Once I bought a very used pair of dt770, everything looked genuine (drivers cabling etc) I'm big fan of beyerdynamic but I didn't like them, they hit hard and too dry and in general the sound was dry and mid highs and top highs a bit piercing. I have heard the meze for like 5 minutes in audio show and I liked them better, the sound is warm and more rounded but with good bite. A bit rolled off on the highs but the mids feel more sweeter and soundstage cant recall well but is also more piercing cold and focused on the 770's and more bloomed, expanded and warm in the meze's. First I thought that the logo of Meze Audio is a sketch of a lyre music instrument. Later I learned that the logo was inspired by the feathering of the male Lyre Bird (pretty close though). A species of bird that is known for its superb ability to mimic natural and artificial sounds from its environment, and the striking beauty of the male bird’s huge tail when it is fanned out in courtship display. Lyre Bird, beautiful-sounding, beautiful-looking, and a beautiful logo for an audio brand I think. That solidity extends to the bass frequencies too, with lows impressively deep and well defined, whether they’re anchoring the droning bassline underpinning Billie Eilish's Therefore I Am or the sombre heaviness of James Blake's Atmosphere cover. Those who like their bass fat but not overbearing will be pleased with the Mezes’ low-frequency handling.

The midrange is highly impressive and certainly the star of the show. The vocals sound incredible in these headphones and oh so natural.

What’s it like to use the Meze Audio 99 Classics?

There is a clear improvement in terms of soundstage, both in the width, which is now quite wide, and in the depth, which is now deeper, Meze 99 Classics also gaining better overall layering from this cable. The earcups padding I got are the old style with smaller inner space; newer units have a larger hole that allows for a better fit of the ear and consequent better comfort. The problem with the old style is that the space is just barely there for your ears to fit in and it takes a bit of time to find the right spot. Larger, deeper pads would make it easier to find the right spot and would enhance comfort in the long run, though they’re really comfortable as they are now. When I show people the Neo, they don't know they aren't one of my far more expensive headphones. Side by side, the classics are definitely the more premium of the two, but both are beautiful sets of cans from an aesthetical standpoint. Comfort & Isolation As my scalp is very sensitive, I find it hard to keep most full-size headphones on my head for more than half an hour – but that’s not true for the Meze 99 Classics. Thanks to the suspension system and its softness, I can keep using them for even three or four hours at a time. Comfort is a very subjective matter, but if my experience is of any indication the 99 Classics are really comfortable to wear for extended periods of time. That’s mostly due to the fact that the adjustable headband is large and relatively soft, thus distributing the headphones’ weight on a larger surface and easing the pressure on the scalp, though the weight of just 260 g surely have an impact, too. Well done, Meze! Silver is an excellent material to make your cables from, it tends to have a specific sound, which is usually brighter and more detailed, and while I am not exactly an engineer able to speak books about it, there are articles that explain why the changes in the cable’s core components and structure will lead to changes in sound.

Simply more enjoyable than headphones usually sound. A gem of a pair.” ‘Hi-Fi Choice – 5-stars – Group Test Winner’. What stroke me when I opened the box for the first time was that the earcups are made of real wood. Each cup is made from a single solid piece of walnut wood carved to size and shape, and therefore each cup has unique colours and grain. It gives the design a certain warmth that, coupled with the gold accents, make the Meze 99 Classics look like a timeless headphone. It has to be noted that another edition with silvery accents is available. It should be noted that I have absolutely no affiliation with Meze, I am not receiving any incentive for this review or to sweeten things out. This review is not sponsored nor has been paid for by Meze or anyone else. I’d like to thank Meze for providing the sample for this review. The sample was provided along with Meze’s request for an honest and unbiased review. This review will be as objective as it is humanly possible, and it reflects my personal experience with Meze Silver Plated and Balanced Cables. Every opinion expressed is mine and I stand by it, the purpose of this review is to help those interested in Meze Silver Plated and Balanced Cables find their next music companion. Not too much width but fairly good localisation and decent layering. Instrument separation could be a little better, just like the separation (it's not foggy but not spot-on sharp and exact either). Audio quality, we should point out, doesn’t actually have anything to do with this. To be honest, the more effective a pair is at conveying accurate sound, the uglier it is likely to be. Just look at the headphones from Stax, a company that makes very fine audio equipment which closely resembles waffle irons. Fortunately, the Meze 99 Classics get both right. They look, and sound, incredible. (It’s worth noting that the light-colored wood version seen in the photos here has been discontinued – it was available at the time of writing, but you can now buy it in only walnut finish). A close-up of the cable connectors | The Master Switch Build QualityIn fact, I did recommend an EQ profile for them, because I felt 99Classics were a tad too smooth, too dark, and a tad too bassy for my personal taste, and to make them easy to recommend universally, but happily they have a lot of headroom, and you can apply a lot of EQ without getting odd phase issues. Furthermore, they actually work so well with EQ, that you can get almost any signature you want of them, increase the bass, and they take it, make them V-shaped, and they work well. Build quality is excellent throughout, and I would struggle to find something I didn't like about them. Such lightweight headphones don't feel cheap or like shortcuts have been taken. The metal headband is reinforced with gold-colored metal support connecting the bars, which also holds the elastic for the headband. Of course, yours truly comes late to the game with regard to reviewing the 99 Classics which is a good thing because I am hoping to avoid the hype machine a little and talk about these in a ‘dust settled’ type environment and second Meze came out with a new Walnut silver edition just in time for me to get my hands on it so hey something new right? What Is The Pitch?

Really strong bass elevation with only moderate roll-off towards the sub-bass. Lots of impact and punch. They then charged people an arm and a leg for one of the worst-sounding earphones I had heard at any price. Inside you’ll find your headphones, a very useful hard case, a 1.2m cable with mic and remote and a 3m cable. Also, there is a soft puch for your cables, a flight adapter and a 6.3mm adapter for your stationary gear. Thanks to the lightweight construction (260g without the cable) and a great headband construction Meze 99 Classics sits on your head very comfortably and it’s a pleasure to use, even for a long period of time.Come with a sturdy hard case (headphones fit in even when the cable is attached) that looks good and is very protective.

It’s worth to mention the hard case one more time. It is nicely made of hard shell imitating leather. It is quite spacious, so you won’t have to worry about your headphones being squished, and you can easily fit both of your cables inside. Great touch. We listened to more songs than those named in this playlist, but those are excellent for identifying a sonic signature. I recommend trying most of the songs from this playlist, especially if you’re searching for new music! The playlists are different for Spotify, Tidal and Youtube, and based on the songs I enjoy and are available on each!The flimsy-looking skeletal frame is surprisingly rigid, while their large padded headband does well to prevent pressure from building on the head. With and without glasses on, we spend hours listening to the Mezes during testing, and their design is light and comfortable enough to do so without feeling burdened. I heard good things about the nighthawk carbon headphone, same price as meze, might be worth taking a look at them. Many companies do this; they buy cheap headphones from a mass manufacturer and rebrand them. Some are quite open about it and have gained respect throughout the headphone world. While the MEZE 99 Classics don’t quite make it into the ultra-high end audiophile arena – much as we are sure that MEZE would like them to - they are still some of the best sounding headphones we’ve ever listened to for this price. Other headphones recall mosh pits at metal gigs, or bawdy flamenco dancers. The 99 Classics? Ball gowns and tuxedos, baby. Waltz. Tango. Many headphones often swing too far in one direction, offering either sound that is incredibly warm, sacrificing precision for color. Or they swing the other way, being too orientated towards the studio, delivering transparent, legal sharp audio that, while laudable, doesn’t always do the music many favours. The 99 Classics get the balance just right. The MEZE 99 Classics are a gorgeous pair of cans | The Master Switch There is, however, slight evidence of the wood lacquer being worn on the bottom edge of the ear cups by the end of our time testing them – something you should perhaps expect to happen over time if they’re constantly placed on a desk.