Meze EMPYREAN - the First Isodynamic Hybrid Array Headphone

[ciukas]

Got back home yesterday from a long weekend in the North of France to find the Empyrean waiting for me. Perfect packaging, and incredible service from the whole Meze team.

I last heard the Empyrean with the iFi Audio Pro iDSD & iCAN, and I'm shocked at how much scaling there is when driven out of a DAVE/HMS. The Empyrean sounds incredibly large, holographic, and full of life. It's the most dynamic headphone I've heard out of a DAVE by a large margin, and I've heard the 4z from a friend's DAVE before.. to have all this dynamism and body without compromising DAVE's direct drive with an additional transparency robbing amp is incredibly exciting. Also comfort is second to none.

I will compare the Empyrean against the Susvara, 4z, and Utopia in the next two weeks and I will know for sure then. I will report back with my full impressions shortly.

Edit: The Empyrean does indeed leak sound a lot. Much more than the LCDi4 I once owned. The i4 would leak sound from about two arm’s length. I can hear the Empyrean from one adjacent room to the other. But for those concerned with leakage in office settings, the Empyrean still sounds exciting and is enjoyable at low volumes.

Edit 2: The Empyrean + DAVE is a DIVINE pairing... I agree with a previous poster that the Empyrean would pair better with a slightly brighter more transparent DAC. I think the Empyrean w alcantara pads and TT2 might be a little too lush, too smooth, too warm. It should be a much better match w leather pads. As usual, it's all about synergy.

Edit 3: Both pads give a very very different sound signature.

 

[SuperDuke]

I find the empyrean produces a spectacular stage - I am not talking about depth or width specifically - more the placement of instruments and vocals. For me this is very satisfying (maybe my brain does not have to work as hard to reconstruct the stage). I wondered about this and went back to the Meze site to find this info which may describe what I am hearing:

"The Empyrean Driver combines individual switchback and spiral-shaped voice coils, their unique shapes allowing sound to be targeted with more accuracy around the natural form of the ear. This unique combination generates an increased exposure of direct sound wave frequencies over the 10kHz range and improves imaging and localization by decreasing the impact of shortwave time delays caused by diffused field reflections."

 

[ciukas]

I find the empyrean produces a spectacular stage - I am not talking about depth or width specifically - more the placement of instruments and vocals. For me this is very satisfying (maybe my brain does not have to work as hard to reconstruct the stage). I wondered about this and went back to the Meze site to find this info which may describe what I am hearing:

"The Empyrean Driver combines individual switchback and spiral-shaped voice coils, their unique shapes allowing sound to be targeted with more accuracy around the natural form of the ear. This unique combination generates an increased exposure of direct sound wave frequencies over the 10kHz range and improves imaging and localization by decreasing the impact of shortwave time delays caused by diffused field reflections."

+1

I was literally about to write these very same words moments ago, but decided to keep it for my later impressions... that's why I used holographic instead... it's spectacular indeed.

Though the very first thing that struck me, and I think Empyrean's most impressive and unique quality, is its sense of rhythmic ability... it's hard to explain but I will try to in my next post.

 

[lithiumnk]

Got back home yesterday from a long weekend in the North of France to find the Empyrean waiting for me. Perfect packaging, and incredible service from the whole Meze team.

I last heard the Empyrean with the iFi Audio Pro iDSD & iCAN, and I'm shocked at how much scaling there is when driven out of a DAVE/HMS. The Empyrean sounds incredibly large, holographic, and full of life. It's the most dynamic headphone I've heard out of a DAVE by a large margin, and I've heard the 4z from a friend's DAVE before.. to have all this dynamism and body without compromising DAVE's direct drive with an additional transparency robbing amp is incredibly exciting. Also comfort is second to none.

I will compare the Empyrean against the Susvara, 4z, and Utopia in the next two weeks and I will know for sure then. I will report back with my full impressions shortly.

Edit: The Empyrean does indeed leak sound a lot. Much more than the LCDi4 I once owned. The i4 would leak sound from about two arm’s length. I can hear the Empyrean from one adjacent room to the other. But for those concerned with leakage in office settings, the Empyrean still sounds exciting and are enjoyable at low volumes.

Congratulations
I think you have sold your lcd i4.
Can you compare empyrean vs lcd i4 with HMS/Dave as the source ?
I am interested in buying empyrean.
Searching for a new headphone which bests lcd i4 sound wise.
Thanks

 

[endlesswaves]

For those in Singapore and interested in the Empyrean, Antonio told me Zeppelin & Co received the Empyrean and in the process of burning in and should be ready for auditioning this weekend. I am eager to try the final production unit myself.

 

[ciukas]

Congratulations
I think you have sold your lcd i4.
Can you compare empyrean vs lcd i4 with HMS/Dave as the source ?
...

I sold the i4 a while back, so it is hard to make a fair assessment because I had the i4 driven by the H2 back then. What I can say for sure, is that as a system, the DAVE/HMS + Empyrean wins by a landslide against the H2 + i4. The differences are so vast I can still hardly believe it. It's subjective, but I would rate the H2 + i4 around 65, if we assume the DAVE/HMS + Empyrean at 100. We are talking only purely sonically of course, and it is a very unfair comparison because the DAVE does also have double the power output of the H2, and I'm certain the i4 would have benefited from the additional power. But the sound that comes out of the Empyrean with the DAVE makes the i4 sound puny in comparison. PM me if you want more details, I don't want to appear too harsh on the H2/i4 publicly.

 

[Whazzzup]

Well let’s not focus on to many variables. Hms and Dave are a huge price point, let’s see how other hp compare on that set up. Then one could compare empyrean versus other hp on h2 if you wish.

 

[PeteSTRADAMUS]

Well, If only I could afford a fellow like Dave lol, my cheap self could only afford a Bob, Bob's cheap.

 

[Pharmaboy]

If I let autocorrect do its thing, I could offer Count as well...

Don't forget Count Chocula. He was Romanian and would have loved the Empyrean.

 

[musicday]

Well, If only I could afford a fellow like Dave lol, my cheap self could only afford a Bob, Bob's cheap.

That's the only thing i really need now, is a Dave, and everything will be perfect for me.
The synergy with the Empyrean for me is Perfect for my musical taste.

 

[HK_sends]

For me,
THESE. ARE. KEEPERS!!

Cayin IDAP-6 -> Schiit Gungnir Multibit -> Schiit Mjolnir 2 with Lorenz Stuttgart tubes -> Balanced Q Audio Cable -> Empyreans
AND HiBy R6 -> Empyreans

I was amazed at how good they sounded straight out of the R6 DAP!

Will probably put my LCD-4 up for sale soon. (*edit* Actually, I just did)

Cheers and Thanks Team Meze!!
- HK sends

P.S. - Just using the leather pads so far...

 

[Whazzzup]

wow, lcd4 thems fighting words.

 

[HK_sends]

wow, lcd4 thems fighting words.

Seriously, I like them that much, even pre burn-in. Gave them about 10 hours burn in so far.
No sibilance at all. Warm sound but my sensitive hearing needs the warmer sound so YMMV.

Cheers!
- HK sends

 

[Fernando Goñi]

+1

I was literally about to write these very same words moments ago, but decided to keep it for my later impressions... that's why I used holographic instead... it's spectacular indeed.

Though the very first thing that struck me, and I think Empyrean's most impressive and unique quality, is its sense of rhythmic ability... it's hard to explain but I will try to in my next post.

I understand what you mean. I call it "liquidity ", is like music is flowing nonstop in the perfect way. No other HP I heard can do something like that.

 

[Fernando Goñi]

I find the empyrean produces a spectacular stage - I am not talking about depth or width specifically - more the placement of instruments and vocals. For me this is very satisfying (maybe my brain does not have to work as hard to reconstruct the stage). I wondered about this and went back to the Meze site to find this info which may describe what I am hearing:

"The Empyrean Driver combines individual switchback and spiral-shaped voice coils, their unique shapes allowing sound to be targeted with more accuracy around the natural form of the ear. This unique combination generates an increased exposure of direct sound wave frequencies over the 10kHz range and improves imaging and localization by decreasing the impact of shortwave time delays caused by diffused field reflections."

This is what I meant when I describe I could distinguish the layers of the music.