About the Meze Audio 109 PRO
Expertly built open-back 'phones with an inspired design
Expertly built open-back 'phones with an inspired design
"We're not selling gadgets...I'm trying to build products that feel precious and [offer] value on different levels." That's what Meze Audio founder and lead designer Antonio Meze told me earlier this year about his company's thoughtful approach to headphones. Soon after, I auditioned the open-back 109 PRO headphones — and once again — the company has shown me exactly what he meant.
The Meze 109 PRO headphones are meticulously assembled in Meze's Romanian headquarters.
These headphones look gorgeous and feel extremely well-put-together. Each set is assembled by hand in Meze's Romanian headquarters, using premium parts and fine materials. And the design is very open-air, with little in the way to obstruct the precise movement of the premium 50mm dynamic drivers.
A charming blend of old and new
If you're familiar with the closed-back Meze Audio 99 Classics, you might assume these are the open-back "version" of those. Yes and no. The dark walnut wood earcups definitely give them a similar look and vibe. And their relaxed, secure fit is based on the winning ergonomics of the 99 Classics — named Crutchfield's "most comfortable" after extensive in-house testing.
But while these headphones may resemble that storied model, the 109 PROs have their own tale to tell. They offer unique design touches, and the open-air earcups are physically larger. Inside, the drivers have been completely revamped to deliver a distinct sonic signature.
Premium drivers built from high-grade materials
Meze designed the 50mm dynamic drivers from scratch. Each diaphragm is a dual-membrane composite, with an inner material made of carbon fiber and cellulose that's covered by a beryllium-based film. All of these materials are rigid and lightweight, so they can move quickly and fluidly.
To my ears, the sound is refined, though not buttoned-up. It's deliciously textured with a delightful, natural timbre and quick, emphatic bass. The soundstage is more immediate and forward than you might expect from open-back headphones, but there is quite a bit of depth and airiness.
The steel headband and spring-suspension system help the headphones "pop" into place.
Comfortable, no-fuss fit
The 109 PRO headphones use the same spring-suspension system developed for the 99 Classics, with the geometry slightly adjusted for the bigger earcups. A large spring stretches over the head to ensure the pressure remains even, regardless of head size. Padded vegan leather lines the spring, so it snugly hugs the crown of the head.
For me, the fit was one and done — the headphones needed no adjustments. The oversized soft velour earpads felt pleasant and helped hold the headphones in place. The earcup openings are spacious, so the pads covered more area on the side of my head than most headphones this size — but still managed to avoid pressure points.
Plenty of listening options
These headphones arrive packed inside their form-fitting zippered travel case. Meze includes two detachable cables — one extra-long nearly 10-foot cable and a shorter 5-foot cable — both terminated with an unbalanced 3.5mm miniplug. There's also a 1/4" adapter, so you have a variety of options for headphone amps or portable music players.
My listening impressions
I found the 109 PRO headphones efficient enough that I could connect them directly to my phone. (Yes, my phone still has a minijack.) The intimate, yet breathable presentation worked well with Dolby Atmos spatial audio tracks in Apple Music. But I primarily listened through the iFi Audio GO Bar headphone amp/DAC combo, which paired up nicely and gave the sound even more life and body.
Organic sound with precise imaging
Stevie Wonder's "Another Star" is a track that always feels like a party from the moment it starts. But the way it seemed to bounce through these headphones felt especially fun and engaging. Every instrument and vocal occupied its own distinct place in the mix if you listened intently. Taken as a whole, though, they all jelled together as a unified whole.
There was a relaxed liveliness to the whole presentation — the extra sparkle and punch from the wood earcups, without any harsh or sloppy sonic byproducts.
Rich detail and deep bass punch
In fact, they sounded appropriately reserved on more stripped-down acoustic tracks. The solemn "Square Room" by the Cowboy Junkies had more low-end rumble than I normally hear, but not in an over-the-top, distracting way. In fact, it helped better frame Margo Timmins' whispery vocals — sitting dead center in front of me — enhancing the melancholy feel of the entire track.
It's a good reminder that while Meze aims for a sound that's "present and fun," they don't deal in frivolity. “We always aim to make something fulfilling," Antonio said in our interview. "Not something that will bore you over time or become one of those invisible objects in your house.”
I doubt I'll forget about the 109 PRO headphones any time soon.
Product highlights:
- Featured in our article: Best wired headphones for 2023
- over-the-ear, open-back headphones
- smooth walnut wood earcup housings with open-air mesh openings
- 50mm dynamic drivers deliver an airy, detailed sound with bite and punch
- dual-membrane diaphragms made of stiff, lightweight materials like beryllium and carbon fiber
- acoustically transparent grilles on inside of earcup allows air to move freely
- designed and hand-assembled at Meze's headquarters in Romania
- we recommend a separate headphone amplifier or portable high-res music player for optimum sound quality
Comfort and build:
- solidly constructed, lightweight design
- magnesium steel frame with zinc alloy hardware
- headband with spring-suspension system for a comfortable, easily adjustable fit
- padded vegan leather headband liner
- soft velour earpads with thick memory foam
Accessories and specs:
- two detachable cables included:
- 9.8-foot extra-long listening cable terminated with a gold-plated 3.5mm miniplug
- 5-foot cable terminated with a gold-plated 3.5mm miniplug
- 1/4" adapter included
- frequency response: 5-30,000 Hz
- sensitivity: 112 dB
- impedance: 40 ohms
- weight: 13 oz.
- warranty: 2 years
- MFR # M0109P
Fit FactorsSM
- Lightweight
- Relaxed fit
- Good for focused listening
What's in the box:
Meze Audio 109 PRO owner's manual
- Over-ear headphones (Black Walnut)
- 55" Audio cable (dual 3.5mm plugs on one end and a straight 3.5mm plug on other end)
- 123" Audio cable (dual 3.5mm plugs on one end and a straight 3.5mm plug on other end)
- Snap-on 3.5mm-to-6.3mm Adapter
- Cable pouch
- Zippered storage case
- User Guide
Reviews (18)
Customer reviews for Meze Audio 109 PRO
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More details on the Meze Audio 109 PRO
Features & specs
| General | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fit Style | Over-the-ear | |
| Earcup Type | Open | |
| Earcup Width x Height | 3.683" x 4.289" | |
| Noise-canceling | No | |
| Bluetooth | No | |
| Bluetooth Version | N | |
| Single-earbud Operation | No | |
| 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 | 5-30k Hz | |
| Sensitivity | 112 dB | |
| Impedance | 40 Ohms | |
| Weight | 13.15 ounces | |
| Cord Length | 55" + 123" | |
| Parts Warranty | 2 Years | |
| Labor Warranty | 2 Years | |
Product Research
Features
Overview: The 109 PRO over-ear headphones is the first dynamic, open-back headphone from Meze Audio. It features a new 50mm dynamic driver and beautiful black walnut wood ear cups. The 109 PRO comes with two interchangeable audio cables, a 1/4-inch adapter, cable pouch, and a zippered carrying case. The headphones are covered by a 2-year manufacturer's warranty.
50mm Driver: The new 50mm drivers were designed from the ground up with a focus on finding the materials that would produce the most accuracy, speed, and dynamic range. The W-shaped dome driver is made of a carbon fiber-enforced cellulose diaphragm for superior detail and clarity. This lightweight composite material is more durable than materials traditionally used in dynamic drivers, and helps to reduce unwanted resonances that cause distortion. The super-thin, torus-shaped surround is made of Beryllium-coated semicrystalline polymer that is only 22 microns thick. The Beryllium coating is applied using Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD), which increases the stiffness and durability of the driver, while maintaining its light weight. Beryllium also has high damping qualities to better control the driver. The surround also features corrugations cut at a precise 45.5° angle for enhanced strength. To absorb vibrations, a copper-zinc alloy stabilizer ring is positioned around the membrane, reducing distortion. The diaphragm is encased in a high-precision, CNC-machined aluminum frame with a neodymium magnet for high strength and thermal stability.
Ear Cups: The 109 PRO's beauty is found in the black walnut wood used for the headphone's acoustic chambers. The wood is harvested from mature trees that have reached the end of their life cycle. This protects the environment by leaving room for new growth. The open-back ear cups feature an acoustically transparent grill that exposes the driver from both sides. Inside, the driver is positioned at a precise angle and distance from the ear for a natural listening experience. The ear cups are attached to the frame through a spider-shaped structure that allows the cup to follow the shape of the listener's head. The luxuriously soft velour cushions surround the ears for comfort during long listening sessions. More breathable than leather, the velour prevents overheating and sweating that detract from your listening enjoyment.
Headphone Frame: The 109 PRO headphones have a sturdy, but lightweight spring steel frame with a self-adjusting vegan leather headband to evenly distribute the weight and pressure for any head shape or size. The headphones should become unnoticeable when you put them on, leaving you with nothing but the music.
Cables: Included with the headphones are two cables of different lengths, one designed for portable use (55"), and the other for home use (123"). Both cables have flexible TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) jackets, with separate left and right earcup plugs (3.5mm) and a straight 3.5mm input plug. The plugs feature blacks aluminum casings and gold-plated connectors. A snap-on gold-plated 6.3mm adapter is included for connecting the headphones to your home audio components, headphones amps, or DAC equipped with 1/4" jacks. The cables and adapter can be stored in the supplied polyurethane leather cable pouch.
Case: The 109 PRO headphones can be stored in the supplied EVA (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate) molded carrying case. The case features the Meze Audio "lyre" logo, and has a zippered closure.
Specifications:
- Design: Open-back
- Transducer Size: 50mm
- Frequency Response: 5Hz - 30kHz
- Impedance: 40Ω
- Sensitivity: 112dB (1mW/1 kHz)
- Ear Cup Dimensions:
- External: Width 3.683", Height 4.289", Depth 2.45"
- Internal: Width 2.092", Height 2.685", Depth 0.835"
- Weight: 13.15 ounces (w/o cables)
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Customer Q&A
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I've tried many headphones in <1k range. For my ears these sound absolutely the best ! And the looks/build quality/comfort is unimaginable.
Vladimir from Bridgewater Township