[gilency]

I recommend Jordi Savall’s Beethoven cycle. http://open.qobuz.com/album/vfgt2ve9hh4db
http://open.qobuz.com/album/ezar6p1kkjdla

These are historically informed, fresh, dynamic, and thoroughly enjoyable! And the sound quality of the Alia Vox recording is excellent.

Agree. Like his Beethoven symphonies recordings. I listen with IDAGIO.

 

[MrHaelscheir]

Who directed? Which orchestra?

It was this event: https://tafelmusik.org/concerts-events/concerts/beethoven-4-5/.

 

[ColSaulTigh]

If you haven't had a chance to check it out yet, give Benjamin Zander's "Original Metronome Marking" recording of Symphony No. 9 a listen. Really encapsulates (IMO) the spirit of how Beethoven felt the music should have been played.

 

[gilency]

It was this event: https://tafelmusik.org/concerts-events/concerts/beethoven-4-5/.

Wonderful. We went to the Bach festival in Leipzig a while back as well as concerts at the Berlin philharmonic. Both outstanding.

 

[OnlySoMany]

Just received my set of these, and after about 30 minutes of listening....these are just great. While not a true reinvention of the Empyrean, I can tell its definitely a true evolution of that headphone. Everything is just that little bit better and more refined. It's like the Empyrean, but grown up. If the "normal" Empyrean is a Porsche 911, the Elite is the 911 GT3.

If I had to pinpoint a singular area that is better, it's the bass response. The Empy used to sound bloated at times, like it was just tossing handfuls of bass at you, but the Elite is more controlled. It's impressive that it managed to do so without losing any sense of fun-ness. It's still a kicking headphone, but cleaner.

I was worried that selling my Empy's that it would be a far departure. Anyone considering doing the same should not worry. Very happy customer here. Looking forward to hearing it on all my amps/dacs and seeing how the sound changes.

I've had more time with these recently. Everything I said is still relevant.

It's such a fun sound it's hard to step away from. Every genre just sounds good. In my opinion it really is the jack of all trades, master of none. Bass response speed still seems to be the primary highlight.

I don't think it's as emotional a trip as a well amped Caldera. The Meze seem slightly more science than emotion on a deeper listen. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that if that is what you are going for.

Sounds slightly different on each listening station. But nothing major. Just a great all rounder. Worth the price? I'd vote yes for multiple reasons.

If this was your only headphone it's hard to find fault. If not, then it falls into the reach for what you want to hear and feel category.

Bass is better controlled than Empyrean.

Better clarity and separation.

Smooth. Like seriously good.

Did I say it sounds great with everything?

Sounds good on multiple sources and amps.

Easy to drive. Doesn't take a nuclear substation to get the best of, but it does scale.

Lacks emotional attachment compared to Caldera.

Lacks definition compared to Susvara.

Lacks intensity compared to Utopia.

Lacks intimacy compared to Atrium.

Lacks speed compared to Verite.

Anyway, it's late. Just a few thoughts from a few hours tonight. Enjoy the hobby gents

 

[Zarah]

Bing bang boom, such a good review and supply of data points, succinctly made. Thank you!

 

[slumberman]

Have to part with my Elite . If anyone is looking for a pair in Europe, hit me up/check my classified ads!

 

[TheMiddleSky]

I've had more time with these recently. Everything I said is still relevant.

It's such a fun sound it's hard to step away from. Every genre just sounds good. In my opinion it really is the jack of all trades, master of none. Bass response speed still seems to be the primary highlight.

I don't think it's as emotional a trip as a well amped Caldera. The Meze seem slightly more science than emotion on a deeper listen. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that if that is what you are going for.

Sounds slightly different on each listening station. But nothing major. Just a great all rounder. Worth the price? I'd vote yes for multiple reasons.

If this was your only headphone it's hard to find fault. If not, then it falls into the reach for what you want to hear and feel category.

Bass is better controlled than Empyrean.

Better clarity and separation.

Smooth. Like seriously good.

Did I say it sounds great with everything?

Sounds good on multiple sources and amps.

Easy to drive. Doesn't take a nuclear substation to get the best of, but it does scale.

Lacks emotional attachment compared to Caldera.

Lacks definition compared to Susvara.

Lacks intensity compared to Utopia.

Lacks intimacy compared to Atrium.

Lacks speed compared to Verite.

Anyway, it's late. Just a few thoughts from a few hours tonight. Enjoy the hobby gents

Interesting finding. Actually I feel that on certain condition, Caldera may fall short a bit for "emotional attachment" when direct compare to Elite. Both of them are very enjoyable and musical headphone. It's just that Elite, push more "sweet melodious" notes.

 

[Zarah]

Interesting finding. Actually I feel that on certain condition, Caldera may fall short a bit for "emotional attachment" when direct compare to Elite. Both of them are very enjoyable and musical headphone. It's just that Elite, push more "sweet melodious" notes.

How would it compare to top ZMF dynamic driver headphones? In my limited experience (Hifiman), it seems the best planars can't get as lush rich harmonious as the best dynamic drivers. Now I'm looking for the next horse in the stable, I'm looking for "HD650 on steroids" for lush analog sounding midrange. Meze 109 pro was in my list to investigate.

 

[Yifang]

How would it compare to top ZMF dynamic driver headphones? In my limited experience (Hifiman), it seems the best planars can't get as lush rich harmonious as the best dynamic drivers. Now I'm looking for the next horse in the stable, I'm looking for "HD650 on steroids" for lush analog sounding midrange. Meze 109 pro was in my list to investigate.

The Meze Elite is definitely the most lush/rich harmonious planar I've heard, given I have not tried a ZMF Caldera. Compared to anything from Audeze, Hifiman, Final and the such however, hands down Meze.

 

[Jerecho81]

How would it compare to top ZMF dynamic driver headphones? In my limited experience (Hifiman), it seems the best planars can't get as lush rich harmonious as the best dynamic drivers. Now I'm looking for the next horse in the stable, I'm looking for "HD650 on steroids" for lush analog sounding midrange. Meze 109 pro was in my list to investigate.

I think the ZMF Auteur Classic is the closest to what you're looking for, in my opinion. It's become my current favorite for the same reason, but I have an Elite coming in today (again) to directly compare.

 

[TheMiddleSky]

How would it compare to top ZMF dynamic driver headphones? In my limited experience (Hifiman), it seems the best planars can't get as lush rich harmonious as the best dynamic drivers. Now I'm looking for the next horse in the stable, I'm looking for "HD650 on steroids" for lush analog sounding midrange. Meze 109 pro was in my list to investigate.

Meze 109 is a great headphone, but for sure not type of sound you want (HD650 on steroids). Something like ZMF Aeolus actually will be a better option.

I owned ZMF Verite for around 3.5 years (sold it after own Caldera). Meze Elite produce more lushness and sweeter tone than Verite.

Another example for "creamy lush sounding" Planar Headphone: Audeze LCD-3 and LCD-4.

Hifiman headphones in general are the brightest and thinnest sounding planar headphones in the current market. The have their own uniqueness (speciality headphone).

 

[Dragonmilenario]

In this hobby, after testing and listening to dozens of headphones, I thought there was no more room for surprise and excitement. However, I was wrong. Within 5 seconds of trying the Elite’s, my face was unhinged from the wonderful sound of their drivers. Today I have tested several headphones in a headphone store, including Hifiman Arya Organic, Meze Liric, Foxtex TH900 closed, Erher C Flow and some others. I compared them also with my Meze 109 pro and switching from the Elite to any of the above mentioned (high end headphones, it doesn’t matter which one) was like putting earplugs in my ears and a veil on my face. No matter the resolution, separation, control, speed or extension of the bass… all these are technicalities for other headphones. In the Elite there was simply and plainly music.

 

[MrHaelscheir]

I've just experienced something wonderful. At last, the fruits of my labour in pursuit of binaural head-tracking have been fulfilled (see post #5,152 regarding the in-ear mics). After having my HRTF measured through the kit provided by https://www.earfish.eu/, setting up Reaper DAW and the SPARTA Binauraliser NF VST plug-in, and painstakingly EQing each channel to match my in-ear microphone measurements and adjusting the tonality accordingly, I have finally experienced that uncanny point where a recording nigh perfectly matches your EQ and you finally hear that convincing vividness you've been looking for, things finally sounding as they do at the concert hall, the "veil of recordedness" lifted. https://app.idagio.com/recordings/24111306 (Thierry Fischer's Mahler 1) is a lovely recording. Various other recordings can also sound quite impressive, head-tracking affording you a convincing forward image and the ability to direct your head and "look around" the sonic image at individual sound sources. Furthermore, this setup is convincingly playing music as though it were coming from my powered-down Genelecs. Effectively a Smyth Realiser for a fraction of the price (other than my going overkill and using Genelecs as the HRTF measurement speaker), minus all the room acoustics that detract from true transparency into a recording.

 

[ufospls2]

Well, recently I had decided I needed to get a pair of headphones that was both A) Easy to drive and B) As comfortable as possible and C) Sounded as good as possible whilst maxing out the first two criteria. The choice was pretty obvious, hop back on the Elite train. I was also curious how the angled alcantara pads had changed their sound, and was a big fan of the new Tungsten finish. I'll report back after some listening about the pads and the differences I hear, and I do have a pair of Empyrean Leather pads too, for good measure.