IEMs themselves. Inspired by either guitar or piano designs (depending on the model you purchase), the Wood Masterpiece has a unique character to it that makes it stand out from the competition in a good way.
Their comfort is also exceptional. With the right sized eartip, which you will easily find fresh out of the box, the Wood Masterpiece fits very snuggly. I experienced no irritation even after hours of wear and, after a while, nearly forgot I was wearing them at all.
Features and Customization
Like most modern wireless IEMs, the Wood Masterpiece offers a great deal of customization beyond simple bluetooth connection. JVC offers an app for further customization, including more fine-tuned volume control and EQ. While I don’t think the user interface on the app is the best, the amount of options it provides is commendable and can make the sound much better for those that have more unique taste.
The Wood Masterpiece also offers touch controls for both the left and right side. This allows you to change volume, skip tracks and more without touching your device. There’s no swiping or any complex movements required for it like some other IEMs have tried. Instead, there’s only touch or hold controls, which I personally prefer.
Full active noise cancellation is offered and is quite good at creating an isolated listening environment for music or making calls. It’s quite effective and makes the Wood Masterpiece a highly versatile pair of IEMs for just about any situation.
Other features include two-device simultaneous bluetooth connection, and an impressive 30+ hour battery life.
Technical Specifications
- Driver type: Wood dome dynamic driver (real wood diaphragm)
- Driver size: ~10 mm class (0.39 in)
- Frequency response: 20 Hz – 20,000 Hz
- Impedance: 16 Ω
- Magnet: Neodymium
Sound Review
The most unique feature of this IEM is its driver. Unlike virtually every other IEM, which have drivers made of some form of metal or plastic, the Wood Masterpieces are made of wood. According to JVC, this decision is made because “Wood transmits sound swiftly, suppresses unwanted vibrations, and, over time, its material stabilizes, allowing its tone to mature—deeper and richer.” Fortunately, I would say that this innovation was not in vain.
Soundstage & Imaging
The staging on this IEM is clear and immersive. There is an impressive amount of width to the overall presentation, ensuring that instruments don’t muddily blend together. There is a great deal of separation between the vocals and instruments as well, ensuring a clear listening experience where lyrics can be clearly understood. The surrounding imaging is also quite nice; it really felt like the band was right in front of me, and I could distinguish each member’s position in my head. Overall, a very impressive performance in this category.
Frequency Response
The frequency response of the Wood Masterpiece varies greatly depending on what setting you’re using them on. When on their default “flat” setting, they are very true to life and reference-conscious. However, if you want something more fun, you can adjust the Wood Masterpiece with nine other professionally designed EQ settings. You can also create a custom EQ of your own if you wish. These settings work better for some tracks and worse for others. I would keep your ears open and change according to what the frequency content is.
That’s not to say the Wood Masterpiece doesn’t sound good without EQ, it does, but the ability to customize to your personal preference is a great touch. If you want high-fidelity sound for a wireless IEM, the Wood Masterpiece is a strong contender for the $300 price point. It holds its own with the likes of Apple and Sony and, in some categories, exceeds them.
Final Thoughts
The JVC Wood Masterpiece carves a unique place in the wireless IEM market. While it may have difficulty finding its place due to how many trusted brands are already in the space—Apple, Noble, Sony, Bowers and Wilkins, Etc—I believe there will be a place for it for those looking for a new sound. It also holds its own against the competition in terms of features and noise cancellation quality. Its driver and customization gives it a great sound that is hard to match in both character and quality. Whether you’re looking to get your first pair of wireless IEMs, or you’re wanting to add something that will provide a unique sound to your collection, the Wood Masterpiece is worth giving a shot.
You can buy the JVC Wood Masterpiece here.
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