Meze EMPYREAN - the First Isodynamic Hybrid Array Headphone

[MatW]

Gotta tell my distributor to inform me, as soon as they get released

I think you will know before your distributor..

 

[Hoegaardener70]

No.

Quote:
"New earpads for Meze Empyrean will be available later this year."

Finally. The DukeNukem of ear pads.

 

[turbofeet]

Hmm while I am waiting for the Bifrost 2 and Jotunheim 2 (back order) I have been eying up a Euphoria AE at quite a good price on ebay.

That thing sounds very special and a real winner with the Empys.

Thing is:

1. It's RCA input and SE output with no balanced out. I think that Bifrost 2 will be better using Balanced out into a headphone amp even though they say "Bifrost 2 now includes XLR balanced output, as well as RCA single-ended output, so it works seamlessly with your system—and with virtually the same performance from either output". Plus, I have invested in the upgraded PCUHD Meze copper cables with XLR and it'd be a shame to resort to an adapter.

2. I don't know much about Tubes. Do they expire and need replacing after some time? If so how will I know when and what is the cost of replacements? Do you need to leave it on 24/7 to get the best out of it? I do this with other devices. I'd imagine it'll look like an open .

I have a good few £k to invest (perhaps up to around £4500 for both DAC and Amp) so would like to get it right. If that thing had balanced in and out I would have bought it already.

Perhaps I should just wait for this Schiit combo to arrive and then see if I'm satisfied with them. On paper and listening to multiple reviews they sound right up my street with a balance between musicality/warmth and clarity.

I mean I love the sound of the Empyrean even with a Dragonfly Cobalt through a Tablet. It's even better through the Element X but I think they deserve more investment since I am in a position to do it.

Perhaps with a different DAC...Denafrips or Qutest gahhhhhhh. So many choices...no wonder this thread holds the world record of ### posts.

Haha I mean are you ever satisfied or always searching?

I'm rambling now so suggestions for the above budget and any comments on that tube Amp welcome.

All the best.

 

[Ichos]

Since you have ordered the Schiit combo I suggest that you should wait and give it a try.
The Empyrean really scale well with a good solid state amplifier.

Euforia is great with them but I would definitely have an ss at my stable.

Regarding the rest Euforia manual states that it must not used continuously for more than six hours.
So you must not leave it powered and there is no need to do so.
Tube amps sound great with half an hour of warming time.

Bifrost single ended is very good and you can add later a single ended amplifier with the same performance

Tubes last from 3000 to 5000 hours so you don't have to worry about life span.

And yes the Denafrips sound great too!!!

 

[turbofeet]

Wise words, thank you.

I shall exercise patience

 

[Ichos]

Yes you should do!

I have the Euforia but I consider it as a second to have amplifier for the Empyrean.

 

[ThanatosVI]

Hmm while I am waiting for the Bifrost 2 and Jotunheim 2 (back order) I have been eying up a Euphoria AE at quite a good price on ebay.

That thing sounds very special and a real winner with the Empys.

Thing is:

1. It's RCA input and SE output with no balanced out. I think that Bifrost 2 will be better using Balanced out into a headphone amp even though they say "Bifrost 2 now includes XLR balanced output, as well as RCA single-ended output, so it works seamlessly with your system—and with virtually the same performance from either output". Plus, I have invested in the upgraded PCUHD Meze copper cables with XLR and it'd be a shame to resort to an adapter.

2. I don't know much about Tubes. Do they expire and need replacing after some time? If so how will I know when and what is the cost of replacements? Do you need to leave it on 24/7 to get the best out of it? I do this with other devices. I'd imagine it'll look like an open .

I have a good few £k to invest (perhaps up to around £4500 for both DAC and Amp) so would like to get it right. If that thing had balanced in and out I would have bought it already.

Perhaps I should just wait for this Schiit combo to arrive and then see if I'm satisfied with them. On paper and listening to multiple reviews they sound right up my street with a balance between musicality/warmth and clarity.

I mean I love the sound of the Empyrean even with a Dragonfly Cobalt through a Tablet. It's even better through the Element X but I think they deserve more investment since I am in a position to do it.

Perhaps with a different DAC...Denafrips or Qutest gahhhhhhh. So many choices...no wonder this thread holds the world record of ### posts.

Haha I mean are you ever satisfied or always searching?

I'm rambling now so suggestions for the above budget and any comments on that tube Amp welcome.

All the best.

Balanced in and out on a tube amp are often only for convenience.
Many manufacturers build them single ended inside since the benefits of a full balanced approach often don't outweight the extra cost and space required.

Bifrost + Jotunheim is a great combo for the money.
The Euforia Anniversary Edition has also excellent reviews with the Empyrean.

However with 4500£ you got lots of options.
So here my question
Do you want
1 DAC + 1 Amp
Or
1 DAC + 1 Amp + 1 Tube amp?

Personally I can say "yes I reached the point where I am satisfied", however itvhad 10x the price tag than initially aimed for...
One year ago I aimed for a Schiit Gungnir + Mjolnir 2 combo...

 

[MatW]

Hmm while I am waiting for the Bifrost 2 and Jotunheim 2 (back order) I have been eying up a Euphoria AE at quite a good price on ebay.

That thing sounds very special and a real winner with the Empys.

Thing is:

1. It's RCA input and SE output with no balanced out. I think that Bifrost 2 will be better using Balanced out into a headphone amp even though they say "Bifrost 2 now includes XLR balanced output, as well as RCA single-ended output, so it works seamlessly with your system—and with virtually the same performance from either output". Plus, I have invested in the upgraded PCUHD Meze copper cables with XLR and it'd be a shame to resort to an adapter.

2. I don't know much about Tubes. Do they expire and need replacing after some time? If so how will I know when and what is the cost of replacements? Do you need to leave it on 24/7 to get the best out of it? I do this with other devices. I'd imagine it'll look like an open .

I have a good few £k to invest (perhaps up to around £4500 for both DAC and Amp) so would like to get it right. If that thing had balanced in and out I would have bought it already.

Perhaps I should just wait for this Schiit combo to arrive and then see if I'm satisfied with them. On paper and listening to multiple reviews they sound right up my street with a balance between musicality/warmth and clarity.

I mean I love the sound of the Empyrean even with a Dragonfly Cobalt through a Tablet. It's even better through the Element X but I think they deserve more investment since I am in a position to do it.

Perhaps with a different DAC...Denafrips or Qutest gahhhhhhh. So many choices...no wonder this thread holds the world record of ### posts.

Haha I mean are you ever satisfied or always searching?

I'm rambling now so suggestions for the above budget and any comments on that tube Amp welcome.

All the best.

There is also a Euforia AE in the classifieds:
https://www.head-fi.org/classifieds/feliks-audio-euforia-euphoria-20th-anniversary-edition.2563/

 

[turbofeet]

Yeah just the One DAC + One Amp for my main setup running off Pi via USB.

My Matrix Element X will go in the bedroom and I will use my tablet at Cobalt when away from home.

Those Schiits seem like a good size as well and will look neat sat together.

I also looked at Gung/YdddrrSsssil and Moljnir but I think they would be a bit big and I'd also prefer them in black. Ideally they could sit next to or on top of eachother here where the Matrix is but I would find another home if necessary.

 

[TANTALUMWATCHES]

Hmm while I am waiting for the Bifrost 2 and Jotunheim 2 (back order) I have been eying up a Euphoria AE at quite a good price on ebay.

That thing sounds very special and a real winner with the Empys.

Thing is:

1. It's RCA input and SE output with no balanced out. I think that Bifrost 2 will be better using Balanced out into a headphone amp even though they say "Bifrost 2 now includes XLR balanced output, as well as RCA single-ended output, so it works seamlessly with your system—and with virtually the same performance from either output". Plus, I have invested in the upgraded PCUHD Meze copper cables with XLR and it'd be a shame to resort to an adapter.

2. I don't know much about Tubes. Do they expire and need replacing after some time? If so how will I know when and what is the cost of replacements? Do you need to leave it on 24/7 to get the best out of it? I do this with other devices. I'd imagine it'll look like an open .

I have a good few £k to invest (perhaps up to around £4500 for both DAC and Amp) so would like to get it right. If that thing had balanced in and out I would have bought it already.

Perhaps I should just wait for this Schiit combo to arrive and then see if I'm satisfied with them. On paper and listening to multiple reviews they sound right up my street with a balance between musicality/warmth and clarity.

I mean I love the sound of the Empyrean even with a Dragonfly Cobalt through a Tablet. It's even better through the Element X but I think they deserve more investment since I am in a position to do it.

Perhaps with a different DAC...Denafrips or Qutest gahhhhhhh. So many choices...no wonder this thread holds the world record of ### posts.

Haha I mean are you ever satisfied or always searching?

I'm rambling now so suggestions for the above budget and any comments on that tube Amp welcome.

All the best.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cavalli-...=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

 

[Chris Kaoss]

Best purchase besides a tube amp is a lava lamp, i guess.

Saw that combo quite a few times on head-fi. ^^

 

[ThanatosVI]

Yeah just the One DAC + One Amp for my main setup running off Pi via USB.

My Matrix Element X will go in the bedroom and I will use my tablet at Cobalt when away from home.

Those Schiits seem like a good size as well and will look neat sat together.

I also looked at Gung/YdddrrSsssil and Moljnir but I think they would be a bit big and I'd also prefer them in black. Ideally they could sit next to or on top of eachother here where the Matrix is but I would find another home if necessary.

Well the Bifrost + Jotunheim is certainly a great combo especially for the price.
Similar character but more refined would be something like
Holo Spring 2 + GSX Mini, which would also be in the Budget.

I personally really like tube amps with the Empyrean, so the Euforia or Cayin Ha-6a are also worth a thought. Maybe also the new McIntosh ha200, curious how reviews will turn out.

Since you already ordered the Schiit gear, my advice is to test it and not read up on extra stuff for a while.(unless you don't like it and send it back)
Getting sucked into the rabbit hole can have devastating effect. Always being on the hunt for the Last 10%

 

[Mike C]

Yeah just the One DAC + One Amp for my main setup running off Pi via USB.

My Matrix Element X will go in the bedroom and I will use my tablet at Cobalt when away from home.

Those Schiits seem like a good size as well and will look neat sat together.

I also looked at Gung/YdddrrSsssil and Moljnir but I think they would be a bit big and I'd also prefer them in black. Ideally they could sit next to or on top of eachother here where the Matrix is but I would find another home if necessary.

My thoughts, as there is no right or wrong here.

As others say, wait for the gear on order. Then learn from it to refine your ideas on what you might want to change about the sound.

Be careful before buying anything else, you could easily fall between two stools and end up with a number of similar quality, decent items, when the same budget might have got you one superb item.

Try to work out if valve amps suit your tastes or not. One example; I posted here a link to a Laurie Allyn song. If you like the tonality, subtle instrumentation, delicacy and quality of the voice, the emotion of the song ... then valves are for you!
If OTOH that's not your taste in music, then perhaps a top quality solid state amp might be best. You know my taste.
But ... a high quality valve amp can do all the 'SS' things very well (dynamics, rhythms) as well as tonality.
Confused? Yes, me too.
Though I don't know the Euphoria, and it's good, I expect it to show some limitations due to being OTL; for 32ohms phones, transformer output will work better technically and that's what I use. With your budget you might be able to get an even better valve amp that sounds noticeably better - and seems to improve the sound of your dac.

Try to listen to all equipment you can before buying; beg, borrow, listen to other peoples systems; I do this all the time.
Here's an offer as you are in the UK; I could lend you a spare valve amp of mine so you can learn a bit about valve sound, you'd just have to pay to send it back. No, I'm not trying to sell it; I've learnt a lot here so it's a way of giving something back to this group.

 

[Yoram Diamand]

With a Formula S and Euforia and an uncompromised source, you've pretty much got the best of both worlds for Empy.

Hi I have the Feliks audio Euforia on SE, but my Ayre QB-9 Twenty has a balanced output too. The Formula S is a 7000 euro SS amp, but what to think about Burson? Is there a good reason to have a SS amp, (Class A SS) amp alongside the tubes? If so which SS amp would you advise? I do not have the spare 7000 euro. Thanks

 

[Louisiana]

Hi I have the Feliks audio Euforia on SE, but my Ayre QB-9 Twenty has a balanced output too. The Formula S is a 7000 euro SS amp, but what to think about Burson? Is there a good reason to have a SS amp, (Class A SS) amp alongside the tubes? If so which SS amp would you advise? I do not have the spare 7000 euro. Thanks

I use the ifi Pro iCAN as an SS amp and I am very satisfied!
After testing the Feliks Echo MK II, I would also like to have an Euforia AMP.