Are these the world's most beautiful headphones? The Meze Empyrean 

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 the mention of our Dragon Inspire IHA-1 Tube Amplifier, @currawong! We are passionate about the Meze Empyrean headphones as well. Great video!

Man, what I wouldn't give to be in that room for a week. Spectacular collection, sir.

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

They really are gorgeous to look at, like a future art deco. A great safe bet for a gift.

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.

The best headphone review I had ever watch on RU-vid!

I'm in love with Audeze LCD2 Classic.

Looking forward to your review on the Meze Elites for comparison. ^^

thank you. good review. I subscribed.

Thank you - I am interested in buying this headphone which amp and dac would you recommend?

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.

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.

Wow…..amazing…

What DAP are you using at 2:50?

Is the bass of empyrean better than utopia?

As good as these are, some have said the abyss 1066 are even better. But at more money and harder to drive😀

I kinda wish the mojo had some filters. I find it a tiny bit sterile at times.

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?

How does this compare to the HE1000 V2?

👍👏

Someone’s stolen your second pair of cables from the case. “Usually” comes with 2 different types.

Have you tried them with the best headphone amplifier the Feliks

music loud af lol

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.

No, they are not.

I wish my organs were worth more so I can sell them and by these.

These with the Hugo2 is my dream setup. We'll see if I get there.

Let's not forget the Stax O2 which is another classic for high-end smooth listening.

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.

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 ))

These vs the sony z1r what are your thoughts? And love the new video format!!

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 :)

Phenomenally insightful and helpful review...thank you!

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

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.

Thanks for this, Still have a few weeks before mine arrive, the wait is killing me :)

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

@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...

Holo Spring DAC vs Schiit Yggdrasil review please....

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.

Will you call this the endgame of headphone?

Hi I'm Mr Meze! Look at meee!

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!

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 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.

Meze Empyrean are THE BEST!

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

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.

Great review

Wow they are gigantic

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'd like to see what you think of the Sonorous X!

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)

Made in Romania

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?

Focal Utopia, Stax SR-009 or these?

Would love to hear you review the Meze Elite

Can the ALO Studio Six drive the Empyrean easily and good synergy?

Great review, thank you. Did you find that the Norne silver cable made a big difference to the sound quality?

Why No comparaison with Focal utopia and stax 009s ?

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.

Amos, I like the new video format. Nice, and I love the review.

Anyone know what is the name of the upgrade cable from?

Do you need an amp to use these?

EUPHONIC NOT EUPHORIC for god sakes !!!

I absolutely didn't like these headphones, not in the same league as Hifiman HE1000SE or Kennerton Thror in my opinion.

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.

The measurements are not flat like at all.

God damn those cables tho !!

Are these closed back?

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!

Weird that he says the bass is 10x better because it's 10x lower distortion. Research suggests all three of those headphones, based on that measurement, do not have any audible bass distortion. www.audioholics.com/loudspeaker-design/audibility-of-distortion-at-bass/Table2.jpg/image Oh he believes in cable sound changes. Nvm, not weird.