Meze 99 Neo

by Tom Lewis
aka Squeaky Duck
13 Jan 2018

Recently I had the pleasure of being included in a worldwide tour posted here on Head-fi.org of the Meze Audio 99 Neo headphones. This is my personal opinion of these headphones.

Disclaimer - I am by no means an audio professional. I am an audio enthusiast & hobbyist who likes to tinker, so this is my experience with the NEO 99 headphones pertaining to their sound quality, comfort, price and construction merits. My regularly used headphones are the KRK KNS-8400.

The music I had chosen is what I am very familiar with and have had the pleasure of actually listening to live. My personal preference is jazz, 80's rock, classical, and some opera.


My primary sound source is a digital audio workstation with Samplitude 2496 Recording & Editing Suite and VU Player running through an ASUS Xonar DS DTS sound card locked at 24bit/192k 2ch with Burr Brown op-amps, Monster interlink II cable feeding my Kenwood KA-5700 integrated amplifier. All of my electronics are powered from a 1kW APC Smart UPS which has good AC power filtering, and yes, it does make a difference and the noise floor is exceptionally low. All of my digital sourced music used here is FLAC or uncompressed PCM format.

The Meze 99 Neo showed up in a nice storage box detailing some of the headphone's specs and features. Inside was a felt lined ballistic nylon hard case that provided excellent protection to what was inside, something many headphones should include but do not. I would love to get a case like this for my KRK headphones too. Nestled inside was a small round soft case with the full length 10 foot cable, a 4.5 foot cable with microphone for your smart phone, 1/4 inch adapter and an airline adapter. All bases covered here for use pretty much anywhere.

Looking them over I was impressed with the attention to detail in the build quality. The main part of the headband is all black spring steel with silver colored die cast zinc mounts for the adjustable padded comfort band. The ear cups are ABS which seem inert and the ear pads are soft leather which was a nice touch and reflect the quality & workmanship. The cable connected to each ear with a 1/8 inch plug on the bottom of each ear. I liked this since it made it easy to store them and if your cables were to get damaged it would be a simple swap for new ones. The left plug has a ring crimped into the shell to identify it from the right. The headphone cable itself is wrapped in Kevlar weave to protect the wire and the connectors are metal, not cheap molded plastic.

Meze Audio did their homework on the fit and comfort of these headphones. The ear cups are attached to the band to allow them to fit comfortably and secure without the proverbial "C-clamp" feel. The soft leather ear pads provided a good seal around the ears without the sweaty feel other leather pads may have. Their softness allowed me to wear my glasses with minimal discomfort. As for weight, they are very light, weighing in at only 9 ounces. I felt no big addition of weight even of an hour or two of use each night. The Kevlar jacket on the cable reduced the typical headphone microphonic rumble from moving around which is very good.

Now as for the sound, this is subjective and merely what my impressions of this set can do.

The mids and highs were smooth and balanced. vocals have a fairly neutral sound. The bass was more than I expected. These headphones will go as low as human hearing will allow, but with a pronounced hump in the mid-bass region that on some of my older recordings was a blessing, yet on well recorded music it was admittedly annoying and a bit muddy. I played around with the equalizer a bit to smooth it out which made a huge difference in long term listening. The settings I used were:
80Hz, -3dB
150Hz, -4.5dB
300 Hz, -3.5dB
Filter Q 1.4

99 NEO Specifications
Transducer size: 40mm
Frequency response: 15Hz - 25KHz
Sensitivity: 103dB at 1KHz, 1mW
Impedance: 26 Ohm
Rated input power: 30mW
Maximum input power: 50mW
Detachable Kevlar OFC cable
Plug: 3.5mm gold plated
Weight: 260 gr (9.2 ounces) without cables
Ear-cups: ABS Plastic

Audio Playlist:
Dawn Upshaw - World So Wide
Lee Ritenour - 6 String Theory
Michael Murray - Bach - Great Organ at Methuen
Victims Family - Voltage and Violets
Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab - The Power and the Majesty
Tappi Tíkarrass - Miranda (vinyl)

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Listening Impressions

Dawn Upshaw's - World So Wide
This album was a good test of female vocals as Dawn's vocal range can and does reveal breakup on a lot of headsets & speakers making her sound a bit screechy if there is any breakup happening. In this case vocals came through in full detail with no detectable screechiness or sibilance. The vocals sounded neutral. Strings, woodwind instruments and percussion were well defined and clean. The only oddity I heard sticking out was tympani drums sounds a bit bloated despite the EQ curve I listed in this review.

Lee Ritenour - 6 String Theory
This had a nice warm sound listening to 16-year-old Canadian classical guitarist Shon Boublil playing two caprices by 19th Century Italian guitarist/ composer Luigi Legnani. You can hear him breathing and his sleeve moving on the nylon strings of his Martin Blackwell Classical guitar. What was interesting is being able to audibly judge how his fingers were sliding across the guitar frets as he played. The sound is clear with no harshness and the guitar's natural wood sound comes through.

Michael Murray - Bach - The Great Organ at Methuen Memorial Music Hall
If you like pipe organ music Michael Murray is an exceptional organist to listen to. Bach's Tocatta in F Major (BVW 540) played on the great organ at Methuen Memorial Music Hall in Methuen, Massachusetts. This used to be one of the largest organs in the world with 6,088 pipes and 84 registers. The biggest one I know of is the Fratelli Rufatti organ in the Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco with 9,235 pipes and 147 registers. WOW. If you live in or near San Francisco GO SEE AND HEAR IT. Anyway, without the EQ curve used, the sound was heavy and there was loss of detail throughout. With the EQ curve, you can hear a lot of low end detail and the acoustics of the hall clearly. Listening to Passacaglia & Fugue in C Minor (BVW 582) you can hear just how BIG this organ truly is (and you can hear the mechanics of the valves working in the background if are listening closely for it).

Victims Family - Voltage and Violets
Quivering Lip is a tune making fun of movie plots. The recording is very clear on all vocals and the NEOs played them nicely and the sound was actually neutral. You can tell it was recorded in a basement. Son of Church is a snappy and well recorded instrumental. The drums came through with good percussion and were really snappy with punch. When I lived in California they performed often at the Phoenix Theater in Petaluma. They are hardcore punk but a lot of fun to listen to.

Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab - The Power and the Majesty
Just for fun, I tried Mobile Fidelity's Thunderstorm on CD. The thunder sounded pretty damn real on the NEOs with the volume up. Just listening to the raindrops, wind and water running made me feel cold and wet. That's convincing sound.

Tappi Tíkarrass - Miranda (vinyl)
The recording on vinyl is very good but Björk has a natural edginess to her sound on this album. On lesser headphones Skrið has a hard sound that is not enjoyable. Listening to it on the NEOs without the EQ curve was actually good and very listenable. Drek-Lek and Beri Beri had a good sound stage on the NEOs. Vocals were good. Get Ekki Sofið had ambience with a large sound stage. With the EQ curve in play the vocals became more alive with a more defined sound stage which was very apparent with the drums. I've always liked listening to Björk Guðmundsdóttir. She has a unique sound and style to her music. When she was in San Francisco I saw her performance on the stage at pier 32 (great show). Tappi Tíkarrass was her first band in 1983.

Lastly I tried them out on my Sonim XP5 smart phone with the same music. Now this is where these headphones really shine. Their inherent pronounced mid-bass characteristics and faint drop in the upper mid-band actually made for a really fun time listening to these and made up for the shortcomings of my phone's audio electronics. The sound was very well balanced and quite smooth with no equalization needed at all. I think I found a new add-on to buy for my smart phone here.

Conclusion
Overall, I like them. The build quality is there. The included accessories and hard shell case complete the ensemble well. The fact you can change out cables and use them with your cell phone to listen AND talk is a plus. Yes, they have a definite sound signature of their own, but on a lot of music they do the job well. If you are into critical monitoring for recording these are not headphones to get (that's what my KRK's are for). But for general listening at home they do the job well. They are very efficient which is good for portable electronics giving you more run time on batteries.

Overall at $249 a set I think they are a good deal.

In a nutshell, these are a good set of headphones I'd like to own for my portable electronics.

At the time of the review, the Meze 99 Neo were listed for pre-sale on their website. Here is a link for information and purchase:

http://bit.ly/2n6YzEx

Introduction
Meze is a relatively newer headphone company. Last year they released their inaugural headphone, the 99 Classics. It seemed as though there was a new review of the product on the Head-Fi front page once or twice a week for a long period of time, with most reviews being very positive. I was lucky enough to get an opportunity to review the 99 Classics, and was pleased with their price to performance ratio. Here is a link to the review:

https://www.head-fi.org/f/showcase/meze-99-classics.21066/reviews?page=2#review-16685

The more I listen to the Classics, the more I can appreciate what Meze has done. They aren’t necessarily an audiophile or consumer friendly tuning. Their sound falls somewhere between the two and gives owners a pair of full-size headphones that are sensitive enough to be used with their smartphones and can also paired with a high end desktop rig. Considering the price to performance and unique tuning and sharp looks, their headphones appeal to a diverse crowd.

The Meze team is a group of nice guys from Romania who found a niche in the headphone market with the 99 Classics. Their success has led them to release a reasonably priced and similarly tuned line of in-ear monitors, the 11 Neo and 12 Classics. I have a pair of 11 Neo and they sound excellent in their own right. Having heard their entire lineup, it seems that Meze is sticking to a highly enjoyable “house sound” that many can appreciate.

When Meze contacted me to see if I was interested in reviewing a new headphone called the 99 Neo, there was no hesitation in accepting their offer. From how it was explained the 99 Neo was basically a new spin on the Classics, using ABS (high quality plastic) cups instead of wood. The more cost effective material would also help drop their asking price as compared to the 99 Classics. Let’s take a look and listen to the Neo.

REVIEW

The 99 Neo comes in a black and gray box with black lettering and glossy photos of the product. If you own a pair of Classics you will see almost identical information on both sides of the box, with the only difference being six Ohms variance in the headphone’s impedance.


Opening the box, I’m greeted with a travel case a-la the 99 Classics, but with a cloth jacketing as opposed to the synthetic leather material used in the previous model. Functionally speaking, they both are identical in shape and do the same job.

Specifications and Accessories

Specifications:
Transducer size: 40mm
Frequency response: 15Hz - 25KHz
Sensitivity: 103dB at 1KHz, 1mW
Impedance: 26 Ohm
Rated input power: 30mW
Maximum input power: 50mW
Detachable Kevlar OFC cable
Plug: 3.5mm gold plated
Weight: 260 gr (9.2 ounces) without cables
Ear-cups: ABS Plastic

Accessories:
1X Pair Meze 99 Neo headphones
1X Cloth hard-shell zipper travel case
1X Cloth zipper accessories pouch
1X 1.2 Meter cable with mic/remote for Android and Iphone (version 6 and lower)
1X 10 Foot stereo cable
1X 1/4 Inch stereo adapter
1X Airline adapter


Overall Build

The build is identical to the 99 Classics but with one exception, the cups are made of black ABS plastic. Holding them in my hand, they have the same weight, and almost identical build quality. The ABS cups look more modern than the wood cups of the 99 Classics. If you are familiar with the build and fit of the 99 Classics you might want to skip ahead to the sound portion of this review.


The build quality of the 99 Neo is great in comparison to many headphones in its price range. They have a spring steel headband with a synthetic leather band that attaches via an elastic band on each side of the frame. Those who own AKG headphones, it's basically the same concept.

The frame of the 99 Neo attaches to a ball and socket design which connects to the ABS cups. The cups have ample oscillation which helps create a comfortable fit. Memory foam pads stretch around a ABS plate which holds the 99 Neo’s 40mm mylar drivers.


Each side has a 3.5mm mono terminal, meaning each channel runs separately without sharing any wiring in the headband. You can easily order an aftermarket balanced cable without having to do any modification to the headphone itself.

All in all (and just like the 99 Classics) I’m very happy with the build quality of these headphones and don’t see them breaking any time soon (if handled with a reasonable amount of care). I personally prefer the more modern black and chrome look of the 99 Neo over the wood cups of the Classics.

Cable, Cable Jacks, Strain Reliefs

Meze gives you all the cables you need to get started. The 1.2 meter mic/remote cable is Kevlar coated and has high quality and durable connections. The mic/remote is a single button variation (no volume control) that's made of metal and has a high quality rubber button. Strain reliefs are adequate. Also included is a ten foot cable that comes in handy when using them at home.


Comfort, Isolation, Microphonics

Between the stretchable PU leather headband and memory foam pads, the 99 Neo is better than average in terms of comfort. The 99 Neo is easy to wear and no adjustments are needed to achieve a secure and comfortable fit. Simply set the headphones on your head and stretch the cups down and over your ears. For a closed headphone, the 99 Neo works great for long listening sessions. They will get warm on the ears, but not excessively hot (unless used in hot weather). Under normal indoor conditions I was able to wear the 99 Neo for extended listening sessions without breaking a sweat or needing to take a break.


Meze has made a positive change in comparison to their older models of 99 Classics by making the circumference of the ear pads a bit larger. Just for the record, newer versions of the 99 Classics also uses a larger circumference pair of pads as well.

Isolation is better than a semi open design, but a bit below average as compared to other pairs of closed headphones. External noise is easily hears when music is not playing, but eliminated when it is.

Just like the 99 Classics, one of my biggest gripes about the 99 Neo is the amount of microphonics. Simply put, the spring steel frame creates a lot of of microphonics and noise inside the cups when they rub against or make contact with any other surface. Avoid making contact with other materials and you won’t have a problem. Give them a tap on the spring steel frame while wearing them and you’ll see what I mean. There is also noise from the headband when the amount of stretch on the headband is changed. I don’t consider this to be a deal breaker, but definitely something that can get annoying if you’re trying to rest your head against the back of a chair or wall while listening to them.


Sound Review

I did my demo with my usual gear. I used an LG-V20 for smartphone use, and either my Shanling H3, Fiio X7/AM3 combo, or iBasso DX80 DAP/Bushmaster D14 DAC/Amp for high fidelity portable use. For desktop use, I used my Toshiba Satellite Laptop in combination with my Aune S6/S7, or ifi micro iDSD playing at 32/192 kHz. I tested them with several other sources as well. I used Google Music in its highest download quality (320 KBPS), and also streamed FLAC via Tidal streaming service. I also used purchased and downloaded tracks in MP3, FLAC, WAV and DSD. I make sure that any gear I test has sufficient playtime before writing a review.

I used my usual same songs for testing gear:
“Limit to your love” by James Blake (bass speed, punch, response)
“Doin’ it Right” by Daft Punk (sub bass)
“Get lucky” by Daft Punk (bass to midrange transition resolution, male vocals)
“Madness” by Muse (soundstage, separation)
“Some nights” by Fun (soundstage and male vocals)
“The soundmaker” by Rodrigo y Gabriela (texture and imaging)
“Bassically” by Tei Shi (bass to midrange resolution, female vocals)
“Skinny Love” performed by Birdie (female vocals, acoustic playback)
“One” by Ed Sheeran (male vocals, acoustic playback)
“Outlands” from the Tron Legacy Soundtrack (symphonic presentation, imaging)
“Sultans of swing” by Dire Straits (detail, separation, balance)
“And Justic for All” by Metallica (driver distortion, treble response, rock playback)
“Ten thousand fists” by Disturbed (driver distortion, treble response, rock playback)


Note: Other tracks were used, but the listed songs were primarily used to assess and break down the gear’s response.



Source Selection
Coming in at 26 Ohms, the 99 Neo is easy to drive for a full sized headphone and can be used with a smartphone. It will sound decent with low power sources, but gets a boost in fidelity when used with added amplification.


The 99 Neo sounds best to my ears with a powerful and neutral source. My favorite sources used where the iFi micro iDSD in medium gain setting and Fiio X7/AM3. A lean and powerful source seemed to compliment the 99 Neo tuning and seemed to make them sound more responsive and natural than colored sources. The Meze tuning is very forgiving, and will sound great with any recording and genre of music you throw at it.



Sound Signature
Have you heard the 99 Classics? If you have, they sound nearly identical to my ears. Meze uses the same drivers, pads, and cup shape. The only different effects on the sonics is the ABS housings. I did extensive A-B comparisons and found some very subtle differences. The differences are so subtle that it could be a matter of burn-in hours on the drivers, or variances in production models. I will however report this in the sound review and comparison sections.



The 99 Neo falls somewhere between audiophile and consumer friendly. They are slightly bass forward, have a slightly emphasized mid-bass and lower mid-range, warm tilted mid-range, and polite yet adequate higher frequency response. They sound good at low or high volumes and don’t discriminate any genre of music. These are a headphone that will work fantastic for those who enjoy an eclectic music library.



Bass
Bass on the 99 Neo is somewhat forward. The low frequency emphasis doesn’t venture into “basshead” territory, but brings enough thump and rumble to give listeners all the slam they need to enjoy almost any music genre. At the same time the 99 Neo has the refrain to not butcher stuff meant to sound natural and organic.

Sub bass is present but takes a small step back from mid-bass frequencies. I’m not sure if the ABS housings (or larger circumference pads) make the difference, but the sub bass of the 99 Neo seems a bit tighter and slightly more responsive than the Classics (this is a good thing). Even still, this isn’t the tightest and most responsive sub-bass you’ll hear. It’s better than your average pair of headphones, but not on the same level as the more elite planar or high end dynamic headphones I’ve heard.

Mid bass is somewhat bold and has a nice impactful punch. The forward nature does impact lower mid-range a bit but doesn’t make it sound overwhelmingly distorted or sloppy. It’s big and bold, with a slight veil that doesn’t seem to ruin the listening experience.

If the Neo had more bass I might be calling these things bloated or terribly veiled, but that’s not really the case. These headphones have a bold and robust lower frequency range, period. Bass heavy music will sound, well, bassy. Those looking for a neutral, linear and fast response, you’re not going to find it here. Those who like a splash of added dynamics and color will like what’s going on with these cans.

Mid-Range
Mids are dynamic in lower registers, soft at upper mid tones and somewhat soft in attack. Overall the mid response is pleasant and easy on the ears. I would say that it is overall neutral with a bit of warmth and impact in the lower half.

Male vocals and lower midrange instruments take a step down from mid-bass frequencies and are still a touch forward. Mid bass does impact the lower midrange sounds, especially with bass heavy modern genres and complex music passages. Female vocals for the most part are natural. Higher pitches female vocals come across a bit soft and slightly distant.

All vocals finish smooth to my ears. Upper mid-range has a somewhat soft attack that isn’t significant, but noticeable during critical listening. Overall, I like the balance Meze provides. I can see some not caring for the lower mid-range and consider it to have unwelcomed and thick resonance while others will love it for the same reason and state that it has nice texture, color and warmth.

Treble
Treble is forward enough to prevent listeners from calling them dark, and has a clean delivery. Of all frequency ranges this is the clearest sounding. I’m not going to say it’s the farthest back in the mix, but the Meze 99 Neo avoids sibilance in recordings and still maintains an adequate and snappy presentation.

99 Neo’s treble isn’t the most extended thing you’ll ever listen to but won’t take away from your listening experience at all. Cymbal crashes are audible and clean, but a bit in back of the mix and don’t have a lot of energy or shimmer.

Overall I enjoy the the treble tuning of the 99 Neo and feel it’s one of their best attributes. PRAT is good with the 99 Neo, and at the same time they avoid harsh frequencies that would take away from the overall listening experience.



Soundstage and Imaging
This is the criteria where source and music genre matters most. With modern genres, synthesized bass lines and colored sources, the 99 Neo soundstage suffers a bit. With a leaner and more neutral sources and less bassy recordings, the soundstage is perceptually large and vocals will pop. The somewhat L-shape tuning and forward bass response doesn’t create a very good sense of instrument placement. To be honest, the less bass a track had, the more out of head the headphones sound. The more bass, the more “in-head” they became.



Comparisons

Meze 99 Classics ($309 USD on Meze’s website)
The 99 Classics are the original Meze headphone and the 99 Neo is it’s offspring. The Classics differ in terms of materials used on the cups (Classics=wood, Neo=ABS plastic). Both headphones have the same drivers, housing shape, ear pads, design and build (aside from cup materials).

In terms of sound there are subtle differences between the two. As I said earlier I can’t guarantee the difference is consistent because my pair of 99 Classics is older, so age of the product could be an issue.

Comparing my pairs, the 99 Neo bass seems a bit cleaner, punchier, and a tiny bit more mid-bass forward than the 99 Classics. The attack and decay of bass notes with the 99 Neo (primarily sub-bass tones) seems to be a bit more clean and responsive. Midrange of the 99 Classics is a bit more spacious sounding (partly due to the softer and slower mid-bass response). Treble is pretty much identical to my ears.

At the end of the day, I could easily confuse the two. The cup material may be whats causing a slight difference in impressions when comparing them, but it’s a small difference. I don’t prefer the sound of one of them over the other. The Neo has an improved bass response over the Classic, but loses a little bit of magic in the midrange as a result. To my ears it’s a draw. They both accomplish the same level of listening experience in my opinion. Those of you who found the Meze 99 Classic’s bass to be a little sloppy (especially at sub-bass levels) the Neo is the upgrade in this regard.

In terms of build quality, I guess I would have to give the 99 Classics a slight advantage because of the more premium material used for the cups. However, I find the black ABS cups of the 99 Neo to be a little more modern and visually appealing. The Neo cups don’t look or feel cheap whatsoever, and the finish gels well with the rest of the parts. Accessories are virtually identical.

There are a couple reasons why I think these will appeal to the headphone market. First of all, the 99 Classics have a mature look to them. Hold them next to a pair of Beats and it’s almost laughable how different they are in terms of style. The Neo however sits somewhere between the two. I think the appearance of the Neo will appeal more to a younger audience. Secondly, They perform on the same level as the Classics and come in at sixty dollars cheaper. I have to mention the increased price to performance ratio thanks to the drop in price.

Soundmagic HP150 ($130 to $150 USD on many sites)

The HP150 is a somewhat V-shaped tuning with a large soundstage for a closed headphone.

Comparing the two, the sound of these headphones are substantially different. The HP150 has a responsive sub bass focused tuning while the 99 Neo has a mid-bass forward lower frequency response. Midrange on the HP150 is thinner, drier and a bit more recessed on the HP150 while the 99 Neo mids are fuller, warmer and more fluid sounding. Treble on the HP150 is crisper and more extended as compared to the more relaxed and controlled highs of the 99 Neo. Soundstage on the HP150 is larger thanks to the V-signature. Meze’s 99 Neo has a smaller but more natural sounding stage. The HP150 sounds better at low volumes and the highs are harsh at louder volumes. The 99 Neo sounds better at louder volumes (with leaner and cleaner sounding sources).



Design and build goes to the 99 Neo. They are a more stylish and better built pair of headphones that is also more comfortable to wear. The HP150 does a much better job with isolation and handling of microphonics. I give a slight edge to the 99 Neo in terms of accessories. Their case is more sleek and stylish, and the cables Meze provides is superior to the what you get with the HP150.


Conclusion (TLDR)
Meze has brought to market a more affordable version of the Meze 99 Classics. The cups are ABS this time around instead of wood. The cup change appears to make a very subtle difference to the sound, but other than that they are a more affordable version of the classics. The Bass response appears to be a touch more responsive. The black ABS cups look pretty stylish as well.

Just like the last offering, the 99 Neo is a headphone that is easy to drive and works decently with almost all genres of music. Meze’s mid-bass and lower mid-range forward sound will probably be too emphasized for those who are looking for a linear and neutral sounding headphone. Those who like a little oomph and color at this range will like what’s going on here. Lows and highs are pleasant to listen to and don’t get in the way of enjoying them.

When rating a product I have to take all criteria into account (including price). I’ll cut to the chase with this one. I gave the 99 Classics four stars and the Neo gets the same score. They have almost identical strengths and weaknesses. However, I give the Neo a thumbs up for the sleek black and chrome look to go along with the drop in price. If you have been on the fence, deciding whether or not you want to buy the Classics and prefer the look of the Neo, the price drop and updated aesthetic might be the factors that push you over the edge.

Thanks for reading and happy listening!

Disclaimer
This sample was sent to me for the purpose of an honest review. I'm not affiliated with the company in any way and all observations and opinions here are my own, based on my experience with the product.

The Meze 99 Neo is currently priced at $249 and can be purchased from the company's website: https://www.mezeaudio.com/


Packaging and accessories

The Neo arrived in a high quality, light gray cardboard box with a partial image of the headphone on the front. The box is sealed by a magnet and when opened reveals the hard carrying case inside, nestled among some black protective foam.

Opening up the case presents you with the headphone and a hockey puck-shaped zippered case which contains the cable and two adapters (x1 airline, x1 3.5 mm to 6.35 mm). The hard case is a great addition and is perfect for protecting your headphone when not in use or during transport.



The included cable is nice and a perfect length for desktop use while still being practical enough for portability. The lower section has a braided material covering and above the Y-split it changes to a rubberized sheathing. At the top end are the two 3.5 mm plugs that connect to either side of the headphone. A small feature that goes to show Meze really does pay attention to detail is the slight raised ridge on the left cable plug where most manufacturers opt to make both sides identical.



On the left side is the metal in-line microphone and rubberized single button controller. The button has a nice tactile click to it and feels quite durable. Finally the cable terminates in a straight metal, 3.5 mm plug.



Build, comfort and isolation

Onto the headphone itself now and this is where so much of the Neo's appeal comes from, in its sublime form and design. Simplicity is key in this aspect and it lends an effortless elegance to the Neo's appearance. The basis of the frame consists of a double sided manganese spring steel arch which is lightweight yet very sturdy. Connected to this is the self adjusting headband that's screwed in to the lower section. This particular headband is a wide pleather with "99 NEO" embossed on the top side. There's very little down force to it which is a good part of the reason this headphone is so comfortable but the fit feels really secure and sits firmly in place, even when you're moving about.



Meze have cleverly forgone the usual clasp that secures the metal arch and instead connected it directly to the earcups. This time around, gone are the wooden earcups and they've been replaced by charcoal black ABS plastic. The earcups have a slightly textured matte finish, look great and at the same time very robust. Lastly the earpads are a medium density memory foam that softly hug your dome and have enough space inside to accommodate even large ears.



Comfort is excellent with the soft pads and light clamping force and I can easily wear the Neo for hours on end without discomfort. The closed backs mean that your ears might get a bit hot but hey, closed back headphones are always going to be like that. The wide, well padded headband and low down-force add again to the comfort.

Isolation is pretty good too as you'd expect with closed backs and there's really not much more to say about that. While I personally prefer to use in-ears on the go the Neo is also well suited to the task and there's enough isolation given to use it in most scenarios without issue.

Sound

Gear used for testing

• Acoustic Research AR-M20 > 99 Neo
• ATC HDA-DP20 > Phatlab Sassy II > 99 Neo
• Foobar2000 > Topping DX7 > 99 Neo

The Neo does not require amplification as it's super easy to drive with an impedance of just 26 Ohm. It can be paired with almost any low powered device but as always, a better DAC will usually provide superior overall sound. Due to the warm nature of the headphone I'd recommend a neutral source to get the best results.

I never had an opportunity to hear the 99 Classic so I wasn't exactly sure what to expect from the Neo. I was pretty certain they'd be good considering the coverage, awards and hype that had surrounded the Classic. My first listen gave me something very different from what I was anticipating. I thought it was going to be a very "audiophile" tuned sound, rather linear, perhaps even close to neutral with a clean, tight bass, loads of detail and resolution etc. Imagine my surprise when I heard the accentuated, meaty bass and warm overtones. "Wait a second" I thought... This is tuned for fun. It's built to be emotive, to make you forget that you intended to do some critical listening and instead draw you in and lose yourself to the music. These things are designed for pleasure plain and simple.

Bass has a healthy boost taking it way north of neutral. It has a slow attack, giving bass notes a soft edge and similarly the somewhat slow decay adds to the rounded effect. At times it even seems a bit loose but that's not necessarily a bad thing although on occasion it does mean that some detail in the music gets lost. There's a definite mid-bass hump that carries over into the lower mids and adds to the overall warmth. Sub-bass in contrast is quite tame in tonal balance but can still provide a satisfying rumble. It extends fairly well but does roll-off a little and plays second fiddle to the mid-bass dominance.

Midrange is lush and organic, very musical and not in the least bit dry or analytical. In "New Horizon" by The Gentle Storm the mids occasionally struggle for a foothold and are suppressed by the thick drums. In Loreena Mckennitt's "Emmanuel" however, the Neo shines on this vocal and strings based track, its warmth smoothing Loreena's high notes and bringing out the rich resonance of the classical backing strings. An album that's a great match for the Neo's properties is Language of the Ancients by S1gns of L1fe, with it's soothing, ambient sounds and hypnotic bass lines.

Treble is unremarkable but only because it plays a lesser role in the overall warm tuning. Timbre is accurate and the extension is there, it's just that the treble doesn't have much prominence. It does make the Neo easy to listen to and should appeal to the treble sensitive. Listening to Utada Hikaru's "Traveling" the track's inherent sibilance can still be heard, so the treble is not artificially smoothed over but rather sits at the back of the mix. Still in Bill Withers' "Soul Shadows" the hi-hats have a great lift and come out to play throughout the whole track.

Soundstage is above average for a closed back headphone. There are plenty of times when it can reach outside of the headspace, generally in music with lighter bass this becomes more evident. Depth though is very good and the imaging is excellent. Positional cues are accurate and defining in the large sized sphere portrayed which provide the added bonus of making the Neo good for some first person gaming as well.



Comparisons

Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro 250 Ohm ($179 USD)
The DT990 is well known for its strong V-shaped signature so it has similarly boosted bass levels but also has a lot more treble as well. It's more resolving than the Neo and reveals more small details but can get a little strident or overenthusiastic on the high frequencies. The DT990's bass notes are more defined and controlled bringing more punch where the Neo brings the thump. Both headphones are exceptionally comfortable and well worth their respective prices.

Ultrasone Performance 860 ($362 USD)
The 860 is much more linear across the board so offers a very different sound compared to the Neo. Bass is tighter and faster without any of the same boomy properties found on the Meze. Midrange in comparison is a lot thinner and less lush than the Neo's. The treble is where these two have the most in common, being neutral-ish on both. The 860 reveals more details in music but presents itself in a more clinical and less emotive manner compared to the "fun" tuning of the Neo.



Conclusion

The Meze 99 Neo is more than just a good sounding headphone. The look and feel of it combined with the sound provided all add up to make it an experience that's quite unique. If you're a fan of attention to detail and subtle elegance you'll get a kick out of how well this headphone is designed. However those looking for neutrality should seek other options. Sure it might not provide the best audio quality out there but you have to keep in mind the very affordable $249 price tag which ultimately makes this a very easy recommendation for anyone looking for something comfortable, stylish and downright fun to listen to.

Specs:

• Transducer size: 40mm
• Frequency response: 15Hz - 25KHz
• Sensitivity: 103dB at 1KHz, 1mW
• Impedance: 26 Ohm
• Rated input power: 30mW
• Maximum input power: 50mW
• Detachable Kevlar OFC cable
• Plug: 3.5mm gold plated
• Weight: 260 gr (9.2 ounces) without cables
• Ear-cups: ABS Plastic

Hot off my rendezvous with the Meze Audio 11 Neo, the exquisite house of Meze in Romania has managed to delight me with another guest and although I am yet to be a full-on convert for the cult following surrounding how Meze has managed to be a company associated with meticulous standards both in form and function. I am yet put again tempted by them to try and prove such standards do exist with their interpretation of what a headphone should look and sound in the form of the Meze 99 Neo. Provided directly by Meze Audio in exchange for an honest realview. You can visit their castle, I mean website at Meze Audio. The Meze 99 Neo, released in 2017 and is priced at $249, it sits smack on a headphone market swarming with audiophile grade options. The Meze 99 Neo Headphones houses a 40mm dynamic transducers on a black ABS plastic earcups, 15Hz - 25 KHz Frequency Response, 103dB Sensitivity, 26 Ohm Impedance. The 99 Neo features detachable Kevlar OFC cable which bodes well for those worried of cable breakage as well as an in-house subdued yet contemporary design conceptualized over long hours of sketches and outlines and with all these specifications, is the Meze Audio 99 Neo worthy of a fan base?






The Meze 99 Neo barged in into my office sporting its packaging with shades of 2-tone grayscale. All the necessary details and information about the headphones is stated with 3 images of the 99 Neo all highlighting its detailed construction, do note that the back of the package has a security hologram on the lower left portion to guarantee authenticity of the 99 Neo which as they say, it’s all in the details. Opening up the box greeted me with an admirable and sexy black case contoured to the curves of the 99 Neo, the zipper zips smoothly and hanging tab is also present as well as a metal chrome and black Meze logo which I would love to have as a pin to stick on my work backpack. A brochure is also present along with all their current line-up of headphones and earphones and company details which was good for light reading. Inside the box was the 99 Neo’s themselves, comfortably resting on the smooth suede lining interiors of the case. A storage pouch was also present along which contained the detachable Kevlar OFC cable, 6.3mm gold-plated jack and an airline adapter. I tried storing the 99 Neo with cables attached on the case and sadly, it doesn’t work so the case is clearly for portable usage and not for storing it when used at home, I’d recommend getting a dedicated headphone stand because the 99 Neo is damn sensual to look at.



The 99 Neo isn’t foldable in any way which was fine since it has a gorgeous case to begin with, trade-offs my lads. It uses ABS plastic for its earcups which had leather-like grooves and is isn’t a fingerprint magnet, it is sturdy and the cable ports as well as the earcup outline is lined with electroplated precision die-cast zinc alloy, I have seen how this electroplating process takes place and believe me, the 99 Neo metal components won’t be rusting anytime soon. The headband is a chromium-manganese alloy which is if you’re familiar with your alloys, this specific combination provides improved strength and ductility for the times your 99 Neo meets your bad days and so far, none of my bad days have broken the 99 Neo. The support system of the 99 Neo utilized a self-adjusting PU leather headband with 99 Neo embedded on the top portion joined underneath by an elastic rubber garter attached to a thin strip of metal which terminates on a striking zinc alloy(also electroplated) joint for the 2-piece headbands.



The earpads uses soft PU leather with medium density memory foam. It is soft and non-irritating to wear and use, I managed to pull off around 3-4 hours of use on it, the clamping force of the headbands is also cozy, I have a relatively small head so the clamping force might be strong for others, depends really. I’m also glad that the Yaxi earpads that I have lying around did fit the 99 Neo and will state the differences in the sound analysis portion of the realview while so far the comfort was relatively similar except that the Yaxi earpads on the 99 Neo gave a encased feeling since it has larger chamber circumference as well as the velour part gave a more movable feel for the earcups.


Changing the earpads on the 99 Neo is easy and doesn’t involve any proprietary molds which I have seen on other headphones making earpads changing a pain. The included detachable Kevlar OFC cable isn’t stiff nor too pliable, it has the right amount of tension to it allowing it easy to store while also being hefty enough to stay in place and not wiggle around when used on the go. All of the cables metal components are machined aluminum with gold-plated plugs. The included mic controls worked flawlessly on both Android and iOS devices as well as the mic itself, the y-split has subtle 99 Neo branding and compliments the headphone aesthetics well. It is slightly microphonic yet unnoticeable most of the time. The overall build of the 99 Neo is indeed a work of art both made for work and art, no clanking and rattling here and there and the design language flows fluidly from each component to another.


Upon using the Meze 99 Neo’s, a sense of lax atmosphere envelops the user. Despite switching from multiple sources ranging from the Opus 1, Sony ZX1, Xduoo X3ii, Sony CAS-1 via an MSI laptop and also direct from the said laptop and the OnePlus 3T, the 99 Neo sound was evidently a non-overdoing set of cans, it delivers a smooth and easy sound which leans on the warmer spectrum. I have used it extensively and haven’t found any singular frequency that distinctly outshines any other aside from the low-end giving a more resonating vibe that ever so slightly extends to the midrange.


Having said that the 99 Neo being a set of warm sounding cans, its low-end performance doesn’t overpower the other frequencies in a manner of great extent. Kicking in Fleetwood Mac’s Dreams in 16/44 Flac showcases its good bass attack capabilities, sub bass drops had good body to it and decays on a slower pace which was surprisingly wasn’t congesting even on consecutive sub bass drops. The bass performance was clean and reverbs effortlessly providing an added zest on the lower frequencies which resulted on its easy sounding warm signature.


The 99 Neo’s midrange gives it its strong coherent performance, transitional notes in the lower and upper midrange weaves through the spectrum smoothly. Angela Bofill’s Angel of the Night in 16/44 Flac had good dynamics on them and the female vocals had distinct clarity on them and had good definition which compliments the bass hits well. Vocal timber sounds a tad colored but doesn’t reach unnatural levels. Trying out the male vocals was done with Scorpion’s Wind of Change in 16/44 Flac, upper midrange performance was clear and detailed even showcasing sporadic extension abilities while the male vocals still sounded a tad colored but had more air to it which was extensively highlighted near the 3:33 minute mark.


I decided to pull out Jerry Cortez’s Around the Globe in 16/44 Flac to focus on checking out the 99 Neo’s higher frequency abilities. There is noticeable lack of bite on this set of cans although it is still able to deliver a lively and musical vibe on the signature. The lack of bite also showed supplemented the fact that the 99 Neo’s doesn’t induce harsh and piercing highs instead gives out a totally non-fatiguing experience.


Spandau Ballet’s Code of Love in 16/44 Flac was used to test out the soundstage and imaging which right off the bat gave out a rather intimate feel, studio-like. Imaging was distinct and easy to identify. There is great sense of left to right orientation especially when instrumental hits are made. Detail retrieval is on point. Those who put a premium on a very wide soundstage would need to look elsewhere.



I was fortunate enough to have the Yaxi Pads for the CD900st’s lying around and from all the other earpads I had the fit the CD900st, it was surprising that only the Yaxi’s managed to fit the 99 Neo. This was all because of the 99 Neo’s very slim earpad lining outline which all the other earpads didn’t managed to fit in, the leather on those were too thick so note that when you are looking forward to trying 3rd party earpads for the 99 Neo’s. The noticeable differences between the stock 99 Neo earpads and the Yaxi’s were the circumference size. The Yaxi’s had a much larger circumference and also had deeper earpad depth giving more area for your ears and the 99 Neo drivers themselves although the cloth lining had the same thickness on both earpads. Sound changes were minimal with the Yaxi giving out more air and soundstage than the stock one’s yet also taking the highs down which wasn’t a good thing. I ended using the stock earpads until now.



There is much to be said for the Meze 99 Neo just from its build quality alone which is unusual for a company who is fairly new to the game. The accessory set checks all the right boxes not to mention the sophistication poured on them. The sound needs no getting used to as it sits right home with it’s easy to love appeal, one not focused on getting critical and clinical with technicalities. Viewing the 99 Neo at $249 on an audiophile perspective familiar with his options wouldn’t entice one much except for the fact that this set of cans would possibly last a long time even with constant use, a result stemming from the confidence you can get just when using it 1st hand which suits its name, 99 Neo, a sign that something new can feel lasting.

More reviews on my site, http://audiorealviews.site/

Introduction –

Meze has made quite the entrance into the audio field with a great reception to both their in-ear and over-ear headphone line-ups. I know a lot of readers are familiar with Meze’s 99 Classics, it was a great contender within the $400 portable headphone range that brought some unique features, a very appealing design along with highly competitive sound quality wrapped within lush tuning; immediately rocketing to the front pages of Head-fi. So I was immediately excited to hear that Meze had released a new headphone, the 99 Neo, bringing that same iconic design and sound within a slightly cheaper ($60 cheaper), more contemporary package.

Though personal experience with all of Meze’s products, I have found much to love within their warm, smooth house sound and keen eye for both attractive and pragmatic designs. But I also have extensive experience with a lot of the top performing portable headphones around this price, either through long-term loan or ownership, so I’m not too quick to fawn over the latest models. With that said, let’s see how the 99 Neo stands up to the best headphones in the business.

 

Disclaimer –

I received the Meze 99 Neo from Meze’s review tour. There is no monetary incentive for a positive review and despite receiving the headphones free of cost, I will attempt to be as objective as possible in my evaluation.

 

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.

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Accessories –

The 99 Neo comes within a nice box that thankfully bucks the low-key all black trend instead, with a tasteful white/grey scheme. The box magnetically latches open to reveal the headphones and accessories within a very nice hard case, the same included with the 99 Classics.

It’s one of nicest included cases I’ve seen in a while, perfectly fitting the headphones with a small zippered pouch for accessories/cables and a nice embossed metal meze logo up front. I would like a little more room to keep the cable attached to the headphones while in the case though the design of the 99 Neo’s does not permit the cable to be easily wrapped up anyway.

In addition to the case, the 99 Neo comes equipped with a 3.5mm to 1/4″ adapter, gold-plated aeroplane adapter and two cables like the Oppo PM3. One is a 3M audio-only cable and the other is a 1.2M cable with single-button remote and mic for use with smartphones. Both are OFC with the same diameter, they were sonically identical in my testing and it’s great to see Meze including both cables from factory.

The 99 Neo really provide a nice unboxing experience. While the packaging might not be as lavish as something from Bower and Wilkins for example, the included accessories and the quality of those accessories are far more impressive. In particular, I believe that every portable headphone like this should come with a solid hard case and the one included with the 99 Neo’s is sturdy and pragmatic, unlike the fabric pouches that come with the Denon-MM400’s, B&W P7’s and Sony MDR-1A’s.

 

Design –

Those familiar with the 99 Classics will find solace in the 99 Neo’s almost identical design, carrying the same iconic looks and comfortable, ergonomic fit. Of note, they do have the larger, plusher earpads found on later 99 Classics revisions and I did find the Neo to be that much more comfortable than early 99 Classics that felt a bit cramped.

Visually, the 99 Neo compounds upon Meze’s fantastic craftsmanship and design with the 99 Classics; they are an evolution of the retro design popularised by the Sennheiser Momentum. The 99 Neo’s aren’t a compact headphone, but their tapered earcups and unique headband enable a surprisingly low profile fit on the head when compared to similar models despite having especially spacious earcups.

The 99 Neo might look frail due to those thin headband rails and small earcup adjustment mechanisms, though in the hand, the headphones are very solid with a reassuring rigidity to every component. The unique headband mechanism also grants the headphones with a very low centre of gravity, making them far more stable on the head than even the Oppo PM3 and strongly clamping Denon MM-400; they are one of the only headphones that have stayed put on my head when lying down. But coming back to comparison with the Classics, while the leather textured PVA earcups on the 99 Neo do look great, they still fail to match the in-hand feel of the wooden Classics and feel inauthentic compared to the lambskin encased B&W and Bang and Olfusens. That being said, they don’t seem prone to scratches nor smudges and are perfectly well-finished.

When it comes to fitment, portable headphones have always struggled to find the balance between comfort, convenience and portability. The Oppo PM3 and B&O H6 are, to my ear, the best fitting portable headphones on the market, though the 99 Neo might just match them in overall fit, making them superior to headphones such as B&W P7 which had a stiff, thin headband and Denon MM-400 which had thin, shallow earpads. In fact, the 99 Neo is almost a combination between an at-home and portable headphone, working well for both due to their great long term comfort and isolation/tuning.

This outstanding comfort begins with those swivelling earcups and absolutely fantastic earpads that are roomy even for those with large ears such as myself and stuffed with extremely plush memory foam. They’re coated in a soft, slightly grippy pleather that provides some extra fit stability but doesn’t feel as rubbery as that employed on the Denon MM-400’s nor as fragile as that used on the Sony MDR-1A’s (though I would assume that they wouldn’t age as well as real leather in the long term). The pads completely engulf my ears unlike the MM-400’s and ATH-MSR-7’s, forming a perfect seal with nice passive noise isolation comparable, if not slightly superior to other sealed headphones like the Denon MM-400 and B&W P7, but still a little less than class leaders like the Oppo PM3 and B&O H6. Comfort still isn’t perfect, the drivers protrude a little, just contacting my outer ear though I didn’t find this to be an issue unless I wore the headphones for days on end. Still, this isn’t something that affect the PM3’s nor the H6’s though they are far more comfortable than the Sennheiser Momentums and B&W P7’s.

This positive impression continues onto the exemplary headband which is by far one of the best I have used among the usual thin, stiff or inadequately padded units; portable headphones just have bad headbands in general. The 99 Neo differs in that regard, by employing a suspension system identical to that on the 99 Classics; it’s the type of basic convenience that makes a world of difference in daily use. While headbands like this are not unique in general, it’s still a very rare feature among portable headphones and Meze’s implementation works especially well. The headband itself is a thick, soft and slightly padded leather strap that conforms perfectly to every head shape. The suspension system automatically adjusts every time though elastic tension, guaranteeing a reliable fit without the need for a clicking or sliding headband adjustment mechanism. I found the headband tension to be just slightly higher than I would prefer though the large surface area of the band evenly distributes pressure and the elastic is sure to loosen up slightly over time. Clamp force was also well-judged but, being a portable headphone, they still clamp quite firmly. That being said, the thick, plush earpads disperse the pressure and clamp force is quite even throughout its range so they won’t clamp too hard on those with larger head sizes.

The cable is dual entry, unlike most other portable headphones that use a single side cable though it is removable, connecting via two regular 2.5mm mono connectors. Of note, the headphones are perfectly symmetrical which makes swapping the cable just a little easier. Both the 3M and 1.2M cables carry the same design with a tapered aluminium straight jack, braided lower segment with basic rubber sheathing above the y-split. The cables are Kevlar braided for longevity though they could still do with more strain relief near the jack. Thickness is well-considered for portable usage though the rubbery texture above the y-split does tend to catch on clothes should you want to route the cable through your jumper. Being a dual entry headphone, the 99 Neo also isn’t compatible with any kind of Bluetooth adaptor meaning that the headphone is not viable for usage with the iPhone 7 or other jack-less smartphones unless you can find a third party lightning cable.

So ultimately, the 99 Neo is a rather exemplary headphone in terms of fitment. Every aspect is incredibly well thought out and far more pragmatic than the vast majority of portable headphones that struggle with at-home usage due to over-emphasis on portability. The headband mechanism is unorthodox but finds great usability in simplicity while the super plush earpads and low COG enable both long-term comfort and stability when out and about. The headphones look the part too, with a design that is no less intriguing if less relentlessly opulent than models from B&W, B&O and Oppo. The plastic earcups do feel a little cheap but every other aspect of the headphone is solid.

 

Sound –

Though Meze’s website states a different impedance of 26ohms on the 99N vs 32ohms on the 99C, to my knowledge, the Neo’s employ the same 40mm dynamic driver as the 99 Classics that came before. As such, they pursue a very similar sound, if not one that is identical due to differences in housing materials affecting acoustics; perhaps the difference in impedance is an attempt to compensate for these changes. But for the most part, the 99 Neo performs quite predictably with a sound that is laid-back, warm and mostly familiar. They aren’t nearly as balanced as the Oppo PM3 nor are they quite as sculpted as the B&W P7, sounding more linear throughout their midrange. They are a very natural, dare I say analogue sounding headphones that retain the organic characters of the wooden 99 Classics despite employing ABS earcups. In fact, they are perhaps even more laid-back and warm to my ear.

 

Tonality –

The Meze 99 Neo’s carry a tasteful L-shaped sound similar to that employed on earphones such as the Klipsch X10’s. However, the 99 Neo’s have no issue with end to end extension and treble prominence imbues the sound with a little extra crispness over smoother portable headphones like the Oppo PM3. The 99 Neo’s actually sound quite similar to the Denon MM-400 overall though they assume a slightly warmer, more laid-back tone with the Denon’s having a little more unevenness in the treble that creates a more aggressive sense of detail. As such, the 99 Neo’s can be described as having a darker tonal tilt with bass possessing the most emphasis.

 

Soundstage, Imaging and Separation –

When I first heard the 99 Classics, the first thing that stood out to me among the closed back portable headphones I had heard, was the exceptionally wide soundstage. The 99 Neo, perhaps due to the differing housing materials, doesn’t quite possess the same level of space though it remains one of the better performers in this price range, more akin to the B&W P7 over the more intimate Oppo PM3 and to a lesser extent, Denon MM-400. And despite having quite a warm, thick sound, the 99 Neo never sounds congested; it’s a nice presentation that flatters almost every genre of music from pop to rock to classical. That being said, while the 99 Neo does sound large, this thicker tuning does prevent the headphones from sounding particularly open or airy, something the B&W P7 and B&O H6’s excel with.

I also found the Neo to have quite a well-rounded soundstage, better rounded than the 99C due to their reduced width, resulting in impressive imaging performance. Though neither the 99C nor the 99 Neo has any issue with instrument placement and imaging, the Neo sounded slightly more coherent to me with precise instrument placement that made the B&W P7 and Sony MDR-1A’s sound vaguer. So overall, the 99 Neo’s are a warm headphone, though their large soundstage prevents congestion and separation remain quite commendable even when compared directly to some of the best headphones within this class.

 

Drivability –

The 99 Neo’s were designed for portable use with a sensitivity of 103dB and an impedance of 26ohm, making them very easy to drive. They aren’t the most sensitive headphone I’ve tested but achieved similar volume to the Denon MM-400’s and Sony MDR-1A’s at the same level. They were also more sensitive than the planar magnetic Oppo PM3’s which I found to be one of the pickiest headphones among those I had on hand. They actually pick up a surprising amount of hiss from my noisier sources but even modestly noisy sources such as my Oppo HA-2 had no issue. The 99 Neo’s didn’t scale spectacularly with the sources I had on hand, sounding relatively similar from my iPod Nano, HTC 10 and Oppo HA-2, where the B&W P7 and Oppo PM3 scaled up considerably with my better sources. They did achieve some improvements with a slightly tauter bass performance and clearer midrange from my HA-2 though they will play happily from any decent smartphone or standalone DAP.

 

Bass –

The 99 Neo’s are one of the bassier audiophile orientated portable headphones, beating out the PM3, H6 and Denon MM-400 in terms of quantity. Luckily, they aren’t nearly as bombastic as the sub-bass boosted B&W P7’s nor are they bloated like the Sony MDR-1A. They are closest to the MM-400 in tuning, with a more linear bass boost that retains pleasing quality and definition with a slight bump in the mid-bass that provides a little extra fullness and punch. There is some midrange spill though lower-mids are never overwhelmed by bass and remain quite clear considering the extent of the bass boost. They also have really great sub-bass extension with rather outstanding definition of sub and lower-bass notes. Rumble is visceral and electronic genres of music have satisfying impact and slam without inducing a bass headache. While I would still prefer slightly more balance, the 99 Neo’s provide a very organic, natural listen that is adequately full when in a noisy environment but remains tasteful enough at home to maintain an enjoyable listen.

Of course, bass isn’t perfect and due to the boosted tuning, the 99 Neo’s do miss out on a bit of texture and definition when compared to more linear sets like the PM3 and MM-400. Bass also suffers from slight bloat and tubbiness, notes aren’t as taught as I would prefer though I’m sure many will enjoy the extra punchiness and fullness provided by the Neo’s bass response. When listening to music with rapidly transitioning basslines like Steve Conti’s “Call Me Call Me” or Toto’s “Roasanna”, the 99 Neo did well to keep up with complex passages without becoming overwhelmed like the looser P7. While bass drums didn’t quite possess the same PRAT as the super snappy PM3 and MM-400, the 99 Neo’s provide a great balance between quantity and quality, sub-bass notes didn’t get too muddy and mid and upper-bass provided a sense of fullness without imbuing a veiling character. So while bass is rather omnipresent due to the headphones accentuated tuning, notes don’t drone and remain articulate. They are an engaging headphone that values dynamics over transparency though they never overstep their boundaries in regards to bass quantity and bass quality will be sure to impress.

 

Midrange –

With a slightly darker tone, the 99 Neo’s aren’t the clearest sounding headphone though they don’t lack clarity per say. On poorly mastered or low bitrate songs, the 99 Neo does tend to sound a little muffled throughout its midrange, especially with genres such as hip-hop. That being said, the headphones also sound surprisingly clear when the track calls for it. For instance, the vocals in Vance Joy’s “Riptide” were appropriately forward and didn’t sound chesty or veiled at all. So rather than veiled, I would argue that the midrange is simply full-bodied, making vocals sound a little thicker. Instruments such as acoustic guitar really benefit from this, sounding rich and lush without coming across as bloated and the headphones retain enough resolution to flatter piano and string instruments. They actually had more clarity than the Denon MM-400’s but still fell short of the Oppo PM3’s and B&O H6’s which are both cleaner and more linear. That being said, the Neo’s had no dips or spikes in their midrange and all notes and vocals sounded natural if more full-bodied than neutral as opposed to the brighter B&W P7’s which had plenty of clarity and detail but also sounded unnatural and uneven with some vocals and instruments such as piano. Meanwhile, the Denon MM-400’s are still more balance throughout their midrange though, as aforementioned, they also had less clarity.

The 99 Neo’s also have pretty great detail retrieval even if their more natural, darker sound favours smoothness over aggressive detail and clarity. This was highlighted during The Cranberries’ “Linger”, where the Neo’s did a fine job picking up the subtle clicking of picks on strings that are easily lost among portable headphones. So while resolution is actually quite impressive overall, they don’t bring details to the fore like the B&W P7 and especially Oppo PM3. I think the Denon’s are probably the closest competitor to the Meze’s, and in terms of midrange performance, it’s a pretty fair trade-off with both being equally enjoyable and tasteful to my ear. These are simply different manufacturer’s twists on the same kind of sound.

 

Treble –

With a somewhat L-shaped tuning, the 99 Neo’s do produce a more laid-back treble response, though they have very good extension for a portable and don’t miss out on the higher details. Listening to my usual treble test songs, Radiohead’s “Creep”, “Paranoid Android” and “No Surprises” and Elton John’s “Rocket Man”, and the 99 Neo’s produced one of the better performances among my portable headphone collection. The B&W P7’s have a really nice treble response with air, sparkle and extension, for lovers of a brighter sound it is one of the strongest performers within this price range. On the opposite end of the scale, the PM3 and MM-400 are more natural and also more in-line with the 99 Neo. High-hats had nice sparkle without sounding overly thin while cymbals had shimmer and realistic texture. High notes were missing that last bit of air and openness that the P7’s provided though treble notes sounded less rolled off than both the PM3 and MM-400’s. Treble notes were actually quite clear despite the thicker nature of the 99 Neo’s sound and the slightly boosted treble crispness does well to balance out the more relaxed nature of the headphones. Again, in terms of tuning, natural is the word I would use to describe the 99 Neo’s treble performance. And though high-notes are still not forward in any way, they are quite even throughout; portable headphones usually have a lower treble spike to add the impression of detail making the 99 Neo quite a rarity. While I still would have preferred slightly more air and quantity, the treble tuning is really well done on the Meze’s with great extension, linearity and texture.

 

Verdict –

I went into this review quite the sceptic. The 99 Classics were simply too well-reviewed, I was suspicious and my expectations were too high, making them seem inadequate upon real-life testing. And as with anything, a true testament to greatness is retained quality under scrutiny, something one could argue that a one week review tour cannot offer. But I’ve maximised my time with the 99 Neo’s, they are an important product in an ever increasing market, and I’ve found that the Meze’s are too laid-back to be immediately impressive anyway; especially when compared to the gorgeous B&W P7’s or B&O H6’s and even the very revealing Oppo PM3. But strip away the initial “wow factor” of these headphones and the 99 Neo retains its charm through its well-rounded sound while the P7 and H6 come off as somewhat unnatural. That’s not to say that the P7 or H6 are bad headphones, not at all, but they are no longer the best around; that title goes to the next generation of innovative portables, the PM3, MM-400 and now, the 99 Neo.

And I do feel that all of these headphones are quite mature in their sounds. All of their respective manufacturers set out with intent actualised through different styles of tuning which will no doubt match different buyer’s preferences; the H6 and P7 for those who love clarity and the MM-400 and 99 Neo for lovers of a more organic, natural sound. However, the fit on these headphones is not nearly so developed and a lot of these manufacturers have struggled to adopt an over-ear form factor, many coming from a rich heritage of speaker design over portable gear. And again, long term usage reveals the shortcomings in design that a brief listen may not. Luckily, the 99 Neo is quite exemplary here too. While it lacks the unrelenting rigidity of the P7, H6 and PM3, the Neo is more ergonomic, has the best headband and forms no hotspots. It’s also a very unique looking headphone that bucks the usual design trends that tend to homogenize “fashion” headphones into minimalist leather clad omegas, with a retro inspired design that’s an instant modern classic.

Overall – 9/10, Meze have proven that you don’t need lambskin leather, stainless steel accents or chromed chamfers to create an appealing design, nor do you need complex folding mechanisms to achieve portability and a reliable fit. But perhaps, most pertinent to this review, Meze have provided us with a great, natural, organic sound that demonstrates how linearity is just as impressive as neutrality. Meze set out to recapture the magic of the 99 Classics at a cheaper price, within a more contemporary shell and that’s just what they’ve achieved with the 99 Neo.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed my review, please have a look at my website for more articles just like it:

https://everydaylisteningblog.wordpress.com/2017/04/21/meze-99-neo-review-modern-classic/

Introduction

Meze 99 Neo – The new classic headphone from Meze.

Meze 99 Neo is the new headphone, or rather a headphone with a twist from the Romanian headphone producer Meze. Meze created 99 Neo as a less expensive version of 99 Classics with plastic cups instead of wood that would appeal to those who prefer the black "edgy" looks of the ABS cups over the wooden 99 Classics. 99 Neo uses the same driver as 99 Classics, but there are a few changes here and there, like the cable included with the headphone being different (99 Neo comes with the microphone cable only) and the case is now made of a fabric woven material rather than the leathery smooth case of 99 Classics.

99 Neo is brought to this reviewer as a part of 99 Neo tour, organized by Meze Audio Romania. This is an honest review and there is no incentive provided, the headphone will be sent forward after the review is completed and this is a review made for fun and for giving an impression.



About me

Hey there! My name is George and my friends say that I enjoy music. Some might even say that I live through music! I'd probably say that music is what made me who I am today, part of my DNA already!

My listening habits can be erratic, but they do include listening to music for hours on a row, listening to music while out and about, and listening to music while working.

Music has always been my sweet companion and it is always there when I'm working on the games of my company, https://www.facebook.com/seventh.heart.studios/ and https://twitter.com/7heartstudios . We invite you to check our projects and we guarantee that if you like Visual Novels and games, you're going to have a great time!

My hearing works well in the higher registers, the 8-18kHz area being quite important for me, but recently I noticed that I'm slightly sensitive to harshness in the treble. I am unbiased towards headphones and companies, but I'm considerably hard to impress since I own ie800 which are a formidable pair of End-Game, Top of The Line IEMs.



First Impression



Since 99 Classics, I was actually enthused by Meze's interaction with customers and I had a few requests for them which were fulfilled nice and fast. I would say that Meze as a company is great and their customer support works well. I even needed a cable and it was shipped really fast, was well packaged and arrived really fast!

99 Neo packaging was thought pretty well as it comes in a cardboard box padded with a sponge to keep the other hard carry box safe. 99 Neo sits comfortably inside the hard carry box, which has a similar interior design to 99 Neo, the only changes seeming to be on the outer layer of the carry box.

Fast forward things, I was alone in my room with 99 Neo, admiring the great job Meze did with the looks. First time using 99 Neo, it sounds somehow similar to 99C, but somehow different at the same time. There is something about 99 Neo that changed in its sound, but it is pretty hard to name. The bass is strong and hits deep, the treble is clear and smooth and the mids are in their own place with a lush / thick tonality.

All in all, 99 Neo sounds good at first audition, but, as it is recommended, they were placed in a burn-in session, using pink and white noise to ensure that the results are going to be consistent. Some changes for the better were noticed with burn-in, especially in voice tonality and clarity. The signature is close to HD650 from Sennheiser and somehow to NightHawks with 99 Neo having a better texture and instrument definition. 99 Neo also has a considerably better top end as it is not rolled off and sounds crisp and clean. The soundstage of 99 Neo is similar in size to HD650 and Nighthawks.

Meze has lowered the price with 99 Neo since there is no more wood included in the build, so 99N goes for around 250$ instead of the 300$ of 99C. Given the difference in price going downwards, 99 Neo will be more accessible to someone looking for a Meze sound but who's on a tight budget, although given the difference, I think that both models are fairly accessible to any enthusiast or casual listener.



Packaging









(The packaging is a beauty to behold)



99N comes in the cardboard box with a sleek design and a few bits of data about 99 Neo on the outside. Inside the cardboard box, you will find the hard carry case. Inside the hard carry case, you will find the headphones, cables for them, an airplane adapter (I think?), a pouch for the cables and a 3.5mm to 6.3mm golden plug adapter. The addition of the plug adapter is most welcome, but it should be noted that 99 Neo does not come with two cables. Regardless of that, I have been able to enjoy 99 Neo to the fullest with the provided cable. The short cable comes with a rubber termination upwards of the Y split, making things even better for those who complained about cable noise and microphonics, since the rubber termination effectively nullifies the microphonics of the cable. The short cable has a remote with one button that can execute multiple actions (depending on the number of presses) and a microphone to use 99N with your phone. I have been able to carry phone conversation with the provided cable, and the person on the other end actually told me that the voice comes through pretty clear and they could understand me well.

The fabric woven hard case is pretty sturdy as it didn't get damaged from being in my backpack with various supplies. The material of the case is not scratch prone and it doesn't look like it would get damaged easily, given that I held it in my backpack together with pens and a few sharp tools. The zippers work smooth and leave the impression of a high-end product and the inside of the case is padded with a fine material that will protect 99N against scratches. The case itself is pretty sturdy, so it can safely be thrown in a backpack and even placed under a few lighter things without any damage being done to the headphones. The cables of 99 Neo need to be disconnected before they are placed in the case (Just like 99 Classics).

Comparing the cases of 99 Neo and 99 Classics:

99 C comes with a case that has a different texture on the outside, but it seems to be similarly sturdy and provides the same level of protection against scratches on the inside. The main difference seems to be the external material

The two cases and the differences between them:

99 Neo:



99 Classics:



Other comparisons

Ultrasone DJ1P comes with a considerably bulkier case, being bigger than the headphones themselves, but offering a good protection as well. 99N offers better ergonomics of the case, using very little extra space. The woven fabric is slightly different between the two, but the inside works out on both.

Sennheiser HD380Pro comes with a different storage mechanism entirely, its case being flat but wide. It offers less protection than the case of 99N due to the design, and HD380Pro should never be placed under heavy things and cannot be safely placed in a bag.

The set of accessories included with 99 Neo are the essentials to use the headphones, although the long cable can be purchased from Meze's site. Seems that Meze will also introduce a balanced cable for 99N and 99C later this year, as they promised a few times.

This pair of 99N is a pre-production, review tour unit, so the contents of the box might slightly differ. The booklet included with 99 Neo seems to be different from the one included with 99 Classics, the white booklet from 99C being replaced by a colored one that includes a little history of Meze Audio. Since the booklet included that "99 Neo promises to deliver the same audio quality as 99 Classics", I'm going to test this statement on the audio part of the review.



Technical Specifications




Build Quality/Aesthetics



While 99 Classics were one of the classiest headphones one could find, 99 Neo looks rather Edgy, bringing something new to the table. The fact that Meze headphones cares about the looks of their headphones is great, especially as 99 Classics did hit a sweet spot with me when I got them. With 99 Neo, the fitting mechanism is the same, the biggest difference being the headphone cups being made out of ABS (plastic) instead of wood. Meze Audio quotes the look as being "Edgy" and they do manage to get this feeling right. 99 Neo might work better with a casual style of clothing rather than a costume, but the silvery ring around the headphone cups adds the right amount of class for them to work with a costume as well. The silvery parts that attach the headband to the headphones feature the same smooth construction and flowing angles like 99 Classics, flavoring 99 Neo with a modern look. The plastic on the cups is textured, similar to the texture of an orange, avocado or a leathery texture, further flavoring 99 Neo with a sprinkle of edgy aspect. The headband itself is the same as 99 Classics, and it feels quite sturdy and comfortable. The headband mechanism is actually friendly with long hair since it is not square and the headband is curved. I can shake my hair back in shape easily after wearing both 99 Neo and 99 Classics, but your mileage may vary here.

Meze advertises their headphone as fully serviceable and while the driver must be replaced as an assembly, the rest of the headphone is connected by bolts and to be indeed easily serviceable. The headphone cups on the review model seem to be slightly different from the cups on 99C, which might further contribute to any changes in sound, but Meze didn't advertise anything about the pads being changed between 99C and 99N so this might be caused by the fact that they are pre-production and the fact that the pads on 99 Classics are not new (I have been enjoying 99 Classics every day for a while now after all).

As I said before, the cables included with 99 Neo will be braided until the Y split, above which they will feature a rubber texture. This will help alleviate cable noise, and will add a bit of comfort. It seems that recent iterations of 99 Classics also come with this new cable. There is a small pad over the driver of 99 Neo, which might act as a treble attenuator, adding to the smoothness of sound. This little padding is not present on the 99 Classics headphones I own, but seem to be present on the latest 99 Classics as well.



Comfort / Isolation

(99 Classics pad left and 99 Neo pad right)



99 Neo is similar in comfort to their bigger brother, 99 Classics, but the pads feel ever so slightly different. The headband also feels a tiny bit tense, but it doesn't really change the comfort level of the headphone. The difference in headband tension can be caused by the fact that 99 Neo are brand-new while my 99 Classics are not.

The isolation is still very good, but 99 Neo are slightly less isolating than 99C. I could still crank the music very high before my wife had to tell me to turn it down, so 99 Neo does a very good job with the isolation as well.

Compared to Ultrasone Dj1P, 99N isolates far better and same can be said when comparing 99N to Sennheiser HD380Pro. At this moment, there are very few headphones that would provide a better passive isolation from the outside noise or that would leak as little as 99N. None of the headphones I tested to date doesn't provide a better passive isolation, although there are a few that provide a similar passive noise isolation.

After wearing Meze 99 Neo for a longer period of time, the pads can get a bit hot, and a little pause is required, but the situation is still better than most of the headphones in the same price range. The material of the pads is not bad when it comes to sweating and they can be worn well for long periods of time (for example a 3-hour train ride was no problem for them). Compared to Ultrasone Dj 1 Pro, 99 Neo is far more comfortable, Dj1P having a fatal flaw of placing a screw / bolt in an uncomfortable position, causing pain after one hour, while 99 Neo has no such flaws. There is no driver flex in 99 Neo nor in 99 Classics, and the headphones can be adjusted, taken off, or put on without any issues.



SOUND QUALITY




99 Neo offers two types of sound. One is their natural sound with no enhancements and no tweaks, and the other one is the sound after a little bit of Equalization. The Equalization profile 99 Neo needs is less aggressive than 99 Classics, but like virtually any headphone in this world, they can be helped by adding a few dB in here and taking away a few dB from there. 99 Neo responds well to different sources, but they can easily be driven from a smartphone, a laptop or virtually any source out there – even a Clip+.

After hearing 99 Neo with iFi iDSD BL, I can say that they respond really well to a better source and adding iDSD BL will surely help you get a better sound. The review of 99 Neo will be slightly different since instead of using FiiO X5ii as the driving component, I will be using iFi iDSD BL which deeply impressed me with its sound this time.

My Equalization algorithm is not overly aggressive this time, and the magic of iFi iDSD BL is so strong that 99 Neo doesn't really require equalization anymore, flipping the 3D effect on iDSD having incredible effect on both 99 Neo and 99 Classics. The treble is smooth with this setup, but the sound gains more space and better instrument layering, while the instrument textures stay at the same level of crispiness and definition.

The main sound characteristics of 99 Neo define it as a natural to warm sounding headphone, with sweet and lush mids, smooth treble, pretty good extension both ways and a pretty good soundstage. The treble extension is okay, but the treble itself is pretty smooth and will not offend, even if the song had harsh treble in the original recording.

Instrument separation is above average and they are able to differentiate a single guitar in a busy composition like those sang by Dance Gavin Dance. I like the enthusiasm the sound has, it can make almost anything sound energetic and happy. There is a hump in the mid bass to the upper bass area that makes the sound interesting, but this is easily solved by a tiny bit of EQ. The sound is fairly airy, but the rather smooth top end makes the sound focus more on the energy, life and fun element of the music.



Channel imbalance

There is no channel imbalance in the 99Neo I have in my hands.


Bass

99 Neo has a fairly sold bass that can hit as low as the music has it recorded, down to the lowest octaves. The bass is fast and can render bass textures with good agility and precision. Without any EQ, the 250Hz area is enhanced ad there is a certain lushness to the whole tonality of the headphone, but this doesn't affect the speed and precision of the bass one bit.

The euphoria resulted from the bass hump is similar between 99 Neo and 99 Classics – the drums have a great presence, forward drums are rendered forward and with good impact, while drum patterns that are supposed to play in the back as a support for the rest of the track are played as such. There is no bass bleeding in the mids nor does the bass feel overwhelming albeit 99 Neo could easily pass for a basshead headphone.

The bass is distortion free and I was able to apply a fair quantity of bass with no distortion making its way into the track. Compared to Dj One Pro, Meze 99 Neo presents more bass by default, and presents considerably less distortion in the lower registers. 99 Neo also has far better texture representation of the bass where the bass of Dj One Pro sounds loose and undefined by direct comparison.

99 Neo a good amount of sub-bass, to my ears having more sub-bass than 99C, while 99 C seem to have a tiny bit larger enhancement of the mid bass area, which might be caused by the wood cups.


Akira Yamaoka – One More Soul to The Call – The guitar at the intro of the song is full of texture and emotion, it is heard in the right area of the sound field as it should. It is easy to hear the struggle of the female voice and the breathing in between words as it is quite easy to hear the melodic guitar accompanying her in the left area of the soundscape. The drum crescendo plays with force, but doesn't protrude too forward in the soundscape, the whole arrangement sounding coherent. The top end is crispy and the cymbals pull through very well. The solo guitar is always clean and tidy and there is a good sense of space for the whole song. The emotion of the song is strong enough to give one shivers down their spine and the bass knits things together, creating an addictive involvement for the whole song.

Attila – Girls don't lie – The song starts strong and the first few bass notes come through with good strength and the whole song feels energetic, and there is enough air for the cymbals to breathe, but enough push in the bass to literally shake the earth around the listener. The lead guitars sound sweet and the flow of the song is as enjoyable as ever. The texture of the guitars is incredible as is the texture of the bass guitar which comes through with extreme clarity. The voices also feature a clear texture and enough air to breathe, the instruments are well separated, and there is no trace of struggling. 99 Neo has no problems in handling multiple layers of guitars, and manages to render the texture of every layer very well. On high volumes, effects like drums that are played in just one ear will have a tactile feeling to it, leading to a whole new level of realism for the songs of Attila.

Slipknot – Duality – One more metal song. Just one more. Everyone knows this one, no? The intro has the right amount of grain and texture. The guitar in the left ear sings independently from the rest of the song. The voices have enough power to dislocate the song from the listener, the attack and decay of instruments are spot-on as well. The cymbals play somewhere in the back, they are clearly not the highlight of the song, and the forward spot is taken by the solo guitar in the left ear and the drums, both of which play loud and clear. There is no smearing of instruments and every single instrument manages to play in its own layer and to not combine with the others. The scream is true again and I'm glad to say that it feels real.

Eminem – Space Bound – The guitar at the beginning of the song is clear and has the right tone for an acoustic guitar. Eminem's voice comes through clear and there's no lack of air. The bass notes are very deep and come through with the right strength. The lower notes extend down to the lowest registers and there's a clear feeling of power to the whole song that's easy to grasp. 99 Neo has enough speed to render both the bass and every other instrument without any kind of problems, for example it is possible to identify the bass notes, the guitar, the drum patterns, the voice and the flute / synth in the background.



Midrange

The midrange of Meze 99 Neo is clearly similar to the midrange of 99 Classics, but for someone who hasn't heard either, it is complicated to understand what this means. The default midrange feels detailed, a bit forward, while the textures are vivid and well rendered and details are really good. There is also a lushness / thickness to the midrange that will make most music sound more fun and will surely satisfy the need for an intriguing sound. The signature is similar to a few 300$ headphones, but the most notable examples the signature reminds of are Sennheiser HD650 and Nighthawks. The soundstage by default is not the largest out there, but it is not congested nor are the instruments confined or smeared. Each instrument has its own place, but the smooth treble might make the soundstage feel a bit less spacious, this being typical of headphones sporting a smooth top end, like LCD-2. Happily, the tone of the headphone is fairly balanced and while the thick mids might sprinkle a bit of nuance over guitars, Iron Maiden's guitar solos are as crispy and lively as ever.

Since the main source driving 99 Neo this time is iFi iDSD BL, I should mention that it does make them sound open and natural / relaxed while the soundstage has a certain realism that's characteristic of iFi iDSD BL. FiiO X5ii is still a part of the setup, but this time it acts as either the DAC or the transport for the setup, but the snappiness of X5ii as a device helps a lot with the listening experience even when portable.

Rammstein – Ich Will – The first "Ich will" that's an error the microphone picked up from the monitors used by the singer is there, and the actual Ich Will (spoken) part doesn’t feel intrusive or offensive at all. This song has a few short segments that were recorded with some harshness to them and 99 Neo's smooth treble manages to iron those parts and render the whole song to a playful and enjoyable song. The whole song has good strength and while the bass isn't overwhelming, it sure has good speed and impact where it has to. The key effects sound fluid and while the cymbals are smooth, they are not lacking. The drum patters sound forward and come through with good strength, feeling real and even tangible at times.

Electric Six – High Voltage – This song is pretty interesting to hear on the BL + 99N combo since the song itself sounds pretty interesting already. There is a clear tendency for the bass to come forward and give the song a groove / fluid feeling to it. Even so, the bass keeps a very clear sound to it and its texture is easy to distinguish. The voices both have a true-to-life tonality to them and the effects play well in their own intended spaces. The guitars come through honest and undistorted and the right ear guitar plays well in its own space and moment. The cymbals of the song are not the forward point of it, but they're easy to hear and don't get subdued either, leading to a pretty funky and fun feeling to the whole song.

Om – State of non-return – The song starts with the effects playing in their desired positions and the distorts guitar having a good vivid feeling to it. The cymbals play slowly in the background while the groovy bass lines are flowing right through the headphones. The bass is extremely strong for this song, and I'm glad to report that it is rendered well. The voice is clear and every single word is easy to discern and understand, the whole song being able to create an atmosphere of its own around the listener.

Female voices sound sweet and crisp and while the fluidity and melodic tones are played well, this doesn't make male voices lag behind either, the vocal tonality of 99 Neo without any kind of EQ being very good. I would even say that 99 Neo and 99 Classics both have a natural voice tonality even when driven from P775 ESS sabre solution, but adding iFi iDSD BL surely enhances things.

Kathy Perry – I Kissed a Girl – The drums at the start of the song sound crispy and clean. The guitar in the right ear has a nice tremolo and vibration to it without distortion while Kathy Perry's voice is sweet and melodic, but shows that it has been processed to some degree in the recording / mastering phase. The guitar tones playing on each ear come through with clarity and there's not one bit of distortion or lack of dynamism although the song is pretty compressed from a dynamic range point of view. The bass tones are clear and carry a good weight with them, being quite easy to start moving while listening to the song, the whole song feeling fun and easy-to-listen-to. The left – right panning that happens starting with 02:05 is clean and the BL + 99N combo has enough agility to make the effect feel fluid while her voice has good and true-to-life texture during the segment.



Treble

In stock form, the treble of 99 Neo is silky smooth and while there is a slight feeling of roll-off, the treble is pretty forgiving and there's not much it will fatigue the listener with. This can be translated to harsh sounding songs feeling silky or happy with 99Neo, with Jazz and classical the effect being interesting and giving the songs a very lean feeling. With metal, the silky smooth treble means that the bass is easier to hear and integrate in every song and with pop it means that both the bass and the special effects pull through and feel forward while the treble takes a second place. The tonality can be called euphoric and enthusiastic, but lean and relaxing at the same time. While this may sound like a bit of a technical impossibility, the euphoric and enthusiastic sound comes into play with songs that heavily rely on bass and mids to happen, while Jazz and slow music feels really lean and relaxed.

99 Neo feels like a pretty safe headphone to own at this moment, it is surely going to impress and satisfy a lot of customers and while the few who need and want more treble might not be fully satisfied at first, 99Neo can accept a high dose of EQ before even considering any kind of distortion in either mids or treble so it can satisfy anyone with a bit of play here and there.

For the record, I'm a bit of a treble lover, and I need a lot of treble before I'm happy and while for 99 Classics I used a pretty aggressive EQ profile, with 99 Neo I'm able to find happiness with just 99Neo and iFi iDSD BL + 3D switch turned on. The treble is not the same in this situation, but I like the sound and it feels pretty wholesome and while the treble still needs a few dB here and there, it surely feels energetic enough to satisfy a fun listening session. I have not experienced any kind of listening fatigue with 99Neo regardless of how long I've used them and I can safely say that they're a headphone fun to listen to.

Royal Repulic – 21^st Century Gentleman – The treble is easy to discern from the rest of the sound albeit it is not absolutely forward. The bass guitar is very forward and its texture is very vivid, feeling as if the bass player is closer to the listener than the drums are. The voice is somewhere in between, coming through with a great scream, but being a bit softer than the bass guitar. The drums are pretty clear and well defined, but they're not the forward instrument for this song, being left somewhere in the same line as the guitars and the voice. The spacing of the song is good and the stereo separation and agility of the sounds moving through the 3D space is impressive. The solo guitars have the right tone to them, feeling effortless and having a good drive. It's almost impossible to stop one's head from moving to the beat of the song – very fun to listen to. The song has multiple parts that should come pretty harsh but don't come with iDSD BL + 99 Neo, for example there should be multiple segments at the start of the song, especially on the voice track that should have sound harsh, but again, 99N renders those parts in a friendly way, the whole song sounding fun and lean.

Ylvis – The Fox – The song starts well and the voice has the right amount of sweetness and texture to it. The cymbals and higher registers information is not very loud and can be perceived as smooth while the bass comes through with great impact and slam. The mids are woven well with the bass and the speed of the headphones is high enough to render the textures of the effects while the cymbals will stay in their own layer, sounding smooth and a bit distant. The one word that would describe the song well is party. The song sounds exactly like it should sound for a happy party, not analytical nor digital, being a rather fun experience for the listener.

Rings of Saturn – The Heavens Have Fallen – The songs starts with good strength and hits deep enough to give the listener's mind a run of fear. The melodic tremolo is clear in both ears and while the cymbals are subdued, the bass notes and drums are pretty strong and manage to create enough impact for the whole song. The solo guitar is able to enter the song and resonate through the time and space like a beam of pure energy. The acoustic notes don't present the typical metal wire bite, but they present a good thickness and are accompanied by a great level of lower register information.

Arctic Monkeys – R U Mine? – The song already has a bit of too little higher register information, so it is interesting to notice how it sounds with 99Neo. The song starts with a clear voice, with the bass coming somewhere to a near tangible level, the textures being rendered very well and the cymbals being clearly heard somewhere in the back, but with a very smooth tone. The drums have a clear presence and will take a forward position together with the bass guitar, the song feeling thick and fun. The lyrics are easy to understand and the soundstage is very good, the instruments having a very good space to breathe even though the higher registers are smooth.

The Fratellis – Got Ma Nuts From A Hippy – The song starts with a good grove and the bass is pretty addicting while the cymbals are pretty clear and have a good bite for this song. The voice doesn't sound sweet nor cold, but has a natural tone to it. The guitars have a great tonality and are resolved very well. The bass and thickness of the song is clearly what makes it so lovely. The solo of the song is clear and the cymbals manage once again to impress and the way they are woven with the solo guitar makes them sound in the same layer. Certain drum hits have a rather tactile feeling to them, the whole song being forward and fun to experience this way. The soundstage of this song is not very large as the recording itself was made to sound forward, and I'm glad to say that 99 Neo manages to sound exactly as it should for this. The solo can be heard in multiple layers and the segment after the solo has a spacious feeling to it.



Soundstage

The soundstage of 99 Neo is very good and it is comparable to its bigger brother, 99C. The soundstage can easily rival that of open sounding headphones like Ultrasone Signature DJ or Dj1P, being well rounded and more open sounding than most ~250$ headphones. With a bit of EQ applied, or with 3D enhancement applied from iFi iDSD BL, the soundstage has good size and depth, having an almost spherical shape and expanding pretty far. The soundstage being bigger than most of its direct competitors, 99 Neo also features an airy presentation for its instruments and although the top end has little bite and doesn't offend, the instruments don't feel confined at all. They all feel like there is space, but a warm space where all instruments can safely come into play and where there's enough micro-space as well for textures to extend.

The instrument separation is easily one of the best in the 250$ price range and comparable with more expensive headphones and while the precision of the instrument separation is great, the signature itself gives a warm and very analogue / smooth feeling to the sound. It is pretty easy to tell the voice apart from the bass, the guitars apart from the synths and the pianos apart from the flues. The most important feature is that with iFi iDSD BL, it is extremely easy to tell guitars apart from one another, giving Meze 99 Neo a clear control over guitars and a space where every guitar can play its own notes.

Incubus – Calgone – This is one of the songs that's easy to call when you need to describe a soundstage as it features a lot of guitars that expand in more than one directions and a lot of special effect that need a certain space to travel through for the song to have the right immersion and emotion. The aggressive guitars sound aggressive and have great impact while the travel distance of each effect is as good as ever, the whole song being well rendered. The voices come through with great texture and stays vivid all the time, while the screamed parts have the necessary warmth to work well with this song.

Dope – Addiction – The song starts well and the special effects has the right placing in the 3D field (somewhere in the right – back of the listener), upon audition the effect being rendered precisely at its spot and in a healthy manner. Meze 99 Neo is able to render each guitar with good clarity and depth while the screams are sustained very well and have a natural tone. The song comes through with even more enthusiasm with the 99 Neo + iFi iDSD BL combo, a bit of sweetness being replaced by an enthusiastic bass control and great transient response.

Space electro – XXX – The song starts well and while the extended effect that relies on the the higher registers at the start doesn't offend at all, the song still has some spark to it, never being dull. The key effects are positioned well in the 3D space and the bass has the right presence, warmth, and control throughout the entire sonic space. The bass needs to envelop the listener and be able to move with agility around the listener for this song, and the BL + 99N combo manages to render this effect very well, the bass managing to move fast enough for the song to feel analogue and get the right amount of life. For the record, I couldn't stop my legs from tipping and my head from moving while listening and had to a great time while listening to it.

Infected Mushroom – Wanted to – The soundstage expands well, and the female voice has enough drive to sound sweet, fluid and melodic. The male voices also have a certain sweetness to them, the tone being true to the life tone the song should have. The effects play on a wide scale and there's enough depth to differentiate all effects and travel of instruments. While the bass attacks with precisions and has great impact, by default the treble is smooth and the song gets a bit less spark than 99Classics gets with EQ. Regardless of this, 99 Neo can be equalized to get enough spark in the treble and the BL + 99N combo manages to get enough spark with no distortion, the song managing to pull through both the very fast and very slow segments of the song with enough agility.

Drive factor



99N has been tested with FiiO X5ii, Xiaomi mi max, iFi iDSD Micro BL, Custom ESS DAC solution, and a few other devices as well. By default, and as the first impression dictates, 99N is fairly easy to drive even from weaker sources and needs little power to reach high volumes and a great sound. But after hearing 99 Neo with a high end DAC/AMP like iDSD BL, the difference in the driving factor is much more obvious. 99 Neo is about as similar to source changes as Dj1P, being slightly less sensitive to source changes than 99 Neo is, but still pretty sensitive.

99 Neo doesn't have any distortion within listenable levels, and pain will start to set it way before 99 Neo distorts its sound. They work well for both loud and quiet listeners, the music coming through with great detail and force in both cases. There is a slight tendency for average volume to sound the most balanced though, but only slight.

The transient response and ADSR is affected by the source, and it is slightly affected by the volume the music is played at. A higher volume will not result in worse transients, but the way they are rendered might slightly change.

The sound when driving 99 Neo from Xiaomi Mi max is pretty balanced, the textures are vivid, and the details are pretty good. The soundstage is not the best but still pretty large.

When adding FiiO X5ii to the mix, the soundstage instantly opens up to a new resolution and the dynamics of 99 Neo expand much better. There is a considerably better sense of detail and X5ii would be one of the best ways to drive 99 Neo in portable mode.

If you want to go one step further, you can add iFi iDSD BL, which will give one more step to resolution and soundstage, but the change that is most evident is the increase in authority and control. iDSD BL has a certain sound of its own, but it feels like the bass is considerably tighter and more detailed and it also feels like the whole sound becomes faster.

All in all, driving Meze 99 Neo can happen from virtually any source, but the sound does improve considerably with better sources. Since I already have 99 Classics, I'm used to the great transient response and textures Meze offers, so the best thing I can say about 99 Neo is that it keeps the same great sound and source scaling.



Comparisons

Ie800 – This is a hard comparison. When it comes to price, ie800 costs about 3 times as 99 Neo when new. Out of the box, ie800 sounds radically different from 99 Neo, ie800 having a more energetic presentation in the top end, a similarly deep bass, but less in quantity and a more dynamic sound in general. The 99 Neo versus ie800 debate takes a rather unexpected turn when comparing them both driven from iFi iDSD BL. This DAC / AMP not only impressed me a lot with its crystalline sound, but it makes Sennheiser ie800 sound like Sennheiser HE-1 and it makes 99 Neo sound like a new headphone. The difference in enjoyment, involvement and emotion between 99 Neo and ie800 is smaller this time, and I can say that there is a far bigger difference in the frequency response rather than a difference in the sound characteristics by themselves. Ie800 does have a bit better dynamics, a bit better separation between instruments and a tad cleaner presentation, but 99 Neo is no slouch and considering the price difference. For the record, I'm using both ie800 and 99 Classics (Neo's bigger brother) as my daily headphones, and I love both. They are complementary this time, and when I want to hear a relaxing sound and to forgive all artists for their mistakes I take 99 Classics, while when I want to hear the very cutting edge of sound, I take ie800. Serving different purposes, I can safely name them a great pair to have, if you can own both!

Ultrasone Dj One Pro – This time, things turned around in favor of 99 Neo. Both driven from ifi iDSD BL, I can now understand why some people criticize Ultrasone for their choices in sound. While I am a bit of a treble addict, I now dislike the shrill and cold presentation of Ultrasone Dj One pro as there is a ton of distortion in the upper registers when compared to Meze 99 Neo or Sennheiser ie800. Seems that this cold metallic distortion wasn't so evident for me before and I actually mistaken it for treble energy, but having heard a better sound, I now regress and call 99 Neo a more enjoyable headphone from every possible angle. For the record, I have not used Dj One pro at all since I got 99 Classics and having both DJ One Pro and 99 Neo would yield the same results. To compare their sounds, 99 Neo has a far more coherent bass, better texture, more precise control and far less bloating where Dj1P sounds loose and distorted in comparison. Comparing the mids, 99 Neo is more lush and has thicker mids, where DJ1P has a tad more vivid mids, which are sadly affected by a metallic shrill / resonance. Comparing the treble, Meze 99 Neo has very smooth treble, that comes through well, but is relaxed and will be smooth even with the harshest recording, while Dj1P has a metallic tint to the treble, having some treble distortion as well, especially after some EQ. 99 Neo + 3D soundstage on iFi iDSD BL has a similarly large soundstage as DJ1P has without the 3D setting activated on iFi iDSD BL.

Sennheiser HD650 and LCD2 – Meze 99 Neo sports a pretty similar signature to both, with 99 Neo coming on top of both HD650 and LCD2 in terms of soundstage and texture of instruments. The HD650 I've compared Meze 99 Neo to had less bite on the top end, feeling rolled off, where 99 Neo felt smooth but not absolutely rolled off. LCD-2 sports a bit more bite in the treble than 99 Neo, but once again 99 Neo wins on the instrument texture, especially the guitars. Comfort wise, HD650 and 99 Neo are similar, while LCD-2 is not bad, but it is way too heavy leading to fatigue after half of an hour. The bass is a bit tricky to compare because both HD650 and LCD-2 are open back while 99 Neo is closed back. By design, 99 Neo will have better impact and better slam than HD650, but the natural bass of LCD-2 being pretty close. The way bass hits is different between Meze 99 Neo and LCD-2, at this point being pretty complicated to describe (I would need more time with both). The midrange is different between all of them, with 99 Neo having the thick / lush midrange, HD650 being a bit colder and less involved in the mid range (due to the less midbass hump), and LCD-2 having a more neutral midrange. The sole fact that 99C is closed back makes it an amazing fact to say that it has a larger soundstage than LCD-2 and HD650, the air between the instruments feeling similar but the space around the listener being larger on 99 Neo.

Audio Tehnica ATH A-700X – This comparison is interesting because Meze 99 Neo are in a similar price bracket and it is only natural that Meze 99 should be compared to a similarly priced headphone. The first difference noticed is in the build quality, where although both are made out of Abs – plastic, meze 99 neo feels a bit heavier, more secured and doesn't feel nowhere near as finnicky as A700X feels like. The comfort is pretty bad on A700, not because of the headband but because of the pads which are both small and shallow. The depth of the pads is more important than the size in general. One can live with smaller pads, but it is almost impossible to use shallow pads as they make you touch the driver plate and this usually causes pain. The sound is very different between the two headphones, A700X feeling like a very light headphone, while 99 Neo is a lush headphone with a thick midrange. 99 Neo has considerably more bass in quantity, it is better defined, better layered, better textured and will have considerably better and more realistic hit and slam. By comparison, A700X feels pretty anemic and loose. The midrange is different as A700X as a bit more natural midrange tonality wise, but 99 Neo comes in force with considerably better textures, considerably better details, and a similar soundstage. By direct comparison, A700X feels a bit smeared in the midrange, a clear, natural midrange, but with instrument texture smearing where 99 Neo has a thick and lush midrange with vivid and clear textures and great soundstage. The top end is where A700X has a slight upper hand, having a bit better treble extension and energy, but the bass to treble ratio making the whole sound thin. 99 Neo has less treble by comparison, but a similar amount of detail. Since 99 Neo favors having a strong and imposing bass, the sound comes off as more enjoyable and fun for 99 Neo although I personally like A700X as well. The two headphones feel complementary more than they feel like direct competitors, the sound being quite different between them.

Audio Tehnica ATH M-50X – This should be a fair comparison since the two headphones are priced similarly, and this time they target a similar audience. From the start, both headphones feel fairly well build, although M50x feels a bit heavier. The clamping force is pretty different as M50x has way more clamping force at times, up to the point of feeling uncomfortable while 99 Neo has just the right amount of clamping force to ensure a secured seal. The sound tries to be similar, with the biggest difference being in the soundstage. But until there, both M50X and 99 Neo feature a similar amount of bass, but 99 Neo has better bass quality, and better bass texture. Meze 99 Neo features considerably more natural mids, where the mids of M50x feel rather V-shaped and have an uncomfortable dip that makes them sound shrill / cold / metallic. The top end of the two is a bit different, with m50x having more treble, but rolling off at some point, resulting in a metallic tint to the treble. The big (huge) difference between 99 Neo and M50x lies in their soundstage, where 99 Neo has a natural to large soundstage, airy sound and great instrument positioning / rendering, M50x having a really claustrophobic soundstage and featuring far less air between instrument. The separation between instrument is similar, but M50x has less textures than 99 Neo, making 99 Neo feel vivid, where M50x feels smeared by direct comparison.



Value



99 Neo is even cheaper than their bigger brother, 99 Classics and given the sound quality of 99 Neo and what you get in the box, they are a sweet deal.

The value is great, but they will always be endangered by a great headphone. Their biggest enemy at a close price range is their own brother, 99C!

Given the quality of both, I would suggest hearing both before making a purchase and seeing them in person as 99 Classics and their wooden construction is more beautiful than any luxury furniture while 99 Neo comes in as an edgy / modern looking headphone that will leave you in shock with their awesome presentation. I generally prefer to avoid recommending a headphone based on its looks, but 99 Neo and 99 Classics make an exception from this rule as they both sound great, but their looks are more of a difference than their sound. All in all, at the price of 250$, you're getting a very solid package and a very sold headphone. I would gladly call this a sweet deal at this moment and a deal that you don't want to miss!



Conclusion

(Edgy look for a conclusion photo?)



After hearing every single headphone that I could hear to date, I am quite hard to impress. You can say that headphones don't really impress me anymore, and when I listen to headphones, 1000$ headphones don't have a wow effect anymore, and it is rare that I get enthused about headphones anymore. I was rather curious about the second installment of the 99 Classics made by Meze and I was not expecting them to hold their ground given that the ABS sound is usually perceived as less desirable than the sound of headphones with wood cups. I was quite wrong and it seems that in the end Meze kept their promise and 99 Neo fares very well, especially when compared to their bigger brother, 99 Classics.

Considering the sound quality of both 99 Neo and 99 Classics, a buyer should make his choice based on his aesthetic preferences instead of going for the sound since Meze managed to keep a great sound for both. The fact that I tested 99 Neo with iDSD BL this time and I didn't feel the need to EQ them anymore tells a lot about how great this combo and be and the fact that a source can make a big difference in how a headphone is perceived.

At the date of writing this review, 99 Neo is one of the best headphones one can buy for 250$ and in my personal experience, I haven't found a better closed back headphone in the same price bracket. The competition is always strong in this area, and I'm looking forward for what other marvelous things headphone makers will come with and I do hope that Meze will be able to hold their ground in the future as well.

You can safely enjoy 99 Neo straight from your laptop, your smartphone, or even an ultra-portable DAP. But adding a higher quality source will surely make your day better. FiiO X5-3, FiiO X5ii, FiiO X7, iFi iDSD BL are all great ways of powering your Meze 99 Neo and I'm sure that every one of these sources will make someone fall in love with their sound, you just need to find which has the best sound for you. I can't wait to see what FiiO comes up with next, but right now either FiiO X7 + AM3 or iFi iDSD BL are the best ways possible to drive 99 Neo from pretty much all of my tests.

I hadn’t had the chance of testing Balanced as I didn’t have any balanced cables yet, but I'm really curious about it and will make sure to test it as soon as Meze releases the balanced version of their cables and return with impressions!

Once again, I fully recommend giving 99 Neo a chance, especially if you are looking for a headphone in this price bracket, as it is one of the most interesting entries you can find and you might fall in love with the sound! Also, please remember that burn-in does make a difference with 99 Neo and you should let it do its thing to fully enjoy this beauty of a headphone!

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Stay safe, love life and enjoy music!

 
First if I would like to thank Meze for including me in their review program. I did NOT receive these for free, like all other reviewers in the program I have been given a 1 week window to review the headphone, then ship them on to the next reviewer.
 
Ok, so now that I have dealt with the usual disclaimers let get into the review.
 
I am really taken in by the look of the Neo, I absolutely love the textured look of the cups, the classic black color, the accents on the edge of the cups and general over all look of the headphone. Meze simply has one of the best set of designers out there when it comes to making a good looking headphone. The Neo may be made from "inferior" plastic materials when compared to wood but it sure doesn't look or feel in any way shape or form inferior! In fact anyone who is not a fan of wood will LOVE the Neo alternative, and anyone who love the wood originals may love the Neo JUST AS MUCH! I personally would be more than happy with either one.
 
Aside from the obvious changes in cup material there also appears to be slight differences in the ear pads from my 99 Classic's. The Neo appears to have slightly wider and taller inner measurements This makes them slightly more roomy for the ears but also not quite as cushy. Having said this I have the original large pads sent out by Meze for the 99 Classic on my pair and that ear pad may have been modified by Meze since then so may very well be the same as what is on the Neo. I will let Meze comment on whether the pads truly are different or not. The case for the Neo is also slightly different than the 99 Classic as it is more textured and might be considered slightly less posh by some. For me I find both cases to be well designed and well suited for their purpose.
 
My photography skills suck but I thought I would post a few pictures of the Neo and the Classic.
 
  
 
So what's different sonically speaking?
 
When I first received the Neo I did an initial listen then let them cook for 24 hours and then did some initial impressions of the Neo compared against the Classic on a few select songs. I then let them cook for another 3 days as I went out of town. I then compared them again using the same songs and found my first set of impressions were essentially the same. I have copied and tweaked those initial impressions to help people decide which headphone is best for them.
 
In my testing I took a couple of songs and did a comparison between the Classic and the Neo. I left the volume unchanged, switching between the 2 headphones and replayed the songs in segments focusing on specific areas and pieces of the songs to determine whether I heard differences and if so what they were.
 
Fleetwood Mac - The Chain - First 32 seconds of the song. The Neo has slightly more thump and body in the kick drum and the guitars are slightly more warmer sounding with less crunch. The 99 sounds thin in comparison but in some ways more articulate and airy. I like both ways and the differences are VERY subtle. 2:30 to 3:15 of the song the 99 Classic has slightly more shimmery cymbals and the vocals are a bit brighter, the bass guitar that cuts in at around 3:05 lacks a bit of authority though. The Neo on the other hand has slightly starker contrast between cymbals and the drums and vocals are slightly warmer and when the bass guitar kicks in there is more authority and weight to the guitar.
 
Beckah Shae - Rest (song with a pretty heavy Bass), Hmmm this song has a pretty deep electronic bass but surprisingly both headphones went about the same in depth and weight. Vocally the 99 Classic is slightly brighter and cymbals similarly have a bit more shimmer. This seems to indicate the midbass of the Neo is slightly more boosted than the classic but they both have similar sub bass. At the 4:13 point in the song their is a simulated heartbeat section and the Neo definitely has more weight and presence and is also stronger contrast in the cymbal like percussion as well.
 
Hans Zimmer - Cornfield Chase - Intersteller, throughout the majority of this song there is a subtle deep bass that gains strength and urgency as the song plays. This bass presence is more evident in the Neo than the Classic.
 
Patricia Barber - Code Cool, this song has a heavy Double Bass beat contrasted with cymbals and fine drumkit work and Patricia's impeccable vocals. This bass is heavier on the Neo but also feels every so slightly more closed in. The drumkit work is more clear and shimmery on the Classic and vocals are slightly more airy and dry. I personally prefer the Classic ever so slightly for this song.
 
To my ears the Neo has a slightly more V shaped signature with a slightly bigger midbass hump that extends just enough to affect the midrange slightly, giving it more warmth. There also appears to be a small spike in the lower treble range where cymbals start giving them a bit more energy at the initial impact.
 
Now I want to be clear here these differences are not massive and if I was not able to A/B test I would have a hard time pointing out these subtleties.
 
So if someone owns the Classic or has heard it and wished it had a bit more oomph to it the Neo might be just the ticket for that person. Conversely if you absolutely adore the Classic sound you might find the Neo to be a bit to heavy and thick sounding. Personally I think the Meze team might be envisioning the Neo as a bit more of a road warrior with it's tougher cup material and the changes I am hearing are engineered to give a better listening experience in a slightly more noisy environment.
 
OK, now that I have discussed these subtle differences I am hearing. What do I think of the new Neo??
 
DAMN IF IT AIN'T ONE FINE PIECE OF KIT!
 
I love how it looks, how it fits, and how it plays. It is an amazing headphone that is every bit as wonderful as the 99 Classic which is work of art in my opinion. I love my Classics but would be just as happy owning the Neo as they both exude a level of sophistication physically and sonically. In fact their differences in appearance in MANY WAYS directly reflect the subtle differences in their sound...

Greetings!

Today we're checking out another drop dead gorgeous product from Meze, the 99 Neo.

Meze is a Romanian company that stormed their way into the spotlight in 2016 with the 99 Classics. That headphone was (and still is) the perfect example of a marriage between design and performance. The simple but shapely form factor, modular design, and eye-catching walnut cups initially drew you in, then it won you over with a very competent sound signature. The 99 Neo keeps much of the same look and feel of the 99 Classics, but with some material changes that bring the price down, along with a slightly altered tune. A 249 USD, the 99 Neo is an extremely compelling product.

Let's take a closer look!

Disclaimer:

A big thanks to Doina with Meze for the wonderful communication in arranging a complimentary review sample of the 99 Neo. The thoughts within this review are my own subjective opinions based on over a month of routine use of the 99 Neo. They do not represent Meze or any other entity. If you want to order your own 99 Neo, you can check it out here: https://www.mezeaudio.com/products/99-neo

Source:

For at home use the 99 Neo was powered by a TEAC HA-501 desktop amp or Radsone EarStudio ES100 with my Asus FX53V laptop sourcing music. For portable use, it was commonly run straight from my LG G6 so I could take advantage of the inline mic, or via the EarStudio ES100 connected over Bluetooth to the G6. Both the M0 and M1 from Shanling were also used. The 99 Neo is very easy to drive and sounds great from any sounrce I tried. Bass is a little tighter out of the TEAC, but I don't think amping is needed.

Personal Preferences:

I listen primarily to various EDM sub-genres (liquid drum and bass, breakbeat, drumstep, etc.), hip hop, and classic rock. While I enjoy a variety of signatures in my headphones I generally lean towards slightly warm with elevated treble and sub-bass, an even and natural mid-range response, with reduced mid-bass. The HiFiMan RE800, Brainwavz B400, and thinksound On2 offer examples of signatures I enjoy. I generally listen at very low volumes, so keep this in mind when reading my thoughts on how an earphone sounds.

Specifications:

• Driver: 40mm
• Frequency Response: 15Hz – 25kHz
• Sensitivity: 103dB at 1KHz, 1mW
• Impedance: 26ohm
• Rated Input Power: 30mW
• Maximum Input Power: 50mW
• Weight: 260g (9.2oz) without cables

Packaging and Accessories:

The 99 Neo's packaging is clean and elegant in design without much in the way of frills. The front contains a straight on shot of one side of the 99 Neo showing off the smooth curve of the spring steel headbands and new, black plastic, highly textured ear cups. The left side outlines a few features and special qualities, like the self-adjusting PU headband and power efficiency so it can paired with any phone. On the right side of the package you find a frequency response chart along with a comprehensive list of specifications. The back is my favorite part. The coloring changes to matte black with a wire frame image of the 99 Neo printed in a contrasting reflective black. Centred is;


It all comes together beautifully, perfectly exemplifying the subtle beauty of the design of the 99 series of headphones.

Flipping open the magnetically sealed flap, you are immediately greeted by an outstanding hard shell EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) carrying case. The case is curvaceous and form fitted to the 99 Neo, just like it was with the 99 Classics, However, here the exterior is coated in a much more durable material than the faux-leather used on the 99 Classics case variant. Inside you find the 99 Neo surrounding a velour pouch in which the accessories sit. In all you get:

• 99 Neo
• Hard shell EVA carrying case
• 1.5m Kevlar thread OFC cable with mic and remote
• Gold-plated 1/4” adapter
• Airplane adapter (though this isn't shown on the website anymore)
• Velour cable and accessory pouch

It's disappointing that the 99 Neo doesn't comes with a second, mic-free cable as the 99 Classics did, but at least the mobile cable here was improved over the one provided with the 99 Classics. Cloth below the y-split, rubber above means microphonics are no longer an issue.


Build, Comfort, and Isolation:

The 99 Neo isn't just a pretty face. The construction of this earphone is immaculate. The PU leather ear pads are thick and soft with a uniform ovular shape that wraps around the ear. They attach to matte black plastic ear cups that have an attractive pebbled texture. 99 Classics parts make a visible appearance here, since when you the pads are removed the baffle the driver is attached to is still stamped with the Classics' part details. Other hardware, like the silver ring around the base of the ear cups, the surrounds for the cable port, the hanger connecting the PU head pad to the spring steel headband, and the centre cap that connects the headband to the ear cups, are made from electroplated, die-cast zinc alloy. It's all put together with outstanding attention to detail, and much of it can be user replaced if broken since the 99 Neo, like the Classics before them, are modular.

Comfort is another strength of the 99 Neo. All of it's qualities come together to be something wonderful. The rounded design, spacious ear cups, and the floating pivot design that lets the ear cups swivel and twist to spread what little weight there is evenly across the skull and around your ears. Some headphones create pressure points around the ear that gets extremely uncomfortable after a while. Not a problem here. If you enjoy binging on Netflix shows or listening to albums from to back, the 99 Neo is a good headphone to keep you company.

When it comes to passively blocking out external noise, the 99 Neo is just okay. Without any music playing, outside sounds are still audible but lose definition and become muffled. You could still hold a conversation with someone while wearing the 99 Neo, but you'll struggle to understand what they're saying. Turn on your music, and as expected things improve. You'll likely still need to increase the volume a bit to compensate if in a particularly noisy area, but otherwise they're nice to use out in the world.

Overall, the 99 Neo is a beautiful headphone with outstanding build quality and decent passive isolation. My only qualm is aimed at the spring steel headband which if tapped lets off a ringing noise that easily penetrates your music. I don't recall this being an issue on the 99 Classics. Then again, those were a tour unit and were only used when stationary, so the opportunity to experience that issue never really arose.


Sound:

Pads: In addition to the stock pads, I gave the 99 Neo a go with Brianwavz's Hybrid PU/Velour pads, as well as their full Velour pads. To my surprise, the Velour pads turned the 99 Neo into a complete bass cannon, the opposite of what I usually experience with that style of pad. It also closed in the sound somewhat, taking away the 'impressive for a closed back' airness the 99 Neo displays with the stock pads. The hybrid PU/Velour pads were the most balanced of the three as it toned down the 99 Neo's mid-bass, gave the treble more voice and sparkle, and improved the sound stage further. I quite liked this combination and would recommend giving these pads a try. They're also slightly larger and deeper than the stock pads and help make the 99 Neo even more comfortable.

Back in February of 2016 when I was given the chance to review the 99 Classics, they were the highest end headphones I had a chance to spend any significant amount of time with. Prior to that, the AKG K553 Pro I picked up from Massdrop held that distinction. The 99 Classics sounded similar to me, but addressed some of the shortcomings of the K553s, namely bass extension and treble peaks. The seven short days spent with the 99 Classics certainly made their mark as a benchmark product for me.

The 99 Neo shares qualities with the Classics but is a warmer, bassier experience and overall has a slightly darker tone that carries it pretty far from the sound of the K553 Pro. Treble extends well with good sparkle but is de-emphasized and rolls off at the top. This gives the 99 Neo a very easygoing, smooth quality to it that makes long term listening sessions a reality. On Steely Dan's “Cuervo Gold”, cymbals hit with a soft, airy 'tsst' but remain detailed and well-textured. Notes are well-defined with a tuned weight that keeps the 99 Neo from sounding lean, yet the amount of air and space between instruments and effects remains open and layered. The effect is the same in the opening moments on King Crimson's live rendition of “Night Watch” from The Great Deceiver with chimes continuously tinkling away in the background behind swelling cymbals. Despite being so laid back, the 99 Neo's treble presentation is pretty phenomenal, though I can definitely see some wanting more emphasis.

The mid-range is slightly recessed but is thick and full bodied in a way that gives vocals a silky smooth, yet still quite crisp and detailed presentation. I really like how natural everything sounds too, from the out-of-tune violin playing in the opening of Aesop Rock's “Big Bang”, to the intense guitar solo of Funkadelic's “Maggot Brain”. “Big Bang” also shows how nimble these drivers can be, handling Aesop's uncharacteristically speedy delivery with ease. Don't worry, the 99 Neo remains clear and articulate even with true speedsters like K.A.A.N. on “Still (pro. Cashflow)”. It's a really liquid sounding mid-range that flows exceptionally well and in my opinion, really ties together the 99 Neo's sound.

Bass on this earphone is elevated with a mid and upper focus giving the low presentation a very lush feel to it. Extension is good but there is some roll-off present before dipping into those truly visceral regions, as evidenced in the opening moment's of Kavinski's “Solli”. While texturing is good, it's slightly loose and can show bloom on tracks that are already mid-bass skewed, like Infected Mushroom's “Drum n Baasa”. At times the 99 Neo's low end can be slightly overwhelming, though you can lessen it a couple dB by pushing the headphone forward over your ear. Want to maximize the low end, push it back so your ear sits at the front of the cup. Well, that worked for me. Your experience may differ. Alternatively, if you aren't opposed to EQ the 99 Neo is receptive to alterations. For example, with my Shanling M1 I dropped 1dB at 62, 3dB at 125, 2dB at 250 and 1dB at 500. This gave the sub-bass a touch more presence, removed the bloom, and improved clarity in the mids by making them a touch more lean.

When it comes to sound stage I found the 99 Neo quite open and spacious for a closed back set of headphones, with excellent layering and separation. Imaging from channel to channel is clear and direct, but can be vague when it comes to finer movements. Something like the thinksound On2 shows greater precision in those instances. Love it for movies and music, but not as amazing for something requiring pinpoint accuracy, like gaming.

Overall, the 99 Neo is an entertaining set of headphones with a warm, easygoing signature. I really enjoyed it with classic rock and modern pop and EDM where it's smooth presentation truly shined. It was also a joy with vocal focused music since there was zero sibilance I could detect.


Select Comparisons: All were used with their stock pads

Polk Audio Buckle: The 99 Neo and Buckle have very similar signatures. I'd say the 99 Neo is a direct upgrade though, given on a technical level it is so much better. The 99 Neo's bass for one. It is more articulate and textured with a much more dynamic range. The Buckle comes across very one-note in comparison. The mids on the Neo are slightly more forward and lack the veil of the Buckle, letting fine details shine through that the Buckle masks. Treble in the Neo is slightly more emphasized, shows greater space between instruments, and shows more shimmer in cymbals which have a certain dullness to them through the Buckle.

When it comes to build, the Buckle feels rock solid though it's not a looker and single-sized 2.5mm connector is a clear weak point. The mix of leather and aluminum is representative of the premium price they commanded back in the day. Comfort is good, but the hefty weight isn't spread out quite as well as it could. The 99 Neo is definitely the more comfortable of the two, though passive isolation is better on the Buckle and it's a little more compact and therefore better on the go. Neither fold up or lay flat though.

A-Audio Legacy: My Legacy was a blind buy on Amazon, one I have been thrilled with. It's audio performance greatly exceed my expectations given it has such a loud and boisterous design, clearly aimed at those more worried about style than function. Since it has active noise canceling the alters the signature greatly, this comparison will be with ANC off.

The most notable difference between the two, one that is instantly apparently the second music starts playing, is sound stage. The Legacy is significantly more closed in and intimate, completely lacking the airiness of the 99 Neo. While it's presentation isn't as layered, the Legacy does present more nuanced imaging and separates instruments nearly as well. The 99 Neo has a more forward bass, but the Legacy extends deeper to provide a more visceral feel with slightly improved texture. The 99 Neo's mids are thicker and more detailed with a more natural timbre. Treble on the Legacy has more shimmer and emphasis with similar extension and clarity.

In terms of build and comfort, I'd take the 99 Neo all day, every day. I love the Legacy's design and the fit and finish is excellent, but it's hard to call them attractive. Interesting is more appropriate. The use of heavy metals and a tight clamping force limits comfort long term, as do the pads which warmed up more and in a shorter period than Meze's offering. In the Legacy's favour, they do fold and the cups swivel up to make them more compact. Plus, they passively isolate much more effectively.

Campfire Audio Cascade: The Cascade is Campfire Audio's first headphone. It's a lot more expensive than the 99 Neo and maybe not a fair comparison, but it's always nice to see just how well something competes with more expensive gear.

Like the 99 Neo it has a bass-forward signature, but to my surprise came across a bit more balanced. Note that I'm running mine without any of the acoustic filters in place. The Cascade's bass has a better mid-/sub-bass balance with greater extension. It's slightly quicker with a fair bit more control in the mid-bass than the 99 Neo, and as such is completely absent of the bloom and looseness the Neo can display at times. The Cascade's midrange is leaner and more articulate with even more detail.Vocalists sit further back in the mix too, giving a more spacious feel to your music. I personally prefer the 99 Neo's extra warmth and silkiness. I just wish it has the same clarity as the Cascade. The Cascade's treble seems a bit colder and more prominent, while also being sharper and more accurate. At the same volume, it's more fatiguing than the 99 Neo, though I wouldn't call either of these fatiguing.

While the Cascade seems like it's bulletproof, I have some concerns. The arms holding the cups on are aluminum and one was bent slightly out of the box. The headphone is quite heavy so if dropped, I would expect some damage. The Neo is much, much lighter and yet feels more resilient. It also has the benefit of being user repairable, unlike the Cascade. The Cascade's pads are real leather and it shows. They feel much more premium and are magnetically attached. Another plus over the Neo's pads.

Final Thoughts:

Finding a headphone that ticks all the right boxes is a challenge. Maybe they sound amazing but look horrendous. Maybe they're drop dead gorgeous but fail to impress in any regard when it comes to their sonic performance. Maybe they've got everything going for them, but are fragile. Maybe the cost of entry is astronomical. Where does the 99 Neo fall?

At around 250 USD they're affordable. The materials used are durable and put together perfectly, though the steel headband can be noisy. Comfort is second to none, really. These are amazing to wear. The sound, while on the bassy side, is well-tuned with strong technical performance. There are very few headphones that I've come across that do so much right and so little wrong. Someone that's looking to step up their headphone game without spending a bundle would do very well to start with the 99 Neo.

Thanks for reading!

- B9Scrambler


Some Test Tunes:

Aesop Rock - Skelethon (Album)
Daft Punk - Random Access Memories (Album)
Elton John - Yellow Golden Brick Road (Album)
King Crimson - Lark's Tongues in Aspic (Album)
King Crimson - Starless and Bible Black (Track)
Supertramp - Crime of the Century (Album)
Infected Mushroom - Converting Vegetarians (Album)
Infected Mushroom - Legend of the Black Shawarma (Album)
Gorillaz - Plastic Beach (Album)
Massive Attack - Mezzanine (Album)
Fleetwood Mac - Rumors (Album)
Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels (Album)
The Prodigy - The Day is My Enemy (Album)
Tobacco - screw*d Up Friends (Album)
Felt - Felt 2 (A Tribute to Lisa Bone) (Album)

Meze 99 Neo by Howlin’ Fester
Everything you want.

Introduction:
When Meze launched the 99 Classics, I remember seeing the banner on Head-Fi. The beautiful wood cups and closed back immediately caught my eye. I wanted to check out and see who was producing those beautiful headphones. I’ve been following Meze since that first banner flash, and now I finally get to try out one of the Meze products. I am lucky enough to be selected as part of the Meze Neo tour. It has been a long time coming, but I finally received the 99 Neo from @Jinxy245 the week before Thanksgiving. In short order, I opened the box and threw some music at them.

Gear and First Impressions:
Rig of choice is 16/44 FLAC from Cayin N3>USB out>RSA Intruder-medium gain. As soon as I got the Neo, I fell asleep to Steely Dan’s Can’t Buy a Thrill album. Not going to say too much about that since it was first impression, and I fell asleep within 4 or 5 songs. But the initial impression was very positive. Meze are great looking headphones. They are not heavy, they fit well, and I was able to lay down without them being pushed around by the pillow.

Physical attributes:
The feel and fit of the Meze 99 Neo are perfect for me. The circum-aural aspect of the ear pads fit around my ears like a glove. I feel like the clamping force is spot on, and I like the isolation of the cups. With respect to headphones, I guess that I am huge fan of closed back headphones. I have Fostex Th-900, Audeze LCD-XC, Senheiser Momentum V1. With that being said, I really love how the 99 Neo fit and feel.

The ONLY thing that I am not fond of is the length of the headphone cable. I prefer a mid-length cable of around 4.5 feet. But that is just a niggle, now isn’t it? If I bought the 99 Neo or the 99 Classics, I would either shorten the cable, or buy a replacement cable that is shorter. Otherwise, I do like the cable. Below the Y-split, it is cloth covered and above the Y-split it is rubber. Neither sections of the cable experiences much microphonics, and rolling it up for transportation, doesn’t really induce memory kinks. I don’t use cables with remotes, so I won’t comment on that.

Edit: 01.29.2018
With regards to the cables: The Meze 99 Neo only comes with the shorter/microphone cable in the box. The review pair traveled with the shorter/mic cable AND the long/standard/NO-mic cable. The long/standard/NO-mic cable can be purchased separately for $20.

Sound:
Over the next few days, I just listened to them while working. I ran through most of the Beatles later works. White Album, Let it Be, Revolver, Rubber Soul, Sgt. Pepper’s. I wasn’t doing any critical listening, but one of the things that really struck me was how deep, rich, and full the Meze 99 Neo made the Beatles sound. They were really astounding on these older recordings (new remasters). But mostly I just worked and occasionally, I would need to pause, look out the window and listen to part of a song. I think this was the first time I was really able to “hear” Paul’s bass lines. Ringo’s drums were clearly presented, and other percussion instruments were clearly represented. While writing this, I had to pause and listen to Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. Very nice.

The Meze 99 Neo seem to be easy to drive. I powered them with the Ray Samuels Audio Intruder amp. On medium gain, I only need about 1/4 of the power or less. This gives me great listening level with good impact, but not being loud. That is one of the things that I tend to find with other headphones, is that I want to turn them up to get the bass impact and slam. I really feel that the 99 Neo do that more safely.

Musings on Two Beatles Songs and Four Headphones:
OMG! Listening to the Beatles song “When I’m 64” is a revelation. Such fun bass lines and bass presence without overpowering the rest of the song. Switching over to the THX-900, I feel like I’m getting a more clinical representation of the song. I had to turn the volume up with the THX-900 to get the same kind of fun impact of the 99 Neo. One thing I did notice about the 99 Neo and the old Beatles stuff is that the L-R balance is more distracting and sharp. Meaning that vocals in the right are extremely panned right, etc. With the THX-900, they are more cross centered. This could be a function of the THX-900 being “semi-closed”. While listening to “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” on the THX-900, I can definitely hear the bass lines, but is like I have to work harder to find it. The Meze 99 Neo smacks you with it.

Switching over to LCD-XC, you are immediately hit with the weight. (If anyone ever talks to you about the LCD-XC, it goes something like this… “LCD-XC, huh?” “Yup.” “How heavy are those things?” “Heavy. Oh, so heavy.” “OK. How do they sound?” “Sound great. But man are they heavy.” Anyway, I digress.) Listening to When I’m 64 and Lucy Diamonds, the LCD-XC really present the Beatles well. There is bass heft, and feel. But still find myself reaching for the volume to keep turning them up. The bassline in the chorus of Lucy in the Sky sounds glorious. But at a volume price.

Trying the Senheiser Momentum (Version 1). When I’m 64 sounds evenly presented and kind of boring. I don’t get that OMG moment that I got with the Neo 99. If I turn them up, I can force myself to have more fun with the increased volume. Definitely good headphones for travelling, but I very rarely reach for the Momentums

If I had to rank the headphones for these two Beatles songs, it would look like this: 1. LCD-XC (but had to really turn it up). 2. 99 Neo (just represented the songs in a “FUN” way on a lower volume.) 3. THX-900. Great sound across the board, but missing the “FUN” factor on the Beatles songs. (AND I LOVE MY TH-900). 4. Momentum. Just average.

Comfort:
Well, the Beatles aren’t my normal evaluation songs, so I should move on to my evaluation music. However, this first half of the review, I am really impressed with the Meze 99 Neo. Putting the Meze back on after testing the Fostex, Audeze, and Sennheiser, the meze really wins for comfort. Let’s do a comfort ranking. 1. Meze 99 Neo. 2. THX-900 (but I would like a little bit tighter clamping). 3. LCD-XC. Comfortable around the ears, but did I mention they are heavy? 4. Momentum. Tight clamping, tight on the ears. Didn’t really bother me, but when I took them off, I was glad they were off.

Glasses:
I also have to mention that the Meze 99 Neo are comfortable with glasses. I’m old and I wear reading glasses and computer distance glasses. My spectacles fit just fine under the Meze pads. I don’t feel pressure on the arms/temples.

Song evaluations:
Steely Dan - Do it again. This is probably the song I listen to the most when evaluating music. With the 99 Neo, I’m able to hear everything clearly and well presented. There are high hat rides and cabassa throughout the song. I can hear those high frequency instruments clearly and distinctly while getting a good bass thump.

Porcupine Tree - Hatesong. This is one I’ve really been looking forward to hearing. It naturally has a deep drumming bass line. That was represented well. But the Tom drums after the 6:00 minute mark are where the Meze 99 Neo really shine.

Fleetwood Mac – Dreams. Soundstage. The Meze 99 Neo don’t have the widest soundstage. When I’m listening to Dreams, the background vocals and acoustic guitar seem a little closer with the Neo than with other headphones and iem I have tried.

Kansas – Miracles Out of Nowhere. I grew up listening to Kansas on my stereo in my bedroom, and through old Realistic – White – Plastic – Closed back headphones. This takes me back to my childhood. Hearing all of the individual instruments in the band playing off of each other in different locations of the headphone is a real joy.

Santa Esmeralda – Don’t Let me Be Misunderstood. The definition of a smile. When the song starts off with hand claps, stomping, congas, drums, then the acoustic guitar strums in. Followed by a flamenco solo. This just made me smile very much. Definitely check this out if you have the chance.

Tool – The Pot. Thought I would throw some recently recorded music at the Neo. This Tool song has lots of bass and guitar. They all seem to blur together. On most tool songs, it is hard to get a distinction between Maynard’s voice, and the other instruments. This follows suit here with the Neo. If I change out the Neo for my Trinity Audio Hunter iem – gunmetal filters & silver litz cable, I can differentiate all the instruments separately and clearly hear Maynard’s voice. Tried the same thing with the TH-900, and the TH-900 can clearly separate all the instruments. Fun factor on this Tool song has to go to the Fostex over the Meze Neo.

Fleetwood – Rumours album. Moving from Tool over to the Fleetwood Mac, I think this is where the Meze really shine for me. Older recorded music. It gives it the heft, thump and fun factor that is needed. But I can still hear highs to give it some fun. Maybe the harmonics of the guitars aren’t as clear and bright as they could be on the song Second Hand News, but the sound is fun and inviting. In the middle of “The Chain” all the music pauses except for McVie’s bass line. That is rendered wonderfully on the Neo.

Conclusion:
In listening to the Meze 99 Neo over the week, I have been really impressed with the build, fit, comfort, sound and thump. Right now the Meze headphones are on a short list of headphones I want. In fact, the Meze 99 Classics or the Meze 99 Neo are the only new headphones that are on that list. I could see myself using these a lot more than some of my other closed back headphones.

As I’m finalizing this review and proofreading, I’m listening to Steely Dan’s catalog. These sound perfect with Can’t Buy a Thrill and Countdown to Ecstasy. As I mentioned, I believe that the Meze really shine with older classic rock albums. As I was going through my collection, I realized how much of my FLAC music IS the older recorded music. So just for fun, I put on the Virginmarys – King of Conflict. This is a newer recorded album. It sounds very good with the Meze 99 Neo as well. Drums that make you want to get up and move. Check out Portrait of Red for an awesome and fun song.

I would definitely recommend these headphones for anyone interested in closed back headphones that are simply great sounding and fun. I will be buying a 99 Classic or 99 Neo. I give it 4.5 stars. What more could you want from a headphone?

EDIT: Update 01.29.2018
Meze was running a holiday special on the 99Neo for $199. After writing this review and before the end of 2017 holiday season, I purchased a set of Meze 99Neo. I still absolutely love the 99Neo. I was part of the Shanling Hi-res Portable Players Review Tour. I got to experience the 99Neo with the Shanling M2s. I believe that they have tremendous synergy. You can read my review of the M2s here:

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/sh...d256-hifi-lossless-music-player.22354/reviews

The Meze 99 Neo are definitely my “go-to” pair of headphones at this moment. I had been doing a majority of my listening with in-ear-monitors prior to this.

MEZE 99 NEO (Enthusiast but Late) REVIEW:



SOUND: 8.5/10
CONSTRUCTION: 9/10
COMFORT: 9.5/10
ACCESSORIES: 9/10
VALUE: 8.5/10

How much headphone do I have really?? Well, at least 20 pairs ranging from 20$ to 1000$, some go, some take dust, other are sure keeper like this Meze 99 Neo, and it isn’t for perfection of tuning but for the flavor it give. I like musicality way more than technicality in the sens that if it sound too monitor like, well, I just need one pair of those not 20 and as an amateur music producer I use the Sony MDR-7509 for this, wich I don’t use to enjoy music tough. I like different flavor as I enjoy different music style, and it was time that I test this incredibly sexy closed headphones and understand if the good words I read about them was as real as the less enthusiast impression. Yes, I was more aroused by the look than sound description, I wanna touch them, caress them, kiss them , and now I can do it and can tell you that even ifthe body is sexy, it have a sexy soul too.



CONSTRUCTION, ACCESSORIES & DESIGN :



Unboxing Meze products is a very exciting experience, like opening a glossy pharon tomb to find that cleopatra is finally alive. What hit your eyes first is the quality protective case you have, it is made of hard material that take perfectly the shape of Meze headphone, with not extra space.



In the middle, another tissue poaching case hiding your nice cable and extra connector. The presentation is sure well thinked, and I think Antonio Meze is really meticulous about every esthetical aspect of Meze brand.



Look at this perfect black metal headband curve, this shiny metal holding, all this little details that just wow they eyes and hold attention without forcing an over luxurious esthetical approach : its call elegance. Sobre but eye catchy, mature but not boring looking, something that AKG would dream to achieve with there similar but cheaper headband find in model like the 701. Here, Meze make a statement : it can be as beautifull as comfortable, and durable. This type of construction design for 250$ is something I respect.




Even if the earcups are made of plastic, it isn’t a cheap looking one, it have a grainy texture and mate black color that is a pleasure to watch and touch, we will not get overly sensual here but yeah, this type of details even if superficial for sound rendering is very appreciate for headphones collector.



But must of all, its the comfort, i’m sure any head size will fit between these 2 cups, and even if you can’t sleep with them its as comfortable as having 2 pillows pressing gently but firmly your head. The earcups plastic use make them very ligh even if they have solid metal bands. As well, because I own the AKG K-400 in the past, I know what it is to not being free to shake your head when a song posess you, beleive me these 99 NEO will never fall from your head even if you are a headbanger listening to death metal, they are THAT well soldered to you.



And it have a detachable cable too, a kevlar one sir, with a mic...why? Well, I guess because they are adequate to be drive by smarthphone as they are 26ohm and easy to drive, forgive me to never even care to plug it into a phone, i mean, i’m on headfi aren’t I? Anyway, I plug it into the Radstone ES100 so perhaps I would like a mini cable to make them became some kind of BT headphones.



Sturdy, sexy, curvy, not cheapy, ultimately comfy and...if something really bad happen like you fall from a cliff and survive but they don’t : part changeable, just give Meze a call.



SOUND IMPRESSIONS :


The Meze 99 Neo is all about musicality, it offer a wide warm and well layered sound that enjoy as much playing contemplative modern Jazz or Classical quartet than muscular bassy electronic or pop music. Neo do not try to be a perfect student that know every answer of acoustic laws but in they end is too serious and utterly boring for music enthousiast, no, he got plenty of personality to share and some artistical imperfection that come with its soul spontaneity. It sound as much natural than excitingly musical and all that with some tenderness to it.

At first, for the purist or critical listener, depending of music style, it can be a hit or miss, but if you pair the Neo with right clear source like the Xduoo X20 or any clean DAP , Dac or (in lesser extend) phone, it will shine and make you think you have very big open back headphones over your ears or even a pair of well placed hifi speakers from each side of it.

The bass have great body and weight even if it slighlty decay on mids on bass heavy tracks, mid bass being pumped up and ultra energic giving an exciting turn to acoustic drum used in jazz or rock, mids being lively with impressive presence and timbre that can deal so well with vocal, piano or violin, and treble having just enough extension to give you the details you need without the harshness or peaks that can make long listening fatiguing : Neo is a rebel maestro that know how to read a partition and give it all layers it need but with an expressive twist that will sure polarize audiophile.




SOUNDSTAGE have something special for a closed back, its very wide and around your head with great imaging capabilities that have extra realist decay to it depending of number of instruments. So deepness is good too, as if you have your head stock in the middle of intimate hall, not a cathedral, but this effect as said is even more phenomenal with music that isn’t overcrowned or extremely bassy, wich give you alot of choice appart from power rock, classical symphony or heavy metal, it will give this beautifull vastly musical and enjoyable immersivity.



PrAT is above average, but its more about impact and attack, wich without being ultra fast is very agile and spot on, but the pace can be too slow and create unwanted reverberation especially with heavy bass impact.



AMPING power need is just non benificial with this 26ohm headphone, they are extremely easy to drive wich is a very welcome aspect and underline the fact that Meze make the Neo for portable use. It can be drive properly by anything, but it do not mean it will sound the best with any audio source, cleaner it is, better will sound the Neo.



BASS is there Alot, its muscular, weighty and very punchy with just the right hint of textured needed to have good grip in soundstage. Lower end dig very deep, so you will have no difficulties hearing clearly sub bass line and it will be well separated from pumped up mid bass, this type of presentation make it as nicely enjoyable for cello centered classical music than synth bass plus digital kick in electronic, but here, better will be the mastering better will be the final result. I really enjoy Vivaldi sonata for Cello and Basso duo, its full bodied and quite clear with wide airy presentation, never feel bloated or artificial sounding, as if we really are in the intimate concert hall with the two musicians, cello being more fowards as it should and lower registry basso being backward but lively with right note weight and presence, Then I put some complex and fast Aphex twin and man, it make my skull shake at high volume, causing more mid punch reverberance than expected and sometime distracting me from rest of audio spectrum due to overly authoritative punch energy. I can imagine basshead banger really enjoying this approach, for me, its the only drawback of the Neo, and its perhaps due to the plastic material used for earcups. So, let’s conclude that the Neo are as much enjoyable for basshead than audiophile, if we choose right music to pair it with.



MIDS are extremely charming but have dualist approach in some sens, because it will sound phenomenal with bass light music like Meredith Monk albums, in wich her voice it will be full of presence and wideness, with great timbre, enough decay and righly layered from other instrument when it occur. The same lush musicality will happen with Madeleine Peroux if there not too foward sacoustic bass line, as it will sound more full bodied because of this perfect upper mid bass emphasis, but the bipolarity begin when you put boomy electronic or bass heavy pop, wich will stole some of resolution to lower mids. For violin or piano, this will sound perfect, it will had impact in note and extra body, wich is something I crave for as piano can feel thinely rendered sometime, decay will be good too and realist, but if its bass heavy jazz with authoritative bass and toms, again, well, it can warm it a little too much. Anyway, for a U shape headphone, I really find the vocal not recessed, just slightly veiled or coloured in lower mids by bass wich can even be benificial for some song like ‘’Comet Out your House’’ from Lali Puna that have synth bass and heavy electro kick well layered and a timbre registre of the signer that pair perfectly with Neo bassy soundsignature.



HIGHS aren’t super emphased, but neither veiled or dulls sounding. We are in a warm, musical, permissive world with the Meze, everything is quite balanced with the exception of bass kick. Because of the great imaging and impressive soundstage, instruments do not struggle to show there presence, its there without being overly textured, wich make the Neo so uniquely addictive. Percussion have great texture and extend, but aren’t sharp or too bright, it feel natural and inviting. Listening to Jakob Bro ‘’Welcome’’ song of bass, guitar, sax, drums quartet, all instrument are easily hearable and well placed, and percussion are spot on, classical guitar sounding smoothly behind the center stage wide sounding saxophone, recording was meant to be heard like this and it is a joy to listen with the Meze even if I would have love a little more sparkle and decay in lower highs. If there any colouration in treble, it will be to push some micro details just a hing fowards, wich will help with instrument separation. No harsh peak whatsoever with the Neo, its a reconforting sound, like a hot chocolate in front of a fire, you make yourself comfortable and enjoy a cozy rewarding musicality.







COMPARAISONS :



VS TAKSTAR PRO82 (100$) :



Even if the price range isn’t the same, I find it interesting to compare these two because both are closed headphones and offer competetive price.

CONSTRUCTION of Takstar PRO82 is more targeted for worryfree outside portability, while the Meze even if ligh enough as well as beautifull to wear, is more adequate for small walk or inside portability, like school, work or train. As Meze arent foldable, they take lot of space in your bag with there protecteive case that you sure want to use to portect there precious look, so its the type of headphone you care about while the PRO82 in other hand are more a all terrain and careless (to some extend) type of headphone and do not really need protective case as they are quite hard to scratch or break.

Takstar is all metal including the cups and look very similar to Audio technica ATH50, we can neither say they are beautifull or ugly, and overall sturdiness is excellent.

For the look, Meze win beauty contest with its stylish luxurious classy look, not doubt about it and that even if compared to PRO82 the cups are made of textured plastic. Its just from another class here and surely biggest aspect that justify price difference.

Kevlar cable of the NEO is of better quality than the basic one side cable ofPro82.

Both headphones are extremely comfortable, I cannot decide for a better one here as we just don’t feel pression on head or ears from both and they have about same weight too.

SOUND quality of both is excellent, but the NEO have a way bigger soundstage that feel airy and around your head compared to the more fowards and wide sounding presentation of PRO82. Bass of MEZE is warmer but have more body and a wider presence, lower region is more accentuated than the more punchy energic presentation of PRO82, wich feel faster than Meze but dryier too. Mids of Takstar are little more recessed even if brighter and more clearly separated from the lows, where the NEO give extra pleasant warmest to vocal or instrument and do not have upper mids harshness like the PRO82. Treble extension is perhaps where the Meze feel less extended, in the sens Pro82 is a very detailed closed headphones for the price even if it lack sparkle or echo like the Meze that have more room in soundstage for instrument placement and decay. All in all, the Meze feel from another league in term of musicality, even if the Pro82 is more energic and (micro)detailed it lack musical finess and lushness of the Meze.



VS HIFIMAN HE-300 (300$) :




CONSTRUCTION of the HifiMan HE-300 isn’t that bad for durability with its thick industrial compenents, but its quite rough and squeaky too. The metal that hold the big ear cups look like a DIY project, there screws everywhere, and the plastic used for this cups is thick and cheap looking. For the headbands it use real leather but do not have lot of cushion to it and another time : rough. Meze Neo 99 look like a sent from heaven that have been crafted with love compared to this austere depressing Hifiman design. About design and comfort, the NEO is from another planet where audio lover body is respected and well understand, the HE-300 just feel like an insult to human body in fact.

COMFORT of Meze is natural and form to your head while HE-300 is a squeaky torture device that is ultra heavy and uncomfortable with cheap earpads that do not form to your head.

SOUND quality is another time night and day, or let’s say, cold dry night with agressive neon street lamp and colourfull sunny day with fresh air from the Meze ocean.

The Hifiman HE-300 is really a cold sounding analytical headphones wich can sound musical with very specific style, and even with them, it still ahve a dry soul less approach, everytime I take back the Meze after the listen of same track with HE-300 it was a sincere releive, as if all my nerve were attack with the agressive fowards trebly sound of HE-300 wich even for an open back do sound claustrophobic. I need some air! Thanks Meze for this well needed oxygene : music can actualy breathe!

BASS of HE-300 is more textured but its like if it try to compensate the lack of weight, punch and body it do not have, while the Meze even if not the tighest in attack separation have plenty of body and punch, wich give a more energic and alive sound without sounding bloated in they end. Mid punch have more finess with the NEO, HE-300 being open lacking in this region even more than lower end. Overall texture of Meze is more adequate and natural too.

MIDS of HE-300 are overly fowards and agressive and prompt to upper mids harshness, where the Meze is sweet, musical and full bodied even if slighly coloured with bass warmth. Sometime the separation of vocal can be better with HE-300 in bass heavy track….but you don’t want to listen to this too bright shouty fatiguing signing anyway.

TREBLE extension of HE-300 is sure more prononced and without any roll off, I even suspect bats can’t take as much treble fowardness, its skalpel sharp and crave every details it can, to the point of over saturation, this do not give HE-300 more sparkle and brillance strangely, as the Meze have more natural decay and even sound better with harpsichord instrument as the note have more roundness and impact.

All in all, the Meze 99 NEO are made to generously enjoy music while the HE-300 is artificial and overly analytical sounding. This comparaison experiment underline the fact that more details do not equal to more enjoyment as well as richer sound, because the body of everynote give a more realist musical rendering in they end.


VS GRADO SR325i (300$):



Firstly, perhaps construction look more solid, but its an illusion as the SR325i heavy earcups can slide down for no reason with the time, as well, the cable will undoubtly break one day or another due to twisting earcups. Because of hard on ear pressure and heavyness factor, they became uncomforatble very fast, were the Meze Neo is just pure comfort joy. Overall construction of thick metal cups are perhaps more costy than the plastic of Neo, but as said, it is a design flaw.

Being open back, one would think the Grado have bigger soundstage but that isn’t exactly the case, its just slightly wider but feel less around your head and tall because of a more fowards sound presentation. In they end the Meze feel more airy and spacious.

BASS of Sr325i is more textured and grainy, but lack lower extension of the Meze even if both are quite very punchy headphones, the Meze tough add more colouration to the mids.

MIDS and vocal feel more fowards and present than Neo, but less wide and transparent, as well, it can be harsh in upper mids where the Meze feel smoother.

HIGHS have little more extension with the grado in lower treble and give extra decay to percussion, but make overall sound feel sometime too fowards.

All in all, i find myself using more the Meze 99 Neo because of a more forgiving musicality that can be as smooth without bass and very energic and exciting with bass driven music.



SOUND SOURCE PAIRING :




With Xduoo D3 :

The D3 is an entry level DAP with good sound but clumsy interface. Its very small but quite powerfull as well. Sound is quite neutral, clear, slightly bright but not extremely well layered or detailed. With the Neo it make a good pairing with plenty of volume. The bass kick very hard but isn’t too out of control, in fact, it earn some extra tighness even if it still can be brain shaking a little, wich is a great experience with very bassy track ‘’Koh-I-Noor’’ from Mr Twin sister as the sub rumbling is delicious and do neither stole kick weight or vocal fowardness. We have a good sens of space for the synth that fly around our head and even if D3 isn’t the clearer or must detailed DAP, I do not feel it lack treble extension. The Meze Neo like bright DAP as it make it sound even more energic and give extra focus to treble but stole some soundstage deepness and resolution potential.



With Xduoo X20 :

The X20 use the famous Sabre ES9018 dac chip, wich give ultimate clarity and black backgroun noise floor. This is what need the Meze 99 Neo to extract full potential of its excellent dynamic driver. I use must of the time high gain with X20, but not for the Meze wich I find sensible to too powerfull amping, so low gain it is and it sound delicious. Now the bass is more controled, have a smooth texture and more transparency, mid bass is less agressive in attact but still weighty, mids are wide with good presence and tranparency, all layer are clearly separated and overall sound have more details and is more linear. The Neo is more U shape even if far from mid centric, with perfectly clear source like X20 the soundstage feel more airy and instrument separation are more natural. This is my favorite pairing for extra sharpness that just complement rightly the warm airy musicality of 99 Neo.



With Ibasso DX90 :

Now, the Ibasso DX90 is my favorite DAP, and it have dual ES9018 dac, delivering powerfull and ultra clear and precisely layered sound. It have 3 gain mode, if you make the error to use the higher gain Neo will sound wrong and boomy, but using lower and clearer gain the miracle happen : its the more neutral balanced pairing I find. Even bassy tracks like ‘’Evensong’’ from Bola sound perfect, as the bass is less emphased but sure still enough punchy. The soundstage potential is take to its paroxysm with synths pads coming from each side of your head, kick and snare in the middle and voice above it in a transparent way, sound presentation being very holographic and dense with all details being push fowards to give extra dynamic to Neo lush presentation. These two was meant to be togheter, DX90 being sharp to the point of sometime making bright headphones sibilant, here the Neo earn from this approach and mix its color with perfect musicality. Even the always hissy background noise of Jessica Pratt recording became smoothed out magicaly, without loosing anything else and even having extra body in vocal presence. Hard to explain, but the Neo love this type of high end audio source, pair them with ultra clear but dynamic and balanced audio source and the Neo black angel take you to heaven. I know that Meze create the 99 Neo for portable use, thinking about phone surely, but to give them full respect, I think they deserve better.





With Earstudio Radsone ES100 bluetooth receiver :

This will not give you as much joy as the DX90 in term of extra clarity but will certainly take to next level Meze potential compared to average phone audio out. Here, its a dynamic approach, energic and well layered sound with a fast tigh presentation that help 99 Neo being even more agile and have extra tigh bass.

CONCLUSION:



I cannot hide my joy listening to the Meze 99 Neo, and hope it will be contagious, but sometime passion about musicality is something more subjective than about technicalities. I consider the Neo very generous with lot of music style, giving extra body to cello or warming voice of my favorite signer with great presence and wideness. As a listener with diversify taste, I always struggle to find the right all arounder, and that even more with closed back, it will either sound good for classical or electronic, the Neo do the trick for both because of extra mid bass. As well, i never have treble sensitivity problem with them and can listen for long hours without any fatigue. For a closed back, it is simply magical. Other aspect is how comfortable these are, it is by far my must comfortable headphones even if not my must portable. The fact its easy to drive do not make pairing complicate, but I suggest extra clear source to make them shine even more and permit some sparkle that can be shy in the highs. Meze achieve a masterpiece of design here, and it deserve credit for it. Sure, 250$ is a serious amount, but as every parts of this headphones are changeable, I think its a good investement and you will not regret having that type of natural but energicaly punchy headphones in your home.

Firstly, thanks to Meze for allowing me to participate in the loaner program. Lots of great reviews and photos of the Neo. I will provide a review based on my 40 something year-old ears whose favorite headphones currently are the Audeze LCD-XC and Hifiman HE-6. For a fairer comparison, for mid-fi closed headphones, I have the Denon D600 and Oppo PM-3.

For its price, the Neo is really great value if you are looking for a durable, handsome, very comfy, darker, dynamic driver, bass heavy headphone with in-line controls. Compared to the planar PM-3, it is more comfortable and more bass-tilted. However, it does not fold flat and therefore is a little bit more bulky to transport…however, the case is very nice and like most headphones, you do need to unplug the cable to store it in the case. It works well out of my iphone 6 and to be honest, it sounds the same out of my Fiio X5 3rd gen. The Denon D600 is more V-shaped if you enjoy that, while the Neo is more balanced comparatively. I have also tried it out on my desktop amps, and again to be honest, I don’t think it scales up too much….perhaps, I don’t have golden ears.

The fit is fantastic, as it is a self-adjusting mechanism and I figure it would fit most heads, and the headphones themselves are extremely light. I can wear them all day without any discomfort.

So, what is the downside…none really, especially if you enjoy the bass-tilted sound. If you get a chance to try it and you like the sound, the value is unbeatable. If you are not sure, because it is not too pricey, it would be worth a gamble to purchase them and give them a go. If it does not work out, resell them later without much monetary loss.

The Meze 99 Neo is a great headphone, especially for the money. The Neo has the same sexy steam punk sorta look / design, and ruggedly build, however the cups are made of this jet black plastic composite, and all the fixtures and connectors are a nice nickel color. The Neo like the Classic has has a slight steam punk look.These amazing headphones are lighter than their slightly more expensive big brother the 99 Clasics. The Meze 99 Neo is extremely comfortable to wear, especially if your taking a stroll in a store or some other air conditioned area, otherwise the earcups can make your ears sweat (I live in Florida). These rugged cans fit nicely into my leather audio bag. The case that comes with the Neo is nice like the Classic, but the outer shell seems easier to grip. I just wish the headphones fit into the case with cables attached.
The Neo like the Classic 's scales well with the audio equipment used. I primarily drove the Neo using my Questyle QP1R Dap. The Neo sounds amazing out of the QP1R, much better than using my tablet or IPad. But the Neo sounded really good out of my Schiit Audio Gungnir multibit and Mjolnir 2. I also was quite pleased when I used the Yggdrasil and Cavalli Liquid Gold. This combo allowed the Neo to sound so detailed and resolute. However I feel the Neo sounds best out of a tube amp.
The Meze 99 Neo sounds Great. It has a good , fun musical signature with more stress on the bass and lower mids than say my Oppo or PM-3. The Neo has more bass ( quantitative ) than the Classics or the PM-3's. I felt the bass in "Uncle Remus" ( Frank Zappa Apostrophe) was deeper hitting than when using the Classic 's or the PM-3's. The bass is deeper but not as nuanced ( qualitative) than found in the Classics, or especially in the PM-3. Depending upon audio equipment used, the bass could be a tad boomy.
Likewise I found the Midds in the Neo to be lush with a touch more emphasis on the lower end. However the midds on the Classic are more airy than the Neo. I loved the groups They Might Be Giants and Green Jello more on the Neo than the Classics. For instance "Intanbul" in They Might Be Giants album Flood is so much fun to jam out too, especially when I am walking through the park looking for the preverbial "bird house in my soul". And the Neo makes " Three Little Pigs" on Green Jello's Cereal Killer album sound bloody great. The treble on the Neo is rock solid and is not strident. I listened to Mozart and Tomita stuff and was impressed how good the Neo handled such music.
In conclusion I think the Meze 99 Neo is a great headphone especially for the money. It sounds great and has a sweet steam punk look. The Neo is easy to drive, and sounds great out of the QP1R dap. The Neo scales up well with the equipment used. The bass at times could be a tad boomy depending upon the equipment used. And the ear cups can be a bit hot, especially used in hot Florida weather.
My name is Andrew W Jones, I have been into this amazing hobby for about 3 years now. I did not receive and compensation for my review. I am just happy I was asked to participate in the Meze 99 tour. I hope sometime to be able to upload my pictures.

I am both a stereophile and an audiophile. I am an audiophile so as to further my enjoyment of the music I consider essential in life. Life without music isn’t much life at all, when I’m able to hear more detail or the song better rendered the reason for audiophile gear becomes is clear. I enjoy black metal, doom metal, death metal, stoner metal, sludge metal, technical metal, hard rock, synthwave, retrowave and all subgenres within those genres. I prefer high resolution/detailed neutral IEMs/headphones that sparkle in the highs and extend deep into the bass regions that also have a dash of warm to keep them from sounding bright.

When I heard that there was an opportunity to review the Meze 99Neo’s I immediately jumped on board the tour. I am grateful for Meze providing me this opportunity to hear the pre-production 99Neo’s.



The 99Neo is the latest iteration of the 99 Classic’s. The 99 Classics were well received across the audiophile community, their warm neutral tuning and spectacular detail retrieval was a hit. Building on this success Meze sought to create a more cost efficient version of the 99C’s in order to share their sound with a broader community. The 40mm Neodymium and Mylar driver between the two phones remains identical while the tuning slightly varies.

Meze spared no expense on packaging. The 99Neo arrives in a beautiful flip top box that magnetically opens from the side revealing the 99Neo secured in a sturdy hard mesh EVA zippered case that runs snug along the contours of the phones protecting them from impacts. A frequency response graph adorns the outside edge of the cardboard box while inside you find a nice small circular case that contains a braided Kevlar mic cable a ¼” adapter as well as a non-mic cable, airplane adapter and small instruction booklet. The cable has a button that allows you to take calls and a rubber piece designed to absorb microphonics. Dual 2.5mm male connectors mate with the female sockets on the left and right of the phones. The 99Neo uses soft black abs softly lined and swiveling ear cups to channel sound to the ear whereas the 99C’s used wood. Also the cups on the 99Neo were enlarged after complaints about the small size of the 99C cups. The 99Neo is setup such that is serviceable by the user with the driver coming out in a single assembly and the rest being bolted on. The 99Neo’s do not compress into a small footprint like the VMODA Crossfade 2. Weight wise the 99Neo’s are extremely light at approximately 9oz. Meze went with a suspension system that features a leather strap that widens toward the center. Don’t expect any blue tooth functionality as the Meze doesn’t have any, users of Apple phones will need a connector.

Please see below for technical specifications:

Headphone Classification: Closed Back

Transducer: 40mm Neodymium & Mylar

Frequency Response: 15Hz-25KHz

Sensitivity: 103dB at 1KHz, 1mW

Impedance: 26 ohms

Input: 30mW

Max Input: 50mW

Weight: 9oz

THD: 0.03% (1kHz, 1Vrms)


When discussing stage I differentiate between headstage and soundstage. Head stage is the distance we actually hear the sound coming from as we consciously focus on that distance. Think of headstage as listening while holding your hand over the IEM/headphone (you are aware the sound is coming from inside it) and thus the size of the stage is diminished because of this awareness.

I experience a soundstage when I disappear into the music without thinking. It’s best done in a dark room with eyes closed. What the brain is consciously aware of about the visual, thinking and tactile processes affects how we perceive the soundstage and headstage.

Many things can affect our perception of soundstage. In the natural world the further away a sound is the less texture it will have. The texture is absorbed by land, atmosphere and obstacles on its way to our ears. The same is true of high frequency sound. Quiet sounds and sounds with reverb also sound further away. Highly textured sounds appear closer to us than sounds lacking texture.

Imagine a human head with a 3D axis placed in the center of it. The Y-axis is the height, the X-axis is the width and the Z axis is the depth. From these three planes we can form a 3D representation of both headstage and soundstage.
The general shape of the headstage is rectangular with the left and right ends of the rectangle being stretched outwards creating a “far away” sounding effect. Headstage size is large for a closed back headphone: the X axis extends approximately three inches outside the ear, the z axis extends approximately an inch in front of the face and equally so beyond the X and Y intersection. Headstage height is great, being approximately four inches above the X axis and an inch or two below.


With regard to sound positioning within the headstage, I hear vocals, drums and bassline being closer in toward the center of the head on the X axis. Vocals sound closest as they appear to originate about an inch inside the ears on the X while drums and bassline sound an inch or two outside the ear. Accuracy in stage isn’t pin point and it isn’t blurry.

The 99Neo’s soundstage is very wide for a close back headphone. I don’t get an enveloping sense of the sound wrapping around me, what I do get is a very wide stage that has good height as well. In fact the height is one of the best I’ve ever heard in a phone, a very dynamic and tall presentation. The bass heavy midrange and lower frequencies contrasted with the high end creates stage distance between the near and far sounds but the effect isn’t dramatic due to the polite treble. Texture detail is excellent in the mids and lows while bass decay is long as is treble decay. This effect of having highly textured mids with less textured lows creates the illusion of increased stage proportions because sounds with less texture sound further away especially when they are contrasted with highly textured sounds. The distance between vocals and instruments increases when I perceive the soundstage in the quiet dark without other stimuli. This is another trick the 99Neo uses to create distance in-stage, contrasting the positioning of the sound by placing the low end closer and the high end further away.

The 99Neo’s manage to be highly resolute despite their very warm tuning. I get very good isolation and seal from them which increases resolution. I hear the highs and lows as being less detailed than the mids. The sub and mid bass decay is largely responsible for this as the decay creates haze in the highs. Vocals are extremely detailed due to their closeness to the listener; breaths, throat clearing and all those little intricacies are all readily apparent. Imaging is precise, accurate and weighty; solidifying the inception of notes and pin pointing them.


If due to natural tone and transparency an IEM/headphone can disappear completely, at that moment it deserves to be among the top of the line monitors in my opinion. This transparent effect is more apparent in IEMs, especially CIEMs as they are molded to the skin and quickly assume body temperature helping them disappear. Every headphone must strike a balance between dynamism and transparency, the more dynamic the sound the more localized it becomes to the listener.

When I listen to the 99Neo’s I hear a very engaging, dynamic and thick sound. With regard to the balancing act between transparency and dynamism, the 99Neo chooses dynamism. That isn’t a bad thing as the 99Neo firmly preferences dynamism and put’s all effort into creating the most dynamic sound it can. It does this well by utilizing a number of elements that aid in creating a dynamic sound: a wide but more importantly tall stage, a low end with deep extension and excellent separation in-stage between sounds. Despite its’ thick sound it does not create congestion, the thickness does create a more concrete less airy sound.


Warm signatures tend to lead to congestion in the sound and a loss of separation between layers and a loss of in-stage accuracy with regard to the listener pinpointing the origin of a sound. This is not the case on the 99Neo. Layers remain encapsulated such that the listener can easily distinguish them even in very fast passages. Instruments stand out from each other but more so in the attack than in the decay. This is because of the aforementioned sub bass bump as well as the mid bass bump in approximately the 300Hz region. It’s easier to hear the origin of a high note in stage but less so to follow it’s decay, whereas the bass frequencies are both easy to spot and easy to follow. I don’t hear any heard breaks between the highs, mids or low and all of them merge seamlessly into a relaxed flow.


99Neo does not sparkle but it does extend well into the high end. I cannot fault a headphone for not having sparkle when that was never intention of the tuning in the first place and with the 99Neo I do not believe it was. If you are someone who enjoys warm smooth signature you will enjoy the 99Neo’s and you will never have to worry about sibilance even on the harshest recordings. In the high end attack is more emphasized and apparent than decay which can help treble to stand out against the warm background. The long decay is still there but it’s recessed into the background as the bass and vocal texture is brought forward. I was to apply a good amount of EQ to the highs without distortion.



I hear very detailed mids with the detail more concentrated in certain mid regions than others. By that I mean the vocals sound extremely detailed to me, midrange instruments less so but not by much. Much of this vocal detail is due to the forward positioning of the vocal range. Like the lows, the mids are thick and heavy. The 99Neo retains a natural tone and sound no matter if it’s upper, lower or central mids remaining warm and detailed throughout.


The slight bump in the mids at approximately the 300Hz region creates a full bodied sound that spills over into the rest of the sound and punches with authority. The 99Neo can rumble with the best of them and it doesn’t sacrifice very much detail to this bump, it remains an extremely detailed headphone. Mid bass and sub bass both exhibit excellent clarity and extension. When tuning a headphone everything is a tradeoff, if you want that visceral and tactile rumble, punch and slam then you’re going to have to sacrifice some detail/texture. I experienced no distortion when increase the quantity of bass via EQ.


At this time I do not have any headphones to compare the 99Neo to, soon I will compare it to the V-MODA Crossfade 2. For now, I’ll indulge some CIEM comparisons.

A12:

The A12 and 99Neo are extremely similar. Due to the fact that it is a headphone , the 99Neo obviously has a wider stage, however that difference is minimal especially when the A12 has an ADEL MAM module in it. They are similarly warmly tuned with recessed treble. With an ADEL module in the A12 they are nearly identical but with the apex M15 the A12 pulls away with more detail/texture, more high end and better imaging/separation. Vocals are also slightly further away from the listener on the A12 than the 99Neo. Drums are closer X and Y axis intersection on the 99Neo, much the same way it pushes vocals toward the center and toward the listener. A12 and 99Neo share a similarly slow but not identical “speed of sound”. The sluggish “speed of sound” effect is worse on the A12 than the 99Neo as the 99Neo is slightly more nimble. If you enjoy A12, you’ll love the 99Neo, 99Neo could even been seen as a cheap way of getting that liquid, smooth and dark sound of A12 at a fraction of the price with a slightly larger stage.

A18:

A18 has more detail across the spectrum, it doesn’t matter whether you’re looking at mid bass or high frequency textures the A18 trumps the 99Neo in all of them with regard to resolution. A18 stage is obviously smaller with the gap being more apparent than the 99Neo stage vs the A12 ADEL stage. A18 is brighter by a significant margin than 99Neo but the A18 isn’t a bright monitor as it has a neutral tuning with a dash of warmth. Vocals are similarly positioned on both-being inward toward the center of the head on the X axis . A18 has much more high end extension, decay and especially sparkle. A18 has better imaging with its’ pin point precision and exceptional layering and separation. That isn’t to say that 99Neo is a slouch in these areas because it certainly is not it’s just that the A18 is better at it.


Mojo:

I like the Mojo pairing but it wasn’t my favorite. It remained very detailed but too warm and the dynamism seemed diminished. It was as if the headphone lost a few inches of headstage in all directions.

ALO CDM:

I liked the sound coming out of the CDM in DAC + amp mode with 99Neo much more than I did with Mojo. The CDM’s DAC is brighter than Mojo and as a result it didn’t darken the sound. It also retained and even increased the spaciousness of the stage. Stage itself was larger and the space between the instruments was greater as well. The already thick sound was even thicker and the midrange was more forward which was quite nice. Dynamism was also increased, a very nice pairing.

Mojo + CDM:

I heard the detail of Mojo and the dynamism, spaciousness and massive stage of the CDM’s amp however the sound was still to dark. CDM went a long way toward correcting the laid back un-dynamic sound of the Mojo but it just wasn’t enough as the sound was too warm. The 99Neo is already a very warm headphone and I just can’t find any pairing with Mojo that makes it tolerable for me. Perhaps a very bright amp when paired with Mojo and 99Neo would be great but I don’t know as I don’t have one.


I always try to find improvements no matter how minor. The most apparent and immediate improvement was the realization that it would be nice to not have to disconnect the cables every time I place the headphones in the case. Sound wise I would like to see the mid and sub bass decay tightened up a bit and the sparkle increased-remember though that this is all preference as you may love the signature just the way it is. After reading Tyll’s review I see that he has found some issues with the cups so this may be the reason for the bass bloat.


I think it would be difficult to find a headphone in the price range of the 99Neo that can do everything the Neo does. You get a smooth warm signature with great detail, dynamic and thick sound, full bodied mids, authoritative tight and punchy lows, the largest stage I’ve ever heard on closed back headphones, exceptional comfort devoid of hotspot and excessive clamping pressure. With regard to comfort I found the 9oz Neo’s to be exceptionally light, they can get a bit warm around the ear after an hour so but most all the headphones I’ve tried that I get a good seal with do this so I don’t fault them for this. The real leather strap suspension is exceptionally comfortable. If you like a warm detailed signature I do not believe you can do better at $250 than the 99Neo’s.

neo-
ˈnēˌō/
combining form

1.
new.
"neonate"

2.
a new or revived form of.
"neo-Georgian"


https://www.mezeaudio.com/collections/all/products/99-neo


Meze 99 Neo - Preorder
-MRSP: $249


SPECS

· Transducer size: 40mm

· Frequency response: 15Hz - 25KHz

· Sensitivity: 103dB at 1KHz, 1mW

· Impedance: 26 Ohm

· Rated input power: 30mW

· Maximum input power: 50mW

· Detachable Kevlar OFC cable

· Plug: 3.5mm gold plated

· Weight: 260 gr (9.2 ounces) without cables

· Ear-cups: ABS Plastic



I want to thank the Meze Team for supplying me with the 99 Neo. Lorand was communicative and an overall great guy to deal with. I have found their customer service to be top notch.


Anyone that has been on Head-Fi for the past year knows that a company named Meze made quite a splash in the Head-Fi world. With the release of their 99 Classics they received people’s attention and review accolades.

Anyone that has followed any of my reviews knows that I swing towards the portable side of things. While the 99 Classics checked many of the boxes it needed, to be considered a true portable device there were a couple of my own personal boxes that they didn’t check.

1) That entire headband contraption 2) They were a little too ritzy, gaudy looking for me, golden adornments and all.

I ordered the 99 Classics when they were first released and honestly, they didn’t stay long in my collection. I couldn’t get past the ornate gold accent look, it was okay, I would only wear them around my house. Certainly, not out exercising or walking my dog around the neighborhood for our daily hour long walks. Also, I live in Florida and we have a lot of lightning strikes and the whole lightning rod on top of my head just doesn’t cut it. That said I do have closed back headphones that aren’t portable and never leave the house, I will place the Meze on that same non-portable shelf. If you don’t mind the styling of the Meze they could be considered portable and are well driven from a portable device. If I worked in an office I would clearly use these as my work headphones, that said I can’t use headphones at work.

The other thing I didn’t like was that the pads were thin, shallow and too uncomfortable for longer listening sessions. So, I returned them and checked the Meze off of my list. Been there and done that.

Thankfully, as I generally do, I was scanning Head-Fi for something new to check out and I ventured into the Meze thread. They mentioned new styling and the fact that they were shipping with a new larger pad. I took the plunge for a second time on a Black Friday offering and ordered a silver trimmed pair also making sure they had the new pads. WOW it is now one of my favorite headphone purchases. They truly do perform above their price range and are a terrific closed back headphone, especially at $309.

This review however is about their new younger brother, the 99 Neo.










I won’t do a boring unboxing but I wanted to show you the packaging as I like their marketing. It is plain, yet modernly, hip and kind of says “Buy Me”. At the end of the day it is a freakin’ box…move along nothing to see here.





The case is nice, the outside is nylon covered, unlike the 99 Classics, and inside has space for the 99 Neo (without cable attached, kinda sucks) and a round storage thingie for your cables and the included adapters. The case is slightly different than their previous case but there was no reason for a major redesign. I appreciate the inclusion of a case with my purchase and do like it’s styling. Great job!

Other noteworthy things to discuss are the fact that the cable has been slightly modified, compared to the original 99 Classics release. My Black Friday model 99 Classics have the new cable so the change is not new to me but it could be to you. The difference between the old and new cables is that the old cable had a cloth covering the entire cable and now above the Y-split it is rubber. I guess it is an attempt to cut out cable microfonics. The lower portion, beneath the Y-split is still cloth wrapped.






The basic external design is the same sans the beautiful wooden cups. The cups have been replaced by ABS plastic. It is a black cup with some pebbling texture. I like the Neo styling more than the 99 Classics as they adorned the new cup with silver accents. To my eyes, a little less gaudy and flashy and more utilitarian and muted than the 99 Classics. I also noticed that there appears to be a new ear pad used on the 99 Neo even though the “new” one for the 99 Classics haven’t been around all that long. Hmm… I was a little curious about this change especially after Tyll was not to kind to say the least regarding the new pads and the effect on the Neo’s sound signature. New plastic cups and a different pad I need to hear this for myself and compare it to its older brother.



Let’s get right to it…SOUND

OH SNAP!!! To hell with tact …these freaking things have bass. Not just bass, a warm hot mess of bass. Bass splashing its bassy color all through my head. Bassgasm! Did I mention they are bassy?

I know I have painted a picture that might have described Beats, pre Apple, but not so fast there mister, patience.

When the 99 Neo were sent to me I was asked to do a proper burn-in of 48 hours of pink noise, being the compliant dude that I am I proceeded to set my DAP and pink noise file on repeat and left it alone to do its thing. The 99 Classics also benefited from a proper burn-in period so what the hell, I'm game.





After the burn-in period I returned to a wonderfully warm, thick enjoyable sound signature. I enjoy a warmish tone to my headphones but the initial listen caught me by surprise. Since I did not write a proper review of the Meze 99 Classics I will throw out a couple of thoughts to give you a bit of a comparison to the 99 Neo. The 99 Classics have a warm tone, with a slight bass focus but the details show through with a nice treble extension, never harsh or sharp. The treble in the 99 Classics provides a bit more air around the notes.

With patience waht can you expect from the 99 Neo compared to the 99 Classics? The sound of the Neo is warm, thick and bassy. After burn-in the treble shines through and provides more top end sparkle. They are not as detailed as the 99 Classics and I don’t feel the soundstage is quite on the same level as the Classics but really, surprisingly, it isn’t that far off. There is some nice layering in the overall sound and vocals have a force that is warm and soothing. I am not sure how Meze has done this. In my experience a sound this full and thick is usually a jumbled ball of mess appearing in the middle. The 99 Neo truly shatters that pre-conceived notion.

If I could sum up my feelings about the 99 Neo in a sentence it would be the sound presents itself as if the ear cup is cavernous, deep, and never ending, and I LIKE IT. It truly is a badass, powerful can.

I used both the Samsung S8+ and the Opus #2 for a comparison of sound and both were capable of driving the 99 Neo with authority. It probably goes without saying that the Opus #2 was my favorite pairing because of its pleasant sonics. but the S8+ and Poweramp beta utilizing 24-bit output sounds damn good as well.



With the differences between both of the Meze headphone offerings came some questions. I asked the Meze Team what their thoughts were behind the 99 Neo and Lorand from the Meze Team was kind enough to sum it up.

The dialogue is below:

“As I prepare to begin to write my review would you mind giving me Meze’s thoughts on the tuning vs. 99 Classics. There are some real differences, was it purposeful or is the difference in plastic cups or what?”

Lorand’s response;

“There is no difference in the tuning between the 99 Classics and 99 Neo, the drivers are the same. The difference in sound comes from the ear cup chamber and because of the materials used. We expected the change and experimented with the material.”

Not earth shattering but it is clear this is the sound they were seeking and are satisfied with the final product.



Conclusion:

An enjoyable experience. Meze has delivered two products that perform above their respective price points. At $249 I feel you would be hard pressed to find any other product that delivers an experience equal to the 99 Neo. The 99 Classics are listed at $309 so Meze offers you a couple of terrific options with aggressive pricing. Those of you that already the 99 Classics will enjoy a different sound signature. Those of you that have no Meze products have a choice to make. You will be happy with either one. I wanted to leave this review with a final sentence regarding my preference between the two. I know the question is “If you could choose only one which one would it be?” Fortunately, I have both and don’t have to answer the question. Insert mic drop meme here.

VIDEO REVIEW :






INTRODUCTION

I have always been a fan of headphones with unique sound signature. A lot of you will agree with me on this, but sennheiser has been many’s favorite. I am afraid that changes today as I tried the 99 neo from a company called Meze. I’ve always thought sennheiser had great open back sound signatures but lacked in the closed back design but meze offers a closed back design with unique sound signature that I instantly fell in love with. Also, it is a much more affordable price. The best thing is that you can use these for both home & travel.

ABOUT MEZE

Meze is a Romanian audio company that has their values set right.

Their values:

Meze Headphones had stood by its values since the beginning of the company, we did not follow trends and let them influence the audio quality and design of our headphones. They are timeless objects that will not go out of style the next season. We achieved this through patience and dedication.

And where there is values lies passion:

Our passion for music and art is the drive behind Meze headphones. We created our range of headphones and earphones with this aspect in mind. We created them as if for ourselves.

and their wood craftsman ship set above normal standards:

The choice of wood is an inherently difficult one. Obtaining the desired qualities for wooden parts is a long and hard path. The rich colors of walnut require the use of air drying, the longer and more expensive process. Steam or kiln drying are cheaper techniques, but the colors tend to be washed out and there are also structural risks. It takes eighteen months for the wood to dry properly. This is the timeframe needed only for curing and drying the lumber before any further processing can begin. We are patient: we know that the result is worth the wait.

Then, the process of shaping just a single pair of earcups takes up to 8 hours. The whole process of sanding, lacquering, and finishing lasts 45 days. We could cut corners, but we don’t sell ice cream. We fight time: this is the pride of the creator.
The craftsmanship of our designs is paramount. It allows us to show the world our products almost exactly as imagined. The wooden components are carefully inspected and no flaws are permitted to reach the final assembly. Aesthetics are as important for us as they are for you. We want you to wear a pair of Meze Headphones and know that you are enjoying a timeless art piece.

It is worth mentioning that all the wood that we use in our headphones is strictly harvested from sources with certificate of origin. That is, mature trees that have reached the end of their life cycle. This way, we are helping the environment and we're giving the old trees a chance to shine one more time in the shape of Meze Headphones.

DISCLAIMER

This review unit was sent to be by Meze as part of the headfi tour. As usual, all my reviews will stay honest and unbiased

SPECS

• Transducer size: 40mm
• Frequency response: 15Hz - 25KHz
• Sensitivity: 103dB at 1KHz, 1mW
• Impedance: 26 Ohm
• Rated input power: 30mW
• Maximum input power: 50mW
• Detachable Kevlar OFC cable
• Plug: 3.5mm gold plated
• Weight: 260 gr (9.2 ounces) without cables
• Ear-cups: ABS Plastic

THE BUILD QUALITY

The build quality is incredible for the price and I have no complaints. Might as well skip this section if you are looking for anything but praise.

The headphone is asymmetrical, allowing you to plug in the connectors any way you like it. Left & Right is irrelevant. This might seem like a small thing but it is extremely convenient in the long run.



Meze also decided to magically make the headphones more comfortable and fit large types of head sizes be making the headphone adjustments “auto-adjustable,” with it stretching mechanism. There is nothing you need to do to get the perfect fit, Meze says “this is our job.” The headphone fit perfectly with great comfort and isolation. I felt like the headphones were customized for my head.



Saying the cups are “plastic” is an understatement. These are high quality plastic that feels premium and rock solid.

I do not understand how Meze can automatically find a way to make great stock cables when most companies out there cannot. With that being said, they do come with two cables, one longer cable for home use and one shorter one with control buttons for travel. The cables are braided up to the point of the splitters and then splits into a plastic/rubbery material that also do not feel cheap. I prefer this kind of mechanism (as long as it does not feel like cheap plastic/rubber) because it reduces the microphonic.

The connectors are 3.5mm and terminates in a 3.5mm with a ¼ inch adaptor.
The case that comes with the headphones is very nice and sturdy however, the headphones do not fit unless you unplug the connectors. They do include a separate case just for the cables but this is very inconvenient on the go and I would like to see a case where you do not need to unplug the connectors.
The metal suspension seems sturdy and very solid. Although I felt like it was a little bit thin, I understand that the headphone needed to lose all the weight it can, for transportation use.



The pads are also very soft and surprisingly comfortable despite its small size. I did find that the cups were a little bit too small and may not fit everyone’s ears perfectly “inside the cups”



You want to talk about style. Let us talk about style. Hands down, my favorite looking headphones. Look at the picture and decide for yourself.



SOUND QUALITY

Lower Frequencies: I think the 99 Neo stands out in this frequency the most. Although it seems like the overall intent was for a balanced sound with emphasis on the bass, I found the bass to be not as tight as I wanted it to be, however this was after listening to other headphones that I’ve been reviewing and they are way above this price range. There is also sub-bass present and surprisingly very well presented. I would describe the bass to be punchy and even thumpy

Mid Frequencies: I found this area to be a little bit recessed, especially the strings and vocals but it is not like it loses much detail. I believe this was also part of the sound signature that Meze was going for. Guitars and vocals are not as much as in your face but still presents itself with detail. Although clarity might be an issue here, I found it to be more and more pleasing as time passed by, listening to these headphones.

High Frequencies: Not sibilant by any means, but also not that detailed. On the go, you wouldn’t here all the details anyways. However, there was nothing like “I hear stuff I never heard before,” it was plain old good treble that does not hurt your ears, it was much like the sennheiser HD6 - - series in this aspect.

Sound Stage & Imaging: Obviously not the widest since these are a closed back design however, if you hear my demo, these are surprisingly good for a closed back design. I would say it gets close to the AKG 550 but not quite. Imaging is quite good, it is surprising what it can achieve in the small space it has, it is not a imaging of left and right but more towards up, down, left and right BUT in a closer /intimate way.

Recommended song genres for the 99 Neo: Pop/Rock

Overall Thoughts

I’ve never seen a headphone so stylish that fits perfectly with such great sound. The sound signature offered by Meze is something special and something to enjoy for a long time without getting bored. I think for $250 USD, these are a steal and if you are looking for a ALL IN ONE SOLUTION for both home use and on the go, look no further, here it is.

DISCLAIMER:
This review is based upon a tour sample unit provided to me by the manufacturer in exchange for my honest and unfiltered opinion. I am not being compensated in any way for writing this review. I have shipped the sample unit to the next reviewer.


ABOUT ME
I listen mostly to heavy metal, hip hop, and electronic music, as well as movie and video game soundtracks. I value detail, clarity, and soundstage above other acoustic qualities. I like V-shaped sound signatures, generally those with more of an emphasis on the treble. Other headphones I own or have owned in the past include the E-MU Teak, Mee Audio P1 Pinnacle, Mee Audio P2 Pinnacle, Fostex TH-X00, V-Moda M-80, V-Moda LP2 Crossfade, Beyerdynamic DT-770 (250 ohm), KZ ATE, Mixcder X5, Mee Audio M6, Hifiman HE-400S, and (very briefly) Phillips Fidelio X2.



SOURCES
I have used the Meze 99 Neo with the following sources:

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 Global > Meze 99 Neo

Windows 10 PC > JDS Labs The Element > Meze 99 Neo

I have tested these headphones with Spotify Premium high-quality streaming and local FLAC.



PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES
The Meze comes in a sleek semi-glossy box. The unit I reviewed came with a high-quality rigid carry case, 2 cables (one longer cable for desktop use and one shorter for use with a mobile source), a cable container, a ¼” to 3.5mm adapter, and a stereo female to 2-prong mono splitter. The texture of the carry case is exquisite, and the cable container fits below the top of the headband inside the case so that every component is easily portable.


BUILD QUALITY / DESIGN

The build quality of these headphones is excellent. I had previously thought about purchasing the Neos for myself, but ultimately decided not to based on the promotional images I’d seen. I had thought the luster of the cups was too shiny, but the sheen is much more subdued in person. Though I’m still not the biggest fan of the silver accents on the headband, I would not be embarrassed to wear these in public. The self-adjusting headband is smooth and stays in place perfectly while on my ears. I’d love to see it emulated on other headphones. The one negative point I’d like to make is that I’d occasionally get hairs caught in the silver parts of the headband. This did not happen often but was painful when it did.


FIT / COMFORT / ISOLATION

I’m somewhat sensitive to clamping earpads. I have replaced the stock earpads on the E-MU Teaks and TH-X00s I have owned with Dekoni lambskin earpads, as the stock earpads become uncomfortable after a short period of time. The Neos earpads are more comfortable than the stock Fostex earpads, but not as comfortable as the velour pads on the DT770s. I could wear them for about 3-4 hours before they became uncomfortable. The earpads completely enclose my ears without squashing them, but I have small ears, so YMMV. Isolation is above average, less than the DT770s but more than the semi-open Fostex headphones. I have a fairly noisy keyboard and I couldn’t hear myself typing over music at a moderate volume. The Neos passed the girlfriend noise leakage test with flying colors, for which the threshold for failure is very low. I could listen to my music at high volumes even lying next to her without her complaining. For comparison, she has complained about noise leakage from my TH-X00s at higher volumes while sitting about ten feet away. These are a great option for listeners using public/shared spaces.



SOUND SIGNATURE/QUALITY

The sound signature of these headphones is very warm, with pronounced bass and mids and rolled off treble. The bass is not as strong as in the TH-X00 and E-MU Teak, and does not slam the way the Fostex variants do. The Neos lend themselves well to distorted electric guitar driven music like heavy metal and hard rock. Bass drums and snares sound great as well. Clarity and separation are good. The Neos are not overly detailed, but are pretty forgiving of poorly recorded music. On the negative side, the soundstage is small, probably smaller than the DT770s and definitely smaller than the semi-open Fostex headphones.


GAMING

I did not game extensively during the time I had these headphones, but I can say that positional audio works the way it should in first person shooters like Battlefield 1. However as I mentioned in the previous section, soundstage is lacking compared to the semi-open Fostex variants.



AMPLIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

The Neos are designed to be driven easily from mobile sources. I usually listened to music on my phone through the Neos at less than 50% volume, and at my desktop at less than a quarter turn from 0 on The Element on low gain. I did not notice a difference in sound quality between the two and did not test the Neos on my phone using an external amplifier.



CLOSING WORDS

As I mentioned at the start of my review, I generally prefer detailed headphones with pronounced treble. The Neos cannot be described as such. The fact that the Neos impressed me so much in spite of this is a testament to how good these headphones are. They are easily driven, fun-sounding, well-built cans available at a very reasonable price ($200 retail). I cannot recommend these enough. Five stars.