[Mhog55]

On a scale of 1 to 10, how revealing do owners feel this headphone is?

 

[lugnut]

Had the 109 Pro for a week now and continue to love them. Just great headphones on every front: musical, technically incisive, comfortable, well-made, well-priced, sound great on all genres, not especially source picky, but also scale-up. What more do you need? Metal sounds especially dynamic on them, too. My guy, Ronnie J. Dio, never sounded so good...

Would love to know how LA Connection sounds ?

 

[mcook1970]

On a scale of 1 to 10, how revealing do owners feel this headphone is?

I've had these headphones about 3 days now and for me they are definitely a 9/10.

Here is some further context for my score:
- Beautiful, stylish finish, they look even better in the flesh, especially where you can actually see the drivers inside the earcups.
- Very easy to drive, even with stock cables. Going balanced does improve the performance factor but its not night and day difference
- Sound is definitely not neutral but I don't see this as a negative, you get the Meze warmth and also the clarity of a top tier set of cans
- Sound equally good on either a tube or solid state amp (my preference is the tube)
- Limited burn in required, tbh they sound good straight out of the box. Sound has improved slightly with limited play time, you could argue this is the placebo effect when trying out a new headphone for the first few days
- Comfort is absolutely perfect, no clamping or pressure on the ears, something you did not say with the 99 Classics w/stock pads. The velour ear pads are high quality and plush and I wouldn't consider swapping them out as they obviously shape the sound of the headphone and if it ain't broke then it doesn't need fixing!

I paid £700 for my pair but even at £749 these are an amazing pair of headphones.

Don't compare these or think of these as a 99 Classics companion or equivalent, these are a much higher grade pair of headphones and deserves the respect to be out on its own. They are definitely not what I would term 'Spinal Tap 99 Classic', e.g. it's not just better because it is '10' more than the 99

I know within that price range there is a lot of competition, especially where you can throw planars in the same mix. But these definitely deserve a place on the pantheon of top class and performing headphones within that price bracket. The question will boil down to whether you feel you need a pair based on your existing collection, my answer would be yes purely on the aesthetics alone although you will be equally pleased with the technical performance!

 

[CTR640]

I know within that price range there is a lot of competition

No, in terms of design, there is no competition within that price range.

 

[catom]

On a scale of 1 to 10, how revealing do owners feel this headphone is?

7? 8? If I'm comparing against something like the Focal Stellia or Dan Clark Audio Expanse/Stealth being 9 and 10 respectively.

For it's price range? 10/10. More.

These are definitely not as detailed and revealing as the $2000+ top tier headphones of course...but boy they're close. You start to do the math here and you realize that they probably could have charged a bit more for these.

Again I hate to over hype something, but they really did a good job with these. I've yet to find a bad review too. So can't just be me who's loving them.

No, in terms of design, there is no competition within that price range.

I agree. There's not much in this price range anymore. Everything seemed to go $1,200+ and then you have $2,000 and $3,000 and more somehow. Then you have $300-500 range.

Just go to any website selling headphones with a price filter and see how many results come back for each range.

Headphones in the $800-1000 range? DCA Aeon 2, Audeze LCD-2 series, Focal Clear OG and Celestee, Hifiman?

The 109 Pro is better than all of these offerings. In some cases twice as good. They redefined this price point.

Maybe that's why they priced them where they did. Very little competition. You end up comparing these to $1200+ headphones.

 

[benjifx19]

7? 8? If I'm comparing against something like the Focal Stellia or Dan Clark Audio Expanse/Stealth being 9 and 10 respectively.

For it's price range? 10/10. More.

These are definitely not as detailed and revealing as the $2000+ top tier headphones of course...but boy they're close. You start to do the math here and you realize that they probably could have charged a bit more for these.

Again I hate to over hype something, but they really did a good job with these. I've yet to find a bad review too. So can't just be me who's loving them.


I agree. There's not much in this price range anymore. Everything seemed to go $1,200+ and then you have $2,000 and $3,000 and more somehow. Then you have $300-500 range.

Just go to any website selling headphones with a price filter and see how many results come back for each range.

Headphones in the $800-1000 range? DCA Aeon 2, Audeze LCD-2 series, Focal Clear OG and Celestee, Hifiman?

The 109 Pro is better than all of these offerings. In some cases twice as good. They redefined this price point.

Maybe that's why they priced them where they did. Very little competition. You end up comparing these to $1200+ headphones.

I spent most of last night comparing my LCD-X to the 109 Pro. I have to agree with you. These are a 10/10 in this price range. The LCD-X do not sound $400 better.

They come extremely close to my Empyreans which are $2,200 more

 

[ishmeister]

I spent most of last night comparing my LCD-X to the 109 Pro. I have to agree with you. These are a 10/10 in this price range. The LCD-X do not sound $400 better.

They come extremely close to my Empyreans which are $2,200 more

Interesting. LCD-X is another headphone on my shortlist. If price was not a factor, which would you personally pick?

 

[1oad3r]

Interesting. LCD-X is another headphone on my shortlist. If price was not a factor, which would you personally pick?

Forgive me I realise the question was aimed at benjifx19 but to share my experience - I’ve had both too and the answer would be a resounding preference for the 109’s. I sold the LCD-X a few months ago after having them for a couple of months - so note I’ve not done a head to head. That said, I found them pretty uncomfortable due to the sheer size and weight, and secondly, the tonality & timbre just sounded a bit off IMHO. I eq’ed these to within an inch of their lives which did improve things, but they still sounded wonky to me.

I feel opposite about the 109’s on both points. The most comfortable cans I’ve ever tried and wonderful tuning & accurate timbre out of the box.

 

[ishmeister]

Forgive me I realise the question was aimed at benjifx19 but to share my experience - I’ve had both too and the answer would be a resounding preference for the 109’s. I sold the LCD-X a few months ago after having them for a couple of months - so note I’ve not done a head to head. That said, I found them pretty uncomfortable due to the sheer size and weight, and secondly, the tonality & timbre just sounded a bit off IMHO. I eq’ed these to within an inch of their lives which did improve things, but they still sounded wonky to me.

I feel opposite about the 109’s on both points. The most comfortable cans I’ve ever tried and wonderful tuning & accurate timbre out of the box.

Thanks, appreciate the input. These two are at the top of my list and comfort is my main concern with the Audeze.

How would you compare imaging and soundstage from memory? I'm coming from an HD800, which I find too diffuse and distant (but great stereo imaging).

 

[benjifx19]

Interesting. LCD-X is another headphone on my shortlist. If price was not a factor, which would you personally pick?

If you're not treble sensitive the Meze 109 are far more exciting. Wider soundstage, better bass (not bloated). Just so much more fun to listen to

 

[benjifx19]

Forgive me I realise the question was aimed at benjifx19 but to share my experience - I’ve had both too and the answer would be a resounding preference for the 109’s. I sold the LCD-X a few months ago after having them for a couple of months - so note I’ve not done a head to head. That said, I found them pretty uncomfortable due to the sheer size and weight, and secondly, the tonality & timbre just sounded a bit off IMHO. I eq’ed these to within an inch of their lives which did improve things, but they still sounded wonky to me.

I feel opposite about the 109’s on both points. The most comfortable cans I’ve ever tried and wonderful tuning & accurate timbre out of the box.

could not agree more with you mate

 

[CTR640]

Audeze headbands looks so uncomfortable to me and the earcups looks so thick and chonky too.

 

[1oad3r]

How would you compare imaging and soundstage from memory?

I don’t think I could give you a reliable comparison from memory sorry. I will say though I find the 109’s to have a very airy presentation / stage that’s broad and deep. There’s plenty of space between instruments, vocals etc.

FWIW, with the exception of vocal timbre, I don’t find the 109’s to particularly excel at any one thing. But, they are so good across the board the result of which is a remarkable headphone for the money and an absolute joy to listen to.

 

[benjifx19]

Audeze headbands looks so uncomfortable to me and the earcups looks so thick and chonky too.

I've been using my LCD-X since 2020, the headband leather suspension is gone and has been for a while. I don't feel like i should have to spend $150 on a replacement that will do the same thing in a year from now and touch the metal part of the headband. On my Meze this is not an issue at all

 

[ThanatosVI]

Audeze headbands looks so uncomfortable to me and the earcups looks so thick and chonky too.

Nothing is as comfortable as a Meze, but the old headband and cups on the Audeze models have been pretty comfortable as well.