[XERO1]

.

 

[BuddhaBruce]

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.

Agreed. In the end they're another pair of planars. The fact that they had a 3rd party company develop and manufacture their drivers means r&d cost for Meze probably just went to the aesthetics and housing of the drivers. I heard them at NYC CanJam and they did not blow me away. They sounded soft, sweet, and delicate but I think the Mr Speakers Voce is a better offering at this price.

 

[endlesswaves]

Was very impressed with what I heard during Canjam Singapore. From Xero1 feedback, the sound signature I heard might not be the same as the final production units. Wonder if there is anyway to try them again before plunging in in May....

 

[erik701]

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.

Yeah, but nobody did that yet. First impressions are also very positive.

You can buy a ton of things for $3500, that’s not an argument. Especially when flagship headphones nowadays cost $4000 - $6000.

Btw, I never got it, why so many people are comparing prices of totl headphones to prices of used cars heh. If somebody needs a car, he is probably not considering any flagship headphones at the same time.

 

[endlesswaves]

We can buy a lot of stuffs with $3500 but will never stop spending more. Been buying and selling... Wallet getting thinner by the day.

Spending on 1 totl, I might stop looking for that ultimate one and concentrate on the other parts of the audio chain instead. All these will take time for me to save but at least I hope I won't continue to spend aimlessly. Just my humble opinion.

 

[ToroFiestaSol]

The right question is: does that 3500$ object make you happy?
Yes? No?
Can you be as happy for 300$? Yes? No?

Can the 3500$ object justify it's 3500$ price?
You're the answer, and every person is a world full of different answers.

Me and my entirely subjective corrupt happiness want subjective performance and objective measurements of the highest level together to spend 3500$, you? I don't know, I'm not you!

 

[PeteSTRADAMUS]

The right question is: does that 3500$ object make you happy?
Yes? No?
Can you be as happy for 300$? Yes? No?

Can the 3500$ object justify it's 3500$ price?
You're the answer, and every person is a world full of different answers.

Me and my entirely subjective corrupt happiness want subjective performance and objective measurements of the highest level together to spend 3500$, you? I don't know, I'm not you!

Well, to answer your question, it shouldn't be an issue with how much you spend on item's of happiness unless you have Champagne taste with beer money. Whatever I buy usually has high taste/price and I don't care about the currency behind it but the item I intend to buy is awesome to me and worth the price. I never complain that something is too expensive, not everything is made for everybody.
There are different price brackets for different incomes. Some people save for a long time to buy something that is usually out of their reach.

 

[endlesswaves]

I was happy with my Sony XB70 until I stumbled upon Head-fi. This marked the start of my adventure into audio world. Always on a lookout for something I and my poor wallet will be happy. As I got myself more and more entangled and my wallet getting thinner, a retired audiophile friend commented that this is a never ending hole which will suck more and more money from my wallet. Might as well save and get a TOTL that you are happy with and stop.

Have not owned audio gear of that value before and did not know that might be the price when I auditioned it. Was put off by the price initially. But after the initial impression and further reading and thinking back of it's solid, comfortable and beautifully crafted body and most importantly, the sound signature that I like and was not able to find any fault, this might be it.

$3500 is a lot to me. More than what I earn in a month with other commitments this is not something I can foolishly spend.

 

[XERO1]

The best will never be cheap.
That's just the way of the world.

 

[franz12]

We can buy a lot of stuffs with $3500 but will never stop spending more. Been buying and selling... Wallet getting thinner by the day.

Spending on 1 totl, I might stop looking for that ultimate one and concentrate on the other parts of the audio chain instead. All these will take time for me to save but at least I hope I won't continue to spend aimlessly. Just my humble opinion.

No. A way to keep your wallet healthy is to stop finding an endgame thing. Because there is no such a thing in a real world. At some point, one needs to learn how to be happy with what he has, unless he happens to have a very healthy wallet.

 

[Pharmaboy]

I was happy with my Sony XB70 until I stumbled upon Head-fi. This marked the start of my adventure into audio world. Always on a lookout for something I and my poor wallet will be happy. As I got myself more and more entangled and my wallet getting thinner, a retired audiophile friend commented that this is a never ending hole which will suck more and more money from my wallet. Might as well save and get a TOTL that you are happy with and stop.

Have not owned audio gear of that value before and did not know that might be the price when I auditioned it. Was put off by the price initially. But after the initial impression and further reading and thinking back of it's solid, comfortable and beautifully crafted body and most importantly, the sound signature that I like and was not able to find any fault, this might be it.

$3500 is a lot to me. More than what I earn in a month with other commitments this is not something I can foolishly spend.

I have a long, tangled history is 2-channel audio (big high-end speakers, tube amps/preamps, blah-blah); then 10+ yrs in desktop audio; and 3+ yrs in headphones. And yes, calling audio "a never ending hole which will suck more and more money from my wallet" is true, at least for stretches of time.

On the other hand, characterizing this hobby reductively as a march towards poverty & madness puts way too nihilistic a spin on things. There's more to it than that. Remember, we all know some day we'll die, yet we all manage to have good days as well as bad days.

Audio is just like that. For every equipment purchase (new or used) that maddened or disappointed me, there are others that elevated me, increased my knowledge & awareness, and gave depth to this hobby. Basically, any headphone, amp, or tweak to either that gives me great music-listening pleasure (even just once--for love of music is the core of this hobby for me)...makes me glad I'm doing all this.

And I have to say, sitting there in the EMPYREAN room at CanJam/NYC with those gorgeous EMPYREANs on my head--that was one of the better audio experiences in years: sonic revelations & enjoyment.

 

[ToroFiestaSol]

Well, to answer your question, it shouldn't be an issue with how much you spend on item's of happiness unless you have Champagne taste with beer money. Whatever I buy usually has high taste/price and I don't care about the currency behind it but the item I intend to buy is awesome to me and worth the price. I never complain that something is too expensive, not everything is made for everybody.
There are different price brackets for different incomes. Some people save for a long time to buy something that is usually out of their reach.

For me, if it justifies the expense by me liking it more than something else and being better in everything than something cheaper (that's why it should be more expensive)...that's awesome!
My Stax setup (headphones + amp + DAC) costs like 4 times the Meze Empyrean, and I'm extremely happy with it and think of it as a great investiment because it makes me smile wide open.
Are all the expensive setups worth it? No, there's so much vaporware that I don't know where to start, good things are expensive, but there's a difference between expensive and overpriced.

I think that this headphone is something extremely interesting that I would like to audition, and if it lives up to it's promises, then I would own one, of course.
At this moment, every discussion regarding the Empyrean's price is useless, because we don't know anything serious about it, just show impressions, and they don't even have the final voicing ready.
Let's wait a couple of months and see what happens with this, I personally want it to be awesome because some planar headphone makers need a good kick in the butt, and a really good one.

 

[Beagle]

Yeah, but nobody did that yet. First impressions are also very positive.

You can buy a ton of things for $3500, that’s not an argument. Especially when flagship headphones nowadays cost $4000 - $6000.

Btw, I never got it, why so many people are comparing prices of totl headphones to prices of used cars heh. If somebody needs a car, he is probably not considering any flagship headphones at the same time.

Which is utterly ridiculous and unjustifiable. I had a hard time justifying the Abyss Diana at $2900.

I will never hear a headphone that sounds like $4000-$6000 worth and neither will anybody else..

 

[XERO1]

Which is utterly ridiculous and unjustifiable. I had a hard time justifying the Abyss Diana at $2900.

I will never hear a headphone that sounds like $4000-$6000 worth and neither will anybody else..

 

[PeteSTRADAMUS]

For me, if it justifies the expense by me liking it more than something else and being better in everything than something cheaper (that's why it should be more expensive)...that's awesome!
My Stax setup (headphones + amp + DAC) costs like 4 times the Meze Empyrean, and I'm extremely happy with it and think of it as a great investiment because it makes me smile wide open.
Are all the expensive setups worth it? No, there's so much vaporware that I don't know where to start, good things are expensive, but there's a difference between expensive and overpriced.

I think that this headphone is something extremely interesting that I would like to audition, and if it lives up to it's promises, then I would own one, of course.
At this moment, every discussion regarding the Empyrean's price is useless, because we don't know anything serious about it, just show impressions, and they don't even have the final voicing ready.
Let's wait a couple of months and see what happens with this, I personally want it to be awesome because some planar headphone makers need a good kick in the butt, and a really good one.

Well said, couldn't have said it better myself.