EQ Preset: Low Shelf, 300 Hz, Gain -4 dB 200 Hz, -0.5 dB, Q 1.41 Follow me on Twitter to know when I'm uploading, what's coming next, and to just generally get in touch. / metal571
Intro 0:00 Build 0:20 Comfort 1:00 Bass 2:32 Midrange 4:40 Treble 4:57 Soundstage 6:08 Isolation 6:26 Genre Pairing/EQ 6:44 Amp Needs 8:20 Conclusions/Recommendations 8:40 Accessories 10:15 Product Design video I was talking about: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-xtjBqNk7yOE.html The "special metal" I was talking about is zinc alloy. All the leather used here is supposedly "soft PU leather." Overall, I like that this company has really focused on making a beautiful design and they have used quite a clean driver, but then unfortunately swapped pads without a retune. I honestly couldn't think of a "tagline" for this review for some reason. I look forward to seeing what this company does next, even though I wasn't a big fan of these. The attention to detail they put into the design is enormous, at least. Seriously, check out the video above. Enjoy. Disclaimer: this review unit was provided by Meze Audio. Opinions are mine.
Hey metal571, i recently got some beyer dt 990 pros and im enjoying them, coming from a pair of Sony MDR 7506 (Don't judge me pls). Thankfully I seem to be treble deaf as i don't really hear the harsh high or sibilance. I was wondering what you suggest as a next headphone, my budget being around 500? I'm sure you get tons of Q's like this but your reviews are really thorough and i'd appreciate your opinion. I'm thinking of just moving up to the DT 1990s as they seem to be less V shaped which i certainly wouldn't mind. But are there other headphones should i check out? I mainly use them for enjoyment, critical listening/gaming.
Interesting review. I have just bought a pair of replacement earpads directly from Meze and they don't look as deep as the ones in your review. Bass emphasis is almost perfect with eyeglasses and slightly bloomy without(I guess the seal has an affect here). I'm wondering whether they have tweaked the size based on more recent reviews. As a further note of interest, I had tried the Brainwavz hybrid pads because I was worried the newest pads would have too much bass. I wish I hadn't bothered because they changed the sound noticeably. Worse, maybe, different definitely. I guess it's very subjective but they definitely regained some of the attack and qualities I enjoyed with the Mk 2 earpads, if anything, slightly better.
I got 99 Noire from drop bought them mainly to use as portable HP. Like you said for metal/rock they are a bit muddy, cello for example are also overpowered with resonance but not in all cases :). What I notice is that they like working with amp even thou they are very sensitive, it can tighten bass and clear mids a bit. Anyways I wonder if I should try dekoni sheepskin pads, stock they are very comfortable especially headband but pads looks cheap.
I have them about 1,5 year, for me best sound i could get for 300E, i tried a few differend headphones in the same range, and they were the best at the time, details, stage, space, quality, and very light and soft on head, playing straight from box. You close your eyes and every instrument sounds like you would hear it live and vocals are so warm, love them with hiface dac orange one. Greetings from NL :)
I would say that there's tons of headphones that walk over these at the price (hd600 for example). Maybe they're competitive in the closed category, though
@@clownworldresidentii5184 The HD600 need a DAC Amp that can drive 300 Ohm cans(and you probably won't find a decent one under 150 USD), adding to the price of the headphones. The Meze are 32 Ohms so you can use them with pretty much anything.
For a portable closed back easy to drive you should check the Phonon smb 02 with yaxi pads upgrade. It’s kind a hd600 neutral but a bit on the dark side. Very detailed and balanced midrange, 0 grain in the treble. I did not find anything can best those. Bad news is the price, 400 USD included the pads...
i've watched this review like 5 times -don't judge me it's one of his most entertaining reviews. and still bought them anyway. i agree everything in the review except they can sound really good with classical music, even without EQ. with fast metal music they are too boomy, details can be masked. all in all i'm pretty satisfied, 10/10 build. i use EQ anyways
Thanks for nice review. One question. How warm do these headphones sound? People say that the sound is very warm, so I'm afraid that it will be as warm as HD650, which I dont like.
I have the Meze 99's from Drop. com and I love them. They're easily the most comfortable HP's I own and I don't find them to be too bassy, but I am kind of a basshead. My ADS L910 loudspeakers go down to 25htz in-room yet I still use a pair of 12" powered sub with them.
I've been scouring your review videos for months now, trying to decide what headphones I should buy. I'm looking to buy a closed-back portable headphone without an "offensive" sound signature and great looks (what Zeos calls "fashion cans"). Probably in the $200-300 range. Any help @metal571?
Wow, thanks for the speedy response! I was looking at those too, but I recall you said there wasn't much soundstage, especially considering the price. I know an amazing soundstage is tough, if not impossible, to find in a closed-back headphone, but it is quite important to me. Any other suggestions before I pull the trigger on the H6's? Thanks again!
Honestly can't think of a portable that's going to also have a very good soundstage. You're right it's hard enough as it is to find closed backs in general with good soundstages
I am just testing them at home and - as a non-audiophile-expert - but classic/metal listener can confirm that the bass is distractively strong; especially contrabass instruments etc. appear to be in the foreground and messing up details : ( Second critics is ... even the new earpads are kind of small (for my ears). If meze can fix both issues I would really consider buying them
Wow, I have the originals pads and they have bass, but it's has no where as near as much bass as you describe. When did they change the pads. I love my Meze and I paid less than 200.00 from a dealer, their demos. My favorite headphones are the Audioquest Nighthawks, I wear them 90 percent of the time, and I too am a headphone guy. The original pads did give you fatique after about 4-6 hours, but not as bad as the Vmoda, which I had to order new pads for.
I shot Meze an email asking about it and they said they're going to make a variety of pads, including the 1st revision (small) and 2nd revision (medium) available in addition to these ones, which are the 3rd (large). Pretty confusing. Anyway I bought a pair of the Classic 99s and was prepared to absolutely hate them, and just tolerate them until I could buy the 2nd revision pads -- and to my surprise, I don't hate them at all. The bass is definitely ample and there's a lot of subbass, but I find the subbass comparable to a DT770, and the detail in the mids and treble is still phenomenal and not negatively affected, in my opinion. I still notice new things I hadn't heard in songs with even B&O H6 Gen 2's or HP50s. I do think the bigger pads are a tad too resonant with the bass, but it seems fairly recording contingent, as some tracks it doesn't bother me at all, and some I want to tone it down just a hair. I still eagerly anticipate being able to get the older pads, and am planning on trying out the MSR7 pads on these (they are apparently very similar in dimensions to the revision 2's), but I will fortunately still enjoy listening to these in the meantime.
kip calendine hey, do you have any updates? do you still like em? can you compare them to h6 and maybe hp50 a bit? if hp50 is uncomfortable dont bother with that
I didn't find the HP50 uncomfortable personally, but I do have ears on the smaller side; sound-wise they are comparable to the 99 Classics, but have a smaller soundstage and less refinement in details. They have a nice meaty sound to them though, and solid mids, and the highs are nice though with a roll-off at the top that is maybe sometimes a bit too rolled off; but it's a pleasant, syrupy sound. However, they seem to have some QC issues: I tried three different pairs, the first pair (which was allegedly new, but I think the vendor was fibbing) sounded amazing, but the headband broke; the second pair the vendor replaced the first with were an open-box, had some weird issues in the mids and were probably b-stock or something. The third pair I got open-box from Amazon Warehouse Deals and sounded more like the first, but vocals for some reason sounded a touch more prominent, and the sound was subsequently a tad congested. Basically, I'm not sure how consistent the HP50's are. If I could 100% base my opinion of their sound on the first 'new' pair, I'd say they are fantastic sounding headphones. Incorporating how the second two pairs sounded, I'd have to say they are a little congested in the mids. I personally hate the B&O H6 gen 2 -- they have a weird tuning where all the bands (bass, mids, treble) are sorta compressed together with big dips between them. I think people have positive impressions of the H6 mk 2's because they have pretty solid bass, and there is definite clarity in what mids there are, and the highs are sparkly. However there is absolutely no midbass goodness, which means no presence in vocals, snare drums kinda float along over the rest of the mix without any kind of impact in the soundscape, distorted guitars are rather toothless and only there in texture. It creates a sound like instrument separation but ends up, upon closer expection, tinny and hollow, lacking depth, and ruins the listening experience for me. They also do not get loud well at all and the highs get shrill at louder volumes. I also didn't find them as comfortable (or eye-appealing) as others do. The circular pads make a perfect hinge so that they rotate on your head, so the band tips forward or backward at even a slight tilt of your head, and the headband was too large for me to find a great sit on my ears (and I have a large head!). I kept having the try and tighten up the clamp, which was annoying. I'm still loving the 99 Classics. They are effortlessly comfortable and provide great isolation. The sound is just about perfect, in my opinion; it's pretty neutral but a bit warm which adds a lot of cohesion to the music. The mids are incredibbbbble; as I said, I am constantly hearing new things with these for the first time in songs I've listened to dozens of times with other headphones (including the HP50 and H6 Gen 2). My favorite feature about their mids is the way snare drums really have a 'snap' to them; it's just so lively and energetic, but with excellent bass presence, and really nuanced and detailed highs that still somehow never even approach sibilance. Altogether it makes for a very engaging, but absolutely audiophile listening experience. I think the current, '3rd revision' pads do indeed resonate a tad too much with the bass on certain recordings, but as I mentioned it seems to be very recording contingent, and it doesn't by any means ruin the songs where it does become noticeable, it's just noticeable. The bass is definitely a strong presence but as far as I can tell, at no expense to detail. I'm definitely going to buy a pair of the older ('more neutral', in Meze's words) pads whenever they're made available, but even without those I'd be perfectly satisfied with the 99 Classics as-are.
your detailed response definitely helped me a lot so thank you. i ordered the 99 classics yesterday. the snare drum "snap" does scare me though, after my experience with philips fidelio x2's grating snares. did you try any new pads yet? or EQ?
@Supre All three are great phones and I have owned all three. you get what you pay for and 7200 is a serious upgrade from 5200. I ended up with 9200 but I have recently upgraded further to LCD-5. LCD-5 is USD 5000 so I use it at home and the 9200 on the go. I have listened to Focals and my conclusion is that 9200 is the best of all below USD 2000.
I bought a pair of these awhile back, so I’m not sure if I have the 1st or 2nd generation pads, and what I’ve noticed is that yes, the base is “full,” I don’t find them overpowering; it could be that after breaking them in, the bass mellowed a bit. I listen to all types of genres, from classical to jazz to pop to heavy metal to classic rock, and really, I don’t have an issue with them. Of course, I’m 70 yrs old and maybe my ears aren’t what they used to be 😳 ... the imaging is better than my other cans (Sennheiser HD600); all things considered, I enjoy the Meze.
Meze recently started selling "small" earpads for the 99 classics, which should resemble the original pads. Any chance someone has tried these/ can recommend these?
Just bought a pair off Amazon and to me they sound so much better. The bass is tamed and the mids don't sound hollow like they did. They aren't as comfy as the larger ones
@@K4rthus www.amazon.com/Earpads-Meze-99-Classics-Neo/dp/B07RMXPG9F?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1&psc=1 Here's where I got mine. Haven't given them an in depth listen yet, but they sound better to my ears. They're the small ones.
I just bought these headphones,same issues the sound is completely different from the sound signature,i expected a good neutral headphones with some warmth in the lows and some reduced highs a little bit,but with the new pads these are a bass cannon,really fun,but fatiguing and less enjoyable cause of the mids bleeding,what a 310$ déception
I am highly waiting for your review of Meze 99 Neo (sub 200 dollar) and Akg K553pro and perhaps probably a comparison between them. After that i will place an order soon
metal571 wow that kinda was surprising. I was going through head fi reviews and they said bass is there but punchy and held back well without bleeding. And they also said K553 sounds thin compared to rich sound of 99 classics. Am not offending, just shared what they said. Actually one of the user replaced K551(almost same as K553pro) with 99 Neo classics. By the way i listen to musics of like KYGO artist and modern music and edms mostly Probably a defective piece causing more bass would happen ? Just my doubt
+ben cherian no. Like I said in the 99 classics review they used to use an old pad that didn't have a massive boost. Anybody who likes the 99 neo is deaf to accurate sound. They are painfully bassy, so much so as to be fatiguing. Look at DMS's measurement. It is hilarious but that is how they sound. The bass may be a little light in level on the 553 for some people but I wouldn't call it thin at all, can always boost it with EQ. I'm basically repeating myself here. Only you can choose whether you want to believe me or not
Meze is selling small pads on their website. The differences between standard and small are so tiny I doubt the pad change is at fault, how can 3mm mess up the FR? There are dozens of good pads out there, some better than Meze’s, if it was the pads I think someone would have found a set of pads to bring back the original sound. Standard: 64 mm height x 45 mm width x 23 mm depth: ±1mm Small: 61 mm height x 44 mm width x 21 mm depth: ±1mm
@@metal571 wow you actually replied. Wish I seen your video earlier and also wish you still made videos but I understand. Any way you could recommend a good closed back alternative to the Mezes? Neutral with little bass that doesn’t bleed. Thank you
I had the headphones, I used them for a couple of years, I can confirm that the new pads even though only a little bit bigger in size than the original ones somehow transform the headphones into base monsters. Anyway in the end I did not use any of the pads from Meze, the small original ones were not comfortable for me, but the Shure 1540 pads.
Sorry, but ur fos. Yes these have plenty of bass, but I would not call them boomy. And I suspect you didn't use Meze upgrade silver plated cable. It most certainly improved the entire response, in particular the highs. I also use that silver cable on my Beyer T5, again its an improvement.
I'm listening to 80's hard rock metal as well as jazz fusion and I think you just saved me a fortune by saying these won't pair well with (our) music. Thanks
That was enough to put me off really. I've asked continusously many people about the 99's genre pairing but obviosuly not everyone has the same tastes in music so I was on the fence with a lot of scepticism whether I sould buy them or not. Since the founder and designer of Meze Audio is supposedly a guitarist himself, I was hoping for something like a rock performer. Apparently that's not the case and I was wrong. I'll probably leave them behind once and for all.
They are releasing a new headphone this May, this time a planar, and it sounds quite good, heard it in NYC. Will be in a different price bracket but if you like their design, you can wait for that one
Good to know. I haven't heard any Planars to comment on but they say great things about their efficiency and SQ overall. I'll definitely check them as they do look like a company with a good potential. For the time being I got a pair of B&W P7s which are bassy too but they're rather mildly v-shaped (U-shape I guess) and there's no big compromise in the lower mids at least to my taste while the treble is articulate and energetic - no veil whatsoever. As far as iems go, I enjoy a cheap pair of Hifiman RE-400s. They are neutral with a slight bass emphasis and are the absolute rock/metal performer for someone on a tight budget IMO! They are fast enough for stuff like ''Reign in blood'' or mid-80's Maiden and Helloween while with the likes of Toto, Boz Scaggs or Koinonia they have enough ''air'' to let the recordings shine.
Hello nice review. A very nice looking headphone, but I will never buy that stuff because I do not like it when the bass overshadows the mids. Anyway I mentioned the Sennheiser HD 599 on your shelf. Maybe you can review them as well and compare them to the Sennheiser HD 598/558. Thanx for your stellar reviews.
+Bert Fripont that is the next review. Quick advice - don't buy the 599 right now, it's too expensive at 249. Once the 558 and 598 are discontinued and the 579 and 599 replace them, then the prices should drop.
How they sound is highly subjective. Appreciate this review. It’s awesome. Bravo to the creator. Sincerely. However. Let your own ears be the judge. Try them for yourself & you’re going to be hard pressed to find anything better. That said, these headphones sound awesome with all genres, to my ears. The drivers are mylar and the magnets are neodymium🔊 Again, the tune is brilliant in my opinion. Just discovered them after exhaustingly searching for headphones since Fall 2021. Having tried from $300 to $1000.00 headphones, both wireless & wired, I’m in awe at how Meze got it so simple & right, while all others got it so complicated, expensive & comically wrong. Only sorely needed upgrade or fix for them would be taller memory foam for both the ear-cups & the headband. Then wrap both in real leather instead of pleather. Other than that, I have no complaints. They’re awesome & a welcomed relief. I was defeated, out of luck and money until the Meze 99 Classics. I chose Walnut/Silver. New in box. From Amazon Prime 🤣🙌🏽🙌🏽🤣 I also bought a Meze silver balanced cable to pair w/ my Qudelix Q5K DAP. Again, sounds awesome. Problem solved.
The bass isn't the problem, its the mids and treble. This is the muddiest sounding headphone I have ever owned. So sluggish. I feel like I'm in a tunnel and the vocals are 20 ft away and the singer has a box over their head.
I just recently got a pair of these with the newest pads and the bass isn't overpowering to me at all. Sure, there is a bit of a mid bass boost but it doesn't make the listening experience any worse. I do prefer slightly warmer headphones but i don't think most people would find the bass on these too overpowering.
Bought and returned. Apart from the comfort (my ears stick out a fair bit and the driver grill was rubbing on cartilage), the bass was completely out of control on these. It's not "dark", "thick" or "chocolatey", it's completely messed up. The boominess does nothing to serve the music, and in most cases I found myself annoyed at how pronounced basslines were in most songs. It lacks impact, doesn't serve the soundstage and comes off as just droning reverb behind everything. It's a shame, because the rest of the FR is pretty interesting and there's great soundstage for a closed-back. Listen to Metal and stay away. There are far better headphones at the price and below, regardless of their very nice build. Also, the new "small pads" aren't the same as the originals from what I've read.
It's so unfortunate... Tyll said these were excellent but alas, as usual, this is so dependent on the original pads which are not made anymore. Reviewing is complex because of such reasons
I tried yesterday with an Audiolab 6000a and with a Mojo 2 through qobuz. To my ears: horrible. Muddy, boomy, decent highs but veiled. Decent only on metal or electronic music. Horrible on voices, acustic, jazz, classical, pop, name a genre...
Google meze headfi scandal - they didn't design anything except the packaging. Same for their (very crappy) earphones, as clavinetjunkie showed, they sound like ass, just come "tastefully presented".😁 Check out OEM manufacturer, esmooth. 👍🏻👍🏻
Clavinetjunkie is about as credible as Donald Trump - the Infowars version of gadget reviews. Meze 99 Classics are designed inhouse but assembled in China. Pretty normal these days.
