Noise has taken a big swing with the Master Buds Max, its new over-ear headphone offering. Positioned in a price range where ANC (Active Noise Cancellation), premium sound tuning, and high-end features are often hard to come by, this model tries to bring a lot of value. Available for pre-order, the Master Buds Max are priced at Rs. 9,999 (introductory), with sales starting from October 14, 2025 via the official site.
Here’s what stands out so far positives, trade-offs, and whether it might be the “affordable premium” pick it promises to be.
What’s Good
1. Sound tuned by Bose + ANC
One of the biggest draws here is the Bose-tuned audio. This adds credibility, especially in this price segment, promising better clarity, balanced mid-ranges, and controlled bass rather than just a “bass-boosted” sound. The ANC is a key feature too for a headphone in this category, effective cancellation of ambient noise (especially lower frequency hums, traffic, etc.) is a strong plus.
2. Design & Build
Early look suggests the design feels premium. Build materials, finish, and general craftsmanship seem to lean towards the higher end, especially when compared to more bare-bones options in the same price tier. The over-ear design presumably helps with comfort and sound isolation.
3. Value proposition
At ≈ Rs. 10,000, Master Buds Max hits a sweet spot: expensive enough to promise serious features, yet not so costly as to put it out of reach for many users in India. If the real-world performance (sound, ANC, comfort) is close to what the specs and early impressions suggest, this could be one of the go-to over-ear options in this segment.
What Could Be Better
1. True ANC performance in loud environments
While the initial impressions are positive, over-ear headphones often face challenges when exposed to very loud, dynamic noise environments (e.g. buses, trains, construction). It’s not yet clear how well the ANC holds up under those conditions. Sometimes the “halo” effects, or pressure feeling, or letting in treble noise can become issues. The early press coverage mentions the ANC promise but stops short of saying it’s as good as flagship-level alternatives.
2. Sound balance & fidelity at high volumes
In many devices, once you push the volume higher, distortion, or imbalance starts creeping in (too much treble, too little bass, etc.). We’ll need longer head-to-head listening in different genres to see if the Bose tuning truly delivers a well-rounded sound even at extremes. So for audiophiles, this may or may not satisfy. (This is typical for headphones in this price range.)
3. Build details & durability
Even when something feels premium initially, over-ear headphones’ comfort and durability depend heavily on things like ear-cup padding, quality of headband, material fatigue, hinge strength (if foldable), etc. Early impressions said the design and finish are good, but those are often the first things to degrade. Also, how heavy is it over longer listening hours? Does it clamp too hard? Heat or leakage of sound? These are not yet fully known for the Master Buds Max.
If I were advising someone looking for over-ear headphones around this budget (≈ ₹10,000), the Noise Master Buds Max looks to be a strong contender. It offers:
- Bose tuning and decent ANC
- A good build and design that feels premium
- A pricing strategy that makes “premium features” accessible
If you care most about noise cancelation performance in really harsh environments, or absolute headroom/clarity at high volumes, you might want to compare it against a couple of flagship competitors or wait for full reviews. But for everyday use commuting, casual music, work calls it probably offers more than enough for the price.
