Meze Audio LIRIC - The portable isodynamic hybrid array headphone

[FullBright1]

Would you say it has a balanced sound signature?

What is that?

Balanced?????

The mids do not overrule the treble and the bass does not rob the details from the mids and the treble by being too full, too "slamming" ??

You mean like that??

Well, Meze's engineers, have really good ears for HEADPHONES......as some engineers have really good ears for Floor Standing Speakers, but not so good for small headphone cups.

The Lirics are quite linear, with, sub bass that is preferred, to my ear, over something like the HD650 which has too much bloom in the upper bass region.

 

[Ichos]

I’m curious as to how the Liric does treble and transients. Are the transients sharp, fast like Focal headphones and is the treble just right like it is on the Elites?

Treble is smooth and well controlled with fast transients.
It's been a long since I have listened to the Elite (too many stuff to review) but I think that the Liric must be a touch more forward at the mids, upper mids and I find the timbre to be slightly , so slightly artificial.

 

[FullBright1]

Sounds like you really like the Liric. I signed up for the tour and I’ll get a chance to hear it first hand. If I like what I hear, I’ll get a set to go along with my Z1R’s.

You must like a very large Bass response? ????
The LIRIC does not offer such a sonic signature... Its less bass expanded, but not something like a Grado, or a Dan Clark Audio headphone, where the bass tends to be, often, small...unless you listen to the DCA Ether 2, with the Perf Pads.

 

[lator]

And the reason you dont believe it, yet you hear it, is because the headphones are inventing it, and you just paid a lot of money for this false reality that some Hyper Flagship's produce.

Top tier headphones sound unbelievable because they are technically capable in surpassing even the best speakers in a room system. Meze has very speakerlike sound approach making them sound just right for some people. However there are more technically capable headphones around so don't fool yourself or others to think there is only one correct approach.

 

[Ichos]

Top tier headphones sound unbelievable because they are technically capable in surpassing even the best speakers in a room system. Meze has very speakerlike sound approach making them sound just right for some people. However there are more technically capable headphones around so don't fool yourself or others to think there is only one correct approach.

No headphone can surpass a good speaker system in a treated room.
Sorry!

 

[FullBright1]

Top tier headphones sound unbelievable because they are technically capable in surpassing even the best speakers in a room system. Meze has very speakerlike sound approach making them sound just right for some people. However there are more technically capable headphones around so don't fool yourself or others to think there is only one correct approach.

Its impossible for a set of cups, strapped to your ears, to authentically reproduce the sound of music being recorded in a room, by real people.
Headphones are a unique sonic facsimile, and nothing more., no matter if you pay $6000 for the Susvara, or $29 for the JBL Tune 510.

i would never fool myself into thinking that "top tier" "Totl" headphones, are not re-EQ'ing a false resolution and detail retrieval, and sound.
In fact, they do.
They are not accurate, nor are they sonically truthful., and they are anything but natural, neutral, or reference.
They are designed to mis-represent music, into a very unique experience, to a person who is chasing "more more more", and so, these headphones offer it to you.
I love the experience, which is why i own or have owned more then 250 sets of headphones, but, i understand what its actually all about..
Headphones are not sonic reality....they are just a copy of a copy of as they remaster sound, and this end result is squeezed inside small cups pointed at your ears.

 

[zen87192]

Its impossible for a set of cups, strapped to your ears, to authentically reproduce the sound of music being recorded in a room, by real people.
Headphones are a unique sonic facsimile, and nothing more., no matter if you pay $6000 for the Susvara, or $29 for the JBL Tune 510.

i would never fool myself into thinking that "top tier" "Totl" headphones, are not re-EQ'ing a false resolution and detail retrieval, and sound.
In fact, they do.
They are not accurate, nor are they sonically truthful., and they are anything but natural, neutral, or reference.
They are designed to mis-represent music, into a very unique experience, to a person who is chasing "more more more", and so, these headphones offer it to you.
I love the experience, which is why i own or have owned more then 250 sets of headphones, but, i understand what its actually all about..
Headphones are not sonic reality....they are just a copy of a copy of as they remaster sound, and this end result is squeezed inside small cups pointed at your ears.

Whoa! Can I come over to your house sometime? 250 pairs of Headphones! My new found friend!

 

[FullBright1]

Whoa! Can I come over to your house sometime? 250 pairs of Headphones! My new found friend!

Sure, bring all your friends..

We'll all plug in together... and turn on.

I actually dont have 250 headphones, ...but i have owned that many, and still own a ridiculous amount.
See my BIO here....as ive listed < some > of what i own or have owned.

 

[Slim1970]

You must like a very large Bass response? ????
The LIRIC does not offer such a sonic signature... Its less bass expanded, but not something like a Grado, or a Dan Clark Audio headphone, where the bass tends to be, often, small...unless you listen to the DCA Ether 2, with the Perf Pads.

Not really, I like good bass. The Z1R's do have very big bass, but I like it more for it musicality. I don't expect the Liric to be able to match the bass output of the Z1R's. I do hope it has a good bass response and a balanced signature.

I actually had a Ether 2 and the perforated pads were my choice for that headphone. Not because of bass, but to give more treble. It's a very warm sounding headphone.

 

[FullBright1]

Not really, I like good bass. The Z1R's do have very big bass, but I like it more for it musicality. I don't expect the Liric to be able to match the bass output of the Z1R's. I do hope it has a good bass response and a balanced signature.

I actually had a Ether 2 and the perforated pads were my choice for that headphone. Not because of bass, but to give more treble. It's a very warm sounding headphone.

The LIRIC's have good sub bass, but do not offer substantial upper bass.
Something like the ZMF Verite, has a lot of low mids/upper bass, which gives Zack's gear a warmth that many prefer.
Meze does not offer such a FR within the LIRIC's closed cup situation, as that would cause their sound signature to end up as too warm, quite bloated, and lacking in detail.
So, MEZE designed a very smart Sub bass extension as the LIRIC's low end, that feels good, sounds good, YET does not interfere with the mids or the treble, which are quite clean, and offer a sort of relaxed analytical : sonics.

 

[adrianm]

Not really, I like good bass. The Z1R's do have very big bass, but I like it more for it musicality. I don't expect the Liric to be able to match the bass output of the Z1R's. I do hope it has a good bass response and a balanced signature.

I actually had a Ether 2 and the perforated pads were my choice for that headphone. Not because of bass, but to give more treble. It's a very warm sounding headphone.

Since i know we have similar tastes and am happy you also went for Dave, i think you'll like the Liric. I almost got a pair myself. For the indended use case , portability, they are awesome. Just don't expect TOTL flagship performance (and yes, there is a difference, it's not just eq).
Soundstage and separation are not at Z1R level, but not far behind, but highs are much better. Same with comfort, while being a lot more compact. Bass is almost as good as Elites, overall detail lags slightly behind them, but i find the tuning better on the Liric.
I also don't agree with @FullBright1 regarding eq and tunning of the Elite, they do have some house sound weirdness going on, but none of that on Liric, clarity is just great.

 

[Slim1970]

The LIRIC's have good sub bass, but do not offer substantial upper bass.
Something like the ZMF Verite, has a lot of low mids/upper bass, which gives Zack's gear a warmth that many prefer.
Meze does not offer such a FR within the LIRIC's closed cup situation, as that would cause their sound signature to end up as too warm, quite bloated, and lacking in detail.
So, MEZE designed a very smart Sub bass extension as the LIRIC's low end, that feels good, sounds good, YET does not interfere with the mids or the treble, which are quite clean, and offer a sort of relaxed analytical : sonics.

Sounds like I will like these very much!

Since i know we have similar tastes and am happy you also went for Dave, i think you'll like the Liric. I almost got a pair myself. For the indended use case , portability, they are awesome. Just don't expect TOTL flagship performance (and yes, there is a difference, it's not just eq).
Soundstage and separation are not at Z1R level, but not far behind, but highs are much better. Same with comfort, while being a lot more compact. Bass is almost as good as Elites, overall detail lags slightly behind them, but i find the tuning better on the Liric.
I also don't agree with @FullBright1 regarding eq and tunning of the Elite, they do have some house sound weirdness going on, but none of that on Liric, clarity is just great.

Nice, the Liric sounds like a nice on-the-go headphone. The form factor looks great as well. When I get it, I’ll be directly comparing it to my Z1R’s. Fun times ahead for sure.

 

[FullBright1]

I also don't agree with @FullBright1 regarding eq and tunning of the Elite,

For a closed set of Headphones, the Meze Liric are "flagship", level.
They certainly equal the Verite Closed. However, they dont sound anything like a Verite C.

Think it through, adrianm..... can you name a better sounding closed set of headphones? Can you prove it?
Thats a no.
Is there such a thing as a 'Tot'l" set of Closed Headphones?
All that really comes to mind is the recent DCA Stealth, or a ZMF Verite, or a Denon AHD9200, or the Liric.
So, the "tot'l" category, is really reserved for open headphones......however, if we want to make that list of Closed Headphones that operate in the "Closed Flagship" category then we have to put the LIRIC in the top tier, along with the ZMFVC and the Denon AHD9200 and the DCA Stealth.
There really aren't many closed headphones that can rate as a FShip, tho, listeners who love Beyer or Sony or AudioTechnica, might want to add one of those to this very very limited list.

Also, all headphones in this group.. : "Hifiman", "Audeze".. Beyerdynamic"...."Focal"...."ZMF"...."Sennheiser".......have a "House Sound".
As does Meze.
Does the M Elite measure up to the Susvara and the LCD-5?
Well according to at least 4 UTBE reviews, its "apples and oranges".....its......."The Susvara does this better, but the Elite does this better".
Bloom Audio and Moon Audio think the Elite and the Liric are Flagships, and both say the Elite competes with the best headphones, and bests them, in some categories.
\
Some people fall into the trap of believing that...>"if it costs a lot then it must be the best".
That in fact is not true...tho it can be the case that a very expensive set of headphones, offers a very unique experience that is worth the money.

The reality is, headphones are a drug that give you a contact high, and we like this experience, and we want to pay for more of it.....and more of it.
Its the game.
Its the purpose.
Owning 50 sets of headphones, is not so much about "detail retrieval" mania, as its about getting that contact high over and over again, that is offered by a great sounding set of (50) headphones.

Look at the LCD-5.......... Is it the best sound ?
Andrew at Resolve Reviews says its not, but he says its a serious upgrade.
Josh Valour says its a completely different sound then Audeze has ever produced in any other set of Audeze Headphones.
Currawong says the LCD-5 is midrange honky, too forward, yet is extremely resolving.
Major Hifi says that they sound as expected, nothing related to an epiphany.

If i tell you what i hear, am i the one who knows?
Well, could be.....

Is the Susvara the "best" sound? And does it offer an upscaled Hifiman sound that is worth $6000.oo USD ????
If you think that is true then notice all the used Susvara's that sell for less then $4000 that are all over the internet.
I guess not everyone believed they are the "best", after all....
Ditto the LCD-5 or the DCA Stealth and the ZMF Verite.

There are less LIRICS being resold then those...
Same with the Elite....

 

[keithmarsh]

When you realise you just paid 2 grand for a demo unit

 

[zen87192]

Oooo... where did they come from... not good.... not good at all. I hope it's just the outer box and the rest is OK?