I have been using these for the past three months with a Schitt Mjolnir2 paired with Gungnir Multibit, worth every penny. No need to ever buy another pair of headphones again. Just stunning in every way.
Thanks for a very informative review. I've had a Meze Empyrean (purchased from HeadAmp) for a few days and it is now my favorite headphone, when using the leather pads. I prefer it over my MrSpeakers Ether 2 and Focal Stellia, although I also like the latter 2 headphones a lot. The Meze is more neutral, whereas the Ether 2 seems a bit rolled-off in the highs, while the Focal has just a bit of over-emphasis in the treble. The Empyrean has better, clearer bass and vocals than either of my other high-end headphones. I'm using the Empyrean with my Sony WM1A Walkman and Sony TAZH1ES headphone amp. The Meze sounds great with either, but a bit more detailed with the TAZH1ES. I'm happy with the balanced cable that I got with the Meze; sometimes I appreciate the extra length. I have a shorter cable on order. I chose a copper cable, as I don't feel the Empyrean needs extra brightness from silver. By the way, the definition of "Empyrean" : the highest heaven or heavenly sphere in ancient and medieval cosmology. 2021 Addendum: The Meze Empyrean is still my favorite headphone. I'm using the copper upgrade cable from Meze. My primary headphone system now includes a Chord Hugo M Scaler, Chord Qutest DAC, and a Burson Soloist 3X headphone amp. With the Empyrean, this seems to be an endgame system for me.
I demoed the Empyrean at AXPONA. They were the best cans I've ever listened through, even after listening to the flagship Audeze, Focal, Stax and Sennheiser headphones. My only issue with them is the price O.o
Thanks for the mention of our Dragon Inspire IHA-1 Tube Amplifier, @currawong! We are passionate about the Meze Empyrean headphones as well. Great video!
Hi, I have a Feliks Audio Euforia, and the Meze match wonderfully with this amp. The Meze factory has an Euforia to listen with. But the ZMF Verite open is a match too. I think I will go all European, but can anyone compare the Meze with the Verite?
I won't even go into the audio aspect of it, but one thing I can tell you: I own both the Audeze LCD-XC and the Empyrean, and the former (which weigh in about the same as the LCD-4, I believe) are SO much heavier and cumbersome that I really only use them on specific occasions (longer listening sessions when I don't want to disturb my wife), whereas I feel like picking up the Empyrean anytime even to quickly plug them into the DAP for just a couple of songs. Keep the comfort factor in mind when you make your choice.. which you might as well have made already, as I see now your post is almost one year old! ;)
The LCD-4 is very intense, in your face, bordering on bright sounding for many, and very detailed - also uncomfortable. The Meze is not particularly detail focused, and is quite relaxed and warm sounding - also very comfortable.
The Lazuli Reference cable is great with my Empyrean. It really fleshes things out and makes the drivers sonically disappear, leaving me in a cloud of music, or whatever venue that is supposed to be there. Pairing the Meze with a Dave and Niimbus amp.
Hi, I bought the Empyreans second hand, and I was warned it had less detail than say the Stax L700, others answered: you must hear it with a silver cable please. So before I received the cans with stock cable I ordered the Lavricables Grand Litz. I listened to the stock cable some days before the Grand was in the mail. With the stock cable I used the leather pads as they are called more analytical, but with the silver cable I use the velvet pads, since it doesn’t lack any detail, and why choose analytical when you can have sheer beauty? I was warned the Grand is like an Audeze Lcd-4: too heavy, but that is the photo, it is not too heavy. So I will be still a bit careful with delicate silver. My Stax L700 cable has a lot of silver in it. High end music listening seems not possible without the benefits of silver. Thanks Yoram
I would think the Kimber Axios Silver cables would also be a great choice for the Empyrean. It's highly resolving but not etchy sounding like a lot of poorly executed silver cables. On the other hand, I own the Sennheiser 800S and even with a 300B SET amp, silver is the last thing I need. I currently own the ToneKraft V.2 cable from Audio Envy and will be upgrading to V.3 when it comes out in a couple months. It's suppose to have an even more analog sound, casting a golden glow around the music. But that's probably a less than ideal match for the Empyrean. The same goes for my amp. Long story short - there's not one size that fits all in audiophile systems. What sounds great in one system may sound awful in another.
I found them very musical & pleasant but not sure it is totally accurate though. Really it is a matter of taste whether one wants accurate music reproduction or just want a musical sound via equipments adding their signature
You have a good point. I've listened to a lot of different music, and one thing I've learned is that most mastering isn't totally accurate either. Then again, what is "accurate"? That has been something argued about for decades.
@Currawong - The Ultimate Question is do they replace your Utopia's? :) I've had a chance to listen to the Empyreans for an hour in a quite environment, I've enjoyed it quite a bit, it was with a Cayin HA-300 amp, X-Sabre Pro as DAC (weakest link, that's the best the store had in stock at the time) and Soundaware A280. The sound was very natural, the headphones felt less heavy than the Utopia. I'm currently an owner of the Utopia's but I'm wondering if it's worth making a switch...
For me, re-cabled, they are better all-round headphones than the Utopias. I believe they deliver more detail too (with the same cables attached, it must be noted), though other people seem to disagree.
Not sure what compels me to think this but the design of these are a spectacle. Like sure they had the budget and they ought to for the price, but not only are they utterly singular and apparently supremely comfortable, they just are probably the hottest looking cans on the planet. Meze are just geniuses
The Meze factory has the Feliks Audio Euforia, which they like as a match. I have an Euforia, and will buy the Meze even though some say the ZMF Verite open are also well suited to the Euforia. There is a special edition Euforia, but I have not got that one.
@@cd-rom. Hi I bought a second hand Empyrean, for 2050 euro, plus paypal fee, with the original invoice, so it should have still warranty. I hope al goes well. I'll have it within a week.
They are very easy to drive, so whatever fits your budget and appeals to you. That being said, a common recommendation is the Hugo 2, as that is what Meze themselves use, as do I.
I think that the problem with the hd800s is not the distortion. But the way they try to kill the distortion. Artists sound like their children are being held by gun point when you listen to all of the HD800 headphones, there's just no heart and sincerity with hd800 mk1, 2, 3, just pure detail separated from emotions and texture, overemphasizing the structure part. But you can if you are very good, get a much better cable for the HD800's and get a really good 300b amp like a audio note meishu and mod it and run that with it. It will even make HD800's sound warm and human like almost like the Senn Orpheus, and you will not feel the normal sound that most people experience with them. (I did it once about 2 years ago, and the sound was crazy good) So when you buy a top headphone, don't think that it always has a type of sound, you can't move it away from. The senn HD800's are a very good example of that. I also like the fact that the HD800's sit on your head not touching the ears, that makes music sooooo much more enjoyable physically.
I can't remember how much I said, but did you see my D8000 Pro review? I do remember mentioning the Empyrean in it: ruclips.net/video/nIJN7y6tHyM/видео.html
Norne audio. It’s the silvergarde. Go to the norne audio website and email Trevor. He also has the silver draug to consider in a silver cable. Let Trevor know what your system is and what you are after in sound and he’s pretty good with recommendations
Very informative and relevant review. A non-sibilant and not bright, relatively easy to drive planar, with a flat extended bass? Call me interested. First I thought comparisons would include the Stax 009 with the BHSE. Based on the review I have the feeling they could sound closer to the Empyrean (for the comparison's sake) than the Utopia (a bit harder sounding) or the Hifimans (which don't sound fully coherent to me, at least some things kept me off for each of their models). On the other end, the LCD4 could be a good comparison candidate, although personally it's not my type. This could make the Empyrean the first planars I might actually like.
Am trying to work out if the joint on the side where the Meze symbol is; is it a hinge? It looks like a hinge, and I have seen some reviews show movement in it. None so far made a point about it though. All reviews show how the cups rotate, but non mention if the cups tilt. I imagine the cups do tilt, to accomodate many head shapes. However no-one I saw yet highlighted that.
Currawong I’d be interested to know what you think as you’re one of a handful of RUclips reviewers I enjoy listening to & take notice of...I use my Luxman D-80u CD player from my main system as source...
So, how are the Empy doing a couple of months later? I still think that the utopias are the sonically superior headphones. Saying that, the empy has a nice, charming v-shaped signature
Currawong Same with me, really. I still find the Utopias outstanding, despite some recent bashing going on. It seems they will have a similar fate to the HD800s... first hailed as the holy grail, and then criticized / torn apart. But I’ll stick to my opinion, they remain one (if not the) best for classical music. Thanks for having taken the time to reply :)
@@oldgeezerstechreview4048 focal is dogshit after 85dB. I've had just about all the focals, and every single one clipped. Every. Single. Focal. My LCD series does no such thing, at even 100+dB. Truly disappointing. 4 thousand dollar headphones that have a physical clipping limitation thats within human hearing levels is fucking diabolical. Great headphones tho at soft volumes. Very great
A Magni 3+ or Heresy will drive them sufficiently well, if you don't listen super loud and/or need a very high gain for quietly-recorded classical. You really want at least an Asgard 3 or Lyr 3 ideally. How loud you listen to what music is important here.
No worries. If it helps, I did a video on Schiit stacks here, though with a Modi Multibit and Bifrost as the DACs: ruclips.net/video/X2lmHLuvtnk/видео.html
Would you consider these or the Ether2 a good pairing with the Audio GD Master 11 and how would you compare the 11 with a Master 9/11 Combo? Thank you!
@Vegas Cane ...nothing better than opinionated bashing without any facts or examples from randos on the internet. Did you two morons even know that KEVIN GILMORE himself highly regards Audio GDs Master line? And if you two chumps do not know who that is than just stfu and piss off please.
@Vegas Cane I never had the Master 11 here, but I like the combination with the Master 9. I have had plenty of Audio-gd gear here and it is well-built. I agree that unfounded, generalised statements about manufacturers don't help anyone. All the manufacturers mentioned here are run by passionate, dedicated people desiring to make quality products. We are very lucky we have the amount of choice we do.
@@provisionalhypothesis Nah, the Vegas guy is from HeadFi - he is doing the same brainless bashing over there where nobody seems to like him too. The other guy is most likely his alter.
@@k-doggy1762 Hence "tiny bit" and "at times". I don't think the mojo is sterile. I have a desktop dac with multiple filters, and I enjoy the differences between a couple of them. Choice is good.
I haven't compared them directly -- only the Susvaras, and the HiFiMan headphones are brighter with less bass. The Empyreans, IMO, are better all-rounders, but if you listen to classical and jazz and the like almost exclusively you might like the HEKV2 better.
@@Currawong I've tried the empyrean with kimber kable's silver hybrid axios cable and it showed remarkable improvement. The silver improves the body while retaining the relaxing nature of the headphones.
Depends which ones. Some are noticeably quite weak. Others, which are bigger and more expensive, have good amps that can drive the Empyrean quite well.
I wouldn't recommend a BTR5 for an Empyrean. Seriously, if you're going to spend $3k on headphones, then you can surely afford a good desktop rig to use with them. If you want a portable rig, get portable gear. If want to take Empyreans with you (i.e.: You want a transportable rig) get something like an M11 Pro, Mojo, or Hugo 2.
@@Currawong thnx. i just want something that fits in pocket with bluetooth, as I already have a Dx7 Pro. would you say the Empyrean sounds better than the Arya?
Thanks! I am a complete novice when it comes to audiophile stuff. I have a Grados SR225 which I got in 2012. They sound fine plugged into my laptop but I am looking to get the most out of my music now that I am working from home more. I was wondering if you could answer a few questions: 1) Lets say I had $2500 to play around with. Is there a headphone set up you would recommend? FYI I don’t care if sound bleeds out, I’m mainly focused on audio quality. 2) Is buying an amp standard w high end headphones? 3) what is the typical headset:amp cost ratio? I.e. for espresso enthusiasts, one should spend about as much on the espresso grinder as the actual machine. High end machine w/ budget grinder = shit espresso. I’m not sure if there are parallels in the audiophile world as well. Thanks any help would be appreciated
Hi John, I use Empyrean with Feliks Elise but need to change the power tubes to Sovtek's from stock tubes. They give less pop to base. I felt the stock tubes where little bit heavy but I'm also little bit sensitive. You can use Empyreans with Feliks Elise but it's not then best match for Empyreans.
@@TheMrgonzalo05 , I'm listening Empyrean with my Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ and ifi iDSD Micro BL and those are fitting better for my taste than Elise, that puts some warm sound to already warm headphone, but I think that a Solid state amp with low output impedance would fit better, like THX 789 or Neurochrome HP-1.
Is it so amazing that a budget headphone & IEM maker could suddenly make something great..? Did Audeze take 20 years to make a great headphone? Or Sennheiser? ZMF? HiFiMan? Dan Clark? I would guess that it takes someone in charge who knows what's good, which apparently many companies lack, or decide to compromise.
The drivers are engineered by Rinaro, a company that has been an industry leader in planar magnetic driver tech for decades. It's a collaborative effort between Meze and Rinaro, that's how they managed to get this done.
@@x-techgaming I've auditioned just about every flagship on the market, including stuff like the Susvara, HE-1, AB-1266, SR-009/S, Vérité, LCD-4 etc. I ended up purchasing the Empyrean and a Feliks Audio Euforia. So yeah, the hype is real on this one.
@@JSym92 HE-1? Geez. Same songs that everyone else heard on it, I bet lol. My fav so far is HE-6. I want to pick up an HD800 next for gaming. For music, I want to hear 007 & 009.
@@x-techgaming Haha no, I was able to listen to the HE-1 with my own music in peace and quiet. Spent a good 2 hours in total listening to it on 2 different days. If the HE-6 is your fav so far, you're likely gonna love the Empyrean as well. :)
@@theyruinedyoutubeagain si eu am o pereche de akg de care sunt tare lipit,,,,,,,dar dupa ce am ascultat meze urile la un prieten sunt pe cale sa mi iau un 99 classic desi preturiele inca sunt piperate
If you compensate for how an average ear responds (and that compensation depends on whose ideas you follow) they are flatter than the curve shows, as I explained in the video. You can see what I'm talking about in Tyll's old measurements, which show both uncompensated and compensated curves for many headphones. It's a highly complex topic though which I'm grossly oversimplifying.
@@Currawong If you apply compensation it will have a big broad dip. Also the new gras head doesn't have ear resonance at around 10khz for open ear so the response isn't that great.
@@Currawong more specifically, there isn't a rise until 2khz. There should be already more than 6db of recession in that region Also the maxima is at 4khz which will make the sound unnatural.
Empyrean reminds me of Sony MDR-Z1R one of worst headphones i've ever listened to. No refinement, only bass not natural at all. To give you an idea here's a list of headphones i consider world's best : Hifiman Susvara, He1000SE, Kennerton Thror and Odin Mk2 and Focal Utopia. Here is the dealer where i buy my gear : ruclips.net/video/D0h60I5Ng0s/видео.html
With TOTL electronics, the HEK SE is hardly bright or sibilant, never glary or metallic sounding. The word is that the SE with the Susvara driver provides 95% of it's big brother's experience for not quite half the price. Probably the best can on the market for its price. The Focal on the other hand is too bright and overpriced by a grand. This cat could not wait to take a well broken in pair off never to be touched again. The Empyrean sounds, according to Currawong, like an expensive Sony Zed. Remember, Sony is a large company that enjoys economy of scale which means if the Zed was manufactured by a smaller company, they would cost a helluva lot more. Remember as well that the Zed is manufactured at a small division of Sony where it enjoys more in the way of hands on craftsmanship. "Are these the world's best headphones?" without the word "Abyss" ever mentioned.
That's an interesting way of looking at it. One correction: I said that I felt the Empyrean was more a successor to the R10s. I didn't say that they sound like them. An important factor is that Sony can do things with materials that I believe smaller manufacturers can't without prices balooning.
@@Currawong You have heard the R10, this cat has not. IMHO, Sony engineers attempted to reach R10 status with the Zed. It would be very interesting to know your verdict as to how close they came.
I bet my AKG's sound better and are more convenient than these. I wish they would have put a adapter to 3.5mm in the box. I love headphones but all these sophisticated driver boxes that your plugging into are waayyy out of my league. I'm more of a plug in my phone and play type of dude. I'm a simple man!
I have been using these for the past three months with a Schitt Mjolnir2 paired with Gungnir Multibit, worth every penny. No need to ever buy another pair of headphones again. Just stunning in every way.
Thanks for a very informative review. I've had a Meze Empyrean (purchased from HeadAmp) for a few days and it is now my favorite headphone, when using the leather pads. I prefer it over my MrSpeakers Ether 2 and Focal Stellia, although I also like the latter 2 headphones a lot. The Meze is more neutral, whereas the Ether 2 seems a bit rolled-off in the highs, while the Focal has just a bit of over-emphasis in the treble. The Empyrean has better, clearer bass and vocals than either of my other high-end headphones. I'm using the Empyrean with my Sony WM1A Walkman and Sony TAZH1ES headphone amp. The Meze sounds great with either, but a bit more detailed with the TAZH1ES. I'm happy with the balanced cable that I got with the Meze; sometimes I appreciate the extra length. I have a shorter cable on order. I chose a copper cable, as I don't feel the Empyrean needs extra brightness from silver. By the way, the definition of "Empyrean" : the highest heaven or heavenly sphere in ancient and medieval cosmology. 2021 Addendum: The Meze Empyrean is still my favorite headphone. I'm using the copper upgrade cable from Meze. My primary headphone system now includes a Chord Hugo M Scaler, Chord Qutest DAC, and a Burson Soloist 3X headphone amp. With the Empyrean, this seems to be an endgame system for me.
Thanks Robert, I've seen a couple of your comments on the Meze Empyrean. Very helpful perspective from someone who seems to know his headphones!
I demoed the Empyrean at AXPONA. They were the best cans I've ever listened through, even after listening to the flagship Audeze, Focal, Stax and Sennheiser headphones. My only issue with them is the price O.o
Thanks for the mention of our Dragon Inspire IHA-1 Tube Amplifier, @currawong! We are passionate about the Meze Empyrean headphones as well. Great video!
These with the Hugo2 is my dream setup. We'll see if I get there.
Good luck!
Man, what I wouldn't give to be in that room for a week. Spectacular collection, sir.
For me, it's helpful when a piece of gear is compared to your reference gear, side-by-side if you will, using two to three different amps/DACs.
They really are gorgeous to look at, like a future art deco. A great safe bet for a gift.
A greatly expensive gift...
Hi, I have a Feliks Audio Euforia, and the Meze match wonderfully with this amp. The Meze factory has an Euforia to listen with. But the ZMF Verite open is a match too. I think I will go all European, but can anyone compare the Meze with the Verite?
Audeze LCD-4 vs Meze Empyrean
This is what this review leads me to think. I need to know how they compare side by side.
ruclips.net/video/yjNJrgdpCnM/видео.html
@@zahitemremetin606 lol thanks
I won't even go into the audio aspect of it, but one thing I can tell you: I own both the Audeze LCD-XC and the Empyrean, and the former (which weigh in about the same as the LCD-4, I believe) are SO much heavier and cumbersome that I really only use them on specific occasions (longer listening sessions when I don't want to disturb my wife), whereas I feel like picking up the Empyrean anytime even to quickly plug them into the DAP for just a couple of songs.
Keep the comfort factor in mind when you make your choice.. which you might as well have made already, as I see now your post is almost one year old! ;)
The LCD-4 is very intense, in your face, bordering on bright sounding for many, and very detailed - also uncomfortable. The Meze is not particularly detail focused, and is quite relaxed and warm sounding - also very comfortable.
Hey Amos! Loving the upped production value on your recent videos. Great stuff. Can't wait to hear the Empyrean at some point. Hope you are well :)
Let's not forget the Stax O2 which is another classic for high-end smooth listening.
Phenomenally insightful and helpful review...thank you!
Thanks for this, Still have a few weeks before mine arrive, the wait is killing me :)
The break-in time will be even more upsetting...
The best headphone review I had ever watch on RUclips!
The Lazuli Reference cable is great with my Empyrean. It really fleshes things out and makes the drivers sonically disappear, leaving me in a cloud of music, or whatever venue that is supposed to be there. Pairing the Meze with a Dave and Niimbus amp.
Hi, I bought the Empyreans second hand, and I was warned it had less detail than say the Stax L700, others answered: you must hear it with a silver cable please. So before I received the cans with stock cable I ordered the Lavricables Grand Litz. I listened to the stock cable some days before the Grand was in the mail. With the stock cable I used the leather pads as they are called more analytical, but with the silver cable I use the velvet pads, since it doesn’t lack any detail, and why choose analytical when you can have sheer beauty? I was warned the Grand is like an Audeze Lcd-4: too heavy, but that is the photo, it is not too heavy. So I will be still a bit careful with delicate silver. My Stax L700 cable has a lot of silver in it. High end music listening seems not possible without the benefits of silver. Thanks Yoram
I would think the Kimber Axios Silver cables would also be a great choice for the Empyrean. It's highly resolving but not etchy sounding like a lot of poorly executed silver cables. On the other hand, I own the Sennheiser 800S and even with a 300B SET amp, silver is the last thing I need.
I currently own the ToneKraft V.2 cable from Audio Envy and will be upgrading to V.3 when it comes out in a couple months. It's suppose to have an even more analog sound, casting a golden glow around the music. But that's probably a less than ideal match for the Empyrean. The same goes for my amp. Long story short - there's not one size that fits all in audiophile systems. What sounds great in one system may sound awful in another.
I found them very musical & pleasant but not sure it is totally accurate though. Really it is a matter of taste whether one wants accurate music reproduction or just want a musical sound via equipments adding their signature
You have a good point. I've listened to a lot of different music, and one thing I've learned is that most mastering isn't totally accurate either. Then again, what is "accurate"? That has been something argued about for decades.
Amos, I like the new video format. Nice, and I love the review.
This. He clearly thought through the structure of the video carefully. It tells a sort of narrative.
I don't know how it will in my hands but in commercial pictures, it looks as most beautiful headphone ever. At least to compare vs my HE400i ))
@Currawong - The Ultimate Question is do they replace your Utopia's? :) I've had a chance to listen to the Empyreans for an hour in a quite environment, I've enjoyed it quite a bit, it was with a Cayin HA-300 amp, X-Sabre Pro as DAC (weakest link, that's the best the store had in stock at the time) and Soundaware A280. The sound was very natural, the headphones felt less heavy than the Utopia.
I'm currently an owner of the Utopia's but I'm wondering if it's worth making a switch...
For me, re-cabled, they are better all-round headphones than the Utopias. I believe they deliver more detail too (with the same cables attached, it must be noted), though other people seem to disagree.
@@Currawong Thanks... it seems I will have to switch it seems as I did like the natural tonality and musicality of the Empyreans
Not sure what compels me to think this but the design of these are a spectacle. Like sure they had the budget and they ought to for the price, but not only are they utterly singular and apparently supremely comfortable, they just are probably the hottest looking cans on the planet. Meze are just geniuses
These vs the sony z1r what are your thoughts? And love the new video format!!
I don't have Z1Rs here any more. I did review them though, if you haven't already seen it. ruclips.net/video/oKmHSCC6_8U/видео.html
I wish my organs were worth more so I can sell them and by these.
Selling just one kidney will give you enough of money to buy 10 of these.
MichaelSiroshtan depends on the country
Great review
Would love to hear you review the Meze Elite
I have an Empyrean, i'm looking for DAC and AMP for it, could you help to provide some suggestion? My budget is around $2-3000
ADI-2 DAC with Topping A90, or the GS-X Mini if you want a Class A and have a dynamic headphone collection to complement.
The Meze factory has the Feliks Audio Euforia, which they like as a match. I have an Euforia, and will buy the Meze even though some say the ZMF Verite open are also well suited to the Euforia. There is a special edition Euforia, but I have not got that one.
Yoram Diamand I’m debating myself whether to pick the Empyreans or the Verite Open. I can demo the Empyreans but not the Verite Open.
@@cd-rom. Hi I bought a second hand Empyrean, for 2050 euro, plus paypal fee, with the original invoice, so it should have still warranty. I hope al goes well. I'll have it within a week.
Yoram Diamand congrats! Hope to hear your impressions
Looking forward to your review on the Meze Elites for comparison. ^^
Great review, thank you. Did you find that the Norne silver cable made a big difference to the sound quality?
Enough that I'd suggest budgeting for a better cable for best results.
@@Currawong Thanks...love your channel!
Thank you - I am interested in buying this headphone which amp and dac would you recommend?
They are very easy to drive, so whatever fits your budget and appeals to you. That being said, a common recommendation is the Hugo 2, as that is what Meze themselves use, as do I.
@@Currawong Meze told me they use the Feliks Audio Euforia too, when you'd like tubes
Holo Spring DAC vs Schiit Yggdrasil review please....
Coming.
I think that the problem with the hd800s is not the distortion. But the way they try to kill the distortion. Artists sound like their children are being held by gun point when you listen to all of the HD800 headphones, there's just no heart and sincerity with hd800 mk1, 2, 3, just pure detail separated from emotions and texture, overemphasizing the structure part.
But you can if you are very good, get a much better cable for the HD800's and get a really good 300b amp like a audio note meishu and mod it and run that with it. It will even make HD800's sound warm and human like almost like the Senn Orpheus, and you will not feel the normal sound that most people experience with them. (I did it once about 2 years ago, and the sound was crazy good)
So when you buy a top headphone, don't think that it always has a type of sound, you can't move it away from. The senn HD800's are a very good example of that.
I also like the fact that the HD800's sit on your head not touching the ears, that makes music sooooo much more enjoyable physically.
I'm in love with Audeze LCD2 Classic.
These look really interesting Amos. I love your reviews. I was hoping to get a short comparison between the emyprean and the final audio d8000pro?
I can't remember how much I said, but did you see my D8000 Pro review? I do remember mentioning the Empyrean in it: ruclips.net/video/nIJN7y6tHyM/видео.html
Is the bass of empyrean better than utopia?
I like to know were you got the silver cable it looked interesting can you give me the information on how I can get it
Thanks.
Norne audio. It’s the silvergarde. Go to the norne audio website and email Trevor. He also has the silver draug to consider in a silver cable. Let Trevor know what your system is and what you are after in sound and he’s pretty good with recommendations
I'd like to see what you think of the Sonorous X!
I want to try their planars. I wasn't so impressed with the Sonorous series.
Focal Utopia, Stax SR-009 or these?
Very informative and relevant review. A non-sibilant and not bright, relatively easy to drive planar, with a flat extended bass? Call me interested. First I thought comparisons would include the Stax 009 with the BHSE. Based on the review I have the feeling they could sound closer to the Empyrean (for the comparison's sake) than the Utopia (a bit harder sounding) or the Hifimans (which don't sound fully coherent to me, at least some things kept me off for each of their models). On the other end, the LCD4 could be a good comparison candidate, although personally it's not my type. This could make the Empyrean the first planars I might actually like.
Did you try these?
Am trying to work out if the joint on the side where the Meze symbol is; is it a hinge? It looks like a hinge, and I have seen some reviews show movement in it. None so far made a point about it though. All reviews show how the cups rotate, but non mention if the cups tilt. I imagine the cups do tilt, to accomodate many head shapes. However no-one I saw yet highlighted that.
Actually found the answer just now on your Empyrean unboxing review. Nice, thank you.
This is review of the Audeze LCD4....if you don't know what i mean have a listen to them. (with a better dac than the hugo tho)
I used to own the LCD-3, and I tried the LCD-4 at Audeze. I might have to try a pair again.
@@Currawong Are they better than lcd2 and lcd2c? In terms of sound, and distortion.
clarityfidelity.blogspot.com/2016/05/audeze-lcd-2-fazor-over-ear-headphones.html
Currawong I’d be interested to know what you think as you’re one of a handful of RUclips reviewers I enjoy listening to & take notice of...I use my Luxman D-80u CD player from my main system as source...
So, how are the Empy doing a couple of months later? I still think that the utopias are the sonically superior headphones. Saying that, the empy has a nice, charming v-shaped signature
Sometimes I like the Utopias better. Sometimes the Empyrean. Much of it comes down to the music.
Currawong Same with me, really. I still find the Utopias outstanding, despite some recent bashing going on. It seems they will have a similar fate to the HD800s... first hailed as the holy grail, and then criticized / torn apart. But I’ll stick to my opinion, they remain one (if not the) best for classical music. Thanks for having taken the time to reply :)
@@oldgeezerstechreview4048 focal is dogshit after 85dB. I've had just about all the focals, and every single one clipped. Every. Single. Focal.
My LCD series does no such thing, at even 100+dB.
Truly disappointing. 4 thousand dollar headphones that have a physical clipping limitation thats within human hearing levels is fucking diabolical.
Great headphones tho at soft volumes. Very great
The most important question is.... Can a Magni/Modi stack handle them well? You're welcome everyone. I know you all really needed someone to ask.
A Magni 3+ or Heresy will drive them sufficiently well, if you don't listen super loud and/or need a very high gain for quietly-recorded classical. You really want at least an Asgard 3 or Lyr 3 ideally. How loud you listen to what music is important here.
@@Currawong Good to know. Now I shall outclass my stack. Thanks.
No worries. If it helps, I did a video on Schiit stacks here, though with a Modi Multibit and Bifrost as the DACs: ruclips.net/video/X2lmHLuvtnk/видео.html
What DAP are you using at 2:50?
Cayin N8. I just posted a review of it: ruclips.net/video/r5rAIkQ4YCU/видео.html
Wow they are gigantic
thank you. good review. I subscribed.
Would you consider these or the Ether2 a good pairing with the Audio GD Master 11 and how would you compare the 11 with a Master 9/11 Combo?
Thank you!
@@theterriblepuddle1830
Sure, thank you.
Your opinion was really useful.
@Vegas Cane
...nothing better than opinionated bashing without any facts or examples from randos on the internet.
Did you two morons even know that KEVIN GILMORE himself highly regards Audio GDs Master line?
And if you two chumps do not know who that is than just stfu and piss off please.
@Vegas Cane I never had the Master 11 here, but I like the combination with the Master 9. I have had plenty of Audio-gd gear here and it is well-built. I agree that unfounded, generalised statements about manufacturers don't help anyone. All the manufacturers mentioned here are run by passionate, dedicated people desiring to make quality products. We are very lucky we have the amount of choice we do.
@@Currawong
Finally some sense, thank you sir.
@@provisionalhypothesis
Nah, the Vegas guy is from HeadFi - he is doing the same brainless bashing over there where nobody seems to like him too.
The other guy is most likely his alter.
Can the ALO Studio Six drive the Empyrean easily and good synergy?
Yes, most definitely.
Why No comparaison with Focal utopia and stax 009s ?
I don't have the Stax here. I did compare them, just not in super detail. I could do a specific video on that comparison in detail though.
I kinda wish the mojo had some filters. I find it a tiny bit sterile at times.
I find the Mojo anything but sterile
@@k-doggy1762 Hence "tiny bit" and "at times". I don't think the mojo is sterile. I have a desktop dac with multiple filters, and I enjoy the differences between a couple of them. Choice is good.
@@k-doggy1762 Analytical might have been a better word than sterile.
Meze Empyrean are THE BEST!
How does this compare to the HE1000 V2?
I haven't compared them directly -- only the Susvaras, and the HiFiMan headphones are brighter with less bass. The Empyreans, IMO, are better all-rounders, but if you listen to classical and jazz and the like almost exclusively you might like the HEKV2 better.
@@Currawong I've tried the empyrean with kimber kable's silver hybrid axios cable and it showed remarkable improvement. The silver improves the body while retaining the relaxing nature of the headphones.
how come he said portable amp/dacs can't drive the Meze Empyrean when they advertised it as easy to drive with 32 ohm and 100 sensitivity?
Depends which ones. Some are noticeably quite weak. Others, which are bigger and more expensive, have good amps that can drive the Empyrean quite well.
@@Currawong is btr5 enough?
I wouldn't recommend a BTR5 for an Empyrean. Seriously, if you're going to spend $3k on headphones, then you can surely afford a good desktop rig to use with them. If you want a portable rig, get portable gear. If want to take Empyreans with you (i.e.: You want a transportable rig) get something like an M11 Pro, Mojo, or Hugo 2.
@@Currawong thnx. i just want something that fits in pocket with bluetooth, as I already have a Dx7 Pro. would you say the Empyrean sounds better than the Arya?
Anyone know what is the name of the upgrade cable from?
Norne Audio Silvergarde.
@@Currawong Thanks!
Do you need an amp to use these?
Well, anything that outputs to headphones contains some kind of amplification. You'd ideally want some quality gear to use these with.
Thanks! I am a complete novice when it comes to audiophile stuff. I have a Grados SR225 which I got in 2012. They sound fine plugged into my laptop but I am looking to get the most out of my music now that I am working from home more.
I was wondering if you could answer a few questions:
1) Lets say I had $2500 to play around with. Is there a headphone set up you would recommend? FYI I don’t care if sound bleeds out, I’m mainly focused on audio quality.
2) Is buying an amp standard w high end headphones?
3) what is the typical headset:amp cost ratio? I.e. for espresso enthusiasts, one should spend about as much on the espresso grinder as the actual machine. High end machine w/ budget grinder = shit espresso. I’m not sure if there are parallels in the audiophile world as well.
Thanks any help would be appreciated
Have you tried them with the best headphone amplifier the Feliks
Hi John, I use Empyrean with Feliks Elise but need to change the power tubes to Sovtek's from stock tubes. They give less pop to base. I felt the stock tubes where little bit heavy but I'm also little bit sensitive. You can use Empyreans with Feliks Elise but it's not then best match for Empyreans.
@@rainerlainio2323 ok who makes the stock tubes...
Stock tubes I have are made by Svetlana factory (6N13S) I think the Sovtek's (6AS7G) are also made in same factory.
@@rainerlainio2323 in your opinion what's the best amp for this headphone? Thanks.
@@TheMrgonzalo05 , I'm listening Empyrean with my Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ and ifi iDSD Micro BL and those are fitting better for my taste than Elise, that puts some warm sound to already warm headphone, but I think that a Solid state amp with low output impedance would fit better, like THX 789 or Neurochrome HP-1.
Will you call this the endgame of headphone?
It could be the endgame headphone for some people for sure.
very tempted
Is it so amazing that a budget headphone & IEM maker could suddenly make something great..? Did Audeze take 20 years to make a great headphone? Or Sennheiser? ZMF? HiFiMan? Dan Clark? I would guess that it takes someone in charge who knows what's good, which apparently many companies lack, or decide to compromise.
The drivers are engineered by Rinaro, a company that has been an industry leader in planar magnetic driver tech for decades. It's a collaborative effort between Meze and Rinaro, that's how they managed to get this done.
@@JSym92 And is it so amazing and unique for such a scenario to happen..? (not "how did it happen")
@@x-techgaming I've auditioned just about every flagship on the market, including stuff like the Susvara, HE-1, AB-1266, SR-009/S, Vérité, LCD-4 etc. I ended up purchasing the Empyrean and a Feliks Audio Euforia. So yeah, the hype is real on this one.
@@JSym92 HE-1? Geez. Same songs that everyone else heard on it, I bet lol. My fav so far is HE-6. I want to pick up an HD800 next for gaming. For music, I want to hear 007 & 009.
@@x-techgaming Haha no, I was able to listen to the HE-1 with my own music in peace and quiet. Spent a good 2 hours in total listening to it on 2 different days. If the HE-6 is your fav so far, you're likely gonna love the Empyrean as well. :)
Hi I'm Mr Meze! Look at meee!
Mr. Meze, help me get ultimate audio!
Wow…..amazing…
Are these closed back?
OPEN which was mentioned in part 1 of this video
No, they are not.
As good as these are, some have said the abyss 1066 are even better. But at more money and harder to drive😀
Made in Romania
That made my day! It's gonna be my eventual upgrade from my trusty b&W, whenever I hit my head hard enough to spend that kind of money on myself.
@@theyruinedyoutubeagain si eu am o pereche de akg de care sunt tare lipit,,,,,,,dar dupa ce am ascultat meze urile la un prieten sunt pe cale sa mi iau un 99 classic desi preturiele inca sunt piperate
Someone’s stolen your second pair of cables from the case. “Usually” comes with 2 different types.
They were a tour set.
Only one cable is supplied.
👍👏
God damn those cables tho !!
The measurements are not flat like at all.
If you compensate for how an average ear responds (and that compensation depends on whose ideas you follow) they are flatter than the curve shows, as I explained in the video. You can see what I'm talking about in Tyll's old measurements, which show both uncompensated and compensated curves for many headphones. It's a highly complex topic though which I'm grossly oversimplifying.
@@Currawong If you apply compensation it will have a big broad dip. Also the new gras head doesn't have ear resonance at around 10khz for open ear so the response isn't that great.
@@Currawong In contrast I thought you meant that the raw measurement is flat. Hence why I was saying it's not flat at all.
@@Currawong more specifically, there isn't a rise until 2khz. There should be already more than 6db of recession in that region Also the maxima is at 4khz which will make the sound unnatural.
@@Currawong But don't worry the only dislike wasn't me.
I absolutely didn't like these headphones, not in the same league as Hifiman HE1000SE or Kennerton Thror in my opinion.
Was it because of the warmer tuning? Some people seem to prefer the lighter sound of the HEK.
Empyrean reminds me of Sony MDR-Z1R one of worst headphones i've ever listened to.
No refinement, only bass not natural at all.
To give you an idea here's a list of headphones i consider world's best : Hifiman Susvara, He1000SE, Kennerton Thror and Odin Mk2 and Focal Utopia.
Here is the dealer where i buy my gear : ruclips.net/video/D0h60I5Ng0s/видео.html
You definitely like your headphones to be bright then.
Susvara and Kennerton are not bright at all.
The Susvara is more v-shaped in signature than the Empyrean, so to me there is more of a peak in the treble. I do like them though.
EUPHONIC NOT EUPHORIC for god sakes !!!
music loud af lol
The peaks are actually lower than the loudest that my voice gets. It's because its compressed it sounds louder.
With TOTL electronics, the HEK SE is hardly bright or sibilant, never glary or metallic sounding. The word is that the SE with the Susvara driver provides 95% of it's big brother's experience for not quite half the price. Probably the best can on the market for its price. The Focal on the other hand is too bright and overpriced by a grand. This cat could not wait to take a well broken in pair off never to be touched again. The Empyrean sounds, according to Currawong, like an expensive Sony Zed. Remember, Sony is a large company that enjoys economy of scale which means if the Zed was manufactured by a smaller company, they would cost a helluva lot more. Remember as well that the Zed is manufactured at a small division of Sony where it enjoys more in the way of hands on craftsmanship. "Are these the world's best headphones?" without the word "Abyss" ever mentioned.
That's an interesting way of looking at it. One correction: I said that I felt the Empyrean was more a successor to the R10s. I didn't say that they sound like them. An important factor is that Sony can do things with materials that I believe smaller manufacturers can't without prices balooning.
@@Currawong You have heard the R10, this cat has not. IMHO, Sony engineers attempted to reach R10 status with the Zed. It would be very interesting to know your verdict as to how close they came.
I bet my AKG's sound better and are more convenient than these. I wish they would have put a adapter to 3.5mm in the box. I love headphones but all these sophisticated driver boxes that your plugging into are waayyy out of my league. I'm more of a plug in my phone and play type of dude. I'm a simple man!
Simple is good. Whatever you do though, don't ever listen to these if you have the chance. Make sure you never compare them too. ;)
@@Currawong so you're saying their horrible for the price....or your saying their great?!?!
Listening with much better gear then going back to what you already have is not recommended for the safety of your wallet. ;)