Meze Audio’s newest single-DD IEM - ADVAR

[Kristofa]

I am looking for my first pair of IEMs for the purpose of a trip overseas. I own the LIRIC and 99 Classics and am looking to Meze for my IEMs because I want to support the company. They have been really good to me in terms of customer support in the past and basically like the cut of their gib!

Do you all think the Advars would be a good bet for me if I am really enjoying my Lirics for everyday listening (~6-9 hours per day)?

 

[alekc]

Do you all think the Advars would be a good bet for me if I am really enjoying my Lirics for everyday listening (~6-9 hours per day)?

@Kristofa Yes!

PS: and it seems - although from my limited experience - they are easy to achieve synergy with different sources which is additional plus.

 

[Kristofa]

Well, I ordered the Advars. I am really looking forward to having these on my walks when it is too cold or rainy for the Lirics… as well as them for my trip overseas.

 

[ThanatosVI]

Well, I ordered the Advars. I am really looking forward to having these on my walks when it is too cold or rainy for the Lirics… as well as them for my trip overseas.

Advars are amazing.

 

[alekc]

Advars are amazing.

@ThanatosVI totally agree I plan to do a listening session with Envy and Pro iCan in Tube+ mode this weekend. Hope both are not powerful enough.

 

[ThanatosVI]

@ThanatosVI totally agree I plan to do a listening session with Envy and Pro iCan in Tube+ mode this weekend. Hope both are not powerful enough.

Let me know wether it works on the Envy

 

[alekc]

Let me know wether it works on the Envy

@ThanatosVI will do that with pleasure. Still missing Elrogs in my setup but I'm happy it is Friday and I will be able to finally unpack Envy after moving in

The Advars now makes me think about Meze Liric since I need closebacks, but if I would get a good deal on Stellia... I definitively have already too many cans, but still I think Meze Advar was the best audio purchase this year for me so far.

 

[Leto Dal]

Meze Advar are closer to Empy with touch of Elite transparency than Liric, at least to my ear.

 

[ThanatosVI]

Meze Advar are closer to Empy with touch of Elite transparency than Liric, at least to my ear.

Yeah tonality wise the Advar is closer to the Empyrean that's for sure.
I still love the Liric, but it's Certainly the most unique sounding Meze.

Would take the Liric over any Focal personally

 

[Kristofa]

Yeah tonality wise the Advar is closer to the Empyrean that's for sure.
I still love the Liric, but it's Certainly the most unique sounding Meze.

Would take the Liric over any Focal personally

This is good to know. I haven’t heard any of the Meze open backs so don’t quite know where it would land. Because it has the warmth/low end of an Emperyan but with a touch of transparency, would it fall anywhere close to the 109 Pro’s tuning?

 

[ThanatosVI]

This is good to know. I haven’t heard any of the Meze open backs so don’t quite know where it would land. Because it has the warmth/low end of an Emperyan but with a touch of transparency, would it fall anywhere close to the 109 Pro’s tuning?

The 109 is certainly brighter than the Advar, therefore I'd say no

 

[Kristofa]

The 109 is certainly brighter than the Advar, therefore I'd say no

This helps, thank you.

 

[alekc]

Let me know wether it works on the Envy

@ThanatosVI so I've spent some time with Advar + Envy Performance this weekend. I got a bit of noise in right channel when music is not playing (never had it with other cans) and I think this is rather related to one of tubes and not the amp itself. My overall feeling is that Envy even on low gain is unfortunately too powerful for Advars. I also had similar (but much worst experience) with Mytek THX AAA head amp when testing some other IEMs - you can tell right after turning it on, it is too powerful (screaming like Jeremy Clarkson in Top Gear: "Yes, POWER!"). While there is no clipping etc. you have to listen below 10 o'clock and you have this constant feeling (maybe it is more psychological considering how low the volume pot must be kept) there is too much power being somehow tamed but getting ready to explode. Overall it would be really great match IMHO if Envy had option to further limit gain. I've played a bit with volume control on Lumin but from my experience it never works great with Chord dacs and this was no exception.

Being said that I connected Advars to HEADA and what a treat it was. This also makes me wonder how Envy would behave as preamp to HEADA.

 

[ThanatosVI]

@ThanatosVI so I've spent some time with Advar + Envy Performance this weekend. I got a bit of noise in right channel when music is not playing (never had it with other cans) and I think this is rather related to one of tubes and not the amp itself. My overall feeling is that Envy even on low gain is unfortunately too powerful for Advars. I also had similar (but much worst experience) with Mytek THX AAA head amp when testing some other IEMs - you can tell right after turning it on, it is too powerful (screaming like Jeremy Clarkson in Top Gear: "Yes, POWER!"). While there is no clipping etc. you have to listen below 10 o'clock and you have this constant feeling (maybe it is more psychological considering how low the volume pot must be kept) there is too much power being somehow tamed but getting ready to explode. Overall it would be really great match IMHO if Envy had option to further limit gain. I've played a bit with volume control on Lumin but from my experience it never works great with Chord dacs and this was no exception.

Being said that I connected Advars to HEADA and what a treat it was. This also makes me wonder how Envy would behave as preamp to HEADA.

You could still try a https://ifi-audio.com/products/iematch/
If you wanted to, maybe it helps

 

[Leto Dal]

@ThanatosVI so I've spent some time with Advar + Envy Performance this weekend. I got a bit of noise in right channel when music is not playing (never had it with other cans) and I think this is rather related to one of tubes and not the amp itself. My overall feeling is that Envy even on low gain is unfortunately too powerful for Advars. I also had similar (but much worst experience) with Mytek THX AAA head amp when testing some other IEMs - you can tell right after turning it on, it is too powerful (screaming like Jeremy Clarkson in Top Gear: "Yes, POWER!"). While there is no clipping etc. you have to listen below 10 o'clock and you have this constant feeling (maybe it is more psychological considering how low the volume pot must be kept) there is too much power being somehow tamed but getting ready to explode. Overall it would be really great match IMHO if Envy had option to further limit gain. I've played a bit with volume control on Lumin but from my experience it never works great with Chord dacs and this was no exception.

Being said that I connected Advars to HEADA and what a treat it was. This also makes me wonder how Envy would behave as preamp to HEADA.

That’s somewhat weird, I often run Advar at home from my powerhouse stack, a Holo Bliss with May and there are zero issues, it sounds incredibly good (well, apart of realisation how much room for improvement rovement my mobile setup has haha)