Meze Elite vs Empyrean & ZMF Verite

[@billymisfits]

we're gonna have to start calling you HiFi Guy pretty soon 😉

[@MidFiGuy]

That name was already taken so I settled for MFG lol

[@latle111]

My man. This turns out to be an incredibly detailed review. Your reviewing talent is a hidden gem.

[@atoz6552]

I belive they should have released a "bare-bone" edition at half the price instead

[@soulfulfool]

I would buy it instantly xD

[@jurumal]

Thanks for your impressions! I’m excited for the Soloist 3XP video as I recently got mine in. Will you have the Super Charger PSU included for comparison as well?

[@Josh-os2px]

3xp is better than both the Milo n the vEoelectric amps

[@gjtube37]

Thank you for the great review! It was very helpful as I am awaiting delivery of the Elite any day now. I really appreciate the comparisons, especially the Verite Open as I am in the market for that as well. Have you tried the Empyrean's leather pads on the Elite since the Elite's Hybrid pads are thinner and if so how does it affect the overall sound? Does it make the Elite more Empyrean like? Thank you again!

[@iikatinggangsengii2471]

simply just more preferred, they add (very) a little bit of he1 sound

[@asplmn]

What's interesting to see is how your enthusiasm increased when talking about the Verite's. With other comparisons, it was more down to business. With the Veritè, you suddenly smiled the whole time talking about it. That's what it's all about to me. What makes me smile the most. :)

[@soulfulfool]

My Verite Closed when met proper tubes are stunning, Auteur hybrid pads provide bigger soundstage, effect is amazing. It really will be hard to find open back companion for them since they suits me so well

[@asplmn]

@@soulfulfool Atrium is an awesome open back companion for me and the VC. 👍

[@Zelosis_]

Love your reviews, hope to see you make more in the future!

[@MidFiGuy]

Thank you! I've found it a real challenge to balance family life with the channel but now that it's getting cold I'm hoping I'll have more time for it!

[@Vamon_Kinctuarinwhe]

Hi, I bought a pair of Elites used last month. Right now I have a used Denafrips Ares 2 on its way to me. Do you have any amps to recommend that might pair well with those two things? Thanks.

[@Grooverski]

Milo looks very interesting. Great impressions. Been a while tho. ;)

[@MidFiGuy]

Thank you. I wish I had more time to dedicate to this channel. Not enough hours in the day!

[@BopWalk]

You also forgot to mention that the Empyreans are also the most comfortable headphones, they feel like 2 pillows on your head.

[@Anand.Asrani]

Good Choice the triangle 40th anniversary speakers ... review would be a treat !

[@InCerTo_AntiFragile]

Mid-fi Guy i've been missing you 😂

[@djhmax09]

Aww, was hoping for that amp shootout vid. Thanks for the comparison!

[@MidFiGuy]

Coming soonish :> It was a lot of information and critiquing for me to digest but I hope to start the video series this quarter.

[@leonardjona]

Can’t get enough of these reviews!

[@Benjamin.McGuire]

That was an awesome review. I think it's the best on KZbin right now.

[@lextr3110]

awesome review like always wish you would compare these amp to gsx mini

[@LakerTriangle]

Ha - nothing you said at beginning was "midfi". And I will say this on every Meze review - Elites didn't fit me properly. Small gap behind my ears no matter what I did.

[@MidFiGuy]

Sorry to hear. Maybe you'd like the LCD5?

[@edosan1068]

I think the thing that impressive with first the empy, and now even more so with the elite, is that it trade blows with the entry level flagship headphones in their best genre. I think it's not a hard case to make, that the entry level flagship headphones in their best genres is pretty close to the TOTL headphones in that genre, think 90 - 95%. But meze, have somehow made not 1, but 2 headphone that trade blows with the likes of hd 800s and arya in their best genre, they are doing it oh so smoothly and non-offensively. Lets put aside the fact that it is probably one of, if not The best headphone in terms of build and comfort. I have listen to the elites anywhere from 30 minutes to 4 hours, a lot of time during working hours, not only is it TOTL in terms of performance, it is also TOTL when it comes to musical enjoyment. Many people will undervalue meze headphones versatility and listenability, but I think it is precisely when it have such a strong following, because there are just not many headphone that have those qualities and perform at the level of the elite.

[@MidFiGuy]

Really well put. Meze may not reach the "absolute best" in any one category but the enjoyment factor here is real. Add the stellar comfort level to the mix and I can see why people love their headphones.

[@killerra]

If they only "trade blows" with the 800S and Arya, they shouldn't cost 3 and 4 thousand dollars.

[@coleragsdale4827]

@@killerra I think it was just a comparison for a genre that is specialized on one headphone. where the empy's trade blows with something that is specialized while they themselves aren't and almost do it effortlessly. the reason why they cost so much is the build cost + r&d + architecture for comfort.

[@Josh-os2px]

$4000 for a underwhelming in sonic performance nOT TOTL in detail and dynamic nor bass only in build value SAVE YOUR MONEY and buy a LCD-5 or a used LCD-4 to a used Susvera, HE1000se, Utopia which are all better than the Elites which has under 1500 in sonic performance. He even said he prefers the ZMF Verties more which also falls below the other mentioned TOTL HPs

[@tweedpenguin712]

Why LCD-5? Build quality sucks, non removable pads, cheap acetate, heavy, uncomfortable, smaller pads.

[@tweedpenguin712]

I feel like LCD-X is the best value.

[@MarkasTZM]

Anyone wanna gift their Empyrean or Elite to me as a show of friendship with an awesome and generous cannabis and mushroom grower/breeder in Oregon? We could be friends for life ;)

[@zindahoon]

Hey I know you’re working 9-5 and in between make video ( informative) for us but we want to hear more from you .. saw your vinyl it looks very nice what make is it ?

[@MidFiGuy]

Wish I had more time for the channel. The turntable is a Uturn Audio with a Ortofon red cartridge

[@kalakalaiand3343]

How would HE1000 v2 compete with elite??

[@implicitzen1262]

loved this review. I've recently gotten my hands on a very nice schiit stack (Jotunheim 2 and Bifrost 2) and set of HD800S headphones. I love the soundstage size and detail of the HD800S. But for my preferred genre of music, which is a wide spread of different versions of rock, I just find it a little lacking. With that said, I've been considering picking up the Elite's as I hear they have a comparable, if a little smaller, soundstage and I think the planar would give me the impact and wow factor I'm looking for in the genre's I like. Would you say that the Elite would do the job decently on my stack? Or am I better off sticking with the HD800S? Disclaimer: I've never heard an open back planar headphone so I have not comparison in this area.

[@soulfulfool]

any hi end open planars gonna give you wow factor compared to 800, for rock anyway I would not recommend planars, Im waiting for my verite closed it should be the best for that kind of music

[@mechantl0up]

HD800s always sounded artificial to me. They cannot compete with modern top end headphones. There is something fake about the way they render the timbre of instruments. I guess the dynamic driver is pushed beynd its limits in that tuning - it is not Focal Utopia. That performance was OK in 2010, but not any more. One can buy Focal Clear MG for the same money. And while it is not a monitoring headphone either, it at least sounds fun, and is in control of its own delivery.

[@amargnwalkr]

Glad you're back! Been missing those mispronunciations. ;)

[@MidFiGuy]

Many more coming you're way!

[@morrimoto]

awesome headphone collection. but should have bought bitcoin / tesla. 🤣

[@MidFiGuy]

I'm a fan of ETH personally but who knows how high BTC will go this quarter!

[@henryscott4811]

Why compare 4k or 3k healdphones i.e the meze stuff with killobuck headphones Arya can be had for closer to 1k now during holidays and thought it just just my opinion and everyone has one, how can those be just comparisons. In addition, you have a nice collection better than mine, however why not trade in half of those and get Susvara or Abyss? saying anything Meze is TOTL is kinda sus imo.

[@TheCangle]

Nice to see a video from you again!

[@pauljohnpena1247]

Agree. Been a while. Love this

[@thehobojarpen]

Great review. I enjoy hearing your thoughts and the way you explain things! Quick question: I own and love the Arya (version 2), but I'm interested in getting a new pair of headphones that are more fun/intimate to listen to. Would you recommend the ZMF Aeolus or Verite? And are tube amps a necessity for ZMFs? Thanks!

[@nekky_7r]

Both are fantastic and Aeolus really are great and have plenty of detail but they scale like nothing else - you need a very good amp to get the most out of them.

[@thehobojarpen]

@@nekky_7r thanks for the reply! would you say that the amp has to be a tube amp? right now, my "best" amp is the monoprice monolith THX DAC/amp.

[@MidFiGuy]

@@thehobojarpen tbh I wouldn't get an Aeolus without a tube amp. I didn't find my old Aeolus to be preferable on the super clean THX amps.

[@thehobojarpen]

@@MidFiGuy appreciate the feedback. is there an entry level tube amp you'd recommend?

[@nekky_7r]

@@MidFiGuy agreed. My Aeolus sat on my shelf, taking a backseat to Fostex TH909, while powered via SA-1. Now with Luxman P-700u, they tend to sit on my head. They have awoken, going from almost seeming to easily get lost in the midrange with busy guitar sections, for example, to now being quite detailed with tons of tight, quality bass. I am convinced they require an amp with an authoritative grip on the driver and are not as easy to drive as one might think. They have soundstage! And depth! And a honey of a midrange that is now what I feel I always read about.

[@krucacing]

wow midfi guy ges endgame

[@prabinpaudel5572]

After meze reviews.. Midfi guy more like endgame guy Cheap audio man more like expensive audio man.. 😂

[@cesargutierrez4999]

Great review Thank you

[@blejzerosamigos6115]

Thanks for another great video, I’m kind of torn between verite and auteur as a complementary headphone to my Arya any thoughts would be greatly appreciated, thanks

[@MidFiGuy]

If you have a tube amp a Verite would be great. I've only heard the Auteur at Canjam so it's hard to make a solid recommendation between the two

[@blejzerosamigos6115]

@@MidFiGuy thanks for the reply, 👍

[@M.G2192]

Nice review dude. I bought a silver jot2 from you about a month ago(it’s pretty good!). Just now checking out the channel, good stuff!

[@emilsal]

Is it worth owning the hd800s if you have the Aryas? I got to listen to it for the first time during Can-jam and I thought it sounded really good. But it was attached to a $2K plus tube amp so that’s probably factors into it.

[@willjohnson2722]

Great video

[@danidingo977]

"...the bass on the Empyrean bleeds to much... affecting the mids" This is not right for a $3k headphone. I did not listen to the Mezes but if this is true, I am not interested.

[@nickolus442034]

That's pretty overstated (and likely he's coming to this conclusion with the stock cable). I own them and they are nearly perfect. Buy them used at 2k with the PCUHD silver cable which fixes most of the issues and you have probably one of the most enjoyable headphones you can buy. It's a different experience from the detail heavy cans that usually cost 4-5k, and complements them rather than competes. If I was to own one set of headphones it would be the empyrean.

[@killerra]

@@nickolus442034 You're in too deep in you think a cable can fix a headphone.

[@nickolus442034]

@@killerra i see the poors are at it again

[@tweedpenguin712]

@@nickolus442034 cables do nothing 😂

[@nickolus442034]

@@tweedpenguin712 the poor's are still at it I see

[@gauravtyagi5900]

Welcome back! :)

[@BopWalk]

Nice comparison brother, really enjoyed this video and yeah I freakin love my ZMF Verite Open and Closed.

[@menachemelkayam153]

Hey! Curious to know, how does the zmf verite compare with the HEDDphone?

[@BrandedbySean]

Thanks for the great review!! I'm interested to know what your eq settings are on the Verite. I definitely do hear the peaks at some songs more so than others.

[@MidFiGuy]

Totally. I really just look at Crinacle's graphs and try to even out the peaks and valleys that I see. Or try his recommended settings here: github.com/jaakkopasanen/AutoEq/tree/master/results/crinacle/harman_in-ear_2019v2/ZMF%20Verite

[@jashan1741]

@@MidFiGuy can you post your personal roon eq setting? Thanks

[@pauljohnpena1247]

l33t FTW!!!

[@dasninjastix]

Thanks for the video, I think you sold me on the original Empyrean lol. Would love to see you compare either of these to the DCA Stealth. ✌️

[@shh532]

Could we get a fuller review of the Clear MGs? They're a little divisive but it sounds like you got a good unit!

[@BillyKueekSG]

Great review! I have heard the Emryrean and yes, it is heavenly or highest part of heaven, which is also the meaning of the word “Empyrean. I have not heard the Elite yet and at this price point, I L have to listen to it first.

[@DistroUser]

Thanks for the review...HELL, I'd rather spend 3K on pair of loudspeakers any day! Cheers

[@soulfulfool]

headphones are for people that like to have more intimate experience with their fav music with details like only high end loudspeakers can give + you need perfect arranged room for that, so yea dont even compare them in terms of money

[@ruffandruff]

Excellent review mate!!! Loved your comparisons.

[@Smood47]

It's not 'Focal' it's 'Foh-CAL'.

[@znick77]

What's your current favorite amp to pair with the Arya? I was thinking V280 since some say it helps with the treble peakiness/glare on some tracks, but I was also considering the gsx mini since it's around the same price. Thanks for the thoughtful, detailed video.

[@theodorezurla496]

Same boat I went with gsx mini should be here soon

[@MistaLova-Lova]

Great video, it didn't feel as long as it actually is. :) Have you heard either the Focal Utopia or the Hifiman HE1000se? These are my current headphones and I'm wondering how both the Elite and Empyrean would compare.

[@Josh-os2px]

The se n utopia are more resolving HP while the Mez Elite n Mez are more smooth sounding the design and presentation is what u pay for but for technical performance the Mez's can't compete

[@fatdoi003]

for the money, I may go for LCD5 for a more complete package

[@alvincaesar-jv6tu]

Great opening. Very fun!

[@Nephilim-81]

Extremely well done. Thank you, Sir.

[@robg8963]

Really well done and thoughtful video. Your reviews are the best.

[@yoramdiamand]

Some people thought the faults of the Empyrean are helped by a good silver cable. I bought me a silver cable for the Meze and it did help.

[@thierryfaquet7405]

If you think cable changes the sound I have some nice oil from snakes to sell you…

[@mikeg2491]

@@thierryfaquet7405 Feel same way about balanced vs unbalanced cables, I got on that train and for the life of me just could not tell the difference on both high-end HPs and amps. Anymore the only reason I buy them is to either get that extra 5-10% volume and because XLR cables are more fun to plug in and don’t get tugged out as easily, that’s it.

[@thierryfaquet7405]

@@mikeg2491 balance at a basic electric level is just about noise rejection and more power. It never was about a better sound. That said, some DAC and amps have way more care in the internal design of their balanced path that their single ended. Resulting in balanced sounding better. So yes, it shouldn't make a difference but sometime it does.

[@soulfulfool]

@@thierryfaquet7405 there always will be rats like you with their stupid "snake oil" phrase, if person say that they believe in God you also hate them?

[@marcfoss7687]

Fantastic content and great video...thank you.

[@alexsha4912]

Curious on how you compare ZMF Aeolus with Empyrean? Seems both are known for a relaxing and forgiving sound

[@MidFiGuy]

Empyrean all the way, it truly is in a different league. Aeolus with a tube amp, jazz, and a whiskey though will make me forget the Empy real quick ;)

[@alexsha4912]

@@MidFiGuy Thank you! Sold my Aeolus and got a pair of Empy, and I agree that it's a nice upgrade! Now my next question is since I'm owning both Arya V3 and Empy, should I use them for different songs and be happy or sell both of them and get the Elite? :) so basically is Elite >= Arya + Empy? BTW I also have a VC

[@tylercurtis265]

Are you in Hawai'i?

[@johnsoriano3812]

Hey!!! What is up..

[@HungryEatNow]

Did you get a raise?

[@adrianmorrish8494]

Fantastic analysis

[@ralexandreanu]

Am I the only one here thiking it's kind of inadequete and even nuts, picking those flows and drawbacks in headphones over 1000$ ? I think after 2020, the entire workd went carzy, like if we were living in an age where everybody is a millionair, headphones should cost over 1000$ and cars should cost over 50 000$, what a crazy world we live in... P.S. I also code fore living, but can hardly affored a DROP Focal Elex

[@h.hristov]

Such is the world we live in

[@alanwang6563]

Great choices of headphones to compare with Elite! I'm looking for a headphone for POP and R&B genre. I prefer it comes with following characters: light or normal weight, good separation between vocal and instruments, mid forwarded, good high and mid freq resolution and lastly easy to drive. May I know what are the best ones that coming into your mind? Thank you!!

[@soulfulfool]

since you didnt mention bass looks like Grado sound

[@JukkaKesti]

I think that the Meze Liric should be the perfect option for you! 👌

[@mechantl0up]

For the same price as Arya, Stax L700 offers even more top end detail, if that is desirable. It also provides better soundstage and vastly more resolution and speed, but lacks in bass extension and impact. The Stax sound signature may also put off some people, as the freq response is quite unique.

[@heiniousfenious6779]

Tested with "kiss the fool"... as in the fool who would pay 4 grand on a pair of headphones