MEZE AUDIO ELITE - The New Isodynamic Hybrid Array Headphone - official thread
Sep 25, 2023 at 11:42 PM Post #5,176 of 5,802
I can concur that with EQ for clarity (I discuss such extensively in this thread) while also maintaining a bit of a bass shelf, the Elite with hybrid pads can be plenty visceral and impactful. But I also concur that the DCA Expanse would have that bass quantity out of the box, though at my audition, I think the attack of said bass may have been slightly dulled compared to what it could be.

P.S. Currently searching for the perfect recording of Beethoven Symphony No. 4 which I recently saw live at Koerner Hall with period instruments, albeit a few rows too far back than ideal, the dynamics being below enjoyable, and the violins sounding thin; the "imaging" of the hall reverb was nice, though. My current recommendation: https://app.idagio.com/recordings/20219470.
 
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Sep 25, 2023 at 11:45 PM Post #5,177 of 5,802
I can concur that with EQ for clarity (I discuss such extensively in this thread) while also maintaining a bit of a bass shelf, the Elite with hybrid pads can be plenty visceral and impactful.

P.S. Currently searching for the perfect recording of Beethoven Symphony No. 4 which I recently saw live at Koerner Hall with period instruments, albeit a few rows too far back than ideal, the dynamics being below enjoyable, and the violins sounding thin; the "imaging" of the hall reverb was nice, though. My current recommendation: https://app.idagio.com/recordings/20219470.
Definitely! I find the impact with hybrid pads & EQ unmatched so far without sacrificing as much detail as I thought it would compared to the other pads from my personal experiences. Not every headphone responds to EQ the same either, and Meze have extremely good EQ response. All Hifiman however are quite mediocre for EQ response as a planar. Final D8000 Pro was excellent for EQ response, Audeze had specific models that were also phenomenal. None of them post-EQ matched the Elites post-EQ for me though...
 
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Sep 26, 2023 at 8:50 AM Post #5,178 of 5,802
Is there a preferred way to apply EQ if using Tidal Connect through a Zen Stream with an iPhone as the controller? As far as I know, there's not an elegant way to apply EQ in my setup since I'm not using a computer.
 
Sep 26, 2023 at 11:39 AM Post #5,179 of 5,802
Is there a preferred way to apply EQ if using Tidal Connect through a Zen Stream with an iPhone as the controller? As far as I know, there's not an elegant way to apply EQ in my setup since I'm not using a computer.
As it's all Bitperfect and Tidal has not service internal EQ options the answer is no.
You'd need Roon as a processor in between for example to modify that bit stream.
Or using a DAP with apps like UAPP but then without Zen Stream
 
Sep 26, 2023 at 11:46 AM Post #5,180 of 5,802
As it's all Bitperfect and Tidal has not service internal EQ options the answer is no.
You'd need Roon as a processor in between for example to modify that bit stream.
Or using a DAP with apps like UAPP but then without Zen Stream
Thanks for the info. That's what I thought. I have no plans to start paying for Roon, so I'll continue on happily without EQ.
 
Sep 26, 2023 at 12:01 PM Post #5,181 of 5,802
Thanks for the info. That's what I thought. I have no plans to start paying for Roon, so I'll continue on happily without EQ.
Alternatively you can use a DAC-AMP with according DSP functions inside of the device firmware like RME ADI 2 or T&A HA200 and you are flexible no matter which source you are playing your music from.
 
Sep 26, 2023 at 1:31 PM Post #5,182 of 5,802
P.S. Currently searching for the perfect recording of Beethoven Symphony No. 4 which I recently saw live at Koerner Hall with period instruments, albeit a few rows too far back than ideal, the dynamics being below enjoyable, and the violins sounding thin; the "imaging" of the hall reverb was nice, though. My current recommendation:

I recommend Jordi Savall’s Beethoven cycle. http://open.qobuz.com/album/vfgt2ve9hh4db
http://open.qobuz.com/album/ezar6p1kkjdla

These are historically informed, fresh, dynamic, and thoroughly enjoyable! And the sound quality of the Alia Vox recording is excellent.
 
Sep 26, 2023 at 1:56 PM Post #5,183 of 5,802
I recommend Jordi Savall’s Beethoven cycle. http://open.qobuz.com/album/vfgt2ve9hh4db
http://open.qobuz.com/album/ezar6p1kkjdla

These are historically informed, fresh, dynamic, and thoroughly enjoyable! And the sound quality of the Alia Vox recording is excellent.
I agree this is an excellent recording I listen to it often:

http://open.qobuz.com/album/vfgt2ve9hh4db

I have this track on my Audiophile playlist:

https://open.qobuz.com/track/96795918

This also sounds fabulous and is listed as live although I hear no clapping 👏

https://open.qobuz.com/track/85983033

 Enjoy
 
Sep 26, 2023 at 2:30 PM Post #5,184 of 5,802
Sep 26, 2023 at 5:15 PM Post #5,185 of 5,802
If you have the opportunity to apply an equalizer profile, it may solve your bass issues. That being said if you use the Alcantera/Angled pads which lose bass by default, I'm not sure if this will help solve things. Regarding detail however, I do believe the stock tuning reduces the detail quite a bit.

I use the hybrid pads for the extra weight and bass impact with an EQ profile applied which reduces a lot of the muffling and lifts detail. The result makes the Elite the most enjoyable headphone I've ever heard and does anything and everything. Not necessarily the best in specific aspects but the all-round performance is unmatched IMO. Staging especially is the biggest part, so far has been leagues ahead of every other high end headphone I've tried for whatever reason...
This is just my initial impressions out of the box.

I plan to EQ but not with only 4 hours of listening. I need to listen more in baseline config I have chosen.

When I do EQ it will be with the angled pads and not the hybrid. When I EQ it will be with the config with the baseline I enjoy the most.

Plus the other reason for that is that the angled pads fit my head the best. Didn't like the fit with the hybrids no matter how I adjusted the headband.
 
Sep 26, 2023 at 7:23 PM Post #5,186 of 5,802
Great review! Looks like I'll be giving them a go, especially with your notes on comfort! What's another hit to the wallet? I do wish there was a hybrid pad with the enhanced depth offered by the Alcantara/Angled Alcantara, as I really like the sound signature for longer listening sessions, but hopefully the AA are still manageable even with their more revealing sonic characteristics

Pads arrived yesterday and I figured I'd add my rambling impressions to the no doubt numerous and more eloquently worded impressions found elsewhere in this thread.

The angled Alcantara served my number one concern, in that my ears don't touch the sides and have considerably more depth to them, increasing comfort dramatically. I could see these being less comfortable in warmer months or if you tend to get sweatier, but for cooler setups they are quite comfortable. The comfort is such that I now much more easily see why people say that the Elites are some of the most comfortable headphones out there. I could listen to these for 4+ hours and still feel comfortable (and that's exactly what I did!)

They also look and feel better than the original, non-angled, alcantara pads. They seem to be made out of slightly better alcantara, whereas the original alcantara remind me more of velour. I also didn't really find anything improved sound quality-wise (they were still more comfortable than the shallow hybrid pads), whereas I do feel like the AA bring a different flavor to the table that is more enjoyable in some respects.

That leads into sound. A disclaimer at the start that these are all with Crin's Harman Target EQ profile set for the AA pads.

Stack goes: Spotify Premium/VLC >> Belkin Gold USB >> RME ADI-2 DAC FS >> Blue Jeans XLR Balanced Interconnects >> GSX Mini >> Lavricables Grand XLR >> Elites

First, their sense of space is definitely improved. Still not on par with the HD800s, which had me looking literally over my shoulder me because I thought someone was talking next to me, but the soundstage does improve moderately in the horizontal direction (I think the elites in general do a great job with vertical.) This could likely also be a factor that my ear has room to breathe in these pads and isn't smushed right up against the driver.

Details in general are probably these pads biggest strengths. The Elites already have fantastic detail retrieval (maybe not par with the other hyper-analytical Summit-fi out there), and these ear pads ensure that you will be catching details you've never heard before in your music. Slides on guitars, tremors in held singing notes, inflection, microdynamics, you name it. Also, I think these do an even better job than the hybrids of ensuring no bleed between frequency ranges. All ranges and instruments seem to get represented equally (at least according to your setup parameters)

Sub-Bass: Sub bass takes the biggest hit, but can be adjusted somewhat by an EQ shelf. Even then, it just doesn't create the rumble that the hybrid pads do. Neither of the two pad setups are super rich like Audeze's offerings, but they still both do a respectable and faithful job of sub-bass recreation. If sub-bass rumble and presence is your number one requirement however, stick with the hybrids (if comfortable).

Bass: Less of it, but still engaging. Altogether more tightly controlled - on tracks with a really punchy, quick decaying kick/bass drum, it feels like a perfect match. You'll feel perhaps even more slam than the hybrid, but I would definitely prescribe "dryer" to the bass in general. This is all relative keep in mind; there's still a good amount of tightly controlled base that really shines with some EQ, it's just more dry than the hybrids.

Mids: More or less unchanged as far as my brief impressions go. Male vocals seem to get a boost, with acoustic guitar also seeming to sound more "plucky", but that could be I'm noticing it more due to less bass.

Highs: One of my biggest fears is that these would be too sparkly, as I have high sensitivity to sibilance around the 8k mark. Usually, alcantara, velour, or more porous materials lean on the brighter side. These definitely increase brightness and splash, but aren't too bright, although that is with the EQ applied. I even set it to a perfectly neutral EQ, and they still weren't too bright (although an admittedly shorter listening session) There were a few tracks I listened to that started pushing there, especially anything with tambourine hits, but I'd say on average, the increased treble presence was manageable. Might EQ down the treble peak just a bit if I find this bothers me more over time. Regardless, high hats, crash cymbals, bells - these all sound excellent with the AA.

Final thoughts - I think for my personal preferences, a Hybrid pad with increased depth for more ear comfort (without changing anything sonically, if that's even possible) would be my ideal pad. That being said, I was worried that the AA pads would make my very fun, very engaging, all-around best pair of headphones less fun, to the point where I would describe them as too analytical. They definitely don't do that - the Elites with the AA are still the super fun, transport-you-into-the-music, toe-tapping good time they are with the hybrid pads, just with more soundstage and detail retrieval, less sub bass, dryer/tighter bass, slight increase treble presence, and most importantly for me -more comfortable. Definitely a worthy buy, and if you only have the hybrid pads I would highly recommend trying these out. These will likely be my daily driver going forward!
 
Sep 27, 2023 at 1:52 AM Post #5,187 of 5,802
Pads arrived yesterday and I figured I'd add my rambling impressions to the no doubt numerous and more eloquently worded impressions found elsewhere in this thread.

The angled Alcantara served my number one concern, in that my ears don't touch the sides and have considerably more depth to them, increasing comfort dramatically. I could see these being less comfortable in warmer months or if you tend to get sweatier, but for cooler setups they are quite comfortable. The comfort is such that I now much more easily see why people say that the Elites are some of the most comfortable headphones out there. I could listen to these for 4+ hours and still feel comfortable (and that's exactly what I did!)

They also look and feel better than the original, non-angled, alcantara pads. They seem to be made out of slightly better alcantara, whereas the original alcantara remind me more of velour. I also didn't really find anything improved sound quality-wise (they were still more comfortable than the shallow hybrid pads), whereas I do feel like the AA bring a different flavor to the table that is more enjoyable in some respects.

That leads into sound. A disclaimer at the start that these are all with Crin's Harman Target EQ profile set for the AA pads.

Stack goes: Spotify Premium/VLC >> Belkin Gold USB >> RME ADI-2 DAC FS >> Blue Jeans XLR Balanced Interconnects >> GSX Mini >> Lavricables Grand XLR >> Elites

First, their sense of space is definitely improved. Still not on par with the HD800s, which had me looking literally over my shoulder me because I thought someone was talking next to me, but the soundstage does improve moderately in the horizontal direction (I think the elites in general do a great job with vertical.) This could likely also be a factor that my ear has room to breathe in these pads and isn't smushed right up against the driver.

Details in general are probably these pads biggest strengths. The Elites already have fantastic detail retrieval (maybe not par with the other hyper-analytical Summit-fi out there), and these ear pads ensure that you will be catching details you've never heard before in your music. Slides on guitars, tremors in held singing notes, inflection, microdynamics, you name it. Also, I think these do an even better job than the hybrids of ensuring no bleed between frequency ranges. All ranges and instruments seem to get represented equally (at least according to your setup parameters)

Sub-Bass: Sub bass takes the biggest hit, but can be adjusted somewhat by an EQ shelf. Even then, it just doesn't create the rumble that the hybrid pads do. Neither of the two pad setups are super rich like Audeze's offerings, but they still both do a respectable and faithful job of sub-bass recreation. If sub-bass rumble and presence is your number one requirement however, stick with the hybrids (if comfortable).

Bass: Less of it, but still engaging. Altogether more tightly controlled - on tracks with a really punchy, quick decaying kick/bass drum, it feels like a perfect match. You'll feel perhaps even more slam than the hybrid, but I would definitely prescribe "dryer" to the bass in general. This is all relative keep in mind; there's still a good amount of tightly controlled base that really shines with some EQ, it's just more dry than the hybrids.

Mids: More or less unchanged as far as my brief impressions go. Male vocals seem to get a boost, with acoustic guitar also seeming to sound more "plucky", but that could be I'm noticing it more due to less bass.

Highs: One of my biggest fears is that these would be too sparkly, as I have high sensitivity to sibilance around the 8k mark. Usually, alcantara, velour, or more porous materials lean on the brighter side. These definitely increase brightness and splash, but aren't too bright, although that is with the EQ applied. I even set it to a perfectly neutral EQ, and they still weren't too bright (although an admittedly shorter listening session) There were a few tracks I listened to that started pushing there, especially anything with tambourine hits, but I'd say on average, the increased treble presence was manageable. Might EQ down the treble peak just a bit if I find this bothers me more over time. Regardless, high hats, crash cymbals, bells - these all sound excellent with the AA.

Final thoughts - I think for my personal preferences, a Hybrid pad with increased depth for more ear comfort (without changing anything sonically, if that's even possible) would be my ideal pad. That being said, I was worried that the AA pads would make my very fun, very engaging, all-around best pair of headphones less fun, to the point where I would describe them as too analytical. They definitely don't do that - the Elites with the AA are still the super fun, transport-you-into-the-music, toe-tapping good time they are with the hybrid pads, just with more soundstage and detail retrieval, less sub bass, dryer/tighter bass, slight increase treble presence, and most importantly for me -more comfortable. Definitely a worthy buy, and if you only have the hybrid pads I would highly recommend trying these out. These will likely be my daily driver going forward!
Exactly my thoughts. Everything you said.

The AA are definitely the most comfortable pads overall and require a little sub bass to be EQ'd for my tastes too.

I preferred the AA on my DAP but still prefer the Hybrid on tubes. Maybe it was the fact I had slightly bright tubes at the time that they weren't my preference. 🤷

It really is personal preference and source specific but I think you have summarised the differences very well 👏

The AA will be the right choice for many and are definitely worth a try for those that haven't.

Enjoy the 🎶
 
Sep 27, 2023 at 5:54 PM Post #5,188 of 5,802
Just received my set of these, and after about 30 minutes of listening....these are just great. While not a true reinvention of the Empyrean, I can tell its definitely a true evolution of that headphone. Everything is just that little bit better and more refined. It's like the Empyrean, but grown up. If the "normal" Empyrean is a Porsche 911, the Elite is the 911 GT3.

If I had to pinpoint a singular area that is better, it's the bass response. The Empy used to sound bloated at times, like it was just tossing handfuls of bass at you, but the Elite is more controlled. It's impressive that it managed to do so without losing any sense of fun-ness. It's still a kicking headphone, but cleaner.

I was worried that selling my Empy's that it would be a far departure. Anyone considering doing the same should not worry. Very happy customer here. Looking forward to hearing it on all my amps/dacs and seeing how the sound changes.
 
Sep 30, 2023 at 2:45 PM Post #5,189 of 5,802
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Oct 5, 2023 at 5:37 PM Post #5,190 of 5,802
I can concur that with EQ for clarity (I discuss such extensively in this thread) while also maintaining a bit of a bass shelf, the Elite with hybrid pads can be plenty visceral and impactful. But I also concur that the DCA Expanse would have that bass quantity out of the box, though at my audition, I think the attack of said bass may have been slightly dulled compared to what it could be.

P.S. Currently searching for the perfect recording of Beethoven Symphony No. 4 which I recently saw live at Koerner Hall with period instruments, albeit a few rows too far back than ideal, the dynamics being below enjoyable, and the violins sounding thin; the "imaging" of the hall reverb was nice, though. My current recommendation: https://app.idagio.com/recordings/20219470.
Who directed? Which orchestra?
 

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