Meze 12 Classics

disclaimer: I borrowed the Meze 12 Classic V2 from The Contraptionist since I have owned and enjoyed the V1. If you haven’t checked out the Contraptionist’s blog, be sure to check it out. He’s got a ton of good content and a lot of models that complement what can be found here. Well worth a look. I have no financial interest in Meze Audio, nor have I received any advice or incentive for this review. I returned the product at completion so had the 12 Classics for a span of roughly 3 weeks.

Unboxing / Packaging:
The packaging for the 12 Classics makes a lot of use of the Lyrebird that is the Meze Mascot/Logo. From the positioning of the earpiece and cable graphic on the front cover to the positioning of the actual earpieces, cable and case in the foam surround, the theme is evident. The package front displays the earpieces while the sides and reverse display the specs in both text and graphics. In addition to the earphones and case, four sets of tips (3 single flange and 1 dual flange set) are provided with the 12Cs. The box has a hanger for wall display and looks the part for a premium maker even if this is their entry level option.

Build/Fit:
The 12Cs are a barrel shaped, straight into the ear design with a central shell made of walnut and a copper anodized aluminum nose and tail. Nozzles are fairly short with no rake and a fairly large lip for tip retention. The single vent sits at the base of the nozzle and is fairly small (pin-head sized) and I found that use of some tip styles can block the vent so be careful when tip rolling to be sure no obstruction occurs. Cables exit the bottom of the walnut portion of the shell with good strain reliefs and a cloth casing for durability. Finally the outer cap is a concave with a white lyrebird logo in the center giving the earphone a nice classy, understated style. All the cable fixtures match the copper anodizing on the earpieces and continue the theme with the lyrebird and Meze shown in white on the splitter as well. I found the 12Cs to be quite comfortable when paired with medium sized tips and ended up settling on the Shure olives that have worked well for me on so many other models. (With this being a borrowed in-ear, I didn’t use the stock tips other than to photograph them). The Shure tip is fairly close in both bore diameter and exterior dimensions to the stock tips so I’d expect listening notes to be fairly accurate comparatively.

Internals:
The heart of the Meze 12 remains an 8mm dynamic driver utilizing a titanium coated Mylar diaphragm and a copper clad aluminum voice coil. The specs also remain the same from the original version with an impedance of 16Ω and a sensitivity of 101 dB/mW (±3dB) at 1kHz. The previous generation was easy to drive from a phone or tablet and the new version is equally at home paired with a smart phone dongle or tablet but does scale some both qualitatively and quantitatively with better sources. I found the bass a little loose when using a tablet but tightened up with dongles or more potency. One thing to note here too is the only vent is on the face just below the nozzle and large tips can overlap it and will impact the bass as well so if you find yourself not liking the clarity of the lows, make sure your tips aren’t blocking the vent when inserted into the ear. I found that spinfits did this with their large as did Azla tips.

Cable:
The one spec I did find that varied from v1 to v2 is the cable. V1 offered an mic and remote that is no longer an option on v2, and the cable itself is listed as 6N OFC for v2 and was listed as 7N OFC for the first generation version. Other than that the two remain quite similar with the same jack (3.5mm straight), same casing (Cloth covered rubber – single strand), same splitter (barrel), same lack of chin-slider, and same direct attachment to the earpieces. Strain reliefs are quite good at all junctions which is a plus for an earphone with a non-removable cable. Unfortunately, the same complaint I have with the 1st generation cable still holds true and that is it has a bad habit of passing any movement of the cable directly into the earpiece. There is enough distance to wear these tip-up, and if exercising or doing anything particularly strenuous, it is advisable to mitigate microphonics.

Sound:

Bass:
Sub-bass is elevated with a center around 70Hz and roll-off becoming notable below about 35Hz where it starts to be more a rumble than individual tones. Mid-bass begins a gradual decline but is still elevated for most of its range. Overall rumble and slam have good quantity and moderately good quality although the bass is a little thick and does bleed into the lower mids enough to color them. The low end adds some needed warmth and helps the 12C mimic its bigger brother the 99C in overall tonality if not in absolute performance. Attack is slightly faster than decay which gives the 12c a realistic tone but is subject to some compression as tracks get faster.

Mids:
Lower mids have a bit of an elevation compared to the true mid range which helps lift male vocals and gives them a bit more fullness as well. Here again, there is a nice natural if a bit relaxed tone with a very smooth delivery. These aren’t going to extract every last minute bit of detail, but what is presented flows without any jagged edges or harshness to the sound. Guitar growl is good if a little smooth and strings have good tone but could use a touch more energy to sound entirely correct. Upper mids climb back up from the trough of the true mids and female vocals do cut through the rest of the mix to stand out in front as a result. Again, no tendency toward sibilance, and a smooth delivery, but perhaps a bit more energy than realistic as it does pull some vocals and instruments forward in the mix.

Treble:
The treble tuning is well done in my opinion as lower and true treble are pushed forward to match the bass emphasis but then fall back starting at about 7kHz to keep the tuning from getting too bright or fatiguing. Final roll-off is above 14kHz but really the range between about 8kHz and 14kHz can be thought of as mildly de-emphasized compared to the rest of the signature. Treble detail is good with snare rattle being well defined if a little less crisp than perfect, but cymbals so need a touch more energy to be realistic. The nice thing here again is a smooth delivery with very little grain in its delivery.

Soundstage / Imaging:
Stage is about what one should expect from an in ear in this price bracket. It has moderate dimensions with more width than depth and some height albeit not quite as much as needed for total realism. The good news is instrument separation is above average and layering is also fairly good so seating the orchestra leaves no huge gaps or overlaps even in spite a of a wider than deep stage. Imaging is good as well with movements easily tracked, but here again that smoothness of deliver means that at times positions in space are not as tightly defined as some models. There is some compression as tracks get busier and some thickening particularly of the low end.

Thoughts / Conclusion:
The original model 12 Classic was aimed at reproducing the 99 Classic in an earphone and it succeeded in some respects and left some room for improvement in others. The v2 is an iterative step forward as the driver has been updated while leaving the aesthetic intact. I do like the Copper anodizing as I think the newer version looks a little more high end and the copper helps accentuate the walnut in the barrels better than the previous version. Sound wise, the two are again largely alike with only iterative differences in the signature. I find the bass a little cleaner on the V2 and slightly less exaggerated in the mid-bass while the true mids and upper mids have a little more realistic timbre than the previous generation. Those with an original V12 or V11 Neo will appreciated the upgrades to the v2 and those who haven’t had the opportunity to try the series yet will enjoy an easy-going listen that is more musical than technical most of the time, but offers a very engaging signature that is easy to get lost in while relaxing.

Some background before getting in to the review. My friend Jay who runs the Youtube Channel NBT Studio asked me if I was interested in doing reviews, I said sure I'll take a stab at it. So here we are with my first written and video review. My writing, video, and photography skills (the images look worse as thumbnails) are still a work in progress so there should be an improvement over time. Please let me know what you think.

Disclaimer: The Meze 12 Classics were provided by Meze for the purpose of this review.
The Meze can be Purchased here from https://www.mezeaudio.com/ for ~79USD

The following are the Technically Specifications of the 12 Classic

Frequency response: 16Hz – 24KHz
Impedance: 16Ohm
Sensitivity: 101dB (+/- 3db)
Total harmonic distortion: < 0.5%
Noise attenuation: up to 26dB
Titanium coated 8mm mylar driver
Copper-clad aluminum voice coil
3.5mm gold-plated jack plug
7N OFC cable, length: 1.2m

For the purpose of the review most of my listening was done through my Sony Zx300, and the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, and Macbook Pro 2015 to see how easy they were to drive. The volume on the Zx300 was always in the 45-55 range SE and High Gain. The Meze 12 Classic were compared to some of the other iems I had on hand such as the KZ ZS6(~35-45USD), and Creative Aurvana Trio(~99USD).

The Songs I Listened to Were:

Shiver by Lucy Rose
On & On by Joey BadA$$
Righteous Minds by Joey BadA$$
Time Lapse by Ludovico Einauldi
Labyrinth by Mondo Grosso
For Now I am Winter by Olafur Arnalds
Visions by Vanilla
Ambitionz az a Ridah by Tupac
Thriller by Michael Jackson
Second Hand News by FleetWood Mac

These songs were 320kps, Flac, and the last 2 DSD just to cover all of my basses, though the zx300 does not fully convert dsd unless you are using the Balanced output.

Packaging, Build and Fit

The packaging of the 12 Classic is very simple, straight forward and come with a good choice of tips which include some comply Foam tips. The carry is nothing specatular but at this price point I would not expect a hard shell or some thing fancy you would see with likes of the Campfire Lineup. It does it's job. Build of these Iems is great made up of a solid mix of wood and aluminum, mine were in the Silver iridium variant which looks great. These as shown in the picture come with a wired that is not detachable, which is my biggest gripe as many of the competitors at or below this price offer a detachable cable like the KZ ZS6 and Mee audio m6pro. Though wired the quality is good made of 7N OFC Copper, and has a nice feel to it. The Fit is okay nothing great similar to many iems with this design not my favourite but with the MandarinES tips they fit well and provided decent isolation.

Sound And Comparisons
Instead of describing the sound of the 12 Classic independently I would just start off with the comparisons.
None of these iems need a Digital Audio player to sound Great and I was fine using my phone.

To start is the KZ ZS6 (79 USD vs 35-45USD):
The most immediate thing you here when you start comparing the two on tracks such as On & On and Righteous Minds is that the ZS6 have slightly better bass extension and that they have a greater quantity in the bass region overall, where as the 12 Classic have to me better bass quality where you hear more definition in the bass and overall clean sound. Next the Mids, these are striking and probably the most important aspect of sound to me and the ZS6 just sound off, on Labyrinth by Mondo Grosso the vocals are distant and sharp and somewhat of a shouty nature to them, where as the mids are more forward, smooth, and enjoyable to listen to. The treble was very prominent on the ZS6 had and aggressiveness, sharpness and edge to them that I did not find enjoyable. The treble was not as prominent and did not have the same edge it provided more clarity and a cleaner sound on the whole. Lastly, in terms of imaging and soundstage both are just okay for their price range with the Meze being better in both regards the first minute of Thriller helped in determining this. The Foot steps were going write to left were the marker I used for this.

Next is the Creative Aurvana Trio (79USD vs 99 USD):
The Bass quantity and impact were much greater in the Trio, using the same Joey BadA$$ songs, to listen for this, they extended a smidge more but nothing really noticeable, where the meze was better was once again the quality, the third hit of the drum was more discernible and decayed better in Righteous Minds. The mids were once Again best on the Meze, When listening to Shiver by Lucy Rose from 20 seconds to 1 minute, her voice carriers more body, weight, and clarity. The guitar sounds great as well and how i expect it to. In the Trio the mids are further back and not as prominent, along with the guitar that plays through out the song sounds thin and hollow, her voice is also the same, I do not get the same clarity and body I got with the Meze. The Treble was much smoother then on the Trio, especially when listening to something like righteous minds. The piano and cymbals do not sound sharp.
Once again the first minute of Thriller was used listen for soundstage and clarity. In terms of these two aspects both of these Iem do well but the Trio edge out by a tiny and almost indiscernible amount.

Overall:
I Prefer the Meze over both the Iems listed, though they might not be the best comparison it is just what i had on hand in a close price range. The Meze provide good bass quality and as someone who uses the Campfire Orions as his daily driver am not bothered by the some what lacking extension. The mids were great on the Classic 12, along with their smooth and easy to listen to treble there is nothing more I can ask for in this price range, except for detachable cable preferably mmcx. If anything I mentioned is intriguing to you give them a listen.

Here is a short Video Review by me (much easier to write then to speak in full length at the moment) The video review was done prior to the written one.

Introduction: Meze Audio, is a company that is well known, even in the Asian markets that are far from their native land of Baia Mare, Romania. It is here, amongst the scenic and medieval touched landscape that Antonio Meze, through his love for music, started Meze Audio in 2009. Starting small and gaining experience through the years, they were able to break through in 2015 with their 99 Classics which garnered them much accolades, awards and a lot of smiling happy customers. Following the success of their headphones, they came out with the Meze 11 Neo and 12 classics, like miniature versions of their 99 Neo and 99 classics, they were developed in house, and designed with their own aesthetic of timelessness, functionality, ergonomics and of course a flair for style while maintaining a high standard for quality and a sound that should be vivid and immersive.

Today, I'll be reviewing the Meze Audio 12 Classics (in gunmetal). and I'd like to thank Doina Ferrent and the people of Meze Audio for the chance to review the 12 Classics in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. You can buy the Meze Audio 12 Classics at the Meze Audio website or locally if you have an official retailer for Meze Audio products.

Specification:
Driver: 8mm Dynamic, Copper-clad Aluminum voice coil
Diaphragm: Titanium coated Mylar
Sensitivity: 101dB (+/- 3db)
Frequency Response: 16Hz - 24KHz
Impedance: 16Ohm
Total harmonic distortion: < 0.5%
Material: Wood and Aluminum
Cable Material: 7N OFC cable
Cable Length: 1.2m
Plug: 3.5mm gold-plated jack

The 12 Classics are quite easy to drive thanks to its low impedance and can get to loud volumes with its sensitivity. Real world usage on my Xperia XZ Premium is able to drive it to 95db at max volume, which isn't the loudest but adequate enough to silence most ambient noise. The nice thing about the 12 Classics is that it can scale depending on the source, in particular, it can sound a lot better with more power provided, sounding more musical and articulate with better sources and still sound fun and entertaining with just a phone as a source.

Unboxing: The Meze 12 Classics arrives in a nice sturdy white box as seen above and has all the info necessary for an informed purchase if perused at say a store. It has a nice complimentary aesthetic for me and though it's not as minimalist as I'd like, the choice they made was a statement of how they view their products, that being worth the effort and flair and it shows with how the inner layout is made in homage to the Meze Audio logo which also mimics the front cover photo.

Inside are the basic necessities for Meze 12 Classics as well as some goodies:
1 x Meze 12 Classics
1 x Cable clip
1 x Carrying Case
1 x 3 sets of silicone ear-tips (S, M, L)
1 x Set of double flange tips
1 x Set of Comply foam ear tips
1 x Booklet
1 x Circular Meze Audio sticker
1 x Rectangular Meze Audio sticker

The tip selection is standard but the double flange and real Comply tips are a great addition to insure comfort and fit in almost any ear geometry. The clip can be a necessity as I'll explain later and the carrying case can be a godsend if you do not have your own case to use, though the case in itself is pretty awesome it's sturdy and quite compact. I'm not sure if the stickers are a recent addition but I think they are really a nice touch, it gives you the opportunity to show your love for Meze by using it on your favorite things, the refrigerator, a diary, laptops etc..

Cable/Build/Design: The Meze 12 Classics has a non-removable cable that looks reinforced for durability and made of 7N Oxygen Free Copper (OFC), the jacket is a bit on the thick side, this adds to a bit of stiffness and microphonics of the cable but also prevents kinks and tangling. There is adequate strain relief in all places where to expect it (after the plug, before and after splitter and mic, before the drivers), a standard mobile case friendly straight gold plated plug adorns the connection end of the 12 Classics which the cable leads to a nice metallic Y-split with the Meze Audio branding, on the right cable, there is a microphone and button module for mobile use. The microphone has been tested with calls on cellular and internet calls and is quite clear with good and clear sound pickup. The overall build of the cable system inspires confidence in its resilience.

The driver shells of the 12 Classic are a nice mix of aluminum and wood, which is unique for each set, mine has already displayed it's characteristics in that one is lighter than the other. In hand they feel solid and textured but not rough or overly smooth. There is a small embossed letter L and R on the respective side of the strain relief of each shell and an additional dot on the left side, which incidentally isn't really necessary as you can just feel or look at the microphone module and know that side is the right.

There are two vents on the 12 Classics, one at the bottom for diaphragm venting and one near the front/nozzle is for insertion venting (to avoid driver flex). The front vent can be covered by a small piece of Blu Tack (or something similar) so there will be no air escaping the front side, this usually increases the bass of most IEMs with similar vents. The nozzle has a prominent tip lip made of Aluminum that holds any tip used securely. There is a fine mesh cover on the nozzle to prevent naturally occurring cerumen to enter the shell. The strain relief here is thick and flexible, giving it a good level of protection from accidental pulls and general manhandling. Aesthetic wise, the 12 Classics are easy on the eyes, look classy and seem to impart a feeling of inviting warmth and stability.

Sound Analysis: When I first listened to the 12 Classics, it felt like a spacious and enjoyable tuning though bass felt a bit fast and controlled, it didn't overwhelm me with bass, or very forwarded mids and a bright treble, it also felt that the upper mids were a little recessed compared to the mids which struck me as odd. Still it was a fun listen and the lightness of the overall tuning gave me an easy listening vibe. Considering the belief that dynamics need clocked usage for it to reach its best performance, I used the Meze 12 Classics with music for over 200 hours before doing my review. I used Symbio W tips for listening and various sources (calibrated to 85db) though most was done using the Sony WM1a to compare and find the sound of the 12 Classics.

Bass: First off, the Meze 12 Classics are not bass head IEMs, now that is out of the way, with an 8mm dynamic driver, the Meze 12 Classics is able to push out a good amount of bass. The sub-bass is of average reach and is controlled with a faster than average decay which lets Dragonborn's battle drums slam and reach a decent depth before resounding enthusiastically into the next notes, this does reflect well for its responsiveness and ability to resolve details. Bass has good impact, owing to a boost in this part of the frequency, giving the 12 Classics an above average punch that is felt well with Acid Rain's bass slams and bass guitars have that nice grungy crunch, giving Lithium an effervescent quality (aka lively). Overall, the 12 Classics has good bass texture, blending smoothly with the warmth, attack and decay of the music.

Mids: The mids for me can be a make or break situation considering I really like this frequency range, and it's fortunate (for me) that the Meze 12 Classics has good mids that are near balanced in tonality with a leaning towards a little more thickness with a touch of warmth for that rather organic smoothness. This is apparent with Dream a Little Dream of Me (Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong) where the music has a good amount of thickness that defines their voices well just as the instruments sound distinct and harmonious. This also displays how balanced the mids are with both voices being on the same level and are a little forward in overall placement.

There is ample space and detail retrieval in the 12 Classics for it to sound clear and uncompressed, Pandemic sounds good with every instrument and voice identifiable and don't meld incoherently with one another in this otherwise wall of sound of a song. Pianos in Do What You have to Do sound a little on the light side in this range and give some crisp as the offset while guitars and synths positively respond on this frequency. Alive's (Pearl Jam) rhythm guitar sound smooth with a grungy bite while the lead has a bit of crisp to its note. Clair Marlo's Till They take my Heart Away is particularly nice for me with the synths sounding crisp, the bass guitars strumming a good beat and sounding melodious while her voice wrapped in a warmth and smoothness sings emotively.

Treble: The Meze 12 has an above average reach for the treble, providing a good amount of air and some sparkle, Silent Lucidity's harmonics sound particularly crisp and clear, inviting with a semblance of brightness that does not induce harshness or fatigue. Hit the Lights' cymbal crashes and high hats arrive well and nicely detailed, sounding quite natural. The 12 Classics provide a needed clarity and separation to avoid congestion as the sounds in Hit the Lights can overlap and merge on gear that has poor tuning and ability. Sibilance is well controlled here and without sounding rolled off or cut off too early, an overall good sounding area for the 12 Classics.

Soundstage: Left and right staging has very good width, moving outward in a natural way, going up to around 4 inches away in distance for some sounds and on most songs a little out of the ear. Front and back staging distance is on the average size, while up and down depth is a little above average. Instrument separation and layering is pretty good as it prevents you from feeling or hearing any congestion in the music no matter how busy it gets. Imaging is accurate for positioning of source sounds.

Conclusion: The Meze 12 Classics is one of the good all arounder IEMs out in the market, it has an overall balanced and organic sound that's fatigue and harshness free, perfect for chilling through your daily routine. With a fast and punctuating bass, smooth and detailed mids, a crisp, airy treble framed in a stage that is both layered and spacious, the Meze 12 Classic is an enjoyable listen for many genres that don't overly rely on very strong bass presence. The overall physical attributes of the 12 Classic are also worth noting, built with sturdy cables and provided with a good control microphone that compliments the well built aluminum and classy wooden shell, a merging of both modern and organic aesthetics.

One other thing to note is the vent a little after the nozzle, if you accidentally smother it with a foam tip or intentionally cover it with some Blu Tack, the bass on the Meze 12 Classic will become stronger, able to hit harder and have more quantity, at this level, the mids are not overwhelmed by the bass but you can say that it could possibly satisfy a basshead. Mids and treble, clarity, separation and layering are largely unaffected though the stage feels a bit smaller overall. Covering the vents can introduce a bit of driver flex which is usually not damaging to the IEMs so use proper insertion methods to avoid this in case you want the basshead version of the Meze 12 Classics.

Sound testing was done using a Sony WM1a (Primarily), a Hiby R6, Zishan Z1(for comparison), Audirect Beam (for computer convenience) and a phone (for checking driveability) volume matched to 90.X db of max volume for safe hearing below 8 hours of use and calibrated using a 1kh tone on a dedicated DB Meter, all sources patched through a switcher. More information will be available on the About Me page (once I find the time to write it up.)

Some specifications (from mezeaudio.com):

Frequency response: 16Hz – 24KHz
Impedance: 16Ohm
Sensitivity: 101dB (+/- 3db)
Total harmonic distortion: < 0.5%
Noise attenuation: up to 26dB
Titanium coated 8mm mylar driver
Copper-clad aluminum voice coil
3.5mm gold-plated jack plug
7N OFC cable, length: 1.2m

Unboxing, fit and first thoughts

If the goodness of a product shines through its presentation, this – judging from the cover – is a wonderful one. It may be obvious for someone, giving the long experience in product design of Antonio Meze, but nothing must be taken for granted.

This box is elegant, while clearly ready for being exposed in the stores. The picture of the earphones on the front face is the real position of them inside the box itself; and the shape of it reprises the Meze logo. This sign of cure is a constant in every way concerning these In-Ears. Every face of the box is smartly used to give us all the information about the earphones themselves as well as the accessories and other useful advertisements. The most interesting thing here, for audiophile people, is the frequency response graphic, which reveals the characteristic tuning of the company.

Inside the box you’ll find a carrying pouch with the Meze logo, a pair of Comply foam ear tips (great to find them!), three silicon tips (S, M, L) and a double-flange pair. Great selection. And there’s a clip to attach the cable on a T-shirt or something: guess… with the Meze logo! The “instruction manual”, which may sound useless, has instead some really useful tips like dangerous volumes ecc.. There’s also a Meze sticker which is good to add to your MacBook with all the others I’m sure you all have out there!

The “Classic” name that Meze gives to some of its products could mean two things: that you’re looking at a classy product (usually with wooden inserts); that it’s perfect for classical music (that is a difficult genre to reproduce, because of the transients and the soundstage it needs). Why did I think that? Because if you try some Neo versions of the same ear/headphones of Meze, you will find punchier basses and a slightly different tuning, more popular and modern. You can read our reviews of the 99s (Classics and Neo) to better understand this. We will see later if that’s the case even with these “12”.

Anyway, when you look at these earphones you immediately realize to hold a product developed with passion (if you saw the interviews with Antonio Meze you can understand what I mean). The wood gives a premium feel to the product and the overall build quality is top notch. The cable is not my favorite, I’d rather a braided style, but it’s well done and the metal inserts with the Meze logo are very high quality. It’s also oxygen-free, which means that the interferences are very low.

There is an issue regarding the fit of the 12 Classics with my ears: I’ve tried every silicon ear tip and everyone can’t help falling off. I now go with the Comply ones (which are much, much better), but I must be very careful when I walk or move because the fit is not the greatest for me anyway. That didn’t happen with my girlfriend, which found them perfect, for example. You can always wrap the cable around your ear like in IEMs and obtain a better fit for you.

Sound

My main source was a FiiO M7 DAP. I’ve also used my 2012 MacBook Pro (also with a Scarlett 2i2 Audio Interface), my Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 with default dongle and with Audirect Whistle DAC/Amp.

I generally liked the sound of these 12 Classics. The signature is not so conventional, and you have to like a warm and pretty dark sound to appreciate them. If you are fan of clarity and brilliant treble, these aren’t probably your first choice. The instrument separation is decent, even though I heard everything pretty unbalanced on the lower side; this is a pro for certain kinds of music, because the bass is quick and punchy, and very dense, but it’s a con for other ones. I have to say that initially the soundstage was very limited, so I recommend following the tips of Meze and let them burn in several hours. Now it’s so much better than before, even though it’s not the widest stage you’ll ever find. The most enjoyable experience you can have with these is with certain kinds of modern music that are minimal and dynamic (sounds strange with the name Classics!) like Lorde, Oh Wonder and so on.

With classical music the things are a bit different. The enhanced lower frequencies remain, but the instrument separation is generally better. Still I didn’t find a perfect imaging, you haven’t the feeling to be inside the scene. The treble voices have sometimes too much reverb; the strange thing is that’s something affecting the male voices more than the female ones. Unusual fact, in my opinion. The particular tuning probably affects the sound in that way. I did find however a really enjoyable sound, fast and precise, more on a fun side than a reference one. From the provided frequency response graph, you can effectively see that the higher frequencies (from 10 kHz) are not the best; it’s the same signature as the 11 series, but I believe that they are tuned with some differences. And the wood may give some “naturalness” to the sound, for the ones who believe it in such small earphones.

The sound leak is almost inexistent, which is great.

The mic, unfortunately, isn’t great. It sounds a bit muffled, but I understand the majority of people prefer having it, even for emergency purpose. With this kind of earphones, I’d rather have a better cable with no mic, because they are made for music listening.

So, summing up, the bass is very good, the mid is okay, the treble is not the clearest one. I liked them a lot, because of the punchiness and the quick bass. The sound is embracing, and it surprises: I tried a lot of honest headphones which haven’t some impressive features; these are instead very “warm” in terms of sound, and really convincing. You must know that it’s not the most usual sound signature, however.

Conclusion

Do I recommend the 12 Classics? For sure, because you get a good, non-fatiguing listening experience and a quick and detailed sound, even if a little bit dark, and they are easy to drive even with your smartphone. Consider that you might have some small fit issues, like me, and if you need to make a lot of calls with them you may find the mic not so good. I would take them as my daily drivers, if my ears were matching them better, because the sound is pleasant. And they look amazing.

Introduction

Meze Audio is the company behind the now iconic wooden headphones, 99 Classics. Many articles I read mentioned the fascinating story of how Antonio Meze started his company. In one of the interview, Antonio stated that he tried in vain to find a pair of headphones that he can connect with so he ended up making his own. Prior to founding his namesake company, Antonio Meze worked as an industrial designer, he very much got into the audio business as an outsider.

Take a look at Meze Audio official website and you will notice the 4 products that they are currently selling, 2 headphones and 2 earphones. 99 Neo headphone is essentially the lower end version of 99 Classics headphone. Both headphones share the same internal components, 99 Neo being the cheaper sibling does not have the signature wooden earcups. The same product segmentation method is used for their earphones/IEM, 11 Neo is essentially the strip-down version of 12 Classics. The wooden cover of 12 Classics had been omitted from 11 Neo so Meze Audio is able to sell it for 20usd less. Aside from the cosmetic, I noticed that the copper-clad aluminium coil is also absent from 11 Neo. I have done some goggling and I discovered that Meze Audio used to sell 11 Classics and 11 Deco, the now discontinued predecessors to the aforementioned earphones.

99 Classics is a great headphone that is lauded by audio critics, the lesser known 12 Classics earphone is no slouch either. In this review, I will talk in detail about 12 Classics.

Disclaimer

I am grateful to be sent a pair of 12 Classics Iridium for evaluation and I would like to thank Meze Audio for the opportunity to review the product. I am writing this review as I see fit and not commercially associated with them.

https://www.mezeaudio.com/collections/all/products/12-classics-iridium

Unboxing

I don’t really believe in the saying that an earphone is not to be judged by its box because first impression does matter!

12 Classics came in a classy looking box. Once I broke the seal and opened the box up, I was greeted by the earphone, a protective pouch, a lapel clip and some eartips. Meze Audio also included a pair of Comply Isolation premium eartips as part of the package. The whole packaging felt right, I had a dopamine rush unboxing the earphone!

Physical

Earphone

The text “Designed by Antonio Meze” is apparent on the side of the packaging box. Antonio Meze, the owner of the company is also the industrial designer behind both 12 Classics and 99 Classics.

I received Meze 12 Classics in Iridium colour and I must say, the earphone screams luxury! It is perhaps the most intricately made earphone I have ever owned. The last few years have seen a boom in affordable Chinese Fi earphones and I for one might have spent too much time with those earphones to the extend that I became accustomed to the usually not so great earphone aesthetics. To lay my hands on Meze 12 Classics felt rather refreshing, it reinvigorated my appreciation for premium products and good designs.

12 Classics is a great combination of premium materials and robust construction. The walnut wood cover looks good in pictures and in real life. Take a read at Meze’s website, they mentioned that the wood trim will age gracefully overtime, I think that’s pretty cool. Wood usually absorbs moisture and oil and will darken with age but my 3 months old unit looks the same thus far so only time will tell. The shiny part of the earphone is cold to touch so I am assuming those are aluminum. The quality control of this earphones seems good, I don’t see any glue residue or uneven gaps that I can complain about.

I have compared 12 Classics to some of my other earphones, the earphone itself is large to medium-sized for a single dynamic driver setup. The diameter of the nozzle (the protruded part that holds the eartip) is on the larger side and I will explain later why that is not a good thing.

Cable and Plug

Meze 12 Classics cable is hefty, springy and rubbery. I usually coil and tie up my earphones for storage. When I unwind 12 Classics for use, the cable immediately curls up due to its memory effect. Most people might not see that as an issue but that bothers me quite a bit.

I noticed strain reliefs on all the joints of 12 Classics so I am quite convinced that the earphone will not break down anytime soon. That said, I think the Y-split and microphone might be over-designed. The oversized Y-split and microphone could have been a lot smaller and still function the same.

Given that 12 Classics is equipped with a smartphone button and an in-line microphone, I believe 12 Classics was planned as a consumer earphone for the masses. I have so far tested 12 Classics on my DAC, laptop and smartphones. 12 Classics has a 4-pole TRRS CTIA jack that works flawlessly with my phone and ipad but the same can not be said with Sabaj Da2. I will only hear from one side of the earphone if I push 12 Classics jack all the way into the DAC socket so most of the time I have to adjust the insertion depth to regain stereo sound. That might not be a big deal but I felt the need to mention the issue here.

One thing that troubled me the most is the left and right indications, of which 12 Classics barely has. Only if you inspect the earphone carefully that you will be able to find the small L and R embossed on the strain relieves. I guess users have to resort to memorizing the microphone side as the right side. Ya I know that sounds easy but it is not, audio makers don’t always have the microphone on the right side.

Comfort

The fit of 12 Classics is okay but not the greatest. 12 Classics fits my ears snugly but it doesn’t seem to stay firmly in my ears like smaller earphones do. 12 Classics usually slips out of my ear canals after some 45 minutes of use. I was quite puzzled. After some comparisons, I figured that those earphones that stay firmly in my ears tend to have smaller nozzles. As you can see in the pictures below, the nozzle diameter of 12 Classics is quite a bit bigger than the other earphones.

Specification

Earphone Type: In- Ear
Connection Type: Wired
Plug Type: 3.5mm 4 poles straight gold-plated plug
Driver: Titanium coated 8mm mylar driver
Coil: Copper-clad aluminum voice coil
Impedance: 16ohm
Sensitivity: 101dB (+/- 3db)
Frequency response: 16Hz-24 KHz
Total Harmonic Distortion: <0.5%
Noise attenuation: up to 26dB
Cable: 1.2m 7N OFC

The Sound

Soundwise, I think 12 Classics is very consumer orientated. Such a sound signature can be a double-edged sword. On one hand, the mainstream tuning is easy to like, but on the other it might not be able to please audiophiles who crave for analytical listening.

The frequency response graph that I have generated only vaguely resembles the one from Meze. I have double checked my settings, setup and I got the same result in every test. At least from my finding, I am certain that there’s no inbalance between the left and right channel since the lines overlap properly in the graph.

Much like 99 Classics, 12 Classics excels in the low. The decent bass in 12 Classics made it a suitable earphone for modern and jazz music. The bass quantity is good and the rumble is sufficient. Mid frequency is also a cakewalk for 12 Classics, the sound is just buttery smooth and coherent.

The treble of 12 Classics is not something I would write home about. The earphone has a high that is tamed at 7k Hz and cut off at around 12k Hz. I have listened to sharp vocals and harmonica rich songs with this earphone and have not encountered any sibilance in the sound. I wish the sound could be a little more exciting and I believe the treble should be a little more elevated since I believe 99 Classics is supposed to be a fun sounding earphone.

Overall, I think 12 Classics has a pretty good sound.

Soundstage

12 Classics has a congested soundstage. The soundstage is small and the sound imaging is average at best. I have noticed two small ports on each side of the earphone but I believe those only help with the bass and do nothing for the soundstage.

Source

12 Classics sounded muffled when I used it with my laptop. The sound quality scaled up quite a bit when I had it plugged to my usb DAC. With a good source, the sound clarity will improve significantly but the soundstage will not open up a bit.

Conclusion:

Meze 12 Classics is both style and substance, it sounds nice and looks great. I really enjoy the earphone as a whole.

There's a lot to love about 12 Classics. If you can look past the narrow soundstage, 12 Classics might be the earphone for you.

The Wooden Classics

Introduction:

Meze Audio was founded by Antonio Meze in 2009 in Baia Mare, Romania, who was looking for a pair of headphones that he could connect to in the same way that he felt connected to his Fender Stratocaster guitar. The real breakthrough year for Meze was 2015 with the release of the Meze 99 Classics. The Meze 12 Classics is their latest product in the Classics series.

Disclaimer:

The Meze 12 Classics was provided to me by the Meze for free of charge as a review sample. I am not affiliated with Meze beyond this review and these words reflect my true, unaltered, opinions about the product.

Price:

The MSRP price for the Meze 12 Classics is 79,00 USD.

Product Page : https://www.mezeaudio.com/
Purchase Link : Meze Shop

Package and Accessories:

The Meze 12 Classics comes in a relative small white card box that consists from two pieces, the upper cover and bottom box.

This box includes the following contents;

1 x Meze 12 Classics
1 x Cable clip
1 x Carrying Case
1 x 4 sets of silicone ear-tips (S, M, L & Double flange)
1 x Extra set of Comply foam ear-tips

The Meze 12 Classics comes with 4 sets of silicone ear-tips which are soft and comfy. The package is including an extra pair of comply foam tips which is a nice addition.

The zipper case is a bit small but doses it job. There is also a cable clip which is also a nice extra.

Specifications:

Driver Type : Titanium coated 8mm Mylar driver
Coil Type : Copper-clad aluminum voice coil
Frequency response : 16 Hz – 24 KHz
Impedance : 16 Ohm
Sensitivity : 101dB (+/- 3db)
Total Harmonic Distortion : < 0.5%
Noise attenuation : up to 26dB
Headphone Jack : 3.5mm gold-plated jack plug
Cable Material : 7N OFC cable,
Cable Length : 1.2m

About the Mylar driver:

The Meze 12 Classics features an 8mm diameter single driver with a titanium coated driver membrane which has a copper-clad aluminum voice coil.

Design, Fit/Comfort and Build Quality:

The Meze 12 Classics has a small form factor is light weight and very well made. They are two color options which are Iridium and Gun Metal. My unit came in Gun Metal color which has a nice appearance.

The housing of the Meze 12 Classics is a combination of aluminum and wood. The wooden chamber is made of walnut wood and looks beautiful.

The back of the housing sports the Meze logo and on the front is the straight nozzle, where you can find also a small bass vent.

The Meze 12 Classics has a fixed cable, which means you have not the option to chance/upgrade the cable if needed, but looks solid anyway.

The cable wire is made of 7N purity OFC (Oxygen Free Cooper) and has a grey TPU coating which looks like a high quality plastic, but that is prone for microphonic effects.

This cable sports a microphone and a straight 3.5mm gold plated headphone jack.

The Meze 12 Classics is a quite comfortable IEM which is ideal to wear cable down.

The noise isolation of this In Ear Monitor is above average.

Albums & tracks used for this review:

Norah Jones – Don’t Know Why (DSD)
Saskia Bruin – The Look of Love (DSF)
Celine Dion – The Power of Love (Tidal Hi-Fi)
LP (Laura Pergolizzi) – Lost On You “Live at Harvard and Stone” (Tidal Hi-Fi)
Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody (Spotify)
George Michael – Older Album (Apple Music)
Dire Straits – Money for Nothing (DSD)
Mile Davis – Kind of Blue Album (Tidal Hi-fi)
Emmanuel Pahud (Claude Debussy) – Syrinx (Spotify)
Otto Liebert & Luna Negra – The River (Flac 24bit/96 KHz Binaural Recording)
Alboran Trio’s – Cinque Lunghissimi Minuti (Tidal Hi-Fi)
Daft Punk – Get Lucky (Flac 24bit/192kHz)
Michael Jackson - Billie Jean (DSF)
Opeth – Damnation (Tidal Hi-Fi)
Megadeth – Sweating Bullets (Flac 16bit/44kHz)
Metallica – Sad but True (Flac 24bit/96kHz)

Sources used for this review:

IEM : Meze 12 Classics, Shozy Hibiki, MEE audio Pinnacle P2
DAP/DAC : Cayin N5II, Chord Mojo, Hifiman HM603s

The Sound:

This review is written after a burn-in process of approx. 90 – 100 hours and I have used the stock medium silicone ear tips which came in the box.

Please note that this is an entry level Mid-Fi IEM and all my comments about the sound quality are in consideration of this price range.

Tonality:

The Meze 12 Classics is a musical sounding IEM with a warmer then neutral tonality which is a result of the mildly boosted mid-bass area.

Frequencies:

The bass presentation of the Meze 12 Classics is mainly focused on the mid-bass area. The sub-bass between 20 – 50 Hz are missing some depth, but sounds otherwise controlled and have also some nice texture.

The bass response of the Meze 12 Classics is accurate and fast for a single dynamic driver and sounds also pretty natural, which is a good ability for genres with real instrumental like acoustic or jazz music. The guitar performance in Otto Liebert & Luna Negra – The River sounds quite natural and exiting.

The mid-bass of the Meze 12 Classics gives the overall presentation a nice touch of warmth. It is nicely textured and is not overwhelming. The transition between mid-bass to the mids is nicely done.

The midrange of the Meze 12 Classics doesn't sound thin or very full and has a nice balanced presentation. The midrange of Meze 12 Classics sounds also relative transparent and has a clean presentation, which is rarely found in this price category.

Male artists like George Michael or Freddy Mercury sounding relative organic, but the vocal presentation of female artists like Laura Pergolizzi or Saskia Bruin sounds in general more organic. I didn’t observe any overshadowing of the midrange which sounds in most situations clean.

The midrange of the 12 Classics has a nice sense of space and there is enough air between instruments. Some instruments like pianos and drums are missing some weight, but the overall realism it’s quite acceptable for this price range. The detail level and overall resolution is better than I have exempted for his price category.

The upper midrange of the Meze 12 Classics is pretty controlled and has only some minor problems with some female vocals like Laura Pergolizzi, Celine Dion and with some bad recorded/mastered tracks.

The Meze 12 Classics has a treble texture which extends pretty well. The detail retrieval is in a moderate level and instruments like cymbals, bells, violas etc. doesn’t sounding in a metallic or unnatural way. The Meze 12 classics, displays also some nice clarity which is a big plus for an IEM in this price range.

The upper treble range is bright but is not of the sort which could fatigue your ears after some long listening periods. The side flute (transverse flute) performance in Emmanuel Pahud’s track “Syrinx” has some nice sparkle and sound also quite realistic.

Soundstage:

The Meze 12 Classics has a decent soundstage presentation for an IEM at a price of 79.00 USD. The soundstage is pretty wide and the depth is above average. The instrument separation is quite good and the positioning of instruments and vocals quite accurate.

Comparison:

Vs. Shozy Hibiki:

Both IEM’s have a slightly warm tonality with a pretty good level of clarity.

When it comes to bass presentation, the Meze 12 Classics has slightly better dynamics and bass rendering, but both sounding fairly controlled in the bass department. The difference starts in the sub-bass and mid-bass area. The Shozy Hibiki IEM has more sub-bas quantity, while the Meze 12 classics have a more bass and mid-bass focused presentation.

The sub-bass of the Hibiki reaches deeper and has slightly more rumble, while the Meze 12 Classic sounds more controlled and fuller in the bass and mid-bass area.

Meze 12 Classics has a slightly more forward midrange presentation and sound also more natural in its presentation. I don’t know if this is a result of the wooden chamber but the 12 Classic sounds more organic compared to the Shozy Hibiki. The Meze 12 Classics sounds also more transparent and smooth, compared to the grainier presentation of the Shozy Hibiki.

The Shozy Hibiki suits better for male vocals, while the Meze 12 Classics sound more romantic with female vocals. Both IEM’s have good instrument rendering, while the Meze 12 Classics performs better with instrument like guitars, pianos or drums due its more organic presentation. The instrument separation of both IEM’s is nearly identical and pretty good for this price range.

The upper midrange of the Shozy Hibiki sounds a bit harsher compared to those of the Meze 12 Classics. The Meze sounds relative bright but has more control in the upper register.

The Shozy Hibiki sounds a bit too dry in the treble, but the detail level is on par with those of the Meze 12 Classics. The treble speed of the Meze 12 Classics is better, which is most noticeable with instruments like cymbals, bells etc. The Shozy Hibiki sounds a bit harsh especially in higher volume levels, where the Meze 12 Classics sounds more controlled.

The difference for soundstage performance is not too much, but the soundstage of the Meze 12 Classics sounds slightly deeper and wider to my ears. The Meze 12 Classics has also more air and space between instruments compared to the Shozy Hibiki.

Vs. MEE audio Pinnacle P2

The first noticeable difference is the lower frequency region of this IEM’s, where the Pinnacle P2 has more sub-bass and bass quantity then the Meze 12 Classics which sounds more balanced.

The sub-bass of the Pinnacle P2 sounds deeper and has also more rumble. The Meze 12 classics on the other hand sound a bit more controlled and faster in this region.

The bass especially the mid-bass region of the Pinnacle P2 has better weight and extension then those of the Meze 12 Classics which sounds otherwise more natural.

The Midrange of the Pinnacle P2 sounds warmer and fuller then those of the Meze 12 Classics. But there is a difference in clarity, where the Meze 12 Classics sounds cleaner and more transparent then Pinnacle P2, which sounds veiled due some mid-bass bleed.

The Pinnacle P2 sounds great with Male vocals but a bit too thick with female voices where the Meze 12 Classics sound more natural. The instrument presentation of the MEE audio Pinnacle P2 is pretty good for this price range, but the Meze 12 Classics has additional micro detail, which is really great for the price.

The upper midrange of the Pinnacle P2 sounds a bit more controlled, while the resolution of both IEM’s is quite good. There is no remarkable harshness for both IEM’s, which is a good thing in this price range.

The Pinnacle P2 sounds a bit hot in the treble range where the Meze 12 Classics has also additional brightness and clarity. The Meze 12 Classics has the better speed and control compared to the Pinnacle P2.

The Pinnacle P2 has more consumer friendly upper treble tuning which sounds slightly rolled off, while the Meze 12 Classics has some additional sparkle and detail in this area.

Both IEMs have nearly the same soundstage performance, but the Meze 12 Classics has slightly more depth, while both IEM’s have nearly identical soundstage wideness.

Conclusion:

The Meze 12 Classics is a very well made IEM with a wonderful wooden housing, which has a quite detailed sound with a balanced sound signature that will satisfy its owner for a price of 79,00 USD.

Summary (Pros and Cons):

+ Great build quality and wonderful wooden housing
+ Good detail level for the price
+ Nice balanced sound signature
+ Comfortable fit

- No detachable cable
- Missing of some micro detail

This review was originally posted on "Moonstar Reviews" :
https://moonstarreviews.net

...

Thank you for your honest opinion and good photos

Intro

   Meze Headphones is a company with a simple philosophy; Motivation, Values, People. With a passion for art and music, achieved through patience and dedication, Meze design timeless masterpieces. Ignoring current trends that come and go with the seasons, influenced by none, they create headphones as if for themselves. Consisting of passionate specialists, with backgrounds in sound engineering, design, crafting, and music, the team has stood by their company’s values since the beginning.

   With the release of the well reviewed and highly regarded 99 Classics, Meze gave us something we didn’t even know we wanted; A gorgeous headphone with a fun yet timeless audiophile sound at a very affordable price! Continuing on their success, Meze Audio went back to the drawing board and answered with the 12 Classics, an affordable IEM featuring both the timeless style of wood-metal fusion and the familiar warm yet crisp sound of the 99 Classics.

Disclaimer

   As part of the review tour, the 12 Classics were provided to me by Meze in exchange for my honest opinion and review. It matters not how I obtained my pair, this review will be both honest and objective, free of hype and/or bias.

About Me

   38 years old, I grew up in a family consisting of musicians, broadcaster/sound engineers, and amateur DJs, I always had a deep appreciation and understanding of both music and sound. I was further educated in this self interest after taking courses in both electronics and sound (Electro-Acousto aka The Path to Golden Ears). While I believe a listener’s preference in sound is subjective, the science behind it is not. I am not swayed by buzzwords, hype, trends, brand recognition, or big numbers on charts; I am the nemesis of the commissioned salesperson. Opinionated as I am, my words are not only objective but honest. I view all criticism as constructive, as long as it is sincere.

Specifications

Transducer size: 8mm
Transducer Type: Titanium coated mylar
Copper-clad aluminium voice coil
Frequency response: 16Hz - 24KHz
Impedance: 16Ohm
Sensitivity: 101dB (+/- 3dB)
THD: < 0.5%
Noise attenuation: Up to 26dB
Plug Type: 3.5mm gold plated
Cable: 7N OFC 1.2M

Accessories

Leatherette carry case
4 pairs of silicone tips (S, M, L, Double flange)
Genuine Comply 500 premium ear tips
Cable clip

For more information and nice eye candy, head over to the 12 Classics website.
To read up on general discussion and impressions, check out the official thread here.

Burn-in

40 hours is what is recommended by Meze, and I highly encourage anyone to give the 12 Classics at least that amount of time before any critical reviews. Bass becomes more controlled, less loose and bloomy, and treble detail definitely comes up a few notches. Overall, after burn-in the sound becomes less ridged and and more natural and balanced.

Design & Ergonomics

Similar in design and style, the 12 Classics can best be described as the love-child between the 11 Neo and the 99 Classics! Constructed of walnut wood and gunmetal aluminium, the 12 Classics are one gorgeous IEM! Every angle, every curve seem to be carefully thought out to add both stunning form and functionality! The main body is constructed by the same walnut wood as the 99 Classics, with the contrasting aluminium end caps being a dark gunmetal grey. The Meze Audio logo featured in white is present on the butt of each bud and is a nice touch, easily letting on-lookers know what are in your ears!

The stylish and sexy cable is thick, and very well reinforced. Despite the thickness, the cable it is very pliable that both hangs incredibly straight yet retains an invisible memory that allows for one to easily loop up for storage within the case. Rarely do I see a cable that falls so straight yet has no issues wanting to be wound up. Although the cable is non-removable, every entry point has a generous amount of reinforcement for strain relief. Whether is was dangling my iPod or ripping out the buds by the cable, never did I get a sense that a was putting too much stress for the connections to handle.

The in-line control talk module works as it should with no issue. The placement for me is at the correct position that easily allows me to reach blind and find the unit, as well I found the button itself to have a great tactile feel and quick response. My only issue is the fact that I both prefer and am accustomed to having the module on the left side. Not a negative, just a personal gripe. The mic also works equally well, with calls over wifi as well as Siri voice commands being easily audible and recognizable. The strain relieve on the module as well as the Y-split are of exceptional quality, allowing for easy movement and bending yet remain sturdy and rugged enough that much like the connections at the plug and buds, I foresee no issues with splits or breaks.

Cable microphonic noise is not too bad, especially considering the thickness of the cable, although it is noticeable and above average. This can easily be remedied with the included cable clip. When attached, microphonic noise is grounded and greatly reduced. While walking to the store or even riding my bike cable microphonic noise wasn’t too bad when using the clip, switching things up to a quick jog or even working out with free-weights will undoubtedly cause cable knocking and thus an increase in distracting noise. In my opinion, the 12 Classics are designed for portability, but in no way would I consider them to be suitable for “active” use.

The included ear tips are of decent quality. I wouldn’t call them super premium nor would I call them cheap, rather they are simply of high enough quality reflective off their price point. Each of the standard tips seem to be a happy average respective of their size. Comparing them to what other manufacturers include, I see no reason how the average person couldn’t find a size that works with their ears. Including a double flange tip is a nice addition, though personally I would have liked to see a triple flange set, going as far as including 2 sizes as it gives the user more fit and comfort options. The icing on the cake has to be the genuine Comply premium ear tips. Too many manufacturers include generic foam ear tips that seemingly last as long as my morning bus ride, so it is fantastic to see Meze going the extra mile and giving us quality!

For size comparison: Polk Nu Voe, Apple EarPod, 12 Classics

First Impressions

As part of the tour, I received both the 11 Neo and 12 Classics at the same time. I chose to listen to the 11 Neo first, and for those wanting to know my impressions, by all means check them out here. In short, the 11 Neo got the respectable nod of approval for their balanced, almost neutral (as one can get for a dynamic IEM) sound. As with all of Meze’s products, the presentation of of the box and packaging of the product makes one feel as if they are receiving a premium product; First impressions matter! The 12 Classic along with the carry case containing the accessories were nicely nestled in foam, and to add a bit of personality make up the shape of the Meze logo! Nice, and well done! Upon switching IEMs from the 11 Neo to the 12 Classics, I was greeted with the familiar sound of the 99 Classics, just in miniature form! Coupled with the unique quality of the walnut housing, the 12 Classics brought to a new refinement to essentially everything the 11 Neo did right!

   Much like the 99 Classics, the 12’s brought the wow factor! As aforementioned the 12 Classics sounded like a baby 99 featuring controlled and well extended bass, smooth mids, and crisp, detailed treble combined with the earthy tonality of the walnut wood. It didn’t take too long for me to be swept away in the music, and as usual a couple of hours had passed! Once again Meze has magically enchanted their wood with faerie dust or trapped the spirit of a muse inside the casing because I didn’t want to take the 12 Classics out! Since I had already ran pink noise for 40 hours while I gathered impressions about the 11 Neo, I couldn’t use the excuse that I needed to listen for changes due to burn-in. But wait… “ The walnut wood housing changes, slightly, over time in tone and contrast. Its mystery isn’t quick to vanish. “ Thanks Meze, you just justified me staying up past my bed-time… on a work night!

   In all seriousness, for the next few days, during my downtime, the 12 Classics never left my ears. Normally I would go into analytical mode and start putting a pair of headphones/earphones through my gauntlet of tests, but the 12 Classics simply made me want to relax and enjoy the music! In all honesty it wasn’t until shortly before I started writing this review that I sat down, plugged the 12 Classics into my iCAN SE, and loaded up Audirvana with a few analyzing VST plug-ins enabled. Needless to say, right from the get go I was impressed with what I was hearing out of the 12 Classics!

Sound - The Basics

Bass - Much like all of Meze’s products, bass plays an prominent role in the overall sound of the 12 Classics. Mid bass can be described and tight, taut, and nimble. It has the ability to slam when it needs to yet remained controlled enough that I never had to listen hard to discern say the bass guitar from the bass drum. Texture is some of the best I have heard in any IEM of any price range, being both speedy and detailed. Sub-bass can only be described as beautifully weighted. It digs deep when called upon and never does it trounce on the upper bass and mids. Thanks to the nature of the walnut wood, the bass has a very natural, almost earthy tonality to it. Overall, the bass slightly above neutral, and is well suited towards audiophiles and purists, yet as someone who appreciates a little extra oomph when needed, the 12 Classics do not disappoint.

Mid Range - First and foremost, the 12 Classics are a mid-centric IEM and goes without saying are natural, organic, and Meze smooth! I wouldn’t quite describe the midrange as liquid, rather organic and earthy, something I contribute to the walnut housing(s). I think out of the rest of the frequency spectrum, the tonality of the wood is more prevalent in the midrange. None the less, thanks to the slight boost in the lower-mids male vocals have great range and body, never sounding boxy or honky while having ruler flat upper-mids gives female vocals a controlled yet sweet sound with absolutely no harshness in the upper octaves. Instruments and effects have great texture and resolve, and possess a natural, almost classic quality to them.

Treble - Crisp, well extended, and detailed. While the lower treble does sit higher than the upper regions, it does so without adding to the sibilance; It is what it is in the source, with zero harshness or accentuation! Despite having a gentle roll-off before levelling out, the upper treble still has the ability to add what I can only describe as the perfect amount of sparkle and shine! Overall, the treble has a very clean resolve with just the right amount of air contributing to an absolutely fatigue free sound!

Soundstage and Imaging - One word: Fantastic! In terms of an IEM, the 12 Classics soundstage is quite large! Both width and height are in my estimation equal, extending quite a ways outside one’s head. Forward and backwards depth is above average, never sounding congested resulting in good instrument separation as well as imaging. Thanks to the copper-clad aluminium voice coil, focus is pretty darn good for an IEM in it’s class helping to contribute to the amount of black space between the sounds.

Sound - Music, Movies, Games

Music (Vocals - Male) - Male vocals sound spot on. The deeper tones of artists such as Leonard Cohen or Allan Taylor are wonderfully rendered with the perfect amount of low-end body as well as grit. The wide ranged vocals of the a capello groups The Persuasions all possess a beautiful tonality with each singer’s unique contrasting voice sounding well layered and detailed, possessing great body and never sounding distant or detached. Whether it be the high-piched screams or guttural grunting, the 12 Classics held their own when it came to the more aggressive style of heavy metal. While the vocals of the former (such as Judas Priest’s Rob Halford) sound detailed and relatively smooth with little to no harshness, when reaching the upper octaves the presentation does tend to become a little bit earthy sounding. I wouldn’t describe it as being a negative, rather it is a unique tonal characteristic of the walnut housing, and in all honesty can take a little while to become accustomed to. On the opposite end, grunting sounds fantastic… for what it is. The 12 Classics render the lower octaves with great speed and texture with the right amount of weight as to not make the already (arguably) hard to discern vocals muddy or overpowering.

Music (Vocals - Female) - When it comes to female vocals the 12 Classics are more of a mystery when it comes to consistency. “ The walnut wood housing changes, slightly, over time in tone and contrast. Its mystery isn’t quick to vanish. “ couldn’t be more true. During my time putting the 12 Classics through my battery of tests, heck even as I listen to them now as I write this review, I am having a hard time pinpointing exactly what I even mean. While overall female vocals sound Meze smooth, possessing great body and detail with an excellent sense of breath, at times they can take on the characteristics of the walnut, sounding (much like certain higher-pithed male vocals) earthy. The trouble I have is that I am not sure if is a certain frequency range that taps into the power of wood, or if it is that in combination of certain effects (I.e. reverb). It matters not if I am listening to the soft and sweet sounding Rebecca Pidgeon, of the power vocals of Floor Janssen, or a single song or album in specific, the mystery of walnut sneaks in, giving the sound that unique woody-tonal quality to it.

Music (Instruments and Effects) - Detailed, textured, and extremely well rendered. Acoustic guitars and stringed instruments sound fantastic, possessing a very natural and organic quality to them. The body of a double-bass or cello resonate deep, with excellent weight and exceptional speed leading way to detailed texture as the bows are drawn across their strings. Violins sound sweet and airy, reaching the top frequencies without harshness or fatigue. Brass sounds fantastic with speed and exceptional bite. Cymbals splash with a good combination of body and air with excellent decay, never sounding thin or overly metallic. All in all, natural instruments sound, well, very natural, and because of the walnut housing have a classic sound to their presentation. But what about non-natural instruments, such as electronic and computer generated effects? Simply put, freakishly awesome! The 12 Classics’ speed and detail coupled with it’s exceptional soundstage render modern sounds and effects with fantastic precision! Whether it was synth-pop or dubstep, my ears were blown away with fast, textured awesomeness! To end off this section, I have to give a special mention of electric guitars. Once again, the walnut comes into play and can, depending on the presentation from the source, can take on that unique earthy tonality. I give this special mention simply because out of all the instruments and effects, electric guitar distortion takes on the wood characteristics more-so than the others. To some, this will sound pleasing, however some purists may not like the altered sound. To each their own, eh?

Youtube - I watch quite a few “vloggers”, and thanks to the wide range of both recording devices and environments in play, it goes without saying that the consistency of the audio is all over the place. I was actually quite impressed with the 12 Classics’ overall handling and presentation of the varying sources. The dialogue and narration always sounded very clear, natural, and controlled, regardless of the quality of the recordings! It mattered not if the voices had a lot of uncontrolled room reverb, added bass for that radio Dj effect, or thin sounding due to a cheap microphone, the 12 Classics, for better or for worse, accurately rendered the source and allowed me to get a real sense of how and where the audio was recorded. An added bonus was the fact that due to not only the comfort of the IEM, but tonality and control, I was able to sit at my desk and listen/watch without discomfort for quite a long time before I needed to take a break (always recommended).

Movies - As always Pacific Rim is my defect go-to for testing, specifically the opening 15 minutes. It has narration, an epic score, action packed and immersive sound effects, and a good mix of environmental dialogue. Oh, and giant robots fighting giant monsters!! The 12 Classics did not disappoint! Charlie Hunnan’s narration comes across as clear, crisp, and well centred and while nicely sitting in the background still came across as appropriately forward. The dialogue was not only easily discernible amongst the score and action but had a naturalness quality in relation to their environment I.e. Inside a Jaeger’s cockpit, on the deck of a fishing troller. The epic score sounded large and dynamic, and it goes without saying that the sound and effects were equally immersive with every subtle sound, from the raindrops upon steel to the mechanics of gears and pistons at work, coming forth with life and excitement and never getting lost in amongst the busy scene. If I were on a long trip, or even relaxing in bed or on the couch, I would have no issues watching a movie on a phone or tablet with the 12 Classics.

Games - Regardless if paired with a smart device, hand held gaming system, or one’s PC, the 12 Classics faired exceptionally well with gaming. Because of the large and spacious soundstage coupled with fast, detailed bass, natural treble, and mid-centric sound signature, the 12 Classics are a perfect fit. I never really gave IEMs much consideration when it came to gaming due to the fact that I greatly prefer full sized circumaural headphones, but I was pleasantly surprised at how well the 12 Classics performed! Thanks to the detailed midrange dialogue and narration was clear and natural sounding. Environmental sounds and effects were quite immersive and well rendered, positional audio was spot on, and much like movies the score sounded large and dynamic. During my testing of various games, at times I actually forgot (briefly) that I was listening to an IEM!

Scaleability

   The 12 Classics are a good example of “ garbage in, garbage out “, in other words the better the hardware or source material the better the IEMs will perform. For comparison sake, an IEM such as Monster’s Lady Gaga Heartbeats (don’t judge) or my iPod’s pack-in EarPods simply do not have the ability to render the finer details of a properly recorded 24/96 Hi-Rez track. Listening to a 128 AAC conversion of Rebecca Pidgeon’s Spanish Harlem from a 16/44 source out of my iPod sounds pretty close to the 24/96 lossless copy out of my micro iCAN SE. With the 12 Classics in play, I can easily hear the differences in presentation between my iPod(s) and my iFi stack in relation to the hardware as well as the sample rates, irrespective of lossy/lossless.

Amping

   Being 16 Ohms with a sensitivity of 101 dB, the 12 Classics are able to be driver by most sources and achieve a deafening volume. While adding an amp in the mix is always a benefit, I found the 11 Neo to be just as enjoyable using my iPod as my iFi stack. These are meant to be on-the-go IEMs so plug them in to whatever you have, push play, and enjoy!

Value

   Stylish, rugged, and great sound, at $79 US one simply can not go wrong with the 12 Classics! In my humble opinion, their timeless design and solid construction warrant a much higher price tag, let alone their competent and scalable sound. I am not sure how Meze managed to release such quality products at the price point they do! While their competitors use cheap plastic and equally cheap cables Meze uses real walnut wood and aluminium, with one of the sturdiest cables I have seen on an IEM in this price range, and include genuine Comply ear-tips! Being an affordable $79, whether you are a headphone junkie or simply needing a new pair of IEM, the 12 Classics are a bargain!

Conclusion

   Meze did the seemingly impossible and shrank the 99 Classics into an IEM! The 12 Classics possess a classic and natural sound, offering up hours of detailed, fatigue free listening enjoyment! Much like the Neo 11 and 99 Classics, it really is hard to fault the 12 Classics in any regard. Genre after genre the 12 Classics continued to impress, with none standing out as being ‘more better suited’ than another, which I can’t say about a lot of IEMs I have had the (dis)pleasure of listening to. While true of many circumaural I have heard, when it comes to IEMs it’s not often I have one of those nights when “one more song” turned into, well, many many more, yet the 12 Classics are the rare exception!

   The 12 Classics’ stunning, gorgeous, timeless design, coupled with their detailed and balanced sound easily makes them an incredible bargain at a $79 price tag! Once again Meze has a real winner on it’s hands! Rightfully taking their spot in my collection ,I proudly hang my 12 Classics on display next to the likes of my Q701, HD600, and 99 Classics. It is clear that the great folks at Meze really care about quality products, and with their well received recent products (and highly anticipated soon to be released), is determined to carve out it’s legacy within the headphone community. Once again, my hat’s off to you guys and keep up the great work!

INTRO:-

MEZE is a relatively new entrant in this world of head gears. Hailing from Romania they have made an promising and grand entrance into this crazy and ever so exciting world of headphones with their 99 classic which won hearts of experts and consumers with its true to nature sound quality and classic looking wood back design.

This time around they have come up with a newer addition to their earphone line up, MEZE 12 classics, housing a titanium coated 8mm driver with aluminum voice coil, with a walnut wood housing which gives it its classic looks, there is a MIC unit on the right earpiece cable, no non-MIC version. 12 classics is placed above the 11 neo. Priced $79 will face competition from similarly priced earphones like Brainwavz B100, M100, RE-400, TZF 5 series, VSD5/S and many more!!

You can buy from these links:-
https://www.amazon.com/Meze-Classics-GunMetal-fidelity-earphones/dp/B01LLXG6QQ
https://mezeheadphones.com/products/meze-12-classics-gun-metal-wood-earphones

I would like to thank MEZE team for this review unit.

ACCESSORIES AND ERGONOMICS:-

12 classics comes in a nice looking box, easy to open unlike some other brands. Inside the box one can find 4 pair of silicone tips inside, one of them Is bi-flange, a pair of comply T-500 tips, a sweet looking carry case and a cable clip.

It has a good looking strong cable ending with a 90 degree jack. There is enough stress relieving at both ends and at the MIC unit too, flexible and will do the job. There is no chin slider. Even when the cable is not bouncy the biggest problem with this cable is its microphonics which is bad, make sure to use the cable clip. L/R marings are hard to locate, they are on the stress relievers of the earpieces but for your info. put the side with the MIC unit in your right ear.

It’s a beautiful looking earphone, I love it when companies use wood. Ergonomically it’s a straight barrel but it takes time to get a comfortable fit and nice seal.

Isolation too is just about average.

REMOTE AND MIC :-

MEZE has put a single button remote and a MIC on its right earpiece cable. This remote operates like all other one button units, has good feedback when clicked and works fine with all my android devices. Sound quality at both ends is good, only complaint is that it tends to sound a bit unnatural.

All in all it has nice clarity and quality, gets the work done.

SOUND QUALITY:-

Let me confirm that this earphone is burned for more than 120hrs and I have used stock single flange tips for the review. These are really nice out of any mobile device and won't need an amp sound good, but if you have one use it, why? Go to the "mid range" section and I will tell you.

This one has a nice and easy type of signature, neutral and laid back to be precise. I love this type of signature. But there is something not so good with this earphone and we will talk about it in the mid range section.

BASS:-

Everything apart, I have to admit 12 classic has one of the best sub bass presence for under $100, last one in my quiver is the WooDuo 2, before that Hisound crystal. It moves good amount of air, has nice slam, impact is oh oh.. splendid, someone who loves bass will admire this impact. And the perk is that, it's not snappy still relatively fast, Brainwavz B100 is snapy, yes B100 doesn’t have this kind of impact but it too has a big one when it comes to sub-bass. For extension, let me do a Kanye here "Don’t talk about extension you will ---- embarrass you" ( Kanye goes like" don’t talk about style you will ___ embarrass you"). In other words One of the best when it comes to lower end extension.

It has good body and rumble, moves better amount of air compared to B100. The awesome thing about this bass is that it doesn’t swell out of proportion, it stays nicely under control with no mid bass or upper bass hump. Mid bass just goes with sub-bass and keeps a lower profile. There is plenty of details with acceptable amount of control, no bleeding at all. Sounds full bodied and seriously meaty.
Add an amp and Bass gains some speed but loses a little bit of impact.

This bass is better than Shozy Zero, Nebula one even IM-70, as I said earlier, one of the best.

Mannn… I Am impressed with the bass.

MID RANGE:-

Mid range is acceptable for me, has good amount of details, one can pick some micro details too. Has good instrument clarity and transparency. Notes are really nice with thickness, its thick and meaty for male vocals and sharp and deep for female vocals. It doesn’t lack much energy but doesn’t sound full of it either.

The problem starts here, Bass was splendid and meaty, mid range is kind of pale in comparison. It lacks the level of decibels of the bass and fells like falling into the V but it's not really drowned but downed, specially the vocal range, there is a dip. Another problem is the consistency of the lower vocal range, which is better than average but the texture is inconsistent and is kind of grainy, not the cleanest of the lot, similar to what I had experienced with the RE-400.

Vocals are good though, I love the way it keeps the notes deep and keeps one seated with its natural and cohesive nature. Both male and female vocals are equally energetic.

Presentation and imaging is really good, I have not seen better from other earphone in this price range, Zero was good too but meze is better, VSD5/s even better though. Sonicality of the 12 is really good too, not as good as GR-07 or RE-400 but slightly less.

Sound stage is average, but the good thing is its nicely rounded off with good width height and acceptable depth which manages to give a nice sense of space.

Welcome an amplifier (E5 in my case) and things change for good, the graininess is gone, mid range gains some energy, things start to sound cleaner with better imaging. If you can manage an amp while you are on the move, please do.

Not the best mids, I have seen better, it sounds average when out of mobile device and good when amped.

HIGHS:-

Highs are not exactly the best from an earphone in this price but it has good presence, enough for me. Highs have good clarity, good extension ( there are better performers like VSD5/s) and energy with nice sharpness with the notes and instruments, it has the bite I look for. Transparency and imaging too are up to the mark, all the instruments are clear and nicely pronounced, you won't miss any beat.

Things go wrong when it comes to space. Don’t mix it up with separation or layering, separation and layering is acceptable, 12 Classic lacks the sense of space, instruments are clear but they kind of feel crammed, you have to put a bit of mind into it to feels the separation and layering. I would have liked a bigger sense of space for sure.

VSD5/S, HA2, Brainwavz S3, R3 and RE-400 all are better with highs, all have better extension. VSD5 is sharper, and all other have smoother and more even presentation.

Good highs nevertheless.

COMPARISON:-

VS- B100 :- B100, priced $60, has similar impact but lacks some body and rumble. 12 sounds more natural and meaty. Both have similar extension, decay is good on both. 100 sounds a bit more to the point or say a bit more accurate. Mid range is better on B100, more precise, and more consistent, 12 has better timber. On highs, 100 is better with good extension and better space. 12 has better sonicality, dynamics and better mid range stage size.

B100 has better micro details retrieval. When it comes to fitting comfort and isolation B100 beats the 12 hands down.

Rosewill EX-700 :- EX-700, priced $50 for an hybrid earphone with an 8mm dynamic driver inside is more V shaped and has better overall bass presence where 12 has more of sub bass presence and lacks dynamics when it comes to upper bass. 12 has better extension, far better decay. 700 sounds more enjoyable with bigger impact and more rumble. Even though mids are slightly less emphasized it's not grainy like meze, it has good details, notes are better defined and sounds really good for its price, meze sounds more organic and natural, has similar sonicality but better dynamics. Highs are better on the EX-700, has better sense of space, even better than B100. 700 has the bigger stage too. Its a fantastic performer for just $50.

700 is biger in size, has a full metal shell, build quality is awesome, has better cables with lower microphonics.

If you love bass, and don’t love it tight and fast, EX-700 is the one to get. Newegg has it. ( I am not fan of bass as big as this one)

11 Neo:- 11 neo is essentially a 12 classic with different shell and smaller sub bass impact. Everything else is same, let it be design or cable or package. 11 neo sounds more balanced and slightly clearer with mid range with similar sound signature and presentation. Highs are exactly same. 11 has a bit of more even mid bass but that’s it.

You just simply can't chose one.

Let me try and sum this up with a table.

*parameters*	*12 classic*	*11 neo*	*B100*	*EX-700*
*Bass*	8.15	7.8	8.0	7.5
*Mid range*	7.5	7.7	7.8	7.3
*Highs*	6.5	6.5	7.0	7.3
*Stage*	7.0	7.0	7.2	7.5
*Sonicality & dynamics*	7.7	7.7	7.3	7.5
*Isolation*	6.7	6.7	7.8	6.0
*Fitment*	6.5	6.5	8.0	6.0

CONCLUSION:-

It’s one of the best looking earphone you can buy for under $100, comes with a MIC and remote unit and should grab the eyes of anyone who is in the market for an sub-bass heavy earphone for their daily useage. It has really nice timber, sounds really natural and has good sonicality.

Yes it doesn’t have awesome isolation, earpieces do lose seal for reasons unknown to human kind ( let me tell you a magic trick, use foam tips out of the box), yes it doesn’t have the best midrange nor the highs, even doesn’t sound all so cohesive for an earphone like the B100 or the Rockjaw Clarito, but it does have everything done good with nearly perfect bass.

Add an amp if you can, cuz for me these are intended for mobile phone users. If you add an amp you will be treated with better mids, tighter but slightly smaller bass, a bit more sense of space with highs.

If you have an appetite for sub atomic bass ( I mean sub-bass) rumbling your eardrums for good, Do yourself a favor, grab one. You will thank me.

I hope you guys are having an awesome time, cheers. Enjoy.

Meze 12 or Shozy Zero?

@C97DDR

@C97DDR Zero is not bad, but I would prefer the meze 12 over it.

Meze 12 Classics Review - Expatinjapan

Meze 12 Classic and CEntrance DACportable

Meze 12 Classics review

-expatinjapan

https://mezeaudio.com/products/meze-12-classics-gun-metal-wood-earphones

I am always keen to try any earphones or headphones with a wooden component. I like the style and I love the sound. I still keep my ATH-ESW9 (recently refurbished, all except for the drivers), the stellar ATH-ESW11, the Shozy Zero and the crowd favorite of late the Meze 99 Classic headphones.

The use of wood brings something different to the table than metal, plastic or acrylic. The resonance is more natural and well, organic.

I reviewed the Meze Neo 11 earlier:

http://headpie.blogspot.jp/2016/10/meze-neo-11-gun-metal-review.html

Meze Neo 11 and Opus#1 dap

Unboxing

Whats in the box

Build
The build like all Meze products is a combination of good design, aesthetics and construction.
Beautiful to look at, easy to use, pleasurable to listen to.

It has a mic and a remote.

Specifications

Frequency response: 16Hz - 24KHz
Impedance: 16Ohm
Sensitivity: 101dB (+/- 3db)
Total harmonic distortion: < 0.5%
Noise attenuation: up to 26dB
Titanium coated 8mm mylar driver
Copper-clad aluminum voice coil
3.5mm gold-plated jack plug
7N OFC cable, length: 1.2m

Value

The Meze 12 Classic at $79 on amazon USA, and the Neo 11 at $59.

They are affordable for most, and a sound to match. Very listenable.

Sound

I connected the Meze 12 Classic, Meze Neo 11 and the Shozy Zero (for extra comparison) to a headphone switcher box and used a SPL app to get the volume the same across all three earphones.

Daps used: iBasso DX200, Opus#1, Hifiman MegaMini, CEntrance DACportable and the Cozoy REI dac/amp.

The LineP headphone switcher box was connected to the daps with three ALO Audio SXC 8 mini to mini interconnects.

The music files were FLAC 16/44 mostly, with each Dap playing the same track as I switched between them.

The Meze 12 Classic has a full sound, deep and good resolution.
It upscales well and when paired with the iBasso DX200 and it demonstrated an increase in separation, more space, larger sound stage and overall resolution when used with a more upmarket source.

The Meze Neo 11 was lighter overall, vocals focussed, more highs and air, less sub bass and a slightly smaller sound stage. It seemed to have more clarity at times, but I perceive that to be more basically of metal vs wood.

Circling clockwise from the black round Meze 12 Classic carry case.

The Shozy Zero, Meze Neo 11, Meze 12 Classic, Opus#1, Hifiman MegaMini and the iBasso DX200.

ALO Audio SXC 8 mini to mini interconnects

Overview
The Meze 12 Classic is a great little earphone. Like its sibling the Neo 11 its price is at entry level and affordable for most people.

They make a good complimentary pair, each offering something a little different but retaining a similar sound signature from their parent company.

The Meze 12 Classic natural sound is typical of wooden ear/headphones.

I like them

Just for fun

Thank you to Meze for sending the Meze 12 Classics for review

-expatinjapan

If you don't really find any cons in it, why rate it 3.5 stars?

I too am confused by your 3.5 rating. I have one and agree with your findings and would rate it a 4.5. It is my favorite IEM I have heard for this price range.

Whoops I meant rate it a 4 star.

It certainly performs well within its price bracket.

Understandably maintaining consistancy across 50 reviews or so within the linitations of a 5 star
System of scoring becomes difficult over time.

Brooko wrote about I think on his head-fi blog.

Regards
Expat

[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Meze 12 Classics Review: Beautiful, But Average[/color]

[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Meze is a boutique headphone company based in Romania. Started by Antonio Meze, the company took the audiophile world by storm with the release of its highly-praised 99 Classics headphones. Recently, building upon the success of their previous products, Meze released two earphones: the 11 Neo and the 12 Classics. Coming in at $59 and $79 respectively, these two earphones are quite beautiful. Today I’ll be reviewing the 12 Classics. You can find my 11 Neo review here.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]You can find the 12 Classics on sale here for $79.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Disclaimer: This review is based upon a sample unit provided to me by a manufacturer or distributor in exchange for my honest opinion and un-edited words. I do not profit in any way from the writing of the review. I would like to thank Lorand at Meze for sending me this review unit.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Preference and Bias: Before reading a review, it is worth mentioning that there is no way for a reviewer to objectively pass judgment on the enjoy-ability of a product: such a thing is inherently subjective. Therefore, I find it necessary for you to read and understand what I take a natural liking to and how that might affect my rating of a product.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]My ideal sound signature would be an extended sub-bass with a leveled, but textured, bass. The mids should be slightly less pronounced than the treble, but still ahead of the bass. I prefer a more bright upper range.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Source: The 12 Classics were powered like so:[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Nexus 6P -> earphones[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]or[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Hidizs AP100 -> earphones[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]or[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]HiFiMAN MegaMini -> earphones[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]or[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]PC optical out -> HiFiMe SPDIF 9018 Sabre DAC 3.5mm out -> earphones[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]All music was served as MP3 @320Kbps or as FLAC.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]I found my Nexus 6P to be sufficient to drive the 12 Classics at near-peak levels of performance.[/color]

[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Sound Signature[/color]

[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Initial Impressions:[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]The 12 Classics does imitate the sound signature of the 99 Classics reasonably well. The 12 Classics has a nice and naturally-warm sound signature. It’s an easy-going and inviting experience, although not one that is too precise and “clean”. The treble is slightly ahead of the upper-mids, while the upper mids are behind the lower-mids. The bass is matched with the lower-mids, being only slightly more emphasized.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Treble: Songs used: In One Ear, Midnight City, Outlands[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]The first thing I noticed about the treble was how well it decayed. This is a trait that I absolutely loved with the 99 Classics, and I’m glad to hear that the Meze crew managed to maintain it on 12 Classics. The high-hats of In One Ear were clear and decayed well. While they didn’t have the cutting precision of other IEMs in this price-range, their performance was passable.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]The electric synths of Midnight City were well positioned in the mix, and had a medium hardness to them. This is reflective of the 12 Classics’ laid-back tuning and healthy attack and decay speeds. Unfortunately, as the song progressed past the intro, I found that these synths tended to get lost a bit in the mix. While they were never inaudible, the synths did tend to get pushed around a lot by the other instruments.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]The violins of Outlands were decently separated from the mix, but lacked air. While they weren’t particularly congested, I didn’t find them to convey any sense of grandeur like they do with some of my other IEMs. The background violins lacked definition, and could have certainly been articulated better.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Mids: Songs used: Flagpole Sitta, Jacked Up, I Am The Highway, Dreams[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]The 12 Classics tends to perform better on songs that have a drier production style. Thusly, Flagpole Sitta did sound quite good on them. The various electric guitars and bass guitar sounded hearty and full with a decently electric “crunch” to them. Instrumental separation was decent, though individual articulation of these instruments wasn’t particularly impressive.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]The vocals of Jacked Up forward and well-defined. Vocal intelligibility is above-average. The pianos had a medium hardness, indicating that the mids have a rather healthy decay. This is a point of personal preference. I find that I enjoy my mids to decay a little bit faster than this, though I don’t mind how it sounds currently.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Bass: Songs used: Lights(Bassnectar Remix), Gold Dust, In For The Kill (Skream Remix), Leave Me[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Bass impact is decent, while bass rumble is a little lacking. In Lights, I found that, while audible, the sub-bass simply didn’t reach far enough down into the 20Hz–50Hz range to feel like it had good depth.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]In For The Kill performed similarly. While the sub-bass had good dynamics, it failed to really feel deep and rumbly.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Leave Me sounded quite good, but suffered from the same ailments as In For The Kill and Lights. While the bass-head in me wants more impact and rumble, I do honestly think that the bass in its current state will be enough to satisfy most listeners looking for a more balanced take on their music.[/color]

[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Packaging / Unboxing[/color]

[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]The 12 Classics come in a rather standard box that is structurally identical to the one the 11 Neo came in. This isn’t a problem, as there isn’t too much to put in the package anyways due to the clever way the accessories are stored.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]

[/color]

[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Build[/color]

[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Construction Quality[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]This is where Meze consistently shines. I really enjoy the aesthetic of the 12 Classics, much more so than their more steely sibling, the 11 Neo. The stark textural contrast of brushed aluminum against the grain wood is one that is understated but still stylish.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]

[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]The driver housings are, as I mentioned, built from wood and aluminum. These two materials are fitted well against each-other, with no visually abrasive seems. The nozzle of the housing is attached via a well-machined slope. Unfortunately, however, this means that certain eartips will shift around of the nozzle a bit. I haven’t had any fall or slip off yet, but it’s still worth noting.[/color]

The cable is visually quite nice and has a good thickness to it. There’s a generous amount of stress relief on all the relevant portions of the cable, including the 3.5mm jack, the Y-splitter, the inline remote, and the driver housing connections. However, this cable is very microphonic, so much so that it is a bit annoying to listen to while wearing a frilly jacket, or one made from a harder material like denim. The included shirt-clip did help, but didn’t solve the problem to any significant degree. That’s a shame, as the cable otherwise gets perfect marks.

The 3.5mm jack is housed in brushed aluminum and is cool to the touch. While I don’t find it necessary, I think it would be cool to see what an aluminum 45-degree 3.5mm jack would look like, as I’ve yet to see one.

The inline remote has a single button that works on all the devices I tested, barring a very old Nokia Lumia 900 (Windows Phone 7.8). The button feels much better than the one on my 11 Neo despite the fact that they appear to be made from the same assembly. For this price, I’d like to see full volume controls.

[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Comfort[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]The 12 Classics are comfortable, as they are light and come with a nice set of Comply eartips. The nozzle is small enough that it won’t affect most people’s comfort negatively.[/color]

[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Accessories[/color]

[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Inside the packaging of the 12 Classics you will find:[/color]

1x Semi-hard round carrying case
1x Pair of Comply memory foam eartips
1x Pair of double-flange eartips
3x Pairs of silicone eartips

[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]This is a reasonable set of accessories, but it certainly not the best I’ve seen at this price-point. I would like to have seen a couple more sets of eartips.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]The case is pretty good though. It is hard enough to protect the 12 Classics well, but compact enough to just slip into your pocket. Inside the case is a small section of netting. Inside there, I store all the extra eartips that Meze included. It’s great that the package is so self-contained.[/color]

[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Summary[/color]

[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]The 12 Classics is a decent entry in Meze’s first earphone lineup. Boasting high-quality craftsmanship, it will certainly catch the attention of those who see it. However, given its rather standard accessory package and average audio performance, I would recommend you look around at other IEMs in this price-point if you are looking for the best bang-for-your-buck.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)] [/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]This review was initially posted on my Medium publication, Resonance Reviews.[/color]

[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Patreon[/color]

[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Want to support us here at Resonance Reviews? Your contribution to us on Patreon can help us continue our work, and improve the quality of our content. We genuinely thank you for your support, contribution. Find our Patreon campaign here: https://www.patreon.com/resonance.[/color]

Meze, a small Romanian company which has had some experience with over-ear headphones and now has a small earphone lineup, has come out with their latest earphone - the 12 Classics.

We would like to thank Meze for sending us this demo unit of the Meze 12 Classics as part of their worldwide Review Tour.

The 12 Classics is Meze's first in ear earphone product offering (along with the 11 Neo). They seem to have a pretty decent reputation from what I've seen online - their 99 Classics over-ear headphone comes at a competitive price, and has quite a lot of good reviews about it. I haven't had a chance to try them myself, but seeing the overall good reaction gave me more confidence in their earphone product, even though headphones and earphones are entirely different beasts.

Encased in a classy exterior of walnut wood and gun metal grey aluminium housing the 79USD (598HKD) 12 Classics definitely looks... classic. It's a very simple design - a dynamic driver inside a cylindrical tube designed to be placed straight into your ears. But at this entry-level price point, does it offer sound that beats out the thousands of other competitors at this price bracket?

Summary for the Lazy

The verdict? Meze's 12 Classics is painfully average for its price. It's sound signature is not the most versatile, with a big midrange bump that sounds a little congested and echoey at times. Bass and highs noticeably roll off. It's not worse than many other IEMs at this price range, but apart from its classy wooden look, it doesn't exactly stand out from the crowd either. The stiff cable is also highly prone to microphonics. Meze's 99 Classics headphones are well regarded, so hopefully they can step up their earphone game.

Meze, a small Romanian company which has had some experience with over-ear headphones and now has a small earphone lineup, has come out with their latest earphone - the 12 Classics.

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We would like to thank Meze for sending us this demo unit of the Meze 12 Classics as part of their worldwide Review Tour.

The 12 Classics is Meze's first in ear earphone product offering (along with the 11 Neo). They seem to have a pretty decent reputation from what I've seen online - their 99 Classics over-ear headphone comes at a competitive price, and has quite a lot of good reviews about it. I haven't had a chance to try them myself, but seeing the overall good reaction gave me more confidence in their earphone product, even though headphones and earphones are entirely different beasts.

Encased in a classy exterior of walnut wood and gun metal grey aluminium housing the 79USD (598HKD) 12 Classics definitely looks... classic. It's a very simple design - a dynamic driver inside a cylindrical tube designed to be placed straight into your ears. But at this entry-level price point, does it offer sound that beats out the thousands of other competitors at this price bracket?

Summary for the Lazy

The verdict? Meze's 12 Classics is painfully average for its price. It's sound signature is not the most versatile, with a big midrange bump that sounds a little congested and echoey at times. Bass and highs noticeably roll off. It's not worse than many other IEMs at this price range, but apart from its classy wooden look, it doesn't exactly stand out from the crowd either. The stiff cable is also highly prone to microphonics. Meze's 99 Classics headphones are well regarded, so hopefully they can step up their earphone game.

Pros

-Classy looking wood and aluminium design with great build quality

-Comes with a mic

-Easy to wear

-Ideal for mid lovers; sounds most acceptable with classical and jazz

Cons

-Not ideal for non-mid lovers; midrange sounds a little strange and isn't as suitable for other genres

-Cable is highly microphonic

-Not the most refined sound for $600 HKD these days. However, they're very generous with the accessories!

Specs

Frequency response: 16Hz - 24KHz
Impedance: 16Ohm
Sensitivity: 101dB (+/- 3db)
Total harmonic distortion: < 0.5%
Noise attenuation: up to 26dB
Titanium coated 8mm mylar driver
Copper-clad aluminum voice coil
3.5mm gold-plated jack plug
7N OFC cable, lenght: 1.2m

Design and Ergonomics

The design of Meze's products seems to really favour the use of wood, as seen in their popular 99 Classics over ear headphones, a design philosophy that has also transferred itself to the 12 Classics as well. The barrel of the housing is made of a nice looking walnut, sandwiched by two gun metal aluminium pieces for the nozzle and back. Aluminium is also used for parts like the plug, mic, and y-cinch piece, giving a nice sense of classiness to the overall look.

Ergonomically it is also comfortable as the earphones are very light weight, and combined with the basic barrel shape, it's hard to go wrong with this design.

However, despite the nice use of materials and comfort, the Meze 12 Classics falls flat on its face in terms of cable microphonics. The gunmetal grey cable made with a slighty stiff sleeving is good in that it's not prone to tangling, but it has horrible microphonics - I was able to hear the impact every time something brushed against it. Definitely minus points here.

Questionable Tuning?

The Meze 12 Classics has a very midrange focused sound - so much that I felt it sounded very strange on first listen. I had never heard anything like it before, and while I definitely didn't think it was the muddiest and worst earphone, I just couldn't pinpoint what it was.

While most earphone tuning consists of either a boost to the bass frequencies or the highs, with slight dip from upper bass to mids, or sometimes rolled off bass but more succinct mids and highs, the Meze 12 Classics didn't sound like any of the above. Bass frequencies seemed to roll off quite quickly, resulting in a very soft fuzzy low end with anaemic bass impact. Vocals and most instruments were presented quite forward, with very decent low-mid detail, and while they generally sounded more acceptable, there was still constantly a sense of veil to it; an unshakable feeling of distorted graininess that I did not really enjoy. Even as someone who isn't fully convinced of the effects of "burn-in", I decided to give the 12 Classics another chance as a review said that they needed some to smooth out the sound.

It didn't really change much for me, and I decided the best way to solve this mystery was to take measurements. Overall the midrange is very flat, with little high extension.

Frequency response graph taken with the Vibro Veritas; not exactly accurate below 100Hz and after 10000Hz, but should be overall acceptable.

Even though the graph shows quite a bit of bass boost, somehow I didn't feel that it had a very solid bass impact. However, Meze may have been aiming for a more neutral tuning and I believe they succeeded in this aspect. Judging from my findings, the flat frequency response of the midrange probably led to what I felt was bit of a strange echoey quality to the sound, and with the lack of any dips anywhere, I felt like there was a lack of contrast and dynamism in the sound quality. If the mids could be either pulled back slightly, along with better high presence for clarity and better detail retrieval, I imagine that Meze would have a very decent mid-high focused earphone on their hands.

A bit of EQing made me enjoy the sound more, as I pulled down the 200 - 2000Hz range a bit which eliminated the odd sounding mids, and provided a much needed push to the bass and highs, but it could not eliminate the fuzzy sounding feeling, which I suspect is either being caused by harmonic distortion of some sort, or just a result of the tuning with slightly rolled off highs.

Conclusion

This budget to entry level price point is an awkward transition point for earphones, especially in the current highly competitive market where 100-300HKD options (mostly coming out of China) are getting better and better. Personally, as someone who has tried everything from the $25 to $22,000 earphones, I feel that a 600HKD investment should be leaps better than the 100-200HKD offerings, and if I were to recommend it to a friend who wanted to dip their toes in the world of audiophilia, I would also want them to get the best bang for their buck with their first "big" purchase . I'm not really sure the Meze 12 Classics gives me that feeling when I listen to it. It somewhat lags behind the other earphones in this price bracket such as the ATH IM50 in terms of resolution, but the 12 Classics is definitely better for someone who does not want such a bassy listening experience.

It might just be that I'm not used to this frequency response with such a flat midrange. Perhaps if Meze could push the highs slightly it would create a more fun, airy sound, and some of my experience playing with the EQ was able to achieve this.
Pros

-Classy looking wood and aluminium design with great build quality

-Comes with a mic

-Easy to wear

-Ideal for mid lovers; sounds most acceptable with classical and jazz

Cons

-Not ideal for non-mid lovers; midrange sounds a little strange and isn't as suitable for other genres

-Cable is highly microphonic

-Not the most refined sound for $600 HKD these days. However, they're very generous with the accessories!

Specs

Frequency response: 16Hz - 24KHz
Impedance: 16Ohm
Sensitivity: 101dB (+/- 3db)
Total harmonic distortion: < 0.5%
Noise attenuation: up to 26dB
Titanium coated 8mm mylar driver
Copper-clad aluminum voice coil
3.5mm gold-plated jack plug
7N OFC cable, lenght: 1.2m

Design and Ergonomics

The design of Meze's products seems to really favour the use of wood, as seen in their popular 99 Classics over ear headphones, a design philosophy that has also transferred itself to the 12 Classics as well. The barrel of the housing is made of a nice looking walnut, sandwiched by two gun metal aluminium pieces for the nozzle and back. Aluminium is also used for parts like the plug, mic, and y-cinch piece, giving a nice sense of classiness to the overall look.

Ergonomically it is also comfortable as the earphones are very light weight, and combined with the basic barrel shape, it's hard to go wrong with this design.

However, despite the nice use of materials and comfort, the Meze 12 Classics falls flat on its face in terms of cable microphonics. The gunmetal grey cable made with a slighty stiff sleeving is good in that it's not prone to tangling, but it has horrible microphonics - I was able to hear the impact every time something brushed against it. Definitely minus points here.

Questionable Tuning?

The Meze 12 Classics has a very midrange focused sound - so much that I felt it sounded very strange on first listen. I had never heard anything like it before, and while I definitely didn't think it was the muddiest and worst earphone, I just couldn't pinpoint what it was.

While most earphone tuning consists of either a boost to the bass frequencies or the highs, with slight dip from upper bass to mids, or sometimes rolled off bass but more succinct mids and highs, the Meze 12 Classics didn't sound like any of the above. Bass frequencies seemed to roll off quite quickly, resulting in a very soft fuzzy low end with anaemic bass impact. Vocals and most instruments were presented quite forward, with very decent low-mid detail, and while they generally sounded more acceptable, there was still constantly a sense of veil to it; an unshakable feeling of distorted graininess that I did not really enjoy. Even as someone who isn't fully convinced of the effects of "burn-in", I decided to give the 12 Classics another chance as a review said that they needed some to smooth out the sound.

It didn't really change much for me, and I decided the best way to solve this mystery was to take measurements. Overall the midrange is very flat, with little high extension.

Frequency response graph taken with the Vibro Veritas; not exactly accurate below 100Hz and after 10000Hz, but should be overall acceptable.

Even though the graph shows quite a bit of bass boost, somehow I didn't feel that it had a very solid bass impact. However, Meze may have been aiming for a more neutral tuning and I believe they succeeded in this aspect. Judging from my findings, the flat frequency response of the midrange probably led to what I felt was bit of a strange echoey quality to the sound, and with the lack of any dips anywhere, I felt like there was a lack of contrast and dynamism in the sound quality. If the mids could be either pulled back slightly, along with better high presence for clarity and better detail retrieval, I imagine that Meze would have a very decent mid-high focused earphone on their hands.

A bit of EQing made me enjoy the sound more, as I pulled down the 200 - 2000Hz range a bit which eliminated the odd sounding mids, and provided a much needed push to the bass and highs, but it could not eliminate the fuzzy sounding feeling, which I suspect is either being caused by harmonic distortion of some sort, or just a result of the tuning with slightly rolled off highs.

Conclusion

This budget to entry level price point is an awkward transition point for earphones, especially in the current highly competitive market where 100-300HKD options (mostly coming out of China) are getting better and better. Personally, as someone who has tried everything from the $25 to $22,000 earphones, I feel that a 600HKD investment should be leaps better than the 100-200HKD offerings, and if I were to recommend it to a friend who wanted to dip their toes in the world of audiophilia, I would also want them to get the best bang for their buck with their first "big" purchase . I'm not really sure the Meze 12 Classics gives me that feeling when I listen to it. It somewhat lags behind the other earphones in this price bracket such as the ATH IM50 in terms of resolution, but the 12 Classics is definitely better for someone who does not want such a bassy listening experience.

It might just be that I'm not used to this frequency response with such a flat midrange. Perhaps if Meze could push the highs slightly it would create a more fun, airy sound, and some of my experience playing with the EQ was able to achieve this.

[EDIT]
After more deliberation and testing with musical genres I don't usually listen to, I may have found that my apprehension towards it may have been because the tuning of the 12 Classics with a more neutral bass and flat midrange does not sound so great (in my opinion) with rock and metal and heavier music which I listen to the most. It is actually very capable of a rich, warm vocal representation which makes it ideal for more quieter, acoustic musical genres.

Originally posted on AccessibleAudio

Interesting to hear your impressions, they are similar to my own in regards to the midrange. Thought I was mad since almost no one else had similar impressions to me, perhaps you can try the manual burn-in that I featured in my review? I found it helped but I still prefer the 11 Neo.

@ryanjsoo

@ryanjsoo What kind of music do you usually listen to? I found it really unappealing for the rock/ metal / trance music that I listen to the most, so I may have been a bit biased against the 12 Classics. After forcing myself to listen to more acoustic and vocal music, I found that my opinion of them changed a little. I will definitely check your review out, thanks for the heads up!

@Cinder Perhaps it may be my slight bias against it due to my usual music choice of rock / metal which I haven't found the 12 Classics to be really appealing for!

Thanks for this review! I was looking at these today and really liked them aesthetically, but I too listen to a bit too much rock/metal/punk, and I already have good hps for the lighter end of the spectrum.

Intro

The Meze 12 Classics has been provided to me by the Meze company as part of the official European review tour in exchange for my honest opinion.
Later on Meze decided the participants can keep their headphones which I am grateful for.
Specification:
I don't want to cloud this review with boring specs, so here is the link my fellow readers:
https://mezeheadphones.com/products/meze-12-classics-gun-metal-wood-earphones
Retail price is 79.99 $

Non-sound characteristics

THE PACKAGING
First of all - and I know this is really subjective, the Meze 12 looks really beautiful. The wooden element just makes them feel special.
The Meze 12 comes with a nice little black case and number of various tips - including silicon ones in different sizes and one pair of comply foam tips. Some sort of clip is included too, but I haven't figured out out the use case too, so doesn't look essential

.

upon its arrival

accessories

THE CABLE

Cable is non-detachable which is kind of a standard thing in the budget sector. I wish EU would issue a law that all headphones must have detachable cables

. No idea why this isn't a standard yet. Cable looks sturdy enough to me. It also has a a microphone but since I haven't used Meze 12 with my phone I can't comment on this any further.
Initially I've experience pretty serious microphonics - but oddly, only when I *was not* walking with them. When I was listening Meze 12 in the office and the cable touched my desk the microphonics was almost unbearable. However, when using them on the go, I haven't experienced anything like this. Not sure how this can be explained, but it's a true story :wink:

.

THE ISOLATION & LEAK

Isolation & leak depends on the selected tips and the fit. With the comply tips, isolation was very high and leak was almost non-existent.

THE COMFORT

Similarly to isolation & leak this is also dependant on the selected tips. You likely will need to experiment to find a right one, but this is the same with any other IEMs out there. It's fair to say that Meze 12 are really small and should fit in most ears really well.
It certainly did into mines - I found the comfort exceptional, and wearing them for couple of hours is not issue at all. I was using comply tips and I was really impressed with the comfort. In this regard, I can nothing but recommend them.

Sound characteristics

I am not the one who can provide you with thorough description of each frequency range. I don't even find it all that useful. When I listen to music I don't measure - when I listen to music, I actually listen to music. And I can either find the headphones enjoyable or not. It's more of a feeling thing. You just know when something feels right. Let me know tell you what I hear & feel when I listen to Meze 12 classics.
I have used them mostly with FiiO X7 AM2 and also little with Cayin i5.

seriously just look at them..gorgeous

pairing with Cayin i5 squeezed that extra drop of detail

I find the overall signature to be rather on the warm side. It's really non fatiguing, listening to them for hours is not a problem.

If I should really the shortest description possible I'd use *pleasant & enjoyable*. I'd also call this sound really full, almost juicy. You'll definitely get a mouthful of your favourite music when you listen to these.
I've never experienced any sibilance in the treble area, so no need to worry. The midrange is also very pleasant to hear - vocals are really smooth and makes the whole listening experience very very natural.
The bass gives these headphones that fun factor which many of us looks for. It goes deep, extends just the right amount, and the impact is also there. They are not for bassheads I'd say, but because of the bass I can't really call them neutral. I listen to lots of electronic, hip hop, d&b music, and these really work well with these genres.

The soundstage is quite average though. When I first listened to them I almost wanted to say that soundstage is non existent. But when I listened to some more quality recordings I've realized that these headphones simply don't exaggerate or emphasizes the soundstage. If it's there, you will hear it. If not, you won't. All in all - the soundstage is just mediocre. And if you want to use this for listening to your classical concerts it may not be the best fit.

The detail on these is actually quite nice - not the highest resolution, but for 79.99$ really impressive. You want to use good source to squeeze the maximum out of these. Both FiiO X7 and Cayin i5 managed to do it, Cayin providing slightly better resolution which catapulted these into higher level. These really has potential to shine.
Unlike soundstage, the imaging is actually absolutely superb. Goes well above the asking price if you ask me. When you close your eyes you can totally see the instruments in your head. However, given the smaller soundstage, it's a bit crowded in there

.

The average soundstage is in my opinion also the reason why the detail can't go that extra mile to make these audiophiles headphones.
But that wasn't really expected I'd say.

The detail, imaging, overall tonality, bass - all of these aspects goes well above the asking price, and I'd call them exceptional value. Soundstage is probably only part of the overall signature which I can all average. Everything else just kicks ass.

Word of caution: All of these impressions are based on using Comply foam tips. With other tips I haven't had such a good experience.
Especially some of the silicone tips didn't provide such a good seal, therefore the back was lacking, and the sound wasn't so full / warm.
I strongly recommend to try various tips to fight the one providing best fit - as in other iems, these are no exception that good seal drastically influence the resultant sound.
Meze 12 were reasonably easy to drive. With FiiO X7 AM2 I was using about 50-60 volume (out of 120). So roughly 50% was sufficient for my listening levels.

Comparison with Fidue A71:

Fidue A71 are selling for almost exactly the same price, which makes it a good candidate for a comparison. They are more easily to drive than Meze 12 classics. They are slightly larger which may them more prone to being uncomfortable. I was able to achieve a good seal and comfort, but this may not be true for everybody. I think it would be necessary to try them out before buying..
Their sound is quite different - it's definitely darker, treble more recessed. The bass has more impact than Meze 12 - which with my music genres is actually pretty enjoyable. While the impact is bigger, I don't feel it leaks to other frequencies. They are actually quite midrange centric.
There is something absolutely addictive about their bass and midrange - which I struggle to put in words.
The overall value they offer is pretty much the same as in Meze 12, it's just they are quite different animals. I'd call it a tie between these two and leave it to your sound signature preference. Also, Meze 12 will most likely fit any ears, while Fidue may struggle in comfort area with some people.

Collection is growing..

Summary:

You already know this - I really like these headphones. They are beautiful, super comfortable (with right tips), offers great imaging, warm, enjoyable sound signature. While not offering the audiophile-like detail it still kicks well above the asking price. The only minus is the average soundstage - but they are simply honest about the recording, and even this is not reason enough to not give a great rating.
With all being said I have no other choice than to recommend these - I've heard Meze 99 in the past, now Meze 12 and it seems Meze is really going in the great direction. Well done!

Two things to get out of the way up-front:

1. this review was undertaken as part of the world-tour for the launch of the Meze 12 Classics, and the team @ Meze kindly sent me a pair of their new IEM's in exchange for my unbiased opinion and thoughts on how they've done.

2. I really like the cut of Meze's jib. For a company that's come out of relative obscurity in the past couple of years, they've certainly made their mark. Their "99 Classics" have managed to combine looks, build and sound, in a bloody well-executed package. I bought a pair sight-unseen (unheard?) on the strength of rave reviews, and left my thoughts on them here. I also have nothing to say but praise about their customer-service, website, and overall brand-presentation. The premium nature of their products is mirrored in their customer experience - great job.

So when I heard they were releasing an IEM I shot my hand up immediately to be one of the first to give them a listen. I've spent a couple of weeks with them now, and I'm happy to say they're thoroughly impressive - particularly for the price ($79 USD) and they're my current OTG daily drivers.

About me + testing set-up

I'm a 34 y.o music/hifi/headfi-fan with good hearing up to about 17kHZ. I'm mainly a speaker-guy, and prefer full-sized cans where possible. I wear IEMs on public transport every day to and from work, using USB Audio Player PRO on my Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge with an Audioquest Dragonfly Red - this is the set-up I used to test the Meze 12 Classics.

Music listened-to for testing:

AC/DC - Highway to Hell
Them Crooked Vultures - Them Crooked Vultures
The War on Drugs - Lost in the Dream
Guns 'N Roses - Appetite for Destruction
Tame Impala - Currents
Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream
Radiohead - The Bends, In Rainbows, A Moon Shaped Pool

Packaging and presentation

A particular strong-point from Meze, and the 12's are no exception. As an ad-guy, I think it's pretty cool how they've made their logo using a posed photo of the 12's on the front cover. I must point out that there's a pretty obvious typo/spelling-mistake on the back of the box - I'll leave it to Meze to find that one : )

Bravo. Inside, there's a sturdy and good-looking zip-up clamshell case; a pair of genuine Comply tips, and no less than four sets of silicone tips (large; medium; small; double-flange). There's also a spring-clip attachment inside, which I'll write on more below, but became essential for use.

Design and build

In a word? Sexy. The genuine walnut surrounding the drivers is simply gorgeous, and the unique wood patterns give them a special, personalised feel. The wood is complemented with a silvery brushed aluminium which is great to the touch and uber-cool. Sturdy rubberised strain-relief at each cable connection-point which inspires confidence in their longevity, especially as they'll likely be subjected to gym-bags, airline overhead compartments, pockets, and the like. There's a nice Nice Meze-branded Y-splitter as well.

The cable overall feels well-built and slightly rubberised - it's on the thick-side, but springy and doesn't tend to kink or hold its memory. Being thick, I must add that getting it to fit into the plastic claw on the clip was extremely difficult - after five minutes of shimmying and bending, I was seriously worried about either kinking/damaging the cable, or breaking the clip! The inline mic has one button (play/pause from what I can tell), and works as intended.

After searching high-and-low I genuinely thought there were no "L" or "R" markings on either driver. It took me listening to a very familiar tune which I knew the L/R stereo separation of to work out that the driver with the mic belonged on the right hand side. I've since noticed that they do exist - very faint raised embossing on the strain relief.

Fit and ergonomics

I've showed the 12 Classics below side-by-side with the Carbo Tenore from Zero Audio - another sub-$100 IEM wunderkind that's also received rave reviews (my own one here for reference), which are my closest and most relevant point of comparison. The 12's are much larger in diameter, but they're by no means huge - the Carbo Tenores are just miniscule...but I love them so. That being said, I'm not able to get a as good a snug insertion with the Mezes. I think it might be a case of the driver tip being slightly wider in diameter, and flaring out to the much wider-barrel sooner. It's not a huge-problem and I'm probably nit-picking here, but just what I've found.

Ok so they're in, and now comes my single-biggest complaint with the Meze 12 Classics - that premium-feeling and sturdy cable I mentioned earlier is noisy. Terribly noisy. Any movement or brushing of the cable on clothing, desks or limbs sends "DOINKS" and "THUMPS" up the cable, and straight into your ear. I experienced some microphonics with the CT's as well, but this was easily overcome by using an over-the-ear fit. This is trickier with the Mezes, as the think cable and close proximity of the inline mic to the driver makes it somewhat awkward - it flops heavily against the side of your temple/face. So the only solution (aside from sitting absolutely still...) was to use the supplied clip and attach it to the front of my clothing and give the cable some slack to avoid it bouncing. It seems to work reasonably well, and I use it every time. But still, if your primary promise as a brand is "PERFECT NATURAL SOUND", I'd expect the sound to not be interrupted by the cable noise. The 99's which I love like a baby also have great quality knitted fabric-covered cables, but dammit they're noisy too. Can't win 'em all hey?

Of the generously-included range of five tips, the ones I found worked best were the 'medium' and the Comply foam tips. The double-flange and smaller tips simply didn't give me a good seal. Interestingly, they don't give isolation - in my case anyway, even with the Comply tips, which act like sound-proofing ear-plugs on the CT's. There's a fair amount of ambient sound still noticeable with music at a low-medium volume.

How do they sound?

Very pleasant, actually. The lower isolation plus a surprisingly wide "head-stage" gives a slightly airy sense, and good L/R separation. Overall I'd describe the sound as fairly balanced with a slight mid-bass hump, and also a slight upper-mid/lower treble hump that makes male vocals in particular quite enjoyable. It's a slightly 'warm' presentation that's relaxing (but not laid-back), and can be enjoyed all-day. Compared to the Carbo Tenore's, there's slightly less sub-bass extension/impact, and also slightly less transparency - voices and instruments aren't quite as close and immediate, but they're bloody good.

Overall

Very classy package, and incredibly great value. On build, packaging and pure sonic terms, they feel like they should be much more expensive than their price-tag denotes. I think Meze have another 'Classic' on their hands here, and they've made a welcome addition to my collection as my go-to-on-the-go audio solution. They just need to find a solution for their noisy cable! I hope this feedback's helpful in terms of informing your purchasing/listening choices - please hit me up if you have any questions, I'm only too happy to reply. I also hope this feedback is helpful for the Meze team with regards to future product development (and proof-reading!).

Update: A year on.

Sound stopped working in the Right-hand channel, and the wooden chamber had become disconnected from the driver section - could be my fault for all I know, bumping around in the bottom of my bag or something. Both the wires connecting to the driver had become separated. I shot a note to Meze tech support, who promptly sent me a shot indicating where I should re-solder the wires to the driver. I got out my soldering iron, made a couple of joins, re-glued the driver to the wooden barrel, and voila! Back working again.

Thanks again to Vlad in Meze tech support for being so helpful.

Cheers,

Mightygrey

Greetings Head-fi!

Today we will be checking out another wooden wonder from the brilliant minds at Meze, the aptly named 12 Classics.

Hailing from Romania, Meze is a company that needs no introduction with the Head-fi crowd. Despite only being on the market for a short period of time, their 99 Classics model has become ubiquitously associated with all-round quality and a timeless design. When Meze released news of their upcoming 11 Neo and 12 Classics in-ears, it was clear they hadn't been resting on their laurels while relishing in the success of the 99 Classics.

Both the 11 Neo and 12 Classics feature a titanium coated driver membrane. What sets the two apart and links the 12 Classics to their full-sized counterpart is the difference in housing material; all-aluminum versus an aluminum/walnut wood hybrid. The 12 Classics additionally toss in a copper-clad, aluminum voice coil for good measure.

Do the 12 Classics live up to the Classics name, offering the premium build and sound quality we've come to expect from the Meze name. For the most part, they sure do.

Disclaimer:

I would like to thank @MezeTeam for selecting me to take part in the Head-fi 12 Classics review tour. I am not receiving any financial compensation for this review and all comments and views within are my honest opinions. They are not representative of Meze or any other entity.

The 12 Classics can be purchased from Meze at the cost of 79.99 USD; https://mezeheadphones.com/products/meze-12-classics-gun-metal-wood-earphones

A Little About Me:

Over the last couple years I decided to dive head first into the world of portable audio. After reading pretty much the entirety of IjokerI's multi-earphone review thread and being greatly inspired, I took a chance and started writing my own reviews. Fast forward a couple years and I've had the opportunity to write about some great products for wonderful companies like RHA, Havi, FiiO, NarMoo, Brainwavz, and Meze. I don't do it for money or free stuff, but because I enjoy it. If my reviews can help guide someone to an earphone that makes them happy, I'll consider that a job well done.

The gear I use for testing is pretty basic composing of an XDuoo X3 (with Rockbox update) HTC One M8 cellphone, Topping NX1 portable amplifier, and my aging Asus G73 gaming laptop paired with a Plantronics Rig USB amp. I listen primarily to various EDM sub-genres (liquid drum and bass, breakbeat, drumstep, etc.), hip hop, and classic rock. When it comes to signature preference I tend to lean towards aggressive and energetic, but I try not to limit myself to one signature only. I also tend to listen at lower than average volumes.

Packaging and Accessories:

The 12 Classics unboxing experience is price appropriate, with a few eye-catching aspects. The first thing that struck me was just how solid the cardboard used is. It's not that flimsy, thin stuff most manufacturer's opt to go with, but is thick, firm, and durable. Second, the direct nods to Meze's trident logo in the orientation of the image of the 12 Classics on the front of the box, and again inside nestled among the foam padding. This are nice details that show Meze put some thought into the packaging without going overboard and making it too extravagant.

It's also refreshing to see a complete lack of marketing blurbs, mission statement, and the like, though sometimes that can be pretty entertaining. The closest Meze gets is with the statement, "Perfect Natural Sound," printed on the left side. This packaging is all business; images of the complete product, a breakdown of the components and construction, specifications, and key features.

The included accessories are everything you need to ensure a good listening experience. You are provided the same silicone tips that come with a trillion other earphones in s/m/l, and a set of dual flange as well. Meze also includes a set of genuine Comply T500 Isolation tips. I didn't think they would suit the 12 Classics since they're not a bright earphone, but they paired surprisingly well and helped combat microphonics (cable noise). A handy little Velcro strip is provided and helps with cable management during storage.

Overall the 12 Classic's unboxing experience is pleasant. The presentation is very clean and straightforward, and the included accessories pair well with the 12 Classics and their sound signature.

Build, Design, Comfort, and Isolation:

Meze's 99 Classics set a high standard for the build quality and design of all future Meze products in my opinion. They're absolutely stunning and look even better in person. Despite their sub-100 USD price tag, the 12 Classics uphold expectations with a unique design and quality materials, though fit and finish on the earpieces could use some additional TLC.

There are minor nicks and blemishes at the edges of the walnut wood selected for the earpieces where it connects with the aluminum end cap and nozzle section. These pieces also happen to avoid sitting perfectly flush with each other. I would chalk this up to the use of natural materials, but this is not something I noticed to the same extent on other wood earphones like the Thinksound MS01 or even the House of Marley Smile Jamaica and Uplift.

Meze selected a quality cable for the 12 Classics. It's thick and has a hefty, dense sheath that is flexible enough and doesn't retain memory of bends or kinks. It would be near perfect if it wasn't for the overly invasive microphonics that nearly ruin the experience. Luckily, wearing them cable over-ear effectively negates the issue, but not completely. I want to point out and give great thanks to Meze for getting strain relief right. Someone finally gets it! At all major intersections relief is present and effective; jack, y-split, in-line controller, and leading into the earpieces. To everyone who is not Meze; effective strain relief isn't difficult to implement.

The 12 Classics are very comfortable and I can only see someone having issues if they need extremely slim nozzles like those found on the Shure SE215, Fidue A31s, or Klipsche S3. The front aluminum nozzle section is smooth and curves naturally into the rest of the housing, completely free of sharp edges or awkward angles. The curves continue along the body of the housing making gripping them easy and natural as they conform to the natural shape of your fingers. Finally, we get to what is oddly my favorite part of the 12 Classics; the rear dimple containing the Meze logo. For whatever reason I find it immensely satisfying to set the tip of my finger on there. Oh, and it's useful for inserting them into your ear. What I'm getting at is Meze did their homework and nailed the ergonomics.

Isolation is solid, and better than I was expecting given there are two vents in each earpiece; one right behind the nozzle and another in front of the strain relief. At the overly low volumes I listen they were unable to fully snuff out the whirling dervish that is my work computer and it's horribly noisy fans; not so much of an issue at more average listening volumes. It was also enough for walking around in the real world, letting in just enough external stimuli to remain safe-ish. I live in London, Ontario, Canada, a city notorious for having some of the worst drivers in the country. You're never truly safe...

Overall the 12 Classics are an attractive, comfortable earphone made from quality materials that suffers slightly from an abundance of cable noise and slightly sub-par fit and finish where the wood and aluminum meets. These negatives are in no way deal killers, just noteworthy items.

Sound:

Tips: I'm a big fan of tip rolling and feel it is integral to getting the most out of your earphone in terms of both comfort and sound. The stock tips Meze provides are about as generic as they get, but they work. I have no complaints about them whatsoever. They're comfortable, they don't feel cheap and flimsy, and they pair well with the 12 Classics sound signature. That said, I use KZ's new star tips. They give me a more consistent seal in my left ear, and the wider bore brings the treble forward a touch.

Amping: I honestly didn't spend much time with them attached to my NX1 or Rig USB amp. It worked just fine with my HTC One M8 and XDuoo X3 so the need just wasn't there. I've read they scale quite well but since my gear is still more-or-less entry level, I recommend checking out other reviews for more in depth information on this subject.

Meze played it safe, no, smart with the 12 Classics' tuning. They weren't being adventurous, trying to offer up something overly unique or polarizing. Instead, they dialed in a balanced sound with a mildly boosted mid-bass presence that gives the 12 Classics a warm, welcoming presentation. It's near perfectly weighted, never coming across too thin and wispy or thick and soupy. This balance really lets the natural mid-range stand out despite being slightly recessed. Treble is tight and well-controlled with excellent extension that falls well short of bright but isn't lacking energy and panache. They're very musical. Imaging is quite good with sound moving cleanly between channels without any 'dead-zones' or vague spots. Detail, however, is merely adequate. I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything, but at the same time they're not wowing me by picking up the smallest of nuances.

Overall the 12 Classics present sound effortlessly. They don't struggle or distort, and simply provide listeners with a comforting and musical experience.

Select Comparisons:

House of Marley Uplift (39.99 USD): Really, B9? A House of Marley earphone. Yeah, because it's actually a pretty solid product and shares a similar signature. I found the Uplift to be even more balanced than the 12 Classics due to their more even mid-bass/sub-bass progression. Treble is similarly emphasized and extended, and the mid-range clear and prominent.

Where the near 40 USD difference shows is in refinement. The 12 Classics are smoother in the treble and more detailed. The Uplift's bass hits with a slightly muffed thud vs. the 12 Classics clean, crisp thump. Soundstage is similarly presented, but the 12 Classics move sound around with more natural precision and greater accuracy.

Material quality is split but build quality goes to the Uplift. They have what I think is one of the best fabric cables in the business, at least of those earphones I've tried with fabric cables, and fit and finish is excellent where the aluminum and wood meets. Strain relief is lacking at the y-split though.

Meze 11 Neo (59.99 USD): How does the 12 Classics' little brother stack up? Quite well, to the point I feel the 11 Neo offers better value. It is the model to get if you don't absolutely need the sexy walnut wood housings and are willing to sacrifice what would to most listeners would be a negligible level of technical competence.

The 12 Classics and 11 Neo share sound signatures, design, and for the most part, materials. The 12 Classics have slightly more emphasized treble and mids. The 11 Neo are a wee bit warmer, smoother, and slower, sacrificing some detail for listening ease. Unless listening to them back to back, your average listener probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

Build quality and ergonomics are identical minus the 11 Neo swapping out the walnut for more aluminum. To me, that by default means the Neo will be the more durable and longer lasting of the two.

Thinksound MS02 (99.00 USD): Yet another attractive wooden earphone, the MS02 makes for a great comparison with the 12 Classics. While they offer similar signatures, the MS02 comes across as the more 'hi-fi' of the two. They're brighter, less bassy, and have an even more prominent midrange. I found the MS02 offers a touch more clarity and detail at the cost of soundstage width/height. They come across as more direct and focused than the 12 Classics.

The wooden portion of the MS02 is cleaner cut and better finished than the 12 Classics, and the aluminum front portion fits with great precision. Meze's cable is much thicker and more durable above the y-split. Gauge is very similar below the y-split. Thinksound's cable is the more flexible of the two, but also happens to retain very mild hints of bends and kinks.

Overall they're both great earphones and it would be hard to choose one over the other.

Final Thoughts:

The Meze 12 Classics are an amazing looking product with a very appealing sound signature. They provide outstanding comfort and ergonomics. The cable is stellar if you can get around the near-crippling noise it funnels into your ears when worn down. The in-line mic is practical and a welcome addition, and the materials selected appear top notch. While the 11 Neo offers up nearly the same experience for 20 USD less, you can't deny the appeal of the 12 Classics beautiful walnut housings and the extra clarity afforded by the copper-coated voice coils.

What is all comes down to is that Meze has released another stellar product into the market. It competes well with earphones in and above it's category, and their mass-appeal sound signature makes them easy to recommend. Great job again, Meze!

Thanks for reading!

- B9Scrambler

***** ***** ***** ***** *****

Test Songs:

Aesop Rock - Saturn Missles
BT - The Antikythera Mechanism
Daft Punk - Touch
Gramatik - Bluestep (Album Version)
Incubus - 2nd/3rd/4th Movements of the Odyssey
Infected Mushroom - Converting Vegetarians
Infected Mushroom - Deeply Disturbed
Jessie J - Bang Bang
Kiesza - Hideaway
King Crimson - Starless and Bible Black
Run The Jewels - Oh My Darling (Don't Cry)
Skindred - Death to all Spies
Supertramp - Rudy

2 thumbs up!

Great review!

Thanks all

Meze Classic 12 review
November 2016

Intro….

I was lucky enough to recently review the Meze Classic 99’s which were a big revelation for a sensible price which took on other headphones in the industry costing a fair bit more than Meze was asking for on their 99’s so again I am lucky enough to be able to do a review on the Classic 12’s to see if these too also exhibit the same ability to out-perform their price point at all and how similar they may sound to their big brother headphone version in the 99’s for those who may own the 99’s already looking for that same house sound to take away with them on the go in the form of an IEM.

I am accustomed now days to really only listening to higher price IEMs and own a set of custom monitors in the JH16Pros which I know are by today’s fast evolving paced world are getting dated now as I’ve heard the freq phase V2 version which is more refined and balanced more so to my original 16’s but still a good IEM which share a couple of traits of a Meze signature and to be honest was not looking at doing a review for the classic 12’s but finally got to meet the Meze team on their CanJam London stand earlier this year.

It was then I had a brief listen to them and was pleasantly surprised with the quick listen I had to them how they sounded but that was in not ideal in show world conditions with background noise still of a few hundred people all talking about their passion for the same subject which of course us Head-fi geeks don’t get to socialise on this scale too often so is understandable it is not going to be a monastery at these events. So I decided as I loved my 99’s so much and intrigued with what I had briefly heard wanted to listen to these in a perfect home setting to see how they would compare to my 99’s as well as to see if Meze for the future are going in the right direction for other products with their IEMs as well as their headphones.

So big thanks again Meze for opportunity to be on the Classic 12 tour and been able to listen to these in comfort of my own home for several days.

Packaging…

Have to say I’m not quite sure how Meze do this especially with the packaging in terms of quality and design and the way it is presented for the price? It was one thing to do this with the Classic 99’s with a nice outer box and one of the best headphone travel cases I have ever come across but for $79 I’m not sure how they manage it without compromising on the quality of the given product in hand.

Meze seem to have such an eye for detail I now realize it is no fluke with the 99’s and is carried over with the classic 12’s and there is always the right amount of detail and info on the box without over-crowding to let you know what you have in this box from top to bottom. The clever little touch was the IEMS on the front of the box shaped into the design of the Meze company crest and also the way the 12's are laid out in the foam insert again has accents of been designed to form of the company's crest.

Sorry but I’m anal like that and (it’s not the be all and end all as sound is preference but when you get this included anyway!) Meze eye for this sort of thing is just a guilty pleasure I appreciate. Can’t wait to see what they do with packaging when they start doing £1K headphones or £500 IEMS!
Upon opening the box I was again further taken aback to see it laid out in a nice quality foam die cut insert holding the round zipper travel case and the 12’s greeting you laying in their moulded foam inserts.

FITMENT…
The great thing about the 12’s is the small size and how light these are so they fit straight into the ear with no fuss. It comes with a three different size Silicone tips, one pair of double flange silicone tips and most welcome attention to detail is Meze also throwing in a pair of medium size T500 comply tips which is a nice touch especially at this price range there may be some buying this never tried Comply tips before. Also there is a shirt clip included for those who find them useful.

I found silicone or comply tips just as comfortable even though they yield different effects with the sound which I will describe in greater detail later on the Sound impressions section…
They can be worn over ear which I actually found to hold in better into the ear than the hang down style of wearing but did find as they are primary designed for hang down wear the cable is not one for staying looped round the ear properly so gets annoying. The cable itself is a little stiffer than some out there but not too much of an issue, in fact I found it nice for spooling for storage as was not so tangle happy as some cables and was easy to manage in this respect.

I do wish and from experience no matter what budget of earphone they made the cable detachable by preference and then maybe at least give us the choice of having an over ear designed cable or hang down version and one without the in line control unit with mic for those who do not use this feature with a phone. Yes even on a budget IEM some of us still only use it with a dedicated dap and not a phone.

In-Line remote and mic…

For the sake of review purposes I did try the in line remote feature hooked up to my HTC M9 and its play/ pause function worked flawlessly and made a call to try out the mic and it sounded clear hearing the person the other end and they had no problem hearing me although they did notice it sounded a bit different to normal and I did find it a little strange talking like that with the isolation of both buds in my ear as cannot gauge your own voice level so was probably like Dom Jolly shouting down the mic piece! But in short it worked well and would be served well by those who use this feature on the move to take calls and have control pause button.

Even if they just supplied the current in line remote cable bundled and then done the over ear and normal hang down cable as optional extra to buy from them. At least everyone gets an option of how they want to adapt their Meze IEM for best use with their own personal reference of use. One noticeable thing which was present was micro-phonics on this cable which was apparent at times and for some reason there is an omission of a cinch on the “Y” section cable like most IEMS have which would still be nice to of been present.

Over all though it does feel like a quite strong durable cable and only time will tell how it holds up to the cable join into the actual shell.

Build and design….

The first thing I noticed is how light these were when I picked them up as it feels like they weigh hardly anything which really aids the comfortable and easy fit I was about to experience with these small wooden delights. The materials used are with purpose using a Titanium coated 8mm mylar driver with a copper clad aluminium voice coil with a front aluminium nozzle and rear casing plate with the wooden housing chamber in between to give natural timbres and detail with clear and balanced sound with good bass response.
Spec list:

Frequency response: 16Hz - 24KHz
Impedance: 16Ohm
Sensitivity: 101dB (+/- 3db)
Total harmonic distortion: < 0.5%
Noise attenuation: up to 26dB
Titanium coated 8mm mylar driver
Copper-clad aluminum voice coil
3.5mm gold-plated jack plug
7N OFC cable, lenght: 1.2m

To see more info on the classics and Meze in general: https://mezeheadphones.com/

Sound impressions…

I had to delay this review as I caught an unfortunate case of man flu so had to wait until I was fully clear of it before starting so in the mean time I was fortunate enough as this was a new unit to burn these in continuously 24/7 for almost two weeks before listening to them in the safe knowledge I would be jumping into a less rigid or edgy pair of sounding IEMS.

Firstly a note on tips…. I have not owned universal IEM’s for a while (despite listening to many) having customs but recently seemed to gain two pairs of universals in quick succession before hearing the classic 12’s. They were the balanced pair I received with my HIFIMAN SuperMini that came bundled in and probably come in around the same price area of the Classic 12’s and the RHA T20’s which I got just before that are in the £149 mark.

One thing I have found from these and some other universals I have had a listen to of late is how much the tips really change the signature for the worse or better or sometimes both so is a laborious job trying to find the best balance for listening to different equipment across the board so for listening consistency after long deliberation In this case I actually found the 12’s better suited to comply tips to the silicone ones as they provide better seal giving more tighter bass response and more depth.
But then lay another problem as I have a few different types of Comply’s anyway ended up with the TS-500 series (rounded end with wax guard) which I found a better balance than their isolation models which gave better clarity and cohesion between the bass, mids and treble range on the 12’s.

There is nothing too wrong with silicone per-sae which give a more lively feel which some might prefer but in comparison the comply’s really pulled things together with better cohesion which is for me saying something as I have had a strange time with some Comply’s not been comfortable or even staying in no matter which size but these seem to stay there with good comfort and let the full range of frequency’s through to the ear canal.

Upon finally choosing which tips to go with my first impression was Okay… these do sound familiar, oh yes; it’s reminiscent of the 99’s to a degree straight of the bat signature wise with whichever source I used so I’m thinking we are on the right tracks there but it is not until later on with more time and listening to the 99’s back and forth the real intricate differences are there to be heard which I will touch upon later on under the heading 99’s & 12’s…

Using with Daps…

The HIFIMAN SuperMini seems to have a flatter signature with little bass roll off which the 12’s reflect in its delivery and resonates bass notes with a hard delivery or slam which has even more impact than the ZX1 actually delivers listening to the same songs. This is a good pairing for having a more reference flat style listening session from the 12’s then the SuperMini will provide this style with the 12’s. You can still hear the warmth of the natural timbres the woody side of the 12’s bring but it is like having the best of both worlds with the SuperMini source providing more reference balanced signature.

Not sure how this combo sounds like this as the irony is the SuperMini is also tilted to been a bit warmer just like my ZX1 is which I think might be the SuperMini’s flatter response I the mids giving it a flatter feel as this becomes primary in what you hear before any lower or sub bass delivery. I do love the SuperMinis slam delivery of notes which are precise with authority.

Sony ZX1 really has a great synergy with the 12’s which is really making them have more depth and dynamics with quicker imaging and speed than I’ve heard out of the 12’s although it sounds a little more closed in to the SuperMini which just sounded to have a bit more space to breath with the 12’s to the ZX1 but the ZX1 is the more musical sound when hooked up with the 12’s.

The ZX1 also renders more micro details out of the 12’s to what the Supermini does and has more headroom control and vocals are a little less recessed to the SuperMini with the 12’s. The Meze warmth seems to match the Sony’s warmish signature side quite well and is not overkill having it like this. If anything it brings more musicality and involvement and the mids are closer yet the lower mids and sub bass have great transition between each other with the treble been articulate in detail with been finely balanced not over shouting the rest of the range.

Only thing I noticed was bass guitar notes could have been a bit more lower with more reverb on the strings as it had a tendency to sound a little underwhelming or muted on tracks using a bass guitar on this player to normal. Other than that I found the 12’s with the ZX1 really enjoyable pairing with a good balance across the board with a speed to match the dynamism the ZX1 gave the 12’s.

With Chord Hugo & Vorzuge Pureii+ …

After finally trying this with a couple of daps as after all that is what most people will be using this for is trying this with my Chord Hugo with my laptop and this is pretty much the best I will get to squeeze every last ounce out of these 12’s and have to say it is the more balanced sound of the Hugo that matches the Meze warmer signature very well and gives the 12’s an even keel with it been a cross between both my daps having a natural balance with good levels of detail courtesy to the Hugo’s DAC which makes music sound analog to some DACS which helps make the Meze sound more free flowing and easy to listen too.

I did find this on the dap which has become more apparent with the Hugo is the 12’s will sound just fine with run of the mill okay recorded material as the 12’s are not an analytical IEM but what was a bolt out of the blue initially when I first heard it was with very good mastered recording’s on the 12’s it really transformed the little wooden Meze drivers into a different IEM.
To be honest I was left quite shocked as there was more control and better rendering in details of notes are more accurate and full bodied yet transparency is improved also and to be honest I started to forget they just cost $79. So with high quality recordings the 12’s scale very well and become a little bit closer too it’s big brother 99 classics as the intricacies in details are more apparent.

Using the Vorzuge Pureii+ hooked up to the Hugo, (Reason being I found quite a few headphones and even certain IEMS like the Ortofon EQ8’s for example the Hugo had difficulty with them and could become too shrill on the top end and the Hugo could not reproduce low end bass the EQ8’s are capable of and sound anaemic with no real authority) and having a Vorzuge amp once before (DUO) found these was a good match for those that struggled synergy wise with the Hugo’s amp side… so the sound is more dynamic with a keen eye for detail on the bass response region been more prominent and less treble happy with the Pure amp than the Hugo is, but good as it sounds with the Pure amp as most things do I felt the Meze was better balanced on this occasion with just the Hugo running on its own and had a perfect synergy as the Mayas are not that hard to drive.

Sound in general….

Over all I was finding the evolving amount of detail with the overtures of the wooden timbre balanced by a steely side to it with the aluminium fittings make most genres sound good at minimum and excellent at its peak with Rock, Metal, Pop, Dance, R&B all at home and classical, OST’s or jazz sounding good but just lacking that bit of air they need to excel like the other genres mentioned.
Instruments sounded natural for most part and top end was tuned with good clarity and detail and not over powering.

Tonally vocals sound natural and contrasting but sound a little recessed and almost feels like been masked behind the music sometimes and just wish it was a little more forward, closer and engaging in this area. What makes the 12’s exhilarating to listen to is the mid bass which is the driving force to its punchy delivery but has a tight sub bass that can come from nowhere and your left wandering did that just happen! I feel is only getting better with time still as these IEMS get more use as details for an IEM in this price point is quite an accomplishment as micro details is what just gives these IEMS that extra performance edge in its class.

99’s & 12’s sibling rivalry?…

So the 12’s start out sounding like a Meze signature I am now accustomed too but after X amount of hours in it is becoming apparent the tiny 8mm drivers have their own take on the Meze signature and deliver a more crisp, sharper and more present top end delivery to the 99’s. Where the 99’s was more in the mix and unobtrusive you can hear is more to the fore with the 12’s. There is still good overall balance on the 12’s but is more obvious the treble is wanting it’s place at the table without sounding piercing or shrill. Don’t think Meze know how to do one of them anyway!

The 12’s possesses a good tight solid deep bass like the 99’s which is not maybe not the most tigh-test bass but has more of a blanket thunder rolling type of bass with having the luxury of 40mm drivers and bigger cups to an IEM to create that effect. There is a clear cohesion between the mid and low bass with the 12’s but the 99’s seem to have better graduation of transfer through the range that can be heard on the 99’s.

The mids are similar in the approach with vocals on the 12’s not quite as close and seemed dialled down a couple of dbs’ in the mix to the 99’s but the timbre of instruments and vocals are 99’esque in approach to delivering that familiar 99 signature in a tiny light weight IEM.

They do both share a house sound with similar tuning but the 99’s will always have that luxury of bigger soundstage, depth and height and more essentially more detail presentation which is what some headphones at more expensive prices struggled to reproduce like the 99’s do so it would always be asking a lot for these budget end pair of IEMs even by Meze to be level footing to the 99’s but if you already have the 99’s and love the sound, then the 12’s would give you that familiar tuning you have become accustomed in a more practical solution for on the move when commuting.

Conclusion…

In a “wooden” nut shell the 12 is like a little brother to the 99’s which you like to think will evolve with age into a mature IEM later on down the line with a model that is equal to the 99’s in an IEM.

Over all sound verdict of the 12’s is it’s not perfect by any means as it’s soundstage is a little to enclosed and narrow (even though this did improve on the Hugo to a degree) which even on an IEM this affordable I was hoping for a bit more room for them to breath and did find sometimes the upper mids would get a little congested losing control and focus when faced with loud heavy music like rock or metal but that is really only couple of niggles apart from wanting the vocals just placed a bit more forward and concise I have to remember these are $79 after all and not my £1k customs!

I have had experience of listening to this end of the scale with the likes of the RHA MA350 & 600’s as well as the Future Sonics Atrio MG7’s and the Meze 12’s probably mixes the best of both worlds between those two brands model versions I heard

The up side was they do many thing’s for their price very well and was pleasantly surprised how they scaled with something like the Hugo’s ability to take on the detail it produced and the better recorded songs in general on any device made these shine. It was when I heard them like this I got the distinct feeling they could of charged $100 -120 if Meze had wanted the way these scale with top recordings.

My experience after trying and owning the Classic 99’s is with the 12’s Meze are going in the right direction with making a good detailed musical IEM that punches above its weight and think Meze are one to watch for the future as they grow and evolve.

For those who like the 99 classics and interested in a IEM version of this will like it despite it not quite been on the same level of the 99’s and for those who are just looking for an affordable IEM that is practical for on the go with in line remote control for your phone or just like a warmer side of neutral musical signature with reasonable amounts of detail at this price and a natural timbre produced by its wooden chamber which is not offensive on the top end with friendly mid-range that has a good tight punch and capable of a nice deep sub bass without been obtrusive or over blown which should keep bass heads happy may want to give these a try for sure.

Classic 12 Review has now ended and left the building….

Thank you for getting this far!

Hey, folks: Here's my "tour" review of the Meze 12 Classics IEM's. It's cut and pasted from my audio blog. Feel free to comment here and/or there. Enjoy!

REVIEW: The Meze 12 Classics In Ear Monitors

Posted on November 25, 2016 by rebbi1

Milestone

This review marks somewhat of a milestone for this blog. While I’ve written a bunch of reviews up to this point, they’ve all been for products that I’ve purchased with my own, hard-earned dollars.

Then, a few months ago, I noticed on Head-fi.org that headphone manufacturer Meze Headphones was arranging a North American “tour” of their newest IEM, the 12 Classics. Those willing to write a review of the 12 Classics would receive a pair to evaluate. The reviewer would even get to keep the pair!

I was a little reluctant to sign on, fearful of the possibility of positive bias. Would getting “free stuff” make me more prone to write a review with a positive slant? Or, if I hated the 12 Classics, would I have the nerve to say so?

As you’ll see, all of this neurotic perseverating was for naught. The Meze 12 Classics are good, really good, and astonishingly good for the price.

Unboxing!

First the obligatory unboxing photos:

I like the no-nonsense packaging of the 12 Classics. There’s a hook at the top for a retail store sales rack, and a box not much larger than needed for the phones and accessories. I am not a huge fan of wasteful, “luxury” packaging, but that’s just me. Notice, though, how the arrangement of the cables on the front of the box mimics the “trident” Meze logo at the top of the box. Nice.

The back of the box gives some nice technical information on the 12 Classics, along with the exploded view of its innards.

One side panel of the box.

And the other side of the box.

The inside is a refreshingly simple, functional affair, with the foam insert holding the earphones and the nicely embossed carrying case.

Here are the contents of the carrying case. You get one pair of Comply foam tips, along with a plastic bag containing…

…several pairs of silicon tips, including a dual-flange design, along with a cable shirt clip.

Design and Materials

Before we get to the most important part of this review – how the 12 Classics sound, of course – I want to comment on their physical design.

At any price, but especially at their “bargain” price of US $79, the 12 Classics are an exceptionally beautiful product. Take at look at this side view of the housings:

The walnut body of the earphone housing looks great, especially offset by the gunmetal grey aluminum end caps. Notice, too, the slight hourglass taper of the wood portion of the housing. This design note, the “hourglass” or concave surface, appears repeatedly throughout the design:

In the concave, outer surface of the end cap, decorated with the Meze logo.

In the subtle, hourglass shape of the mic/remote housing.

And in the concave, hourglass shape of the Y-splitter.

Additionally, the color of the cable jacket provides a beautiful match to the metal of the housings. A shout out, too, should be given to the tiny, light housings. I can’t imagine that anyone would find these IEM’s uncomfortable. They are definitely in the “you can forget you’re wearing them” category. Note, however, that these can’t be worn with the cable looped back over the top of your ear – they just don’t work that way.

Now, normally, I wouldn’t devote this much time and attention to the physical form of a pair of IEM’s. In this case, though, the consistently elegant design of these earphones tells you that someone took a lot of time and care designing the exterior of these things, suggesting that they might have taken equal care in their sonic design, too. So, is that the case?

A Digression and an Analogy: The Driver Wars

The Meze 12 Classics feature one driver per side: a proprietary, titanium-coated-mylar diaphragm, dynamic (as opposed to balanced armature or planar magnetic) driver, a tiny 8 mm in diameter.

That’s it? Just one driver per side, when so many IEM’s these days tout two or more drivers in each earpiece? Ah, you might think – no wonder they’re so inexpensive. Just one driver!

Not so fast.

Do you remember the “megapixel wars?” In the early days of digital photography (and still, today, to some extent) digital camera manufacturers did a lot to promulgate the meme that the number of pixels crammed into a camera’s sensor chip determined the quality of the images the camera could produce. In other words, the more pixels, the better. Over time this proved not to be true. In fact, the only sure advantage of more pixels was that a higher-resolution photo could be cropped and enlarged without becoming pixellated. On the other hand, it turned out that squeezing ever more pixels into tiny sensor chips often resulted in images with more graininess, digital “noise” and chromatic aberration (purple “fringing” around high-contrast areas of a photo). Gradually, savvy consumers learned that many other factors besides how dense the pixels were on the CCD chip( such as the quality of the camera’s lens) influenced the image quality one could expect. My aging but still excellent Nikon D50 DSLR, for example, is “only” 6 megapixels, but the image quality is still wonderful.

Yikes!

Why the heck am I talking about digital cameras in an audio blog? Because the IEM equivalent of the megapixel wars seems to be the Driver Wars, a marketing proposition that suggests that the more drivers that a manufacturer has managed to cram into an IEM’s housing, the better it must sound. The result is that at both the very expensive high end (such as this six-balanced-armature driver-per-side custom IEM by JH Audio) or in more mid-priced territory (such as this “bargain priced,” 7-driver-per-side Chinese IEM) many shoppers assume that the number of drivers per earpiece is directly proportional to the sonic goodness of the IEM.

To quote the great George Gershwin, “It ain’t necessarily so.”

Consider home audio. The engineering challenge of integrating multiple drivers in home stereo loudspeakers is well documented. Using a complex, electronic crossover to dissect and distribute a musical waveform amongst several different drivers, each covering a different part of the frequency range, and then attempting to faithfully reconstitute that musical signal at the ears of the listener, is notoriously difficult. Most crossovers introduce phase and time distortions into the music that can make the music sound less coherent, less cut from the same cloth.

That’s why there a whole home audio subculture devoted to single-driver speakers, which can exhibit an uncanny musical “rightness,” especially in the midrange where most music (vocals especially) lives. And yet, there’s no free lunch in physics, and so, to quote from this old blog post of mine:

In the field of high sensitivity loudspeakers, a particularly interesting segment is populated by single-driver designs. This means just what it sounds like it should mean: single driver speakers use one driver to cover the entire frequency range. These drivers typically have very, very light speaker cones and powerful motor magnets. Why bother trying to make a single driver cover the entire audio spectrum? For one thing, a single drive speaker needs no electronic crossover network to divide up the frequency spectrum among specialized woofers, midranges and tweeters. This avoids all sorts of potential nastiness, including phase anomalies and the tendency of complex crossovers to suck power (which is one reason that single-driver speakers tend to be rather [low power amp] friendly). Also, providing a true “point source,” single driver speakers are cherished for their otherworldly imaging prowess. On the downside, single driver designs are often faulted (by those who don’t care for them) for having limited bass response, limited dynamic range and the tendency to produce harsh or “shouty” treble…

So, does the presence of more than one driver automatically equal better sound? No way. There are simply too many other variables (such as driver type and design, housing design and materials, crossover design and more) to make that kind of generalization. Thus I have purchased (and subsequently returned) several well reviewed, multiple driver IEM’s that I thought sounded dreadful (all boom and sizzle, so to speak) and I’ve heard several single driver designs that I loved. In the end, the number of drivers tells you very little about the musical goodness of an IEM. You just have to listen for yourself!

Which, at last, brings us to…

The Sound Of The Single-Dynamic-Driver Meze 12 Classics

I guess I should note here that I did all my evaluative listening with my iBasso DX80 DAP. I gave them about 24 hours of break-in before doing any serious listening. All files referenced below are lossless CD rips or high-resolution commercial downloads. That said,

I love the Meze 12 Classics. Without regard to price, they are a very lovable, listenable, coherent and musically satisfying pair of IEM’s. Factoring in their sub-$100 retail price, they are an astonishing bargain.

The 12 Classics do something important (to me) that you’d hope a well designed and executed pair of single-driver IEM’s would do: they nail coherence. Music flows easily, sounds like a performance (and not just “sound”) and allows you to relax because your brain isn’t working overtime to decipher what you’re hearing. They render the aural cues that we interpret as ambient space with uncanny nuance, and their ability to place musical elements (singers, instrumentalists) on an almost visual sound stage is very strong. You can really hear this facility with spatial presentation on well recorded, live recordings like Chan Chan from the magnificent Buena Vista Social Club. The sense “air” and space around the voices of the magnificent Ibrahim Ferrer and Eliades Ochoa as they joyfully rip into this slow number is just gorgeous.

The same goes for the placement and separation of the background singers in Traffic Jam on James Taylor’s (Live) double CD set. It’s quite thrilling.

The 12 Classics also do a great job with tonality: a sax sounds like a sax, a voice sounds like a voice, an orchestral string section sounds woody and sweet and a guitar sounds like a guitar.

The frequency extension of the 12 Classics is remarkable, especially considering that they’ve chosen to go the single driver route. The low end, while not exhibiting the ultimate in tightly controlled bass, goes quite deep, with plenty of grunt and rumble when called for. My favorite “bass test” track is Negative Girl from Steely Dan’s Two Against Nature CD. The opening ten or so bars of that tune feature some tasty lines played on a five-string electric bass guitar, with some extremely low notes. It’s quite impressive how well the 12 Classics render those very low bass notes!

This facility with lower frequencies also does great things with percussion. For example, I was stunned with what the 12 Classics did in rendering the deep, yet tuneful THUD of the huge drumbeat that opens Hotel California on The Eagles Hell Freezes Overlive CD. And again, they do this all with a single, carefully tuned and executed dynamic driver.

At the high end, the 12 Classics feel extended, but without the upper-midrange spike (masquerading as “detail”) that can make some IEM’s painful to listen to. My “test track” for this is Lorde’s Buzzcut Season from her Pure Heroine album. The vocals are very closely miked and Lorde’s voice is definitely EQ’ed with an upward tilt. The test comes near the beginning of this (wonderful) song, when she sings,

I remember when your head caught flame

It kissed your scalp and caressed your brain

Lesser earphones with a “fake detail spike” will render the sibilants in “kissed,” “scalp” and “caressed” as virtual icepicks to your eardrums. Ugh! The 12 Classics get this just right: “hot” but not abrasive. I’ve listened to $300 IEM’s that couldn’t get this right.

Midrange, too, where most of our music lives, is excellent. Vocals sound great – warm, human and alive.

What’s Not To Like?

Alas, nothing’s perfect. Here are a few areas where I think the 12 Classics fall short:

The cable is markedly microphonic. The texture of the insulation has a somewhat rubbery quality, which bodes well for long term durability but seems to have a role in increasing friction and thus transmitting and amplifying any noise generated by the cable rubbing against your clothing. The included cable clip should help with this, but I wish it weren’t that necessary.
The L and R channel markings on the housings are nearly invisible. They are embossed on the outside of the light grey strain relief tube underneath each earpiece and are very hard to discern. This problem is mitigated by the fact that once you realize that the microphone is attached below the right channel earpiece, the need for R and L markings is not as great. Still, in a product this thoughtfully designed, it’s a bit of a surprise.
The selection of ear tip sizes could be a little more varied. I have pretty large ear canals and the only tips that give me a good seal are the largest silicone tips. Both the Comply foams and the dual flange tips don’t cut it for my aural anatomy. Hardly a deal breaker, especially at this price, but something to be aware of.
Soundstage width: I’m still pondering this one. It’s quite good, actually, but not as cavernous as I’ve experienced with some other IEM’s, such as my KEF M200’s (which, to be fair, retail for more than twice the price of the 12 Classics). But truthfully this is only a relative “minus” in comparison to some other IEM’s I’ve heard that are soundstage width champs. And at this price, it’s hard to complain.

In Conclusion

I said it before and I’ll say it again. I love the Meze 12 Classics. Without regard to price, they are a very lovable, listenable (for hours on end without fatigue) coherent and musically satisfying pair of IEM’s. Factoring in their sub-$100 retail price, they are an astonishing bargain.

Highly recommended!

As always, I love it when my readers comment on a post, so feel free to do so. Until next time, be kind to others and enjoy your music!

Ah, my blog is here.

A really nice review...thanks!!

@jinxy245

You are most welcme, @jinxy245 !

Finally, my long due review of Meze 12 Classics is here.

Note of Thanks:
Meze team, thank you for including me in the review tour. I received this pair of earbuds as part of Meze 12 classics tour.

This is my first encounter with Meze product and lets see the impression it leaves!

About me:
http://www.head-fi.org/u/439582/gprs007

Unboxing:
Nothing Fancy, Front of the box has a picture of Meze 12 arranged in Company logo (I kinda like their logo). Back of the box got a frequency graph, product specification and Company Information. Opening of the box is hassle free.
Front

Behind
If you see back of the box, you can see the wording Perfect Natural Sound! Do they deliver what they say?

Presentation of the product:
Secured inside is the Meze 12 classics and Carry case which got a beautiful logo of Meze. The walnut wood finish was enough to get me excited

. It's beautiful !!!

What it contains:
Sturdy carry case, Earphones (default is silicone tips), a pair of Comply tips (they know what we want), additional silicone tips (S, M and L) and clip

I couldn't resist myself from clicking this

One last look at Housing with comply tips and Mic. (By this time you should be knowing, I am no fan of Silicone tips)

Build Quality:
The earphones are fairly built and can take some abuse for sure. Carry case is solidly built and have enough space to carry earphones and accessories (I mean silicone tips).
(Advanced team, has raised my expectations with their solid offerings and they are my benchmark when I gauge build quality of sub 100 earphones. You want 5 beat them)
4/5

Accessories:
You get what you need.
3 pairs of Silicone tips
Comply tips
Sturdy Carry case to keep your possession safe

Shirt Clip
4/5

Comfort and ergonomics:
I wear them around ear and they offer good comfort as well as fit. Walnut Housings are light and let you wear it easily for couple of hours. There is no discomfort or fatigue wearing them for 1.5 or 2 hours.
4/5

Sound:

Testing Equipment:
Iphone 6s Plus + Spotify
Motorola E + MP3
Fiio X1 (Flac files)

Meze 12 classics is Well balanced and Crisp sounding earphones. The sound stage is not wide but does good job in presenting the details and differentiating the instruments. They do justice to both male and female vocals. They offer tighter bass, clearer mids and highs. Yes they sound Natural as they claim.
You can get the best out of them when paired with a good source. I could notice the difference when they were paired with Fiio and other phones. You can easily pair it with any of the Phones. Amp might be a overkill though did not try pairing it up with A3.
4/5

Mic:
Meze has paired it with a single button Mic which perform quite well. I used it for some facetime and regular calls. The opposite party never had any issue hearing me. As it is winter never got to test it in open air.
4/5

Conclusion:
At 75$ it is a good bargain. You get beautiful looking, well accessorized, good sounding earphones which can play any kind of music you ask to.
Overall Rating: 4/5

Thanks Meze team for giving me the opportunity to be part of the tour and Introduction to Meze products. Wish you all the best.

As I touched on in my 11 Neo review, it’s very humbling when a company sends you not just a product of theirs to review, but their entire lineup. At least to me, that means a lot that a company values my input to such a degree. Recently, I was sent the 11 Neo & 12 Classics to review and also compare the two and then to share my opinions with this amazing community we have.
Short introduction but I pretty much gave my thoughts already. Anywho, pleasantries aside, how about we jump into this fine review shall we?

   I'm a 25 year old firefighter currently for the U.S. Army North Carolina National Guard. I was formerly a civilian firefighter in Kentucky with the Millard Fire Department before I enlisted and moved to my current location in Charlotte, North Carolina. My current goal is to begin my career again in the civilian fire service, and yes, I am the cliché of wanting to do that since as far as I can remember.
   My interests/hobbies are power lifting, fishing and relaxing to audio products and reviewing them to help other decide on what products would work for them. On that note over the years I've really came to an understanding of what it is I like and look for in audio products.
   What I look for is a relaxing, warm and sensual sound that just drifts me away in the emotional experience of the music being performed. Yes, accuracy is still important but I will happily sacrifice some of that if I'm presented with a clean, warm sound that can wisp me away into an experience that makes me yearn for more.
   My ideal signature are that of respectably forward mids and upper bass range with the bass being controlled but with some slight decay. I like my treble to have nice extension and detail reveal with a smooth roll off up top as to not become harsh in the least. Examples of products that have given me chills and keep giving me the yearning for more feels are the (in no particular order) Bowers & Wilkins P7, Oppo PM-1/2, Empire Ears Hermes VI, Audeze LCD-XC, Meze Headphones 99 Classics.

-Amp.
   -Audio-Technica AT-PHA100

-Source
   -LG V20
   -Luxury & Precision L3

I am by no means sponsored by this company or any of its affiliates. They were kind enough to send me a product for an arranged amount of time in exchange for my honest opinion. I am making no monetary compensation for this review.
The following is my take on the product being reviewed. It is to be taken “with a grain of salt” per say and as I always tell people, it is YOUR opinion that matters. So regardless of my take or view on said product, I highly recommend you listen to it yourself and gauge your own opinion.

The Opening Experience

   The unboxing to the 12 Classics we the exact same as that of their younger brothers the 11 Neo’s. This isn’t to take away from the experience at all for even still at the $79 MSRP this is still a wonderfully appreciated unboxing.
   The box is made of a nice cardboard that isn’t too bogged down with boasting jargon, but there is still some on it. The front bestows a picture of the 12 Classics in a manner representing their Trident logo. The back shows the making of the iem (which never did anything for me personally), a frequency graph (always welcomed), the normal specification, and their name and company motto. Very simplistic, just how I like it.
   Upon opening the box I was presented the 12 Classics in a precision cut foam container that held the iems in Meze’s trident design (I’m really enjoying the attention to detail presented by Meze). Under the iems you’re given the same, rather nice, semi-hard round case as the 11 Neo to carry and protect the 12 Classic’s in. Then finally, inside said case is a very nice assortment of tips as well as a pack of Comply memory foam.
To sum, if I haven’t shown my point, I was rather impressed with the “handshake” that felt both full of pride and company competence.

Construction

   Always one of my bigger fears with a sub $100 product. But I honestly have minimal fears of this products construction; even less if they’re always treated with care. Though I don’t think they're as durable as the 11 Neo’s (made of wood vs aluminum) Meze did a wonderful job putting these together. The driver frame is encompassed with a nice, real wood, frame that also has some plastic around the edges of the wood, but still sporting their Meze trident logo on each earphone.
   The cable is respectably made even still in this price point. There is a fair bit of microphonics which did get irritating from time to time but so long as I wasn’t moving (as in relaxing in a chair/couch etc…) this posed no worries. On the right side is a single button. Universal, microphone that does do my voice rather well (no complaints from anyone I talk to with it).
   Then moving towards the bottom we’ve a cable splitter that’s unfortunately not wood wrapped but instead it’s either a really nice plastic or perhaps even aluminum, and then terminated with a standard 3.5mm aux jack.
   So overall in terms of durability, I’m quite confident in the 12 Classics, but I wish it had more of the wooden presence that I was expecting them to have being an in ear 99 classics (not a quote made from anyone by Meze but a comparison I’ve been seeing in the forums). However, I still feel great pride was paid to these when being crafted, and as a consumer I appreciate seeing that.

Comfort

This section is quite subjective but as a general synopsis I’ll say absolutely. Now, I didn’t use the tips that were supplied with the unit for I used my personal Comply memory foam tips (which the 12 Classics do come with 1 pair). Like the 11 Neo’s, the 12 Classics aren’t heavy in the slightest and after a short period of time I forget they are even in my ear. Being housed in what is essentially the same frame as the 11 Neo, the 12 Classics possess that same unfortunate protrusion from my ears as the 11 Neo do. This sucks because I would really like to sleep with these in my ears but they just push painfully in my ears if I’m lying on my sides.
Short section but they’re rather straightforward. As to the 12 Classics, they’re wonderful with everything except for sleeping in. Oh, about forgot, but the isolation factor (with the Comply tips) is alright; nothing really exceptional but I do find it difficult to hear my wife calling for me with these in and music playing

.

Sound

   Upon first looking at the frequency graph I really thought that these were just a reskin of the 11 Neo’s but though they’re somewhat similar the 12 Classics I feel are more “tame” than that their younger brother. I’ll describe that of course here very soon in the individual aspects but for better or worse the intimate soundstage and respectable imaging hasn’t changed. I can still depict individual instruments from the orchestra or group playing so the separation is quite nice, especially to only be 80 bucks, but they all sound rather up close and personal to me. Also same with the imaging. If I close my eyes and really focus on what I’m listening to I can visualize the performance but by no means will these wisp me away (though granted I never expected a $79 product to).
   But as I mentioned earlier, allow me to do discuss my findings on the individual characteristics so that I may better explain why I find these to be more tame than the 11 Neo counterpart.

Treble

   I honestly don’t know what they changed in their tuning between the 11 Neo and the 12 Classics but man they hit it on the head. They extended the treble really nicely without it getting harsh at all. To add, one of my favorite treble test songs (and in general) is “Where Is My Mind” by Maxence Cyrin. This song on the 11 Neo just sounded ok but on the 12 Classics the beauty is ever present and the piano is just mesmerizing to listen to.
   Also, the mild distortion that was in the 11 Neo’s in the range that symbols are, aren’t present in the 12 Classics. Perhaps that’s due to the sound being “free’er (is that even a word?)” with its better extension, I don’t know, but I sure like it.
   I really have zero complaints about the treble range in the 12 Classics. Meze did an amazing job with their tuning.

Mids

   This section is one I’m hit and miss with on the 12 Classics. As I’m sure those of you who follow my reviews know, I’m a huge stickler for the mid section in audio equipment. To me, it’s where the heart, soul, and feelings of the artist is portrayed. So I want the mids to be as clean and forward as possible while maintaining realistic sound.
   The mids in the 12 Classics are not as forward as they are in the 11 Neos, in fact I would say they’re very slightly recessed. Which would make since with the increases in the treble and bass ranges (to be discussed in the next section). A good song, or actually 2 I’ll add, is Sanctuary from the Kingdom Hearts Soundtrack, and “Muddy Water” by Trace Adkins. Both songs (especially by Trace Adkins) really portray a strong emotional connection to the audience but with the 12 Classics they sounded somewhat distant without body to their words (again even more present in male vocals such as with Mr. Adkins).
Earlier I said I was hit and miss with these and thus far I’ve only been a miss. Well I’m a hit in the mids on artists with more neutral voices (pardon me for not being able to think of any off hand [and sure as snot as I’m typing this I find an artist on my “mix” on YouTube that sounds awesome, the video is “Boruto AMV- Ready Or Not”]). Those particular cases sound quite nice on the 12 Classics.

Bass

   My terminology by calling the bass the “heartbeat” of the music couldn’t be more present in the 12 Classics. Though overall they maintain the slower recovery and exaggerated decay, the 12 Classics have a much more prominent impact than I expected. A fun song to listen to a hear what I’m referencing is “Feel Invincible” by Skillet, or “When The Beat Drops” by (I’m honestly not sure for there’s so many variants but the Naruto AMV is the specific one I’m referencing).
The upper bass to the upper mid bass maintains the same wonderful characteristics of being smooth and enjoyable that I enjoyed in the 11 Neo, but the bass doesn’t straight drop off. They do still recede don’t get me wrong in that but they have very interesting spikes in the drop off that gives it the “illusion” (best word I could come up with) as being heavier on the bass than it really is. Listen to pretty much any song with an actual bass drum and you’ll hear what I mean. The rest of the range is somewhat receded but on when the bass drum hits it sounds rather heavy (and perhaps out of place is a degree).

Conclusion

To sum up my thoughts on the Meze Headphones 12 Classics, they are an amazing buy for sub $100. They’re not as warm and relaxed sounding as their 11 Neo counterparts, but instead have become a much better all round iem. that really paired well with any genre (but not necessarily deep voiced male vocals). The build quality is above average of other products in this price range but the attention paid to the minor details really sets the 12 Classics aside. s

Also, make sure to check out my unboxing and review videos. They’re pretty awesome AND you getta put a face to the Army-Firedawg name. If this review helped you out at all please hit that thumbs up button for it really helps me out a lot. Till next time my friends, stay safe.

Introduction –

With all these “up and coming” brands seemingly emerging out of mist, it’s becoming harder and harder to stand out from the crowd. This is great for us consumers, it just means earphones are getting better and better, but for manufacturers, the market has never been so fierce. Enter Meze, an audio company that’s not new, but definitely not a veteran like Shure, Westone and Sennheiser. With their 99 Classics headphones they made quite a splash and now return with a similarly enticing in-ear earphone, the 12 Classics (not sure why it’s pluralized). With a visually striking design, luxury build and the promise of Meze’s tasteful signature sound, the $100 AUD 12 Classics sit at the apex of Meze’s earphone lineup. Big expectations lie on the shoulders of their latest product, let’s take a look.

Disclaimer –

I would like to thank Meze very much for sending me the 12 Classics for review. These are not a personal purchase and there is no monetary incentive for a positive review. I will be as objective as possible during my evaluation of the 12 Classics.

About Me – Some background, Gear of choice, Preferences and Biases

I generally prefer a slight v-shape to my sound, but still closer to neutral. I like a lot of detail and clarity, but can appreciate a smooth, laid back sound such as that on the X10`s. I prefer a more neutral midrange within a relatively tight tolerance, but I`m probably more forgiving of brightness over darkness. I`m not particularly treble sensitive and can tolerate large amounts without fatigue, though too much ruins the enjoyment. If I use a different eartip/pad/cover during the review I will note that and describe the sound changes.

Read More

Accessories –

The unboxing experience is simple and well presenting, the white/blue colour scheme reminding me a lot of Denon’s packaging. The front face showcases the earphones and model number whilst the rear displays the specifications, an image outlining the internals of the earphones and a small frequency response graph. They also have the Hi-res audio approval stamp and a little logo denoting the inclusion of authentic Comply eartips.

Sliding off the top reveals the earphones in a foam inlet and the carry case just beneath. The cable is coiled just beneath the foam insert, Meze use a small reusable Velcro strap to fix the cable as opposed to a cable tie which is nice.

The case contains the eartips and shirt clip. It’s a very practical carrying case of your typical zipper style hard case but it’s one of the most compact solutions I’ve seen.

They snugly fit the earphones coiled around 4 fingers with an elastic pocket that comfortably holds the shirt clip and an additional pair of eartips.

The stock silicone tips themselves are decent but I had a hard time finding a comfortable fit among the various sizes (S,M,L and Double Flange). They’re well moulded but the hard reinforcement coming off the stem at the front is quite hard on the ear and the rounded shape of the tips don’t sit particularly well. Luckily Meze provide a set of Comply T series foam eartips which gave me a great fit.

Since I do prefer a slightly brighter sound, I prefer to use silicone tips at home. For the sake of this review, I will be evaluating the 12 Classics Sony Hybrids, I would suggest that most buyers who prefer silicone tips pick up a set, they work for most earphones and provide greater comfort and seal than most stock tips. I also gave the Spinfit CP100’s a try but the flexible stems made the earphones unstable in the ear, I wouldn’t recommend using them with any of the Meze earphones.

Design –

Utilising real walnut combined with an aluminium sound tube and back-plate, the Meze 12 Classics look spectacular. Furthermore, this captivating design is executed through flawless build quality and the earphones feel similarly solid in the hand.

With a reassuring weight, the earphones feel every bit as premium as any more expensive earphone, I would even say they have superior build quality to the Oriveti Primacy which had a small seam running through the centre of the housings.

Oriveti Primacy with visible seam

The 12 Classics are devoid of any imperfections and the wood is mated perfectly to the aluminium with visible but not palpable seam. Every edge is sculpted in a very eye catching manner, the indented rear makes insertion simple whilst the subtly curved housings allow for similarly effortless removal.

Despite being fully sealed, there’s also no driver flex which will aid longevity. The walnut has a rich tone which is well complimented by the frosted aluminium. The Meze logo adorns the outer face, it feels laser etched not painted. The use of a metal sound tube is also great for strength and rigidity, the metal mesh protector is similarly well finished, there are no glue marks or other indication of poor workmanship.

Visuals and feel aside, the housings are moderately sized for an in ear, they’re neither small nor large but easily dwarf the Shozy Zero and Klipsch X10. Due to the tapered design and relatively shallow insertion, the aluminium back did also produce a hot spot at the back of my outer ear after listening for about one and a half to two hours. It’s noticeable but never excruciating, though they still lack the long term comfort of smaller earphones such as those aforementioned. Fit stability is good for a cable down earphone, whilst I doubt they would stay put during a run, they sat perfectly fine during my daily commute without requiring any kind of adjustment. Isolation is strangely average, they actually isolate less than the semi-vented Shozy Zero despite being sealed which I can only attribute this to the shallow fitment of the earphones. They still isolate enough for public transport, barely, but the sub-bass boost prevents the sound from becoming overly lean when out and about. I wouldn’t take them near a plane though.

Moving down to the cable, I really like the smooth, ever so slightly rubbery texture and generally beefier build. It’s not removable like the SE215 but few are around this price and the 12 Classics cable is a lot better than those usually installed on such earphones anyway. It’s pretty thick for an earphone cable yet remains very pliable if not super supple with a slightly springy quality. Combined with the smooth texture, the cable does resist tangles very well.

Meze also implement a nice single button remote with integrated mic. The mic sounds fine, at least as good as that on my HTC 10, coming through nice and clear. The single button remote functions on both Android and IOS, allowing users to play/pause and skip tracks. The button is easily discerned and has a nice click.

The jack and y-split are outstanding with a matching gunmetal aluminium finish and flexible strain reliefs on all terminations that are good but not the best I’ve seen. The earphones terminate in a gold-plated straight 3.5mm plug that’s tapered like the housings to aid traction on removal. I would have preferred a right angle plug seeing as this is an earphone designed for smartphone use but at least the plug is of great quality.

Microphonics are somewhat concerning however and cable does transmit above average amounts of noise, but still less than the Klipsch X10’s and ie800’s. Meze do include a shirt clip but I would still like a chin slider at the y-split.

Overall I have no real qualms with the build quality, the 12 Classics are right up there with the best regardless of price. In terms of design, the shape of the housings is very practical but did produce some comfort issues for me. I would like to see a slightly shorter housing in the future or perhaps one that is less fluted at the rear. The limited noise isolation is a concern but should suffice for daily use if you don’t mind turning the volume up a notch or two more than usual.

Sound –

I am very rarely immediately impressed by an earphone out of the box, I let the signature grow on me and think on the quality of the sound over an extended period of listening, usually a month, sometimes a lot more. Since I only had a week with the 12 Classics and 11 Neo combined, I had to be a bit more economical with my listening. Both actually sounded kind of strange out of the box, not uncommon, a few earphones have done this to me in the past; my Klipsch X10’s, for instance, changed radically in the first day of listening but have remained pretty much the same over the past 4 years. The 12 Classics in particular sounded very hollow whilst the 11 Neo sounded just slightly metallic and congested. So I let both burn in for around 75 hours and also let my ears adjust naturally to the sound. I didn’t listen in-depth before doing this so whether the sound differences noted are due to any physical changes or are simply attributed to “brain burn-in”, I’m not certain, it simply eliminates burn-in and potential sound improvements over time so I can judge the earphones as they are (perhaps especially pertinent with the 12 Classics since their walnut housings are especially susceptible to sound changes over their lifetime).

So how has my experience with the Meze’s latest earphones developed? After a little more listening, I really like Meze’s 11 Neo; they’re very linear and balanced with a lot of technical ability, I’ll have a review up for them shortly. It also affirms that Meze make good dynamic drivers and understands how to tune them. The sound on the 12 Classics, or my perception of it, has also changed for the better since I unboxed them, yet the titanium 8mm dynamic driver in the 12 Classics still produces a sound that is neither linear nor balanced, not in the slightest. Instead, the 12 Classics pursues a more dynamic v-shaped sound signature with reasonable success and just a few caveats which I’ll address in more depth later on.

In terms of pure tonality and tuning, the earphones are quite distinctive and deviate a lot from pretty much any other headphone/earphone/earbud I’ve listened to. For better or for worse, the Meze 12 Classics combine a very engaging, dynamic sound signature with plenty of raw technical ability. They provide a real listening experience that’s unique in a lot of ways, I suppose with a name like “12 Classics”, this is precisely what Meze was striving to achieve. From bottom to top, the earphones have a large sub-bass boost which slopes downwards in emphasis towards the lower midrange leaving mids unclouded and clear. The midrange is recessed behind the rest of the sound but not to the point that any details are lost, of course they still aren’t as linear as the more neutral earphones around $100. Treble is natural, not neutral. It’s perfectly present in the mix but doesn’t draw attention. This produces a nicely detailed listen that isn’t fatiguing nor boring, I think the high end is generally well considered, just on the smoother, more sedate side of neutral.

Soundstaging is great overall despite the more tame treble response. Due to the strangely hollow, slightly recessed midrange, the soundstage has a lot of space, both in width and depth, especially for a closed earphone. Separation is also very good, the earphones have an almost exaggerated sense of space surrounding each instrument due to the unique tuning. Imaging is also quite accurate for the most part but again, due to the tuning, some notes can sound falsely distant and others overly intimate, I’ll detail the tuning in depth in the individual sound sections below.

In terms of driveability, the 12 Classics are identical to the 11 Neo which made comparisons a breeze. With an impedance of 32ohms and a Sensitivity rating of 101 dB, the 12 Classics are very easy to drive but not the loudest earphone around. They’re pretty much identical to the Sennheiser ie800’s in terms of sensitivity which makes them similarly if not slightly less sensitive than the average earphone. They’re also similarly resistant to hiss, I didn’t notice any noise at all on my Oppo HA-2 even when listening on high-gain nor was there any background hiss when listening through my HTC 10, very good. The sound does seem to be slightly source dependent as they sounded slightly thinner through my HTC 10, but otherwise almost they were almost identical. Most portable sources will have no issues driving the Meze 12 Classics to sufficient volumes. They saw little benefit running through my Oppo HA-2 as opposed to my HTC 10 and amping is not required but will produce very small improvements to the sound, namely the midrange becomes more natural.

Bass –

Sub-Bass has great kick, all notes below 50Hz slam with real visceral impact, however the boost does make the bass response sound ever so slightly boomy. Mid-bass is less emphasised but still slightly accentuated in reference to more neutral earphones. As a result, bass is very punchy until notes descend into the lower and sub-bass regions where things start to get a little looser. However though relatively quick decay, bass remains tight enough and actually reveals a surprising amount of texture. Due to the leaner upper-bass response, mid-bass notes are also especially defined, coming through with great definition. The tuning isn’t linear but does strike a good balance, providing an entertaining if not particularly accurate listen. For instance, the Shozy Zero and Klipsch X10, both of which have somewhat similar low-end boosts, sound more organic and natural but lack the definition of the 12 Classics. The 12 Classics also have fantastic sub-bass extension which is unmatched by the single armature X10 and micro-driver Shozy Zero. This effect is enhanced by the sub-bass boost which mostly stays out of the way when not required but provides a lot of slam in well-mastered songs. I think the visceral bass response will work for a lot of listeners, especially since the boost is mostly confined to the very lowest notes, leaving the bass response bloat free and very textured. The uneven tuning will bother those who have heard higher end gear but quality is technically superior to the vast majority of earphones around this price.

Mids –

The midrange is interesting, not necessarily in a good way but some listeners might find it to their liking based upon individual preferences. The midrange deviates a lot from neutral, it’s the most sculpted midrange I’ve heard in a long time. Whilst it is sculpted, it is consistently different insinuating that the midrange is generally free of any peaks or troughs even if it is not particularly linear. Both lower and upper mids sit slightly behind the bass and treble making for a very dynamic sound but smaller midrange details can get lost in the mix. My biggest issue with the midrange is its thin body, both of the upper and lower midrange, which makes vocals sound hollow and lifeless. In culmination with the V-shaped tuning, midrange notes sound not only distant but also slightly metallic and unnatural, upper mids are even sibilant and raspy with some songs. Simply put, to my ears, the midrange simply sounds off. This is mainly an issue with tuning however as the quality of the midrange is actually quite good. For instance, there is plenty of detail, especially for the price and clarity is very good partly due to that thinner, slightly brighter upper midrange and lower treble. In addition, the midrange actually suits electronic music quite well’ anything synthesised benefits from the clarity of the midrange without being overly hampered by the thin body. So whilst the midrange does sound good, the tuning will definitely limit genre versatility.

I was just contacted by Lorand from Meze who recommended I try some "manual burn-in" on the 12 Classics. I'm honestly not sure how to explain it so I'll put his own instructions below:

"inhale and blow air in and out of them with power a few times. I just take the nozzle in my mouth and do it a couple of times. I like to call it "manual burn in" because sometimes the driver needs a bit of convincing. Yes, it is a bit unorthodox but maybe the problem is because the driver could be "stuck"

To test out the effect of manual burn-in, I applied pressure to the left driver only and compared it to the right one. Whilst not an ideal way to compare sound changes, the left driver had become slightly more sensitive than the right driver, so perhaps the driver really was stuck? I gave the right driver the same treatment until both were even in volume and compared them with the Meze 11 Neo for a few hours. Honestly, the actual sound changes are subtle, the midrange is still thin but it no longer exhibits that hollow quality it initially had. Vocals are still recessed and female vocals in particular retain a slightly raspy character. The midrange is by no means "fixed", but the difference is appreciable and I would take this sound any day over how they were before. I'm not sure I would recommend doing this on a personally purchased unit, but it does indicate that the earphones could naturally change in the same manner through regular burn-in. If you want to speed up the process, this is certainly a very interesting method in doing so. I have changed the cons in the review and sound rating accordingly but I will note that this is no magic fix and the midrange still sounds less natural and more metallic than that on the 11 Neo. All of my other opinions on the sound remain unchanged, perhaps the treble response is slightly more present but otherwise the bass response is pretty similar and the soundstage is still just as spacious.

Highs –

The high-frequency tuning of the 12 Classics is one of the better aspects of the sound; treble notes sound great even if they are a little uneven overall. Treble extension is also good but rolls off through the upper, treble sapping air and presence from micro-details residing in the upper extremities. Lower treble has a slight accentuation resulting in instruments such as cymbals having a forward presence in the sound. As a result, details pop a little more creating quite an engaging listen. Middle treble is more or less neutral in quantity whilst upper treble is a bit flaky, the very highest notes such as high hats can sound somewhat truncated and miss that last bit of air and definition due to the roll off.

This is as critical as I can be however, and for a $100 earphone, the treble response offers plenty of impressive qualities. Brief comparison to other similarly priced earphones I have on hand reveals that the 12 Classics extends further and resolves slightly more detail than the brilliant Shozy Zero and is superior in almost every way to the more expensive Klipsch X10 and Shure SE215, both of which aren’t even comparable. Despite this, the treble still doesn’t compete with more expensive earphones, I think the $300-400 price range is somewhat of a sweet spot before diminishing returns kicks in big time. The Oriveti Primacy for instance, whilst three times the price, suffers from no roll off, resolves more detail and presents this detail in a more refined manner; I’m not saying that these earphones are directly comparable, I’m just putting the performance into perspective. So overall, whilst the 12 Classics don’t outperform their price range, they sit comfortably at the higher end of the pack, performing very well for a $100 earphone.

Verdict –

The Meze 12 Classics presents brilliantly with it’s walnut/gunmetal housings and sounds similarly intriguing. Whilst the tuning is a little too sculpted for my liking (specifically the midrange), a lot of buyers will have no issue with the 12 Classics and it does start to sound a little more natural as you acclimatise to the sound. Beyond tuning, the raw technical ability of the earphones are a standout in this price range; they have plenty of detail and dynamics, with a spacious soundstage to top it all off. Ironically, the 12 Classics thrive with any kind of electronic/synthesised music but end up sounding slightly unnatural with most other genres. If you’re looking for a detailed, non-fatiguing earphone with visceral sub-bass slam and a focus on clarity and definition, the 12 Classics deliver in spades. If you want a more neutral listen that retains the quality of the 12 Classics sound then Meze’s own 11 Neo is a fantastic choice.

Accessories – 8.5/10, Nice unboxing with a reusable Velcro strap to keep the cable neat. The included carrying case is compact and protective with a pocket for additional accessories. The stock silicone ear tips are uncomfortable for me but others seem to be having more luck, the included Comply tips work wonders for ergonomics.

Design – 8.5/10, Visually stunning and functionally brilliant, the earphones are easy to handle and have a stable fit in the ear. Comfort is as subjective as always but I would guess that a lot of listeners would have some form of contact with the sharply angled rear of the earphones forming a hotspot in the outer ear over long listening sessions. The build is fantastic, the cable is great and the inclusion of a remote with mic is extra practical for smartphone listeners. The cable is quite microphonic but the included shirt clip mostly alleviates this issue.

Bass – 7.25/10, Great sub-bass extension and slam, textured mid and upper bass responses are nice and punchy with plenty of definition. Slightly boomy.

Mids – 7.25/10, The tuning is a little off, thin body makes the midrange sound hollow but also spacious. Quality is great with nice clarity and detail retrieval. Sits slightly behind the bass and lower treble.

Treble – 7.75/10, Nice extended treble response, rolls off at the very top. Well detailed without fatigue or excessive sibilance, upper treble sounds slightly truncated. Nice body and resolution.

Soundstage, Imaging and Separation – 8/10, Great overall, the soundstage has a lot of space with copious width and a decent amount of depth too. Separation is impressive and imaging is generally accurate.

Verdict – 7.5/10, The Meze 12 Classics are a well-rounded set of earphones around the $100 AUD price mark. They have fantastic build quality, a very capable if not versatile sound and are quite ergonomic to top it all off. The bass and treble performances are particularly impressive if you don’t mind the extra sub-bass boost and slight treble roll-off but the unnatural midrange will prevent a higher score. Meze already have the 11 Neo for those wanting a more neutral sound, the 12 Classics rather sounds much more dynamic and unique. If you want something new, a visceral audio experience unlike any other, you will find it in the 12 Classics, but manufacturers pursue balance for a reason.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed my review please have a look at my blog for guides and more articles like this:

https://everydaylisteningblog.wordpress.com/2016/11/17/meze-12-classics-review-for-better-or-for-worse/

Great review!

Thanks!

The Romanian based company Meze has earned quite a following over the last year. This comes to no surprise. Head-Fi and wooden headphones are easily compatible. Couple that with some pro-active marketing and voila: A match in heaven has been made. For instance, myself and many others were surprised by the Meze 99 Classics. Not only for its fun signature, but also for the technical prowess it exhibited. Now following the trail of success, Meze has released two new In-Ear Monitors: The Meze 11 Neo and Meze 12 Classics. The latter one being the focus for today.

Enter Meze 12 Classics:

Disclaimer: The Meze 12 Classics were send to me as part of their European Tour. I'm not affiliated with Meze in any shape or form.

Meze 12 Thread:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/824068/meze-12-classics-discussion-impressions-thread

About me:

My name is Noel aka. FUYU, I'm 19 years old and an avid lover for everything technical.
While everything is subjective, I like to explain in more rational enclosure with graphs and technical prowess. I care about facts and only facts, meaning no fancy 300$ cables and value by price-to performance.

Specifications:

Frequency response: 16Hz - 24KHz
Impedance: 16Ohm
Sensitivity: 101dB (+/- 3db)
Total harmonic distortion: < 0.5%
Noise attenuation: up to 26dB
Titanium coated 8mm mylar driver
Copper-clad aluminum voice coil
3.5mm gold-plated jack plug
7N OFC cable, length: 1.2m

Build and fit:

The first apparent feature of the Meze 12 is the wooden shell. For 79$ you get a well-build earphone featuring the wooden cabinet in the back and an aluminium nozzle at the front. The back plate is also made out the same aluminium and has the Meze logo engraved on it. The nozzle itself is on the wider side of things with 5mm.

The 12 Classics uses a non-detachable cable with remote-line. Sadly the cable itself is rather stiff and tangles quite often. Furthermore the cable is very microphonic, rendering the earphone unsuitable for sports. You can wear the earphone over the ear, however I found that to be quite uncomfortable. Another little gripe is the lack of a neck clinch. While there is a shirt clip included, it is certainly only an half-assed solution.

General fit is excellent. The small (2.8cm x 1cm x 1cm) body is suitable for all types of ears. The lightweight construction is perfect for long listening sessions and will be ideal for almost everyone.

Accessories:

The earphone comes with a carrying pouch, the aforementioned shirt clip, 4 pairs of silicon tips and one pair of Complys. Standard affair at this price-point.

Sound-Analysis:

General sound-signature is a moderate U-Shape with punchy mid-bass and slightly elevated upper mid-range and lower treble. There is a distinctive dip in the area around 1-2 kHz, adding a sense of cleanliness to the general sound.

Bass is more akin to modern tuning with slightly recessed sub-bass and roll-off beginning at around 100hz going downwards. The bass tone will satisfy anyone but the biggest bass-head. There is a slight mid-bass hump, albeit it doesn't leak into the lower midrange. It has good reverb, but sounds a bit unnatural due to the not so great soundstage-depth.

Mid-range is articulate and slightly dry sounding. Male and Female vocals have a good sense of articulation, but in the case of male vocals can sound slightly distant. Clarity and Imaging is excellent for the price-point. Soundstage is good in width and height, but is lacking depth making the sound often unnatural.

The treble extends until around 12kHz before rolling off. It reaches its highest point at around 5kHz, which gives it a good airy feel. Detail retrieval is fantastic for the price. The 12 Classics has no sibilance to speak of: Areas of interest like 6kHz and 9kHz are well-balanced and never aggressive in execution.

Some observations:

The Meze 12 Classics are benefitting from wide-bore or Comply tips. Wide-bores improve the soundstage-depth noticeably, whereas Comply make the overall signature slightly warmer and more inviting.
AMPing is overkill. Warmer sources are recommended, but pretty much everything is working.

Comparisons:

LZ A2S (50$):

The A2S is a much warmer and more inviting earphone. It is pretty much the antithesis to the 12 Classics in signature with its lower midrange focused sound. Bass is fairly equal quantity, but the Meze appears to be slightly meatier and more impactful. The A2S is slightly better in terms of 3Dness, but lacks the imaging and much of the openness in comparison.

Treble is much better on the Meze in both emphasis and extension. Detail is slightly more emphasised as a result. It's quite ironic thinking about it: The A2S is the more woody sounding out of the two.

FLC8s - Red, Clear, Grey (329$):

At first glance this might look unfair, but they are pretty comparable in terms of signature. The FLC8s in the Red, Clear configuration is more sub-bass tilted, thus it makes out for a more true sounding U-Shape. In comparison the Meze has similar soundstage width, but gets utterly demolished in stage-depth. Openness is similar, but the FLC8s is superior in terms of imaging, yet is smoother. Bass quantity is more akin to the Grey, Grey filters, albeit similar in quality.

Trinity Phantom Sabre (150$):

The Sabres is more extreme in both end of the spectrum. It sounds more vivid in the upper end and has more bass-impact (from gold onwards). The competition from Britain has similar bass quantity when equipped with the purple or gun-metal filters. I found the Sabres to be smoother in the mid-range, even though the treble peaks are more noticeable. Staging is similar, but the Sabres have the clear advantage in Y-axis perception.

Final words:

The 12 Classics are another great release by Meze. Equipped with an open and fun, but well-balanced signature makes for an easy recommendation. At just 79$, even more so.

Thanks for reviewing! Would you rate Sable higher in terms of general SQ? The cost is about 2 times different.

In terms of detail and clarity the Meze 12 is pretty much on par. I'd say the Sabres are overall slightly better sounding. Considering that you get them for 150$ + 20% discount, the value question is more about preference.

Meze 12 Classics

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Meze 12 Classics Review - Expatinjapan

[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Meze 12 Classics Review: Beautiful, But Average[/color]

[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Sound Signature[/color]

[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Packaging / Unboxing[/color]

[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Build[/color]

[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Accessories[/color]

[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Summary[/color]

[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Patreon[/color]

Intro

Non-sound characteristics

Sound characteristics

Summary:

Hey, folks: Here's my "tour" review of the Meze 12 Classics IEM's. It's cut and pasted from my audio blog. Feel free to comment here and/or there. Enjoy!

REVIEW: The Meze 12 Classics In Ear Monitors

Milestone

Unboxing!

Design and Materials

A Digression and an Analogy: The Driver Wars

The Sound Of The Single-Dynamic-Driver Meze 12 Classics

What’s Not To Like?

In Conclusion