About the Meze Audio Rai Penta
Well-constructed in-ears with specially designed drivers
Well-constructed in-ears with specially designed drivers
There's a lot going on under the hood of the Meze Audio Rai Penta in-ear monitors — especially for such a compact set of headphones. I could tell these IEMs were special just by holding the lighweight milled aluminum earbud housings. And inside each earbud, Meze packed four specially tuned balanced armature drivers along with a dedicated bass dynamic driver.
They also constructed a special airflow system that lowers resonance and helps maintain sonic accuracy. The result is a wide-open soundstage that you might not expect from headphones that fit inside your ears. That, and the highly detailed, well-balanced sound signature that has made Meze a rising star in the world of personal audio.
Listening impressions
I primarily auditioned these IEMs with the iFi Audio xDSD headphone amp/DAC. The Rai Pentas boast a spacious, outside the head sound with very precise imaging. But when I drove them with the xDSD, I got a better sense of dynamics — the soft and loud stuff in music. I also noticed tighter, stronger bass response that provided a nice foundation for the soaring highs.
And the combination was just as versatile when it comes to music sources. On Spotify, I fired up the hip-hop album Brighter Daze by Murs & 9th Wonder. 9th's soulful beats came through with more punch and clarity, while Murs' deep, sing-songy vocals flowed gracefully into the mix.
Switching over to the high-resolution streaming music service Qobuz, I noticed even more detail on some tracks. The trippy dance track "Plantas Falsas" by Bruxas extended the soundstage of the Meze in-ears well outside of my head — I heard bongo drums way off to my left, and behind me.
A look inside at the intricately designed driver array by Antonio Meze and crew.
The most comfortable in-ear monitors I've tried
Here's something I probably shouldn't admit as a high-end headphone enthusiast: I don't always like how IEMs fit and feel. I know, shameful right? I should always be willing to sacrifice comfort for sound. But I can't get past the strain some of these monitor-style earbuds put on your ear. Sometimes its how the ear tips fit into the canal and sometimes it's how stiff the cord wraps around my ear — it feels like it is constantly tugging at me or in the way.
Not so with the Meze Rai Penta in-ears. When I found the right ear tips, they slid in easily and avoided pressure points. They stayed secure and didn't move around. Most importantly, when I draped the wrap around cord behind my ears, I didn't feel the dreaded strain.
Plenty of ear tips
Of course, when we talk about fit, it is not all about comfort. There are major sonic advantages to getting a tight, secure seal that doesn't move around. It helps ensure vocals are clear, soundstaging is on point, and the bass is reinforced.
So Meze includes 8 pair of silicone tips than span three different sizes and three different styles. I found the more traditionally shaped ear tips worked best for me, but Meze also includes two types of double-flanged tips that fit deeper to further isolate noise.
Product highlights:
- in-ear monitor headphones
- five driver design for balanced, finely detailed sound
- one dynamic driver and four custom balanced armature drivers in each earbud
- dynamic driver dedicated to bass reproduction
- metal sound tube mechanism controls sound path for low-distortion sound with precise imaging
- durable milled aluminum earbud housings help greatly reduce resonance
- round-edge design contours to curved shape of the ear for comfort
- airflow control keeps internal air pressure consistent for accurate sound
- detachable 51" braided cable with 3.5mm miniplug for wired listening
- high-purity silver-plated copper wires and crafted metal plugs
- rhodium-plated MMCX earpiece connectors on each earpiece
- cables are designed to wrap over your ears for added security and to keep dangling wires out of the way
- includes 8 pairs of ear tips for proper fit and comfort:
- 3 sizes of soft silicone ear tips
- 1 pair of double-flanged silicone ear tips
- 2 sizes of deeper-fit double-flanged for optimal noise isolation
- 1 pair of Comply™ foam tips for better noise isolation
- zippered hard case included
- cleaning tool and airplane adapter included
- 1/4" adapter included
- frequency response: 4-45,000 Hz
- sensitivity: 110 dB
- impedance: 20 ohms
- warranty: 2 years
- Our 60-day money-back guarantee
- MFR # Rai Penta
What's in the box:
Meze Audio Rai Penta owner's manual
- Left and right in-ear monitors
- 48" Braided cable with 2 MMCX connectors and a straight 3.5mm plug
- 3.5mm-to-1/4" Adapter
- Airline adapter (female 3.5mm jack-to-dual 3.5mm male plugs)
- Cleaning tool
- Hard zippered storage case
- User Manual
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More details on the Meze Audio Rai Penta
Features & specs
| General | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fit Style | In-ear/Earbud | |
| Earcup Type | Closed | |
| Earcup Width x Height | 0.708" x 0.896" | |
| Noise-canceling | No | |
| Bluetooth | No | |
| Bluetooth Version | N/A | |
| Single-earbud Operation | --- | |
| Mic For Taking Calls | No | |
| Voice Assistant Access | ||
| Amazon Alexa | No | |
| Google Assistant | No | |
| Siri | No | |
| Connectors | ||
| 3.5mm | Yes | |
| 1/4" | Yes | |
| Lightning | No | |
| 4.4mm balanced | No | |
| XLR4 balanced | No | |
| 2.5mm | No | |
| Other | None | |
| Specs | ||
| Frequency Response | 4-45k Hz | |
| Sensitivity | 110 dB | |
| Impedance | 20 Ohms | |
| Weight | 1 ounces | |
| Cord Length | 48" | |
| Parts Warranty | 2 Years | |
| Labor Warranty | 2 Years | |
Product Research
Features
Overview: The Meze Audio's flagship Rai Penta in-ear monitors combine Penta-Hybrid Technology, ergonomic design, and precision craftsmanship to provide an award-winning IEM. The Rai Penta has a removable braided cable, 1/4" and airline adapters, cleaning tool, and 8 pairs of ear tips for the best fit. The IEMs, adapters, and ear tips can be stored in the included hard leather zippered case.
Penta-Hybrid Technology: The Rai Penta in-ear monitors utilize a 5-driver design to deliver a pure, detailed sound signature. The four balanced armature drivers and 10mm dynamic driver each have their own function, and work in harmony without phase issues. The dynamic driver reproduces the lower frequencies that drive the rhythm, while the balanced armatures are individually responsible for human voices, presence, brilliance, and beyond brilliance. The sound from the drivers then passes through precision-milled metal individual sound tubes, each made to a precise length to control the air volume surrounding each driver. The Rai Penta IEMs can reproduce a wide frequency range between 5Hz and 44kHz with less than 1% total harmonic distortion.
Ear Bud Housing: The Rai Penta IEMs feature a high-precision CNC aluminum chassis that precisely channels the sound to your inner ear without distortion. The outer surface is anodized in a deep blue color with the Meze Audio lyre logo and L and R (left/right) markings milled to expose the aluminum color below. The ear buds are anatomically designed with rounded edges to comfortably fit into the natural curves of your ears for long listening sessions. The ear buds have industry-standard MMCX connectors, so you can easily replace the cable at any time.
Ear Tips: The Rai Penta in-ear monitors come with a total of eight pairs of ear tips to help you find the perfect fit and best seal. There are 4 pairs of standard silicone ear tips (XS, S, M, L), 1 pair of double-flanged ear tips, 2 pairs of deep-insertion double-flanged ear tips (M, L), and 1 pair of Comply foam ear tips.
Cable: The 48" braided, Rhodium-plated copper cable has a coating that keeps it tangle-free, and standard MMCX connectors. The cable has 4 wires, each consisting of 20 litz strands. The cable wraps up and around your ear, and terminates into a straight gold-plated 3.5mm plug with a finely-crafted metal plug shell. A 1/4" (3.5mm to 6.3mm) adapter is included, along with an airline adapter so you can enjoy the in-flight entertainment. Optional MMCX balanced cables are available directly from the Meze Audio with your choice of 2.5mm TRRS and 4.4mm balanced plugs.
Specifications:
- Frequency Response: 5Hz - 45kHz
- Impedance: 20Ω
- Sensitivity: 100dB at 1mW/1 kHz
- Total Harmonic Distortion: <1% at 1mW/1kHz
- Max Input Power: 30mW
- Ear Bud Dimensions: Width 0.708" Height 0.896" Depth 0.938"
- Weight: 1.0 ounce
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So clear and detailed, with a lovely base
Rod from BLACKSBURG, VA