[Rhamnetin]

Looking good like the headphone itself. Can't wait to hear it.

 

[macdonjh]

Just for kicks, would be nice to see compensated graphs with various compensations as well. It's really difficult to get an idea of linearity with uncompensated.

Personally, I like the comparison to other headphones, particularly to HD800(S) as I find them too strong in treble quantity.

Would also be informative with others like Utopia and HE1000 as well. I have experienced the, and would be insightfull to see the curve differences.

I won't say compensation fits what I look for in an ideal response as I've compared with what I prefer and graphs. I noticed, lowered treble than Rtings compensation to be better preferred.

If there was a library of uncompensated graphs, I can get an idea of preferred signature curve. For example, the Emperion could be my preferred headphone curve.

A library is very useful. I tend to refer to Rtings as they have a library.

@jude Have you noticed any differences of preferred target between full cupped headphones vs iems? I find there are differences, and it's likely due to the ear being involved for full-cupped

This is one example of a theme that's developing. I agree, it would be great to be able to compare frequency plots of different headphones, similar to what Jude has already posted; comparing the Empyrean to the HD-800. My suggestion is to continue to build the library of uncompensated frequency response graphs using the same horizontal and vertical scales. That plot library could be stored at a website with a viewer that allows for overlaying two or more plots so it's easy to see the differences. Once the library is big enough, uncompensated graphs would be useful because a person could overlay an unknown head phone's plot over a known reference, similar to SilverEars' comment, "particularly to HD800(S) as I find them too strong in treble quantity".

 

[Skycyclepilot]

Just for kicks, would be nice to see compensated graphs with various compensations as well. It's really difficult to get an idea of linearity with uncompensated.

Personally, I like the comparison to other headphones, particularly to HD800(S) as I find them too strong in treble quantity.

Would also be informative with others like Utopia and HE1000 as well. I have experienced the, and would be insightfull to see the curve differences.

I won't say compensation fits what I look for in an ideal response as I've compared with what I prefer and graphs. I noticed, lowered treble than Rtings compensation to be better preferred.

If there was a library of uncompensated graphs, I can get an idea of preferred signature curve. For example, the Emperion could be my preferred headphone curve.

A library is very useful. I tend to refer to Rtings as they have a library.

@jude Have you noticed any differences of preferred target between full cupped headphones vs iems? I find there are differences, and it's likely due to the ear being involved for full-cupped

Rtings.com has something very similar to what you are suggesting, but a lot of popular models are missing from their database, and their FR graphs use some sort of compensation. It's still a very useful website for making comparisons, though.

 

[macdonjh]

Rtings.com has something very similar to what you are suggesting, but a lot of popular models are missing from their database, and their FR graphs use some sort of compensation. It's still a very useful website for making comparisons, though.

I know you're replying to SilverEars, but I'll check out Rtings, too. I like Jude's idea of posting uncompensated curves as a standard, though. If there's a library big enough to allow me to compare two curves that were generated using the same methodology and equipment and one of those curves is for a headphone I am familiar with, comparing the curves will be useful and revealing.

 

[Mark Up]

I agree. Having uncompensated first, and them some kind of compensated graph along with it would give some interesting perspective. As far as the Empyrean, if you want similar sound to that (in general, it's going to be different due to the technology) at a lot lower price the iBasso SR1 semi-open does that better than any pair that I have heard under $500.

 

[Skycyclepilot]

I know you're replying to SilverEars, but I'll check out Rtings, too. I like Jude's idea of posting uncompensated curves as a standard, though. If there's a library big enough to allow me to compare two curves that were generated using the same methodology and equipment and one of those curves is for a headphone I am familiar with, comparing the curves will be useful and revealing.

The curves are compensated, but you can actually layer curves for two different headphones. Just pick a review, click on its FR curve, then choose a second pair from the dropdown. You can also compare two reviews side by side. It's a very well done, and very informative website. Here's an example - Ananda versus 800s...

https://www.rtings.com/headphones/1-2/graph#670/2031/290

 

[thefitz]

8db not just a little energy but a peak and that is in the worst place, where human hearing is the most sensitive. Even a flat 3-4K response can sound bright, totally no need any extra energy there.

You're... you're trolling, right?

Anyway, those measurements could possibly be the most ideal I've ever seen (perhaps slightly bass shy) - I am interested in reading rigorous reviews in order to see how such beyond-reproach measurements translate to the real world.

 

[SilverEars]

@jude Can you overlay the latest Harman curve with the measurement?

Can somebody post the latest Harman curve? I looked all over and there are some differences between them.

 

[jude]

@jude Can you overlay the latest Harman curve with the measurement?

Can somebody post the latest Harman curve? I looked all over and there are some differences between them.

This is the Meze Audio Empyrean frequency response compared to the updated Harman AE/OE Target from the 144th AES Convention, 2018 May 23–26, Milan, Italy [1]:

---

The Meze Audio Empyrean measurement in this post was made using:

• GRAS 45CA Headphone Test Fixture, with:
  • GRAS RA0401 High Resolution Ear Simulators
  • GRAS KB5010/KB5011 Anthropometric Pinnae for 45CA (video)
• Audio Precision APx555 Audio Analyzer
• THX AAA-888 audio measurement headphone amplifier
• Herzan Acoustic & Vibration Isolation Enclosure

---

[1] Olive, S., Welti, T., Khonsaripour, O. (2018). "A Statistical Model that Predicts Listeners’ Preference Ratings of Around-Ear and On-Ear Headphones," presented at the 144th AES Convention, 2018 May 23–26, Milan, Italy.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Just looking at the graph, that is gonna be a different monster from an HD800. That graph makes it look, warm, considerably so.

 

[Hifiearspeakers]

Once again, that FR looks gorgeous!

 

[up late]

“$3,000... Oh well...”

Are you serious????? 3000 bucks??? I hope you’re joking. At first glance, I thought this thing couldn’t be worth more than $600.

I wasn't expecting a brand like Meze to create something only the top 1% can afford. What next? Skullcandy and Beats coming out with $7,000 headphones? I blame Focal for mass producing mortgage- priced headphones. The French guys there are the ones to start this whole Utopia trend, and now every other company wants to follow behind.

focal didn't start this trend. both the abyss and audeze lcd-4 preceded the utopia.

Afraid so...

https://www.mezeaudio.com/products/meze-empyrean

And I agree with your sentiment. My feeling is that all these super-expensive headphones are almost totally profit. No way the Focal Utopia is that much more expensive to build than the Elear, which is overpriced to begin with. And if Beats did offer a $7,000 headphone, you'd be paying $20 for the headphones, and $6,980 for the name - and millennials would be standing in line to buy them, much like they do anything Apple makes.

the utopia contains beryllium drivers but the elear doesn't. beryllium is an expensive material, so the utopia costs focal more to manufacture than the elear based on the drivers alone.

 

[ashwinvyas1981]

The frequency response looks pretty darn good.... just wondering the tech behind these will justify that hefty price tag..... but for sure..... these can be game changers for Meze Audio....

 

[SoundSquare]

“$3,000... Oh well...”

Are you serious????? 3000 bucks??? I hope you’re joking. At first glance, I thought this thing couldn’t be worth more than $600.

I wasn't expecting a brand like Meze to create something only the top 1% can afford. What next? Skullcandy and Beats coming out with $7,000 headphones? I blame Focal for mass producing mortgage- priced headphones. The French guys there are the ones to start this whole Utopia trend, and now every other company wants to follow behind.

we, the French guys, didn't start this trend, you'd better have a look at the high end products from HifiMan, Audeze, Final Audio.... they are only presenting an offer for a niche market, I don't think Focal is "mass-producing" the Utopia, they didn't sell millions of it. The Utopia is still "made in France" and not in a Chinese factory. It costed a huge amount of money in R&D, just like the Meze (and Meze is a very tiny company that needs to support this cost). Apple is currently selling millions of 1700$ smartphones built in China and nobody seems really shocked about it.
I can't afford the Utopia myself, I won't be able to afford the Meze planar as well, but I'm not turning my frustration into anger because these headphones exist and I can't have them.

Oh and please don't blame a nationality when you blame a company, we can be smarter than this.

 

[macdonjh]

we, the French guys, didn't start this trend, you'd better have a look at the high end products from HifiMan, Audeze, Final Audio.... they are only presenting an offer for a niche market, I don't think Focal is "mass-producing" the Utopia, they didn't sell millions of it. The Utopia is still "made in France" and not in a Chinese factory. It costed a huge amount of money in R&D, just like the Meze (and Meze is a very tiny company that needs to support this cost). Apple is currently selling millions of 1700$ smartphones built in China and nobody seems really shocked about it.
I can't afford the Utopia myself, I won't be able to afford the Meze planar as well, but I'm not turning my frustration into anger because these headphones exist and I can't have them.

Oh and please don't blame a nationality when you blame a company, we can be smarter than this.

I, for one, am not shocked that the newest I-Phone is US$1100. I won't be buying one, either. To me, the I-Phone is a bunch of marketing hype. There are millions that disagree with me, though.

I hope the Meze Empyrian sounds as good as it's supposed to. I also hope that those at Meze are able to figure a way to let some of that Empyrian technology trickle down to a head phone I would chose to afford. That's what statement products are for, really.