[Mr X]

Just wondering how many members own both the Empyrean and the Elite and if so any particular reason why you enjoy both?

 

[ThanatosVI]

Just wondering how many members own both the Empyrean and the Elite and if so any particular reason why you enjoy both?

They are tuned differently.
While they both share a house sound they are still quite different and complementary.

The Empyrean is warmer and has a more fun tuning with midbass emphasis.
While the Elite is more neutral with higher technicalities. Closer to your traditional audiophile tuning.

 

[MatW]

Just wondering how many members own both the Empyrean and the Elite and if so any particular reason why you enjoy both?

I just rejoined the Empyrean family a few days ago and I also own the Elite. The Empyrean was in fact my first high end headphone. My first love in a way In the search for resolution and detail I upgraded to several other headphones and in the process I bought and sold the Empyrean twice. I am active in both the headphone and IEM world. In the latter, I read about the FiR Audio Xenon 6, an IEM that is unashamedly colored, with a huge boost in the bass and lower mids. When I first (blind) bought it, I was horrified. It sounded unnatural and overly warm. I sold it within 2 weeks. Long story short, I bought it again later and now enjoy it a lot. But only with certain music. The bass is too loose for fast, complex music. But in the process, I did discover ‘flavor’, ‘color’ as legitimate reasons to own a headphone or IEM, as opposed to (only) chasing detail retrieval and a ‘neutral’ tuning. That is why I now own the Empyrean again, for the third time. It is not as technically proficient as the Elite, but I appreciate it greatly for its warm, bassy tuning and relaxed/relaxing listening experience.

 

[glpsace]

Using your method, my AKG 240 S, 20 years old, cost me "0" if I stay with 5 decimal places... even my HD800, 8 years old is just 0.3euro a day. That is acceptable!

Too bad one cannot get it now and pay it that way, over the years!

I just rejoined the Empyrean family a few days ago and I also own the Elite. The Empyrean was in fact my first high end headphone. My first love in a way In the search for resolution and detail I upgraded to several other headphones and in the process I bought and sold the Empyrean twice. I am active in both the headphone and IEM world. In the latter, I read about the FiR Audio Xenon 6, an IEM that is unashamedly colored, with a huge boost in the bass and lower mids. When I first (blind) bought it, I was horrified. It sounded unnatural and overly warm. I sold it within 2 weeks. Long story short, I bought it again later and now enjoy it a lot. But only with certain music. The bass is too loose for fast, complex music. But in the process, I did discover ‘flavor’, ‘color’ as legitimate reasons to own a headphone or IEM, as opposed to (only) chasing detail retrieval and a ‘neutral’ tuning. That is why I now own the Empyrean again, for the third time. It is not as technically proficient as the Elite, but I appreciate it greatly for its warm, bassy tuning and relaxed/relaxing listening experience.

Lovely. Can I ask what sort of Music you favor the warmer Empyrean with?

Thank you and cheers.

 

[MatW]

Lovely. Can I ask what sort of Music you favor the warmer Empyrean with?

Thank you and cheers.

Anything slow and bassy, e.g. certain types of jazz music or slower styles of metal, e.g. bands like Candlemass. With fast music the boomy bass makes it sound messy imo. Please note, this is with the stock leather pads. I have yet to explore the angled pads further.

 

[Mr X]

Thanks.

I’m familiar with both sound signatures as I had a home demo with both at the same time and fell in love with the both models.

That’s the problem! It was a really hard decision going back and forward but in the end went for detail of the Elite over the fun of the Empyrean but man was it a tough call.

Now I’m waiting for my new V pads BUT also thinking how nice it would be to own both cans!

I know some do which is why I asked and I keep talking myself in and out of trying to justify having both but I am leaning toward having both in the collection. It’s also the new V shape Alcantara pads on the Empys also adds another dimension to needing both.

As we all know, needing and wanting are too very different things especially in this hobby!

 

[tcode]

PSA

Bliss is a big boy, it can handle!

 

[turbofeet]

Thanks.

I’m familiar with both sound signatures as I had a home demo with both at the same time and fell in love with the both models.

That’s the problem! It was a really hard decision going back and forward but in the end went for detail of the Elite over the fun of the Empyrean but man was it a tough call.

Now I’m waiting for my new V pads BUT also thinking how nice it would be to own both cans!

I know some do which is why I asked and I keep talking myself in and out of trying to justify having both but I am leaning toward having both in the collection. It’s also the new V shape Alcantara pads on the Empys also adds another dimension to needing both.

As we all know, needing and wanting are too very different things especially in this hobby!

I enjoy them both very much. I love the detail on the Elites (as much as possible without fatigue) and I love the Empyreans just to shut up and chill out. The Empyrean is an amazing headphone.

The angled pads made them even better.

 

[Nostoi]

Hello all, happy to share my review of the Meze Elite over here at Audio Rabbit Hole.

TLDR version: lovely headphones, will miss them when I send them back

 

[TheMiddleSky]

Golden hour at its finest outside

 

[Solasuke]

Has anyone tried reversing the angled earpads on the Elite? I've been listening to them only in the "traditional" way until now with the thicker part behind the ears, but I've just tried swapping them around so that the thicker part is in front of the ears.

I've only been doing this for a few minutes, but I think I prefer the results... more pronounced upper bass while retaining a lot of the clarity...

 

[betula]

Has anyone tried reversing the angled earpads on the Elite? I've been listening to them only in the "traditional" way until now with the thicker part behind the ears, but I've just tried swapping them around so that the thicker part is in front of the ears.

I've only been doing this for a few minutes, but I think I prefer the results... more proonounced upper bass while retaining a lot of the clarity...

This chap for example seems to enjoy sitting on a horse backwards. I guess, anything is possible in this big old world.

 

[gipsy]

Has anyone tried reversing the angled earpads on the Elite? I've been listening to them only in the "traditional" way until now with the thicker part behind the ears, but I've just tried swapping them around so that the thicker part is in front of the ears.

I've only been doing this for a few minutes, but I think I prefer the results... more pronounced upper bass while retaining a lot of the clarity...

Did you come up to that by accident or wanted to give it a try?

 

[Slackaveli]

It is an unreasonable purchase and shamefully expensive, like all audio gear at this level. 'Normal' people would laugh at us as it really is almost impossible to justify such purchases for most of us. Yet, if you consider the amount of joy and pleasure these will give you personally, it is hard to put a price tag on that. If you keep gear long enough, you can count all your cost for listening hours. For instance if you keep your Elites for a year and as an average you listen 2 hours 12 minutes every day, that comes to $5 per listening hour if the Elite was bought new. Of course, there is the system cost too, but me for example bought my Elite used (with 30 hours) so I saved a significant chunk versus retail price. $5 per hour for joy and relaxation is not a bad deal.

Anyway, I just thought I share one of my justification methods for the benefit of all.

$5 an hour doesnt make me feel better about that expense lol. That's higher than my weed bill!

 

[betula]

$5 an hour doesnt make me feel better about that expense lol. That's higher than my weed bill!

If it makes you uncomfortable, you better give up one or the other.