Meze Audio 109 Pro

Meze Audio has always been known for their luxurious design and ergonomic builds, I have been a big fan, but never really had a chance to get my hands on one of their headphones. Thanks to Meze Audio for providing this opportunity for me to feel and enjoy their master craftsmanship. After spending extensive time with the 109 Pro, I'm going to compare it directly to two of my current headphones—the HiFiMAN Arya Organic and the Sennheiser x Massdrop HD6XX in every category.

Design & Comfort

Right out of the box, the 109 Pro exudes craftsmanship. The walnut wood cups, lightweight steel frame, and easy to adjust headband strike a balance between elegance and functionality. The headphones are light and exceptionally comfortable, ideal for long listening sessions.

Compared to the Arya Organic, which can feel bulky and less stable on smaller heads, and the HD6XX, which has a tighter clamp and shallower pads, the 109 Pro wins in comfort in a country mile. It's a headphone you forget you're wearing.
Sound Quality

The 109 Pro leans into a warm-neutral tuning. It doesn't chase neutrality as aggressively as some of its competitors, but it delivers an emotionally engaging experience.

Bass
The bass is dynamic and punchy, with good extension for a dynamic driver. While it doesn't match the Arya Organic's sub-bass reach or planar slam, it delivers more impact and texture than the HD6XX, which tends to be softer and more rolled-off.

Mids
Midrange is where the 109 pro shines the most. Vocals are rich, forward, and lifelike, giving a sense of presence that’s almost tactile. Arya Organic offers more space and resolution, but sometimes at the expense of intimacy. Compared to the HD6XX, the 109 Pro brings similar warmth with a bit more clarity and less grain.

Treble
The treble is smooth and non-fatiguing. There's enough sparkle to keep things lively, but it's never harsh. The Arya offers more extension and air, but can be sibilant depending on the songs. The HD6XX, on the other hand, plays it very safe with a darker treble profile.

Soundstage & Imaging
The soundstage is natural and slightly expansive, with precise imaging. It's not as holographic as the Arya Organic, which creates a great sense of space, but it's a notable improvement over the more intimate HD6XX.



Power & Pairing

The 109 Pro is easy to drive, making it a versatile choice for both desktop and portable gear. It scales with better amplification but doesn’t require it to sound great. This is in contrast to the Arya Organic, which demands serious amplification to perform at its best. The HD6XX also benefits from proper amping, especially tube amps, but isn't as source-sensitive as the Arya.

I'm using Fiio K17 as DAC and runs into Holo Bliss, on the Holo Bliss the 109 Pro opens up even further. The Bliss lends it a deeper, blacker background and subtly improves microdynamics and spatial cues without disrupting its natural tonality. While it doesn’t transform the headphone’s core character, the pairing enhances its refinement and engagement, showing that the 109 Pro can reward high-end gear without demanding it.



Final Verdict

The Meze Audio 109 Pro is a triumph of design and tuning. It doesn’t aim to dethrone technical beast like the Arya Organic or legendary benchmarks like the HD6XX. Instead, it offers a complete package: beautiful aesthetics, unmatched comfort, and a warm, musical sound signature that makes you want to keep listening.

If you’re looking for a headphone that balances enjoyment and performance, and one that looks as good as it sounds, the 109 Pro is a compelling choice.

The no nonsense Meze 109 Pro review

Much has already been said regarding the Romanian company founded by Antonio Meze in 2011. Better known for their high-end planars (Empyream, Elite, Poet) with their soulful, musical tuning.

Meze 109 Pro is the first dynamic open back headphone from Meze and released on September 15 2022.

I had the pleasure of being the first in the Australian tour for this unit organised by Keno and Meze. There is no conflict of interest. I lost money writing this review in lieu of my day job. The unit has been sent onto the next tour member. Notes were written prior to reading reviews or information regarding the headphone.



Specifications:

50mm dynamic driver with a Bio-cellulose diaphgram

Impedence: 40 ohms

Sensitivity: 112 dB SPI at 1khz, 1mW

Weight: 375g

Initial Impressions: The ideal headphone for those upgrading to the $800US tier. Easy to drive, gorgeous to look at with the Meze house sound. Relaxed, modest low-end lift with the musicality that Meze is renown for.

Still relevant today, the Meze 109 thread remains active with >4000 posts since 2022 to April 2025. https://www.head-fi.org/threads/meze-audio-109-pro.963482/page-275

Build quality is superb at the price point. The frame is flexible but firmly held together. Leather on the headband is slightly thin but expected at this price point. Absolutely gorgeous walnut wood cups. The whole headphone is modular and therefore reparable.

Earpads are velour. Leather leans itself to a richer, more natural sound and impact whereas velour can improve staging, air which I suspect is a deliberate choice to synergise with the driver.

By nature, biocellulose drivers have a moderate decay, and a warm, low end presentation. Meze 109 is no different. Bass is rich, but not as fast or snappy as the best planar headphones. A more relaxed, head bopping trance experience.

Meze have always been aesthetically pleasing. This is no different.

Inclusions: Hard-shell carry case, 1.5m and 3.0m cables with standard 3.5mm left and right headphone connectors and 3.5mm plug. A suggestion would be a splash of colour to connectors (blue and red) for easier identification. A ¼ inch adapter is included.

Higher end Meze, ZMF or Audeze headphones use the mini-XLR headphone connector.

What does another $1500USD get you?

The only other headphone in my stable with a bio-cellulose diaphragm and wood cups is my ZMF Atrium.



A much more substantial headphone. Amboyna Burl cups with deep, softer leather perforated pads that melt on the head comfortably despite their higher weight. Bass is refined, in scale and quality. The overall presentation has improved scale, note weight with the mids smooth, rich and musical. The overall timbre is more natural. Staging, separation and detail on the Atrium is much improved.

There is a deeper envelope of warmth to the sound.

They are also much harder to drive at 300ohm though surprisingly, the iMac 2023 onwards has an inbuilt amplifier that will drive high impedance headphones very well.

Music Impressions iMac

Hans Zimmer. Cornfield Chase.
Warm, rumbling opening. Treble at 35 seconds kicks in strong, especially if you’re treble sensitive. Extension isn’t the strongest. The “sparkle” of a well extended treble isn’t there especially when listening for triangles

Inception: Time – Orchestra Version (Live)
Warm, enveloping sound from the cellos and bass strings. Microdetail in the background drums almost missed. Low mids are full, rich. On the iMac the sound comes across congested, as if the orchestra demand a more open, acoustic concert hall rather than a town hall. This may be the DAC on the MAC.

Hugo2 (Meze 109 Pro)

Opening it up on a much more technically capable DAC with the Chord Hugo2 to see what the Meze 109 Pro can sound like out of a high end source.

Inception: Time – Orchestra Version (Live)
Beautifully warm, enveloping sound from the cellos and bass strings. Moderate decay, slower than planars lean to a more relaxing listen. Microdetail in the background drums almost missed. Gets busy once the full orchestra kicks in from 2:40s. Stage could be wider, with more separation as I find it harder to discern individual instruments. Treble extension could be more sparkly.

The Man, The Legend / Touchdown. Top Gun Maverick.
Meze 109 Pro renditions strings and brass so resonantly. Bass could be tighter. The Top Gun Anthem sings majestically. My main critique with the Meze is stage. I would prefer a greater sense of separation and placement, the ability to discern each instrument in the orchestra separately. In context, this is usually the realm of upper tier headphone/DAC pairings.

Hold My Hand – Lady Gaga.
Listening through the Top Gun Soundtrack. Lady Gaga’s vocals are forward, with a modest peak in the upper mid vocal register. Meze’s tuning preferences are the lower end and I suspect better suited to trance/bass.

ASOT Stage. Live at the Ultra Music Festival Miami 2025.
This is more like it. Is it Beautiful? Deep, warm low mids and bass. Ethereal vocals … “Is it Beautiful… where you are…” Next track. The Destroyer Of Worlds. I could deliriously trance to this. Feels like an intimate nightclub. That bass drum kicking hard. And sounding natural.

Hugo 2 (Atrium Open)

Much harder to drive. All the way to blue dot on the Hugo2

Cornfield Chase:
Tuning is more balanced throughout. Staging out wide. Bass is still rumbling but more in the background now with less of the lift.

Inception: Time – Orchestra Version (Live)
Vast improvement in stage, width and depth. Violins on the right, snare drums. Each instrument immaculately placed on stage. Natural, Meze has more low end lift than ZMF Atrium.

ASOT Stage. Live at the Ultra Music Festival Miami 2025.
Balanced and clean presentation. The deep, warm low end lift on the Meze is absent and instead, the electronica takes the foreground. Faster, well controlled and detailed. The presentation is sublime. Bass is tight, textured. Quality over quantity especially in the sub-bass. Snappier bass kick drum which sounded relatively hollow and plastic on the Meze.

Overall Conclusion:

Meze 109 Pro is aesthetically beautiful and very well constructed. As are all Meze headphones. They’re easy to drive from almost any source. A great entry point at the $800USD tier.

I always recommend auditioning headphones prior to purchase to ensure they work with your source and music.

Stunningly beautiful headphone that embodies the emotional side of audio​

Meze Audio has long been known for its stunning industrial designs and premium craftsmanship, and the Meze 109 Pro is no exception.

As the company’s first open-back dynamic headphone, it combines a 50mm dynamic driver with high-quality materials such as black walnut wood, copper-zinc alloy, and manganese steel. The result is an elegant, lightweight, and beautifully crafted headphone that exudes luxury while delivering an exceptionally engaging sound.

After spending a few weeks with the 109 Pro, I can confidently say that it is a perfect blend of design, comfort, and sound. It is one of the rare headphones under $1000 that can impress in all three areas and this is the reason I am calling the 109 Pro a perfect coffee table headphone:

With every headphone I review, I do a little test of friends and family and how they react when they see something I might have left on the coffee table, often they completely ignore it or my kids might even tell me something is ‘stupid’ or ‘ugly’, but the 109 Pro literally “turned peoples heads” and generated a few “wows” on first sight.

A headphone that “turns heads”​

I think the 109 Pro is the first headphone that got a “3-wows” in my little subjective test, after the initial “wow” that is a gorgeous headphone, I would ask if they want to try it on and would generally get a 2nd “wow” and finally I played some music for them and got that 3rd “wow”.

I do think this is what distinguishes high-quality high-end audio products from other products, everyone can appreciate the looks, the build quality, the comfort and ultimately this is what helps bring people into the audio hobby.

I think together these are the “emotional aspects” of the audio experience deserve credit and credit to Meze they produce some gorgeous, comfortable headphones that have a unique rich / warm sound signature.

Basically, in summary I think the 109 Pro is a complete package for $800. I had been listening to and recently also reviewed to the Meze 104 AER and in lots of way it is a very similar headphone but for 1/2 the price as Meze cleverly gave that headphone a little bit of the magic of the 109 Pro, but the 109 Pro looks more premium and its sound is just a little richer than the 104 AER. I even recommended some EQ for the 104 AEE to get it closer to the 109 Pro. So, if you are chasing that Meze ‘rich’ sound the 109 Pro delivers without EQ.

Meze have always tuned their headphones with a balanced yet unique sound signature, positioning their various headphones cleverly where you get a little bit better build quality and some tweaks to the sound as you move up the headphone range.

What led up to the 109 Pro?​

The 109 Pro was built on a rich heritage of Meze building quality headphones:

But before we get into the 109 Pro’s sound quality, let’s start by looking at what you get in the box:

Unboxing and Build Quality​

The Meze 109 Pro arrives in a stylish square box featuring a cool geometric design on top:



Everything about the unboxing exudes elegance with subtlety touches like the impression of the headphone on the back:

Inside, you’ll find a well-designed hard-shell carrying case:


The carrying case is very nicely built:


Removing the carry case you can see some documentation underneath:


Finally opening up the case we get to see the 109 Pro:


And overall this is very consistent with Meze’s luxurious packaging aesthetic:


Along with a leather pouch containing two detachable 3.5mm cables—one long and one short.

The Headphone Itself​

Meze never fails to impress when it comes to design and build quality, and the 109 Pro continues this tradition:

Inspired by the original 99 Classics, this model elevates the aesthetic further with an intricate spider-design earcup, real walnut wood, and copper-zinc alloy details.

I love the level of detail you get in every aspect of this headphone, for example, the copper mesh over the driver itself is quiet beautiful:

The entire structure is flexible yet robust, ensuring longevity and sustainability every part is easily replaceable, which is a hallmark of Meze’s commitment to long-term usability.
Meze even have a publicity photo showing all the individual components that make up the 109 Pro:

You can see the screws in these photos:

The 3.5mm connectors provide a secure fit and allow for easy aftermarket cable swapping, making it versatile for those who enjoy customizing their setup, but Meze themselves have an excellent boom mic cable which fit perfectly:

While similar in design to the newer 105 AER, the 109 Pro is clearly the more premium headphone:

Comfort and Fit​

Despite its relatively compact earcups, the 109 Prooffers excellent comfort.


Replacing / upgrading these earpads is relatively easy as there is a plastic ring around the back of the earpads offering some rigidity and a small lip to secure the earpads:

It has a self-adjusting headband, ensuring a perfect fit without requiring manual adjustments:

The clamping force is just right—snug enough for stability but never too tight.


The velour earpads strike a balance between firmness and plushness, preventing your ears from touching the driver while maintaining comfort over extended listening sessions. And thanks to its lightweight design (375g), you can wear it for hours without fatigue.


I do think both the 104 AER and the 109 Pro offer the right compromise for most peoples heads between super large ear cups and tiny earpads. For example here is the size compared to my Hifiman Edition XS:

Internal Driver Architecture​

At the core of its design is a dual-composite diaphragm, composed of three carefully selected materials: a Beryllium-coated polymer for the dome, a cellulose-carbon fiber composite for the driver membrane, and a copper-zinc alloy stabilizer at the center.

This combination optimizes rigidity, damping, and weight, ensuring fast transient response, low distortion, and excellent frequency reproduction.

You can see this driver clearly if you remove the earpads:

The Beryllium coating enhances stiffness while maintaining low mass, allowing for precise treble extension without harshness. The cellulose-carbon fiber blend reduces resonances and contributes to a natural midrange with excellent instrument separation, while the copper-zinc stabilizer minimizes unwanted vibrations, improving clarity and dynamic impact.

Sound Impressions​

The Meze 109 Pro is a rich, immersive, and dynamically engaging headphone. Meze are known for having a rich ‘house sound’ but the 109 Pro is probably the most neutral and balanced headphone in their collection. It has a full-bodied midbass and a matching slightly emphasised treble which work harmoniously to create a highly musical and enjoyable yet balanced sound. It can be a sound to fall in love and has helped Meze gather a huge world-wide following.

Bass​

The midbass is rich and textured, adding warmth and depth to the presentation. While it doesn’t extend into the * deepest sub-bass* as some planar models do, it provides a satisfying and organic bass response that complements many genres well.
Test Track: “Angel” - Massive Attack

• The bass hits with depth and control, never overpowering the mix but always present.
• Layering and texture are excellent, adding realism to each bass note.

Mids​

The midrange is lush, warm, and smooth, characteristic of Meze’s tuning philosophy. Vocals and instruments have a * rich timbre*, making this headphone particularly engaging for vocal-centric music.
Test Track: “Hotel California” - Eagles (Live)

• Vocals sound natural and full-bodied, with excellent texture.
• Acoustic guitars have a realistic bite, maintaining clarity without harshness.

Treble​

While some treble enhancement is present, it never gets harsh or sibilant. The upper frequencies add a sense of air and detail, making for a lively yet non-fatiguing presentation.
Test Track: “Bubbles” - Yosi Horikawa

• Percussion and high frequencies sound crisp yet smooth.
• There’s no excessive brightness, but enough presence to keep details engaging.

Soundstage & Imaging​

The soundstage is wider than most dynamic driver headphones, providing an open and spacious presentation. Imaging is excellent, allowing instruments to be placed with precision across the stereo field.

Specifications and Measurements​

The important specifications here are the impedance and sensitivity which show this is a super easy to drive headphone. While I have been listening to it with some price equivalent amplifiers like the JDS Element IV and the new FiiO K17, it does work exceptionally well with everything from my Macbook Pro and even the Apple USB-C dongle.

Frequency Response​

Note: The following measurements were taken with my KB501X soft ear Pinna and a 711 clone coupler. They are available on my measurement database here.

I added a few areas to highlight what sound you can expect from the 109 Pro:

1. Great bass extension
2. Rich sounding mid-bass
3. Recessed 1K-2K region typical of headphones aiming to provide a decent soundstage
4. Great treble which extends deep (balancing that rich mid-bass)

I also measured the headphone with Glasses to see what change people who typical wear glasses might expect:

And, here is a comparison with the Meze 105 AER:


On this graph, I added two areas to note, the 109 Pro has a richer mid-bass (1) and has a fuller more extended treble (2)
And finally with the Frequency Response, here is a comparison with the Hifiman Edition XS and the Modhouse Tungsten:

All 3 are excellent headphones in completely different price ranges with the Meze 109 Pro in the middle but also probably the best built and arguable the most comfortable.

Distortion​

I thought it would be useful to check the distortion, specifically for those who want to drive it hard and also maybe use EQ.
As you can see there is minimal distortion even playing over 100dB:

And as a percentage it looks pretty good with around 2% in sub-bass:

Rating​

The Meze 109 Pro earns a 5-star Pragmatic Rating due to its exceptional combination of build quality, comfort, and sound performance.

Here is a breakdown:

• Build Quality: (Outstanding)
• Comfort: (Effortless to wear for long periods)
• Sound: (Rich, Engaging, musical, and dynamic)
• Value: (Great at its price point, but you could look at the 105 AER something almost as good)

Conclusion​

The Meze 109 Pro is one of the most complete headphone packages under $1000. It stuns with its beauty, impresses with its comfort, and delivers a rich emotionally engaging sound.
If you’re in the market for a stunningly crafted and emotionally engaging headphone, one that will impress your family and make your friends jealous, the Meze 109 Pro should be at the top of your list.