MEZE AUDIO | 99 Classics Walnut Silver | Wooden Closed-Back Headphones for Audiophiles | Gaming | Podcasts | Home Office | Wired Over-Ear Headphones with Mic and Self Adjustable Headband

I don't normally write reviews. Not an "audiophile", just a person who got few decades of experience with audio equipment and knows what he likes. When it came to headphones lately I use wireless, for convenience. Bose for the buds, Sony for over ear. I don't like active noise canceling because it distorts music to my ears, and only needed on a noisy plane ride or if you live in squalor. My solution to plane ride is a pair of silicone plugs and over ear headphones with a good seal, obviously closed back, and if you can't hear your stuff too well - crank up the volume. This isn't a review, this is a set up to give an idea why I bought Meze 99 Classic model. I was really looking into a good quality set for... GAMING. Yes. Something easily driven if wired without an amp, or a wireless set, because my Sony's omnidirectional mic picked up my desk fan, AC, and everything in between, and you don't want to be THAT GUY on Discord who gets ignored when you talk in a voice channel, because everyone lowered your volume. I watched countless reviews on a few sets and realized I might have to settle for a wired set, due to a list of specific qualities I was looking for. I tried multiple sets and was not satisfied for various reasons, latest one from Logitech, which came simply physically broken, with cracked plastic out of a brand new sealed box. I was tired, gaming was pure frustration, wife was nagging me to buy something because she wanted to give me money for it, since she was out of ideas for my birthday gift. I decided to get a separate USB table mic (I did and I might just write a review on it), and a pair of good quality headphones. I went to couple of stores in Manhattan, including B&H and Audio46, to listen to some AGAIN. After hours of listening of various models and watching countless YouTube videos I suddenly was suggested Meze. I listened to Meze Neo but something was off. Maybe the plastic cups sounded too harsh or fake, maybe its just me. Also I wanted that longer wire that came with 99 Classics and the look. More mature, more refined. I thought the gold accents were gaudy, but when in Rome... or Romania. You know. I ordered a pair. Sure, the company is not widely known. Sure, gold and walnut has that 1970s vibe. But, they hit some of my many bullet points: easily replaceable and repairable parts, none of that glue/hot glue mess, replaceable ear pads, light construction and comfy feel, super smooth wooden ear cups, removable non-kinky cable of right thickness and length. When I listened to music on my phone I discovered the Meze had excellent mic for calls, built into the wire. All this came in an attractive box with accessories and a very nice storage case with a Meze badge. Finally, the sound. They obviously have a slight U signature on the EQ, warm, not overly bassy, nor trebly. You don't look at 500$ + expensive sets if you just want some gaming/music/Tv apparatus. Most of them have studio like tuning which is FLAT, because they're made for critical listening and not "I just want to melt into my chair after work" situations. Most have higher impedance requiring DACs and external amps and equalizers, making you tethered to one spot and feeling like another chore. Not these Meze 99 Classics. I normally listen to soundtracks, movie or games, don't matter, classical music, electronic, classic rock and metal to the extreme. Remember, the better and more expensive your headset is - the better quality files or original source of recording you would require, because they will uncover every hiss and dip, every rough moment will be heard. On most of my old timey punk, thrash and death metal records the level of original recording is crap, so the better your headphones are - the better you'll identify the problems and whole experience will become less joyful. But I digress. Meze has a warm, U shaped signature, as I mentioned, decent seal on the cups and it hides the ugly moments in my crappy old mp3 vinyl and CD rips quality, allowing me to sink into the rhythm and nevermind the bullocks. Meze emailed me soon after I received these asking for a review, but I considered 300$+ set a sizable investment, so I've waited about 2 months before writing this. I use these phones every day for gaming, TV and music consumption. I wipe the cups and headband every night with a damp paper towel to get rid of my skin oils. I love the looks, feel and touch, I love the sound and looks of jealousy in my wife's eyes every time I'm handling them, because I LOVE THEM. Could I afford something more expensive? Yes. Did I find something that better suited my needs and discriminating taste? No, and wouldn't waste any more of my time looking. They're here and hope they last... MY PRECIOUS-S-S!!!!!!

Please excuse badly background cut photos. No one want to see all the crap I have on my desk, including me. These things are amazingly comfortable. I have a big head. Or rather, I have a head that hates headphones. Most importantly, I've tried stretching my old Audio Technica ATH-M50s in 5000 different ways to make them less like my head in a vice, and I finally had enough (not the sound, that was great) and finally did some review surfing from various places before I went for what was rated the most comfortable headphone). At this point, the sound could be excellent, but I don't want to wear them for longer than 2 minutes, what good are they? Are they comfortable: hell yes! Do they look amazing: hell the f-ings yes! Do I make my friends jealous: very probably. The wood is so good to look at and feels great to the touch. The metal construction is light but feels sturdy. Padding: fluffy clouds of awesome on my ears Sound quality: seems good to my non audiophile ears. But to me, it doesn't make the sound bad in the slightest, so that's cool. I don't have to fiddle with EQ or anything for it to sound amazing to me, and that's all I really need. It has decent bass, rich highs, but vocals and low frequencies seem to tone is more forcibly than others. If you want REALLY detailed specs on these cans, goto soundguys dot come's review and see their graphs. I'm not an audiophile, so I can only tell you "they sound good to me!" Isolation: Eh.. you're not going to tune out an SR-71 blackbird or a Concorde's engines with these, but honestly I wouldn't use these for travel as much as sitting and hope and not waking up my house while enjoying music. Still, it dampens the sound of my fans and computer enough. If you need more than this, you'll have to get some actual noise-cancelling headphones, sorry. Cables: Right and Left marked cables that go to the plug of your computer/device with a 3.5mm plug. Thanks for the left and right markings because honestly, I can't remember what side I'm listening to otherwise. Self adjusting suspension (those crazy arches over your head): they don't squeeze my brain. I'm happy with it. Cables: kevlar reinforced! is that overkill? Probably not. I abuse cords. So far so good. Mic: Honestly haven't tried it, I'm using these to listen to music not make calls. Technical stuff: These are closed back over the ears headphones, so your roommate isn't going to hear your stuff, but the sound quality will be different than open back. If you've never had open-back cans, you'll never miss it. Overall, I love these enough to keep them on my head, and that was what I wanted when I purchased them. All the sound quality in the world of "better" headphones means nothing to me if I can't keep them on my head. They will not noise cancel out your life, so you can hear when someone is talking to you instead of ignoring them because you're wearing a set of Bose Ultracomfort Noise cancelling headphones. Aesthetics is 5 stars. Sound in my humble opinion was excellent. Comfort better than anything else I've worn, BUT, they still have to be taken off after an hour or so and rub my ears. I am, however, very hard to please, and the fact I put them right back on again after should say they aren't horrible at all. My biggest ah-hah moment was when I heard instruments I hadn't even known were on tracks I listen to daily. Can I hear the growling in the voice of Raphael in Raphael's Final Act: YES Do I hear the strangely fascinating small sounds in the Harpy Song in BG3? YOU BETCHA! Can I hear the thump of fingers against the guitar in Nick Cunningham's Down Under: Indeed Do the electronic beats of Muse's The void, Icarus from Deus Ex, and Galestien's Global Entry Radio? Mmmm delicious Do I hear things sneaking up on me in games where they can sneak up on me: YES, I thought I was just deaf all this time... geez Great pair of headphones for my needs.

The build style of these suits my eye nicely, different than anything I've had before. The build does feel a little weak, I'll hope they hold up well, but they look very nice. Headband for my obscenely oversized melon adjusts just enough thank god & sits very lightly and comfortably. Pads can get warm, I have to air out every 20-30 minutes. Headphones come with two sets of cables, I'm not up to speed on the connector type names, but with two connection types & an adaptor, it's very likely they come with what you need & won't need an additional purchase. No balanced connection though, but for this price that's just not an option. Comes nicely packed and with a fairly hard sided case. Impressed with that as well. As for sound, holy mighty lord. I was shocked with the sound, you'd think these were $1k+ headphones. Very easy to power them compared to my Focal Clears. The mids & highs are unbeatable. I'm not pulling your leg, mids & highs cannot be beat, & again, this price? Wow. Bass is loud & full. Only drawback I can put on these is the bass though. It's muddy, lacks detail for sure & you'll notice that right away. I EQ my phones & I've had to pull back the bass just because of the muddiness. I love me my bass but when it's this muddy, I conceded & had to pull it back. However, pulling the bass back just leaves the sound amazing, you will appreciate it very much if you're pushing them with a good source. I use a Topping DAC & amp, eq'd with a Schitt. I might explore, experiment with different cables with hopes of clearing up the bass somehow, maybe a burn in will help as well. If successful, these will beat my Focal Clears by a mile. For audiophiles, I'd say the soundstage is rather narrow & closed in. Typical of closed backs I know. I actually prefer that sound myself. Separation is easily noticeable though.. If you're looking for a cheap, great value addition to your collection like I was, these are it. I'd venture to guess EQ'ing them is probably a need, you'll want the ability to adjust the damned bass.

So first things first this is going to be a bit long in the tooth but the TLDR version is as follows: For someone just starting to develop their ear for audiophile peripherals and devices who also happens to be leaning towards luxury stylings, this is an unbeatable package (that also doubles as an investment). These deliver a detailed and non fatiguing listening experience and damn do they look good doing it! I'm going to begin by explaining a brief background on my listening habits and what devices I have experience with. First and foremost I am by no means an audiophile, but I am becoming more interested in HIFI audio as time has gone on. My very first pair of headphones I ever purchased were the Auvio 33-290 (A very apt direct comparison to the Meze 99s if only looking at the contents of the boxes haha!). I seriously thought they were the coolest headphones ever what with the ANC (powered by two AAA batteries as was the fashion at the time) and a hard case as well as two cable attachments 1 for a hifi stereo and another for an airplane audio port (the perfect set up for an angsty teen who's family moved around as often as mine did). I used these as my daily drivers for years and I never even considered there being a better alternative. So you could imagine my surprise the first time I tried on a pair of first generation Bose QuietComfort QC1s. Before then I never realized a pair of headphones could simultaneously be quiet (the Auvios being all plastic and rather cheaply made rattled like crazy), comfortable (the plush memory foam on the Bose was a treat to my head after the abuse the earcups and headband padding had taken on my Auvios), and actually make music sound better (the first time listening to a pair of high end headphones after only ever listening to a set of cans from radio shack is really only something you can experience for yourself). Now all that being said I never did buy that set of Bose headphones because I didn't really care much about the difference in quality once I saw how much more expensive they were than my Auvios. Even though I didn't buy them, that first experience with a luxury headphone still stuck with me and eventually lead me to the Meze 99 Classics over a decade later. I can safely say listening to the Mezes for the first time took me right back to that same feeling I got with the QC1s! For starters calling Meze headphones high end or luxury is to almost understate the actual beauty of the headphones themselves and the overall presentation. From the logo on the form fitting hard case to the gold accents and walnut ear cups, everything on these exudes confidence and quality craftsmanship (hell even the zippers are satisfying). I'm going to break everything down to those three key areas I mentioned before: Quietness: These headphones have a spring steel headband which means they're extremely solid (no rattle to be found here). You also won't find any plastic on these headphones and every piece is secured with screws so all you hobbyists out there can tear them down and replace components as needed with very little fuss! The cord also is part woven kevlar and part rubber coated which also contributes to a nearly noiseless headphone (the most noise I've heard from them has been the earpads adjusting after slipping the headphones on, something that will change once they're broken in of course). This cable can of course be upgraded to a balanced cable should you aim for a more audiophile focused listening experience. Comfort: The first thing I noticed when I picked up the box was just how light the entire package was, something that was a great indicator of just how comfortable these were going to be for extended listening. You couldn't imagine my face once I was actually holding the headphones solo, it was like some sort of antigrav technology (hyperbole I know, but they're seriously light!). Then once I actually got them on I immediately knew I could never go back to a standard headphone band. Having a self adjusting memory foam headband coated in PLU with the lush earcups was a total treat! Again I have to express how weightless the package feels due to how comfortable it is! The fact that they don't majorly squeeze your head is a major plus as well. This is still yet another area that can still be improved further with the wide availability of differing earpads (I am honestly smitten with these ones though, the comfort and noise isolation is perfect for my tastes and I haven't noticed the pads contributing to any sort of increased base presence as I've seen mentioned in other reviews). Music Enjoyment: Again, I can't stress enough that I'm not an audiophile but that I do thoroughly enjoy music and have a pretty decent ear for it (don't worry though, I'm not about to go on about frequency response and things of that nature, better to leave that to the pros). So when I say that these improve the listening experience what does that mean exactly? Aside from the obvious comfort of the headphones themselves (a must for extended listening sessions) you also get a far more full bodied 3D audio experience from your music. This is a headphone that will seriously give you moments of amazement and joy as you're able to hear elements of your favorite songs that you might never have noticed before. If you pay attention you may even start to get this spatial awareness of where the different elements composing a particular song are coming from. It's really one of those experiences that will stand out to you the more time you spend with these headphones. That being said, you may be wondering if there's a particular genre that these excell at and so far I haven't found one that stands apart from the rest. I listen to A LOT of music encompassing many genes (I'd say my comfort zone is somewhere between punk and prog rock with a lot of new age jazz for some variety) and these headphones have truly improved the listening experience with every song I've tried them with. They can even take some crunchier punk recordings and still pump some extra depth into them without really making you notice that lowfi quality in a bad way. They're just really great all around headphones delivering depth that you would normally need open backed headphones to even scratch the surface. They handle these different elements all while delivering a really fun listening experience that isn't going to fatigue your ears and doesn't require anything more than the device of your choice to achieve. Final Verdict: Given that my most recent pair of headphones prior to purchasing these was not my old Auvios I must admit my world was not turned upside down in the exact same way with my first listening session, my enjoyment more so built over time. These days I use a pair of Sony WH-CH510s for music and a pair of Skullcandy Hesh 3s for gaming and travel. Neither of these are particularly high quality headphones, but they can still deliver a pleasurable listening experience without being overly expensive or fussy. The 99 Classics, on the other hand, are in a class all their own in terms of the quality and engineering in comparison to their cost. Not only do they look the part of a premium headphone but they sound incredible to boot and are fully serviceable. This all boils down to these being more of an investment for me personally as I'll be able to keep these operating for years to come and even upgrade certain components as my needs change. The fact that these headphones can hit so many marks at the $300 price point is truly a remarkable feat and something to be admired (especially in the wake of planned obsolescence). All in all, I'm overjoyed to own these headphones and if you find yourself looking to invest in a quality pair of headphones, I think these could fit your needs just fine!

I can understand why these cans get so many rave reviews. The highs have the most beautiful texture to them. Crisp and detailed without any harshness or sibilance. The midrange is exactly right, with no bright peaks or perceptable recesses. I experienced no ear or head fatigue after 2 hours of continuous listening at high levels. They are surprisingly easy to drive. I like my music loud, and even running them straight from my Galaxy S8 without any external amp or DAC, I can get surprisingly loud, clean levels. The headphones are the most comfortable pair I own, out of a large collection, exceeding even the cozy AKG K701. They look beautiful, and the cans, case and cables all exude the feel of quality. The midbass is the achilles heel of these headphones. There is a cloudy bloom in this range that sounds like the resonance of the walnut enclosure. It is prominent enough and undesirable enough in character that it is a rather constant annoyance to me, unless I'm listening to music mastered between the late '70s and early 80s, where there tends to be less relative content in this frequency range. Normally this would be a deal breaker for me, but the mids and highs are so gorgeous that I still recommend these headphones and rate them highly. The low bass is nondescript. It is there in proper balance, but isn't especially punchy, tight, nor articulate. It doesn't sound bad, rather its overall character simply leaves me utterly nonplussed. Some folks claim these phones are dark or rolled off in the high frequencies. I don't find this to be the case at all. They certainly don't have boosted highs like the Beyer cans, HE400i, or the venerable but grossly overrated ATH-M50X. I suspect that those who perceive the highs as less prominent are listening at low volume levels and their perceptions are colored by the Fletcher-Munson curve. This states that human ears are less sensitive to bass and treble at lower volumes. Therefore, cans with boosts in these ranges sound more balanced to those who listen at low levels, whereas a headphone like this one will sound more balanced at higher levels, as the headphone itself is indeed more balanced, and the human ear's frequency response curve is rolled off at lower volumes. Lastly, my first pair had a notable channel imbalance. One drive was noticeably louder than the other, shifting the balance well to one side. I confirmed the problem was in the headphone by swapping the left ear to the right and vice versa (problem shifted to the other side of my head with the rotation of the headphone), summing the music source to mono to ensure the problem was not in the recording (balance still shifted in mono), and lastly, swapped the cables to the opposite driver (problem remained on same side of headphone). In addition to the imbalance, there was a mismatch in frequency response, as evidenced by listening to a monophonic sine sweep from 20-20kHz. There were a few areas of the range where the image drifted to one side or the other, although it was less perceptable than, for example, the 3 Hifiman planar models I own. I have ordered a replacement pair and hope to have better results with the balance. I will revise down if the second pair exhibits a similar problem. Otherwise, recommended despite its midbass tonality. The mids and highs are that good. ALL DROPS > AUDIOPHILE You are currently viewing a single conversation.Return to Full Discussion me110 3D I thought the standard version with the gold looks nicer than the MD version, and I didn't want to wait so long, so I purchased a pair at full price on Amazon. Here are my impressions: (4 Stars out of 5) I can understand why these cans get so many rave reviews. The highs have the most beautiful texture to them. Crisp and detailed without any harshness or sibilance. The midrange is exactly right, with no bright peaks or perceptible recesses. I experienced no ear or head fatigue after 2 hours of continuous listening at high levels. They are surprisingly easy to drive. I like my music loud, and even running them straight from my Galaxy S8 without any external amp or DAC, I can get surprisingly loud, clean levels. The headphones are the most comfortable pair I own, out of a large collection, exceeding even the cozy AKG K701. They look beautiful, and the cans, case and cables all exude the feel of quality. The midbass is the achilles heel of these headphones. There is a cloudy bloom in this range that sounds like the resonance of the walnut enclosure. It is prominent enough and undesirable enough in character that it is a rather constant annoyance to me, unless I'm listening to music mastered between the late '70s and early 90s, where there tends to be less relative content in this frequency range. Normally this would be a deal breaker for me, but the mids and highs are so gorgeous that I still recommend these headphones and rate them highly. The low bass is nondescript. It is there in proper balance, but isn't especially punchy, tight, nor articulate. It doesn't sound bad, rather its overall character simply leaves me utterly nonplussed. The low bass is quite vibrant though, which is good. Some folks claim these phones are dark or rolled off in the high frequencies. I don't find this to be the case at all. They certainly don't have boosted highs like the Beyer cans, HE400i, or the venerable but grossly overrated ATH-M50X. I suspect that those who perceive the highs as less prominent are listening at low volume levels and their perceptions are colored by the Fletcher-Munson curve. This states that human ears are less sensitive to bass and treble at lower volumes. Therefore, cans with boosts in these ranges sound more balanced to those who listen at low levels, whereas a headphone like this one will sound more balanced at higher levels, as the headphone itself is indeed more balanced, and the human ear's frequency response curve is rolled off at lower volumes. Lastly, my first pair had a notable channel imbalance. One driver was noticeably louder than the other, shifting the balance well to one side. I confirmed the problem was in the headphone by swapping the left ear to the right and vice versa (problem shifted to the other side of my head with the rotation of the headphone), summing the music source to mono to ensure the problem was not in the recording (balance still shifted in mono), and lastly, swapped the cables to the opposite driver (problem remained on same side of headphone). In addition to the imbalance, there was a mismatch in frequency response, as evidenced by listening to a monophonic sine sweep from 20-20kHz. There were a few areas of the range where the image drifted to one side or the other, although the drift was rather small and less perceptible than, for example, the 3 Hifiman planar models I own. I have ordered a replacement pair and hope to have better results with the balance. I will revise down if the second pair exhibits a similar problem. Otherwise, recommended despite its midbass tonality. The mids and highs are that good. UPDATE: I received my replacement pair No channel balance issue with the second pair, so my first must've been defective. BUT, the small but noticeable frequency response discrepancy between the driver's still exists, as noted by ear with music and with a sine sweep test tone. Thus, the imaging could be better- some vocals, guitars, bass, etc. mixed dead center in the original recording will present slightly panned to the left or right depending on what part of the frequency spectrum they occupy. However, this is common in cans in this price bracket. Lastly, on my second pair, one of the two cables was defective. The TRS cable was fine, but the TRRS cable with the inline mic sounded like it was miswired out of phase, with a very hollow sound. The effect was similar to a plug not inserted all the way into the jack, but it was. source device was Galaxy S8. This phone works fine with other headphones with TRRS plugs and inline mic/remotes, so the problem is definitely in the Meze. I didn't test this cable with the first pair, so I'm not sure if this issue is a one-off manufacturing defect, or a design defect / incompatibility. Still really like these headphones though.

Meze has a solid performer in the Classic 99’s. I’ve worn them for hours and they are comfortable even on my 8 1/4 hat size cranium. Headphone sound reproduction analysis is a subjective topic. For me, the Meze phones are warm with good bass, distinct tonal separation and a comfortable high end that lacks shrillness. The Meze 99’s are physically “noise cancelling” because they are sealed over the ear models, not open headphones like many of the Grado Headphones. They do NOT have specific noise canceling technology but they are far quieter than any noise canceling headphones I currently own including Bluetooth noise canceling earbuds. The Meze 99 phones come with a two cords. A shorter cord for phone and general audio use and a longer cord that lacks the integrated phone functionality. The build quality and overall appearance are superb. The walnut exterior is as warm as the tonal qualities. I use a circa 2006 McIntosh MVP-861 CD player with an IFi Zen Air Can MZ-99 headphone amp that is purpose built for these Meze 99 phones and adds to the balance and warmth of the Meze 99’s. I bought the Meze 99’s refurbed and they were a great value and looked brand new on arrival. That reduced the list price by more than 1/3 making the Meze 99’s as good a value as they are a headphone. The Meze 99’s are ideal for a weekend or rainy day listening session. I’ve grown to like them very quickly and see no “cons”, especially when purchased refurbished. Hope that helps! PS - I had an issue with one of the short headphone cords, it was cutting in and out. I contacted the seller, Audio Exchange, and they quickly sent me a new cable. Outstanding service!

I’m rarely surprised by headphones. If anything, most of the time I am slightly let down, I think a headphone is going to sound great, but it then disappoints. With the Meze 99 Classics, it was the complete opposite; I thought they were just going to be another pretty face, a headphone focusing more on looks than sound, but I was SO wrong, so VERY wrong. The Meze 99 is now one of my favorite headphones. I‘m blown away by so many aspects of the 99, let me share those with you. *Accessories* The hard case itself is just awesome, as it is solid and understandingly handsome. Inside the case you will find the 99 Classics sitting snug and safe along with another small, softer case for the cables. It is a fully function and well laid out design. *Build* Over the top, beautiful; that is how I describe the Meze 99 Classics. It is truly an elegant and tough built headphone. This is a headphone that exquisite blends wood and metal. You can tell Meze used very high end materials for this build, that include: “CNC carved wood ear cups, cast zinc alloy hardware with electroplated coating, stamped manganese spring steel headband, memory foam and soft PU leather”. What caught my attention are the two braided cables. One shorter with a microphone and one much longer without a mic (forgive me; I do not have exact lengths of each cable at this time). Both cables are quite beautiful and have a very premium feel. Now, while I am more of a Function over form kind of guy, I feel like as long as it sounds good, it can also look this good. I just hate when companies care about looks and catch phrases over actual sound substance. With the Meze, there is no need to worry in any of those departments though. *Fit* These are clearly an over ear headphone. Comfort and distance around the ears is very good. The only issue some might have is the pads getting a little warm with extended use, though I do love how soft the PU leather is, it is like a pillow around the ear. The headband is very similar to the AKG K 240, with the headphone automatically adjusting to your head with some cleverly placed elastic materials. I wish more headphones were like this as it allows for a perfect and quick fit. *Sound* Bass – Does play a prominent role in the Meze 99 Classics sound signature. There is a lot of warmth and fullness down low. While I would say for the most part the bass stays controlled, it can wander a tad out of hand here and there. Sub-bass kick is wonderful, a lot of force with its bite. Mids – I have a soft spot for the 99’s mids. They are just north of neutral, while also being dynamic and detailed. I think this is why I like these headphones so much, the middle is a great place to be. A lot of speed, action and clarity resonate from here; this is where the magic happens. Highs – While the Meze 99 Classics don’t extend too high, I never feel a loss of detail. A slightly early roll off leads to a smoothness and sophistication not often heard with many other headphones I have heard recently. Isolation – Due to the easy fit and soft leather pads, the Meze 99 Classics can form quite a nice seal. That seal in return leads to a really nice isolating headphone. I just had my friend try these out a few minute ago while I was writing this, he was really impress how well these headphones block off noise. He thought they were even noise canceling, until I quickly corrected him. Soundstage – Here I found the biggest surprise the 99 Classics had to offer, a huge, well-tuned soundstage. It is so wide, yet instrument separation stays so crisp and organized. I honestly can figure out how Meze got this broad feeling from a closed, well isolating headphone, it is remarkable. *Overall Thoughts* As I you will have concluded from my review, I really like the Meze 99 Classics. I think they are extremely fun and energetic, making them an obvious guilty pleasure for me. They are analytical in their approach, yet still stay away from the label of monitoring. They look incredible and have the personality to back it up. I’ve reviewed over 30+ headphones this year alone and the Meze is a bright spot among them. A surprise I honestly did not see coming. The 99 Classics is truly a great overall headphone for those looking for a warm, entertaining and detailed musical experience. ~All photos for this review were taken by me~

Solid wood, real metal construction, self-adjusting headband... So hard to beat. I'm actually listening with them right now while writing this.... These are as comfortable as AKG K240s, however, I prefer the circular earpads over these. They're a bit small, but I've gotten over it. They are still over-ears, just they have to sit *perfectly* so the inside of the pads don't touch your ears. Note: the driver does not touch, just the inside edge of the pads, and that's only if it's not adjusted perfectly. Replaceable earpads. I wouldn't normally highlight this, but I returned Austrian Audio headphones for these and I was disappointed in the non-replaceable earpads... Semi-standard cable. I love that I can effectively pick my left/right, however, I could see that being a potential issue where some headphones have the drivers facing more towards the ear. These are just flat so you can wear them either way. The default cables are kind of garbage. They look nice and feel okay. Braided up to about 12" from the headphones where it shifts to rubber for some reason. This part of the cable can sometimes pick up noise from rubbing on shirts and zippers, but it's not terrible and really only noticed when I do it on purpose to test. The in-line mic and controls on the shorter cable isn't great. It's a single button hidden under this awkwardly long rubber section making it all soft. It makes it hard to find the button. The plastic housing is also round removing a lot of friction to squeeze. Most in-line controls are a rectangle prism, so 2-4 flat sides, with the button(s) on a flat side. This gives a good pinch point. This housing kind of rolls around, and sometimes I'll wear these while not having great dexterity like gardening with gloves, or doing dishes. The left cable has a little bump on it making it easy to find the difference between left/right in the dark or without looking at it. The shorter mic cable has the housing and controls on the left cable, but the longer studio cable has nothing. Both have the slight ridge on the housing of the left cable plug, making it easy. Both cables have very nice brass connectors on them making it feel premium. All this writing and I'm still not on the sound of the headphones!! They sound amazing. I'm discovering details in songs I've listened to for years. The bass is higher than some might like, but it's not muddy. It's just slightly higher. They're not reference, but they're not supposed to be. They're fun. It's got a V sound, but it's subtle. I've let friends try them compared to my k240s (open-backs, but still) and they're blown away being able to hear new instruments in the background of songs, or getting able to hear the texture of an instrument instead of just the *sound*. The box is beautiful. I'm keeping it on a shelf. The case is amazing. Mine got damaged in the first week of owning it sadly, but it's just a few scratches. Nothing major. I'm taking the headphones with me on vacation soon and I'm mainly bringing them over other options *because* of the case. I feel confident I can throw it around and it'll be fine. It's got a little pouch in the center for all the cables and accessories. THE ACCESSORIES!! It's got the longer cable (I don't remember the measurements. They're in the product description, and I can't be bothered to look), the shorter mic/in-line controls cable, the aux adapter (smaller to larger) that just PLUGS IN. No screw BS. I can use it for other headphones as well completed to the threaded one I received with a couple other sets that are incompatible. Also in the pouch is an airplane dual-mono > aux adapter. You can tell the founder flew a lot lol. Also considering the repairability of the product, as a proud Framework laptop owner, I love it. You can tell the company really cares about it's customers. I've had no problems with the headphones yet, but I will certainly be in contact when I have an issue and need a part!! Easy 5-star, and I'll be buying something else from this company next time! How much I would love the Empyreans.....

First, a few things that are important to mention. I am not an audiophile at all. I do not pretend that I know more about anyone else when it comes to headphones. I have tried a few different headphones and can afford any headphone set inside the higher price range on the market. All I want, is a simple, excellent sounding, extremely attractive looking set of over ear headphones. But also something people notice, while probably never seeing it before. I like having things people will most likely not have. So I didn't want a Bose or Sony. When I have 30 minutes to 2hrs to relax, I want to slip into a comfortable music bubble and enjoy what I'm hearing. I had never heard of Meze before. No one I know has either. You probably haven't either. After doing a history check, this headphone set has been around since 2015. Internally, there has probably been some engineering changes to the headphones since then. (Read recent reviews instead of the original ones. I have read they changed the product since the ones from 2015) Any product that can stay around that long, (from a small company in Romania) as well as have incredible reviews (across many websites and youtube), was worth me trying. So I bought a pair. A few more things that are important to mention. The 99 Classics and 99 Neo are both made in China. There is no sound cancelling. They are not wireless. There are no bass buttons or switches on the earcups. There is a microphone on the short cable, which I don't care about, haven't used and never will. I'm not taking calls with these. The paper booklet included does say to use them for 40hrs of burn-in time to reach optimal performing state. After already burning my wallet. The cables are very nice. 10ft and 4ft. You can switch them easily. There's no left and right labels on the earcups. The cables have the labels L and R. The case is the perfect size and shape. It feels good to grab with your hand. Outside feels okay. I think it could be better on the inside. (Basic fuzz that holds velcro nicely, but looks cheap). Some fabric would make it feel more like a luxury item. The logo emblem should be metal for the price. Overall, the case is classy looking. The look. Straight up sexy. The walnut and gold with steel frame look so different from anything else you see people wearing. And they look expensive. Wore them in the office. Turned heads. Questions were asked. Many people liked them. You say "CNC Machined Walnut" and people know, these aren't standard headphones. The feel. The best headphones I have ever felt on my ears. That will be the experience for most people who try them on. I have standard size ears, that don't angle or cup outwards. The cups fit perfectly over my ears. The inside face of the cup does just barely lay on my ears. Just a slight touch. I know for some people this is a deal breaker and downside. It isn't for me. The ear pads are memory foam that feel like wonderful marshmallows that seal extremely well. They feel excellent. My ears got warm in 30 mins. The headband has some stretchy thing in it that allows adjusting instead of the way you do with most headphones. I have a slightly larger than average male head and it worked well and was comfortable for me. I have a set of Status Audio CB-1 headphones, which have been really good for video editing and general use, but after 1.5hrs, they do start to give me a headache. I've read this is actually really common for many people (over ear headphone use) and had no idea. I thought it was just me. The Classics 99 do not do this for myself and I don't know why. However, I do find sweat gathers at the ear pads in most situations where there is no air conditioning in the room (after 30 mins or so). It's a very tight seal. Others have mentioned the PU peels off the ear pads after months of use. Since they are not leather, this is definitely going to happen at some point. But there are after market ear pads I have seen from a variety of sellers. These headphones are actually designed with replacement parts in mind. Which is good because the thought of throwing out good high priced headphones because of PU peeling off earpads is not cool. I wish more headphone companies would do this. The sound. After giving them 40 hrs of use, this is what I experienced. Warm sounding music. Close, tight sound. A small soundstage. For the first time, I can really tell the difference between low quality mp3's and high quality ones. Everything I listen to sounds better (in my very inexperienced opinion) than what I paid for. And that's all I really wanted. When I have the music going, (kind of loud) a coffee grinder can be used 15ft from me and I don't hear it unless I really try. Impressive, but it's probably only because the earcup memory foam seals good. So then I figured, if they sound this good, will they sound better with an amp? They don't need one at all, but a few people had written on different sites, that they actual do sound slightly better with an amp. Again, I'm not an audiophile, and don't know if an amp will do anything worthwhile so I didn't want to spend a lot. So I found a cheap amp on Amazon called MYPIN HA.0290. Super cheap with good reviews. And it actually did make the sound just a bit little bit better. I don't know how to describe the change. Obviously I could drive volume louder with no distortion. The sound was a bit brighter and warmer. Not by much, but it still was very cool, that a cheap amp.. did anything at all. So I kept it. After falling in love with this new combination of toys, I decided it would be nice, to have an mp3 player and amp together in one unit with a short cable linking them. Found dual 90 degree short headphone cable on Amazon called Sinloon. Then got my old iPhone 6 and designed a 3D printed case holding the phone and amp together. One day I'll get something better, but I'm new to all of this and it does the job perfectly as is. Now I just grab the headphones and the player/amp whenever I want to escape into a nice music nap. Anyone I have let listen to these headphones love them. But none of them are headphone snobs or audiophiles, so they may be just as pleased with anything else in this price range. But the comfort and the looks are next level to me. I took some pictures in my photo booth with my iPhone. Enjoy! Update: Four months in and these headphones still work perfectly. Everyone that has tried them likes them a lot. I decided that it was time to design a very good 3D printed case with rubber cushions to keep them safe. I also don't have to unplug the cables from the earcups to put them away each time. All the files are free to download and print for anyone. Just search Thingiverse for Meze 99 Classics.

Die Ansage fängt schon bei der Verpackung an. Eine gut designte Verpackung aus dicker Pappe mit Magnetverschluss. Drinnen findet sich ein Hardcase aus Kunststoff mit 2 verschieden langen Kabeln und 2 Adaptern in einem separat gepolsterten Etui und natürlich der Kopfhörer. Auch das ist bei weit teureren Boliden nicht gängig. Als ich ihn das erste mal sah, dachte ich, waohh, aber den kannst du dir eh nicht leisten und dann sah ich den Preis und er ging mir nicht mehr aus dem Kopf. Und jetzt ist er hier. Er sitzt perfekt auf meinem Kopf und auch lange Sessions sind möglich. Wenn ich so in die Musik versunken bin, spüre ich ihn nicht mehr. Top. Und der Klang? Ich bin eher analytischer Hörer und regel die Höhen bei meinen nuVeros etwas nach oben, der Basschalter steht auf reduziert und der Bass ist noch etwas nach unten korriegiert aber das Klangbild dieses Boliden ist schon etwas besonderes. Glasklare Höhen ohne Spitzen, helle und saubere Mitten ohne nach Dose zu klingen. Ein schneller, fetter und trockener Bass mit etwas mehr im Mittenbass, der manchmal in den Ohren ein wenig kitzelt. Und genau dieser Bass macht etwas besonderes mit dem Sound. Da braucht es für mich keinerlei Korrektur weil die Abstimmung schlicht perfekt ist. Das betrifft auch eine für mich weite und tiefe Räumlichkeit mit der Möglichkeit Instrumente im Raum zu orten. So etwas erlebt man eigentlich nur sehr selten und in weit höheren Preisgefilden. Auf der Kopfhörermesse CanJam 2016 hat er in der Kategorie "Best Product" neben dem Sennheiser HE1 (59000€ - kein Scherz) und dem Focal Utopia (5000€) den dritten Platz gemacht und nach ca 3 Wochen und etlichen Stunden Einspielzeit mit unterschiedlichen Genres weiß ich auch warum. Er ist immer nur besser geworden und wenn ich ihn sehe, möchte ich sofort weiter damit hören. Hören mit dem Meze 99 Classic ist purer Genuss. Er spielt einfach grandios authentisch, holt dich voll und ganz ab und lässt dich den Alltag vergessen. Suchtgefahr garantiert. Bei der Akustikversion von Personal Jesus denke ich immer, ich sitze bei den Kollegen im Studio. Dieser Kopfhörer macht Musik lebendig. Zu den Nachteilen oder Einschränkungen sei erwähnt, dass das Mikrofon samt Schalter, welches im kurzen Klinkenkabel verbaut ist, nur bei Handys funktioniert, die einen 3,5 Zoll Klinkenanschluss haben. Beim Einsatz eines USB-C Adapters oder gar einem externen Hires DAC, funktioniert das Mikrofon entweder verzerrt oder gar nicht mehr. Im Übrigen und der Bauart geschuldet, ist der Kopfhörer eher nicht zum Herumlaufen geeignet, da die Nebengeräusche nicht unerheblich sind und auch die Geräusche, die vom Kabel ausgehen, sind nicht zu verachten. Da mobiler Einsatz aber nicht mein Hauptkriterium ist, ziehe ich hierfür keinen Stern ab. Was bleibt ist nach wie vor ein echt beeindruckender Hörer mit einem besonderen Sound, der so klingt, wie er aussieht, der Top verarbeitet ist und weit über seine Preisklasse hinaus spielt, sehr weit und ich habe schon einiges gehört. Ein absoluter Preisknaller und eine gediegene Ansage der Firma Meze an die Konkurrenz, der beim Hören immer wieder ein breites, zufriedenes Grinsen produziert. Glückwunsch und vielen Dank für bis jetzt schon viele Stunden Musikgenuss pur, weit ab vom Alltag.

These are great headphones and have become favs among the dozen plus set of cans I own. Very stylish with amazing build quality. Comfort is outstanding as they adjust automatically when you put them on and the pads very nice. The sound has a fairly flat profile with bit warmth in the mids and great bass presence....very musical and addicting. Very easy to drive and sound great also with tubes. Comes with a great box and I have purchased a Meze silver plated upgrade cable and sounds amazing. I highly recommend the Meze 99 Classic Series.

I have 5 pairs of headphones topping out at £750 grados and if I had to pick only one pair it would be the classic. They produce a wonderfully natural musicality without losing anything significant over my more expensive cans. The classic is not a neutral headphone but given a digital input they retain the advantages of digital with a more seamless and natural sound and extremely deep, controlled and palpable bass. Difficult to explain but I always feel that my brain is working harder when I listen to high quality digital, whereas these headphones make sound seem easier to process and this just adds to the enjoyment. Highly recommended Go for it if: You want a pair of home based headphones under £700. You have a good quality (not mp3) based digital system. You have a high quality analogue input with a solid state amplifier. You are finding your current headphones too brash, tiring and mushy at the bass end. You have an external headphone amp. Listen for many hours at a time. You want to listen at lower volumes. May be better options if you Connect them directly to a phone or portable player. Truth is the amplifier in the device just won't be good enough to let them sing, although it will drive them. Listen to low quality digital such as mp3 or free Spotify. The bass becomes overblown and vague. Looking for portability. You need very high level of noise isolation. You want a monitor like accuracy and balance. Neutral they are not. You have larger than average ears. Still worth trying but may not fit. You will use them in a warm environment. You are using a less that top quality valve amplifier. May be overly warm sounding. Pros Musicality. I know there are better headphones out there but when I listen through the classics I just forget about being analytical and get lost in the musicality. I initially thought that they lacked detail but I then realised that it is there. What the classic does is to remove the characteristic of digital replay to focus you on continually changing aspects of the music. Instead I just let the music flow over me and it was my decision as to what, if any specific aspect of the music that I wanted to turn my mind to. Don't think this made the music less emotional or musical, in fact it does just the opposite. They have a fantastic bass response that is tight, fast and very deep. However the bass is never overblown like the sennheiser momentum. The main characteristic is a seemless integrated flow of sound that is incredibly natural, the likes of which I have never before heard from a headphone. The sound stage has good but not exceptional width but the produce a great sense of depth putting you on the stage and this leads to a very intimate feel to the music. Sorry but I just can't fault the design compromises of the classic. Good at lower volume. Subjectively I find that I don't have to up the volume to get a sense of realism or additional musicality so I can listen at lower and safer volumes than with my other cans. Fatigue free. There is no sense of fatigue even after several hours of listening. VERY comfortable to wear for hours. They fit over the ears with soft ear cups and no excessive feeling of pressure from the head band. They are also comfortable if you wear glasses. Look pretty good. Detachable and good length cable. In fact they come with two cables, one with in-line controls. Cons Build quality is ok and matches their price and I can't say they look more expensive than they. They also feel a little fragile, although I expect they are more robust than I give credit. Warm. The ears can get a warm, but not uncomfortably so in hotter environments. Not portable. Too large and fragile to carry around. Average to below average noise isolation.

Buscaba algo de buena calidad y todo terreno, ya que me gusta oír música y jugar videojuegos y estos 99 classic son perfectos. Mientras escribo los estoy usando oyendo mi música y noto tantas cosas que antes no. Son ligeros, cómodos, se oyen brutal y su estética es elegante. Ya los probaré en videojuegos, pero ya con esta primera impresión sé que esperar. Se supone que con un DAC amp le sacas todo el jugo, y ya se oyen espectacular con el móvil