In their essence, Empyrean and Elite are sound-emitting art objects for the head that transport their wearer to a mystical parallel universe where music has retained all the supernatural attributes regaled upon it in the tales of yore. Or something very close to that… anyway.
Roon Ready Writeups returns with part three of our Meze earphones and headphones series. Part one highlighted the Rai Penta and Advar in-ear monitors, while Part two featured their closed-back models, the Liric, 99 Neo, and 99 Classics. In this segment, we’ll explore their flagship open-back models – the revolutionary Empyrean and Elite.
Meze’s Hypnotic Allure
In the lead-up to this review, I wondered if it was possible to discuss these models without unwittingly stepping in a pile of hyperbole. Meze’s Empyrean and Elite headphones are some of the most innovative planar magnetic headphone designs the world has to offer. But for all its accuracy, that statement utterly fails to communicate the euphoria of handling and listening to them. These products practically beg the beholder to go off the deep end descriptively. It’s as if some secret hypnotic force within their enclosures urges the writer on. In their essence, Empyrean and Elite are sound-emitting art objects for the head that transport their wearer to a mystical parallel universe where music has retained all the supernatural attributes regaled upon it in the tales of yore. Or something very close to that… anyway.
Beauty and innovation in every detail
If Meze Audio needed to communicate its aesthetic and acoustic ethos with a single product, either of these headphones would exceed the requirements. Both result from their ongoing success in teaming up with Rinaro Isodynamics of Ukraine. Rinaro has been a fixture at the forefront of planar magnetic research and development since the 1980s. It’s a partnership built on curiosity, experimentation, and daring. The Empyrean and Elite exemplify the culmination of 30 years of intense acoustic research packed into designs that check every box, sonically and stylistically.
Every element of these headphones is purpose-built for unparalleled performance. Meze’s characteristic attention to detail is on full display here. Empyrean and Elite come housed in a striking aluminum flight case with high-quality accessories. Not surprisingly, the stock OFC cables that accompanied the headphones were of exceptional quality. Unlike other audio companies that skimp on trimmings, Meze’s presentation is elegant, tacitly conveying respect and appreciation for their customers.
The chassis of these headphones is ingeniously milled from a single piece of precision aluminum. The skeletal grillwork isn’t just beautiful; it increases airflow and driver performance. The exceptionally lightweight carbon steel frame and unique pressure distribution headband design balance weight evenly, ensuring maximum comfort. The hybrid Alcantara and leather pads provide a cozy luxurious musical space that invites hours of relaxed listening. The ultra-thick earpads are held firmly in place by the driver’s magnetic system, making changing out ear pads an effortless task. There’s nothing left to improve in terms of form and fit.
Empyrean and Elite represent the absolute apex of planar magnetic technology. Both feature first-of-their-kind hybrid dual driver arrays that are hand assembled by Rinaro exclusively for Meze. The dual voice coil configuration improves the sound intensity distribution and creates a balanced response across the entire frequency spectrum.
The larger switchback coil generates the low-end frequencies and is positioned in the upper part of the driver. The spiral coil delivers middle-high frequencies and is set directly in front of the ear canal, improving auditory perception in those ranges. The ovoid earcups conform to the ear’s natural anatomy and sound processing, enabling sound waves to enter the ear without any time delays or image slurring.
The soundstage of both headphones is quite copious; their ample breadth lends additional dimension to the sound, much like listening to high-end speakers in a room but without the environmental tone coloring.
Empyrean and Elite feature captivating, vivid sound. There’s great heft and body to the voicing, but it maintains an exceptionally even balance that provides plenty of instrumental space across a wide frequency range. High-range extension feels airy yet natural and balanced. The same holds true for the mids and the low end making them perfect for reproducing complexly layered music and critical listening – no matter your choice of music.
Listening Notes
I demoed each track with the Empyrean, followed by the Elite, to closely examine the sonic differences between the models. Selections were played through Chord’s Hugo 2 portable DAC with the EQ and Crossfeed features set to “off.”
Simon & Garfunkel – Scarborough Fair/Canticle from Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, And Thyme
Empyrean: Roon attracts fans of every genre of music. I chose this song because it’s folk-pop music with distinctive classical attributes. The soundstage created a wide vista for examining each instrument’s voice. Notes from Simon’s acoustic bloom below the delicate ring of the chimes. The harpsichord dances behind fully resolving descending bass lines. The multitracked vocals comprise a symphony of textures. Listening to the track through the Emypreans was genuinely like hearing it for the first time. I played it five or six times in a row, attempting to focus on each instrumental element individually but got swept away in the intoxicating music every time.
Elite: I admit to thinking that there couldn’t possibly be anything Elite could add to what I heard in the Empyrean, but I was wrong. Texture, timbre, and space are complex elements to capture in text. In the intro, Simon’s guitar has a slightly warmer mid-range resonance on the plucked strings. Air on the layered vocals feels slightly more pronounced. The harpsichord is crystalline and holographic in the far right channel. The descending bass line is fuller and authoritative but with less crispness than heard in the Empyrean. It feels foundational and broader through the Elites.
Charles Earland – Black Talk from Black Talk
Empyrean: Black Talk is a stunning reinterpretation of The Beatles’ Eleanor Rigby with an exhilarating drive. This one perfectly demonstrates the Empyrean’s skill at bringing a song’s essence to life. The instrumentation simmers deliciously. Melvin Spark’s hollow body jazz guitar is spunky and funky. Earland digs in, and man, let me tell you – this is what the Hammond is supposed to sound like! The trumpet and tenor and perfectly articulated. The fuzzy vibration from Person’s reed tells you everything you need to know about Meze’s detailed presentation. Idris Muhammad keeps things cooking on drums. They’re back in the mix and boxy, but that’s a characteristic of the mix – not the headphones.
Elite: The Elite added a bit of overall pop to the track, and the trumpet and tenor stepped forward in the mix. My Hammond love was further accentuated here – what a lush groove! The texture on the trumpet was more apparent. The guitar picked up some heft as well. But all of this was accomplished without artificial thickening or muddying of detail.
The Jimi Hendrix Experience – All Along the Watchtower from Electric Ladyland
Empyrean: Ok, but how do they handle Jimi’s apocalyptic take on Dylan’s pastoral original? Well, with all the detail and excitement I’d expect based on the previous selections. This track retains Jimi’s dense orchestration, but there’s more space, thanks to the Empyrean’s staging and detail. I heard either scratch or buried vocal tracks I’ve never noticed hiding in the right rear of the mix. When I consider the number of times I’ve spun Electric Ladyland, that’s an awe-inspiring feat. Jimi’s guitar multitracking brilliance is illustrated in full psychedelic technicolor, thanks to Meze!
Elite: The models’ differences were less noticeable here. Perhaps I’m still reeling from what I heard in the Empyrean, but the presentation is very similar, going from one to the other on this particular track. There may be a subtle degree of added depth in the mid-range with Elite that better showcases Jimi’s guitar prowess but it’s a very nominal difference.
Our Conclusion: The quest for perfect sound has reached its end.
Meze has carved out a unique niche among audio manufacturers, where daring and timeless artistic expression intersect with passionate innovation that exceeds all expectations. Empyrean and Elite establish a new standard, not just among audiophile headphones but in natural, accurate, life-like sound reproduction. These aren’t only the best-sounding and most comfortable headphones I’ve ever heard or worn. – they’re products of heirloom quality destined to amaze and inspire generations of music listeners. If you’re seeking headphones with unrivaled aesthetics and an accurate yet vivid and uniquely engaging sound signature, Meze should be on your shortlist. Pure magic awaits you in the Empyrean and Elite.
Tech Specs:
Empyrean
- Driver Type: Rinaro Isodynamic Hybrid Array MZ3
- Ear Cup Design: Open Back
- Frequency Range: 4Hz – 110kHz
- Impedance: 31,6 Ω
- Sensitivity: 100 dB/1 mW
- Maximum SPL: > 130 dB
- Total Harmonic Distortion (THD): < 0.1% at 1kHz
- Materials: Black Leather, Magnesium Frame
- Weight: 15.1 ounces
- Warranty period: 2 years
Elite
- Driver Type: Rinaro Isodynamic Hybrid Array MZ3SE
- Ear Cup Design: Open Back
- Frequency Range: 3Hz – 113kHz
- Impedance: 32 Ω
- Sensitivity: 101 dB/1 mW
- Maximum SPL: > 130 dB
- Total Harmonic Distortion (THD): < 0.05% at 1kHz
- Materials: Black Leather, Magnesium Frame
- Weight: 15.1 ounces
- Warranty period: 2 years
What’s in the Box
Empyrean
- Meze Empyrean Open-Back Headphones
- High-strength aluminum suitcase with foam inserts
- Two sets of earpads: one Alcantara, one Real Leather
- Serial number and Inspection certificate
- Owners Manual
- Cable options:
- 2.5m OFC Cable, 4 pin mini XLR to 6.5mm jack or
- 1.2m OFC Cable, 4 pin mini XLR to 3.5mm or
- 2.5m OFC Cable, 4 pin mini XLR to XLR
Elite
- Meze Elite Open-Back Headphones
- High-strength aluminum suitcase with foam inserts
- Two sets of earpads: one Alcantara, one HYBRID Perforated Alcantara Interior + Real Leather Exterior
- Serial number and Inspection certificate
- Owners Manual
- Cable options:
- 2.5m OFC Cable, 4 pin mini XLR to 6.5mm jack or
- 1.2m OFC Cable, 4 pin mini XLR to 3.5mm or
- 2.5m OFC Cable, 4 pin mini XLR to XLR