Meze Audio LIRIC - The portable isodynamic hybrid array headphone

[GoldenSound]

Wow, your hearing is above the 20 Hz-20 kHz limit of the average human. Congrats!

I’m not joking; this is remarkable.

Yeah I was quite surprised! I've got a video going up on the headphone show this week which is on the subject of 'Do DACs make a difference' and ABXing between different oversampling filters. And after at least an hour discussing WHY there was an audible difference with Blaine (Mad Economist), he asked 'have you actually checked what you are able to hear upto?'. Which I had not

And yeah, turns out my upper limit is around 21k so that's pretty neat

 

[SolarCetacean]

I'm 25, my hearing currently goes up to about 21khz as I learned this week which was surprising.

How loudly did you turn up the volume to hear that high? I've heard of people going above 20K, but they had to crank the volume up to get there.

Beyond age, I think listening volume will play a sizable role in how bad that peak will sound. I generally listen at lower levels, where the main vocal should be roughly normal speaking volume. On loudly-mastered pop music, that's roughly 66 dB SPL RMS, low enough that I can't get good measurements in a rig at that level because the SNR is too low. At that level, I can hear up to 18.4KHz, and I'm 30. But my main point is that at lower listening levels, the loudness contours mean that we don't perceive the upper treble or sub-bass as easily, so peaks in those areas aren't as problematic as they would be for someone who plays things loudly. Then that peak just becomes air and spaciousness.

The peak you measured between 15-18K on the Liric 2 seems comparable to the peak in that region on the Audio Technica AWAS (both are about 6 dB higher in max level vs the Liric 1), but I don't find the AWAS' peak troublesome. But the Liric 2 has another peak around 6KHz, which could combine with the 18K peak to produce some 3rd harmonic emphasis for components in the sibilant range. While the AWAS has a dramatic dip in that 6K area, so the 18K peak doesn't sound as bad even if it measures at a similar level.

 

[grailnewt]

Age is only one factor tbh I'm not remotely young but my hearing is still way above average for the mean even ... (I'm 40+). But I can hear up to around 19.5khz or slightly higher very well in fact. I personally find the mid range of the liric 1 to be more pleasing to my ears, and find the liric 2 to be a little bit harsher in the treble and high mids. But that's just me

 

[skeeb23]

Just as an update to this thread...
I am looking to see if I can get a different unit in possibly to retest. I find it very odd that I was such a big minority in having a fit issue that my bass response was...not good. If I'm able to, I'll definitely do an update and let everyone know.
I know others reported a seal issue with glasses, but I do not wear glasses. At the end of the day I can only report on what I hear and experience but damn if I don't feel like an alien with my experience.

 

[Dragonmilenario]

Just as an update to this thread...
I am looking to see if I can get a different unit in possibly to retest. I find it very odd that I was such a big minority in having a fit issue that my bass response was...not good. If I'm able to, I'll definitely do an update and let everyone know.
I know others reported a seal issue with glasses, but I do not wear glasses. At the end of the day I can only report on what I hear and experience but damn if I don't feel like an alien with my experience.

For me, it helps to adjust the length of the headphones to be slightly on the smaller side.

To achieve the best seal and comfort, the headband needs to do its job, allowing the earcups to rest in an elevated position.

In other words, try the smallest position you can that is comfortable enough; the looser the position, the more problems you’ll encounter.

Also, it helps to put the headband a little towards the back than usual.

 

[skeeb23]

For me, it helps to adjust the length of the headphones to be slightly on the smaller side.

To achieve the best seal and comfort, the headband needs to do its job, allowing the earcups to rest in an elevated position.

In other words, try the smallest position you can that is comfortable enough; the looser the position, the more problems you’ll encounter.

Also, it helps to put the headband a little towards the back than usual.

I did try several positions and adjustments. The main issue for me is the spring is too aggressive at the bottom of the cups, if that makes sense.
It's definitely noticable when you sit them on a headphone stand where the cups don't hug the stand. They naturally want to tilt inwards quite a bit. I didn't have that issue with the og Liric, so makes me wonder if just that part is a tighter spring mechanism. It just would not seal without me literally holding the cups to my head at the top.

That's why I'd love to try another set just to see.

 

[Dragonmilenario]

I did try several positions and adjustments. The main issue for me is the spring is too aggressive at the bottom of the cups, if that makes sense.
It's definitely noticable when you sit them on a headphone stand where the cups don't hug the stand. They naturally want to tilt inwards quite a bit. I didn't have that issue with the og Liric, so makes me wonder if just that part is a tighter spring mechanism. It just would not seal without me literally holding the cups to my head at the top.

That's why I'd love to try another set just to see.

My brother has the OG Liric, and I don’t see any differences between them in the clamp force or placement. If you don’t have issues with the OG Liric, you shouldn’t have any issues with the Liric II either; the few extra grams don’t feel any different.

Consider reaching out to Meze about this issue—they are the best communicative and consumer-friendly brand in the business by far.

 

[vsg28]

My review of the LIRIC 2nd Generation, including a comparison to the original LIRIC, is published now for those interested: https://www.techpowerup.com/review/meze-audio-liric-2nd-generation-closed-back-headphones/

 

[baseball8793]

which is better--U12T or Liric MK1?

 

[thelittletaffia]

I'm on my second pair of the Liric 2, the first being an audition pair and a second pair are mine. The audition pair were brand new so had to be 'burnt in' and I didn't put them on until the five hour mark and enjoyed the journey as they started to open. Needless to say I was impressed and ordered my own pair. The others that I was interested in was the DCA E3 but simply could not get one to audition and at a two grand price mark I wasn't going to take a chance that they would suit me. I had the keepers just over a week and well past the 50 hour mark and I'm delighted.

Now I'm an old fart, a septuagenarian, so my lug holes are as good as they use to be, mainly in the treble range. My wife says I suffer from selective hearing as well, whatever that means. I do like the bass, throughout the range. On a well recorded album the deep bass of a drum comes through very well, it's precise without any bloat (James Taylor Hourglass track 4 Giai on SACD), the most impactful of any of my collection. The more supple bass of plucked double bass is very detailed (Jennifer Warnes Another Time, Another Place, track 2, Tomorrow Night on SACD) that track comes through as if the bass player is in the room with you such is the placement and depth of soundstage. Keeping with both those artists the transition from upper bass to the lower mids is very smooth. With James Taylor his baritone voice is so well represented through the mids and into the lower treble register.

For the treble range I always turn to Joni Mitchell. From her wonderful Blue album is track 6 California will really test out the treble peaks. I bought Blue on the rather excellent MoFi SACD release earlier in the year. On this release the highs that she hits no longer grates and the Meze handles it beautifully, they bring it down a knotch from my Denons. As I was hoping for the Liric also performs well on poor recordings. However I do feel the Lirics are somewhat album production reliant at times. Taking another SACD, this time the new Analogue Productions Genesis Selling England by the Pound, the recording leaves me unengaged and it's only the Oppo PM1s that I get some satisfaction to the listening experience of that album.

Build quality is sublime, they feel so good in your hand. Comfort and fit. Now this is where I did find some problems initially. I nearly sent the audition pair back after a few days as I found them quite uncomfortable on my head and didn't like the clamp force. There is a caveat here and that down to me and my health. I'm quite small in stature, I'm a short arse, as well as that I suffer from nerve damage and chronic pain after a severe spinal injury suffered many years ago. I found that the ear cups where uncomfortable on my jaw bone, this might have proved a real problem with the E3s should I have been able to audition. This amount of pain is usually transient so I stuck with the Lirics as my health gradually improved and now, fairly pain free, they have become comfortable.

These are the best closed back headphones for isolation. I asked the wife about the isolation as I know she can at times hear the Denons, her reply was not at all, best you've ever had.

 

[Myshkin]

I've been listening to my meze liric 2's with my L&P W2 on low gain, fast flt, and tune 02 and have been consistently blown away the past couple days. I really prefer using my w2 with these than my mojo 2 and it has the added bonus of being more portable . I've owned the hifiman susvara, meze elite, focal utopia, focal stellia, and various high end iems and I think I can say for sure that the liric 2 with the w2 has been one of, if not the most, enjoyable audio setups I've listened to. That it's also so portable and can go anywhere with me is just amazing!

I'm not sure what tune 02 does exactly, I have read the vague information about it on ASR that it's a psychoacoustic implementation that makes the sound "harder" vs the "softer" tune 01 but it seems to really open up the liric 2's compared to my mojo 2. The soundstage seems absolutely massive and I can pinpoint each instruments location in my mind with great spatiality, compared to tune 01 or the mojo 2 where thing seem a bit cluttered. The end result is an extremely enjoyable experience where each time as a new instrument begins to play my mind automatically visualizes it with great detail and precision without even thinking about it. I don't recall this ever happening with any of my other audio setups, before it was always something I had to pay attention to the music in order for it to happen but now it's fully automatic.

I'm having a great time with these headphones and highly recommend them to anyone considering a pair. The L&P W2 pairs great with them and gives you a fully portable setup! The sound of these are just amazing and when you add in the comfort (the most comfortable headphones I've ever worn) and looks of them you have a real winner

 

[Dragonmilenario]

I've been listening to my meze liric 2's with my L&P W2 on low gain, fast flt, and tune 02 and have been consistently blown away the past couple days. I really prefer using my w2 with these than my mojo 2 and it has the added bonus of being more portable . I've owned the hifiman susvara, meze elite, focal utopia, focal stellia, and various high end iems and I think I can say for sure that the liric 2 with the w2 has been one of, if not the most, enjoyable audio setups I've listened to. That it's also so portable and can go anywhere with me is just amazing!

I'm not sure what tune 02 does exactly, I have read the vague information about it on ASR that it's a psychoacoustic implementation that makes the sound "harder" vs the "softer" tune 01 but it seems to really open up the liric 2's compared to my mojo 2. The soundstage seems absolutely massive and I can pinpoint each instruments location in my mind with great spatiality, compared to tune 01 or the mojo 2 where thing seem a bit cluttered. The end result is an extremely enjoyable experience where each time as a new instrument begins to play my mind automatically visualizes it with great detail and precision without even thinking about it. I don't recall this ever happening with any of my other audio setups, before it was always something I had to pay attention to the music in order for it to happen but now it's fully automatic.

I'm having a great time with these headphones and highly recommend them to anyone considering a pair. The L&P W2 pairs great with them and gives you a fully portable setup! The sound of these are just amazing and when you add in the comfort (the most comfortable headphones I've ever worn) and looks of them you have a real winner

I’ve got the FiiO K7, the iFi Zen DAC V2, and I’ve demoed the Questyle M15, Chord Hugo TT2, Woo Audio Minitube, and a bunch of others. In my opinion, the Liric 2 sounds best with the cheap iBasso DC04 Pro Dongle. Sometimes it’s not all about the price tag; it’s about synergy, especially when your headphones are very easy to drive.

 

[thelittletaffia]

I'm still using what must be a twenty year old design with my Lehmann Linear amp. Pure analogue none of your fancy digital odds and sods. The Lirics sound absolutely wonderful on practically anything you throw at them. Looking forward to Ruth Moody's new album Wanderer arriving some time today.

 

[Newsee]

I'm still using what must be a twenty year old design with my Lehmann Linear amp. Pure analogue none of your fancy digital odds and sods. The Lirics sound absolutely wonderful on practically anything you throw at them. Looking forward to Ruth Moody's new album Wanderer arriving some time today.

You have Liric 2, right?
I had the opportunity to listen to them in the Meze booth in Munich high-end show. They sounded slightly smoother and sweeter than Liric 1 (from memory).

The Ruth Moody album is available on Qobuz (digital fancy odds and sod), dated last Friday. Nice, thank you for that.

 

[Kristofa]

You have Liric 2, right?
I had the opportunity to listen to them in the Meze booth in Munich high-end show. They sounded slightly smoother and sweeter than Liric 1 (from memory).

The Ruth Moody album is available on Qobuz (digital fancy odds and sod), dated last Friday. Nice, thank you for that.

Looking forward to hearing this Moody album as well. I like the Wailin’ Jennys stuff.