Meze Audio
Meze Cables and Accessories Are Available With The Purchase Of Headphones or IEM's. Please contact us. Thank you.
Meze Audio was founded in 2011 by Antonio Meze and is based in Baia Mare, Romania. Meze introduced its first high-end headphones, the 99 Classic headphones in 2015 and they almost immediately received an enthusiastic response. At the time the high-end headphone market was becoming saturated with planar magnetic headphones and custom IEMs retailing for thousands of dollars, the Meze 99 were an over-achieving bargain. With their hand-polished walnut earcups, lightweight headband, and high-performance drivers, the affordable Romanian headphones were a much-needed glass of Tulca when everyone was demanding 18 year old Aberlour.
Word spread quickly that the dynamic Meze 99 was a genuine alternative to established headphones from industry giants like Sennheiser, AKG, and Beyerdynamic. Meze Audio’s head designer and founder, Antonio Meze, admits that his quest to build himself a pair of great-sounding yet practical headphones turned into something far greater.
The company eventually established themselves globally with a product line-up which, in addition to the 99 Classics, includes an entry-level pair of closed-back headphones, the 99 Neo, and couple pairs of earphones. But they were more ambitious and decided to dive into the planar magnetic category of headphones, putting them in direct competition with Audeze, HiFiMan and MrSpeakers (now known as Dan Clark Audio). It was a risky decision, considering the brand had built its business selling affordable, dynamic headphones.
The company’s first planar magnetic headphones, the Empyrean, aren’t inexpensive but they are unique. The multi-year project to make them was a collaboration between Meze Audio and Rinaro Isodynamics, a Ukrainian company who’s been at the forefront of planar magnetic driver design since 1980. The two companies designed and integrated the first isodynamic hybrid array driver into the Empyrean headphones, and it has since sent shockwaves through the headphone industry.
