Meze Elite

This is a look at the latest flagship headphones from Meze Audio, called the Meze Elite. They are the new improved Empyrean, improved if that were possible.

Design

These Meze Elite are circumaural open-backed ovoid headphones with pure design excellence, it feels, at their core. The Meze Elite offer apparently subtle improvements to the Meze Empyrean, though the site is fairly opaque on the improvements. The Rinaro ‘Dual Coil’ Isodynamic Hybrid Array low mass diaphragm is now a touch lighter at 0.11g. It apparently offers lower harmonic distortion and claims to be exceptionally easy to drive.

The dual coil continues with the midrange and treble array nearer the bottom of the diaphragm but level with the average ear in comparison with other planar magnetic arrangements. The driver efficiency is improved with an updated magnetic array.

Other changes from the Empyrean seem to be the Hybrid pads are a touch thinner than I recall from the Empyrean. Whatever the changes made it is the sheer attention to detail that makes these headphones stand out, be that the embossed signature on the leather headband or the Meze logo on the ear cup, it is all beautiful.

The headphones have a fairly low quoted impedance at 32 Ohms making them fairly easy to drive, the quoted sensitivity is 101 dB and the frequency range quoted is a mind-bending 3-112,000 Hz.

The full specifications are linked at the end of the review, and here.

Quality

There is nothing about these Meze Elite headphones that hints at compromise

There is nothing about these Meze Elite headphones that hints at compromise. From the carbon fibre headband and the real leather headband providing the ‘pressure distribution winged’ support to the earcups all the way down to the handmade aluminium frame supporting the 4pin mini XLR connections on each ear cup, everything is absolutely pinpoint beautiful. The detailing in the signature on the aluminium frame at the end of the headband is a real standout feature for me.

To me the headphones are not that heavy, weighing in at 430g but it is the comfort offered that really stands out.

In the box

In the box, you are provided with a James Bond style high-strength aluminium suitcase with foam inserts for each element of the headphones, cables, etc. There are two sets of earpads included, one Alcantara and one ‘HYBRID’ with a perforated Alcantara interior and a real leather exterior.

There are several cable options including a 2.5m OFC cable with 4pin mini XLR plugs (on each ear) ending with 6.3 jack connector, or a 1.2m OFC cable with 4pin mini XLR plugs ending with 3.5 jack connector or 2.5m OFC cable with 4pin mini XLR plugs ending with 4 pin XLR connector. The literature seems to suggest that you get a choice of one of the three cable options, but I have all three cables provided, maybe because I am a reviewer, I’m not clear on this but I’m sure your distributor will clarify this.

The warranty period is 2 years, and the Meze Elite is retailing at £3,699 at SCV in the UK.

Performance

Review Equipment

I am listening to this Meze Elite with a T+A HA 200 DAC/headphone amplifier with a Bluesound Node as the streaming transport. This headphone amplifier is the best I’ve heard, and it certainly is capable of challenging these Meze Elite headphones. I have also had the Meze Elite on my desktop with the Chord Hugo 2 with my Dell XPS laptop.

I’ve compiled this playlist on Qobuz with a selection of tracks to analyse these Meze Elite headphones here.

Physically

I do recall the Meze Empyrean headphones being extremely comfortable and these are similarly easy on the head, and I don’t even need to think about how tight they are as I can barely feel them. The reviewer’s head shake retains the headphones well in situ without any feeling they are wedged to your head.

The 4 pin mini XLR connectors on each ear cup are angled forward, a small detail but this does keep the cable away from your collar and other clothing.

I have found these headphones to be physically forgiving and long listening is a real joy.

Immersive

Headphones are the premium HiFi experience in my view and they always offer that level of detail and immersion in music that is hard to replicate with loudspeakers unless you are spending silly money, and I mean really silly money (I once heard a pair of Focal Sopra N°3 speakers driven by a £150k Naim Statement and a fellow reviewer was rattling change in his pocket which was maddening but that will never happen with a pair of headphones, you can just close your eyes).

You can hear extra details with headphones that can be missed with loudspeakers and a current example of this is Last Night by Arooj Aftab (Qobuz 24-bit, 96kHz). Double bass-led, this is from a glorious album called Vulture Prince and as the track progresses you can actually hear and pick out the

different vocal harmonies in the layers of the music. The snare vibration is particularly clear in these headphones demonstrating the fabulous resolution on offer from well produced albums. The change in voice tone towards the middle of the track is absolutely gorgeous in this piece of music.

Similarly, the resolution from these headphones in Melody Gardot’s Over the Rainbow from Live in Europe (Qobuz 24-bit 48kHz) has a sneeze at 3’30” in the left ear. At first hearing, this is a bit disturbing, but it really shows what a fantastic experience music can be with such comfortable equipment.

Head stage

I would put the head stage firmly in the middle of my head, always good. It is a really clear and crisp presentation that is effortlessly delivered, and I have no sense of strain at any point. I would suggest the head stage is big, not huge, importantly not small, and comfortably presented. Gladly, there is no hint of overcompensating in the low frequencies and the frequency profile appears nicely balanced in these Meze Elite, the overall tone is smooth.

What really stands out for me is the astonishing clarity resolution and organisation with these Meze Elite ‘phones. Guitars, particularly with favourite bands like Fleet Foxes and War On Drugs are so carefully layered and delivered and this is comfortably one of my very favourite ever listens to Fleet Foxes’ Helplessness Blues (Qobuz 24-bit, 96kHz) and the guitars and harmonies are sumptuous.

Overall

This is surely one of the best audiophile experiences possible

These are simply in the top two of comfortable and high performing headphones I’ve ever heard. The level of detail offered will challenge your (headphone) amplifier and source in the best way and investment here will reap benefits, based on my experience with the T+A HA200.

In terms of price, if this is your budget, you will know already where your money is best spent. This is surely one of the best audiophile experiences possible.

Specification

Full details are on the company’s site