Hi! Great review!! With a portable dac like cobalt, do you think it will be a huge difference between these 2 105 and 109 pro? With what kind of gear the differences will be significant? Thanks!
That's a great question! Because of the slightly different tonality caused by the extra treble in the 105s, there'll be slight differences on all gear, but in terms of technicalities, I'd say the 105s are all you'd need with the Cobalt. At an educated guess, I think you'd need to be using a $500+ DAC and headphone amp or separates to start getting the most from the 109s compared to the 105s.
@PassionforSound Thanks a lot for your answer. In this case I will go for 105. I think it will be a good step from 99 neo that I own. It will be my first open back. At the moment, I am not very inclined to invest in a lot of equipment. I watched a lot of videos. I'm not very experienced with this hobby, but I like good audio. In time probably I will probably buy some higher end models and dacs. Best Regards.
I have the 99 Neo's in the office with the boom mic and the 109's at home. I have been considering these but hearing your take on the difference, I think I will save up and consider either the Hifiman Organic or the Unveiled.
There's no point getting these to go alongside a pair of 109s, but the Arya Unveiled could be a great choice. They're an impressive headphone (review coming soon)
105 to me sounded as if the 99 Classics and 109Pro were meeting halfway. Warmer tonality of the 99 with better technicalities. Technically a bit less capable than the 109 but tonality is more 'traditional Meze' being lush and warm. At this price IMO the 105 is a real bargain.
I agree that it's a great deal, but I'm curious about people hearing it as warmer given that they measure and sound VERY close to the 109s to me. (And I measured after listening)
When I saw those new ones I was like..damn, have I made a huge mistake ordering the 109's? Then I realized that those 105's are 400€ and I got the 109's for 540€ (BF deal). So no regrets at all
I am excited about these, thanks for this review….. One of my favorite reviewers. I been wanting the 109’s, I just have not wanted to spend that much….. How would you compare these 105’s to the Focal Elex?
@@PassionforSound You really should try them if you can. For me, the Elex is like a baby og Utopia with a little less refinement. The dynamics are off the chart for its price class. There were some reliability issues when they were first introduced but I think that they have sorted that out. My pair has been great from day one!
Just tested the one 105 and the 109 today. Both great headphones and listening to the 105 first I really loved it, then going to the one 09‘s you realise that yes the 109 is the superior headset with a very similar sound signature but Justin improved version all the one 05 is a slightly downgraded version but they are still very close and the one 09 isn’t necessarily two times better although it’s two times the price depending on your budget. You can’t go wrong but of course the one 09’s are a bit more lively with more separation and that’s what I loved about the most.
Good question! I actually realised after I produced this that I didn't discuss soundstage. The reason is that they are very similar to the 109s as you guessed. The 109s provide a little more separation and therefore sense of space around the instruments, but the total soundstage size is about the same which is to say they're very good for the price.
Interesting you say the 109 reflects the source gear more than the 105, when another review I just watched said the opposite- and went so far as to say the 105 changed the most with amp used of ALL Meze models.
I think there's some miscommunication here or misinterpretation. My point is that the 109s are more resolving and transparent so they deliver more detail, resolution and nuance which will help you to understand the capabilities of the source device better. With the 105s having that slightly brighter treble, they could create a bit more room for warmer/richer sounding source chains to make them more enjoyable if someone doesn't like that much treble. I think that's what we're each saying and I would agree if that's the case.
hello, I had the Meze 109 pro, so far the best headphones I have tested with the Fiio Q 15 amplifier, now I want to buy the Meze 105, what will be the difference?
While I’ve always loved the look of Meze headphones and understand that some of their cost is wrapped up into the build and looks, you can find their sonic equals for half the cost!
Re Hifiman's flex on the market, I agree. Although my hifiman's suffer in terms of build quality, and all but the flagships seem built to last more than a couple years as a daily driver, which is too bad
I think there's something to be said for the tonal balance in the 105s and 109s that you can't get with the HiFiMans. Both brands make great headphones, but I think they offer different sound rather than either being clearly better.
A logical assumption, but I have heard the 105, and would be shocked if you could find its sonic equal for half the price. I have actually not heard its equal at the same price (but have not heard every $400 headphone under the sun).
@@DJ_DJ It’s an educated assumption based on previous experience with Meze headphones. I haven’t heard the 105 and the Liric II yet but I’ve heard the rest of their offerings. My opinion on them has been consistent across their entire line.
I haven't watched the whole video yet but did you assess this one against the Hifiman Sundara? Everybody seems all hot-to-trot on me getting that one, but I can't audition anything before I commit because I live in Phnom Penh. (If this is obnoxious -- because the video is just starting, as I write this -- just keep right on scrollin' by, hahaha.)
Unfortunately, I don't own the Sundaras anymore so I didn't compare them directly, but they also sound quite different. How do you want the headphones to sound? Warm, rush, punchy, neutral, etc?
@@PassionforSound I listen almost exclusively to what might be described as "hotel bar jazz" (Cyrus Chestnut's "Blues for Nita," e.g.) with a heavy premium on nimble liquidity right at the crossover between the upper mids and highs. A really good piano performance should sting just a tiny, tiny, tiny little bit in the note-decay because the strings are supposed to rattle a bit as they die out. My main system is a Hiby R4 with some minor ultra-high-end emphasis as set using their proprietary EQ ("MSEB"), playing into an SMSL with EQ set to "tone," and running a somewhat woolly but imminently companionable pair of PSB Alpha T20 minitowers. Known for their improbable bass performance, the thing that impresses me personally about the PSBs is that they can be very clear through that upper mid / tweeter region, but without being the tiniest bit in-your-face about it. The difference between stainless steel and old-fashioned galvanized metal. So I'm eager for that in my headset as well: notable agility in the 800Hz - 2kHz range, but without the usual drawback of excessive sibilance. [Most of the kit that gets described to me as "sparkly," for example, always strikes me as too sibilant.] But the other factor is that I *would* also be using these as a headset -- so if the Sundara's don't allow for addition of a microphone, that makes it much easier.
Thanks for the clarity around your tastes. I wish I remembered the Sundaras better! However, I have a feeling that the Anser might be a better fit for you. Or, if you have a bit more to spend, the Meze 105 AER could also be nice. What got me thinking of the 105s is that the Meze Boom Mic was released at the same time and will work beautifully with the Sundaras, Ansers or 105s. Here's a link to the Boom Mic: bit.ly/MezeMic
I'm curious about the AER name - is this some kind of collaboration with the German acoustic amplifier company? They make the some of the best (and most expensive) guitar amplifiers....
Hi! There și no connection, between the Aer name in 105's and the German Amplifier company. The word aer is air in romanian. As far as I know the headphones are produced 100% by meze, including the driver, which is based of 109 pro.
@@gavinxq1224 Nanos to! I still have a 30 day return policy but I do love my Nanos. I had the Sundaras before and the bass on the Nanos is soooo much better !
@@ajayrajkumar3505That's fantastic! Even though the paint peeled off easily from Nano but the sound is the best in all the headphones I ever tried! Coming from hd600, k361 and others. And it's silver, matches my Toppings too! 🎉😙
@rociojuega711 that's an interesting question. The SV023 would be an interesting comparison, but not one I've tried as yet. The P2 Pro is a very different sound - much richer sounding and not quite as tonally balanced.
I have no idea why the 109s were that popular… those who like them MUST be old people with hearing loss 🤡 bloody thing is BRIGHT BRIGHT BRIGHT if not BRIGHTER
The 105 is a touch brighter if anything so I doubt you'll enjoy that if you disliked the 109s. Interestingly, I didn't much like the 109s when I first heard them at a show, but I loved them once I got a pair in for review in a quiet environment so that might be something to consider depending on where you heard them.
urggh, Im a silver type of guy, the only thing that prevents me buying an aer is the colorway. hope they can build somthing silver. but this looks bad-ass for dark mode desk setup
They're really not both according to the measurements and my ears (admittedly we do all hear a little differently). They definitely have some treble emphasis, but I didn't hear them as at all emphasised in the bass and the measurements suggest the same.
It really never fails to impress me just how toxic your comments section literally always are and how the negative comments are always the ones that get the most likes...Hope you're doing well man
Thank you. It does get a bit rough sometimes, especially when I dare to share my subjective experiences of those products that some believe can't possibly make a difference. I really appreciate the kind words! 🙏♥️
I disagree. For a microphone designed for video calls or gaming chat, it's one of the best I've heard. You can't compare to my normal audio because that's a studio grade mic passing through a proper audio interface.
@@PassionforSound just comparing it with the sound quality of discord chats with some of my friends who have less than stellar mic quality, these still sound worse imo.
@Mihke many of the video chat systems will be processing the sound with compression so it's not a direct comparison. I've tried lots of different mics (ModMic 2, ModMic Wireless, wireless headphones and earphones) and the Meze boom mic is the very best I've heard
Hi! Great review!! With a portable dac like cobalt, do you think it will be a huge difference between these 2 105 and 109 pro? With what kind of gear the differences will be significant? Thanks!
That's a great question!
Because of the slightly different tonality caused by the extra treble in the 105s, there'll be slight differences on all gear, but in terms of technicalities, I'd say the 105s are all you'd need with the Cobalt. At an educated guess, I think you'd need to be using a $500+ DAC and headphone amp or separates to start getting the most from the 109s compared to the 105s.
@PassionforSound Thanks a lot for your answer. In this case I will go for 105. I think it will be a good step from 99 neo that I own. It will be my first open back. At the moment, I am not very inclined to invest in a lot of equipment. I watched a lot of videos. I'm not very experienced with this hobby, but I like good audio. In time probably I will probably buy some higher end models and dacs. Best Regards.
One man's sparkly treble is another man's instant product return.
depend on recording sparkly can turn into hot needles :)
@@soulfulfool or worse!
True, high treble is instant rejection for me due to tinnitus 😢
exactly why i returned the 109 Pro's after listening for 5 minutes! Way too spicy...hoping the Aer's fixed that.
@@G00dH0uR83 oh I think you wasnt the only one, there was a time when used market was filled with those
I have the 99 Neo's in the office with the boom mic and the 109's at home. I have been considering these but hearing your take on the difference, I think I will save up and consider either the Hifiman Organic or the Unveiled.
There's no point getting these to go alongside a pair of 109s, but the Arya Unveiled could be a great choice. They're an impressive headphone (review coming soon)
105 to me sounded as if the 99 Classics and 109Pro were meeting halfway. Warmer tonality of the 99 with better technicalities. Technically a bit less capable than the 109 but tonality is more 'traditional Meze' being lush and warm. At this price IMO the 105 is a real bargain.
I agree that it's a great deal, but I'm curious about people hearing it as warmer given that they measure and sound VERY close to the 109s to me. (And I measured after listening)
Hi! In techs (resolution, scene, dynamics) IS better than Ananda Nano?
I don't think it's better. Perhaps about the same.
When I saw those new ones I was like..damn, have I made a huge mistake ordering the 109's? Then I realized that those 105's are 400€ and I got the 109's for 540€ (BF deal). So no regrets at all
But you can always get 105 cheaper, just saying. 😂
Great deal and you've got the comfortably better headphone in my opinion.
I wonder if Meze will release a closed back in between 99 Classics and the Lyric? I'm looking forward to your opinion of the new Focals...
That would be cool to get a closed back.
I need to follow-up on the new Focals.
Great review as always!
I'm glad you liked it!
I'm listening your video with my 105 AER and I totally agree :)
Nice! Thanks for confirming what I'm hearing. I always like to hear when I'm describing things accurately so I know I'm making sense. 😁
I am excited about these, thanks for this review….. One of my favorite reviewers. I been wanting the 109’s, I just have not wanted to spend that much….. How would you compare these 105’s to the Focal Elex?
I haven't tried the Elex, but the 105s are really excellent IMO.
@@PassionforSound You really should try them if you can. For me, the Elex is like a baby og Utopia with a little less refinement. The dynamics are off the chart for its price class. There were some reliability issues when they were first introduced but I think that they have sorted that out. My pair has been great from day one!
Just tested the one 105 and the 109 today. Both great headphones and listening to the 105 first I really loved it, then going to the one 09‘s you realise that yes the 109 is the superior headset with a very similar sound signature but Justin improved version all the one 05 is a slightly downgraded version but they are still very close and the one 09 isn’t necessarily two times better although it’s two times the price depending on your budget. You can’t go wrong but of course the one 09’s are a bit more lively with more separation and that’s what I loved about the most.
Thanks for sharing your experiences with them both. I'm glad you got to try them for yourself.
I would like to know more about the soundstage, is it similar to the 109?
Also, would a Moondrop Dawn pro be good enough to pair with these?
Good question! I actually realised after I produced this that I didn't discuss soundstage. The reason is that they are very similar to the 109s as you guessed. The 109s provide a little more separation and therefore sense of space around the instruments, but the total soundstage size is about the same which is to say they're very good for the price.
unfortunately Verum 2 is not readily available to purchase
Interesting you say the 109 reflects the source gear more than the 105, when another review I just watched said the opposite- and went so far as to say the 105 changed the most with amp used of ALL Meze models.
I think there's some miscommunication here or misinterpretation. My point is that the 109s are more resolving and transparent so they deliver more detail, resolution and nuance which will help you to understand the capabilities of the source device better.
With the 105s having that slightly brighter treble, they could create a bit more room for warmer/richer sounding source chains to make them more enjoyable if someone doesn't like that much treble. I think that's what we're each saying and I would agree if that's the case.
hello, I had the Meze 109 pro, so far the best headphones I have tested with the Fiio Q 15 amplifier, now I want to buy the Meze 105, what will be the difference?
The 109s are a better version of the 105s. They're not different enough that I'd recommend owning both.
While I’ve always loved the look of Meze headphones and understand that some of their cost is wrapped up into the build and looks, you can find their sonic equals for half the cost!
Re Hifiman's flex on the market, I agree. Although my hifiman's suffer in terms of build quality, and all but the flagships seem built to last more than a couple years as a daily driver, which is too bad
I think there's something to be said for the tonal balance in the 105s and 109s that you can't get with the HiFiMans. Both brands make great headphones, but I think they offer different sound rather than either being clearly better.
A logical assumption, but I have heard the 105, and would be shocked if you could find its sonic equal for half the price. I have actually not heard its equal at the same price (but have not heard every $400 headphone under the sun).
@@DJ_DJ It’s an educated assumption based on previous experience with Meze headphones. I haven’t heard the 105 and the Liric II yet but I’ve heard the rest of their offerings. My opinion on them has been consistent across their entire line.
What would you consider a sonic equal to the 109s at half the cost, Arthur?
Waiting for Arya unveiled. Another one I will never own. 😅
I'm keen for those too... 🍿
I haven't watched the whole video yet but did you assess this one against the Hifiman Sundara? Everybody seems all hot-to-trot on me getting that one, but I can't audition anything before I commit because I live in Phnom Penh. (If this is obnoxious -- because the video is just starting, as I write this -- just keep right on scrollin' by, hahaha.)
Unfortunately, I don't own the Sundaras anymore so I didn't compare them directly, but they also sound quite different. How do you want the headphones to sound? Warm, rush, punchy, neutral, etc?
@@PassionforSound I listen almost exclusively to what might be described as "hotel bar jazz" (Cyrus Chestnut's "Blues for Nita," e.g.) with a heavy premium on nimble liquidity right at the crossover between the upper mids and highs. A really good piano performance should sting just a tiny, tiny, tiny little bit in the note-decay because the strings are supposed to rattle a bit as they die out.
My main system is a Hiby R4 with some minor ultra-high-end emphasis as set using their proprietary EQ ("MSEB"), playing into an SMSL with EQ set to "tone," and running a somewhat woolly but imminently companionable pair of PSB Alpha T20 minitowers. Known for their improbable bass performance, the thing that impresses me personally about the PSBs is that they can be very clear through that upper mid / tweeter region, but without being the tiniest bit in-your-face about it. The difference between stainless steel and old-fashioned galvanized metal. So I'm eager for that in my headset as well: notable agility in the 800Hz - 2kHz range, but without the usual drawback of excessive sibilance. [Most of the kit that gets described to me as "sparkly," for example, always strikes me as too sibilant.]
But the other factor is that I *would* also be using these as a headset -- so if the Sundara's don't allow for addition of a microphone, that makes it much easier.
Thanks for the clarity around your tastes. I wish I remembered the Sundaras better! However, I have a feeling that the Anser might be a better fit for you. Or, if you have a bit more to spend, the Meze 105 AER could also be nice.
What got me thinking of the 105s is that the Meze Boom Mic was released at the same time and will work beautifully with the Sundaras, Ansers or 105s.
Here's a link to the Boom Mic: bit.ly/MezeMic
I'm curious about the AER name - is this some kind of collaboration with the German acoustic amplifier company? They make the some of the best (and most expensive) guitar amplifiers....
Hi! There și no connection, between the Aer name in 105's and the German Amplifier company. The word aer is air in romanian. As far as I know the headphones are produced 100% by meze, including the driver, which is based of 109 pro.
That's correct. AER refers to air and is meant to describe how open and airy the 105s sound and feel.
My hifiman anandas literally arrived yesterday DOH!!!
Which version? Me literally wearing Nano now. 😝
@@gavinxq1224 Nanos to! I still have a 30 day return policy but I do love my Nanos. I had the Sundaras before and the bass on the Nanos is soooo much better !
@@ajayrajkumar3505That's fantastic! Even though the paint peeled off easily from Nano but the sound is the best in all the headphones I ever tried! Coming from hd600, k361 and others. And it's silver, matches my Toppings too! 🎉😙
Yep, nothing wrong with the Nanos at all! You'll love them.
how do these compare to the Harmonic Dyne Zeus Elite?
They're more tonally balanced IMO. I haven't compared them directly though to discuss the technical performance.
@@PassionforSoundthanks for the reply!
How these compare to the Sivga P2 pro and SV023?
@rociojuega711 that's an interesting question. The SV023 would be an interesting comparison, but not one I've tried as yet. The P2 Pro is a very different sound - much richer sounding and not quite as tonally balanced.
Nice reference tracks Jesus Molina is unreal as a musician
He's awesome. Have you seen his video on @pianote ? th-cam.com/video/rnGyL7_t0Nc/w-d-xo.htmlsi=VBmmGEEiAW2WA8k2
I have no idea why the 109s were that popular… those who like them MUST be old people with hearing loss 🤡 bloody thing is BRIGHT BRIGHT BRIGHT if not BRIGHTER
AGREED! I never understood either...suck a wonky tuning. This one sounds much more promising.
The 105 is a touch brighter if anything so I doubt you'll enjoy that if you disliked the 109s.
Interestingly, I didn't much like the 109s when I first heard them at a show, but I loved them once I got a pair in for review in a quiet environment so that might be something to consider depending on where you heard them.
urggh, Im a silver type of guy, the only thing that prevents me buying an aer is the colorway. hope they can build somthing silver. but this looks bad-ass for dark mode desk setup
The 109's are overpriced imo.
Still extremely V shaped so not great for mids and vocals
They're really not both according to the measurements and my ears (admittedly we do all hear a little differently).
They definitely have some treble emphasis, but I didn't hear them as at all emphasised in the bass and the measurements suggest the same.
Not V shaped enough for my consideration, I'll stick with 99s
That, I would agree with 😁 (not the preferences - I like the 105 tuning better, but the 99s are absolutely more v-shaped)
It really never fails to impress me just how toxic your comments section literally always are and how the negative comments are always the ones that get the most likes...Hope you're doing well man
Thank you. It does get a bit rough sometimes, especially when I dare to share my subjective experiences of those products that some believe can't possibly make a difference.
I really appreciate the kind words! 🙏♥️
don't like a Gypsy frying pan style......
Are you referring to the headband design?
To aer is human.
😂
the mic audio quality is less than impressive
I disagree. For a microphone designed for video calls or gaming chat, it's one of the best I've heard. You can't compare to my normal audio because that's a studio grade mic passing through a proper audio interface.
@@PassionforSound just comparing it with the sound quality of discord chats with some of my friends who have less than stellar mic quality, these still sound worse imo.
@Mihke many of the video chat systems will be processing the sound with compression so it's not a direct comparison. I've tried lots of different mics (ModMic 2, ModMic Wireless, wireless headphones and earphones) and the Meze boom mic is the very best I've heard
Another elitist pair of headphones targeting elitists.
The meze does make the elite but nobody's stopping you from buying the 109 neo cheaper model or something like Austrian audio.
You're about $2k lite for the elitist 😂 Chill dude