[Mutsu]

I saw a little discussion of tech metal around page 170. What's the update on that? I own an HD800 and a Vérité Closed. I'm looking for something open-back to handle the genres the HD800 is crap at. For me, black- and death-metal (that's recorded well). Maybe a little more coloration than the VC, but still very accurate for stuff like Alkaloid, Blood Incantation, Gorguts, Death, Meshuggah, Car Bomb, Cattle Decapitation… I owned an LCD4 and it would be endgame for this if not for my anxiety over out of warranty drivers. I actually liked that dark treble with 10khz spike a lot since it let me crank the volume on those thick guitars without treble pain.

Sounds like Empy or Abyss Phi are the flagship contenders. I wonder how close something in the 1-2kish bracket like a ZMF Aeolus would get for these genres. Anyone into extreme metal held on to these for the last year?

I only own the Empy as a flagship, and currently spending some time with them on the leather pads versus velour and pleasantly surprised versus the first 2 times I tried it. Still definitely more closed in feeling in terms of sound stage, but feels less intense than the previous times I tried. Everything feels a bit more in your face and kinda more fun (especially after a bottle of wine).

Trying some songs right now on Spotify with the bands you mentioned and to me they sound great. No treble harshness in the guitars and very detailed. Slightly headbanging in my chair right now.

 

[billqs]

I'm crankin' up Jesus Built My Hotrod from Ministry and have no painful treble spikes. Meze handles all frequencies well! I'm using the leather pads which (in my experienc)e accent the trebles just a hair.

 

[Mutsu]

I'm crankin' up Jesus Built My Hotrod from Ministry and have no painful treble spikes. Meze handles all frequencies well! I'm using the leather pads which (in my experienc)e accent the trebles just a hair.

Just gave this song a listen on the leather pads too and agree. Guitars sound meaty and full, and drums are thumping hard. Everything is just very clear and balanced sounding, not bass tilted or treble tilted, at least with my ears.

 

[Mutsu]

I'm crankin' up Jesus Built My Hotrod from Ministry and have no painful treble spikes. Meze handles all frequencies well! I'm using the leather pads which (in my experienc)e accent the trebles just a hair.

By the way, how often do you switch out the pads and for what reasons?

 

[billqs]

I've done it a few times. I've pretty much settled on the Leather as they seem to give me a more pleasing sound than the Velour. Other headphones I have to use Velour exclusively because they are too hot in the treble. With this phone the Leather gives me the best sound. So glad they're magnetic so they can be so quickly replaced.

 

[cspersel]

I've done it a few times. I've pretty much settled on the Leather as they seem to give me a more pleasing sound than the Velour. Other headphones I have to use Velour exclusively because they are too hot in the treble. With this phone the Leather gives me the best sound. So glad they're magnetic so they can be so quickly replaced.

I agree about the leather v. velour. I've gone back and forth a number of times, but have settled on leather as the best choice for me.

 

[billqs]

Nothing like a little head banging to get me going on a Saturday morning!

 

[billqs]

I agree about the leather v. velour. I've gone back and forth a number of times, but have settled on leather as the best choice for me.

Yeah unfortunately I have a bit of tinnitus and hypercauses so treble spikes kill me. Luckily the Meze is finely balanced (with a wonderful bottom end).

 

[Jvincent]

I saw a little discussion of tech metal around page 170. What's the update on that? I own an HD800 and a Vérité Closed. I'm looking for something open-back to handle the genres the HD800 is crap at. For me, black- and death-metal (that's recorded well). Maybe a little more coloration than the VC, but still very accurate for stuff like Alkaloid, Blood Incantation, Gorguts, Death, Meshuggah, Car Bomb, Cattle Decapitation… I owned an LCD4 and it would be endgame for this if not for my anxiety over out of warranty drivers. I actually liked that dark treble with 10khz spike a lot since it let me crank the volume on those thick guitars without treble pain.

Sounds like Empy or Abyss Phi are the flagship contenders. I wonder how close something in the 1-2kish bracket like a ZMF Aeolus would get for these genres. Anyone into extreme metal held on to these for the last year?

I listen to quite a bit of metal and find the empy's to be fantastic for it! I haven't listen to the Abyss so i cant compare the two but from my own listening of the LCD-4 vs Empy (these were the 2 headphones I demo'd quite a bit and landed with the empy) The LCD-4 will provide more details in the midrange than the empy, LCD-4 might reach a little (tiny bit hardly even noticeable) lower than the empy... The empy imho hits harder than the lcd-4, is massively more comfortable, easy to drive, better suited to metal/ edm than the lcd-4. the ability to swap pads gives you 2 slightly different sounds (suede pads are my preference) in one cheaper headphone that really does hold its weight against the LCD-4. Like all gear try the empy out before your purchase but i haven't regretted my purchase one bit!

 

[Coffee Music]

Anyone tried Liquid Spark with Empyrean? I'm thinking of getting one.

 

[Yoram Diamand]

Although the Meze are very forgiving of amps, there are subtle differences .. as well as user sensitivities and differences. For example, I expected my hybrid Schiit Mjolnir amp to pair much better than my Feliks Echo all tube OTL, but with extensive A-B testing I prefer the Feliks. The Mjolnir was a bit too bright for me in the upper mid-range, high-frequency range. But .. the Mjolnir had a tad more punch and detail. Still .. I end up using the Feliks with my Meze and the Mjolnir with my more damped Focal Elegia which are "livened up" with the pairing.

Hello, I have Feliks audio too, but their flagship Euforia, and the Meze factory "at their home" does match it with their HP since they like it. Me I am saving for a pair of Meze. I am not yet quite there. The Euforia maybe is more lovely/great than too warm, too tuby?! I will have a listen to the Meze soon, since now I want it only because of what they say, and not because what I heared through music.

"Another amp you can often see the Empyrean showcased with is the Feliks Audio Euforia, and luckily for you (and me), I have that amplifier right here with me. I reported on it a few weeks ago and the amp easily made it to our recommended buy section. With the Empyrean you get a really dynamic and transparent sound with great imaging and very wide sound stage. The body in bass and mids is more or less equal to that of the DAVE but the treble section here is quite a bit more expressive, lively and energetic because of the tubes in use. This amplifier and tube combo shows that the Empyrean’s treble is top level as well, it just depends on your setup".-headfonia.

 

[Coffee Music]

I'm in audio nirvana. After owning Empyrean for almost 4 months, tonight is the first time I put extra effort into adjusting the length of the earcups for them to be just perfect. I gotta say, just a teeny weeny nudge made a big impact overall. The sound of heaven. 2 headphones (pads) for the price of 1. Two thumbs up

 

[yagislav]

Hi guys, is there a general consensus on the, say, top 3 cable options for the Empyreans? (apart from the stock one)

Currently running a kimber axios cable. Used to run the kimber axios on the Utopia's, and there was quite an audible difference. So reterminated and am using them on the Empys now.

 

[nwavesailor]

I use Norne Silvergarde S-3 and WyWires Platinum. They are both very nice.

 

[Transcendent Melody]

Hi guys, is there a general consensus on the, say, top 3 cable options for the Empyreans? (apart from the stock one)

Currently running a kimber axios cable. Used to run the kimber axios on the Utopia's, and there was quite an audible difference. So reterminated and am using them on the Empys now.

Can Agree with nwavesailor on Silvergarde S3 being a nice upgrade over the stock,