Meze 99 Classics Wired Wooden Closed Back Over Ear Headphones with Microphone (Walnut/Black)

So first things first this is going to be a bit long in the tooth but the TLDR version is as follows: For someone just starting to develop their ear for audiophile peripherals and devices who also happens to be leaning towards luxury stylings, this is an unbeatable package (that also doubles as an investment). These deliver a detailed and non fatiguing listening experience and damn do they look good doing it! I'm going to begin by explaining a brief background on my listening habits and what devices I have experience with. First and foremost I am by no means an audiophile, but I am becoming more interested in HIFI audio as time has gone on. My very first pair of headphones I ever purchased were the Auvio 33-290 (A very apt direct comparison to the Meze 99s if only looking at the contents of the boxes haha!). I seriously thought they were the coolest headphones ever what with the ANC (powered by two AAA batteries as was the fashion at the time) and a hard case as well as two cable attachments 1 for a hifi stereo and another for an airplane audio port (the perfect set up for an angsty teen who's family moved around as often as mine did). I used these as my daily drivers for years and I never even considered there being a better alternative. So you could imagine my surprise the first time I tried on a pair of first generation Bose QuietComfort QC1s. Before then I never realized a pair of headphones could simultaneously be quiet (the Auvios being all plastic and rather cheaply made rattled like crazy), comfortable (the plush memory foam on the Bose was a treat to my head after the abuse the earcups and headband padding had taken on my Auvios), and actually make music sound better (the first time listening to a pair of high end headphones after only ever listening to a set of cans from radio shack is really only something you can experience for yourself). Now all that being said I never did buy that set of Bose headphones because I didn't really care much about the difference in quality once I saw how much more expensive they were than my Auvios. Even though I didn't buy them, that first experience with a luxury headphone still stuck with me and eventually lead me to the Meze 99 Classics over a decade later. I can safely say listening to the Mezes for the first time took me right back to that same feeling I got with the QC1s! For starters calling Meze headphones high end or luxury is to almost understate the actual beauty of the headphones themselves and the overall presentation. From the logo on the form fitting hard case to the gold accents and walnut ear cups, everything on these exudes confidence and quality craftsmanship (hell even the zippers are satisfying). I'm going to break everything down to those three key areas I mentioned before: Quietness: These headphones have a spring steel headband which means they're extremely solid (no rattle to be found here). You also won't find any plastic on these headphones and every piece is secured with screws so all you hobbyists out there can tear them down and replace components as needed with very little fuss! The cord also is part woven kevlar and part rubber coated which also contributes to a nearly noiseless headphone (the most noise I've heard from them has been the earpads adjusting after slipping the headphones on, something that will change once they're broken in of course). This cable can of course be upgraded to a balanced cable should you aim for a more audiophile focused listening experience. Comfort: The first thing I noticed when I picked up the box was just how light the entire package was, something that was a great indicator of just how comfortable these were going to be for extended listening. You couldn't imagine my face once I was actually holding the headphones solo, it was like some sort of antigrav technology (hyperbole I know, but they're seriously light!). Then once I actually got them on I immediately knew I could never go back to a standard headphone band. Having a self adjusting memory foam headband coated in PLU with the lush earcups was a total treat! Again I have to express how weightless the package feels due to how comfortable it is! The fact that they don't majorly squeeze your head is a major plus as well. This is still yet another area that can still be improved further with the wide availability of differing earpads (I am honestly smitten with these ones though, the comfort and noise isolation is perfect for my tastes and I haven't noticed the pads contributing to any sort of increased base presence as I've seen mentioned in other reviews). Music Enjoyment: Again, I can't stress enough that I'm not an audiophile but that I do thoroughly enjoy music and have a pretty decent ear for it (don't worry though, I'm not about to go on about frequency response and things of that nature, better to leave that to the pros). So when I say that these improve the listening experience what does that mean exactly? Aside from the obvious comfort of the headphones themselves (a must for extended listening sessions) you also get a far more full bodied 3D audio experience from your music. This is a headphone that will seriously give you moments of amazement and joy as you're able to hear elements of your favorite songs that you might never have noticed before. If you pay attention you may even start to get this spatial awareness of where the different elements composing a particular song are coming from. It's really one of those experiences that will stand out to you the more time you spend with these headphones. That being said, you may be wondering if there's a particular genre that these excell at and so far I haven't found one that stands apart from the rest. I listen to A LOT of music encompassing many genes (I'd say my comfort zone is somewhere between punk and prog rock with a lot of new age jazz for some variety) and these headphones have truly improved the listening experience with every song I've tried them with. They can even take some crunchier punk recordings and still pump some extra depth into them without really making you notice that lowfi quality in a bad way. They're just really great all around headphones delivering depth that you would normally need open backed headphones to even scratch the surface. They handle these different elements all while delivering a really fun listening experience that isn't going to fatigue your ears and doesn't require anything more than the device of your choice to achieve. Final Verdict: Given that my most recent pair of headphones prior to purchasing these was not my old Auvios I must admit my world was not turned upside down in the exact same way with my first listening session, my enjoyment more so built over time. These days I use a pair of Sony WH-CH510s for music and a pair of Skullcandy Hesh 3s for gaming and travel. Neither of these are particularly high quality headphones, but they can still deliver a pleasurable listening experience without being overly expensive or fussy. The 99 Classics, on the other hand, are in a class all their own in terms of the quality and engineering in comparison to their cost. Not only do they look the part of a premium headphone but they sound incredible to boot and are fully serviceable. This all boils down to these being more of an investment for me personally as I'll be able to keep these operating for years to come and even upgrade certain components as my needs change. The fact that these headphones can hit so many marks at the $300 price point is truly a remarkable feat and something to be admired (especially in the wake of planned obsolescence). All in all, I'm overjoyed to own these headphones and if you find yourself looking to invest in a quality pair of headphones, I think these could fit your needs just fine!

Please excuse badly background cut photos. No one want to see all the crap I have on my desk, including me. These things are amazingly comfortable. I have a big head. Or rather, I have a head that hates headphones. Most importantly, I've tried stretching my old Audio Technica ATH-M50s in 5000 different ways to make them less like my head in a vice, and I finally had enough (not the sound, that was great) and finally did some review surfing from various places before I went for what was rated the most comfortable headphone). At this point, the sound could be excellent, but I don't want to wear them for longer than 2 minutes, what good are they? Are they comfortable: hell yes! Do they look amazing: hell the f-ings yes! Do I make my friends jealous: very probably. The wood is so good to look at and feels great to the touch. The metal construction is light but feels sturdy. Padding: fluffy clouds of awesome on my ears Sound quality: seems good to my non audiophile ears. But to me, it doesn't make the sound bad in the slightest, so that's cool. I don't have to fiddle with EQ or anything for it to sound amazing to me, and that's all I really need. It has decent bass, rich highs, but vocals and low frequencies seem to tone is more forcibly than others. If you want REALLY detailed specs on these cans, goto soundguys dot come's review and see their graphs. I'm not an audiophile, so I can only tell you "they sound good to me!" Isolation: Eh.. you're not going to tune out an SR-71 blackbird or a Concorde's engines with these, but honestly I wouldn't use these for travel as much as sitting and hope and not waking up my house while enjoying music. Still, it dampens the sound of my fans and computer enough. If you need more than this, you'll have to get some actual noise-cancelling headphones, sorry. Cables: Right and Left marked cables that go to the plug of your computer/device with a 3.5mm plug. Thanks for the left and right markings because honestly, I can't remember what side I'm listening to otherwise. Self adjusting suspension (those crazy arches over your head): they don't squeeze my brain. I'm happy with it. Cables: kevlar reinforced! is that overkill? Probably not. I abuse cords. So far so good. Mic: Honestly haven't tried it, I'm using these to listen to music not make calls. Technical stuff: These are closed back over the ears headphones, so your roommate isn't going to hear your stuff, but the sound quality will be different than open back. If you've never had open-back cans, you'll never miss it. Overall, I love these enough to keep them on my head, and that was what I wanted when I purchased them. All the sound quality in the world of "better" headphones means nothing to me if I can't keep them on my head. They will not noise cancel out your life, so you can hear when someone is talking to you instead of ignoring them because you're wearing a set of Bose Ultracomfort Noise cancelling headphones. Aesthetics is 5 stars. Sound in my humble opinion was excellent. Comfort better than anything else I've worn, BUT, they still have to be taken off after an hour or so and rub my ears. I am, however, very hard to please, and the fact I put them right back on again after should say they aren't horrible at all. My biggest ah-hah moment was when I heard instruments I hadn't even known were on tracks I listen to daily. Can I hear the growling in the voice of Raphael in Raphael's Final Act: YES Do I hear the strangely fascinating small sounds in the Harpy Song in BG3? YOU BETCHA! Can I hear the thump of fingers against the guitar in Nick Cunningham's Down Under: Indeed Do the electronic beats of Muse's The void, Icarus from Deus Ex, and Galestien's Global Entry Radio? Mmmm delicious Do I hear things sneaking up on me in games where they can sneak up on me: YES, I thought I was just deaf all this time... geez Great pair of headphones for my needs.

The build style of these suits my eye nicely, different than anything I've had before. The build does feel a little weak, I'll hope they hold up well, but they look very nice. Headband for my obscenely oversized melon adjusts just enough thank god & sits very lightly and comfortably. Pads can get warm, I have to air out every 20-30 minutes. Headphones come with two sets of cables, I'm not up to speed on the connector type names, but with two connection types & an adaptor, it's very likely they come with what you need & won't need an additional purchase. No balanced connection though, but for this price that's just not an option. Comes nicely packed and with a fairly hard sided case. Impressed with that as well. As for sound, holy mighty lord. I was shocked with the sound, you'd think these were $1k+ headphones. Very easy to power them compared to my Focal Clears. The mids & highs are unbeatable. I'm not pulling your leg, mids & highs cannot be beat, & again, this price? Wow. Bass is loud & full. Only drawback I can put on these is the bass though. It's muddy, lacks detail for sure & you'll notice that right away. I EQ my phones & I've had to pull back the bass just because of the muddiness. I love me my bass but when it's this muddy, I conceded & had to pull it back. However, pulling the bass back just leaves the sound amazing, you will appreciate it very much if you're pushing them with a good source. I use a Topping DAC & amp, eq'd with a Schitt. I might explore, experiment with different cables with hopes of clearing up the bass somehow, maybe a burn in will help as well. If successful, these will beat my Focal Clears by a mile. For audiophiles, I'd say the soundstage is rather narrow & closed in. Typical of closed backs I know. I actually prefer that sound myself. Separation is easily noticeable though.. If you're looking for a cheap, great value addition to your collection like I was, these are it. I'd venture to guess EQ'ing them is probably a need, you'll want the ability to adjust the damned bass.

Solid wood, real metal construction, self-adjusting headband... So hard to beat. I'm actually listening with them right now while writing this.... These are as comfortable as AKG K240s, however, I prefer the circular earpads over these. They're a bit small, but I've gotten over it. They are still over-ears, just they have to sit *perfectly* so the inside of the pads don't touch your ears. Note: the driver does not touch, just the inside edge of the pads, and that's only if it's not adjusted perfectly. Replaceable earpads. I wouldn't normally highlight this, but I returned Austrian Audio headphones for these and I was disappointed in the non-replaceable earpads... Semi-standard cable. I love that I can effectively pick my left/right, however, I could see that being a potential issue where some headphones have the drivers facing more towards the ear. These are just flat so you can wear them either way. The default cables are kind of garbage. They look nice and feel okay. Braided up to about 12" from the headphones where it shifts to rubber for some reason. This part of the cable can sometimes pick up noise from rubbing on shirts and zippers, but it's not terrible and really only noticed when I do it on purpose to test. The in-line mic and controls on the shorter cable isn't great. It's a single button hidden under this awkwardly long rubber section making it all soft. It makes it hard to find the button. The plastic housing is also round removing a lot of friction to squeeze. Most in-line controls are a rectangle prism, so 2-4 flat sides, with the button(s) on a flat side. This gives a good pinch point. This housing kind of rolls around, and sometimes I'll wear these while not having great dexterity like gardening with gloves, or doing dishes. The left cable has a little bump on it making it easy to find the difference between left/right in the dark or without looking at it. The shorter mic cable has the housing and controls on the left cable, but the longer studio cable has nothing. Both have the slight ridge on the housing of the left cable plug, making it easy. Both cables have very nice brass connectors on them making it feel premium. All this writing and I'm still not on the sound of the headphones!! They sound amazing. I'm discovering details in songs I've listened to for years. The bass is higher than some might like, but it's not muddy. It's just slightly higher. They're not reference, but they're not supposed to be. They're fun. It's got a V sound, but it's subtle. I've let friends try them compared to my k240s (open-backs, but still) and they're blown away being able to hear new instruments in the background of songs, or getting able to hear the texture of an instrument instead of just the *sound*. The box is beautiful. I'm keeping it on a shelf. The case is amazing. Mine got damaged in the first week of owning it sadly, but it's just a few scratches. Nothing major. I'm taking the headphones with me on vacation soon and I'm mainly bringing them over other options *because* of the case. I feel confident I can throw it around and it'll be fine. It's got a little pouch in the center for all the cables and accessories. THE ACCESSORIES!! It's got the longer cable (I don't remember the measurements. They're in the product description, and I can't be bothered to look), the shorter mic/in-line controls cable, the aux adapter (smaller to larger) that just PLUGS IN. No screw BS. I can use it for other headphones as well completed to the threaded one I received with a couple other sets that are incompatible. Also in the pouch is an airplane dual-mono > aux adapter. You can tell the founder flew a lot lol. Also considering the repairability of the product, as a proud Framework laptop owner, I love it. You can tell the company really cares about it's customers. I've had no problems with the headphones yet, but I will certainly be in contact when I have an issue and need a part!! Easy 5-star, and I'll be buying something else from this company next time! How much I would love the Empyreans.....

As the title implies, this is one of the most gorgeous headphones money can buy. The designers just got it right. The walnut is smooth and its natural grain is beautiful. The craftsmanship of the cups especially for a headphone of this price range is very quality. I personally got the golden variant, and the way it accents the wood makes it look and feel exceptionally elegant and premium. The cables being detachable is a major bonus too. I love the different lengths they provide and it just makes the headphones even easier to display. It is very comfortable too, with the floating headband and the mechanisms for the ear cups; they maneuver right into place. I'd say the only discomfort I had was with the earpads themselves, as they lacked breathability and would get hot and sweaty really quick, but that is a small nitpick. It really is pleasant to wear. With all that being said, I had returned this for one main reason, and it was a difficult decision to make. I returned it for the sound, the one quality that is most important. I personally produce and mix music, and I also am a hardcore audio and music enthusiast. My main pair of headphones for mixing, tracking, and listening are the Beyerdynamics DT770 Pro 80ohms. Now, they aren't known for being the most neutral of headphones, but the 99 Classics on the other hand, they are fully designed without neutrality in mind. So that is important. If you like neutrality, balanced sound, etc, these might not be the best fit. Other people have complained about the boominess of the bass, and although the bass was warm and tight in my experience, the issue of the bass rolling into the mids and creating a lot of sonic mud was definitely there. Speaking of mids, I felt that a lot of vocals felt recessed and lacked depth that I would've heard on other headphones. The treble range was very clean, and lacked some of the sibilance my DT770s had in similar frequency ranges, but it still would struggle on some older songs that would have very high resonance at some points. As for soundstage, these are a close backed headphone, but furthermore, the cups on the 99 Classics are very shallow compared to others. You're going to get a very boxed in, intimate soundstage. To me, it wasn't a quality I liked, as it felt as if all of the sound was being played in a small box of some sort, and there was an artificial tininess to it. Other than that, the sound quality itself was still pretty good for the price. It has warmth, clarity, punchy and tight bass, and although slightly recessed and buried in the mix, can replicate mids quite well texturally. I'd say soundwise, its an 6-7 out of 10 for more serious audio listeners, but for the average consumer, these might get a 9 or even 10. Meze really outdid themselves with this exceptionally beautiful design, and although the sound was not to my taste, I can fully recommend this to anyone who wants a fun listening experience and a statement piece to hang on your desk or shelf!

I don't normally write reviews. Not an "audiophile", just a person who got few decades of experience with audio equipment and knows what he likes. When it came to headphones lately I use wireless, for convenience. Bose for the buds, Sony for over ear. I don't like active noise canceling because it distorts music to my ears, and only needed on a noisy plane ride or if you live in squalor. My solution to plane ride is a pair of silicone plugs and over ear headphones with a good seal, obviously closed back, and if you can't hear your stuff too well - crank up the volume. This isn't a review, this is a set up to give an idea why I bought Meze 99 Classic model. I was really looking into a good quality set for... GAMING. Yes. Something easily driven if wired without an amp, or a wireless set, because my Sony's omnidirectional mic picked up my desk fan, AC, and everything in between, and you don't want to be THAT GUY on Discord who gets ignored when you talk in a voice channel, because everyone lowered your volume. I watched countless reviews on a few sets and realized I might have to settle for a wired set, due to a list of specific qualities I was looking for. I tried multiple sets and was not satisfied for various reasons, latest one from Logitech, which came simply physically broken, with cracked plastic out of a brand new sealed box. I was tired, gaming was pure frustration, wife was nagging me to buy something because she wanted to give me money for it, since she was out of ideas for my birthday gift. I decided to get a separate USB table mic (I did and I might just write a review on it), and a pair of good quality headphones. I went to couple of stores in Manhattan, including B&H and Audio46, to listen to some AGAIN. After hours of listening of various models and watching countless YouTube videos I suddenly was suggested Meze. I listened to Meze Neo but something was off. Maybe the plastic cups sounded too harsh or fake, maybe its just me. Also I wanted that longer wire that came with 99 Classics and the look. More mature, more refined. I thought the gold accents were gaudy, but when in Rome... or Romania. You know. I ordered a pair. Sure, the company is not widely known. Sure, gold and walnut has that 1970s vibe. But, they hit some of my many bullet points: easily replaceable and repairable parts, none of that glue/hot glue mess, replaceable ear pads, light construction and comfy feel, super smooth wooden ear cups, removable non-kinky cable of right thickness and length. When I listened to music on my phone I discovered the Meze had excellent mic for calls, built into the wire. All this came in an attractive box with accessories and a very nice storage case with a Meze badge. Finally, the sound. They obviously have a slight U signature on the EQ, warm, not overly bassy, nor trebly. You don't look at 500$ + expensive sets if you just want some gaming/music/Tv apparatus. Most of them have studio like tuning which is FLAT, because they're made for critical listening and not "I just want to melt into my chair after work" situations. Most have higher impedance requiring DACs and external amps and equalizers, making you tethered to one spot and feeling like another chore. Not these Meze 99 Classics. I normally listen to soundtracks, movie or games, don't matter, classical music, electronic, classic rock and metal to the extreme. Remember, the better and more expensive your headset is - the better quality files or original source of recording you would require, because they will uncover every hiss and dip, every rough moment will be heard. On most of my old timey punk, thrash and death metal records the level of original recording is crap, so the better your headphones are - the better you'll identify the problems and whole experience will become less joyful. But I digress. Meze has a warm, U shaped signature, as I mentioned, decent seal on the cups and it hides the ugly moments in my crappy old mp3 vinyl and CD rips quality, allowing me to sink into the rhythm and nevermind the bullocks. Meze emailed me soon after I received these asking for a review, but I considered 300$+ set a sizable investment, so I've waited about 2 months before writing this. I use these phones every day for gaming, TV and music consumption. I wipe the cups and headband every night with a damp paper towel to get rid of my skin oils. I love the looks, feel and touch, I love the sound and looks of jealousy in my wife's eyes every time I'm handling them, because I LOVE THEM. Could I afford something more expensive? Yes. Did I find something that better suited my needs and discriminating taste? No, and wouldn't waste any more of my time looking. They're here and hope they last... MY PRECIOUS-S-S!!!!!!

Extremely comfortable headphones that account for the actual shape of the human head (which I wish I didn't have to consider such high praise but... it's unfortunately a very rare thing these days). The audio quality is so wonderful that these literally brought tears to my girlfriend's eyes when she was listening to some of her favorite songs. Given that "audiophile grade" headphones can easily be ten times the cost of these, you really can't beat the value Meze has on offer here, nor are you going to beat the quality of the materials or workmanship. These walnut ear cups are so smooth, they almost don't feel real (they are, just to be clear), and the cushions are so comfortable and soft that, combined with the light weight and gentle headband, you can absolutely forget that you're wearing them. The only downside, and please note that this didn't keep me from rating these with 5 stars, is that the cord transmits a LOT of motion noise (such as dragging against your shirt) up to the ear cups). So adjust your use case expectations accordingly. For me, these are "sit and appreciate" headphones which also see a fair bit of use when I'm at my desk. They're NOT "casually putting around the house" headphones because the noise of the cord moving pulls me out of my music. If you've never used audiophile grade headphones before and your expectation is that "more bass means more better" then you're going to be shocked to learn these don't boost the bass in any form. These provide a very balanced sound a lot more akin to the studio monitors the audio engineer who mastered your songs were listening in through -- and what that means for you, in practice, is that if you sit, listen, and appreciate your favorite songs, you're very likely going to pick up on details you've NEVER heard before. These are truly remarkable and well worth the investment.

Updated review at the end - leaving the original first: Comfort: I have a fairly large head and it fits well. It is soft on the ears. It is warmer than other headphones I have used in the past, but not enough to make me think badly of them. All in all, very comfortable. Sound Leakage: When playing music, I can't hear any outside noise. When playing at medium levels, nobody else can hear the music I am listening too. I have not played them with really loud music to know if anyone can hear them besides the listener or not in that situation. Sound quality: I am not good at describing this, but I will try my best. I do hear details in the music in the mid and highs, but at the same time it sounds a little dull or muffled. It has a good amount of bass (more than many other headphones I have tried), but I can't hear as much details in the low end as I can with the mids and highs. I had high hopes for this based on all the audiophile reviews, but it surprises me that so many people like this type of sound profile. I expect headphones (or any speaker system for that matter) to sound as if the music and vocals are right in front of me. The Meze 99 Classics do not sound like that to me. The best example I can give is that it seems like the highs and mids (especially the vocals), are too far a way - like you are listening to someone else playing music through the wall of an apartment. I can hear each and every word and various subtleties in the music, but it doesn't sound vibrant or rich and certainly not sounding like it is being played right in front of me - like it does when you see a band live. I guess I would describe the sound I prefer as more open, vibrant or airy sounds and with good clarity and detail at all levels (mids, highs and lows). In summary, the Meze 99 Classics are comfortable, although warm, have good clarity at mids & highs - not the best I have heard, but really good for the price. I don't find the lows to have enough detail for my tastes. But the part that kills these headphones for me is what I mentioned above - the sound signature they produce overall feels muffled or fake to me. It must sound like the music is being played live right in front of me and Meze 99 Classics fails in that regard. And since that is the number 1 thing I look for, these headphones are not for me - even with their great clarify for the price. ***Update March 19th 2018*** I have been asked to specify what setup I was using to test these headphones to help people understand the context of my review. Also, since I have been using these headphones for a while now, I wanted to provide an update. To answer the question first. I bought these headphones for use with portable devices (tablets, laptops, cell phones, etc...). I had no intention of getting something that required an amp to get acceptable volume levels or require an EQ to produce the sound signature that I like. I already have a high quality setup for just pure home use for something like that. So I purchased the Meze 99 Classic to be directly plugged into and used with portable devices. That means I needed headphones that had a low ohm rating. The Meze 99 Classics, rated at 32 ohms, fit the bill for these types of source devices. Now after trying the Meze 99 Classics out on multiple source devices for weeks now, I found that some devices are adding a lot more color (not a good thing for my tastes) than others. However, the Meze 99 Classics sound colored & recessed to some level on all the source devices I have tried. Lets cut to the chase. Will you like these headphones for use with portable devices? I think that for most people, they will say yes. Because I think a lot of people in the market for better than average headphones will like the clarity of the mids and highs that these headphones bring. And I think most of them will be happy with the extra bass and most people won’t be bothered that these headphones sound “bass colored” at all frequency levels and somewhat recessed. However, there will be some audio enthusiast, like me, that having the sound colored is not acceptable. The bass should be there, I love bass. But for my tastes and others like me it is not ok that the bass bleeds into the mids or highs, nor is ok to us that it makes them sound recessed (muffled, in the background, closed, or however you want to describe that sound). If you fit into this category of listener, you will be disappointed by these headphones. To give a better analogy than when I said the Meze 99 Classics sounds like good music being played behind a wall, let me say this instead: At one time, I put a good audio system into my car, including an amp in the trunk and an EQ. I carefully selected speakers to get the clarity I was looking for and I made sure I had good woofers for clear bass with the punch that I wanted. I could hear details at all frequency levels and I could feel the vibration of that bass punch through the back of my seat (without any of that distorted rattling you hear in some bad setups) and without drowning out the mids an highs. Picture the mids and highs mostly coming from the speakers in the front of my car – where I was sitting - and the bass mostly from the back. It was in perfect balance. I can hear everything without anything overwhelming and drowning out other sounds. With the Meze 99 classics, the sounds is like the opposite car speaker setup – meaning like the bass is coming from speakers up in front of the car - closer to your ears - and all the mids and highs coming from the speakers in the back – making them sound recessed (in the background). Again this is more notable on some sources than others and maybe if you ran it through an amp and an EQ, you can fix that. But for the use I have intended – plugged directly into portable devices, the recessed and colored sound is there and that is not what I am after.

Ce casque vous transporte dans un autre monde, En termes de confort et solidité, les oreillettes serrent mais ce n'est pas désagréable à la longue, même en portant des lunettes. L'arceau métallique est solide et maintient bien le tout. Le système d'élastique pour régler la hauteur du casque est bien pensé, il ne serre pas trop le dessus si vous n'avez ni une grande ni une petite tête. Le seul défaut c'est que le bruit métallique des arceaux se fait entendre dans le casque, il faut éviter tout contacte avec les arceaux. Concernant le rendu sonore, premièrement le casque a le don de donner une impression de proximité avec la musique, cette dernière littéralement vous rentre en pleine face, et vous le sentirez dés votre première écoute, à vous en donner des frissons. Le casque est très basseux, mais elles sont dans l'ensemble maitrisées. Elles tapent parfaitement et résonnent très bien. Les médiums sont aussi bien représentés et les voix se font bien entendre. Les aigus et hauts médiums sont justes, mais selon moi manquent à peine de tranchant pour sublimer certains sons en les rendant claquant. Les musiques "chaudes" sont un pur régal avec ce casque, elles vous font voyager, de même écouter la bande son d'un film vous fait croire que vous êtes au cinéma tellement les basses et la sensation de proximité sont présentes. Les musiques qui tapent comme la techno, le rap sont aussi sublimées avec ce casque. Concernant la musique électronique, dubstep et dans le même genre, les basses on souvent tendance à masquer certains sons comme le clap ou les "wubwub" des musiques dubstep, mais une chose garantie, aucune sibilance. Concernant les musiques comme le rock, les guitares électriques aussi se font masquer par la basse et la batterie, mais ça reste convenable, par contre le heavy métal à haut bpm là vous pouvez vous amuser et profiter ! Une dernière chose, les différents sons d'une musique se font très bien entendre, par exemple en écoutant des musiques rapides comme du breakcore/speedcore, tout se fait entendre correctement. En conclusion, ce casque vaut vraiment le coup, et je suis pas déçu de l'avoir acheté.

First, a few things that are important to mention. I am not an audiophile at all. I do not pretend that I know more about anyone else when it comes to headphones. I have tried a few different headphones and can afford any headphone set inside the higher price range on the market. All I want, is a simple, excellent sounding, extremely attractive looking set of over ear headphones. But also something people notice, while probably never seeing it before. I like having things people will most likely not have. So I didn't want a Bose or Sony. When I have 30 minutes to 2hrs to relax, I want to slip into a comfortable music bubble and enjoy what I'm hearing. I had never heard of Meze before. No one I know has either. You probably haven't either. After doing a history check, this headphone set has been around since 2015. Internally, there has probably been some engineering changes to the headphones since then. (Read recent reviews instead of the original ones. I have read they changed the product since the ones from 2015) Any product that can stay around that long, (from a small company in Romania) as well as have incredible reviews (across many websites and youtube), was worth me trying. So I bought a pair. A few more things that are important to mention. The 99 Classics and 99 Neo are both made in China. There is no sound cancelling. They are not wireless. There are no bass buttons or switches on the earcups. There is a microphone on the short cable, which I don't care about, haven't used and never will. I'm not taking calls with these. The paper booklet included does say to use them for 40hrs of burn-in time to reach optimal performing state. After already burning my wallet. The cables are very nice. 10ft and 4ft. You can switch them easily. There's no left and right labels on the earcups. The cables have the labels L and R. The case is the perfect size and shape. It feels good to grab with your hand. Outside feels okay. I think it could be better on the inside. (Basic fuzz that holds velcro nicely, but looks cheap). Some fabric would make it feel more like a luxury item. The logo emblem should be metal for the price. Overall, the case is classy looking. The look. Straight up sexy. The walnut and gold with steel frame look so different from anything else you see people wearing. And they look expensive. Wore them in the office. Turned heads. Questions were asked. Many people liked them. You say "CNC Machined Walnut" and people know, these aren't standard headphones. The feel. The best headphones I have ever felt on my ears. That will be the experience for most people who try them on. I have standard size ears, that don't angle or cup outwards. The cups fit perfectly over my ears. The inside face of the cup does just barely lay on my ears. Just a slight touch. I know for some people this is a deal breaker and downside. It isn't for me. The ear pads are memory foam that feel like wonderful marshmallows that seal extremely well. They feel excellent. My ears got warm in 30 mins. The headband has some stretchy thing in it that allows adjusting instead of the way you do with most headphones. I have a slightly larger than average male head and it worked well and was comfortable for me. I have a set of Status Audio CB-1 headphones, which have been really good for video editing and general use, but after 1.5hrs, they do start to give me a headache. I've read this is actually really common for many people (over ear headphone use) and had no idea. I thought it was just me. The Classics 99 do not do this for myself and I don't know why. However, I do find sweat gathers at the ear pads in most situations where there is no air conditioning in the room (after 30 mins or so). It's a very tight seal. Others have mentioned the PU peels off the ear pads after months of use. Since they are not leather, this is definitely going to happen at some point. But there are after market ear pads I have seen from a variety of sellers. These headphones are actually designed with replacement parts in mind. Which is good because the thought of throwing out good high priced headphones because of PU peeling off earpads is not cool. I wish more headphone companies would do this. The sound. After giving them 40 hrs of use, this is what I experienced. Warm sounding music. Close, tight sound. A small soundstage. For the first time, I can really tell the difference between low quality mp3's and high quality ones. Everything I listen to sounds better (in my very inexperienced opinion) than what I paid for. And that's all I really wanted. When I have the music going, (kind of loud) a coffee grinder can be used 15ft from me and I don't hear it unless I really try. Impressive, but it's probably only because the earcup memory foam seals good. So then I figured, if they sound this good, will they sound better with an amp? They don't need one at all, but a few people had written on different sites, that they actual do sound slightly better with an amp. Again, I'm not an audiophile, and don't know if an amp will do anything worthwhile so I didn't want to spend a lot. So I found a cheap amp on Amazon called MYPIN HA.0290. Super cheap with good reviews. And it actually did make the sound just a bit little bit better. I don't know how to describe the change. Obviously I could drive volume louder with no distortion. The sound was a bit brighter and warmer. Not by much, but it still was very cool, that a cheap amp.. did anything at all. So I kept it. After falling in love with this new combination of toys, I decided it would be nice, to have an mp3 player and amp together in one unit with a short cable linking them. Found dual 90 degree short headphone cable on Amazon called Sinloon. Then got my old iPhone 6 and designed a 3D printed case holding the phone and amp together. One day I'll get something better, but I'm new to all of this and it does the job perfectly as is. Now I just grab the headphones and the player/amp whenever I want to escape into a nice music nap. Anyone I have let listen to these headphones love them. But none of them are headphone snobs or audiophiles, so they may be just as pleased with anything else in this price range. But the comfort and the looks are next level to me. I took some pictures in my photo booth with my iPhone. Enjoy! Update: Four months in and these headphones still work perfectly. Everyone that has tried them likes them a lot. I decided that it was time to design a very good 3D printed case with rubber cushions to keep them safe. I also don't have to unplug the cables from the earcups to put them away each time. All the files are free to download and print for anyone. Just search Thingiverse for Meze 99 Classics.

Die Ansage fängt schon bei der Verpackung an. Eine gut designte Verpackung aus dicker Pappe mit Magnetverschluss. Drinnen findet sich ein Hardcase aus Kunststoff mit 2 verschieden langen Kabeln und 2 Adaptern in einem separat gepolsterten Etui und natürlich der Kopfhörer. Auch das ist bei weit teureren Boliden nicht gängig. Als ich ihn das erste mal sah, dachte ich, waohh, aber den kannst du dir eh nicht leisten und dann sah ich den Preis und er ging mir nicht mehr aus dem Kopf. Und jetzt ist er hier. Er sitzt perfekt auf meinem Kopf und auch lange Sessions sind möglich. Wenn ich so in die Musik versunken bin, spüre ich ihn nicht mehr. Top. Und der Klang? Ich bin eher analytischer Hörer und regel die Höhen bei meinen nuVeros etwas nach oben, der Basschalter steht auf reduziert und der Bass ist noch etwas nach unten korriegiert aber das Klangbild dieses Boliden ist schon etwas besonderes. Glasklare Höhen ohne Spitzen, helle und saubere Mitten ohne nach Dose zu klingen. Ein schneller, fetter und trockener Bass mit etwas mehr im Mittenbass, der manchmal in den Ohren ein wenig kitzelt. Und genau dieser Bass macht etwas besonderes mit dem Sound. Da braucht es für mich keinerlei Korrektur weil die Abstimmung schlicht perfekt ist. Das betrifft auch eine für mich weite und tiefe Räumlichkeit mit der Möglichkeit Instrumente im Raum zu orten. So etwas erlebt man eigentlich nur sehr selten und in weit höheren Preisgefilden. Auf der Kopfhörermesse CanJam 2016 hat er in der Kategorie "Best Product" neben dem Sennheiser HE1 (59000€ - kein Scherz) und dem Focal Utopia (5000€) den dritten Platz gemacht und nach ca 3 Wochen und etlichen Stunden Einspielzeit mit unterschiedlichen Genres weiß ich auch warum. Er ist immer nur besser geworden und wenn ich ihn sehe, möchte ich sofort weiter damit hören. Hören mit dem Meze 99 Classic ist purer Genuss. Er spielt einfach grandios authentisch, holt dich voll und ganz ab und lässt dich den Alltag vergessen. Suchtgefahr garantiert. Bei der Akustikversion von Personal Jesus denke ich immer, ich sitze bei den Kollegen im Studio. Dieser Kopfhörer macht Musik lebendig. Zu den Nachteilen oder Einschränkungen sei erwähnt, dass das Mikrofon samt Schalter, welches im kurzen Klinkenkabel verbaut ist, nur bei Handys funktioniert, die einen 3,5 Zoll Klinkenanschluss haben. Beim Einsatz eines USB-C Adapters oder gar einem externen Hires DAC, funktioniert das Mikrofon entweder verzerrt oder gar nicht mehr. Im Übrigen und der Bauart geschuldet, ist der Kopfhörer eher nicht zum Herumlaufen geeignet, da die Nebengeräusche nicht unerheblich sind und auch die Geräusche, die vom Kabel ausgehen, sind nicht zu verachten. Da mobiler Einsatz aber nicht mein Hauptkriterium ist, ziehe ich hierfür keinen Stern ab. Was bleibt ist nach wie vor ein echt beeindruckender Hörer mit einem besonderen Sound, der so klingt, wie er aussieht, der Top verarbeitet ist und weit über seine Preisklasse hinaus spielt, sehr weit und ich habe schon einiges gehört. Ein absoluter Preisknaller und eine gediegene Ansage der Firma Meze an die Konkurrenz, der beim Hören immer wieder ein breites, zufriedenes Grinsen produziert. Glückwunsch und vielen Dank für bis jetzt schon viele Stunden Musikgenuss pur, weit ab vom Alltag.

I have 5 pairs of headphones topping out at £750 grados and if I had to pick only one pair it would be the classic. They produce a wonderfully natural musicality without losing anything significant over my more expensive cans. The classic is not a neutral headphone but given a digital input they retain the advantages of digital with a more seamless and natural sound and extremely deep, controlled and palpable bass. Difficult to explain but I always feel that my brain is working harder when I listen to high quality digital, whereas these headphones make sound seem easier to process and this just adds to the enjoyment. Highly recommended Go for it if: You want a pair of home based headphones under £700. You have a good quality (not mp3) based digital system. You have a high quality analogue input with a solid state amplifier. You are finding your current headphones too brash, tiring and mushy at the bass end. You have an external headphone amp. Listen for many hours at a time. You want to listen at lower volumes. May be better options if you Connect them directly to a phone or portable player. Truth is the amplifier in the device just won't be good enough to let them sing, although it will drive them. Listen to low quality digital such as mp3 or free Spotify. The bass becomes overblown and vague. Looking for portability. You need very high level of noise isolation. You want a monitor like accuracy and balance. Neutral they are not. You have larger than average ears. Still worth trying but may not fit. You will use them in a warm environment. You are using a less that top quality valve amplifier. May be overly warm sounding. Pros Musicality. I know there are better headphones out there but when I listen through the classics I just forget about being analytical and get lost in the musicality. I initially thought that they lacked detail but I then realised that it is there. What the classic does is to remove the characteristic of digital replay to focus you on continually changing aspects of the music. Instead I just let the music flow over me and it was my decision as to what, if any specific aspect of the music that I wanted to turn my mind to. Don't think this made the music less emotional or musical, in fact it does just the opposite. They have a fantastic bass response that is tight, fast and very deep. However the bass is never overblown like the sennheiser momentum. The main characteristic is a seemless integrated flow of sound that is incredibly natural, the likes of which I have never before heard from a headphone. The sound stage has good but not exceptional width but the produce a great sense of depth putting you on the stage and this leads to a very intimate feel to the music. Sorry but I just can't fault the design compromises of the classic. Good at lower volume. Subjectively I find that I don't have to up the volume to get a sense of realism or additional musicality so I can listen at lower and safer volumes than with my other cans. Fatigue free. There is no sense of fatigue even after several hours of listening. VERY comfortable to wear for hours. They fit over the ears with soft ear cups and no excessive feeling of pressure from the head band. They are also comfortable if you wear glasses. Look pretty good. Detachable and good length cable. In fact they come with two cables, one with in-line controls. Cons Build quality is ok and matches their price and I can't say they look more expensive than they. They also feel a little fragile, although I expect they are more robust than I give credit. Warm. The ears can get a warm, but not uncomfortably so in hotter environments. Not portable. Too large and fragile to carry around. Average to below average noise isolation.

Possesseurs depuis plusieurs années de casque Sennheiser (HD599 et HD560s), je ressentait depuis quelques temps les lacunes de ceux-ci, notamment dans le registres de graves (et également des aiguës un peu agressives sur le 560s). Parti à la quête d’un casque globalement plus équilibré avec des basses plus marquées, je tombe incessamment sur ce casque MEZE ! Malgré des critiques très partagées, je décide de tester (merci Amazon pour la facilité des retours). Et là, je suis subjugué ! Tout d'abord, les basses, sont effectivement présentes mais très précises et percussives ! Les médium très détaillés, voix claires et limpides et des aiguës vraiment cristallines ! Pour précision (car ça a son importance) je l’utilise sur application Yamaha a-s1100 ou DAC Ifi Zen Air ! Je l’ai testé sur différents styles musicaux (Rock / Folk / Hip-Hop) il sent sort bien sur tous (à privilégier évidement des sources de qualité). Je suis très satisfait par ce casque, qui près rodage devrait encore affiner des qualités déjà bien présentes !