Meze Audio LIRIC - The portable isodynamic hybrid array headphone

[BowWazoo]

In my opinion, the Liric is in a different league. Above all, the D9200 sounds very, very "boxy"

 

[Ichos]

Treble is a little lean - metallic or is it my idea?

 

[szore]

The I Ching said I will win this. Sorry.

 

[attmci]

No one want to give it a try? I can help

 

[Giangi]

Which kind of cable do you suggest for Liric? Thanks

 

[Jluftig]

I do agree with the person who posted his skepticism of "punch and slam" as audiophile terms, but I'm not sure if this is the right place in the forum to do this. (I ordered the Liric and enjoyed, but I returned it for other reasons.) You can measure FR, but you can't measure macrodynamics. Very few Youtube reviewers go through details of specific tracks when discussing slam/punch. Do we want audiophile Beats, or if not, what? There's a kind of detailed account of subjective audiophile experience that you don't find much with Youtube reviewers. I don't mean jazz, classical, acoustic AS genres (this is good for x, y, and z) but discussing specific tracks that are worth thinking about when making a purchasing decision about this or that headphone. That kind of subjective detail would provide a real reference point for prospective buyers in addition to objective criteria like FR.

Terms like "punch/slam" can distort a person's expectations when first trying out a headphone with an intention to buy. As in: "for 1.5k, does it have enough punch and slam?" It's like saying that something "pops"--say it enough times and it can be a new term for treble.

I know this isn't the right part of the forum for this issue, but it was raised here. If there's a better part of the forum to post it in, I'll do that.

 

[Malevolent]

Great comparison! Can you also compare the LIRIC with your GH50?

Here's a cursory comparison of the LIRIC and the Gjallarhorn GH50 -

The Gjallarhorn GH50 has the heavier bass section; mid-bass is definitely more potent, with a rather tangible punch. Bass remains relatively clean, however, and eschews any of the negative press typically associated with bass-heavy headphones. In fact, the lows on the Gjallarhorn are teeming with quality; there is good articulation here. On this front, however, the LIRIC slightly edges out the Gjallarhorn in the cleanliness of its low-end presentation; the Meze has a touch better layering and separation.

The mids on the Gjallarhorn are full and somewhat chunky; this contrasts well to the cleaner mids on the LIRIC. The latter presents vocals and instruments with slightly better clarity, as its entire tone lacks a persistent warmth that is present on the Kennerton. Thus, if you favor a better-defined midrange, the LIRIC would be the better choice. On the other hand, the Gjallarhorn is unabashed in its desire to produce sweet, melodic vocals that bring a sense of nostalgia; there's a touch of old-school warmth in its repertoire.

The treble on both of these headphones are more similar than the converse; the highs are attenuated to a degree that avoids any runaway peaks or excessive harshness. In fact, on the Gjallarhorn, the treble presentation is subdued in a manner that causes its signature to edge closer to the darker side of things. In contrast, the LIRIC retains a slightly more energetic section, with a tad greater sizzle its highs; there is a palpable sense of crisp definition and clarity to the Meze.

In terms of technicalities, the LIRIC is the better resolving headphone; micro detail is easily observed on the Meze vis-à-vis the Gjallarhorn. The Kennerton is no pushover in the general sense, but it has greater difficulty in expressing nuances and detail amidst its persistent tonal bloom. Staging on the LIRIC is also greater, with an easily-perceived sense of depth and width. In comparison, the Gjallarhorn's stage can be rather cramped and congested.

@Malevolent, what an insightful and accomplished comparison! Many thanks to you for that Obviously, even after this latest battle, D9200s remain on the throne for you …is my impression correct, that the overall better perceived soundstage of Lirics (on top of the overall Lirics high SQ) doesn’t outweigh D9200s yet in the sound department - in terms of toe-tapping/head-bopping or “emotion” or how to call it?
As much as you like D9200s, if put the EDM aside, is Liric for other music on the same/higher “enjoyment” level or is that just not so simple (I guess the latter :-D ) ?
Regarding better detail on Liric, generally speaking, is more detail always better or is it that the less detail level (of e.g. D9200s) can be sweet spot for some (people/genres) and more would be just too much for a pleasant listening session?
Lastly, being leaner in tone (Liric) - is that just a matter of individual preference in sound, or should that be viewed as a negative, generally?
Don’t worry, I am not gonna dig deeper than this, as you’ve pretty much told so much already in your comparison. Once again, your help is very appreciated

The LIRIC is an engaging headphone, no doubt, and I could happily use it in a vacuum for EDM. However, the AH-D9200's greater coloration - it has a "u-shaped" signature - fits my preferences better. In fact, my favored sound has always been a "v-shaped" one. Thus, it comes as no surprise that well-tuned headphones bearing this signature, such as the TH900 Mk2 and the AH-D9200, rank very highly in my personal list of favorites.

Thus, the choice between these 2 headphones boils down to your personal preferences - if you want a heavier bass section and a brighter sound, go for the Denon. However, if you want slightly better balance in the overall tone, and you're not a fan of bright (or harsh) highs, opt for the LIRIC. The latter is a great headphone that would probably fit the needs and preferences of most closed-back headphone fans.

 

[Nostoi]

Anyone looking for a balanced cable for the Liric, I cannot recommend Forza's Claire Hybrid HPC enough - truly a marvellous pairing. Here's one I just received in semi-transparent black finish with Furutech connectors on all terminations. Especially with the M17, this is a truly staggering pairing. More praise here.

 

[zen87192]

Anyone looking for a balanced cable for the Liric, I cannot recommend Forza's Claire Hybrid HPC enough - truly a marvellous pairing. Here's one I just received in semi-transparent black finish with Furutech connectors on all terminations. Especially with the M17, this is a truly staggering pairing. More praise here.

Hi Nostoi,
Would that be the Meze 99 connection for the Liric?
Just needed to confirm before ordering.
Thank you.

 

[Nostoi]

Hi Nostoi,
Would that be the Meze 99 connection for the Liric?
Just needed to confirm before ordering.
Thank you.

Hi Zen, yes Meze 99 indeed. If you need any customizations, be sure to leave a note when you order or drop Matt a line.

 

[Gordonm69]

Hi guys, I am an avid audiophile that is new to the headphone game. Came across the Liric on Darko's video and it sparked my curiosity!
I listen to mostly electronic / techno / Doom Metal, Doom Gaze and hip hop so low end extension is important to me. No classical / Jazz / or other audiophile elevator music. I prefer an overall warmer sound with luscious bass.
Would the liric be the right fit? I do need closed back.
How does this pair with any of the ifi Gear? For the time being i bought an ifi Go Blue to use with my old Sony WH 1000 XM3 while I am on my permanent headphone search. I to like the bass boost on this little unit... Would the Go Blue be ok to drive the liric in portable situations or should I go for the ifi XDSD? Any other amp/dac recommendations that have a good bass boost like the ifi? I am using iphone 13 pro max for source fyi.
Also, do I need to be subscribed to apple music in order to get lossless audio out of my iphone? I only use Tidal and not apple music!
Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

 

[PJDubyaM]

Also, do I need to be subscribed to apple music in order to get lossless audio out of my iphone? I only use Tidal and not apple music!

I wouldn't want to give you an answer, because it's a mess, but – if you dig through older Darko videos (from last six months or so), I think you'll probably find one. He's certainly done videos on lossless / iOS / etc, but can't remember precisely what he said.

 

[henriks]

And a lot of podcasts..

 

[Andykong]

The Review and FAQ list at page 1 is building up. I have added Resolve's FR measurement to the beginning of the post so that should be easily accessible from now on.

I have collected impressions from over 20 users in this thread, plus reviews from YouTube and various headphone review sites. I shall continue to update the list until mid January when reviews from LIRIC tour started to shows up. I suppose that will provide all the impression you need if you are interested in LIRIC.

 

[Andykong]

Hi guys, I am an avid audiophile that is new to the headphone game. Came across the Liric on Darko's video and it sparked my curiosity!
I listen to mostly electronic / techno / Doom Metal, Doom Gaze and hip hop so low end extension is important to me. No classical / Jazz / or other audiophile elevator music. I prefer an overall warmer sound with luscious bass.
Would the liric be the right fit? I do need closed back.
How does this pair with any of the ifi Gear? For the time being i bought an ifi Go Blue to use with my old Sony WH 1000 XM3 while I am on my permanent headphone search. I to like the bass boost on this little unit... Would the Go Blue be ok to drive the liric in portable situations or should I go for the ifi XDSD? Any other amp/dac recommendations that have a good bass boost like the ifi? I am using iphone 13 pro max for source fyi.
Also, do I need to be subscribed to apple music in order to get lossless audio out of my iphone? I only use Tidal and not apple music!
Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

The iFi Go Blue offers 245mW Balanced and 165mW Single-ended at 32Ω, that is a good start with LIRIC. I suggest you keep the Go Blue and used it with LIRIC for a while, it'll work fine as-is. After you form your own opinion with the the LIRIC + Go Blue and come out with a list of sonic and features (or power) requirements in your next upgrade, you'll have a better idea of what you want to look for. If you still not sure by that time, you can share your impression and requirement here, I am sure a lot of LIRIC users will offer suggestions when you can state your requirement clearly.