[vsg28]

Angled pads?

Sadly no, this is an older demo unit with the non-angled alcantara pads.

 

[Ichos]

Sadly no, this is an older demo unit with the non-angled alcantara pads.

Any retailers that you could lend you a pair?
I could send you mine but if I remember well you are in UK and we are going to mess with customs.

 

[vsg28]

Any retailers that you could lend you a pair?
I could send you mine but if I remember well you are in UK and we are going to mess with customs.

I won't have the Elite for much longer anyway, I have to return it Aug 8. So there's not much point.

 

[Ichos]

I won't have the Elite for much longer anyway, I have to return it Aug 8. So there's not much point.

Anyway, very good job, thanks for the measurements.

 

[ckhirnigs113]

After a few days of use, I’m not sure if I prefer the Angled Alcantara pads over the Hybrids. The larger inner dimensions of the Angled pads do give my ears more space, but the increased thickness does add a little more clamp force. The padding isn’t as soft/plush as my worn-in Hybrids, but this may change as I use them more. I do prefer the feel of the leather against my skin over Alcantara, but I could see someone having the opposite preference.

Sound wise, I’m finding that I don’t really have any issue with the slightly higher level of mid-bass of the Hybrids. I actually like it a lot, and it is the original Elite sound that won me over. I feel the Angled pads have enough bass for a more reference sound, but I may just prefer the less-reference tuning with the Hybrid pads. Luckily I can easily switch pads in a flash if I’m in the mood to slightly alter the frequency response. For now I’m back to the Hybrids.

 

[betula]

After a few days of use I also refined my opinion on the three earpads. From the og Alcantara and the hybrid I always preferred the hybrid, but now I mostly prefer the angled Alcantara. My first impressions in my previous post are still true, but here is more:

On certain tracks or better to say certain genres I started to lean back towards the hybrids. In comparison to the angled pads the hybrids have more mid-bass which is helpful with certain bassy electronic genres. Also, the hybrids in comparison are smoother and less refined which results in a more relaxed listen, when you do not care that much about the finest details or staging, just want to chill.

That said, I still think the angled pads are the clearly superior choice and I use them 90% of the time now. The angled pads offer a more reference tuning, sound a lot clearer and cleaner with better detail retrieval, airier with noticeably better soundstage depth and clearer imaging. Everything is cleaner and better defined with the angled pads. Also, while bass is presented in a slightly different manner, I still find it satisfying (as opposed to the og Alcantara pads). After a few hours of listening though, this extra refinement and detail might become a little bit fatiguing to the ears where the smoother and less detailed (hazier?) hybrids might become handy again.

As for the og Alcantara, they sound closer to the angled Alcantara than to the hybrids in the sense of an airier stage, but the og pads sound more 'uneven'. The og Alcantara pads are a lot more mid-focused. Mids stand out more, but on the expense of treble and bass. Bass is losing some weight and somehow the treble sounds less pronounced too, they simply sound a bit uneven.

As for comfort, I was absolutely fine with the hybrids, but I think I prefer the angled Alcantara for the cup being more spacious and also for the slightly enhanced clamping force. My skin also prefers the Alcantara touch versus the leather especially when it gets a bit hotter.

 

[Toonartist]

I would say I'm similar in that 90% of the time I'd favour the angled pads over the hybrid but it depends on what amp, genre and tubes are in play.

The Aegis with EL 37 tubes, angled pads sound fantastic for classical, jazz and acoustic. Aegis with pop, EDM or anything that requires a bit more dynamic fun sound = GEC KT88 + angled pads but hybrid pads for the same genres with the Nirvana & the EL34 XF2's. Depending on mood I'll also use the GEC KT88 for classical/jazz with the angled pads. It's nice to have the flexibility and I think Meze have it right at the moment with the inclusion of both sets of pads with the Elite / Empyrean. It provides a lot of options!

 

[Slim1970]

That said, I still think the angled pads are the clearly superior choice and I use them 90% of the time now. The angled pads offer a more reference tuning, sound a lot clearer and cleaner with better detail retrieval, airier with noticeably better soundstage depth and clearer imaging. Everything is cleaner and better defined with the angled pads. Also, while bass is presented in a slightly different manner, I still find it satisfying (as opposed to the og Alcantara pads). After a few hours of listening though, this extra refinement and detail might become a little bit fatiguing to the ears where the smoother and less detailed (hazier?) hybrids might become handy again.

This is the same impressions I get from using the angled alcantara pads on the Empyrean's. The effect is even greater in a sense because the angled alcantara pads makes the Empyreans sound less warm since they help open up the treble. I don't have the Elite's any longer to do a direct comparison, but it seems like the angled alcantara pads do similar things on both headphones.

 

[LoryWiv]

I would say I'm similar in that 90% of the time I'd favour the angled pads over the hybrid but it depends on what amp, genre and tubes are in play.

The Aegis with EL 37 tubes, angled pads sound fantastic for classical, jazz and acoustic. Aegis with pop, EDM or anything that requires a bit more dynamic fun sound = GEC KT88 + angled pads but hybrid pads for the same genres with the Nirvana & the EL34 XF2's. Depending on mood I'll also use the GEC KT88 for classical/jazz with the angled pads. It's nice to have the flexibility and I think Meze have it right at the moment with the inclusion of both sets of pads with the Elite / Empyrean. It provides a lot of options!

@Toonartist I take your point that one's impressions and preference may be amp. dependent. I just spent a wonderful hour listening to several different genres on Elite, Angled Alcantara driven by Euforia AE with Visseaux 6K6GT driving Mullard EL34 powers, also XF2's. The Visseaux are very refined tubes with excellent instrument presentation much like the Elite with Angled Alcantara, and the Mullards bring body and euphony. Mozart Violin Sonatas (newly recorded by Renaud Capuçon, and Kit Armstrong, 24/96 FLAC) were delicate one moment then soaring the next, the two instruments in perfect balance. Grateful Dead tracks from 1970's American Beauty in DSD64 (Friend of the Devil, Ripple) have never sounded so clean, but also never lost their core Grateful Dead "the bottle was dusty but the liquor was clean" raw and otherworldly ethos.

So at present, the Alcantara Angled are a keeper for me and I am very impressed with the versatility of Elite with them installed.

 

[ckhirnigs113]

Ok, I’m going to walk back my comments above. I did a little more comparing between the Hybrid and Angled pads this evening. With the Hybrid pads mounted, I was listening to Radiohead’s Amnesiac album. On “Pyramid Song” I noticed some bloated bass starting at the 2:00 mark. I wasn’t sure if the track or the headphones were blame, but I decided to try the Angled pads to see if it changed things. Sure enough, the mid-bass was dialed back just enough to clear up that section of the song. This has led me to stick with the Angled pads moving forward. If I want to get a little bass boost, I can always pop on the Hybrids again.

 

[betula]

I have just come across this short Elite review from June this year. There are some brief impressions about the new angled pads and also a few words about comparing the Elite to the Caldera.

 

[Quarzer]

Got my all black cable for my all black Elite

 

[TheMiddleSky]

I have just come across this short Elite review from June this year. There are some brief impressions about the new angled pads and also a few words about comparing the Elite to the Caldera.

Interesting, my opinion is the other way around. Elite with bigger bass, Caldera with better micro detail (not brighter treble).

 

[betula]

Interesting, my opinion is the other way around. Elite with bigger bass, Caldera with better micro detail (not brighter treble).

Impressions are a bit confusing regarding these two headphones. I read comments saying the Elite is more detailed and then others saying the Caldera is more detailed. One says the Elite has better bass, the other says Caldera has better bass and so on. I think, a lot depends on the audio chain and perhaps also on the Meze earpads. With the angled pads the Elite definitely offers better depth and more details compared to previous earpads. Hopefully I am still receiving the promised review Caldera in a few days, so I can make up my own mind soon.

 

[TheMiddleSky]

Impressions are a bit confusing regarding these two headphones. I read comments saying the Elite is more detailed and then others saying the Caldera is more detailed. One says the Elite has better bass, the other says Caldera has better bass and so on. I think, a lot depends on the audio chain and perhaps also on the Meze earpads. With the angled pads the Elite definitely offers better depth and more details compared to previous earpads. Hopefully I am still receiving the promised review Caldera in a few days, so I can make up my own mind soon.

Well word "better" is quite ambiguous haha. Technically, Caldera has better bass as it is more linear between mid-bass and sub bass, but Elite's bass has more heft, more physical.