Nice review. I'm still in love with Empyrean OG, although I EQ them quite a lot to get what I like with alcantara pads (which give much more stage than leather pads). Also they are soooooo comfy.
read so many great reviews about the Empy II, but unless I find some dirt cheap I know i'll never own them because I have the original Empyrean and I cannot imagine how any headphone could be better, the design, build quality and comfort are incredible and I love their sound. First time I listened to them I knew I had bought my last pair of headphones. I have 4 ZMF's and a Radiance, but the Empyrean is my go to favorite. I am officially out of the headphone market thanks to these.
Great Review! The thing with the original Empy is it was magic with great music that was even recorded poorly and true endgame comfort. Before I got them, I neglected too much of my favorite music because it wasn't audiophile and sounded terrible or boring on neutral headphones. They are also lush and fill out acoustic instruments the way they sound live, especially guitars. I am not sure if they can ever be topped in those regards.
I just tried the Empyrean II today (a bit late to the game), now I need to save my pennies because they’re the best planar. All the sparkly and annoying microphonic effect that usually planata add to the voices is gone, bass is nice and presente and they’re so comfortable you forget you are wearing them. I was impressed and I need a valve headphone amp to give justice a pair.
I re-purchased a mint pair of OG Empyrean's a couple of weeks ago and it took me a little while to get used to that bass again. After listening to my Susvara's mostly in my main rig they sounded quite muddy initially... After literally two tracks though, once my ears adjusted it was like re-uniting with and old friend - just lovely. They are still my choice for a portable setup where you just want to listen and not analyse. Especially with a Sony DAP. After reading and looking at a lot of reviews about the Empy 2 - it just didn't seem to have that warm tuning that I love so I already determined i'd give them a miss without even listening to them. It was also odd that they suddenly got rave reviews from all of the people that hated the OG versions though. It's almost as if they had a direct influence on the tuning. It's a shame Meze didn't just refine the OG as you say. Thanks for the review.
I definitely think Meze were influenced by the reviews on the OG and the vocal community members who hated them. I could be wrong, but they're more recent tunings would suggest some pressure from the community (and perhaps sales figures on "non-conforming" tunings).
Thanks for this. I’ve been loving my Elites more than ever since getting the angled alcantara pads, but have been wondering about the Empy 2. Your comparison is reassuring for me.
Awesome review Lachlan! My FOMO is now properly quelled owning the original Empyrean. They remain my favourite cans for listening to music (for hours with no fatigue) 😊 You now have me wondering whether I should upgrade my cable to either their copper or silver variant. Good stuff as always!🍻
Glad I could help! I'm a little bit jealous of you. As for upgrading the cable, I would definitely recommend it. The Empys really deserve better wire than what they come with IMO. It doesn't have to be the Meze cables (although they're excellent), but a nice copper litz or silver litz cable can be great!
3:46 That is really interesting, and good on you for mentioning this. The hypetrain for these headphones has been a bit over the top, but mostly from reviewers that typically prefer bright neutral tunings.
I prefer bright neutral myself but I love my Empyrean 1 because it stands out from the pack and plays well with all genres. I don’t know why every headphone company seems to want to chase the same sound signature last few years.
@@mikeg2491 I think because the most vocal part of the community tends be people chasing the neutral dragon, the others are not so vocal because they are listening to music and satisfied.
Great points here! The headphone review channels with the largest followings tend to favour a more "neutral" tuning so I think that's what most people want to buy until they've found their own tastes and preferences (which is probably a more even spread from warm to cool)
i found the Empy 2’s less detailed in the mids, too v shaped, and a little intimate for what I was looking for. In the end, I went with the Dan Clark Audio E3 for $2K for its much much more natural tuning, highly detailed mids, and better imaging. And at $1K less than the Empy2’s, I actually think the E3’s outperformed them. Above $2K, I would rather make the jump to the next iteration of a DCA Stealth or Expanse, myself. Many people love the Empy2’s for its fun and engaging, non fatiguing sound (assuming the treble peaks and dips are not too edgy for you). They are a solid choice, however the E3’s won me over the Empy 2 in almost all areas in this case. While they are 2 completely different tunings of headphones (and both are amazing at what they do), whats fun for me is in the textures and the detail. And the E3 seems to have higher resolution throughout, while still being incredibly smooth, flat, and black in its presentation. Aesthetically, Meze as always, has impeccable design and build. Whereas, the E3 is the ugly duckling of the Dan Clark lineup lol, but to be fair, this is not a flagship model and I’m sure they will come out with better designs at the $3-4k price range. 😂 That said though, it’s honestly crazy how good HP are geting nowadays. Like I am actually getting a reference level studio monitoring experience on a portable headphone with bass rumble, soundstage, and 3d imaging! Just insane..
@@nostgeoffhi-fi Did they change things up from previous headphones? I owned the Aeon 2 and Aeon Noire and realized I found their presentation really boring, bordering on sterile. They were great for Daft Punk albums and the like, but not great for acoustic music; I found it so clean the natural dynamics of drums and acoustic guitars had been deadened, for lack of a better word. If DCA could bring that back for me and more detail I would consider getting another headphone but reviews never seem to mention any changes.
Ahhh! Another one I am waiting for. Thank you Lachlan! From your description of its sound, I was reminded of the Meze 109 Pro. Some one described its 3-4k brightness which stopped me from getting the 109 Pro. Took a very brief look at frequency response graphs online of both headphones without really studying the details or verifying if these graphs are accurate, and both graphs looks similar. I may be wrong but it’s good to know anyway, save some money I can’t afford to waste. Then I saw the graphs of the Meze Elite with the Empyrean 2 and understand why I like the Meze Elite. I don’t own any Meze headphones but if I do, it’ll be the Elite although I like the OG Empyrean too.
Thanks for this video, I appreciate it. Yep, I still love the original Empy and have never managed to hear another Meze. (I'll never part with it.) The original feels like perfect match for digital sound, targeting digital chill. I asked the other day if the new Liric 2 would sound like the original Empy. Somehow, every review I read about the new Liric never compares it to the original Empy. If you pair the original Empy with a very high resolution digital source (like an EMM Labs XDS1 cdp), you get very high reach into the music extreme speed and detail without fatigue or pain, even at loud levels. It's a great example of synergy. The original Empyrean is also a fine match for a Chord Dave (with or without the Mscaler). It's a sweet and deep, absorbing listen to my ears. So, what I'm trying to say through this ramble, it that the original Empryean lets you take full advantage to a super-resolving source but keeps it musical. You can hear everything without anxiety or wincing pain. If you like it loud, you can turn it up and just hear everything louder, not piercing digital noise. It's a good dose of analog from your DAC.
I definitely agree! I've got the Liric 2 here now and there are some definite similarities, but the treble from the Liric 2 prevents it from being as easy going and fun as the OG Empys.
If you want that fun, bassy experience from the Empyrean with the improvements of the Empyrean II use it with the OG leather pads. It becomes detailed, musical and it slams!
It’s a great review. I had the Empy II for a couple of weeks to compare against my Elite. I’m surprised you didn’t try out the Duo pads on the Elite or perhaps you did? For me it adds the bass and fun of the original Empyrean OG. I’d agree with your review, the Empyrean II are great headphones but for me I’m keeping my Elite and hope that’s Meze do release the Duo pads as I’m still clinging on to my OG Empyrean when I want more fun. I also agree a true successor to the OH Empyrean would have been great as I’m still keeping mine as I don’t want to regret selling them!
Glad you liked the review! I actually did try the Duo pads on the Elites, but wasn't so much a fan. I felt it unbalanced the tuning in a way that the OG Empyreans manage better. I definitely think that holding onto the OG Empys is a great move. If I had the cash, I'd be grabbing a pair again, I think.
Not tried them, but the one thing about the original was the musicality. Out of all the headphones I have owned/tried, the original Empy are the only ones that made me smile and think to myself, "My god, these sound good", with just about all styles of music.
@@PassionforSound Well, I don't mean to offend, but I don't trust the good judgement of someone who spends this amount of money on USB, cables and amplifiers. So I wasn't just talking shit, I actually really appreciate and thank you for specifying your audio ecosystem from the get go: it made it clear I am not your audience.
Glad you liked them! I try to add extra little touches with each new video (as needed/relevant) so it's nice to get the feedback when they've added value. Thank you!
@@PassionforSound thank you too! Apart from the little visual flairs you keep adding, this video gave me new insights into reading frequency graphs generally. Much appreciated.
Thanks for the honest review Lachlan. Without instrument separation and all that jazz it sounds like a $300 headphone to me. Even my Apple earbuds have decent instrument separation and bass so don't see the point of this headphone at all. Just my two cents.
It's not that it has no instrument separation - it's all relative. I'm not blown away by them, but they're a solid headphone that's price about right I think (compared to the competition)
I have been waiting for this review. Terrific descriptions and combined with the honesty which comes from this channel in particular, I really have a good sense now I feel, of what these sound like.
@@PassionforSound based on the other reviews, this was the way the set was sort of being described, but nobody was flat out saying it and was dancing around it, but you said what I was expecting to hear. I also get the impression, - and I am aware you did not say this - that in comparison to the gooey thick warm sound of the original that these sound leaner. Or is that not the case? I wonder why they moved in this direction? Trying to separate them from the packs ‘house sound’ maybe?
These definitely sounds leaner (but not lean). From a measurement perspective, the bass hasn't actually changed much so much as the upper mids and treble being lifted to even things out.
I love the Empy 2. I also have the Empy 1 but the left speaker blew out and I never got around to getting them fixed. I prefer the 2s over the 1. The sound signature of the 1 never won me over. Once getting the 2s, I have been obsessively listening for hours. Different strokes for different folks.
i found the Empy 2’s less detailed and recessed or veiled in the mids, too v shaped, and a little intimate for what I was looking for. In the end, I went with the Dan Clark Audio E3 for $2K for its much much more natural tuning, highly detailed mids, and better imaging. And at $1K less than the Empy2’s, I actually think the E3’s outperformed them. Above $2K, I would rather make the jump to the next iteration of a DCA Stealth or Expanse, myself. Many people love the Empy2’s for its fun and engaging, non fatiguing sound (assuming the treble peaks and dips are not too edgy for you). They are a solid choice, however the E3’s won me over the Empy 2 in almost all areas in this case. While they are 2 completely different tunings of headphones (and both are amazing at what they do), whats fun for me is in the textures and the detail. And the E3 seems to have higher resolution throughout, while still being incredibly smooth, flat, and black in its presentation. Aesthetically, Meze as always, has impeccable design and build. Whereas, the E3 is the ugly duckling of the Dan Clark lineup lol, but to be fair, this is not a flagship model and I’m sure they will come out with better designs at the $3-4k price range. 😂 That said though, it’s honestly crazy how good HP are geting nowadays. Like I am actually getting a reference level studio monitoring experience on a portable headphone with bass rumble, soundstage, and 3d imaging! Just insane..
Lachlan, I'm bummed for you that these didn't work out to your liking. I think Zeos said something similar - until he had his replaced. I just got mine last night and have managed about 6 hours of listening with them. They absolutely destroy my DCA E3 cans in terms of the listening experience (though comparing an open back to a closed back may not be fair in that regard), comfort, and overall aesthetics. Paired with the Topping D50 III / A50 III stack, these are an absolutely joy. (Have yet to try them with my WA7.)
Did you try the Duo pads on your Elite? There has been very little info on how that combo sounds. I’m currently using Angled Alcantara pads on my Elite and am thinking about getting some of the Duo pads.
I did try them and wasn't much a fan of the sound. I can't recall exactly what the differences were, but the angled Alcantara pads are very hard to beat on the Elites IMO
That's a tough one because I don't have either here anymore. The Caldera was a more fun and engaging tuning and presentation to me so it's definitely the one I would choose, but I can't recall enough of the technical details to explain in depth. I do recall that the sense of imaging and separation was probably better from the Caldera though.
Still have my original Empy’s (currently for sale, but I might take them back down). While build quality and comfort are second to none, I was not overly impressed with their sound. Yes, they’re enjoyable, but not as technical as I would have liked or some cheaper headphones. In my opinion, Hifiman HE1000SE is superior in every way (sound-wise), resolution, sound stage, etc.
I've been listening to the Empyrean II this weekend. The subjective impressions in this video, especially on the degree of presence of the bass, seem spot-on to me.
I think there'll be disagreement at every price because it's a subjective hobby. I also don't think many will dislike the Empy 2 so I think differences of opinions will be common, but probably not strong polarisation.
I’m sad too when I opened my Empy OG and found dry joint all over the mini xlr side. I emailed them about it too, and they just ignored me :) what a company :D i still have the macro shots of the marvellous solder job
@ I got it used, but it still had warranty when I got it. It’s illogical to accuse previous user for tampering with the solder, because in that reason, it could also be me who tampered with the solder job. But I’ve had my fair share of experience with soldering and what Meze delivered was hideous and messy. I’ve sold the unit not long after seeing the solder job and had never touched Meze products since.
@henryt9731 without seeing it, I can't comment on the quality of the work, but I do know that a bad solder joint can be caused by many things including temperature fluctuations (if the unit was hanging near a window in direct sunlight), physical stress (if it was regularly connected and disconnected or if the cables were handled roughly), etc. I've not heard any complaints of bad connections from other Meze owners so I don't think this is a common issue.
@@PassionforSound Which one of them (Caldera vs Elite) has more sub-bass and bass quantity? And would you said that Elites are upgrade from Empyrean 2?
Sorry to sound like a newb but when you say treble what does that mean, I'm quite new to the audiophile scene even though I've been listing to music my entire life, to which I'm 42 and have only started to in the last 2 years got really serious about audio quality, I always get really confused when I hear Treble in reviews for audio gear because I do not know what that is.
Treble means the reproduction of the frequency range of about 6khz - 20khz (not clearly defined) which is often in headphones the most poblematic range (not as linear as lower ranges).
@@bluerising1162 Oh really, so does that mean the high frequency range? and if so what instruments cover that and what does that sound like when hearing music.
@@robertobuatti7226yes, treble generally refers to the higher frequency range, and can be higher vocals (I just learned that the treble clef originally referred to very young voices), instruments like violins, high guitar notes, etc.
Yes. As already answered above, treble covers sounds like cymbals, snares, triangles, chimes, etc. and then the textural elements of vocals (e.g. breath sounds, hoarseness) and instruments like violins (the texture of the bow on the strings), etc. If you pause the video on the first frequency response graph, there are some labels on the graph that help to define the frequency bands (although the terms used aren't industry standard so see them as approximate only)
@@PassionforSound Thank you so much for the feedback, now I understand it a bit more clearly as treble is very confusing vs. bass, because I understand that bass gives thump to the music but treble is a new audio terminology to me. I really appreciate it.
@@PassionforSound The best thing about Empy 1 is how tolerant the tuning is to music that is not always well mixed, which is a pretty large part of my library. Does Empy 2 have this quality as well with the new tuning?
I own both, and, for what it’s worth, the Caldera with the stock leather pads and no mesh installed sounds perfectly neutral to my ear. The Elite with their Hybrid pads have a bit too much bass and too recessed midrange to be neutral, but I really like them as well. The Elite with their Angled Alcantara pads are more neutral than the Hybrid pads but lack a bit in the bass. They do sound great as well, if you mostly listen to acoustic/orchestral music.
Anton's response is excellent! I was about to say Elites with the angled Alcantara pads, but that's forgetting how many options we have to pad-roll with the Calderas so they can also be tuned very neutral - it's just not how I'd set them up while they were here.
Hmmm Interesting take on these. I wonder if the tuning was intended to pair better with tube amplifiers since many enthusiasts have tubes somewhere in their chain. I wonder what amps they used when tweaking the final tuning.
That would be interesting to know about their tuning setup, but I think they've followed the trends/demands from the market in terms of the tunings people are asking for.
100% they are in different universes based on my experiences with the Empy 2. I haven't heard the HE-1, admittedly, but if it sounds like the Empy 2 and costs what it does, there's a BIG problem. 🙂
Nice review. I realize that the original Empyrean is no longer available for sale but they’re constantly available on the secondary market and they’re very cheap. I’ve seen mint units sell for $1400.
Well, I have the II's for about 2 weeks now and my experience with these cans are utterly positive. It needs some burn-in though. At the very beginning the sound felt a bit too harsh but after approximately 50 hours of intense listening everything fel into place. The Empyrean II is an all round HP, you can throw every genre at it, from classical to EDM, it all sounds very natural and lively. I guess I've found my endgame solution with these cans. Last but not least they're super comfortable to wear, even after a long period of constant use.
@@PassionforSound i found the answer, the Emp1 had a MZ3 driver, the Emp2 has a MZ3v2 driver, and the elite has a MZ3SE (Special Edition i guess), so, logicaly there will be an elite || with a MZ3SEv2 (MZ stands for Meze of course)
Oh, sorry! I just deleted my last comment because I replied as though we were talking about the Dita earphones I just reviewed (that's what all the other comments were about when I first answered yours). Yes, brand new version of the Rinaro driver. Let's hope there's an Elite 2 in the works and let's hope it's a true upgrade over the OG!
Need to try these. I found the original Empy to be soft pleasant mush in sound (and comfort) and a step or two below say a Sundara in sound quality. Elite was an improvement, but still nothing special. I thought these would be a clear step up, but I'll find out when I grab a pair.
@@88fonsfons I just found them very mediocre technically. A pleasant listen, quite boomy though. When both are EQ'd to Harman the Sundara sounds much more clear and capable imo.
I think the HEKSE is doing a better job with staging and separation of sounds. It might also be slightly more resolving, but that's hard to judge because their tunings are quite different. There's no doubt the HEKSE treble will be too much for some, but I'd personally take them over the Empyrean 2. Others will swing the other direction.
the problem with emp2 is lack of sub base. I miss original warm sound of original Emp with good but not great sub base. Same problem like e3. But surprisingly Liric 2 has no problem with sub base at all. I have lyric 1(selling it) and 2 only. Because Emp2 and Elite are far away from my Susvara and HE1000SE. Any of them.
Thank you for your answer. I use Liric 1 and already 2 only for traveling with my tube dap. And ie900. Lyric 2 was fixed in all ways, so I could at last listen to it without eq. For home setup Susvara and HE1000SE.
As someone who really didn't like the Empyrean OG. I am glad the Empy 2 is how it is. Empyrean OG and Elite were $1500 headphones priced at $3-4k because their build quality. Empyrean OGs bass bled into the mids making it sound very muddy and congested for a lot of tracks. It lacked clarity. Also wasn't really detailed. To me a very mediocre headphone. I would still take Empy OG over Elite though. Empy 2 is fun without being muddy. Much clearer headphone. Is more detailed and imo the best sounding headphone Meze has ever made. I do find Empy 2 a bit too peaky and bright. I like the Liric for its portability (donkt like liric 2 tho). Only other Meze headphone I have liked is the 109 pro. Of course that is based on what I like. This is a subjective hobby after all.
Why so obsessed with frequency response when you can just literally EQ them. They are open back, not like your going to be out with a mobile dac/amp at the grocery store. Sound stage, dynamics, detail, bass response, distortion, and of course the elite meze build quality are way more important. While I agree that the Bass & Warmth is definitely what they should have improved upon, we can change that. People typically buy Meze or Audeze because of the warm tuning. But they are doing something that pleases a lot of youtube reviewers. Unfortunate for us I suppose, lol. I recently visited an audio store where the owner was in audio for 40 years. All he had to demo and buy at his store was Audeze, Meze, and some introductory Sennheisers. Gives you an idea of what veterans and his patrons wanted. Hoping the elite 2 (if they make it) stays true to the typical warmth known of Meze.
Adding EQ damages the sound quality by skewing the phase at different frequencies and "deleting" some very low level signals (depending on how the EQ is done) so it's a choice the some listeners (including me) make to avoid losing that last little bit of quality.
DSP EQ can still damage the signal quality by truncating the very fine details as part of the mathematical calculations required (depending on the processing power of the DSP chip) and if it's not using a linear phase EQ (I don't know what the ADI-2 uses).
I believe there’s only so far neutrality can take us. A Sennheiser HD 600 is probably as neutral as we need headphones to be. Beyond that everything is being hit heavily by diminishing returns in regards to neutrality. Let me make a loudspeaker analogy, a set of small Genelec speakers are probably as neutral as speakers get. Even then there’s something spectacular about a pair of old Magnepan Tympani, Mirage M1 Si or a set of JBL Hartsfield. The Mirage M1 Si is a personal favorite of mine and the best speaker I’ve ever owned. But none of these are particularly neutral to say the least, but for some people they are the ticket to sonic enjoyment and bliss. I have just ordered a set of Sony MDR Z1R at a discount, not because I believe them to be neutral but because I find their sound to be closest to my beloved, but now gone 😢 Mirages. When one formed a bond with a product, neutrality is just a word, and only really needed in its extreme for sound engineers. I have sadly not heard the Empyrian ones,but I think I get you. Greetings from Denmark
@@PassionforSound while I am scribbling away let me share a n interesting article I read in my younger years (I am 63 years now a day). John Crabb (I think it was him) wrote an article I HiFi News. In this he described going to a concert of a Mahler symphony. While being at the concert he had taken a spl meter with him. It recorded a peak spl of 105 dB at his seat. At home he had recorded the concert from the live broadcast. Back home he replayed the symphony and tried to match the subjective level as close to the level he had experienced on Kef 105 series two. The outcome was that it peaked at 95 dB. I cannot recollect all his conclusions, but remember it as reflections of compression and perceived loudness in a smaller playback room versus a bigger room. My main conclusion was that playing it back at a level 10dB below the original level would require the frequency balance to be given a touch of Fletcher Munson loudness compensation (v shape but with more bass than treble elevation) to sound neutral. Had he played it back at a still lower level than he forced himself to do (perceived concert level) then the balance should have been more v shaped still. My personal preference is a warm hugging sound flowing of the headphone or speakers. But this preference is not better or worse compared to others who prefer a snappy tight sound. Thanks to everyone to read through my mad ramblings. Greetings from Denmark
That's great information. Thank you for sharing! I definitely find myself enjoying a headphone with some extra bass and maybe this explains the reasons why, especially as a lower level (70-80dB) listener.
These reviews are so confusing .. The review of the Empyrean stated how amazing it was .... Then the Elite review kept referencing the Empyrean and how it fell short compared to the Elite .. .. now the Empyrean was still one his favourite ever headphones, not the Elite . Almost as if the comparisons are slightly meaningless because the differences are over stated.
@@PassionforSound Ah, no. I am purposely referencing the original Emperyean. It was just that you referenced the original (and your regret at selling it) in this review. It was a surprise as you seemed to be saying how much better the Elite was than the original Empyrean.. pointing out many flaws that the original Empyrean had. Yet, I watched the Empyrean and Elite reviews back to back .. pointing out those flaws in the Elite, appeared to contradict your original review that was glowing .. I guess I am just commenting on how, when put aide by side, the reviews of upgraded or new models then seem to cast so much shade and doubt on the praise previously given to an older model. I would see things as getting better in the new model, rather than causing a realisation an older model was poor (if you see what I mean) . Perhaps one just runs out of words to give accumulated praise over time .. but it leaves the reader/viewer (same happens in print media) thinking the differences must be vast and the old model is now shit .. I appreciate your reviews by the way, it's just a general comment on the nature of trying to use words to describe sound and quality when technology progresses. . I've just bought a pair of original Empyreans to have repaired/refurbished, hence my interest on judging how far things have moved on today..
@natdenchfield8061 I think on this occasion, it's more that things get hazy in memory. For clarity, I still fondly remember the Empyreans and no other headphone has given me the same level of foot tapping and head bobbing enjoyment as they did, I think. However, the Elites are undeniably a better headphone despite not always being quite as fun. In the end though, there is no perfect headphone so I always try to point out where the compromises are to help people decide what matters to them. It's likely that my abilities to isolate as describe those shortcomings will have improved over the years and will hopefully continue to improve so that has an influence too.
What do you mean by “well received “ no 1 had issue and no 2 has tried to fix the issues with no 1. I’ve had to Meze and the last one was terrible and I’m reluctantly to ever buy another one. Why to reviews on your channel always promote high end headphone and never ever give a negative review ever. ZMF is more my cup of tea
When you spend that much on audio, you most likely will get something good for your money even if it’s not the absolute most for your money. And Empryean 1 has a cult following behind it, just because you don’t like it doesn’t mean it wasn’t “well received”
I have thoroughly hated every Meze headphone I've ever heard. The original Empy and Elite sounded awful to me like an LCD-3. Just no emphasis where it was needed. Other than build and comfort, I would have put them both in the sub $1000 category for overall sound quality without EQ. Just wonky tuning that totally made any technicalities completely irrelevant. If the Sunset Boulevard colorway came with the better tuning of the Empy 2, I would buy one so fast.
![ILLSLICK - KILLSHOT REMIX [FULL VERSION]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/RIK8RrqIAzE/mqdefault.jpg)
Please take some time out and pet the Headphones that you own people! They look good and work hard for you so pet your headphones!
I strongly second this advice! 😁♥️
yes sir I always do!
Nice review. I'm still in love with Empyrean OG, although I EQ them quite a lot to get what I like with alcantara pads (which give much more stage than leather pads). Also they are soooooo comfy.
Glad you liked the review. Keep enjoying those OG Empys!
read so many great reviews about the Empy II, but unless I find some dirt cheap I know i'll never own them because I have the original Empyrean and I cannot imagine how any headphone could be better, the design, build quality and comfort are incredible and I love their sound. First time I listened to them I knew I had bought my last pair of headphones. I have 4 ZMF's and a Radiance, but the Empyrean is my go to favorite. I am officially out of the headphone market thanks to these.
That's how I felt about them too. It took the Elites to best them for me.
Great Review! The thing with the original Empy is it was magic with great music that was even recorded poorly and true endgame comfort. Before I got them, I neglected too much of my favorite music because it wasn't audiophile and sounded terrible or boring on neutral headphones. They are also lush and fill out acoustic instruments the way they sound live, especially guitars. I am not sure if they can ever be topped in those regards.
I feel the same!
I just tried the Empyrean II today (a bit late to the game), now I need to save my pennies because they’re the best planar.
All the sparkly and annoying microphonic effect that usually planata add to the voices is gone, bass is nice and presente and they’re so comfortable you forget you are wearing them. I was impressed and I need a valve headphone amp to give justice a pair.
@or1on89 I'm glad you liked what you heard!
@@or1on89 Don't worry about the amp too much, they are pretty efficient from what I remember
I re-purchased a mint pair of OG Empyrean's a couple of weeks ago and it took me a little while to get used to that bass again. After listening to my Susvara's mostly in my main rig they sounded quite muddy initially... After literally two tracks though, once my ears adjusted it was like re-uniting with and old friend - just lovely. They are still my choice for a portable setup where you just want to listen and not analyse. Especially with a Sony DAP.
After reading and looking at a lot of reviews about the Empy 2 - it just didn't seem to have that warm tuning that I love so I already determined i'd give them a miss without even listening to them. It was also odd that they suddenly got rave reviews from all of the people that hated the OG versions though. It's almost as if they had a direct influence on the tuning. It's a shame Meze didn't just refine the OG as you say.
Thanks for the review.
I definitely think Meze were influenced by the reviews on the OG and the vocal community members who hated them. I could be wrong, but they're more recent tunings would suggest some pressure from the community (and perhaps sales figures on "non-conforming" tunings).
Thanks for this. I’ve been loving my Elites more than ever since getting the angled alcantara pads, but have been wondering about the Empy 2. Your comparison is reassuring for me.
Glad I could help. For me, the Elites with the angled pads are in a different league.
Awesome review Lachlan! My FOMO is now properly quelled owning the original Empyrean. They remain my favourite cans for listening to music (for hours with no fatigue) 😊 You now have me wondering whether I should upgrade my cable to either their copper or silver variant. Good stuff as always!🍻
Glad I could help! I'm a little bit jealous of you. As for upgrading the cable, I would definitely recommend it. The Empys really deserve better wire than what they come with IMO. It doesn't have to be the Meze cables (although they're excellent), but a nice copper litz or silver litz cable can be great!
3:46 That is really interesting, and good on you for mentioning this. The hypetrain for these headphones has been a bit over the top, but mostly from reviewers that typically prefer bright neutral tunings.
I prefer bright neutral myself but I love my Empyrean 1 because it stands out from the pack and plays well with all genres. I don’t know why every headphone company seems to want to chase the same sound signature last few years.
@@mikeg2491 I think because the most vocal part of the community tends be people chasing the neutral dragon, the others are not so vocal because they are listening to music and satisfied.
Great points here! The headphone review channels with the largest followings tend to favour a more "neutral" tuning so I think that's what most people want to buy until they've found their own tastes and preferences (which is probably a more even spread from warm to cool)
i found the Empy 2’s less detailed in the mids, too v shaped, and a little intimate for what I was looking for. In the end, I went with the Dan Clark Audio E3 for $2K for its much much more natural tuning, highly detailed mids, and better imaging. And at $1K less than the Empy2’s, I actually think the E3’s outperformed them. Above $2K, I would rather make the jump to the next iteration of a DCA Stealth or Expanse, myself.
Many people love the Empy2’s for its fun and engaging, non fatiguing sound (assuming the treble peaks and dips are not too edgy for you). They are a solid choice, however the E3’s won me over the Empy 2 in almost all areas in this case. While they are 2 completely different tunings of headphones (and both are amazing at what they do), whats fun for me is in the textures and the detail. And the E3 seems to have higher resolution throughout, while still being incredibly smooth, flat, and black in its presentation.
Aesthetically, Meze as always, has impeccable design and build. Whereas, the E3 is the ugly duckling of the Dan Clark lineup lol, but to be fair, this is not a flagship model and I’m sure they will come out with better designs at the $3-4k price range. 😂 That said though, it’s honestly crazy how good HP are geting nowadays. Like I am actually getting a reference level studio monitoring experience on a portable headphone with bass rumble, soundstage, and 3d imaging! Just insane..
@@nostgeoffhi-fi Did they change things up from previous headphones? I owned the Aeon 2 and Aeon Noire and realized I found their presentation really boring, bordering on sterile. They were great for Daft Punk albums and the like, but not great for acoustic music; I found it so clean the natural dynamics of drums and acoustic guitars had been deadened, for lack of a better word. If DCA could bring that back for me and more detail I would consider getting another headphone but reviews never seem to mention any changes.
The Good thing is many are selling their OG to upgrade, so there's a few deals around for the OG!
Great point!
Ahhh! Another one I am waiting for. Thank you Lachlan! From your description of its sound, I was reminded of the Meze 109 Pro. Some one described its 3-4k brightness which stopped me from getting the 109 Pro. Took a very brief look at frequency response graphs online of both headphones without really studying the details or verifying if these graphs are accurate, and both graphs looks similar. I may be wrong but it’s good to know anyway, save some money I can’t afford to waste. Then I saw the graphs of the Meze Elite with the Empyrean 2 and understand why I like the Meze Elite. I don’t own any Meze headphones but if I do, it’ll be the Elite although I like the OG Empyrean too.
FWIW, I love the 109 AND the Elites, but not so much the Empy 2 (it's fine - I just don't love it). Glad this video was helpful! 🙂🙂
I also have the 109 Pro and can confirm they can also get a little bright on occasion. It's not that bad but it is tuned a little that way. YMMV
Thanks for this video, I appreciate it.
Yep, I still love the original Empy and have never managed to hear another Meze. (I'll never part with it.) The original feels like perfect match for digital sound, targeting digital chill. I asked the other day if the new Liric 2 would sound like the original Empy. Somehow, every review I read about the new Liric never compares it to the original Empy.
If you pair the original Empy with a very high resolution digital source (like an EMM Labs XDS1 cdp), you get very high reach into the music extreme speed and detail without fatigue or pain, even at loud levels. It's a great example of synergy.
The original Empyrean is also a fine match for a Chord Dave (with or without the Mscaler). It's a sweet and deep, absorbing listen to my ears.
So, what I'm trying to say through this ramble, it that the original Empryean lets you take full advantage to a super-resolving source but keeps it musical. You can hear everything without anxiety or wincing pain. If you like it loud, you can turn it up and just hear everything louder, not piercing digital noise. It's a good dose of analog from your DAC.
I definitely agree! I've got the Liric 2 here now and there are some definite similarities, but the treble from the Liric 2 prevents it from being as easy going and fun as the OG Empys.
If you want that fun, bassy experience from the Empyrean with the improvements of the Empyrean II use it with the OG leather pads. It becomes detailed, musical and it slams!
I'd like to try that!
It’s a great review. I had the Empy II for a couple of weeks to compare against my Elite. I’m surprised you didn’t try out the Duo pads on the Elite or perhaps you did? For me it adds the bass and fun of the original Empyrean OG.
I’d agree with your review, the Empyrean II are great headphones but for me I’m keeping my Elite and hope that’s Meze do release the Duo pads as I’m still clinging on to my OG Empyrean when I want more fun. I also agree a true successor to the OH Empyrean would have been great as I’m still keeping mine as I don’t want to regret selling them!
Glad you liked the review! I actually did try the Duo pads on the Elites, but wasn't so much a fan. I felt it unbalanced the tuning in a way that the OG Empyreans manage better. I definitely think that holding onto the OG Empys is a great move. If I had the cash, I'd be grabbing a pair again, I think.
@@PassionforSoundI’ll sell you mine haha
If I had the spare cash, I'd jump at that offer!
Not tried them, but the one thing about the original was the musicality. Out of all the headphones I have owned/tried, the original Empy are the only ones that made me smile and think to myself, "My god, these sound good", with just about all styles of music.
That's exactly how I felt too and the new ones lost a huge portion of that feel to me.
Sounds very clear but I find myself enjoying the Arya Organic more with a Questyle M15, Woo Fireflies 3rd, Bliss etc..
I can understand that. There's a slight lack of soul from the Empy 2 somehow, I think.
Your driving chain early disclosure (400 Euro USB cable, etc.) saved me 23 minutes, so thanks a lot for that!
How so?
@@PassionforSound Well, I don't mean to offend, but I don't trust the good judgement of someone who spends this amount of money on USB, cables and amplifiers.
So I wasn't just talking shit, I actually really appreciate and thank you for specifying your audio ecosystem from the get go: it made it clear I am not your audience.
Super granular comment here, but the flashing teal ellipses you added at 6:20 are really cool and helpful.
Glad you liked them! I try to add extra little touches with each new video (as needed/relevant) so it's nice to get the feedback when they've added value. Thank you!
@@PassionforSound thank you too! Apart from the little visual flairs you keep adding, this video gave me new insights into reading frequency graphs generally. Much appreciated.
Best review for Empy2❤
Thankyou! I'm glad you liked it. 🙂🙂
Thanks for the honest review Lachlan. Without instrument separation and all that jazz it sounds like a $300 headphone to me. Even my Apple earbuds have decent instrument separation and bass so don't see the point of this headphone at all. Just my two cents.
It's not that it has no instrument separation - it's all relative. I'm not blown away by them, but they're a solid headphone that's price about right I think (compared to the competition)
I have been waiting for this review. Terrific descriptions and combined with the honesty which comes from this channel in particular, I really have a good sense now I feel, of what these sound like.
Glad I could help, Mark! 🙂🙂
@@PassionforSound based on the other reviews, this was the way the set was sort of being described, but nobody was flat out saying it and was dancing around it, but you said what I was expecting to hear. I also get the impression, - and I am aware you did not say this - that in comparison to the gooey thick warm sound of the original that these sound leaner. Or is that not the case? I wonder why they moved in this direction? Trying to separate them from the packs ‘house sound’ maybe?
These definitely sounds leaner (but not lean). From a measurement perspective, the bass hasn't actually changed much so much as the upper mids and treble being lifted to even things out.
I love the Empy 2. I also have the Empy 1 but the left speaker blew out and I never got around to getting them fixed. I prefer the 2s over the 1. The sound signature of the 1 never won me over. Once getting the 2s, I have been obsessively listening for hours. Different strokes for different folks.
Glad you're enjoying them!
i found the Empy 2’s less detailed and recessed or veiled in the mids, too v shaped, and a little intimate for what I was looking for. In the end, I went with the Dan Clark Audio E3 for $2K for its much much more natural tuning, highly detailed mids, and better imaging. And at $1K less than the Empy2’s, I actually think the E3’s outperformed them. Above $2K, I would rather make the jump to the next iteration of a DCA Stealth or Expanse, myself.
Many people love the Empy2’s for its fun and engaging, non fatiguing sound (assuming the treble peaks and dips are not too edgy for you). They are a solid choice, however the E3’s won me over the Empy 2 in almost all areas in this case. While they are 2 completely different tunings of headphones (and both are amazing at what they do), whats fun for me is in the textures and the detail. And the E3 seems to have higher resolution throughout, while still being incredibly smooth, flat, and black in its presentation.
Aesthetically, Meze as always, has impeccable design and build. Whereas, the E3 is the ugly duckling of the Dan Clark lineup lol, but to be fair, this is not a flagship model and I’m sure they will come out with better designs at the $3-4k price range. 😂 That said though, it’s honestly crazy how good HP are geting nowadays. Like I am actually getting a reference level studio monitoring experience on a portable headphone with bass rumble, soundstage, and 3d imaging! Just insane..
Wow interesting takes on the empy 2. I never tried the empy 1 but always wanted to.
Yeah, it was a gem and worth trying if you ever get the chance
Lachlan, I'm bummed for you that these didn't work out to your liking. I think Zeos said something similar - until he had his replaced. I just got mine last night and have managed about 6 hours of listening with them. They absolutely destroy my DCA E3 cans in terms of the listening experience (though comparing an open back to a closed back may not be fair in that regard), comfort, and overall aesthetics. Paired with the Topping D50 III / A50 III stack, these are an absolutely joy. (Have yet to try them with my WA7.)
So glad you're enjoying them! Thanks for sharing your experiences. 🙂🙂
Did you try the Duo pads on your Elite? There has been very little info on how that combo sounds. I’m currently using Angled Alcantara pads on my Elite and am thinking about getting some of the Duo pads.
I did try them and wasn't much a fan of the sound. I can't recall exactly what the differences were, but the angled Alcantara pads are very hard to beat on the Elites IMO
Great review, per usual. How would you compare the Emyrean 2 with the duo pads against the Caldera with the thick pads?
That's a tough one because I don't have either here anymore.
The Caldera was a more fun and engaging tuning and presentation to me so it's definitely the one I would choose, but I can't recall enough of the technical details to explain in depth. I do recall that the sense of imaging and separation was probably better from the Caldera though.
Still have my original Empy’s (currently for sale, but I might take them back down). While build quality and comfort are second to none, I was not overly impressed with their sound. Yes, they’re enjoyable, but not as technical as I would have liked or some cheaper headphones. In my opinion, Hifiman HE1000SE is superior in every way (sound-wise), resolution, sound stage, etc.
There are definitely stronger technical headphones out there without a doubt. The OG Empys were all about fun to me. 🙂
I've been listening to the Empyrean II this weekend. The subjective impressions in this video, especially on the degree of presence of the bass, seem spot-on to me.
Thanks for sharing your experience
Crazy how polarizing $3K+ headphones are. At such prices, they should have universal acclaim.
I think there'll be disagreement at every price because it's a subjective hobby. I also don't think many will dislike the Empy 2 so I think differences of opinions will be common, but probably not strong polarisation.
I’m wonder if it’s better to just get the OG Empy with the Angled Alcantera pads. Heard that’s the perfect combo.
That might be really nice - I've not tried, but it would make sense based on my experiences with the Elites and angled pads
I’m sad too when I opened my Empy OG and found dry joint all over the mini xlr side. I emailed them about it too, and they just ignored me :) what a company :D i still have the macro shots of the marvellous solder job
That's something I haven't heard of before. Were they a brand new pair of secondhand?
@ I got it used, but it still had warranty when I got it. It’s illogical to accuse previous user for tampering with the solder, because in that reason, it could also be me who tampered with the solder job.
But I’ve had my fair share of experience with soldering and what Meze delivered was hideous and messy.
I’ve sold the unit not long after seeing the solder job and had never touched Meze products since.
@henryt9731 without seeing it, I can't comment on the quality of the work, but I do know that a bad solder joint can be caused by many things including temperature fluctuations (if the unit was hanging near a window in direct sunlight), physical stress (if it was regularly connected and disconnected or if the cables were handled roughly), etc. I've not heard any complaints of bad connections from other Meze owners so I don't think this is a common issue.
If you had to choose either zmf line - caldera/ atrium
Or empyrean 2? Which one would you choose?
ZMF. Meze are more respected for their slick build and comfort than their sound signatures which seem like Meze's second priority
I'd take the Atrium or Caldera for sure. The Empy 2 don't capture my heart like those two ZMFs. The Atrium is especially compelling at the price
@@PassionforSound What about Caldera vs Elite?
That's tough. The Elites are better if you want a larger soundstage. The Caldera are better if you just want lots of fun.
@@PassionforSound Which one of them (Caldera vs Elite) has more sub-bass and bass quantity? And would you said that Elites are upgrade from Empyrean 2?
Sorry to sound like a newb but when you say treble what does that mean, I'm quite new to the audiophile scene even though I've been listing to music my entire life, to which I'm 42 and have only started to in the last 2 years got really serious about audio quality, I always get really confused when I hear Treble in reviews for audio gear because I do not know what that is.
Treble means the reproduction of the frequency range of about 6khz - 20khz (not clearly defined) which is often in headphones the most poblematic range (not as linear as lower ranges).
@@bluerising1162 Oh really, so does that mean the high frequency range? and if so what instruments cover that and what does that sound like when hearing music.
@@robertobuatti7226yes, treble generally refers to the higher frequency range, and can be higher vocals (I just learned that the treble clef originally referred to very young voices), instruments like violins, high guitar notes, etc.
Yes. As already answered above, treble covers sounds like cymbals, snares, triangles, chimes, etc. and then the textural elements of vocals (e.g. breath sounds, hoarseness) and instruments like violins (the texture of the bow on the strings), etc.
If you pause the video on the first frequency response graph, there are some labels on the graph that help to define the frequency bands (although the terms used aren't industry standard so see them as approximate only)
@@PassionforSound Thank you so much for the feedback, now I understand it a bit more clearly as treble is very confusing vs. bass, because I understand that bass gives thump to the music but treble is a new audio terminology to me. I really appreciate it.
Unfortunate to see the Empy 1 sound signature not here in Empy 2, but looking forward to demoing this set in the future
They're definitely still worth a try, but I'd love to see more brands be comfortable with producing "non-conforming" tunings.
@@PassionforSound The best thing about Empy 1 is how tolerant the tuning is to music that is not always well mixed, which is a pretty large part of my library. Does Empy 2 have this quality as well with the new tuning?
No, I don't think it's at all tolerant in the way the OG is. It's not punishing like say an HD800, but not forgiving in any way IMO.
Would you consider the elites or caldera as neutral headphones.
I own both, and, for what it’s worth, the Caldera with the stock leather pads and no mesh installed sounds perfectly neutral to my ear. The Elite with their Hybrid pads have a bit too much bass and too recessed midrange to be neutral, but I really like them as well. The Elite with their Angled Alcantara pads are more neutral than the Hybrid pads but lack a bit in the bass. They do sound great as well, if you mostly listen to acoustic/orchestral music.
Anton's response is excellent!
I was about to say Elites with the angled Alcantara pads, but that's forgetting how many options we have to pad-roll with the Calderas so they can also be tuned very neutral - it's just not how I'd set them up while they were here.
Meze If they made an angle duo pad, that would actually solve all the things that you don't like with the meza Empyrean ii
Quite possibly!
Could you review the NDH 30?
I'd love to, but I don't have a contact to get my hands on a pair here in Australia
Hmmm Interesting take on these. I wonder if the tuning was intended to pair better with tube amplifiers since many enthusiasts have tubes somewhere in their chain. I wonder what amps they used when tweaking the final tuning.
That would be interesting to know about their tuning setup, but I think they've followed the trends/demands from the market in terms of the tunings people are asking for.
When is the Mod House Tungsten video?
Not sure yet. I believe I've got one coming over this month, but I'm awaiting confirmation 🤞🤞
Many people compare these to the Sennheiser HE-1. Do you think otherwise?
100% they are in different universes based on my experiences with the Empy 2. I haven't heard the HE-1, admittedly, but if it sounds like the Empy 2 and costs what it does, there's a BIG problem. 🙂
@@PassionforSound oh, I can recommend trying them out. :)
I definitely will if/when I get the chance!
Nice review. I realize that the original Empyrean is no longer available for sale but they’re constantly available on the secondary market and they’re very cheap. I’ve seen mint units sell for $1400.
Such a steal! Empyrean and he1000 deals are insane rn 🔥
Such a great opportunity at that price!
anybody tried new hybrid pads on Empyrean OG? Interested to hear how they sound with thinner hybrid pads.
I tried those with the Elites and wasn't a fan, but the OG Empys are quite different.
The past few videos are basically the opposite of what other reviewers are saying "Title wise" 🤣
Got to make it interesting 😁
Well, I have the II's for about 2 weeks now and my experience with these cans are utterly positive.
It needs some burn-in though. At the very beginning the sound felt a bit too harsh but after approximately 50 hours of intense listening everything fel into place.
The Empyrean II is an all round HP, you can throw every genre at it, from classical to EDM, it all sounds very natural and lively.
I guess I've found my endgame solution with these cans.
Last but not least they're super comfortable to wear, even after a long period of constant use.
I'm so glad you're enjoying them! They're definitely a solid headphone at the price and comfort, as you say, is superb. Enjoy!
@@PassionforSound rather to buy Caldera 🔥
I would too, but we're all different 🙂
@@PassionforSound indeed we are, me myself praise headphones that are underdog to almost everyone else yet for me its so precious
oof, glad i watched this review, I'm really sensitive in that 3k area...
Have you burned it in fully ?how many hours have you used it?
I used these for about 2-3 weeks before any critical listening so yes, they're well burned in.
is the driver itself actually new ?
@@PassionforSound i found the answer, the Emp1 had a MZ3 driver, the Emp2 has a MZ3v2 driver, and the elite has a MZ3SE (Special Edition i guess), so, logicaly there will be an elite || with a MZ3SEv2 (MZ stands for Meze of course)
Oh, sorry! I just deleted my last comment because I replied as though we were talking about the Dita earphones I just reviewed (that's what all the other comments were about when I first answered yours).
Yes, brand new version of the Rinaro driver. Let's hope there's an Elite 2 in the works and let's hope it's a true upgrade over the OG!
Need to try these. I found the original Empy to be soft pleasant mush in sound (and comfort) and a step or two below say a Sundara in sound quality. Elite was an improvement, but still nothing special. I thought these would be a clear step up, but I'll find out when I grab a pair.
a step or 'two' below the sundara? that's extremely harsh lol
@@88fonsfons I just found them very mediocre technically. A pleasant listen, quite boomy though. When both are EQ'd to Harman the Sundara sounds much more clear and capable imo.
What was your source chain? I've owned both for extended periods and have never felt that the Sundara came close to the Empyrean.
What do you mean a “bit sounding” to not compare with a Hifiman 1000SE?
Empy is never a resolved headphone like 1000Sse... many reviewers said Empy sound is way overpriced
I don't understand the question - sorry
@@PassionforSound in another words..:in your opinion, the Hifiman is another league? How they do compare…if It’s possible do that.
I think the HEKSE is doing a better job with staging and separation of sounds. It might also be slightly more resolving, but that's hard to judge because their tunings are quite different. There's no doubt the HEKSE treble will be too much for some, but I'd personally take them over the Empyrean 2. Others will swing the other direction.
i am sure i all comes out with a IFI burr and brown dac
the problem with emp2 is lack of sub base. I miss original warm sound of original Emp with good but not great sub base. Same problem like e3. But surprisingly Liric 2 has no problem with sub base at all. I have lyric 1(selling it) and 2 only. Because Emp2 and Elite are far away from my Susvara and HE1000SE. Any of them.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I agree about the sub bass roll off. How are you enjoying the Liric 2?
Thank you for your answer. I use Liric 1 and already 2 only for traveling with my tube dap. And ie900. Lyric 2 was fixed in all ways, so I could at last listen to it without eq. For home setup Susvara and HE1000SE.
Heard it at CJ and thought it was too safe relative to other Mezes.
That's quite a good way to put it!
Unfortunately Tellurium does not make headphones 😂
As someone who really didn't like the Empyrean OG. I am glad the Empy 2 is how it is. Empyrean OG and Elite were $1500 headphones priced at $3-4k because their build quality. Empyrean OGs bass bled into the mids making it sound very muddy and congested for a lot of tracks. It lacked clarity. Also wasn't really detailed. To me a very mediocre headphone. I would still take Empy OG over Elite though.
Empy 2 is fun without being muddy. Much clearer headphone. Is more detailed and imo the best sounding headphone Meze has ever made. I do find Empy 2 a bit too peaky and bright.
I like the Liric for its portability (donkt like liric 2 tho). Only other Meze headphone I have liked is the 109 pro.
Of course that is based on what I like. This is a subjective hobby after all.
Why so obsessed with frequency response when you can just literally EQ them. They are open back, not like your going to be out with a mobile dac/amp at the grocery store. Sound stage, dynamics, detail, bass response, distortion, and of course the elite meze build quality are way more important. While I agree that the Bass & Warmth is definitely what they should have improved upon, we can change that. People typically buy Meze or Audeze because of the warm tuning. But they are doing something that pleases a lot of youtube reviewers. Unfortunate for us I suppose, lol.
I recently visited an audio store where the owner was in audio for 40 years. All he had to demo and buy at his store was Audeze, Meze, and some introductory Sennheisers. Gives you an idea of what veterans and his patrons wanted. Hoping the elite 2 (if they make it) stays true to the typical warmth known of Meze.
Adding EQ damages the sound quality by skewing the phase at different frequencies and "deleting" some very low level signals (depending on how the EQ is done) so it's a choice the some listeners (including me) make to avoid losing that last little bit of quality.
@PassionforSound Appreciate the response! Is it audible in a blind test?
Yes, it would be under the right circumstances (i.e. two identical setups with the ability to switch between them without delays)
@@PassionforSound That's right if you use software EQ, but not with DSP EQ after the Dac chip like RME does.
DSP EQ can still damage the signal quality by truncating the very fine details as part of the mathematical calculations required (depending on the processing power of the DSP chip) and if it's not using a linear phase EQ (I don't know what the ADI-2 uses).
I believe there’s only so far neutrality can take us. A Sennheiser HD 600 is probably as neutral as we need headphones to be. Beyond that everything is being hit heavily by diminishing returns in regards to neutrality. Let me make a loudspeaker analogy, a set of small Genelec speakers are probably as neutral as speakers get. Even then there’s something spectacular about a pair of old Magnepan Tympani, Mirage M1 Si or a set of JBL Hartsfield. The Mirage M1 Si is a personal favorite of mine and the best speaker I’ve ever owned. But none of these are particularly neutral to say the least, but for some people they are the ticket to sonic enjoyment and bliss. I have just ordered a set of Sony MDR Z1R at a discount, not because I believe them to be neutral but because I find their sound to be closest to my beloved, but now gone 😢 Mirages. When one formed a bond with a product, neutrality is just a word, and only really needed in its extreme for sound engineers. I have sadly not heard the Empyrian ones,but I think I get you. Greetings from Denmark
I completely agree! A tastefully tuned headphone with some deliberate colouration can be a joy.
@@PassionforSound while I am scribbling away let me share a n interesting article I read in my younger years (I am 63 years now a day). John Crabb (I think it was him) wrote an article I HiFi News. In this he described going to a concert of a Mahler symphony. While being at the concert he had taken a spl meter with him. It recorded a peak spl of 105 dB at his seat. At home he had recorded the concert from the live broadcast. Back home he replayed the symphony and tried to match the subjective level as close to the level he had experienced on Kef 105 series two. The outcome was that it peaked at 95 dB. I cannot recollect all his conclusions, but remember it as reflections of compression and perceived loudness in a smaller playback room versus a bigger room. My main conclusion was that playing it back at a level 10dB below the original level would require the frequency balance to be given a touch of Fletcher Munson loudness compensation (v shape but with more bass than treble elevation) to sound neutral. Had he played it back at a still lower level than he forced himself to do (perceived concert level) then the balance should have been more v shaped still. My personal preference is a warm hugging sound flowing of the headphone or speakers. But this preference is not better or worse compared to others who prefer a snappy tight sound. Thanks to everyone to read through my mad ramblings. Greetings from Denmark
That's great information. Thank you for sharing! I definitely find myself enjoying a headphone with some extra bass and maybe this explains the reasons why, especially as a lower level (70-80dB) listener.
These reviews are so confusing .. The review of the Empyrean stated how amazing it was .... Then the Elite review kept referencing the Empyrean and how it fell short compared to the Elite ..
.. now the Empyrean was still one his favourite ever headphones, not the Elite .
Almost as if the comparisons are slightly meaningless because the differences are over stated.
I think maybe you're confusing the original Empyrean and the Empyrean 2?
@@PassionforSound Ah, no. I am purposely referencing the original Emperyean.
It was just that you referenced the original (and your regret at selling it) in this review. It was a surprise as you seemed to be saying how much better the Elite was than the original Empyrean.. pointing out many flaws that the original Empyrean had. Yet, I watched the Empyrean and Elite reviews back to back .. pointing out those flaws in the Elite, appeared to contradict your original review that was glowing ..
I guess I am just commenting on how, when put aide by side, the reviews of upgraded or new models then seem to cast so much shade and doubt on the praise previously given to an older model. I would see things as getting better in the new model, rather than causing a realisation an older model was poor (if you see what I mean) .
Perhaps one just runs out of words to give accumulated praise over time .. but it leaves the reader/viewer (same happens in print media) thinking the differences must be vast and the old model is now shit ..
I appreciate your reviews by the way, it's just a general comment on the nature of trying to use words to describe sound and quality when technology progresses. .
I've just bought a pair of original Empyreans to have repaired/refurbished, hence my interest on judging how far things have moved on today..
@natdenchfield8061 I think on this occasion, it's more that things get hazy in memory. For clarity, I still fondly remember the Empyreans and no other headphone has given me the same level of foot tapping and head bobbing enjoyment as they did, I think. However, the Elites are undeniably a better headphone despite not always being quite as fun.
In the end though, there is no perfect headphone so I always try to point out where the compromises are to help people decide what matters to them. It's likely that my abilities to isolate as describe those shortcomings will have improved over the years and will hopefully continue to improve so that has an influence too.
What's up with the audio? It's as if you're being dubbed.
i never warmed up to Meze headphones..... reason being there's ZMF
That's fair enough. I think each have their strengths and weaknesses so we're lucky to have both 🙂
For 3.000 USD I hope it gives me the feeling that Lady Gaga is licking my ears.
I have no direct experience of that to know... 😉
What do you mean by “well received “ no 1 had issue and no 2 has tried to fix the issues with no 1. I’ve had to Meze and the last one was terrible and I’m reluctantly to ever buy another one. Why to reviews on your channel always promote high end headphone and never ever give a negative review ever. ZMF is more my cup of tea
Zmf is 💩👈😂
When you spend that much on audio, you most likely will get something good for your money even if it’s not the absolute most for your money. And Empryean 1 has a cult following behind it, just because you don’t like it doesn’t mean it wasn’t “well received”
Well said @TheMatrixxProjekt!
Also, there are plenty of negative reviews on my channel.
I have thoroughly hated every Meze headphone I've ever heard. The original Empy and Elite sounded awful to me like an LCD-3. Just no emphasis where it was needed. Other than build and comfort, I would have put them both in the sub $1000 category for overall sound quality without EQ. Just wonky tuning that totally made any technicalities completely irrelevant. If the Sunset Boulevard colorway came with the better tuning of the Empy 2, I would buy one so fast.
That's fair enough. We all have our preferences.
Is this the guy ppl talking about? Exposed bcause getting money/gifts from brands to give positive reviews?