[ThanatosVI]

Only personal audition can tell that, not reading the controversial and confusing first impressions. Some Elite owners have already contradicted themselves.

Yeah at first the impressions read like "an improved Empyrean" and I even put up my own Empyrean for Sale.

Then they turned 180 degrees and I knew only listening to myself can solve this., which made me take the sale offer down.

Now I will have a few long weeks before me until my Elite arrives and then after some burn in it can duke it out with my Empyrean and Solitaire P. "Weakest" one for my taste will be put up for sale (or be returned)

 

[jlbrach]

if it is on a price/value basis it is obviously up to the individual but having owned the empyrean and now owning the solitaire P on an absolute level there is simply no comparison

 

[betula]

Yeah at first the impressions read like "an improved Empyrean" and I even put up my own Empyrean for Sale.

Then they turned 180 degrees and I knew only listening to myself can solve this., which made me take the sale offer down.

Now I will have a few long weeks before me until my Elite arrives and then after some burn in it can duke it out with my Empyrean and Solitaire P. "Weakest" one for my taste will be put up for sale (or be returned)

Patience is a rare virtue in this hobby, but it usually pays off.

 

[ThanatosVI]

if it is on a price/value basis it is obviously up to the individual but having owned the empyrean and now owning the solitaire P on an absolute level there is simply no comparison

I agree, I own both at the same time.
While the Empyrean is my favourite headphone and I prefer the package as a whole, it doesn't match the Solitaire P in detail and several other aspects.

I'm also convinced that the Elite won't Match it in those but hopefully it will come close.

 

[racebit]

Yeah, the hybrid pads are not very deep. My guess is this will be a somewhat common problem. My ears don't stick out much but every now and then I think I can feel something resting on my lobes. The velour pads are deeper but also attenuate bass so then there's a decision to make...

People are using it the wrong way. Meze states clearly it is an open headphone. It is not to be used closed on the ear, but tilted, which makes it farther from the ear and also avoids heat build-up specially in hot days/nights. That is why it has a pivot that stays in place unlike most other headphones with pivot.

 

[betula]

People are using it the wrong way. Meze states clearly it is an open headphone. It is not to be used closed on the ear, but tilted, which makes it farther from the ear and also avoids heat build-up specially in hot days/nights. That is why it has a pivot the stays in place unlike most other headphones with pivot.

With all respect I don't think that is the intended position, but as always ymmv.

 

[ThanatosVI]

People are using it the wrong way. Meze states clearly it is an open headphone. It is not to be used closed on the ear, but tilted, which makes it farther from the ear and also avoids heat build-up specially in hot days/nights. That is why it has a pivot the stays in place unlike most other headphones with pivot.

I Highly doubt that, the open/closed differentiation comes from the headphone chassis not wether you should have pad seal or not.

 

[paradoxper]

I Highly doubt that, the open/closed differentiation comes from the headphone chassis not wether you should have pad seal or not.

It's a little funky, right. More like how you wear the TC. But that seemed too much.

I immediately was wondering how that may have changed the soundstage and bass response.

You almost got me! Again...

 

[racebit]

With all respect I don't think that is the intended position, but as always ymmv.

I was joking, I am sure using it tilted never crossed the mind of Antonio Meze. But that is how I use them most of the time anyways. That is why Empy is one of the few hp I can use for several hours.

Anyway People bothered by ears touching earcup, could try tilt earcup just a little, not necessarily as much as in the photo, just enough for the ear to not touch the earcup.

This tilting was first mentioned by @Currawong in his Empy youtube review.

It's a little funky, right. More like how you wear the TC. But that seemed too much.

I immediately was wondering how that may have changed the soundstage and bass response.

I almost went for the TC because of that feature. But in the end the weight (and power requirements) made it a no-go.
According to Resolve measurements of the Elite
here https://forum.headphones.com/t/meze...open-back-planar-magnetic-headphones/14284/34
an air-gap makes a bass elevation around 80-100 Hz and makes a sub-bass roll-off.
But to me the Empy sounds fine tilted. Anyway sounds better than when not in the head, which happens to me with almost all hps after 30 min (have to make 5 min break) due to heat build-up.

 

[GryphonGuy]

Guys, I'm stuck in a pickle here biting my thumb. So the new update on my Elite which should of passed about 100 hours of continuous burnin in and they are actually starting to sound pretty sweet. Should I sell them and get the Solitaire-P or just invest in a tube amp like the Wells Dragon. Ugh, why couldn't these continue to suck, would of made my decision easier. Lol

Any speaker or headphone contains moving (vibrating) parts and these need "exercising" in order for them to perform to their design. So you've just learned a lesson in Stereophile land that time is the friend to all new products. I'm glad you are beginning to enjoy them and buyers remorse is evaporating by the sound of it.

Regards
GG

 

[SoundJedi]

Has anyone EQ'd Elite bass up and compared it to Empy head to head?

I know we touched on this before and someone speculated Elite with EQ would perform better but not sure if anyone actually tried it.

 

[PeteSTRADAMUS]

Any speaker or headphone contains moving (vibrating) parts and these need "exercising" in order for them to perform to their design. So you've just learned a lesson in Stereophile land that time is the friend to all new products. I'm glad you are beginning to enjoy them and buyers remorse is evaporating by the sound of it.

Regards
GG

Well it's different sometimes. Sometimes I like things off the bat then later they fade away.

 

[LCMusicLover]

…Rented from where? The cable company? I should of went this route with how tired I get with certain gear. Would of saved me lots of money…

Oh, that’s a bit of a joke (apparently a very small bit). I bought them, used them for a while, and then sold them. Sold the Empys for about $300 less than I paid, and the RAD-0s for about $400 less than I paid. But the amusing part is I sold the RAD-0s back to the guy I bought them from … thus the notion of a rental. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[Ichos]

But the amusing part is I sold the RAD-0s back to the guy I bought them from … thus the notion of a rental. Sorry for the confusion.

Oh , this is a crazy hobby and we are all nuts!

 

[betula]

Oh, that’s a bit of a joke (apparently a very small bit). I bought them, used them for a while, and then sold them. Sold the Empys for about $300 less than I paid, and the RAD-0s for about $400 less than I paid. But the amusing part is I sold the RAD-0s back to the guy I bought them from … thus the notion of a rental. Sorry for the confusion.

I think many of us buy and sell headphones due to the limited availability of auditioning. If someone is smart, it is possible to loose minimal amount of money and that can be considered as a 'rent price'. I follow the same principle. In rare cases it is also possible to swap headphones without loosing any money.