Meze EMPYREAN - the First Isodynamic Hybrid Array Headphone

[Hoegaardener70]

Around 500 on the used market I'd say

I use the Empyrean quite often with my ifi micro BL. Given your budget that is in my eyes the best solution, it for sure brings out a lot of goodness . If you want to go up some levels higher, go for the Hugo2... but that is of course between double and triple in price.

 

[nick97]

I use the Empyrean quite often with my ifi micro BL. Given your budget that is in my eyes the best solution, it for sure brings out a lot of goodness . If you want to go up some levels higher, go for the Hugo2... but that is of course between double and triple in price.

That's good to know I've been looking at that ifi

 

[JLoud]

If you want all in one solution I would at least consider the Astell &Kern SR15. I have the se100 and it is very nice with the Empyrean. The SR15 is supposed to be similar and I’ve seen it for $550 new on sale.

 

[ken6217]

You may want to try looking at Mass Drop, now called the The Drop. You can find some good and affordable amp/DAC combos.

 

[Currawong]

As someone here who is looking to get an Empyrean, I do find it funny we are comparing the sound of a $3K HP to what is now a $700 HP used and last listed at $1.2K. Starting to hear from many that I trust that the Empy’s lack the resolution they should have for such a TOTL HP. My preference at the end of the day would have been for some of that $3K put into the best resolution and less into aesthetics, because at the need of the day when you put those cans on the only thing that matters is sound and comfort. They have the comfort thing down but the sound......

I don't find the Empyrean to be lacking in resolution at all. At first, it may sound like that, because they aren't as bright as other headphones, but when I actually listened for detail in the mid-range, I found them to be very detailed. A re-cable has brought out the detail better too. These impressions, at the very least, directly from a Hugo 2, or other TOTL gear with the best quality recordings I know of. I think impressions about detail need more clarification, especially with what music was being listened to at the time, as well as gear.

 

[betula]

I don't find the Empyrean to be lacking in resolution at all. At first, it may sound like that, because they aren't as bright as other headphones, but when I actually listened for detail in the mid-range, I found them to be very detailed. A re-cable has brought out the detail better too. These impressions, at the very least, directly from a Hugo 2, or other TOTL gear with the best quality recordings I know of. I think impressions about detail need more clarification, especially with what music was being listened to at the time, as well as gear.

Very much agreed. I listened to the Empyrean on a TT2/MScaler combo comparing it directly to the LCD4. Resolution wasn't lacking at all. In fact I preferred the Empy's presentation by not a small margin, although both headphones sound good.

 

[Bakath]

Broke down and ordered a new cable, wanted to wait till I got my amp but just could not take the stock cable tangles any longer.

Silvergarde S3 - 4-wire (4 x 20awg) - Pure silver occ litz - cotton multicore 11-core - infused polymer center core - multi-layer (cotton + teflon) - pure textile headphone cable
- Headphone Type: *new* Meze Empyrean ..
- Cable Termination: Eidolic 1/4" rh..
- Length: 5 ft.
- Silvergarde Sleeve #1: *exclusive* Black wi..
- Premium Splitter Options (optional): Gunmetal Triangle wi..
- Silvergarde Sleeve #2: Black

Anyone know how long it takes to get a cable from this place?

 

[ken6217]

Give them a call or drop them an email. Trevor gives excellent excellent customer service

 

[tradyblix]

As someone here who is looking to get an Empyrean, I do find it funny we are comparing the sound of a $3K HP to what is now a $700 HP used and last listed at $1.2K. Starting to hear from many that I trust that the Empy’s lack the resolution they should have for such a TOTL HP. My preference at the end of the day would have been for some of that $3K put into the best resolution and less into aesthetics, because at the need of the day when you put those cans on the only thing that matters is sound and comfort. They have the comfort thing down but the sound......

Very much agreed. I listened to the Empyrean on a TT2/MScaler combo comparing it directly to the LCD4. Resolution wasn't lacking at all. In fact I preferred the Empy's presentation by not a small margin, although both headphones sound good.

Opinions are quite mixed over the internet, and my personal opinion is that people are not always using the best sources and then they ascribe what they hear to the headphone. The source is really important and even the transport and cable and it's easy to blame any one component if you're not methodical about it as I recently found out. Even the pads make a big difference and equipment synergy is a real thing !

If anyone asked me whether I'd rather listen to an HD800 of any stripe over the Empyrean it would be a hard no..... not even close.

But I can see that some might prefer it if they only listened to classical music or something where that headphones deficiencies aren't as noticable.

And I do think the Utopia has a bit more detail.... but again, that might be dependent on my limited source choices.

Different strokes for different folks, but be careful reading a bunch of opinions on the internet about a headphone and trying to make a decision based on those impressions especially when you don't know what people's setups sound like.

 

[ken6217]

That’s why people have to listen to equipment for themselves. For me personally I don’t like the HD800 and I detest the Utopia. For me, the Empyrean is the best headphones I’ve ever heard.

It’s like that saying, opinions are like a**holes, everyone has one.

 

[Bakath]

Give them a call or drop them an email. Trevor gives excellent excellent customer service

Just ordered it before I left for work this morning, did not want to be the "are we there yet kid"

 

[mixman]

I don't find the Empyrean to be lacking in resolution at all. At first, it may sound like that, because they aren't as bright as other headphones, but when I actually listened for detail in the mid-range, I found them to be very detailed. A re-cable has brought out the detail better too. These impressions, at the very least, directly from a Hugo 2, or other TOTL gear with the best quality recordings I know of. I think impressions about detail need more clarification, especially with what music was being listened to at the time, as well as gear.

Very much agreed. I listened to the Empyrean on a TT2/MScaler combo comparing it directly to the LCD4. Resolution wasn't lacking at all. In fact I preferred the Empy's presentation by not a small margin, although both headphones sound good.

Generally, I meant in comparison to a TOTL headphone such as the LCD 4 or 4Z. Some who have owned or compared both have mentioned they find the 4/4z to have more resolution than the Empyrean. Those are the two HP’s I am struggling with purchasing. I have heard both, but not side by side and both have their pros and cons. When I’d did hear both I was not able to judge the resolution so for me that factor is up in the air. If I do find that the resolution is very close or the same, the comfort of the Meze would win me over.

 

[ken6217]

If anyone is looking for headphone cables, I am selling a Forza Noir HPC Mk2, Forza Noir Hybrid HPC, and Norne Drauge 3. Pm me if interested.

Note: If this is not allowed to be posted here, please delete.

 

[Jvincent]

Well, I just completed my review of these very impressive headphones. It is now in for final editing and scheduling for publication. They also certainly passed the "put your money where your mouth is" test as I bought the review pair as I couldn't bare to send them back. These are seriously good flagship headphones...congratulations Meze!

They were great out of my Hugo2, and stepped it up when I moved up to my Chord DAVE and a tad more when I added the Benchmark HPA4 into the mix. So the drivers are able to scale quite well too.

Do you know when your review will be out?
Thanks

 

[racebit]

I was hoping for some Empyrean news this CanJam, but it seems not, from Jude preview.
Possibilities would be new earpads, new cables and new headphones, for example a cheaper version (1.5K), with same drivers but plastic cups which would cut both cost and weight.
But at least I was expecting news about the gold color scheme, awaited by many. During first run Meze said they might do it on future runs, but never happened. I wonder if the reason Meze droped it after being the original scheme, is related to the golden color not keeping well with aging. My Focal Clear silver grid did loose its original shine just a few months after unpacked, it was really more beatiful at that time.