Meze EMPYREAN - the First Isodynamic Hybrid Array Headphone

[franz12]

They are different tools for different listening experiences. You can't really equate them, since they are designed to do things differently. There are as similar as, say a $50,000 car & a 50,000 motorcycle. One is not 'better' than the other (IMO obviously).

You can also buy much cheaper speakers that will get you 90% of the way to those B&Ws (the Andrew Jones designs among others) and make the same argument.

If people want to spend for TOTL items, lets see how they compare to other TOTL items.

I believe the Empyrean was meant to be a statement piece not unlike what you might see at an auto show. The tech found there trickles down to production models.

Either way I applaud what I heard at CanJam NYC, they compare well or better to anything I've heard in it's price range.

As a statement piece, it seems to me to be an achievement.

I understand, though I don't respect its pricing. But I DO have RESPECT for someone who buys it at $3500, financing them for their r&d going forward. It's just not me!

 

[XERO1]

A Tale of Two EMPYREANs



OK, so one of the headphones that I most wanted to hear at CanJam SoCal was the Meze EMPYREAN, even though the initial impressions I had read so far seemed pretty mixed: some thought they sound great, some didn't.
So I had tempered expectations for what I would end up hearing from them sitting perched on top a SPL Phonitor 2 amp at the TSAV booth.
But what I heard pretty much blew me away! These things sounded FANTASTIC!! They sounded so good that I thought that maybe the Phonitor 2's extensive adjustments were somehow transforming the sound to make them sound better then they normally would (even though I was pretty sure all of the controls were set to zero or bypassed). So I used my own modest portable rig (iPhone 5S/Sony PHA-1A) to do most of my listening with, which had no trouble driving them to very high levels, which told me that they are pretty easy to drive.
Their sound was extremely clear and resolving while still managing to sound full-bodied and impactful. Everything sounded extremely detailed while never sounding harsh. They had fantastic bass that extended flat down to around 30Hz, which still sounded great at high SPLs (something very few planars can achieve). And their soundstage was really well proportioned and delineated.
I couldn't understand how anybody could legitimately complain about the sound I was hearing. So I left the booth satisfied, thinking that anybody who had a problem with these must not know a great headphone when they hear one.
So after a while, I ended up at Meze's booth and wanted to hear the EMPYREAN again and maybe talk a little shop, but I was in for a bit of a shock because the EMPYREAN's at the Meze booth sounded very different than the one I had fallen in love with at the TSAV booth.



There were two EMPYREAN's at the Meze booth. I listened to them both, and they sounded pretty much the same, which was in a word - unimpressive. I mostly listened to the black one because it had the same Alcantara pads as the one at the TSAV booth. It sounded slightly muffled in the mids and rolled off in the treble. Just about everything that got me excited about the EMPYREAN at the TSAV booth was missing.
Then it hit me. These were probably nearly identical to the EMPYREANs that people were hearing and not really liking very much, and now I could see why! So I asked the rep at the table (forgot his name, sorry) why there was such a huge difference in SQ between the headphones at his table and the one at the TSAV booth? He said the EMPYREAN at the TSAV booth had all (or almost all) of its rear damping material removed. So I told him how significantly better I thought it sounded and he thanked me for my feedback and said he would listen and compare them again after the show.

Anyway, this was a pretty ear-opening experience that I thought you guys and gals might like to know about.

 

[Beagle]

There were two EMPYREAN's at the Meze booth. I listened to them both, and they sounded pretty much the same, which was in a word - unimpressive. I mostly listened to the black one because it had the same Alcantara pads as the one at the TSAV booth. It sounded slightly muffled in the mids and rolled off in the treble. Just about everything that got me excited about the EMPYREAN at the TSAV booth was missing.
Then it hit me. These were probably nearly identical to the EMPYREANs that people were hearing and not really liking very much, and now I could see why! So I asked the rep at the table (forgot his name, sorry) why there was such a huge difference in SQ between the headphones at his table and the one at the TSAV booth? He said the EMPYREAN at the TSAV booth had all (or almost all) of its rear damping material removed.

Interesting. You'd wonder if Meze were maybe considering offer two different model options with regards to tuning, or you might wonder why they would not just bring the better sounding version to the show as their "final answer".

But when you indicated that "he thanked me for my feedback and said he would listen and compare them again after the show", it is a bit worrisome that he seemed not to be aware of these obvious differences, especially if it's going to be $3500.

 

[Hifiearspeakers]

A Tale of Two EMPYREANs



OK, so one of the headphones that I most wanted to hear at CanJam SoCal was the Meze EMPYREAN, even though the initial impressions I had read so far seemed pretty mixed: some thought they sound great, some didn't.
So I had tempered expectations for what I would end up hearing from them sitting perched on top a SPL Phonitor 2 amp at the TSAV booth.
But what I heard pretty much blew me away! These things sounded FANTASTIC!! They sounded so good that I thought that maybe the Phonitor 2's extensive adjustments were somehow transforming the sound to make them sound better then they normally would (even though I was pretty sure all of the controls were set to zero or bypassed). So I used my own modest portable rig (iPhone 5S/Sony PHA-1A) to do most of my listening with, which had no trouble driving them to very high levels, which told me that they are pretty easy to drive.
Their sound was extremely clear and resolving while still managing to sound full-bodied and impactful. Everything sounded extremely detailed while never sounding harsh. They had fantastic bass that extended flat down to around 30Hz, which still sounded great at high SPLs (something very few planars can achieve). And their soundstage was really well proportioned and delineated.
I couldn't understand how anybody could legitimately complain about the sound I was hearing. So I left the booth satisfied, thinking that anybody who had a problem with these must not know a great headphone when they hear one.
So after a while, I ended up at Meze's booth and wanted to hear the EMPYREAN again and maybe talk a little shop, but I was in for a bit of a shock because the EMPYREAN's at the Meze booth sounded very different than the one I had fallen in love with at the TSAV booth.



There were two EMPYREAN's at the Meze booth. I listened to them both, and they sounded pretty much the same, which was in a word - unimpressive. I mostly listened to the black one because it had the same Alcantara pads as the one at the TSAV booth. It sounded slightly muffled in the mids and rolled off in the treble. Just about everything that got me excited about the EMPYREAN at the TSAV booth was missing.
Then it hit me. These were probably nearly identical to the EMPYREANs that people were hearing and not really liking very much, and now I could see why! So I asked the rep at the table (forgot his name, sorry) why there was such a huge difference in SQ between the headphones at his table and the one at the TSAV booth? He said the EMPYREAN at the TSAV booth had all (or almost all) of its rear damping material removed. So I told him how significantly better I thought it sounded and he thanked me for my feedback and said he would listen and compare them again after the show.

Anyway, this was a pretty ear-opening experience that I thought you guys and gals might like to know about.

Was it pretty loud at the show when you were listening? If so, the brighter headphone would have a more impressive performance due to all the background ambient noise. The two that you thought sounded muffled, may actually sound amazing in a quiet environment.

 

[Beagle]

Was it pretty loud at the show when you were listening? If so, the brighter headphone would have a more impressive performance due to all the background ambient noise. The two that you thought sounded muffled, may actually sound amazing in a quiet environment.

Excellent point.

 

[jinxy245]

I understand, though I don't respect its pricing. But I DO have RESPECT for someone who buys it at $3500, financing them for their r&d going forward. It's just not me!

Totally understood.

I guess I personally get miffed when people trash prices, especially a company like Meze (small company, not a ton of $$ for R&D).

Some in the industry understand what it takes/how much it costs to create a new headphone (amp, refrigerator, whatever) the R&D, countless hours & re-tweaking etc., but most don't really (I only credit myself with a passing knowledge).

These TOTL statement pieces are made available only for those who are looking for that stuff we would never buy ourselves. I daresay the HD600/HD800 lines would never have come to pass without the R&D that went into the HE90.

That's where the good stuff we get comes from, so I never begrudge a company for charging excess for the super good stuff, as long as it lives up to it in performance & build quality.

For the record, unless I get 6 lucky numbers, one of these isn't in my future either.

 

[XERO1]

Was it pretty loud at the show when you were listening? If so, the brighter headphone would have a more impressive performance due to all the background ambient noise. The two that you thought sounded muffled, may actually sound amazing in a quiet environment.

..... Nah.

 

[Zachik]

A Tale of Two EMPYREANs



OK, so one of the headphones that I most wanted to hear at CanJam SoCal was the Meze EMPYREAN, even though the initial impressions I had read so far seemed pretty mixed: some thought they sound great, some didn't.
So I had tempered expectations for what I would end up hearing from them sitting perched on top a SPL Phonitor 2 amp at the TSAV booth.
But what I heard pretty much blew me away! These things sounded FANTASTIC!! They sounded so good that I thought that maybe the Phonitor 2's extensive adjustments were somehow transforming the sound to make them sound better then they normally would (even though I was pretty sure all of the controls were set to zero or bypassed). So I used my own modest portable rig (iPhone 5S/Sony PHA-1A) to do most of my listening with, which had no trouble driving them to very high levels, which told me that they are pretty easy to drive.
Their sound was extremely clear and resolving while still managing to sound full-bodied and impactful. Everything sounded extremely detailed while never sounding harsh. They had fantastic bass that extended flat down to around 30Hz, which still sounded great at high SPLs (something very few planars can achieve). And their soundstage was really well proportioned and delineated.
I couldn't understand how anybody could legitimately complain about the sound I was hearing. So I left the booth satisfied, thinking that anybody who had a problem with these must not know a great headphone when they hear one.
So after a while, I ended up at Meze's booth and wanted to hear the EMPYREAN again and maybe talk a little shop, but I was in for a bit of a shock because the EMPYREAN's at the Meze booth sounded very different than the one I had fallen in love with at the TSAV booth.



There were two EMPYREAN's at the Meze booth. I listened to them both, and they sounded pretty much the same, which was in a word - unimpressive. I mostly listened to the black one because it had the same Alcantara pads as the one at the TSAV booth. It sounded slightly muffled in the mids and rolled off in the treble. Just about everything that got me excited about the EMPYREAN at the TSAV booth was missing.
Then it hit me. These were probably nearly identical to the EMPYREANs that people were hearing and not really liking very much, and now I could see why! So I asked the rep at the table (forgot his name, sorry) why there was such a huge difference in SQ between the headphones at his table and the one at the TSAV booth? He said the EMPYREAN at the TSAV booth had all (or almost all) of its rear damping material removed. So I told him how significantly better I thought it sounded and he thanked me for my feedback and said he would listen and compare them again after the show.

Anyway, this was a pretty ear-opening experience that I thought you guys and gals might like to know about.

I believe in CanJam NYC, when Meze first showed these, they said that various units at the show had different tuning implemented since they have not 100% finalized the tuning... could that have been the case here?? Different tuning?!

 

[XERO1]

I believe in CanJam NYC, when Meze first showed these, they said that various units at the show had different tuning implemented since they have not 100% finalized the tuning... could that have been the case here?? Different tuning?!

Yes, definitely. Very different tunings!

 

[moedawg140]

A Tale of Two EMPYREANs



OK, so one of the headphones that I most wanted to hear at CanJam SoCal was the Meze EMPYREAN, even though the initial impressions I had read so far seemed pretty mixed: some thought they sound great, some didn't.
So I had tempered expectations for what I would end up hearing from them sitting perched on top a SPL Phonitor 2 amp at the TSAV booth.
But what I heard pretty much blew me away! These things sounded FANTASTIC!! They sounded so good that I thought that maybe the Phonitor 2's extensive adjustments were somehow transforming the sound to make them sound better then they normally would (even though I was pretty sure all of the controls were set to zero or bypassed). So I used my own modest portable rig (iPhone 5S/Sony PHA-1A) to do most of my listening with, which had no trouble driving them to very high levels, which told me that they are pretty easy to drive.
Their sound was extremely clear and resolving while still managing to sound full-bodied and impactful. Everything sounded extremely detailed while never sounding harsh. They had fantastic bass that extended flat down to around 30Hz, which still sounded great at high SPLs (something very few planars can achieve). And their soundstage was really well proportioned and delineated.
I couldn't understand how anybody could legitimately complain about the sound I was hearing. So I left the booth satisfied, thinking that anybody who had a problem with these must not know a great headphone when they hear one.
So after a while, I ended up at Meze's booth and wanted to hear the EMPYREAN again and maybe talk a little shop, but I was in for a bit of a shock because the EMPYREAN's at the Meze booth sounded very different than the one I had fallen in love with at the TSAV booth.



There were two EMPYREAN's at the Meze booth. I listened to them both, and they sounded pretty much the same, which was in a word - unimpressive. I mostly listened to the black one because it had the same Alcantara pads as the one at the TSAV booth. It sounded slightly muffled in the mids and rolled off in the treble. Just about everything that got me excited about the EMPYREAN at the TSAV booth was missing.
Then it hit me. These were probably nearly identical to the EMPYREANs that people were hearing and not really liking very much, and now I could see why! So I asked the rep at the table (forgot his name, sorry) why there was such a huge difference in SQ between the headphones at his table and the one at the TSAV booth? He said the EMPYREAN at the TSAV booth had all (or almost all) of its rear damping material removed. So I told him how significantly better I thought it sounded and he thanked me for my feedback and said he would listen and compare them again after the show.

Anyway, this was a pretty ear-opening experience that I thought you guys and gals might like to know about.

Amazing impressions, my friend! What you said is just about spot-on with regards to my impressions as well.

Was it pretty loud at the show when you were listening? If so, the brighter headphone would have a more impressive performance due to all the background ambient noise. The two that you thought sounded muffled, may actually sound amazing in a quiet environment.

There was very little noise (about whisper quiet) when @XERO1 and I listened to the Empyrean at the TSAV booth.

Excellent point.

Same as above.

..... Nah.

I agree completely. The ambient noise was very low, and the listening was conducted during the end of CanJam SoCal Sunday as well, attributing to the blissful conditions also, in my opinion.

 

[Hifiearspeakers]

Amazing impressions, my friend! What you said is just about spot-on with regards to my impressions as well.


There was very little noise (about whisper quiet) when @XERO1 and I listened to the Empyrean at the TSAV booth.

Same as above.


I agree completely. The ambient noise was very low, and the listening was conducted during the end of CanJam SoCal Sunday as well, attributing to the blissful conditions also, in my opinion.

Fair enough. Guess we’ll see what tuning they decide to be final. Either way, I’m interested.

 

[moedawg140]

Fair enough. Guess we’ll see what tuning they decide to be final. Either way, I’m interested.

We shall see, or in this case: hear!

 

[PeteSTRADAMUS]

I want these bad boys! Sucks I didn't get a chance to hear these anywhere yet.

 

[erik701]

Last days there was a lot of talk about price. Even when final price has not been set yet, I think Meze could ask more than $3500 for Empyrean. Look how innovative technology they used for drivers, unique design, in short words, everything is special and unique about Empyrean. Meze is not big company like Sennheiser. When I'm talking about Sennheiser (the biggest, richest player in the game), they are bringing us just new iteration of "old" (for several years already not competitive with other totl headphones) HD800 headphones. HD800 has been introduced in January 2009. More than 9 years old headphones and they are using same driver, same design for HD800S and upcoming HD820. Just compare $2400 which Sennheiser will be asking for HD820, practically same headphones as Sennheiser introduces in 2009, with few changes like closed back design with gorilla glass... and $3500 for Meze Empyrean, complete new headphones, unique technical solution for sound reproduction, unique design... Not to mention Sennheiser's production capabilities, R&D budget... That's why I don't think that $3500 is too much for Empyrean. If my words were not enough for you, just find some interview from latest CanJams with Antonio Meze, Pavlo Shymanovych talking about Meze Empyrean and then find some interview from CES 2018 where Axel is talking like 5 minutes just about concave gorilla glass, because to be honest, this is the only "innovation" what they introduce with HD820...

I'm glad that company like Meze exists today. I'm glad that they work with Rinaro company to push the boundaries in headphones industry, to bring us something new and hopefully better.

Just my two cents...

 

[Hifiearspeakers]

Last days there was a lot of talk about price. Even when final price has not been set yet, I think Meze could ask more than $3500 for Empyrean. Look how innovative technology they used for drivers, unique design, in short words, everything is special and unique about Empyrean. Meze is not big company like Sennheiser. When I'm talking about Sennheiser (the biggest, richest player in the game), they are bringing us just new iteration of "old" (for several years already not competitive with other totl headphones) HD800 headphones. HD800 has been introduced in January 2009. More than 9 years old headphones and they are using same driver, same design for HD800S and upcoming HD820. Just compare $2400 which Sennheiser will be asking for HD820, practically same headphones as Sennheiser introduces in 2009, with few changes like closed back design with gorilla glass... and $3500 for Meze Empyrean, complete new headphones, unique technical solution for sound reproduction, unique design... Not to mention Sennheiser's production capabilities, R&D budget... That's why I don't think that $3500 is too much for Empyrean. If my words were not enough for you, just find some interview from latest CanJams with Antonio Meze, Pavlo Shymanovych talking about Meze Empyrean and then find some interview from CES 2018 where Axel is talking like 5 minutes just about concave gorilla glass, because to be honest, this is the only "innovation" what they introduce with HD820...

I'm glad that company like Meze exists today. I'm glad that they work with Rinaro company to push the boundaries in headphones industry, to bring us something new and hopefully better.

Just my two cents...

It’s not that radical. It’s planar technology with two different voice coil trace patterns. I’m interested in these as well, but let’s not act like they’re reinventing the wheel. You can buy a used car for $3500. These are just headphones. They’re gorgeous headphones, but they’re still just headphones.