Meze 99 Classic Closed Back Headphones Gold & Walnut

The Meze 99 Classics are nothing short of superb. I am a professional musician and, for want of a better word, demanding when it comes to audio equipment.For a number of years I have been searching for headphones which are simply able to reproduce what is in the original recording, with all the details and not too much colouring. I have owned Sennheiser HD 430 (amazing for 32 years - 600 Ohm), Beyerdynamid Amiron home (which I still have, and enjoy, even though the mid range is too forward for piano recordings therefore picking up the odd frequency and "booming" it) and B&W PX7 (which are very good for travelling but not necessarily for critical listening). In the Meze I have found a headphone which is clear, simple and very enjoyable, with absolutely no downside, ... MoreThe Meze 99 Classics are nothing short of superb. I am a professional musician and, for want of a better word, demanding when it comes to audio equipment.For a number of years I have been searching for headphones which are simply able to reproduce what is in the original recording, with all the details and not too much colouring. I have owned Sennheiser HD 430 (amazing for 32 years - 600 Ohm), Beyerdynamid Amiron home (which I still have, and enjoy, even though the mid range is too forward for piano recordings therefore picking up the odd frequency and "booming" it) and B&W PX7 (which are very good for travelling but not necessarily for critical listening). In the Meze I have found a headphone which is clear, simple and very enjoyable, with absolutely no downside, not only in the faithful sound reproduction but also in the wonderful comfort (I can wear them for hours with no problem), the protective case (excellent) and the provided connections. I am not usually one for cosmetic appearance, but they also look gorgeous with the walnut earcups. Very happy experience, very happy customer. I would not hesitate to recommend these to anybody. Well done Meze!

In a time where there is so much choice, it becomes increasing difficult to narrow down a purchase to one product and be assured you made the right decision. Meze Audio in partnership with DROP has assembled a compelling product.I was not shopping by price but wanted a product that checked all the boxes. As I plan on relocating to another part of the world, I have to simplify and reduce what I own. I needed a portable audio solution that did not skimp on quality and felt premium in looks and operation. The 99 product line is the real deal. I have owned numerous headsets but the instant comfort of the 99 is shocking. Instant comfort and no complaints. The headphones were installed with the newer/larger ear cup.To ensure I had everything I needed, I ordered the 3 ... MoreIn a time where there is so much choice, it becomes increasing difficult to narrow down a purchase to one product and be assured you made the right decision. Meze Audio in partnership with DROP has assembled a compelling product.I was not shopping by price but wanted a product that checked all the boxes. As I plan on relocating to another part of the world, I have to simplify and reduce what I own. I needed a portable audio solution that did not skimp on quality and felt premium in looks and operation. The 99 product line is the real deal. I have owned numerous headsets but the instant comfort of the 99 is shocking. Instant comfort and no complaints. The headphones were installed with the newer/larger ear cup.To ensure I had everything I needed, I ordered the 3 meter cable to provide extra distance when working at my desk. Meze created a timeless headphone and look forward to years of enjoyment.UPDATE: Having had several days of listening pleasure, I wanted to add some important context.Many of the reviews speak to these headphones not requiring an amplifier (Apple DAC cable) - which is true. However, these headphones shine when paired to a quality headphone amp. The drivers shine with a nice dose of extra power resulting in a livelier soundstage. I pulled several songs from Steely Dan's catalogue and the sound signature changed for the better. The treble and midrange are more pronounced when the headphones are given the additional power.Note: The headphones came with the larger ear cups installed and for me I was getting a strong reverberation in the soundstage. Swapping to smaller ear cups removed this completely.

I owned the Meze 99 Neo prior to the 99 Noir. The Neo is fun with constant warmth. Bass is bigger with the Neo. The 99 Noir is a more serious sounding headphone in terms of sound details, soundstage, mids, treble and vocals. Despite the similarities, the 99 Noir is a different headphone that can be used in a studio. The 99 Noir is a better, more accurate headphone than the 99 Neo.I read that the 99 Noir compares favorably to Sennheiser headphones. I own the HD 560S: this reference headphone provides tremendous detail, with sound that reminds me of a piano with the sustain pedal depressed. Everything in the 560S sound is connected- clear separate notes, soft overtones, within a respectable soundstage. The Meze Noir sound is like releasing the piano's sustain pedal- ... MoreI owned the Meze 99 Neo prior to the 99 Noir. The Neo is fun with constant warmth. Bass is bigger with the Neo. The 99 Noir is a more serious sounding headphone in terms of sound details, soundstage, mids, treble and vocals. Despite the similarities, the 99 Noir is a different headphone that can be used in a studio. The 99 Noir is a better, more accurate headphone than the 99 Neo.I read that the 99 Noir compares favorably to Sennheiser headphones. I own the HD 560S: this reference headphone provides tremendous detail, with sound that reminds me of a piano with the sustain pedal depressed. Everything in the 560S sound is connected- clear separate notes, soft overtones, within a respectable soundstage. The Meze Noir sound is like releasing the piano's sustain pedal- the soft overtones disappear but everything else remains. Both headphones aspire to legendary status and both succeed.4 stars instead of 5 because the bass is not as strong, defined, nor tight. This could be due to the need for a break in period or the slight fuzziness inherent in wood, walnut cups. The bass is still pretty good and it is balanced, not overwhelming. These have real walnut wood cups in comparison to the soft plastic feel of the Neos. The wire is good for portability and it has a single button to take phone calls. The provided case is perfect and beautiful. The extra pads are a nice extra.Tremendous package for a headphone exuding inside out beauty.

This is the most I have paid for a pair of headphones (I think even my Sony WH1000 XM3s were a little cheaper) and therefore was a little worried about how the Meze 99 Classics would appeal to me. The short answer is that I absolutely enjoy the sound and am very happy with the purchase.A slightly longer version would be that the Meze 99 Classics' are a "fun" pair of headphones. I listen to a lot of different genres of music - 80s/90s Rock, Metal, Mollywood, Kollywood, Carnatic and EDM - and the Mezes have been able to handle all of them well. I prefer to have a decent amount of bass and these headphones dont disappoint. The bass is just right for my music listening preferences. The mids are good as well. I would have preferred a little more on the higher ... MoreThis is the most I have paid for a pair of headphones (I think even my Sony WH1000 XM3s were a little cheaper) and therefore was a little worried about how the Meze 99 Classics would appeal to me. The short answer is that I absolutely enjoy the sound and am very happy with the purchase.A slightly longer version would be that the Meze 99 Classics' are a "fun" pair of headphones. I listen to a lot of different genres of music - 80s/90s Rock, Metal, Mollywood, Kollywood, Carnatic and EDM - and the Mezes have been able to handle all of them well. I prefer to have a decent amount of bass and these headphones dont disappoint. The bass is just right for my music listening preferences. The mids are good as well. I would have preferred a little more on the higher frequencies but that is not a deal breaker. I honestly dont know much about audiophile equipment to comment on things like soundstage, but when I switch from my WH 1000MX3s or even the newer WF 1000XM4s, I can hear a clear difference in how the sound is reproduced. The only wired IEMs I have are the KZ ZS10 Pro and the Blon BL03 and in comparison, the Mezes are way better (very unfair to compare but those are the only references I have :))Bottom line - If you have about 30k to spend and are looking for some excellent daily drivers for music listening, the Meze 99 Classics are definitely worth considering.PS - I pair these with the Shanling UA1 Pro dongle

intially they were quite uncomfortable, but then i swapped the ear pads for the other pair in the box and now they are very comfortable. i can't wear them in bed or a high backed chair as the metal frame rubs and makes a sound. the corded cable rubs against the zip on favourite fleece and makes a noise, so that's a problem too. once you work out how the headband works, that's quite comfortable. the mic/controls seem pointless and don't work with any of the dacs i have. why a 5 star then?after using them for sometime, so presumably having worn them in, i realised i was really enjoying the sound, instead of listening to the headphones, i was listening to the music!the problem with being a headphone fan is that you tend to pick up some of the blarney used by ... Moreintially they were quite uncomfortable, but then i swapped the ear pads for the other pair in the box and now they are very comfortable. i can't wear them in bed or a high backed chair as the metal frame rubs and makes a sound. the corded cable rubs against the zip on favourite fleece and makes a noise, so that's a problem too. once you work out how the headband works, that's quite comfortable. the mic/controls seem pointless and don't work with any of the dacs i have. why a 5 star then?after using them for sometime, so presumably having worn them in, i realised i was really enjoying the sound, instead of listening to the headphones, i was listening to the music!the problem with being a headphone fan is that you tend to pick up some of the blarney used by reviewers. i'm not saying air/highs/mids/lows/resolving and all that isn't important, but after a while i found myself listening out for these things, rather than enjoying the music. you get the same thing with wine; stone fruit, metal, petrol!?! it's wine, does it taste nice? then have another glass.at some point i realised i was enjoying music, without analysing the sound and i think that's the most important thing. if you like music, you might like these headphones.*my star rating is not a comparison against all other headphones ever made, nor even the ones i own, just a reflection of my emotional response to listening to music.

Best for people who want a reliable and simple solution

I use headphones for playing video games, watching movies, and occasionally listening to songs - basically content consumption.I wanted to buy the Beyerdynamic DT 990 pro or the Hifiman Sundara. Apparently, both of them need a dedicated Amp to work well. This world of Amps and Dacs and impedances and audiophile bs was too overwhelming for me. The more i tried to understand, the deeper it pulled me in and left me more confused than before. I had no idea what Amps to buy and how to use them and all that. I did not want to put myself through the headache any longer. Hence, I chose this model.This worked out great for me at the end, because I am in love with these headphones. They are better than the DT990 pro or Sundara would've been for my use case (video games, ... MoreI use headphones for playing video games, watching movies, and occasionally listening to songs - basically content consumption.I wanted to buy the Beyerdynamic DT 990 pro or the Hifiman Sundara. Apparently, both of them need a dedicated Amp to work well. This world of Amps and Dacs and impedances and audiophile bs was too overwhelming for me. The more i tried to understand, the deeper it pulled me in and left me more confused than before. I had no idea what Amps to buy and how to use them and all that. I did not want to put myself through the headache any longer. Hence, I chose this model.This worked out great for me at the end, because I am in love with these headphones. They are better than the DT990 pro or Sundara would've been for my use case (video games, movies). I don't need worry about buying an Amp or Dac or fiddling with my EQ. I do none of that. I just plug these in and they work fantastic. They have mic too so they're good for calls. They work well even connected to a phone because they don't need the extra Amp juice.For people with my use case and are looking for a reliable option that just works, it doesn't get any better than this. Any further than this is audiophile territory and that's murky with all the extra accessories required. 10/10 would recommend.I wear specs. Despite being closed back, these headphones don't press on my ears causing discomfort. After 2/3 hours, they get a bit uncomfortable, but that goes away if I remove them to take a break for a minute or so and come back and put them on. It will then be good for another 2/3 hours.

Detailed sound without sounding harsh or critical(after burn in)

The difference before & after burn in is quite a lot. Fresh out the box, they sounded HORRIBLE ! I am coming from an audio technica M40X which is half the price of this unit. I was expecting atleast a 40-50% improvement for this price.Out of the box, it sounded so bad i wanted to throw it in the bin. the high mids were sounding choked , like something holding back the high-mids with a brickwall limiter ( u cant correct this with EQ ). the bass also had one lousy big "lumpy" node. always resonating at 180 or 200HZ ( as u can guess, i have a good background in mixing). Thankfully, i did not return these phones & decided to give them a chance with burn in for 2 days. then, there it was !A nicely detailed sound where u can hear the smallest details , especially on ... MoreThe difference before & after burn in is quite a lot. Fresh out the box, they sounded HORRIBLE ! I am coming from an audio technica M40X which is half the price of this unit. I was expecting atleast a 40-50% improvement for this price.Out of the box, it sounded so bad i wanted to throw it in the bin. the high mids were sounding choked , like something holding back the high-mids with a brickwall limiter ( u cant correct this with EQ ). the bass also had one lousy big "lumpy" node. always resonating at 180 or 200HZ ( as u can guess, i have a good background in mixing). Thankfully, i did not return these phones & decided to give them a chance with burn in for 2 days. then, there it was !A nicely detailed sound where u can hear the smallest details , especially on finely record acoustic guitar music. I rarely find headphones which can reproduce the natural high frequencies of acoustic guitars , most sound brittle or hyped. but these phones give out a smooth high end on ac gtrs. they also reveal strange levels of detail in all my fav songs. I suddenly started noticing the sound of the guitar pick hitting the strings, the amplifier sweetly humming inbetween the notes by mark knofler & even the smallest background vocals( & their reverb!) on my fav red hot chilli peppers songs. It is interesting to note these headphones reveal so much of detail without being overly sensitive in the high mids & without sounding critical . admittedly, these phones have slightly subdued high-mids which means less ear fatigue.The only downside is: the bass is not exactly great. u have a good amount of bass, yes, but they dont have clearly defined notes. more like they fill the space & Add some weight to the song. which is more than enough for EDM.obviously, they look fantastic. real wood & gold pairing is always a classic.

Disappearing into a world of my own

I bought these beautiful headphones about a fortnight ago and I'm absolutely delighted with them. I had some very old headphones but I found I struggled to adjust them to be comfortable and made even more complicated by the fact that I wear spectacles. Now the first thing I noticed after opening the beautiful packaging is that there are no adjustments and they fit perfectly. The audio engineering is superb but so is the ergonomic engineering. As I've implicated already the sound quality is excellent and I'm enjoying the immersive experience of really enjoying my music totally undisturbed by the outside world.On examining the packaging one surprising thing gave me great joy and that is that Meze is based in Romania. Just over 30 years ago I travelled with ... MoreI bought these beautiful headphones about a fortnight ago and I'm absolutely delighted with them. I had some very old headphones but I found I struggled to adjust them to be comfortable and made even more complicated by the fact that I wear spectacles. Now the first thing I noticed after opening the beautiful packaging is that there are no adjustments and they fit perfectly. The audio engineering is superb but so is the ergonomic engineering. As I've implicated already the sound quality is excellent and I'm enjoying the immersive experience of really enjoying my music totally undisturbed by the outside world.On examining the packaging one surprising thing gave me great joy and that is that Meze is based in Romania. Just over 30 years ago I travelled with colleagues to Romania as part of a medical mission, a little after the uprising in the country. I saw a country down on its knees but the people were intelligent, welcoming and many spoke excellent english (which was a real bonus), and they were well educated and wanted to learn more and change. It is now a real joy to see world-leading products coming out of that country.

Huge improvement in sound - jury's out on comfort

I've been settling in with my Mezes for a month or so now and I'm really happy with the improvement in sound quality compared to my old AKG K550s, which sound a bit thin by comparison. I listened to the 99s alongside the Sennheiser HD660S, the Hifiman Sundara and the Beyerdynamic Amiron. The Amirons were really uncomfortable so they were straight off the list. I thought the Sennheisers sounded really subdued compared to the Sundaras and the 99s so I cast them aside too - with some surprise (and relief, since they're £150 more). I couldn't separate the last two on sound quality - they both sound fantastic to me. But the Mezes just edged it on comfort so I went with them. Much as I love the warmth and depth of the sound, there's no doubt that the bass is quite full - ... MoreI've been settling in with my Mezes for a month or so now and I'm really happy with the improvement in sound quality compared to my old AKG K550s, which sound a bit thin by comparison. I listened to the 99s alongside the Sennheiser HD660S, the Hifiman Sundara and the Beyerdynamic Amiron. The Amirons were really uncomfortable so they were straight off the list. I thought the Sennheisers sounded really subdued compared to the Sundaras and the 99s so I cast them aside too - with some surprise (and relief, since they're £150 more). I couldn't separate the last two on sound quality - they both sound fantastic to me. But the Mezes just edged it on comfort so I went with them. Much as I love the warmth and depth of the sound, there's no doubt that the bass is quite full - a bit too full occasionally, I'd say. I've heard that a balanced cable and different pads might help to address this. But so far I've resisted going down that rabbit hole...The 99s look great, I think, and the build quality is clearly excellent. My only other reservation is long-term comfort. My ears were a bit sore after 45 mins or so in a couple of listening sessions. I tried various positions and they seem a bit more comfortable when the band is a bit further forward on my (rather large, it has to be said) head. The seal seems strongest there too. The discomfort is definitely less in this new position but I'm not confident it's gone completely. This, along with the big bass, is why I've given them four rather than five stars.

MEZE EMPYREAN ELITE AND CALBLE UPGRADE TO COPPER

I have the Abyss Diana Phi version and like it a lot. But every so often it is just a little too much in the higher frequency spectrum. I run it with the Auris NIrvana head amp with Mullard tube upgrades and Hugo2 DAC as my desktop system. Long story long, listening to the tube successful tube upgrades I was wondering if an alternative headphone would give me more of a neutral/slightly warm sound. But I did not want to loose too much of what I like about the Abyss. Well, I contacted Justin and he recommended Meze. With the return policy he offers I went ahead and went for the Elite. And I am happy now, a bold statement for an audiophile who is vested in the “hobby”. First, I can listen to everything for hours without fatigue. The headphones still provide a huge ... MoreI have the Abyss Diana Phi version and like it a lot. But every so often it is just a little too much in the higher frequency spectrum. I run it with the Auris NIrvana head amp with Mullard tube upgrades and Hugo2 DAC as my desktop system. Long story long, listening to the tube successful tube upgrades I was wondering if an alternative headphone would give me more of a neutral/slightly warm sound. But I did not want to loose too much of what I like about the Abyss. Well, I contacted Justin and he recommended Meze. With the return policy he offers I went ahead and went for the Elite. And I am happy now, a bold statement for an audiophile who is vested in the “hobby”. First, I can listen to everything for hours without fatigue. The headphones still provide a huge amount of details, but are warmer voiced; or shall I say more neutral. The bass is excellent, does even go deeper than the Diana. The midrange is absolutely stunning, and here the music plays and is driving emotions. Overall, the sound is amazing but with all the investment $s it should! And before I forget, the build quality and beauty are outstanding also. Congrats on a SOTA headphone amp and to Justin for his knowledge. I did only use the upgraded Meze copper cable.