Meze Audio Elite

The "wow" factor begins when you unpack the Meze Elite headphones from their heavy-duty traveling case.

A new masterpiece from the artists at Meze Audio

As attractive as the Meze Audio Elite headphones are in pictures, they are even more stunning in person. Master-of-his-craft Antonio Meze and his team of engineers and artists built them on the backbone of their acclaimed Empyrean planar magnetic headphones. From the moment I first tried them it was clear: Meze has enhanced an already deluxe multi-sensory experience.

These Elite headphones feature a completely revamped driver system. Meze teamed up once again with Ukrainian research team Rinaro who created thinner, lower mass diaphragms to deliver more accurate sound, particularly in the highs and upper mids. All while preserving the authoritative bass that Meze planars are known for. 

Even lighter with a fuss-free fit

The Elite headphones boast a design that's beautifully sculpted, with the same textured, machined-aluminum earcups as the Empyreans. But Meze has re-imagined the headband suspension system with a patent-pending wing design that slides right into place. For me, it was one and done — no adjustments needed.  

They are large headphones for sure, but somehow feel super light on the head. The ear pads have been streamlined a bit, and are lined with a pleasant leather-Alcantara mix. They hug the side of the head and avoid pressure points — a gentle touch overall.   

Solidly constructed with fine attention to detail

It's hard to appreciate some of the design touches until you are holding these headphones in your hands. First, the robust aluminum frame is symmetrical, serpentine, and charmingly smooth to the touch. And at first glance, the earcups appear to be closed-back, but closer examination reveals an intricately etched pattern in the earcup that lets air move freely. 

A close-up of the machined aluminum frame and earcup etchings.

Meze says the meticulous aluminum machining process takes over 20 hours per headphone. And this "no-corners-cut" approach isn't all about looks. It's about providing the proper structure and controlled airflow, so that Meze delivers their distinct sound. 

Lighter diaphragms for accuracy and minimal distortion

Planar magnetic drivers in general are pretty complex, but here are the basic physics: a super-sized diaphragm moves lots of air, resulting in spacious sound with true-to-life dynamics. The diaphragm is covered with a flexible voice coil circuit and trapped in a magnetic field. It moves when the circuit receives an audio signal.

Rinaro's newly developed Parus® diaphragm is made from a special polymer film. It's extremely low mass, so that it can move, stop, and start even quicker. But the material is also rigid and stable, so the diaphragm will move in an even, uniform manner — so higher accuracy with less chance of distortion. 

This color-coded illustration of the Elite's hybrid array planar diaphragm shows the separate voice coils for bass (blue) and mids/highs (gold).

One-of-a-kind driver for powerful full-range sound

Meze and Rinaro also developed a way to separate the voice coil circuit into two distinct parts. There is a spiral coil that is positioned right next to the ear canal so that it can carefully distribute mids and highs. Since there is no obstruction to the listening path, it provides greater resolution and helps lower distortion.

Above that spiral, the snake-like coil handles the bass, and only the bass. The drivers serve up deep, authoritative low-end, whereas some planar drivers can occasionally sound too "polite." But, like those other planar drivers, the bass here is clean and bloat-free. It's the best of both worlds. 

Special magnet array for greater efficiency

One of the coolest features of this headphone from a tactile standpoint is the planar magnet system. The same magnet array that moves the drivers also helps secure the earpads to the earcups. Those lush pads fasten in place with a satisfying snap.

Meze's unique magnetic mounting method also serves a sonic purpose. When the earpads are firmly in place, they help send magnetic power back to the planar driver system. That extra magnetic flux increases the driver output and the overall efficiency of the Elite headphones. Heavy-duty headphone amps will drive them easily, but they'll perform well with smaller, more portable amps, too.