[Nostoi]

The Liric is ultra efficient, doesn't need tons of Power.

Surely also scales with better amplification, but that's more a thing of quality and less of raw muscle

Sure, I find they can be driven with ease, but my sense is that the Liric only comes to life with quite a bit of clean power with significant headroom.

 

[Andykong]

Sure, I find they can be driven with ease, but my sense is that the Liric only comes to life with quite a bit of clean power with significant headroom.

Yes, lack of headroom is the biggest problem with RU6.

 

[Nostoi]

In balanced 4.4mm, R01 can't handle the Elite, but the Liric is enjoyable. I won't go into more detail, hopefully you'll find that out soon.

Tantalising. I should find out in a day or so (wish I kept my dual 3.5mm cables). I do find the R01 can be a bit hit or miss with headphones but when it's good, then it's generally really good.

 

[ThanatosVI]

Sure, I find they can be driven with ease, but my sense is that the Liric only comes to life with quite a bit of clean power with significant headroom.

Good to know, I didn't get a portable solution yet, therefore my Liric enjoys ultra quality amplification.
From the specs though they are very efficient, at least compared to the majority of the market.

Now that I Think about it, maybe the strong amplification is why I have a different perception of Lirics Bass compared to most early reviewers here.

 

[Tachyon88]

When are we going to get a FR ?

 

[ufospls2]

They literally just arrived, so I can't really offer sound impressions yet. Initial just on the head impression is they do feel smaller than the empyrean and elite, but are still comfortably over ear. Nice unboxing experience, feels "quality."

 

[ThanatosVI]

They literally just arrived, so I can't really offer sound impressions yet. Initial just on the head impression is they do feel smaller than the empyrean and elite, but are still comfortably over ear. Nice unboxing experience, feels "quality."

Enjoy, I'm addicted already and collecting notes for the impressions Post.

 

[VeeAndBobby]

I had an hour-long audition with the Meze LIRIC and the Dan Clark Audio Stealth today.

Long story short, the LIRIC was a better fit for my tastes, whilst the Stealth remains a good contender for a top-tier closed-back headphone (with some caveats).

First things first, both headphones are very comfortable in use; neither headphone has a strong clamp. In tandem with the lush, thick pads, and with bodies that are feather-light, the 2 of them were a pleasure to use.

On to the sound....

Meze LIRIC
The LIRIC sounds very different from the brand's original flagship, the Empyrean. The latter exceeds in bringing to the fore a lush, textured, meaty sound that's more parts musical than detailed, more fun than balanced, in the overall sense. In contrast, the LIRIC takes a different approach - the tonality is leaner by choice, with a bass presentation that is lighter on the slam; on the flipside, the highs on the LIRIC are more prominent, with good articulation and presence. In comparison, the Empyrean struggles, on occasion, to deliver the magnificent highs that its comparative brethren in the top-tier, open-back space achieve with stunning efficiency.

Ultimately, the LIRIC takes a more level-headed approach; it's an Empyrean that has decided to mature, by shedding away its layers of verdant bloom and blush, and introducing a more neutral take on things, comparatively speaking. You'll still enjoy a bass section that has good layering and sub-bass extension; the midrange retains a decent amount of warmth that provides vocals with authority and vigor; and you finally have a treble section that is more lively, with good detail, sizzle and sparkle.

With EDM, the LIRIC doesn't struggle to provide a good semblance of energy, dynamism, and musicality; these are the traits that I seek most in headphones (or IEMs). A robust bassline, replete with texture and slam, accompanies the aforementioned treble section to give dance music a figurative boost; you'll hear the thump and the cymbals, the synths and the grooves. This is a headphone that pairs very well with EDM, IMO.

Dan Clark Audio Stealth
To be brutally honest, I wasn't impressed - at all - with the Stealth when I first listened to them. They sounded rather lifeless and lackluster; it was severely lacking in engagement and musicality. Still, I proceed to listen to the very same tunes that I subjected the LIRIC to, and it became apparent to me that the Dan Clark Audio flagship had more than a few tricks up its sleeve.

Evidently, the Stealth is a maestro at producing the finest bits of detail; clarity was clearly (no pun intended) at the forefront of the designers' minds. Amongst the myriad closed-back headphones that I have tried, only the Rögnir stands alongside the Stealth as an equal in the pertinent aspects of resolution and detail.

In the bass department, a slight mid-bass hump lends a touch of warmth to an other neutral-oriented headphone; the layering on the Stealth is quite superb. Couple this with the excellent sub-bass extension, and you have a presentation that's quite welcoming to bassheads. On the other end of the spectrum, treble is equally inviting, thanks to an airy display that retains good articulation. It isn't a bright headphone per se, but the highs are certainly one of the best in the Dan Clark Audio stable; probably the Ether C Flow 1.1 provides highs that are equally as prominent as the treble on the Stealth.

Sadly, despite its top-tier resolving capabilities, I found the Stealth deficient in the (important) facets of dynamics and musicality. Despite its ability to produce micro-details with effortless labor, the overall sound didn't engage me in a very meaningful way. I could certainly appreciate its technical strengths; it is definitely a headphone that was made to distill the qualities of top-end open-back headphones in a portable, closed body. With that being said, I couldn't enjoy my music with them - I played crucial segments of 15-20 of my favorite dance tracks between the Stealth and the LIRIC, and the latter won on the "toe-tapping, head-bopping" scale, each and every time.

Overall
Make no mistake, though, if you are in the hunt for a closed-back headphone that has fortes in the aspects of detail, layering, and balance, the Stealth is a good-to-great choice, albeit one that is somewhat pricy. If you don't need a portable solution, the Rögnir remains the better option, IMO. It is equally as resolving, but is easily more engaging and dynamic than the Stealth.

The LIRIC, on the other hand, is a fantastic option at the $2,000 mark. Yes, this isn't cheap either, but $2,000 is still half of $4,000. What you lose in sheer resolving prowess, you gain in musicality, engagement, and fun. Plus, they are just as portable, so neither headphone gets the win in this department.

I had a Dan Clark Stealth briefly. I didn't like the tonality or bass response, and returned it for refund. Now I have a Meze Liric and it is a keeper.

 

[ufospls2]

Ok so initial sound impressions time. Please keep in mind these may change, and hey the headphones may burn in also (though I've never noticed huge differences from burn in to be honest.)

The first thing was that I had to spend half an hour just getting used to the "feel" of a closed headphone. It was colouring my initial impressions, as I am so, so used to open back headphones and being more aware of that which is going on around me. I gave them a bit time, and I'm feeling much more comfortable with the feel and lack of spatial awareness. That has allowed me to concentrate on the sound. If you are used to open backs, and trying any closed backs, give yourself a little while just to get used to the closed sensation. It was really throwing me off at first.

-Great sense of openness and imaging from a closed back, especially of this physical size and isolation level (quite high compared to some.) Not as open as the Empyrean or ELITE, but.....those are open headphones. Though, with that said, it has a larger and wider stage then the Focal Utopia, so thats interesting.
-Has a very natural sounding presentation, similar to how the Empyrean and Elite present music, though they all have different individual tunings.
-Can be a little bit boxy sounding in the mids somewhere. Far from a deal breaker in terms of severity so far however.
-Treble sensitive people may struggle with the highs, I'll need more time with this aspect, and trying them from other source gear to reach a more informed conclusion.
-Definitely not as refined or detailed as the ELITE, but hey at half the MSRP I was not expecting them to be the same.

You can definitely feel that they are a bit smaller physically around the ears. With that being said, these continue the trend of supreme comfort from the Meze/Rinaro headphones. Also, not that it matters really, but I love the understated dark look with slight copper accents. They are a very pretty headphone.

I am impressed with the Liric so far : )

People may hate me for this, but you know what I would love to see? A larger (physically, think ELITE/Empyrean pad sized) closed back from Meze, with the exact ELITE driver, with the closed back tech and headband from the LIRIC. I'd have an incredibly hard time not being interested in that headphone, if it was ever created.

 

[VeeAndBobby]

Ok so initial sound impressions time. Please keep in mind these may change, and hey the headphones may burn in also (though I've never noticed huge differences from burn in to be honest.)

The first thing was that I had to spend half an hour just getting used to the "feel" of a closed headphone. It was colouring my initial impressions, as I am so, so used to open back headphones and being more aware of that which is going on around me. I gave them a bit time, and I'm feeling much more comfortable with the feel and lack of spatial awareness. That has allowed me to concentrate on the sound. If you are used to open backs, and trying any closed backs, give yourself a little while just to get used to the closed sensation. It was really throwing me off at first.

-Great sense of openness and imaging from a closed back, especially of this physical size and isolation level (quite high compared to some.) Not as open as the Empyrean or ELITE, but.....those are open headphones. Though, with that said, it has a larger and wider stage then the Focal Utopia, so thats interesting.
-Has a very natural sounding presentation, similar to how the Empyrean and Elite present music, though they all have different individual tunings.
-Can be a little bit boxy sounding in the mids somewhere. Far from a deal breaker in terms of severity so far however.
-Treble sensitive people may struggle with the highs, I'll need more time with this aspect, and trying them from other source gear to reach a more informed conclusion.
-Definitely not as refined or detailed as the ELITE, but hey at half the MSRP I was not expecting them to be the same.

You can definitely feel that they are a bit smaller physically around the ears. With that being said, these continue the trend of supreme comfort from the Meze/Rinaro headphones. Also, not that it matters really, but I love the understated dark look with slight copper accents. They are a very pretty headphone.

I am impressed with the Liric so far : )

People may hate me for this, but you know what I would love to see? A larger (physically, think ELITE/Empyrean pad sized) closed back from Meze, with the exact ELITE driver, with the closed back tech and headband from the LIRIC. I'd have an incredibly hard time not being interested in that headphone, if it was ever created.

I also am skeptical about burn-in, however I think my Liric is sounding better after only about 24 hours of burn-in.

 

[ufospls2]

I also am skeptical about burn-in, however I think my Liric is sounding better after only about 24 hours of burn-in.

I'll keep running them in, see how it goes. Certainly can't hurt

 

[ddlo]

I just received mine when i was on my doorstep heading out for lunch

No time to test it yet but have to tidy up my desktop first. Already bought 3 closed back this month before the holiday shopping season got to say the cheapest one in fact is the most aesthetically pleasing.

Btw, got a free 4.4mm balanced cable from local dealer's early bird offer. The cable is made in china in case anyone wish to know.

 

[Nostoi]

I just received mine when i was on my doorstep heading out for lunch

No time to test it yet but have to tidy up my desktop first. Already bought 3 closed back this month before the holiday shopping season got to say the cheapest one in fact is the most aesthetically pleasing.

Btw, got a few 4.4mm balanced cable from local dealer's early bird offer. The cable is made in china in case you're interested.

Agreed, can't top the WP900 when it comes to looks.

 

[bigbeans]

The Sony is sexier in your photo.
What HPs were you used with the Sony before the Liric? Sony MDR-Z1R? Mainly closed back?

I used the MDR Z1R which I sold sometime ago. Here is a state of my current headphone collection. PhilPhone isn’t pictured as the headband can’t fit in the shelf

 

[KlaraKlang]

I remember reading some impression saying Empyrean need burning in, so the first owner of your Empyrean probably take a heavy first punch on you behalf, you probably should thank him for that if you run into each other again.



Any EQ in RME ADI2 or you run it flat? Need an extra push on the lower registers?



The Sony is sexier in your photo.
What HPs were you used with the Sony before the Liric? Sony MDR-Z1R? Mainly closed back?



Yes, the house sound is obvious.

By the way, a nice HP shop.

Nope, i only use the DAC of the RME, no EQ needed for the Liric !