MEZE AUDIO ELITE - The New Isodynamic Hybrid Array Headphone - official thread

[incredulousity]

100 hours acceptable and close to what they will be. 200 hours pretty much done.

 

[TDinCali]

100 hours acceptable and close to what they will be. 200 hours pretty much done.

Good to know, thanks! I’ll keep at it.

It’s actually surprised me once on a particular song, where the bass was was slamming harder than what I’m normally used to.

 

[turbofeet]

Good to know, thanks! I’ll keep at it.

It’s actually surprised me once on a particular song, where the bass was was slamming harder than what I’m normally used to.

Yes the bass is one of the best features.

I actually think it slams more than Empyrean.

It just only does it when called for.

 

[Ricco275]

As promised, I’d like to share some first comments about the Camerton Binom ER I have borrowed from Pierre at Headonist.

I remind my short experience in the headphones world and I apologise for my poor vocabulary and use of technical words.

The Camerton is indeed an excellent Headphone!

What strikes me his its full bodied presentation, musicality, details and dynamic, more natural than elite IMO, open and airy soundstage but not wide as in unnatural, slight short of treble peaks.

It’s definitely a headphone that for me battles with the usual big names and I put it amongst my top 3 favourites so far.

At the same time I have also borrowed what I consider the wild card, the Yamaha 5000SE.
What a great surprise.
I imagine my chain makes the difference vs what I have mostly read so far about it.
Bass and low end is there using the suede pads. Very good soundstage and dynamics. The soundstage is not as wide as with the HE1000SE V2 I owned but it’s definitely sufficient.

The 5000SE seems to be very complete for my taste and difficult to choose between it and the Camerton.
The main advantage of the Camerton is that with the two pads you have two very different and very good headphones. One not so far from the 5000SE but less detailed IMO, and one with BIG bass. I’m not a big fan of the Yamaha full leather pads.
I listened to my usual tracks for testing and the Yamaha excels on each of them.
Dylan - the man in the black coat
Muddy Waters - good morning little schoolgirl
SRV - little wing
Muse - Uprising
Pink Floyd - Time

Both 5000SE and Camerton have good musicality, the Camerton a tad more musical perhaps, barely noticeable.

The main difference between the two headphones IMO are higher details and accuracy and airy presentation of the 5000SE, and I feel the treble peaks more than on the Camerton, not in an irritating way.
The 5000SE is also more dynamic than the Camerton with hybrid pads, as in having more pronounced contrast between bass, mids, and trebles. The Camerton with full leather thicker pads get very closer to the 5000SE in this regards.
Naturally the Camerton will be less fatiguing.

The timbre is obviously different. The Camerton has more of a “olive oil voicing” paraphrasing the godfather. More musical than the Yamaha which is a bit more raw (not in a negative acception), a bit less musical, with more attack.

In terms of design, the Camerton is just perfect for me. Minimalist, solid, beautiful. Not crazy about the suede headband. The cable is quite thin but I’ve been reassured that it’s quality his so high that it could be 6 metres long and still very good. Practical the usb C connectors and the “on the go” cable with just one connector.

The design of the 5000SE is super cool, similar to the Final in a way but feather-light and smaller. The plastic bits where the sliders are bother me somehow, but it was a technical necessity to make the sliders work properly, I’ve been explained by Pierre at Headonist.
The cable has a plastic feeling which I’m not crazy about, however I’m picky with cables ; )

Both are very comfortable with minimum clamp. I find the Camerton a bit more comfy.

Very difficult to pick one side, and tomorrow evening will be the time to retest the Solitaire P with the Spring 3 KTE, it might be another contender to replace the Elite.

The Elite has to go because with the Spring KTE its fun and engaging character reach a level too high for me which distracts me from the original master.
On top of that the elite is too blinky blinky to my taste, the latest dark version would have been better. And the Bond case is really not for me.

The same comments have been posted in the YH5000SE thread.

Happy to answer any more specific question, if I can!

 

[Ricco275]

I have forgotten to mention that the Binom ER went through drivers and pads enhancements recently. So some reviews you find on the internet are related to the previous version. This one is a different animal.

 

[SteveM324]

At the Axpona show last weekend, I got a chance to compare some newer headphone offerings that I hadn’t heard before and one of them was the Elite. I attended the show wanting to hear some ZMF headphones since I tend to like their house sound. I currently own the VO and in the past I had the Aeolus and VC. I listened to the Caldera and Attrium Open. I didn’t like either one more or even as much as my VO. I also listened to the LCD5 and the RAAL CA-1A on their VM-1A. Neither one were my cup of tea. I also got a short listen to the new Yamaha ortho on a prototype of their new amp. It was ok but the room was crowded and I only listened for a short time.

The headphone that I liked most, you guessed it, the Elite. I bought Jack Wu’s demo pair for a great price and I was able to walk out of the Woo Audio room on Friday with a mint pair of Elites!

I’ve been listening to my newest headphones at home on my Bliss/May KTE fed by an Aurender W20SE and it sounds great!

 

[shir2]

Hello Everyone! Is there any carrying case for Elite that can be put into a medium backpack? Would the case for Lyric work for Elite? Thanks!

 

[TheMiddleSky]

At the Axpona show last weekend, I got a chance to compare some newer headphone offerings that I hadn’t heard before and one of them was the Elite. I attended the show wanting to hear some ZMF headphones since I tend to like their house sound. I currently own the VO and in the past I had the Aeolus and VC. I listened to the Caldera and Attrium Open. I didn’t like either one more or even as much as my VO. I also listened to the LCD5 and the RAAL CA-1A on their VM-1A. Neither one were my cup of tea. I also got a short listen to the new Yamaha ortho on a prototype of their new amp. It was ok but the room was crowded and I only listened for a short time.

The headphone that I liked most, you guessed it, the Elite. I bought Jack Wu’s demo pair for a great price and I was able to walk out of the Woo Audio room on Friday with a mint pair of Elites!

I’ve been listening to my newest headphones at home on my Bliss/May KTE fed by an Aurender W20SE and it sounds great!

After gather some impressions from various persons (included myself), my theory is: If a person like ZMF Headphones (any of them) and Abyss AB1266, big chance also able to appreciate Elite really well.

As promised, I’d like to share some first comments about the Camerton Binom ER I have borrowed from Pierre at Headonist.

I remind my short experience in the headphones world and I apologise for my poor vocabulary and use of technical words.

The Camerton is indeed an excellent Headphone!

What strikes me his its full bodied presentation, musicality, details and dynamic, more natural than elite IMO, open and airy soundstage but not wide as in unnatural, slight short of treble peaks.

It’s definitely a headphone that for me battles with the usual big names and I put it amongst my top 3 favourites so far.

At the same time I have also borrowed what I consider the wild card, the Yamaha 5000SE.
What a great surprise.
I imagine my chain makes the difference vs what I have mostly read so far about it.
Bass and low end is there using the suede pads. Very good soundstage and dynamics. The soundstage is not as wide as with the HE1000SE V2 I owned but it’s definitely sufficient.

The 5000SE seems to be very complete for my taste and difficult to choose between it and the Camerton.
The main advantage of the Camerton is that with the two pads you have two very different and very good headphones. One not so far from the 5000SE but less detailed IMO, and one with BIG bass. I’m not a big fan of the Yamaha full leather pads.
I listened to my usual tracks for testing and the Yamaha excels on each of them.
Dylan - the man in the black coat
Muddy Waters - good morning little schoolgirl
SRV - little wing
Muse - Uprising
Pink Floyd - Time

Both 5000SE and Camerton have good musicality, the Camerton a tad more musical perhaps, barely noticeable.

The main difference between the two headphones IMO are higher details and accuracy and airy presentation of the 5000SE, and I feel the treble peaks more than on the Camerton, not in an irritating way.
The 5000SE is also more dynamic than the Camerton with hybrid pads, as in having more pronounced contrast between bass, mids, and trebles. The Camerton with full leather thicker pads get very closer to the 5000SE in this regards.
Naturally the Camerton will be less fatiguing.

The timbre is obviously different. The Camerton has more of a “olive oil voicing” paraphrasing the godfather. More musical than the Yamaha which is a bit more raw (not in a negative acception), a bit less musical, with more attack.

In terms of design, the Camerton is just perfect for me. Minimalist, solid, beautiful. Not crazy about the suede headband. The cable is quite thin but I’ve been reassured that it’s quality his so high that it could be 6 metres long and still very good. Practical the usb C connectors and the “on the go” cable with just one connector.

The design of the 5000SE is super cool, similar to the Final in a way but feather-light and smaller. The plastic bits where the sliders are bother me somehow, but it was a technical necessity to make the sliders work properly, I’ve been explained by Pierre at Headonist.
The cable has a plastic feeling which I’m not crazy about, however I’m picky with cables ; )

Both are very comfortable with minimum clamp. I find the Camerton a bit more comfy.

Very difficult to pick one side, and tomorrow evening will be the time to retest the Solitaire P with the Spring 3 KTE, it might be another contender to replace the Elite.

The Elite has to go because with the Spring KTE its fun and engaging character reach a level too high for me which distracts me from the original master.
On top of that the elite is too blinky blinky to my taste, the latest dark version would have been better. And the Bond case is really not for me.

The same comments have been posted in the YH5000SE thread.

Happy to answer any more specific question, if I can!

Thanks for the impression man!

I have forgotten to mention that the Binom ER went through drivers and pads enhancements recently. So some reviews you find on the internet are related to the previous version. This one is a different animal.

It's not easy to see someone actually owned Binom. Very small market. Yet, the headphones keep got update again and again. Make me appreciate Antonio Meze even more when he designed Elite, already perfect since the very beginning. Not just sound, but as the whole product (build, ergonomic, durability, etc).

p.s: I got a lot of curiosity about Binom, but due to multiple revisions (even till now!), I hold my thought to not to do something that I would regret.

 

[ThanatosVI]

Hello Everyone! Is there any carrying case for Elite that can be put into a medium backpack? Would the case for Lyric work for Elite? Thanks!

The Liric case does not work for the Elite

 

[Ricco275]

After gather some impressions from various persons (included myself), my theory is: If a person like ZMF Headphones (any of them) and Abyss AB1266, big chance also able to appreciate Elite really well.



Thanks for the impression man!


It's not easy to see someone actually owned Binom. Very small market. Yet, the headphones keep got update again and again. Make me appreciate Antonio Meze even more when he designed Elite, already perfect since the very beginning. Not just sound, but as the whole product (build, ergonomic, durability, etc).

p.s: I got a lot of curiosity about Binom, but due to multiple revisions (even till now!), I hold my thought to not to do something that I would regret.

I see your doubts and I have been there. Pierre from Headonist talks regularly with Oleh and he is going to find out where there will be or not upcoming upgrades and if those will be feasible on existing model clients own. So far he never changed the chassis so it was only necessary to get new drivers and pads. I have tried all possible headphones and for my taste I’ve never found a better all rounder than Camerton. I need tor the moment only one headphone and the Camerton fits my needs. Plus, the two pads make you have two great very different headphones. If I had the cash I’d kept the Elite which I love, but for my taste is not as complete as the Camerton.

 

[Ricco275]

After gather some impressions from various persons (included myself), my theory is: If a person like ZMF Headphones (any of them) and Abyss AB1266, big chance also able to appreciate Elite really well.



Thanks for the impression man!


It's not easy to see someone actually owned Binom. Very small market. Yet, the headphones keep got update again and again. Make me appreciate Antonio Meze even more when he designed Elite, already perfect since the very beginning. Not just sound, but as the whole product (build, ergonomic, durability, etc).

p.s: I got a lot of curiosity about Binom, but due to multiple revisions (even till now!), I hold my thought to not to do something that I would regret.

Forgot to mention that Camerton will have more visibility at Munich high end as he will be visible at Headonist who is going to be just next Audeze. Let’s see : )

 

[xenithon]

Been doing some critical listening with the new angled pads. My initial feelings remain in the sense that I prefer these over either of the other options.

The clarity in mids and highs, and tautness / control of bass, culminate in a more refined, layered sound.

One element that is clearer to me though is that it is less forgiving. In two aspects in particular.

One in terms of female vocals - if there is any stridency in the recording (or voice itself) it is more prominent than on the other pads.

And secondly, in terms of bass quality. That is, if it’s poor on the material (overcooked, compressed, etc) it is more evident on these pads.

In both respects the hybrid pads soften “impurities” a little. The original pads even more so, though those bring with them some weird tuning which I’m not a fan of.

TL;DR - as has been summised elsewhere in the thread, the new pads offer more comfort and a slightly more referencing tuning (while still sounding organic).

 

[lmf22]

Been doing some critical listening with the new angled pads. My initial feelings remain in the sense that I prefer these over either of the other options.

The clarity in mids and highs, and tautness / control of bass, culminate in a more refined, layered sound.

One element that is clearer to me though is that it is less forgiving. In two aspects in particular.

One in terms of female vocals - if there is any stridency in the recording (or voice itself) it is more prominent than on the other pads.

And secondly, in terms of bass quality. That is, if it’s poor on the material (overcooked, compressed, etc) it is more evident on these pads.

In both respects the hybrid pads soften “impurities” a little. The original pads even more so, though those bring with them some weird tuning which I’m not a fan of.

TL;DR - as has been summised elsewhere in the thread, the new pads offer more comfort and a slightly more referencing tuning (while still sounding organic).

Thanks for the additional impressions! I had the angled pads for about a month, and I agree with what you mentioned. (You're much better at putting them into words than me ) Overall, despite their less forgiving nature, I still prefer them over the hybrid pads.

 

[Ricco275]

@TheMiddleSky Oleh from Camerton has just confirmed that no evolution is foreseen for the Binom ER. And when it will happen it will be an upgradable paid path from the existing one.

 

[adrianm]

In case anyone's looking for a Dark Mystery, I've dropped the price on mine yet again
https://www.head-fi.org/classifieds...of-100-6-3mm-meze-upgrade-silver-cable.43736/