Meze Empyrean 2 Review - Massive improvement over the original. 

Just a note about the measurements - the labeling on this system seems to have carried over for a previous export. The suede pad and resonance frequency graphs are NOT with EQ as indicated by the labeling. The graph after that WITH EQ has EQ applied.

I couldn't agree more about Meze's ergonomics. I got to test the Elite and the LCD-5 in the same day, and the Meze made the Audeze feel like it was designed by the Spanish inquisition.

aha Andrew's smiling

Best review so far on this headphone. IMO you are one of the few RU-vid reviewers you accurately detects and appreciates bass impact.

It's fitting that this is Meze's best headphone to date and this is also you best review to date.

YAY!!! Raw + Compensated… my life is complete, I can die happy now.

Given that this is a demo unit, I'm curious if this will be representative of other production units. Could be a good candidate for a follow-up video on unit variation. You're welcome to snag the one I ordered for it!

It would be very interesting testing the II with the original Empyrean ear pads, very nice review!!

What a happy lil guy

Not only they build the best built headphone but they went one step forward & designed one of the best protective & small case to go with it too. Now that's attention to fkin detail (pun intended) 👏 Not to mention the easily driveable too 👏

Thanks for the look at Empyrean 2! When will you check out HE-1000 Stealth? 🤔

I'm saving up for the ZMF Atrium Open, but now I need to listen to these before I decide.

Okay Resolve, as one of the folks that gave you a hard time on your review of the first Empyreans I think I like this review. As a result, two bottles for you. All my headphones and gear are gone though.

I have tested this at a local shop. Everything about these headphones were very impressive. If anyone is looking to buy something in this price range I would highly recommend the E2. It’s very very very strong in every possible criteria I can think of for a headphone, build, sound, comfort, all 10/10 in my opinion.

Funny, I own 1266, utopia 22, susvara, caldera and elite. Elite gets used 60% of the time. I have watched this fellow for over a year and one thing is clear. His sound profile preferences are so so different than than mine. given the performance and build of the elites I consider them a bargain. You will find in the small audiophile world that reviewers are all over the place on gear and tend to focus on small stuff that most folks don't care about. Always buy from a place that accepts returns 100% and try for yourself. A lot of times the audiophile world (and other enthusiast endeavors ) tend to be lemmings. Remember the rule: 90% of Nirvana for under $1K, 92% of Nirvana for up to $2K, and 93% of Nirvana for thousands more.

Would be interesting to see OG vs 2 on a graph

Kinda v-shape based of FR. But that excessive air of OG is probably balanced out by elevated treble. So it may have less shimmer but more intense (Hifiman-ish) treble presentation? Btw Thanks for bringing RAW FR back

Could you a "Best of 2023" or something? I just got to know your channel and I'm a bit lost in which videos to watch since I would like to watch a overall analysis throughout the best headsets you tested this year.

Any comments regarding stage depth? My understanding also is that they lack a bit on dynamics (macro and micro)?

Waiting for this to get a cooler color variant like the first Empyrean had. I want the copper grill back or something else unique.

You guys should review the Topping Professional E2x2! It's an audio interface with a supposedly really good headphone out, and would love to hear your thoughts on it!

I actually like how you started calling it calibrated

Have you tried these with the full thickness leather pads? They seem to help with the 6k peak.

"V-shaped 800s with Audeze LCD-2 capabilities" lol I bought a used HD800(og not 800s) and lately I have been swapping between my LCD-2 and LCD-2 Classic running them off of my RME ADI-2. I really don't want to drop $3,000 on headphones but its soooo tempting now.

@resolve. Thanks for your review and PEQ settings. I only have one question for you and I hope you will take the time to answer it. While filling in your PEQ settings in Roon I noticed a dip in the graph between 40 and 80 Hz !!! Is that correct? Can you explain to me why you chose for this option? Cheers Fonz

I'd love a revisit of the Elites with the (kinda) new angled suede pads. They totally transform the headphone.

I think at half the price HE1000SE are better deal

Let's go, don't expect this to come out.

How are the mids on this? Compared to something like zmf atrium

Your friend Zeos also likes the hybrid pads

That sounds perfect I went from an HD 58x to an aria stealth and I think this might be my final one. Plus I'm a sucker for that aesthetic.

Nice..Andrew please make Abyss Diana MR..❤

I have HE1000se. It's perfect with the ONLY minor nitpick being that it could use a tiny bit more dynamics/slam. I'm curious if switching to E2, what I would gain and give up. I'd think I'd give up some clarity, soundstage, and timbre.....but I'd gain more base presence and slam. I think HE1000se (new stealth version) is probably closer to perfect than this E2 is.

What are some appropriate dac and amp (combinations) to drive this with? It was mentioned that a 3k setup wasn’t necessary for these headphones.

Hi thanks for video, i am so hyped. Is possible compare MEZE EMPYREAN 2 and hifiman arya organic or is other league? Thanks for answer.

Great review thanks! Flavourtown is bursting with flavour - Flavious Maximus!

I don't think I will ever be spending $3000 on headphones but considering their build quality, comfort and the 10 year warranty I think these are the ones I would get if I was spending that kind of money.

Andrew, like you I'm sensitive to treble peaks - the operative word being "peak", since trebly headphones don't bother me when they're reasonably balanced across that frequency spectrum. But I'd love to know why 6K peaks bother you? My Beyer Amiron Home has a sharp peak between 6K and 10K that is deceptive because warmth in the lower spectrum seems to complement this. However, any high-pitched instruments (or vocals) sound thin, brittle, sharp as soon as they ascend to the 6K-10K region; they basically change in character. I notice this with piano in particular, as well as massed strings in orchestral music. (I still like the Amiron and listen to it regularly, but my Hifiman Ananda (original) is far better for acoustic music.

How do these compare with the Arya Organic?

This looks like a FIXED NO EQ REQUIRED VERSION OF AN LCDX ..with out the 4k drop out ….ammo wrong ??

Could I drive this using Chord Mojo?

can you please compare it to hifiman He `1000v?

Anyone know how these compare to the ZMF Atriums?

The low mid hump and the 2K suckout with the hybrid pads is pretty much what I was expecting to be honest. It's very even for a planar, fewer crazy squigglies. The suede pads measurement looks way smoother as expected, less low mids buildup and the suckout is less severe. I can imagine it's better for EQing. I will say it looks like it won't be super challenging to EQ.

Thanks for this Andrew, much appreciated. Shame no mention of detail retrieval or resolution.

As my pops used to say looks can be deciving 😂

Why compare the measurements between the elite and the empyrean 2 without comparing it to the original empyrean 1?

Hi! Are Emperyan 2 better over all then the Hifiman Arya Stealth?

Is there a more honest place to deal with than headphones online ?

It's always so much better. Sit tight while I throw my $60,000 collection of headphones that were also "so much better" when I bought them in the trash, and rush out to go buy these.

How does it compare to he1000se? A lot of people say they are similar.

I will attest that despite the Meze Elite's still rather diminished ear gain region, with the spaciousness and bass extension of the hybrid pads, the excellent distortion performance has measurably allowed it to handle substantial attenuation of the (ultralow distortion) bass bloat and a substantial EQed restoration of the ear gain region with still yet exquisitely low distortion dominated by second-order harmonics likely well below audibility (more details in page 344 post #5,152 of the Head-Fi Meze Elite thread). Otherwise, it is still nice to see Meze finally giving us more ear gain by default. What would be interesting is to see the frequency response after swapping the Elite Hybrid pads into the Empyrean 2.

For what it's worth I think you look and sound completely normal, you have no problem smiling. Everybody in this world today smiles and talks too much as if they are so important. You are carrying the introvert torch. Do not give in to them.

Better than Elite?

You have to Keeper it after Review, als new product is the Best 😂

How would these do with movies and gaming?

Will this be at CanJam Dallas this weekend?

I'd take an HD650 with EQ over Empy, XS over Elite so I'll be very happily surprised if I find this good for the price. 109 was a positive surprise, Liric has it's strenghts so maybe Meze is going places after all.

I like headphones sometimes, BUT speakers are so much more genuine how they present sound. Your ear/brain system is never fooled by headphones. Real sounds, really coming from in front of you, good speakers can mimic perfectly; headphones can't. Good speakers sound many times bigger too, with such depth and so much air between instruments. Are headphone people mistly people who don't have speaker based systems? I know headphones have some advantages, like more detail, (a little more anyway), the ability to sidestep room colrations and acoustic issues, and potentially a bit cleaner sound, but those things still don't add up to near as much realism as great speakers can. I guess I don't understand. I just cannot picture anyone preferring headphones.

Resolve for president

You're comparing against lower tier headphones, HD660s is a 500 dollar headphone and LCD-2 around 700. Why not comparing against headphones in same tier? Like Hifiman HE10000SE or Arya for example?

gimme

where they get free stuff to review everytime ?

can someone provide me a small loan of 2 months rent? 🙂

Its a beautiful headphone but it does look silly when you put it in your head

3000$ headphones... ouch!

They could be the best headphones in existence... but I'm not paying anywhere... NEAR that price without hearing if it is WORTH that price tag. Unfortunately, even though I live in one of the top 10 largest cities in the USA, there is not a place to try these. For this price, I'm not going to just take ANYONE'$ $UBJECTIVE opinion about them. If you want 3k for the SMALLEST OF INCREASES, it is THAT company's responsibility to PROVE to me it is with that. If you do order them, you SHOULD be looking for excuses to send them back. I want to try them, but THEY have the burden of proof here, and my experience is the higher the price the MORE I am disappointed. I'm sure these are no exception. At 3K, they should prove that to you. Until I get a chance to audition in the wild, I would not spend more than 700$

There's nothing better than a sponsored, mass reviews release before Christmas :). Nothing against you & Meze, but looks suspicious (Joshua, ZMF, DMS all at once).. But I'm still curious how it can compete sound-wise with eg. Susvara.

yea everyone jeez all over about Meze how good it is but later they send it back never thinking about buying it, few months later new headphones come up like Arya Organic and suddenly nobody speaks about Meze 🤣🤣

It's too expensive

Midbass and treble boost and sucked mids and sub bass bleh

There was literally nothing wrong with the original😂

The drop X4 has a better frequency response. It's good enough for most listening. It takes to EQ very well. For under $100 on sale the X4 is all you really need.

graph looks terrible 😂

with the parts that costs around 300 buck, they are selling 10 times more expensive shit. this is a message for everyone. DO NOT buy phones that costs more then 300 us