[Newsee]

This again a request for any Empy and Utopia owners
Please compare on the same amplifier on both headphones the song Luminous Beings by Jon Hopkins. It is a very spaceous sounding song with a relaxed flowing bass undertone. In the first minutes the song gradually builds up with glitches and blips superimposed over a bass current,
I apologize for sounding like complaining, but the difference between Utopia and Empy is big, the bass undercurrent in the song sounds distant with empy, not enveloping, while the glitches are more outspoken (not because they are louder, but more upfront in the mix), it sounds anemic, not pleasant, the bass seems higher in tonality compared to utopia, I am sorry to say. Can anybody check this on their own amp (would be great if you can check it on the arche). Strangely enough the bass is more drone like, less full but it shows the imperfections in recording better (more abrupt cutting of sound volumes more noticable with empy compared to utopia, but this can also be because with utopia it gets covered up in a fuller sound?)
Sorry to be coming back to this but it is going to take some effort to be able to compare my phones to another empy, so I want to double check.....
Thanks for the effort

What are your listening levels?
I normally use 76-78 on high gain on Kann Cube (out of 150).
Today morning I was listening to my current favourite track on level 60. The bass was nowhere near so immense how I love it from the Empy. That brought up your post in my mind.

 

[k3kz]

What are your listening levels?
I normally use 76-78 on high gain on Kann Cube (out of 150).
Today morning I was listening to my current favourite track on level 60. The bass was nowhere near so immense how I love it from the Empy. That brought up your post in my mind.

Good point. I went through the mentioned test tracks myself the other day and selected a higher listening volume than i am used to - lo and behold, "these things thump"

 

[PortableMusic]

What are your listening levels?
I normally use 76-78 on high gain on Kann Cube (out of 150).
Today morning I was listening to my current favourite track on level 60. The bass was nowhere near so immense how I love it from the Empy. That brought up your post in my mind.

@Newsee: i wholeheartedly agree with you that listening volume affects our perception. the louder the volume, up to a reasonable degree, of course, the more a listener tends to favor the louder pair of speakers or headphones.

 

[Razza1974]

Thanks for comparing, i just got the kann alpha and listen on 55 to 65
The comparison i made was on 25 on the arche and 65 on a
Kann alpha. I hear the same issue on kann alpha: bass is more empasized om utopia then on empy on the same higher and lower volumes. Especially the jon hopkins tracks are unforgiving for the empy. It sounds as if the deepest bass tones are not there, or way less loud on empy and thats especially noticable on the hopkins tracks.
Interested to hear further evaluations!

 

[Arcayne]

Thanks for comparing, i just got the kann alpha and listen on 55 to 65
The comparison i made was on 25 on the arche and 65 on a
Kann alpha. I hear the same issue on kann alpha: bass is more empasized om utopia then on empy on the same higher and lower volumes. Especially the jon hopkins tracks are unforgiving for the empy. It sounds as if the deepest bass tones are not there, or way less loud on empy and thats especially noticable on the hopkins tracks.
Interested to hear further evaluations!

I'd send Meze an email with these observations, hear what they'll respond with.

 

[branislav]

Someone save me from having to read through 553 pages and tell me what are some of the best amps that show great synergy with Meze's...thank you

 

[nwavesailor]

Use the search box and enter best amp for this thread. Just did it and there is lots of amp / Empy info.

 

[ThanatosVI]

Someone save me from having to read through 553 pages and tell me what are some of the best amps that show great synergy with Meze's...thank you

Feliks Euforia
Cayin Ha-6a
GSX Mini

The Empyrean aren't hard to drive, so many amps will do fine.
Those three are often used and recommended. Obviously there are more that work great with the Empyrean.
Personally I use the Cayin and I am more than happy with it!

 

[branislav]

Feliks Euforia
Cayin Ha-6a
GSX Mini

The Empyrean aren't hard to drive, so many amps will do fine.
Those three are often used and recommended. Obviously there are more that work great with the Empyrean.
Personally I use the Cayin and I am more than happy with it!

Thank you. I will look those up. I will be upgrading my headphone amp next year and wanted to get a feel for what's out there, recommended for this headphone.

 

[ThanatosVI]

Thank you. I will look those up. I will be upgrading my headphone amp next year and wanted to get a feel for what's out there.

There is a lot out there.
Depending on sound preference and Budget there are many amps that work well with the Empyrean.

I personally think that the Empyrean sound their best with a tube amp.

 

[scottshields]

Thank you. I will look those up. I will be upgrading my headphone amp next year and wanted to get a feel for what's out there.

Feliks Euforia
Cayin Ha-6a
GSX Mini

The Empyrean aren't hard to drive, so many amps will do fine.
Those three are often used and recommended. Obviously there are more that work great with the Empyrean.
Personally I use the Cayin and I am more than happy with it!

Big +1 for the Euforia. I have the Anniversary Edition and it's just awesome. Before getting that I used a Schiit Lyr3 and it was great as well. Not to the level of the Euforia but for the price it's a great amp. For portability I use the WA11 from woo. The balanced outs on that sound really good with an almost tube like sound. It was hard for me to tell the difference between that and the Lyr3.

 

[branislav]

Big +1 for the Euforia. I have the Anniversary Edition and it's just awesome. Before getting that I used a Schiit Lyr3 and it was great as well. Not to the level of the Euforia but for the price it's a great amp. For portability I use the WA11 from woo. The balanced outs on that sound really good with an almost tube like sound. It was hard for me to tell the difference between that and the Lyr3.

Feliks Euforia is sort of on my list. But so is Auris Audio, DNA and Ampsandsound... LOL... I will post any impressions for sure once the time comes.

 

[Bonddam]

Someone save me from having to read through 553 pages and tell me what are some of the best amps that show great synergy with Meze's...thank you

One amp not mentioned is Wells Audio Milo. I’m waiting for Jeff to finish building my Wells HeadTrip 2. Once I receive that amp Jeff is giving me full refund on Milo. The Milo is $2000 but powers everything with 10 watts at 50 ohms. The Empyrean is getting 12 watts and it’s amazing. The sound signature is slight warmth. Amp is desk friendly. The one in pic is reference which is better components but raises price to $5000

 

[nwavesailor]

It pairs nicely with my Ampsandsound Pendant, so much so that I just ordered a Bigger Ben. I also have a TT2 that I use with it more so on DAC mode as well as a GSX mini and it was fine. Traded up from a mini to the TT2 for SS and from a Liquid Platinum tube hybrid to the Pendant.

 

[branislav]

It pairs nicely with my Ampsandsound Pendant, so much so that I just ordered a Bigger Ben. I also have a TT2 that I use with it more so on DAC mode as well as a GSX mini and it was fine. Traded up from a mini to the TT2 for SS and from a Liquid Platinum tube hybrid to the Pendant.

Tell us about Bigger Ben synergy with Meze's...haven't been able to find a single impression of these amps with Meze.