[Toonartist]

Agree... 99% of the time, the Atom HE is only used as a streamer / pre into the Nirvana... when I upgrade from it, I'd most likely look at the Linn DSM Selekt with the Organik DAC. The R2R docs sound interesting but I don't want a third box and I'm not overly keen on a USB from a computer. The Linn looks like a nice option!

 

[arielext]

They are completely different headphones. That thinner and stiffer diaphragm makes a huge difference. I like the Empyreans too, but IMO there is no real contest between the two top Mezes. I don't understand those reviewers who say the Elite is only a better version of the Empyrean. That is a very superficial statement. The Elites are next level compared to the lovely Empyreans. A clear and more mature evolution levelled up.

The angled pads make quite a difference on Empyrean, which is the setup I compared. With the older stock pads the Empyrean is a child compared to Elite.

 

[betula]

The angled pads make quite a difference on Empyrean, which is the setup I compared. With the older stock pads the Empyrean is a child compared to Elite.

That is my impression as well. To check the truth of this statement I would have to hear the Empyrean with the new angled pads which won't happen anytime soon.

 

[FinHifi]

Hey, if someone who has switched from OG pads to Angeled wants to sell the OG pads, im interested
EDIT: Done

 

[oniel459]

Looks like Tungsten finish is official now.

 

[ThanatosVI]

Looks like Tungsten finish is official now.

I think official release was friday

 

[PuPS]

 

[Solasuke]

Hello everyone, I thought I'd share my thoughts on the new angled alcantara pads with my Elite. I've long been interested in a more detailed Meze sound, and I can report that the angled pads do indeed deliver a more detailed and more 3D-like presentation. Unfortunately imo this has come at the cost of a great deal of the energy of the bass, and with it a lot of life and fun in the music. I would say that this pad is designed to appease a certain type of Meze critic who faults the very nature of the Elites, and is looking for that hyper-analytical and incisive sound, perhaps something reflected in headphones like Utopia, 1266TC, and to some extent Susvara.

If that was indeed a large part of the motivation as I suspect, then I think it's entirely the wrong reason to make this pad. I feel that to some extent, the pad is compromising the soul of the Elite in trying to hone in on this sound. I make this specific complaint because Meze are discontinuing the old Alcantara pad, which is the pad I have probably used most on my Elites and my previous Empyrean.

Of course I am not affected by this discontinuation and I'm very glad to now have 3 flavours of pad to choose from - each pad most definitely has its place. I simply think it is a mistake to deprive future Elite owners of the choice; I am sure many Elite owners enjoy their OG alcantara's even if there is a loud section of Elite owners who do not like them.

Obviously you can enjoy this pad without falling into this category I've defined, they really do make a great addition to the pad stable. I don't mind them being the new default included pads either - why not keep the OG alcantaras available in the store?

 

[CL14715]

Big fan of the Meze couch, supports the elite really well and looks great IMO


Can also recommend trying the Hugo/Elite combo with the 2Go unit which really takes SQ to an even higher level.

I’ve been trying so hard to find one of those.

 

[CL14715]

Has anyone compared the Empy pads on Elite vs the new angled pads?

 

[Toonartist]

I maybe alone on this one and it may well be amp genre specific but I really like the new angled alcantara pads.

I'm using the Elites with the new angled pads on the Auris Nirvana with Mullard EL34 XF2 power tubes and a Siemens 5814a Long Plate Triple Mica. This combo does provide great bass extension, texture with lovely mids and clear top end. Very dynamic. I've been using the pads for 3 days now and mainly classical, jazz, acoustic and female vocals.

Previously I had always favoured the hybrid pads over the standard alcantara. I liked them for their spatial detail, imaging but they seemed to suck the life out of a track. I also found them very chunky having got used to the extra space around the outside of the ears on the hybrids. The hybrids were a little shallow though as my ears were very close to touching the grill.

The new pads are amazing in terms of comfort. Meze, you really do need to make every effort to look for a combination of materials etc that allow you to make a hybrid pair to the same shape styling. The new pads feel amazing in use.

Sound, I've been listening to classical, jazz, acoustic and female singers like Agnes Obel and air is an the obvious improvement as is the great clarity and detail. Stage depth felt much improved as did the precision of imaging.

The bit that took me by surprise was actually the bass. The album, The Art of Balkan Bass by Nenad Vasilic is one of my go-to-albums when testing bass and this really did sound incredibly good. Bass quantity was ample, excellent weight and extremely tight and controlled. A lot more so than the Hybrids which have a little more weight but feel a little less accurate, looser. Textures and detail in the bass feel very realt, it's like you can feel the strings being plucked or the vibration from the bow as it passes over the strings.

Piano pieces also sounded a lot more natural. With the hybrids sound at the top end felt like it had some glare in comparison. Probably too strong a word but the balance in tone/timbre didn't sound as natural. The new angled pads handled this better but when called for, the weight and impact was there with lovely texture. When a pianist pushed down hard onto the keys you got a real sense of the power and vibrations running through the piano. Very lifelike again.

It was at this point that I started to feel like I'd heard these changes before and realised it was in my 2 channel system. It was when I first started fitting room treatment to control unwanted first reflections and excess bass. Add too many panels or position them wrong it sounded like the original Alcantara. A bit dead, laking energy. But, when you get them in the right place with enough thick bass absorbing panels to capture the excess then you got something like the new angled pads. It's like the new pads are mopping up some stray first reflections but with the thinner walls and wider space aren't absorbing too much of the energy. The imaging feels really precise and stage is deep and wide. The weight, timbre is excellent and feels very natural and lifelike. These pads (for me) have answered the call for a new headphone for purely classical, jazz etc.

However, I have tried some pop, general tracks and while a lot of them are very good there are some which benefit from the extra energy that is being absorbed by the alcantara pads. I listened to Money by Roger Waters on his Us+Them (Live in Amsterdam 2018) album and the energy in the thunderstorm was not as dramatic... it lost that jaw dropping sensation as the thunder rolls overhead and explodes. The same with some EDM Electronic music as well. Just looses a bit too much energy in the bass etc. I guess with these genres it's less about the precision, control and more about the energy. Hybrids win out here. That said, Dark Days Exit by Felix Laband still sounded amazing... but he does use stage and imaging to great effect.

All in all I'm very happy with the new pads. I now have two headphones in one... this is what they should have had originally. The original Alcantara never did it for me (on the Elites or Empyrean) and they only had occasional use but never a purpose. Sat in the case most of the time but these new ones won't.

I have a feeling it may be system specific as well though... hence the mention at the beginning of the setup. If an amp lacks weight, bass etc then the new pads may not sound as good. At some point, I'll roll in some tubes that I know provide less bass and aren't as dynamic to see how they fair.

Well, this went on longer than intended but hopefully it may help some when deciding on whether to go for them or not.

 

[adeadcrab]

Looks like Tungsten finish is official now.

I noticed this in the Meze store last week as a permanent option.
Really pleased with that, I was hesitant to buy the Elite because I'm very poor - but also because I think the stock finish is not that aesthetically appealing... it's a bit sad that all high-end headphones are shades of black but I like the matte grey look much more.
To make up for the lack of colour elsewhere I'll pick up an Abyss Diana TC in Cherry Red

 

[ThanatosVI]

I noticed this in the Meze store last week as a permanent option.
Really pleased with that, I was hesitant to buy the Elite because I'm very poor - but also because I think the stock finish is not that aesthetically appealing... it's a bit sad that all high-end headphones are shades of black but I like the matte grey look much more.
To make up for the lack of colour elsewhere I'll pick up an Abyss Diana TC in Cherry Red

There are certainly colorful special Editions of the Meze, if you want something more unique

 

[betula]

...I'm very poor - but also because I think the stock finish is not that aesthetically appealing...
...To make up for the lack of colour elsewhere I'll pick up an Abyss Diana TC in Cherry Red

You can't be that very poor if you are planning to pick up an Elite  and a Diana TC.

 

[The1Signature]

You can't be that very poor if you are planning to pick up an Elite  and a Diana TC

This is the special kind of being poor in this forum