Meze EMPYREAN - the First Isodynamic Hybrid Array Headphone

[betula]

- Empy is the best for long listening sessions

I think, this is one of the strongest traits of the Empy.

 

[VladYR]

Empyrean seems to pair extremely well with the Chord Dave and any of the Linn streamers at or above Selekt DSM level. Naim streamers, particularly NDX 2 and above provide a fun and slightly aggressive version of one’s music. It’s also a little darker and somewhat veiled in comparison to Linn. Both are excellent in their own way but my personal preference tends to lean towards Linn.

 

[mortcola]

Bryston all the way. I'm done with benchmark moving forward. It will be all bryston. Way better build quality for a start.

Just got the Empyreans, and put together the Bryston 3.14 and BHA-1 after using the Schiit Gumby and Mjolnir2 - I wanted to try an intelligently implemented Delta-Sigma design after years of Schiit Multibit charisma. I always liked Bryston gear at shows, admired their professional applications, but read so much from folk who called their gear "soulless" and "clinical". With the Empyreans, I have evidence of something I've believed after years after niche audio gear, good stuff with that boutique, eccentric reputation: people project too much deep dynamic emotional stuff onto their audio gear. The soul is in the music - Bryston is CLEAN and ACCURATE and FAST. Listening to Jane Monheit, I Get Along Without You Very Well with big band, and the Ondine Shostakovich Cello concerti, w/ Truls Mork, and Petrenko; got my hands on some good Native DSD stuff, since I never had a chance to listen to DSD without it being converted to PCM. A distinct tho minor thickness in the upper bass/lower mids, and a subtle haze and lack of illumination in the highs which was the one noticeable flaw of the all-Schiit electronics into the Emps (the Schiit a great match for Grados, BTW), cleared up considerably rotating the BHA-1 in for the hybrid Schiit amp. That moderate haziness disappeared completely substituting the BDA 3.14 for the Gumby, and what I have now, thought eh Empyreans, is pretty extraordinary - the headphones re truly shining, opened up beautifully, with great transparency, drive, and plenty of "soul" - body, harmonic richness, and end-game resolution. This also highlights a strange quality of the empyreans - namely, they offer extraordinary detail without any highlighting, something that can make them seem "relaxed", but which seems, as I listen more and more using the Brystons, to be simply a capacity to reproduce a very wide frequency and dynamic range without artifacts, a consistent ease across the dynamic and harmonic spectra. Friggin' luxurious, full, beautiful spatiality and 3D instrumental images, devoid of any veil, and with groove to spare when the music turns toward fusion, prog, and funk.

The soul is in the music, folks - the Bryston gear simply delivers, and I cannot hear any shortcomings I would care a lick about.

 

[bpiotrow13]

I am personally not a fan of Burson amps with the Empyrean. They characteristically sound a bit too soft with the Empyrean for my taste. My own solid-state amp of choice for the Empyrean is the Schiit Jotunheim 2, which is a lot more punchy/dynamic and fun sounding in combination with the Empyrean imo.

This is also in line with my experience, but still Meze with my burson cv2+ are not that bad. What do You think about Violectric (281) with burson? Has anybody tried it with Empys?

 

[Yoram Diamand]

2,247

Ichos said:
Since we are talking about Rupert Neve , kindly check my review (translation needed)

https://www.hxosplus.gr/reviews/rupert-neve-rnhp-review/ Hi you tested this amp on the Empyreans, how was the synergy? It costs money like a Jot 2.

 

[henriks]

 

[betula]

I am personally not a fan of Burson amps with the Empyrean. They characteristically sound a bit too soft with the Empyrean for my taste.

I think this is true for the older or cheaper Burson amps but definitely not the new 3XP.

 

[henriks]

Nice to here, picking one up this week.

 

[thecrow]

This is also in line with my experience, but still Meze with my burson cv2+ are not that bad. What do You think about Violectric (281) with burson? Has anybody tried it with Empys?

i owned the empys and v280 - too warm for me

 

[Ichos]

2,247

If you asking me , it was just good.
Nothing spectacular here to be recommend for the Empyrean.
The amp seems to be optimized for high Z cans.
Jot 2 should be better.

 

[betula]

Nice to here, picking one up this week.

Make sure you try the 'headphone power amp' mode. This bypasses the amp's volume stage and leads to improved clarity and dynamics. Just don't forget to lower the volume on your DAC as direct output can be painful if you are uncareful.

 

[betula]

Interesting. Good impressions. The only thing I disagree with is that I find the bass to be better with the leather pads.

 

[Arcayne]

I think this is true for the older or cheaper Burson amps but definitely not the new 3XP.

I've tried the Conductor 3XP. It's a great DAC/Amp for sure, very articulate and resolving, just lacks the slam/impact to make the Empyrean truly shine for me.

 

[Arcayne]

This is also in line with my experience, but still Meze with my burson cv2+ are not that bad. What do You think about Violectric (281) with burson? Has anybody tried it with Empys?

I haven't tried any Violectric amps yet.

 

[Ichos]

I haven't tried any Violectric amps yet.

I am waiting for a V550 loaner for review.