[project86]

John, that’s interesting. We both like the Empyrean but differ on the Audio Arts cable and K10.

The K10 was so disappointing mainly because of the hype. I sold these within a few weeks of receiving the customs.

The Audio Art cable is going.back. Nice soundstage but too thin sounding for me. I guess I’m not a fan of silver plated copper as I had one from another manufacturer awhile ago and didn’t that either.

Very interesting indeed. I can see how the K10 might not be for everyone, but the Audio Art cable feels significantly more open and full bodied than the stock Meze option. I would never in a million years choose the word "thin" to describe it.

Oh well, different systems, different ears, etc. Also I don't think we can lump in all copper or silver or SPC into the same category... I've heard so many varied results from cables all using the same basic materials that the stereotypes just seem to simplistic to me. It's like saying all devices sound similar based on their choice of DAC chip from Wolfson/ESS/Texas Instruments etc. Many other factors involved.

 

[ken6217]

Very interesting indeed. I can see how the K10 might not be for everyone, but the Audio Art cable feels significantly more open and full bodied than the stock Meze option. I would never in a million years choose the word "thin" to describe it.

Oh well, different systems, different ears, etc. Also I don't think we can lump in all copper or silver or SPC into the same category... I've heard so many varied results from cables all using the same basic materials that the stereotypes just seem to simplistic to me. It's like saying all devices sound similar based on their choice of DAC chip from Wolfson/ESS/Texas Instruments etc. Many other factors involved.

Maybe it's the systems. For me, the Maze stock cable is much more full bodies than the Audio Art. Of course it is a bad comparison since the stock cable is single ended and the Audio Art is balanced. Also using a V281 single ended versus balanced sound much different.

I do have a couple copper/silver cables this week that I am trying. I'll let you know how they sound.

 

[Maxx134]

Went ahead and preordered a pair. Heard them for 10 minutes in New York and spent the rest of the show thinking about them... 10 minutes to fall in love

I also heard them at NYC CanJam and it was immediately apparent that the resolve was at a high "end-game" level.
The signature was excellent although a bit more on the lower spectrum than neutral, and it had very good natural tonality, not bright but not dark.
Mids were most apparent and excellent.
An excellent signature like this is not easy to achieve.

This is not a flat headphone as my impression was a bit bassy with good mid-range and neutral trebles.
Signature was not skewed dark like most new cans I noticed.
Material Quality was also very apparent.

I tried both pads and although the leather had a bit more punch, the velour was more neutral and open.
Soundstage not as large as a Susvera, but more like a Stax009.

Bottom line was that this headphone was more impressive than any other headphones at the show (for me) .
I wasn't as impressed with the new Focals or Mr.Speakers or ZMF.

This empyrean is not cheap at $3k, and at that price its only competition would be a full range planar, but it would have to be at the very top to surpass this level sound.

The new Abyss Diana is nice but not as large a sound .
Maybe a Hifiman HEKSE is it's only competition.
Yet the Emyrean has a material quality feel that is above them.
You actually feel like your buying a high quality item.

 

[revand]

You actually feel like your buying a high quality item.[/QUOTE]

Yes I fully agree.

Here you can find my Meze Empyrean review in Hungarian language, BUT I checked - and sometimes adjusted the text - so that English (Google) translation is more or less enjoyable.

My review is much more than a headphone review. It includes my following research:

• Comparison of budget, and medium priced DACamp and DAC + headphone amps, working with the Empyrean
• Experiment how to provide the best quality net source (router or WIFI Extender),
• Detailed review of Mytek Liberty DACamp,
• Hints how to use two MQA capable devices (Bluesound Node 2 and Mytek Liberty) together.

I would not recommend for snobs to read my review (although snobs normally do not recognize that they are snobs), because I will not tell them which device to chose between Chord Dave and Chord TT2 + Mscaler

This review was completed after a three weeks experience with the exceptional Meze Empyrean.

I would like to congratulate to Meze developers and also Rinaro researchers for making this wondrous headphone. I named it a Masterpiece of an Era.

One important sentence from my review:
Empyrean does not carry emotion into music, if there is emotion in the music Empyrean shows it, if there is no emotion Empyrean shows the lack of it.

 

[gwompki]

You actually feel like your buying a high quality item.

Yes I fully agree.

Here you can find my Meze Empyrean review in Hungarian language, BUT I checked - and sometimes adjusted the text - so that English (Google) translation is more or less enjoyable.

My review is much more than a headphone review. It includes my following research:

• Comparison of budget, and medium priced DACamp and DAC + headphone amps, working with the Empyrean
• Experiment how to provide the best quality net source (router or WIFI Extender),
• Detailed review of Mytek Liberty DACamp,
• Hints how to use two MQA capable devices (Bluesound Node 2 and Mytek Liberty) together.

I would not recommend for snobs to read my review (although snobs normally do not recognize that they are snobs), because I will not tell them which device to chose between Chord Dave and Chord TT2 + Mscaler

This review was completed after a three weeks experience with the exceptional Meze Empyrean.

I would like to congratulate to Meze developers and also Rinaro researchers for making this wondrous headphone. I named it a Masterpiece of an Era.

One important sentence from my review:
Empyrean does not carry emotion into music, if there is emotion in the music Empyrean shows it, if there is no emotion Empyrean shows the lack of it.

I very much enjoyed and appreciated this review. Incredibly thorough. Also good to hear your impressions with the Mytek Liberty.

The Empyrean is calling my name every day more loudly. I really would like to find a portable(ish) amp/DAC solution for the short term that would match well with the Empyrean. I'm living overseas for a few months and it wouldn't be feasible for me to purchase a large amp and DAC that I would either have to sell or figure out how to transport home. My fear is that after hearing the Empyrean with the Fezz Omega Lupi and Chord DAC I might be ruined lol.

 

[Rowethren]

Got my cable back from re-termination, the Furutech connectors are really nice quality, a good solid fit and finish. On the topic of sound I think that moving to balanced on the Mjolnir 2 or the cable or some combination of both have improved the sound; the bass seems to have tightened up a tad and there is a bit more sparkle in the treble. The Empyrean and my speakers are now both as good as I am ever going to want them... Dare I say it... END GAME*???




Possibly not to everyones taste but this track really shows what these headphones can do with some slamming bass!



*For me at least lol...

 

[revand]

I very much enjoyed and appreciated this review. Incredibly thorough. Also good to hear your impressions with the Mytek Liberty.

The Empyrean is calling my name every day more loudly. I really would like to find a portable(ish) amp/DAC solution for the short term that would match well with the Empyrean. I'm living overseas for a few months and it wouldn't be feasible for me to purchase a large amp and DAC that I would either have to sell or figure out how to transport home. My fear is that after hearing the Empyrean with the Fezz Omega Lupi and Chord DAC I might be ruined lol.

Thank you for your kind words

Believe or not I am using this as my new High-Res mobile player:


Xiaomi MI 8 mobile phone with Android Pie - USB Audio Player Pro (UAPP) Android mobile application - Nonda OTG adapter (USB C to USB A) - Audioquest Dragonfly Red (AQ DRF) DAC - Inakustik Premium jack-jack cable - Vorzüge VorzAMP Pure II+ portable headphone amp (the picture shows my Meze 99 Classics headphone as well).

It is really portable (I can put all of the parts into a small carrying case), and since Christmas last Year UAPP can make the first unfold of MQA files (from TIDAL Masters service) and the second unfold is made by the AQ DRF, so you can enjoy High-Res music listening on the go.

I checked this with the Empyrean and it sounds fabulous!
I hope within a short period of time TIDAL app will be capable to work with external DACs (like UAPP does) and this and first MQA unfold will also apply to IOS devices.

 

[Phronesis]

Can anyone offer impressions comparing the Empyrean with the LCD-3?

 

[jlbrach]

going by memory regarding LCD-3 the empyrean is a better HP....more detailed, better soundstage, not as much bass as the 3.....more comfortable as well...the 4 and 4z is another question

 

[ken6217]

going by memory regarding LCD-3 the empyrean is a better HP....more detailed, better soundstage, not as much bass as the 3.....more comfortable as well...the 4 and 4z is another question

Wow, must be a typo or bad memory. There is no question that there is more and better bass with the Empyrean than the LCD-3.

 

[Phronesis]

Wow, must be a typo or bad memory. There is no question that there is more and better bass with the Empyrean than the LCD-3.

Really? No question? Perhaps subjective impressions can differ substantially? Amazing how people forget that their subjective impressions are subjective, not objective descriptions of how things are in the world. Even if 90% of listeners perceive X as having more and better bass than Y, that still leaves 10% who perceive it differently.

 

[ken6217]

If you want to talk about the LCD4 bass, that’s another story, but not the LCD3

 

[Phronesis]

If you want to talk about the LCD4 bass, that’s another story, but not the LCD3

I spent a lot of time comparing the LCD-3 and LCD-4. Slightly preferred the LCD-3 overall, and didn't find much difference in the bass.

 

[jlbrach]

no typo, the lcd-3 has terrific bass as does the lcd-4.....to me the 4 is head and shoulders better than the 3 but in terms of bass they are both powerful

 

[ty777]

Hoping to hear it soon.