ThanatosVI
Headphoneus Supremus
Liric is absolutely worth it
Meze Audio LIRIC - The portable isodynamic hybrid array headphone
- Thread starter MezeTeam
- Start date
Depends on your taste and budget. Z1R Isn't my cup of tea but they have a strong fan base. Liric is more balanced with a much cleaner and coherent presentation.
I would say so, it depends what you are using it with and what the use case is. I found Z1R overall better and easier to drive out of my current setup, but out of portable gear the delta might be smaller and for using it on the street it is a lot more compact, though it isolates a bit less.
If you like bass, for punch and slam, the Z1R are more dynamic and with a bigger soundstage and better imaging. The Liric are slightly faster and have a more neutral tuning that results in more perceived clarity, though less detailed. They are also pretty mid forward, the voices are a bit in your face (and in your head), as opposed to the way Z1R stages everything in front of you. Highs are clearly better on Lyric.
The carrying case is pretty huge, i wouldn't call that a win for portability. It takes up as much space as the hard care i use to lug my Z1R around.
Meet, the meze brothers
So I have been looking for a closed back casually for a while as a portable option for when I travel or when I'm not in my room but still want good audio without being an asshole to everyone around me. When I saw the liric being released, I was already intrigued, since I am absolutely in love with meze as a brand. I deeply in their music enjoyment first approach in designing their headphones. Since I have a work trip next week, this is very much an impulse buy since in bloom audio they said they can have it delivered by thursday...SOLD! first 15 minutes impression... I don't have experience with high end closed back headphones, so I can't really give you any comparison. Let me just say, this is very much a meze headphone, even before the burn in. I know some people don't believe in burn in, and you are free to believe what you want. However, being an owner of the elite, I can without a hair of doubt tell you that there is 100% a difference in sound, a pretty significant one at that that occurs during the first 20 hours of listening.
Now, the sonic impressions; The trebles very much reminds me of the elite. It is detailed, but not bright. At no point did I want to back away from the music even tracks that can get quite hot in the treble region.
The mids, what is there to say, it's the meze mids. If you own an empyrean or elite, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Sweet, full bodied, rich, and draws attentions to itself in the best way. Like a girl that doesn't know she is pretty, and don't put on too much make up, but the moment you laid eyes on her you know she is drop dead gorgeous. Some girls need make up to be pretty, and some girls just shouldn't put on much make up, because it only gets in the way of her actual beauty. Just like my analogy, the mid is musical, natural, and beautiful. In case you can't tell, my love for the meze house sound is quite undying.
The bass, I feel like it's closer akin to the empyrean than the elite, not as textured as the elite, but has more presence like the empyrean. Thankfully unlike the empyrean, it doesn't have that upper bass bloat that bleeds into the lower mid, which still can be enjoyable for some, but some times I just felt it's a shame that is the case in some track.
The soundstage is unexpectedly wide, keep in mind I have no experience with high end closed back, so I didn't really know what to expect. But knowing the ball in your head soundstage of the hd 660s, this is certainly way bigger than that. In fact, it is somewhat to the empyrean soundstage, definitely has enough room for the music to breath, but doesn't quite have the grandness of the elite.
Imaging and sound separation is quite good, meze has never had trouble in this regard, and the liric certainly continues that tradition, I have gone through my orchestral/move ost test tracks yet, but what I have heard so far, I don't doubt it will have trouble.
Final thoughts: I actually bought and returned the empyrean right as the elite came out, and went with the elite because it seems like it will check all my boxes, and it does. However, I have always wanted to get the empy again, because I still like the presentation of music with that headphone, but with this liric, I feel like it's a pretty close replacement, and it being a closed back certainly allows me to use it as a travel/outside is kinda an amazing coincidence. Overall, very stoked about this headphone, hahah, can't wait when this puppy opens up and show me what it is truly capable of.
So I have been looking for a closed back casually for a while as a portable option for when I travel or when I'm not in my room but still want good audio without being an asshole to everyone around me. When I saw the liric being released, I was already intrigued, since I am absolutely in love with meze as a brand. I deeply in their music enjoyment first approach in designing their headphones. Since I have a work trip next week, this is very much an impulse buy since in bloom audio they said they can have it delivered by thursday...SOLD! first 15 minutes impression... I don't have experience with high end closed back headphones, so I can't really give you any comparison. Let me just say, this is very much a meze headphone, even before the burn in. I know some people don't believe in burn in, and you are free to believe what you want. However, being an owner of the elite, I can without a hair of doubt tell you that there is 100% a difference in sound, a pretty significant one at that that occurs during the first 20 hours of listening.
Now, the sonic impressions; The trebles very much reminds me of the elite. It is detailed, but not bright. At no point did I want to back away from the music even tracks that can get quite hot in the treble region.
The mids, what is there to say, it's the meze mids. If you own an empyrean or elite, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Sweet, full bodied, rich, and draws attentions to itself in the best way. Like a girl that doesn't know she is pretty, and don't put on too much make up, but the moment you laid eyes on her you know she is drop dead gorgeous. Some girls need make up to be pretty, and some girls just shouldn't put on much make up, because it only gets in the way of her actual beauty. Just like my analogy, the mid is musical, natural, and beautiful. In case you can't tell, my love for the meze house sound is quite undying.
The bass, I feel like it's closer akin to the empyrean than the elite, not as textured as the elite, but has more presence like the empyrean. Thankfully unlike the empyrean, it doesn't have that upper bass bloat that bleeds into the lower mid, which still can be enjoyable for some, but some times I just felt it's a shame that is the case in some track.
The soundstage is unexpectedly wide, keep in mind I have no experience with high end closed back, so I didn't really know what to expect. But knowing the ball in your head soundstage of the hd 660s, this is certainly way bigger than that. In fact, it is somewhat to the empyrean soundstage, definitely has enough room for the music to breath, but doesn't quite have the grandness of the elite.
Imaging and sound separation is quite good, meze has never had trouble in this regard, and the liric certainly continues that tradition, I have gone through my orchestral/move ost test tracks yet, but what I have heard so far, I don't doubt it will have trouble.
Final thoughts: I actually bought and returned the empyrean right as the elite came out, and went with the elite because it seems like it will check all my boxes, and it does. However, I have always wanted to get the empy again, because I still like the presentation of music with that headphone, but with this liric, I feel like it's a pretty close replacement, and it being a closed back certainly allows me to use it as a travel/outside is kinda an amazing coincidence. Overall, very stoked about this headphone, hahah, can't wait when this puppy opens up and show me what it is truly capable of.
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Jluftig
Head-Fier
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"Actually sounds good" is a bit much. Many people--including veterans like Herb Reichert--love the headphone. IT's "chill and relax"--not entirely unlike ZMF Eikon (also biocellulose). A little bit of nuance would go a long way. We should not be in "my headphone can beat your headphone up" territory.One is an overly smooth, extremely rolled-off headphone with less than average technical performance (albeit with great comfort); the other headphone actually sounds good and performs well technically.
That said, the Liric is interesting to me because it has the hybrid drivers from Rinaro for 2k. Noire is what will use for a portable closed back for a number of reasons. Maybe a Liric for desktop...
The Liric is certainly a good headphone, but in my opinion it does not have the Meze sound, by which I mean lush, warm, laid back. It is much more energetic and forward. Not my cup of tea in the end (I'll see myself out of this thread in a moment..
). I am keen on trying the Elite though. After owning the Empyrean twice, and a brief time with the Liric, maybe three times (headphones) is a charm..
). I am keen on trying the Elite though. After owning the Empyrean twice, and a brief time with the Liric, maybe three times (headphones) is a charm..
Beagle
His body's not a canvas, and he wasn't raised by apes.
- Joined
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Agreed. The NightHawk/Owl is an excellent headphone for enjoying music with.
I was being slightly facetious here (and I forgot to add "but seriously" somewhere). I had the Nightowl and indeed for relaxing, it's a great headphone. Skylar Grey knows what he's doing. But the Liric has a more balanced tonality and thus a more flexible use.
Jefecesti
100+ Head-Fier
Problem solved! Liric is immense on every way! Thank you for all replies!
Ps. I'm new in this forum. How can one add pictures directly from phone?
Problem solved! Liric is immense on every way! Thank you for all replies!
Ps. I'm new in this forum. How can one add pictures directly from phone?
Problem solved again! Life's beautiful!
I'm currently using dragonfly red & Lars & Ivan THA-30 tube amp.
Any suggestions for upgrades? Or is there any need to? Needs to be portable & light & include great bass boost.
I'm currently using dragonfly red & Lars & Ivan THA-30 tube amp.
Any suggestions for upgrades? Or is there any need to? Needs to be portable & light & include great bass boost
Ps. I'm new in this forum. How can one add pictures directly from phone?
Problem solved! Liric is immense on every way! Thank you for all replies!
Ps. I'm new in this forum. How can one add pictures directly from phone?
Problem solved again! Life's beautiful!
I'm currently using dragonfly red & Lars & Ivan THA-30 tube amp.
Any suggestions for upgrades? Or is there any need to? Needs to be portable & light & include great bass boost.
I'm currently using dragonfly red & Lars & Ivan THA-30 tube amp.
Any suggestions for upgrades? Or is there any need to? Needs to be portable & light & include great bass boost
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meomap
Headphoneus Supremus
Ordered Mine with upgraded Black Dragon cable with 4.4 mm connector.
Coming next Monday.
Have Aeon Closed, sounds ok. Need to change the pads later.
Have WP900. Sounds not good from my opinion only.
Need another good closed portable and at home too. Will drive with DX300MAX Ti.
Currently using Utopia and HE1000SE with silver cable.....
Hopefully, new closed Meze close my checkbook......
Coming next Monday.
Have Aeon Closed, sounds ok. Need to change the pads later.
Have WP900. Sounds not good from my opinion only.
Need another good closed portable and at home too. Will drive with DX300MAX Ti.
Currently using Utopia and HE1000SE with silver cable.....
Hopefully, new closed Meze close my checkbook......
Jefecesti
100+ Head-Fier
I'm working at home office; listening music and having phone calls all day long.
Is possible to include good cables inc mic with these? Any suggestions?
I'm quite fresh on hifi, so please bear me. Just trying to get the best of these cans on my purposes.
meomap
Headphoneus Supremus
You can search Amazon for phone connector with mic integrated into main cable.
Or any 3rd vendor...
I'm a big fan of the Chord Mojo, i'd take it over most desktop stuff. I think Mojo 2 is coming out next month
ThanatosVI
Headphoneus Supremus
Another vote for Chord Mojo. Pairs beautifully with Liric. Very portable, too.
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