[VitaminZ]

Does anyone here run their empyrean through a chord dac (preferably mojo) and THX789?

v curious how this setup performs and if the empyrean is less “lush” sounding

I would also be interested in replies for the Empyrean/THX789 pairing (although my DACs is a Benchmark and a Audiomat Tempo 2.8).

 

[kumar402]

Does anyone here run their empyrean through a chord dac (preferably mojo) and THX789?

v curious how this setup performs and if the empyrean is less “lush” sounding

Long time since I heard Empy on 789 Or 789 in general but based on my memory 789 has slightly recessed mids and not great enveloping soundstage however it’s very smooth sounding amp. Now in my experience Empy was warm but has slightly forward upper mid and sparkly treble and hence 789 will help in those regard when paired with Empy.
Mojo as a DAC is little warm and Empy is warm as well but with 789 in between it will mitigate this warmness a bit, so I would say it should be a good pairing. Not great if you are looking for big soundstage, like those tube amps, but good enough in other regards.

 

[mixman]

I would also be interested in replies for the Empyrean/THX789 pairing (although my DACs is a Benchmark and a Audiomat Tempo 2.8).

The pairing of the THX 789/RME DAC with the Empy is great. I find the THX to be relatively neutral, which is good for the Empy. I would think you would s want a more neutral to even slightly bright amp in the Empy as too warm of an amp might tend to make the lower mids too thick and the bass bloated.

 

[Focux]

The pairing of the THX 789/RME DAC with the Empy is great. I find the THX to be relatively neutral, which is good for the Empy. I would think you would s want a more neutral to even slightly bright amp in the Empy as too warm of an amp might tend to make the lower mids too thick and the bass bloated.

adi 2 dac has a v tempting price especially since i am looking at bang for buck factor since ordering the 789

 

[mixman]

adi 2 dac has a v tempting price especially since i am looking at bang for buck factor since ordering the 789

The ADI DAC is one of the best bargains in audio. Clean sound combined with tons of adjustments, plus a remote too!

 

[alxw0w]

So I joined the family


It took me some time to get used to Meze sound. But from the beginning.
I've always liked planar thick sound. Dynamic headphones were to thin sounding weren't so velvet so palpate especially in the mid range.
After owning Audeze lcd-xc I wanted something more open sounding and also with less brittle highs. The choice was to buy Meze Empyrean. It was a semi blind choice. I've never heard them before, decission was made based on internet reviews and @Ragnar-BY opinion - since we have similar system.
So like two weeks ago I had received the package. First like 30 minutes of listening and I'm thinking OMG I love them.
Sound is smooth, warmish but still not like highs are much rolled off or something. Bass is strong, not as strong doesn't have that power that kick as audeze headphones but ye I like it.
Build quality is the best from every headphone that I had my hands on. Some time ago I was listening to Hifiman Susvara - these are like 6k$ and the built quality is nowhere close to Meze. It's really something different. I don't think there are such quality made headphones in the world. It's different, quality of build, the machining the precise fit of every part - they look like lewellery or nice watch. I often don't care that much when it comes to look of the unit. Comfort and sound quality is what matter the most for me.
But with Meze - even if you don't care about such things (like me) you will still immediately notice the quality. Bravo Meze.

But there is the time when honey time period has ended. After listening to couple of days (at that time I was using meze with mojo + m scaler - as my TT2 was on warranty repair) I started to having big head fatigue and ear fatigue.
And the fatigue was really really big. I didn't experienced such head and ear pain even with ultra bright and thin Sennheiser HD 700 !

I thought ok, let's wait. Meze energy in bass is focused on mid region Mojo has similar mid vocal/mid bas, mellow sound presentation. That's probably not the best match so let's wait for my TT2 to be back.
With TT2 situation was better. Bass wasn't so exhausting, sound wasn't congested and clarity was better.

But as you guess I still was getting head/ear pains.
I really don't know why. I must be sensitive to some mid bass frequencies. I love bass but some frequencies that were boosted in Meze caused this like ear ringing.
It's the same thing when you have harsh treble in headphones - you feel this almost like ringing piercing sound/pain.
Maybe it's also because of music which I listen to. I listen mainly to rock, acoustic music. And in thbat kind of music there is a lost of resonance from acoustic guitar etc.
And with Meze issue was similar but with bass. I couldn't listen to music for more like 1 hour. I was tired as I would ran marathon.

I tried alcantara pads. It helped much. But they lost their magic a bit. And with alcantara sound was a bit boring. So they were not for me.
I was a bit upset about the whole situation and I started to thinking about selling them. But I deiced to give them even more time.

And you know what ? My brain/ears adjusted. I'm not having issues anymore. Occasionally on some tracks still mid bass hump is just a bit too much, also clarity in this lower region could be better.
Anyway I'm pretty happy with them now . Fatigues are gone, finally I can listen to music at high volume - not possible with this all "high-end" headphones as treble will kill you.
Also I can finally listen to music that is not so well recorded. So I returned to many of "my" old pieces which were amazing music but bad recordings.

Anyway I've heard that Meze is working on some new pads for Empys to tame down mid bass ? @MezeTeam could you confirm ?
I can be your beta tester if you want

One more question to other meze users. Which cable would you recommend to bring clarity a bit ? Pure silver ? What about silver plated OCC ? Any words would be appreciated.

 

[Ichos]

Great.
May I ask how many hours you have on them?

 

[alxw0w]

It's like 2 weeks. And I was listening to like 5-8 hours a day. So About ~70-80 maybe 100 hours top.

 

[Ichos]

To my knowledge it hasn't reach its full potential yet.
Meze audio can enlighten us a little more.

 

[SpeakerBox]

Last week I had an almost unreal story:

At last I was able to try the Empyrean with a Chord Dave.
The sound I heard was simply perfect, analytical, neutral, with huge dynamics!
BUT...
I did not feel the catharsis...
Maybe in J.K. Rowling's universe I am rather a wizard than a muggle
For muggles Meze Empyrean owners' best solution is a Chord Dave...
but for a wizard (like me) I suggest another solution:
Two days after I tried the Dave I was able to listen to music in my home with a Feliks Echo tube headphone-, preamp (I will write a review soon on my local blog) which was for me far from being perfect, but a magical experience!
This was the first time that I could try a tube amp, and the sound I heard was simply breathtaking!
Very fluid, natural, musical, analogue like!

Feliks Echo with Bluesound Node 2 (Nordost Heimdall interconnect)

With using the Meze Empyrean with the Feliks Echo I felt to listen to music from a turntable rather than from a modestly priced digital streamer/DAC ( I tried locally stored WAV and Hi-Res files, and TIDAL)!
I am quite sure that with a higher category tube amp (like Feliks Elise, Euphoria, or Auris Nirvana) the Empyrean sounds even more engaging, but if you have an opportunity to try it with Feliks Echo just do it, and you will be positively surprised!
It is almost unreal to match a USD 3000 headphone with a USD 600 tube amp, but believe me it's a kind of magic!!!
On the above picture you can see my Meze 99 Classics' cable attached to the Echo, and I have to tell that with the Echo my 99 Classics sounded better than with any other gear before.
The Echo is very silent (even with IEMs), no noise can be heard, and using it as a preamp it gives a sweet, warm timber to the sound of my home audio system, which can be addictive later on.
Don't expect here a not natural, colored sound, just an amazing extra sweet, and lifelike layer which brings the overall sound to another league!
I warmly recommend to try the Meze Empyrean with a tube amp!

Sounds like you are happy with the Node 2? - I have a Node 2i on order and hoping my HD-600 sound good with it's HP jack.

 

[glogulus]

I recently fell back, pretty hard, into this hobby and wanted to say the Empyreans are a great way to fall of the horse. I started with a Chord Mojo, but then moved to a matrix audio element X as my DAC/Headphone amp. It sounded great as-is, but then I got an GSX MK2 and it sounds perfect now. The elementX by itself was a bit more airy but isn't as "meaty" as the GSX. The GSX just adds a more satisfying experience for me.

What I really like about the Empy is how light they are. After awhile they disappear and I'm just listening to the music. I'm very happy to be lucky enough to have this setup while I start chasing the next big thing! I'm in trouble now!

Edit: Got my Norne silver balanced cables. Things sound a little more controlled and tightened up. It's not necessarily better than the SE moon audio silver cable, just different. I kind of like the way both sound.

 

[LCMusicLover]

...What I really like about the Empy is how light they are. After awhile they disappear and I'm just listening to the music...

Amusing! Empy is about 2 ounces lighter than Utopia, and I frequently see/hear complaints about Utopia's weight.

I don't think it's the weight. I think they just nailed the build -- headband, strap, pads -- everything conspires to make them seem light.

Of course, compared to my RAD-0 & Auteur they are VERY light

 

[Mike C]

Following my post last Wednesday where I had some reservations, here's an update. Punch line is I'm keeping them!

I think my guess that they were not yet run in (even though bought used) was right. With about 100 hours of careful running in now, there is fine sound quality and some things of pure magic.
Vocals have improved, though the Audio Zenith PMx2 (superb, reworked Oppo) still have a bit more fullness to vocals which I like a lot. But I'll mention some specifics.
Comparisons are with the PMx2, and first I'll mention that the similarities are massive, the differences are minor (but somehow significant at times).

I first noticed something special on Amber Rubarth, Scribbled Folk Symphonies. The cello is more solid, more real, and above all it gave me the 'feeling' of gut on gut. Generally more natural, nothing forced, less like hifi … I just relaxed and listened to a cello. Other instruments were more real, more present, and again, natural sounding. The word 'organic' comes to mind. And Amber's vocals were clear, well defined, perhaps a touch more so .. very slight lack of body, but highly listenable and enjoyable.

Embraceable Lisa; the instrumental introduction was better defined, a bit more solid strikes, a bit more transparency and definition, while sounding natural.
And the punch line was, her voice gave me some shivers down my spine. And that was it for me!

I also listened to a recent acquisition; Sophie Zelmani, Precious Burden. I had not listened to it much so I came pretty much fresh to it; I really loved it! It came over as very musical, good tonality, excellent voice, very enjoyable.
Everything I've played has superb tonality, both in terms of sounding good generally and also showing the differences between instruments with their individual characters. And this is an area where the PMx2 are superb!

I think if I just relax and listen more I'll appreciate them even more. It has been awkward using the short lead (can't sit and relax in my usual place), so I've been using the PMx2. But I have now modded an old lead to fit so I can sit normally. This is a DIY lead using Neglex microphone cable, not my best lead with the PMx2 but it sounds OK with the Empyrean. A new lead is on order, expected soon.

It's funny how my experience and alxw0w's are very different, but we're coming to the same conclusion.

Just a note; I'm sensitive to tonality and like natural sounds; I've only heard these things to a high level from either a good vinyl front end, valve electronics, SET amp; or from this headphone system with the excellent ANK DAC 4.1x and a good valve amp. Of course I have not heard much at all of the interesting gear mentioned here (I did hear a Hugo in my system, unimpressed), so they may be other ways of reaching the same heights!
But this system with PMx2 is really doing it for me ... and the Empyrean is starting to do it even more.

 

[DrummerLeo]

Recently, I just had a chance to join a loan tour Meze Empyrean and here is my first impression.
The loan unit I received was directly from Meze and they are NIB. The brand new Empyrean does need some burn-in time, Andy suggested me to burn them in for about 100 hrs. Initially, they are a bit stiff in the treble, but after the 100 hr burn-in, the treble is rather beautiful.
Here are some pros and cons of Empyrean IMO:
Pros
1. King of vocal and mid. I have compared Empyrean with 1266TC, Susvara, D8000 pro, Utopia, and Thror. None of these can beat the vocal performance of Empyrean. The vocal from Empyrean is so romantic. Full of details and extremely smooth.
2. Very unique tonality, warm but detailed. Empyrean is a warm and natural headphone that's for sure. However, as a warm headphone, the details and resolution do not fall short. I can pick up most of the details I have got from Susvara and TC.
3. Extremely comfortable fit. Ultimately, this is the key point makes me want to make a purchase. Compare with those headphones I mentioned above, the comfort of Empyrean is absolutely fantastic. I can easily wear them for 8 hr+, there is no other headphones can stay on my head for that long.
Cons
1. Transparency is not the top of the industry. Also compare with those headphones, Empyrean seems to be the least transparent headphones.
2. Bass is too much and a bit soft. For some tracks, I feel the bass quantity is out of control, and meanwhile, I hope the bass could be tighter.

I will write a full review of Empyrean in the next couple of days. If you have any questions about Empyrean, please feel free to PM me.

 

[MezeTeam]

It's like 2 weeks. And I was listening to like 5-8 hours a day. So About ~70-80 maybe 100 hours top.

To my knowledge it hasn't reach its full potential yet.
Meze audio can enlighten us a little more.

We have brief discussion along this line earlier on, you can check out the discussion HERE.

In short, 100 hours is the first sweet spot, and 200 hours is the finishing line.