Meze Audio creates some great headphones, including the outstanding 99 Neo, which is still one of the best value high-quality headphones in the market. The young team led by Antonio Meze, the company's founder and lead designer, always shows a lot of passion, and they don't hide their preferences for intricate, almost baroque, designs, full of intricate details. Even the minimalistic (for Meze's standards) 99 Neo headphones, maintain the option for the large self-adjusting headband and manganese spring steel flying structure, which is a great option for balancing head-pressure, but not something you want to be seen in public with.
The previous flagship product from Meze Audio was the Empyrean headphones, the product of an intense collaboration with Rinaro Isodynamics, a company founded in the old USSR (today’s Ukraine) during the Cold War, as part of a state-funded research program to work specifically within the field of electro-acoustics. Rinaro today is based in Poland and Romania, and the work between the two companies resulted in the development of a remarkable Isoplanar Diaphragm and Hybrid Magnet Array, supported by fiberglass-infused ABS frame.
The result is a very high quality planar magnetic headphone design, which Meze assumed should be complemented with their "daring aesthetic" and "timeless design". The aptly named Empyrean headphones, are a combination of Transylvania-inspired medieval torture instruments and goth-rock aesthetics, which unfortunately makes it painful to look at as an object. And even for those willing to pay the price to just enjoy the sound-quality and the amazing softness of the large anthropometric earpads, the Empyrean headphones are probably one of those objects that are better kept in a drawer, just for intimate moments of enjoyment.
The New Elite
Fast-forward to the fruits of three years of intense R&D efforts between Meze Audio and Rinaro Isodynamics, and we now have the Elite Isodynamic Hybrid Array headphones, the company's new flagship. As Meze details, the advanced design uses a blend of innovative acoustic engineering, mechanical design and ergonomics, to create "a powerful, lifelike sound experience."
“With Elite we’ve created something that transcends all barriers of headphone design and engineering and moves to a new, artistic, graceful level. Following in the footsteps of a successful partnership with Rinaro Isodynamics, we managed to exceed our expectations once again and create something for the ages. This is not mass production; it’s the craftsmanship that sparks the magic and wonder in Elite, what makes it exciting, and these are values that we choose over any shortcuts,” says Antonio Meze.
Powering the Elite is the custom-developed MZ3SE Isodynamic Hybrid Array driver created by Rinaro, which sees a combination of individual switchback and spiral shaped voice coils, which are said, "to target soundwaves with more accuracy around the natural form of the ear." The new driver uses Rinaro Parus, a new, high performing diaphragm material that has been developed specifically for the Elite. The innovative low mass acoustic diaphragm is produced with "sequential biaxial lengthening technology," a process that involves stretching the material in transverse directions at elevated temperatures to improve structural performance.
“Rinaro Parus is the result of 3 years of exploration into material sciences by the team at Rinaro. The semi-crystalline micro structure exhibits remarkable strength, stiffness, and stability, combined with an extremely low acoustic mass. This brings a new level of performance to Isodynamic Hybrid Array drivers,” says Pavlo Shymanovych, Founder of Rinaro Isodynamics.
On the outside, the "alien-like chassis" (their words) combines aluminum, carbon fiber and leather to ensure maximum comfort and long-term durability. Another new addition developed especially for the Elite, are the 25mm deep hybrid ear cushions, which perfectly balance the qualities of Alcantara and leather into a single design. Besides the high wearing comfort, this unique combination lowers the bass pressure and delivers a more open sound, in which sound waves appear to transcend the enclosed earcups space.
And while the Empyrean was available in copper with a more discreet black version with copper details, the Elite is not afraid of assuming the medieval aesthetics, with shinny steel details and even more decorative details. To compensate for the shameless gothic-metal design (Manowar class), the Elite headphones take long-term sustainability to a new level. All parts are fully serviceable: from the replaceable earpads to the high-performance materials used, every part on the headphone chassis is available to be easily disassembled and serviced.
The Meze Audio Elite headphones are now available for pre-order worldwide, retailing for $4,000 / €4,000.
www.mezeaudio.com
