Meze Audio – Makers of Headphones That Sound as Good as They Look
/Hello everyone, and welcome to the February blog from Audio T Brighton! For this month’s article we are going to move our attention over to personal listening via a now well-established headphone manufacturer, Meze Audio.
Since 2011 Meze Audio has offered stylish and well-made headphones and in recent years expanded their range to suit all budgets. Let’s have a look and listen to four headphones in their range that we’ve had a listen to - spoiler alert, we like all of them!
Yet another bit of personal history...
I seem to be getting into a habit of giving accounts of some hi-fi gear that I own or have owned and love…
Over the years I have owned many pairs of headphones but started to use “cans” for personal listening more frequently with young children in the house, both for drowning-out their noise and to avoid waking the rest of the household when listening late at night, (I’m sure many readers of this blog will recognise this scenario quite well).
The second scenario I’m about to mention is more unfortunate - headphones break all too easily, especially the plastic headbands and cable attachments. Sadly this often means consigning the headphones to the bin because repairs cannot be carried out or parts are unavailable - the green revolution hasn’t yet migrated to headphone manufacture.
After having experienced a headband crack scenario with 3 consecutive pairs of headphones (original pair and 2 replacement pairs from a manufacturer who will remain nameless!) I decided to try and find a different manufacturer who manage to make headphones that look good, sound good and can be repaired - a tough ask!
Enter Meze Audio with the Meze 99 Classics! These closed-back headphones have been a family stalwart over the years and an ideal partner for entry-level headphone setups, portable audio and gaming use, offering fine sound and respectable isolation from external noise.
Meze 99 classics
User replaceable parts...
Visiting the Meze Audio website, they proudly advertise in the Accessories section the availability of user-replaceable parts, including the usual earpads, headband strap etc, but they also allow users to replace the drivers themself, if they happen to get damaged. Meze’s headphones are notable for the limited use of plastic parts in their construction and this certainly bodes well for serviceability and longevity, not to forget the aforementioned “green” recycling credentials.
Meze’s delectable range of headphones here at Audio T in Brighton...
Meze 105AER open-back...
Meze’s 105AER headphones are a new product in their range and the company’s entry-level open-back. The 105AER is one of the few models using plastic as a major material in their construction. Fortunately, the parts that benefit from non-plastic construction are used where they are most needed - in that headband. Along with other models in their range and pioneered by its use in the Meze 99 Classics, is a self-adjusting headband, allowing the user to just pop the headphones on their head and let the elasticated headband strap take up the strain. This method not only proves to be very comfortable, but its lightweight construction keeps the weight of the headphones down quite a bit and you hardly notice them on your head at all once the music starts playing.
Soundwise, these two headphones have a very different signature, with the Meze 105AER’s offering a more linear, open and refined sound - often the case when comparing open v closed headphones. The Meze 99 Classics offer a more “v-shaped” sound signature, satisfying for “bassheads” or those who need sound isolation.
Meze 109 Pro open-back...
Next in the Meze Audio headphone range are the 109 Pros. These open-back headphones, crafted from wood and metal, exude class and deliver a wonderfully open and extended sound. We found them to be a step up from the Meze 105AER, offering greater detail and openness, with good efficiency and an excellent sense of drive. They pair comfortably with portable devices, standard headphone outputs, and higher-end setups.
They also respond well to Meze Audio’s cable upgrade options - more on that later.
Meze Liric 2 closed-back...
Meze Audio’s premium closed-back headphone, the Liric 2, now comes with a revised tuning and perhaps more importantly, have an option to magnetically swap out headphone pads when they wear out, lacking in the original model. Adorned with a lovely wooden fascia, the Liric 2 are certainly more weighty than the aforementioned Meze models, but still incredibly comfortable. As one would expect for the price difference, the Meze Liric 2 are more open and refined than their closed-back juniors, the 99 Classics, but very different from the open sound of the Meze 109 Pros. However, if you want a luxuriously comfy fit, the isolation of a closed-back pair of cans, want a nice warm sound with plenty of detail, then these are a good choice.
Meze Empyrean 2 open-back...
Just below the top-of-the-range Meze Elites come the Empyrean 2. Like their closed-back siblings, the Liric 2, these have undergone a recent re-tuning & re-styling in their Mk2 guise.
The Meze Empyrean 2 employ neodymium magnets in a hybrid array to disperse sound uniformly across the whole driver diaphragm surface.
isodynamic array driver used in the liric, empyrean & elite headphones
The upshot of the use of their proprietary driver is one of outstanding linearity, detail and clarity across a wide bandwidth. We found the step forward in sound reproduction over the Meze 109 Pro was significant, with a much more mature, refined and sophisticated sound. There are similarities with the Meze Liric 2’s, but the open sound of the Meze Empyrean’s was a cut above.
Headphone cable upgrades...
One of the options on offer from Maze is the choice of a range of high quality copper or silver cables to upgrade the sound and look of their headphone range. Cables really can make a difference and they elevate the sound quality of their range of headphones significantly - the Meze 105AER, Meze 109 Pro and Meze Liric 2 all responded well to these cable upgrades with the Meze Empyrean 2 supplied with copper mini-XLR version as standard.
Copper v silver...
It’s important not to stereotype the effects of copper versus silver cable materials on sound characteristics, as there are always exceptions. However, in this case—and true to form—the Meze silver cables placed more emphasis on the upper mids and presence region, while the copper cables tended to offer a fuller, more rounded sound. In a way, they act like subtle tone controls, making them a useful tool for tailoring your headphones' sound to your preference. Both provided noticeable improvements over the stock cables supplied in the box.
Meze’s audio cuisine is geared to taste...
We’re big fans of the Meze headphone range—not only do they offer superb comfort and striking looks, but they also deliver fantastic sound and are built to last. Unlike the Greek cuisine of the same name, these are a treat you can enjoy for years to come!
Of course, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and the best way to experience them is in person. Whether you're curious about how they compare to your current headphones or looking for something new, we’d love to help. Get in touch to book a demonstration and hear the difference for yourself.
Thanks for reading
Ade, John and Paul - Audio T Brighton
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Meze Audio can be found at the following Audio T stores
