Where are you in the UK why can you not hear the Empyrean?
Meze EMPYREAN - the First Isodynamic Hybrid Array Headphone
- Thread starter MezeTeam
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Where are you in the UK why can you not hear the Empyrean?
As Phil says, you should be able to demo them somewhere in the UK. There are quite a few shops dotted around that have them avaliable to try in store. If you are in London you could go to Audio Sanctuary which is where I demoed them. They also have a range of Audeze, MrSpeakers and Focal.
Had the EMP for 3 days, about 12hrs of listening time and love them!!
I first heard these at Canjam NYC 2018. Initial impression were good (loud show enviroment). At the time, I was only a few months into the hobby and the most expensive hifi equipment I had was a used hd800s. So after knowing their projected price, I immediately decided these would not be on my list.
But we all get sucked into this deeper and deeper. So I took a chance and bought these new about a week ago. After having gone through lots of equipment over the year, this is the only purchase that have given me the WOW factor comparable to the moment when I got my first hifi cans, the HD800s, if not more. This one us certainly by far my happiest purchase, but I wish they were cheaper lol.
Some preliminaries: (PC ---> powered USB hub ---> Jitterbug ---> Topping DX7S ---> Gustard H20/Kinki Thr-1 --->Empyrean)
Comfort is absolutely 2nd to none. If I had to find one complain in this regard, it would be that the cups are so large and deep while the headband structure is kinda too light so that if I shake my head a little (i.e. a sudden and fast movement), I can feel the cups wobble a bit. I guess the build quality does not need to be mentioned at all. Definitely in the S+++ lvl.
Due to lack of clear and well accept definitions, I can only use some generic words to describe its sound based on my own interpretation of these words.
Lush, warm, mellow and smooth are the overall "empression". I would not call them neutral at all because of these words mentioned. I am no expert in defining what neutral is. The FR measurements certainly measure loudness vs frequency and EMP certainly has a very flat curve but its like a machine is only able to measure the sodium content so a super salty tofu can be the same thing vs a bacon. Among the cans I have now and had, I feel the Susvara is the most neutral one.
A little bit of emphasis on the bass. It is not the punchy Focal kind. Good amount of that typical planar rumble. No sibilance at all (tried with the most sibilant song I know).. I don't spot any peaks on the treble, nor any emphasis on the mids. They are just overall pretty evenly tuned across the board, except that little bass emphasis, and together with "lush, warm, mellow and smooth".
To Meze:
1: please make spare pads available in the future, and not to make it like "oh, the pads of a $3000 headphone's must be expensive too", like Focal did for their $248 pads for Utopia.. From biznes point of view, I get the logic. Those things are nearly pure profit for every one sold so why not. But prey on a community that 100% passion driven is no good for long term.
2: I think a full plate of carbon fiber headband would be more premium looking. May add a few grams of weight but still..who cares. why cut out the middle and made it into two flimsy band..
I first heard these at Canjam NYC 2018. Initial impression were good (loud show enviroment). At the time, I was only a few months into the hobby and the most expensive hifi equipment I had was a used hd800s. So after knowing their projected price, I immediately decided these would not be on my list.
But we all get sucked into this deeper and deeper. So I took a chance and bought these new about a week ago. After having gone through lots of equipment over the year, this is the only purchase that have given me the WOW factor comparable to the moment when I got my first hifi cans, the HD800s, if not more. This one us certainly by far my happiest purchase, but I wish they were cheaper lol.
Some preliminaries: (PC ---> powered USB hub ---> Jitterbug ---> Topping DX7S ---> Gustard H20/Kinki Thr-1 --->Empyrean)
Comfort is absolutely 2nd to none. If I had to find one complain in this regard, it would be that the cups are so large and deep while the headband structure is kinda too light so that if I shake my head a little (i.e. a sudden and fast movement), I can feel the cups wobble a bit. I guess the build quality does not need to be mentioned at all. Definitely in the S+++ lvl.
Due to lack of clear and well accept definitions, I can only use some generic words to describe its sound based on my own interpretation of these words.
Lush, warm, mellow and smooth are the overall "empression". I would not call them neutral at all because of these words mentioned. I am no expert in defining what neutral is. The FR measurements certainly measure loudness vs frequency and EMP certainly has a very flat curve but its like a machine is only able to measure the sodium content so a super salty tofu can be the same thing vs a bacon. Among the cans I have now and had, I feel the Susvara is the most neutral one.
A little bit of emphasis on the bass. It is not the punchy Focal kind. Good amount of that typical planar rumble. No sibilance at all (tried with the most sibilant song I know).. I don't spot any peaks on the treble, nor any emphasis on the mids. They are just overall pretty evenly tuned across the board, except that little bass emphasis, and together with "lush, warm, mellow and smooth".
To Meze:
1: please make spare pads available in the future, and not to make it like "oh, the pads of a $3000 headphone's must be expensive too", like Focal did for their $248 pads for Utopia.. From biznes point of view, I get the logic. Those things are nearly pure profit for every one sold so why not. But prey on a community that 100% passion driven is no good for long term.
2: I think a full plate of carbon fiber headband would be more premium looking. May add a few grams of weight but still..who cares. why cut out the middle and made it into two flimsy band..
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Scorpion1611
New Head-Fier
Thanks all, yes will have to take a trip to Audio Sanctuary London or HiFi Headphones on South Coast to have a listen. Post above as everyone’s has made me choose the Empyrean over TT2 upgrade from H2. These sound like the perfect match for my ears, smooth, detailed with slight bass emphasis. Will let you know when I hear them.
I'll be starting the HEAR@home service in March. More people need to hear these headphones haha
PJDubyaM
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Liking it. I've been through a few different portable headphone amps (couple of Dragonflies, Oppo something-or-other) and the Mojo's the keeper for me. Sound with the Empyreans is just right for me, completely fatigue-free. I've swapped over to the direct headphone-out on my MacBook just now for some Spotify (because the Mojopoly, although it sounds beautiful, is a masterclass in how to make a total dog's dinner of UX), and I'm noticing that the music's a little more strident, a little more sparkly up the top end. Seems as though it might be fatiguing.
Although the Mojopoly is as frustrating as it is wonderful, I'm very interested in moving up the Chord ladder. Problem for me is that the fact that the Mojopoly is both portable and a Roon endpoint is very valuable to me. Means that I get the same experience whether I'm sat at my desk or sprawled on the sofa or reading something in bed. Were I to go with a Hugo 2 or TT, I'd have to make a choice as to where I had my best music system. I'm at my desk more than anywhere else, but seems a waste to have a top-tier system just providing a backdrop to my working day. But then having a static thing somewhere else limits when / where I can enjoy it. Scant choices when it comes to Roon-ready headphone amps. First-world problems, I guess.
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Scorpion1611
New Head-Fier
Although not in the same league as Mojo/Hugo etc, I am amazed how good the Dragonfly Black sounded out of my iPhone via Roon playing Tidal MQA. That was using B&O H9i. I can’t wait to see what the Empyrean brings to the party.
Boogie7910
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They're here!
PJDubyaM
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And being fed by a Hugo 2 TT and M Scaler 'n' all. I think the correct term is 'well jell'.
Quadfather
Headphoneus Supremus
Any Empyrean/LPG users?
buffer
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Hi Folks,
Just received the Empyrean. I'm listening to it out of a Windows PC and an ALO PanAm tube amp that I find has a tendency towards slight brightness. I've only been listening for an hour, but I do feel I'm starting to get a handle on the sound. Obviously, I wouldn't put too much stock in my description as the unit is not broken in and I'm not yet using on my highest quality amplification. I have listened to a variety of music, symphonic metal, brass band, easy listening. I think the headphone is competitive with other flagships. I would say the sound is pretty balanced, clear, full, and impactful. I might prefer a touch more crispness, especially in the upper frequencies, as I feel that a touch more upper midrange and treble would be a good thing. While overall clarity is very good, I think it's not the absolute clearest I have heard. I would not describe the unit as euphonic (in the sense of having lots of bloom), but it strikes me as musical. Is it as sharp or clear as a Utopia? I haven't compared directly, but my gut says not quite. I would say the sound is pretty natural though. There are no obvious frequency anomalies, but I would probably describe the headphone as having a very slight warmth in the lower midrange, but not to its detriment and not overtly obvious. Some 'high-end' headphones annoy me with an artificial boost of lower midrange. I do not feel the Empyrean is artificially boosting lower midrange, nor do I feel it is congested. That said, the slight warmth probably holds it back from being as clear and transparent as I would like - but it is still reasonably good in these regards. The unit does seem to have me turning the volume up more than I would with a brighter headphone. This could be reflective of a very slightly laid back upper midrange. But I should be clear - I do not find the upper midrange to be lacking significantly, but in my opinion it is shy of neutral - certainly, I do not think folks would accuse the headphone of being bright in the upper midrange. I am listening with the leather pads. I have not yet tried the others. The headphone is pretty comfortable thus far, but I would prefer a system that would allow me to slide the cups precisely the same on each ear. There are no indents on the sliding mechanism. Overall, I am enjoying the headphones quite a bit. I'll provide additional information if I detect changes over time or if I detect substantial benefit from using a higher quality system.
PS - Piano and drums, and sax sound very good. I might like my trumpet to have a slight bit more bite to it, but trumpet is pretty good sounding too. The headphone is also capable of presenting a powerful sound on rock.
I do not generally hear the sound as muffled like some have said, though on rare occasion the warmth might cause a little bit of that sensation - but not with most of the music I have heard thus far. I also think the sound is fairly large and I would say the sound is neither recessed or overly forward, but if someone asked and I had to choose, I would describe as more forward than recessed.
I realized I did not comment on bass. I prefer neutral rather than bass-heavy sound. The Meze Empyrean bass is very good quality. It's well balanced, tight, present, but not bloated. While I would not characterize it as punchy in the sense I do not feel it pressurize in my ears, I do think it is very good in terms of quantity and quality. It's very satisfying to me.
One other thing - I am sensitive to channel imbalance but the Empyrean sounds perfectly matched between left and right channel - though I have not run the specific tests that would confirm this. in conclusion, I am impressed overall, thus far. For reference, other headphones I am familiar with include Utopia, Stax L700/009, Final Audio D8000, and Hifiman Susvara, Accoustic Research AR-H1, Brainwavz Alara, Quad ERA-1, Senn HD800(S). The fact that Empyrean is competitive with these says quite a lot.
Update - as I play, it is occurring to me that it lacks a little bit of 'air' around the instruments. Not too bothersome, but noticeable to me.
Just received the Empyrean. I'm listening to it out of a Windows PC and an ALO PanAm tube amp that I find has a tendency towards slight brightness. I've only been listening for an hour, but I do feel I'm starting to get a handle on the sound. Obviously, I wouldn't put too much stock in my description as the unit is not broken in and I'm not yet using on my highest quality amplification. I have listened to a variety of music, symphonic metal, brass band, easy listening. I think the headphone is competitive with other flagships. I would say the sound is pretty balanced, clear, full, and impactful. I might prefer a touch more crispness, especially in the upper frequencies, as I feel that a touch more upper midrange and treble would be a good thing. While overall clarity is very good, I think it's not the absolute clearest I have heard. I would not describe the unit as euphonic (in the sense of having lots of bloom), but it strikes me as musical. Is it as sharp or clear as a Utopia? I haven't compared directly, but my gut says not quite. I would say the sound is pretty natural though. There are no obvious frequency anomalies, but I would probably describe the headphone as having a very slight warmth in the lower midrange, but not to its detriment and not overtly obvious. Some 'high-end' headphones annoy me with an artificial boost of lower midrange. I do not feel the Empyrean is artificially boosting lower midrange, nor do I feel it is congested. That said, the slight warmth probably holds it back from being as clear and transparent as I would like - but it is still reasonably good in these regards. The unit does seem to have me turning the volume up more than I would with a brighter headphone. This could be reflective of a very slightly laid back upper midrange. But I should be clear - I do not find the upper midrange to be lacking significantly, but in my opinion it is shy of neutral - certainly, I do not think folks would accuse the headphone of being bright in the upper midrange. I am listening with the leather pads. I have not yet tried the others. The headphone is pretty comfortable thus far, but I would prefer a system that would allow me to slide the cups precisely the same on each ear. There are no indents on the sliding mechanism. Overall, I am enjoying the headphones quite a bit. I'll provide additional information if I detect changes over time or if I detect substantial benefit from using a higher quality system.
PS - Piano and drums, and sax sound very good. I might like my trumpet to have a slight bit more bite to it, but trumpet is pretty good sounding too. The headphone is also capable of presenting a powerful sound on rock.
I do not generally hear the sound as muffled like some have said, though on rare occasion the warmth might cause a little bit of that sensation - but not with most of the music I have heard thus far. I also think the sound is fairly large and I would say the sound is neither recessed or overly forward, but if someone asked and I had to choose, I would describe as more forward than recessed.
I realized I did not comment on bass. I prefer neutral rather than bass-heavy sound. The Meze Empyrean bass is very good quality. It's well balanced, tight, present, but not bloated. While I would not characterize it as punchy in the sense I do not feel it pressurize in my ears, I do think it is very good in terms of quantity and quality. It's very satisfying to me.
One other thing - I am sensitive to channel imbalance but the Empyrean sounds perfectly matched between left and right channel - though I have not run the specific tests that would confirm this. in conclusion, I am impressed overall, thus far. For reference, other headphones I am familiar with include Utopia, Stax L700/009, Final Audio D8000, and Hifiman Susvara, Accoustic Research AR-H1, Brainwavz Alara, Quad ERA-1, Senn HD800(S). The fact that Empyrean is competitive with these says quite a lot.
Update - as I play, it is occurring to me that it lacks a little bit of 'air' around the instruments. Not too bothersome, but noticeable to me.
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lavricables
Member of the Trade: Lavricables
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Thanks. It’s a balanced cable made by LQI. I also have a Lavricable Master Silver on the way
it should already be with you now
Bit the bullet and have put in an order for my Meze Empyrean. Should arrive on Saturday! Got a nice empty house for the day to play with them a bit
Does anyone know a good UK based company that would be able to re-terminate my Toxic Cable Silver Widow from Ether Flow to 4pin XLR for the Meze? I can solder fine but I have no experience with Litz cable and would rather not mess it up...
we are in EU and could do this for you as previously had experience with reterminating Toxic cables.
it should already be with you now
we are in EU and could do this for you as previously had experience with reterminating Toxic cables.
Thanks for the offer, I just sent you a PM.
Hifiearspeakers
Headphoneus Supremus
it should already be with you now
we are in EU and could do this for you as previously had experience with reterminating Toxic cables.
Thanks! It’s the most beautiful cable I’ve ever owned!!!
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