I work from home and wear headphones fairly consistently for ten hours a day. Whether its work, gaming or music I'll always be using the headphones and have no desire to swap in between. I am not hugely interested in the sound signature of the HD800s but its been my go to because nothing has come close in regards to comfort on top of the very easy listening soundstage. Tried the LCD-X and loved the overall sound but its just never going to be an option because of the lack of comfort in long-term wear. The Empyrean has finally given me an option to look at in the future without feeling and looking like a nerd who is suffering for some kind of greater satisfaction.
Hope you are doing well, dude. Haven't heard from you in a while and your voice is totally needed. Especially when you refer to yourself in the 3rd person (does that work if you use your youtube moniker?).
This is the first video of yours I have seen. I live and breathe the Audiophile community. Lots of my gear goes to Z to review. Happy to send you gear as well as I like your style. IF you'd like to review my Fostex TH900MKII in the very rare Sapphire Blue variant which has a custom tune by Fostex or my Ether C closed or Mytek gear, etc, let me know here.
Everyone wants a new Bert review all the time haha. I just got Aeolus and Auteur in the other day and Aeolus is so damn fun... I just really prefer Zach's TPE driver I guess since I also liked Atticus better than Eikon
Fantastic, now I really want to hear the Aeolus! Was Z's favourite headphone of 2018. Would love to know your thoughts on the ZMF open-backs. Never got a chance to hear the TPE! Seems like one more reason Zach really is...awesome.
Hey, @metal571. i have a few questions for u. 1- What do you think Samson s850 ? 2- How should i make an equalizer for flat ? if you tell me their advice, I would be grateful. Thanks.
Sometimes it’s shocking how different people perceive the same thing. For me Empyrean is highly detailed (Utopia, HEKse level, slightly less because of warm tuning), has tremendous spatial presentation (not easy to do for warm tuning) and makes things sound full bodied. Drums hit with authority, guitars sound meaty, in fact everything has this meaty textured feel, at least for me. After about 3 months of going back and forth HEKse, Utopia and Empyrean I still can’t find the detail the Empyrean is missing, sure you have to dig for it because it’s not on the forefront but it lacks none for me at least 🤷♂️ and I’m really critical of gear and value
I think what he’s actually talking about being a problem is not the detail itself, but the frequency response which leaves you with an illusion of less detail on these headphones. These headphones are capable of producing up to 110,000Hz which means the diaphragm is capable of moving in and out 110,000 times a second. There’s no lack of detail there. Headphones that have a lower amount of 400Hz and a higher amount of 16.5k can sound like they have “more detail” because the balance of frequencies is “cleaner” or less “muddy” or “bassy”. These things can be corrected with EQ. But yeah, everyone hears frequencies differently. Also, loosing your hearing will make overly bright headphones seem “more detailed” because you’re only hearing the higher frequencies on them.
I’m looking for information on the 4z. You mentioned it at the end. Would you still choose a 4z to the empyrean? And how close is the 4z to the 4 in terms of bass and slam?
Does the mid perhaps has something to do, that this coil structure to create mid and high sound is also causing the rest of the wiring to also "him" with low ends always...especially lower mids tingling it consistently...so it mixes in more obvious than in a normal design? Really tempted to buy these.
Wow! What a great review! I would love to try these! They look like they would be very comfy. Wouldn’t more padding on the headband be better? That headband strap looks weak.
I have/love my LCD2f, but with everything in life, we want better. Are these a step from the LCD2f if you like that sound? I tried the LCD-X 2012, and yeah, better detail, but they sounded robbed of life vs my 2f. Then I tried the Arya Stealth. Again, great detail and soundstage, but everything was always at a distance. It sounded too roomy.
thanks for the review :) , OT: when you listening closed headphones do you wearing glasses? i am asking because I am also wearing glasses, but when I am using my aeon flow I must wear off my glasses because of the change in sound quality.
Great review, was really looking forward to something to take these off a pedestal for me. A bunch of reviews looked like this was the end-game headphone for me (equal use gaming/music/movies) but now I can comfortably go back into headphone decision limbo. If you don't mind, I'm at a crossroads of choosing between the HD800, LCD-2F, and Massdrop's Elex. What do you feel is best for equal (gaming/music/movie) use? I've tried HD800S, LCD-2F/C, HD660S, and unfortunately haven't been able to have them all to compare at the same time. Wouldn't say I'm a basshead but I find LCD-2F bass really impressive.
LCD's bass are always impressive, the 2C's i have are absolute monsters once EQ'ed.BUT for mixed usage i believe the HD800 are the best of all of them, they have Hands down the best Soundstage, the best Imaging and still really good dynamic range and Eqability The 2's are a little bit behind in dynamics and soundstage, the Focals have less detail and less soundstage.
@@Juanixtec Thanks man really appreciate it! Forgot to note that I consider myself treble sensitive, example being the Fidelio X2's being way too sibilant and fatiguing. I've heard around 6K the HD800's may be too much for me. Does the HD800 still stand as my best bet? Another option I've been suggested is the HE1000 V1
@@kryonaut3093 hd800 imo if you're willing to eq. hd800 bass is also pretty decent if you eq, though i still prefer my lcd-2c for anyting bass related. Can't comment on the elex and he1000 though unfortunately.
I’ve tried these, I can vouch for the extremely comfortable fit of the Empyrean. Does ANYONE actually find the LCD 4 comfortable to wear for longer than an hour?!
I own the LCD-4 and, honestly, the weight doesn't bother me at all and I can easily wear it for 2 hours or more. Yes, lighter would be better and it's not something to wear if you are going to move your head around a lot but, overall, I personally don't find it an issue.
If they remove the premium packaging, alternative pads, extras and sell it at $1500 it would be great. How are these compared to Arya, LCD X, Clear though ?
They are on another level, had all of the above. Empyrean is a lot closer to Utopia and HEKse than it is to say LCD X, just sold my 2021 LCD X and the Utopia and keeping the Empyrean 🤷♂️ you just have to a / b them to understand the rift of difference.
Great review and I have to agree with you on 99% of your comments. I have one and been using it for the past 3 weeks and at first coming from my other two hp's Sony Z1R and Focal Utopia's I really did not like the sound signature and thought it was very boring. But after about 1 week of use something changed and in the treble region where it was very dark now much better. The Empyrean is a HP you can play 99% of all music genre with no problems. But for my go to detail retrieval HP is the Utopia with my Felix Euforia OTL amp then Z1R sounds amazing as well. Just ordered a Silver Cable for it to try to get more detail retrieval from it. I have multiple DACs and even highend vinyl sounded really amazing with the Empyreans. But to this day I have never tried a LCD 3 or 4 as of yet and from your review I think I need too fast...
Lu(ky Reading this, it makes me feel you are .... me :). I also have an Utopia and Z1R, and I had the very same impression with the Meze. I might want to add that I like how easy the Meze is to drive in comparison to the utopias. In addition, the empyrean sounds great on my DAP which makes my z1r “shouty” (z1r is great on my big amp). So, the empyrean would be my favorite headphone if it were my first, and I had no other gear. Which makes it outstanding, really. Besides that, I also ordered a silver cable for my z1r... haha. In fact, I wanted to sell it but then I had second thoughts, spent more time with it and will not let it go now. Where do you think the z1r shines?
I own a Meze Empyrean, and have auditioned a Z1R and Utopia. The Meze is way more neutral, while the Z1R and Utopia have over-emphasized treble which gives the impression of more detail, but spoils the sound of orchestral strings, for example. The Empyrean is my favorite headphone ever. I can see why it took some time to appreciate the Meze, when you were accustomed to the Sony & Focal. Personally, I would not try to brighten the Meze with silver cables. It is accurate and neutral with copper cables.
Hey, any recommendations on closed neutral headphones with good ear paddings and big ear cups? I have an Sony mdr-z1000 but its ear pads and cups are too small and uncomfortable that I can’t use it full time on work. I was thinking of beyerdynamic’s dt770 but it might not be as neutral as I want it to be. (Or is it?)
Aunchient Pistol I know, but I have to use it in a crowded office, so I have no choice. I can’t mix anything with a openback and all my colleagues chatting over my ears. Which is very unfortunate.
I came across your channel whilst looking for a pair of headphones (who'd of thought!?) . Seriously though, i have listened to your vids (especially with regards to the type of phone i'm looking for) and i would just like to say, that your reviews are well balanced. learned & very informative-keep up the good work. Before though, you go basking in yet another like :) (i'm kidding), the fact that your reviews are so informative, creates problems for me. Please allow me to explain (and sorry for hi jacking the thread) You give so much info, that i cant decide between, the Audio-Technica ATH-M40x, Shure SRH840 and the KRK KNS 8400,primarily FOR GUITAR USE WITH MY Katana 50 practice amp & occasionally my JDS labs C5 + Ipod classic(i'm buying from Thomanns with my account there-don't want to spend more that 140 euro, ergo the models i've listed). Build (how long it will last) & the ability to get new parts(they must have removable cables/earpads), is very important to me, nearly as important as the sound(i've done my research on the specs, so no need to address those). I would have liked to go O backed , but i will be practicing late at night, ergo the C backed phones. Can i have your opinion as a fellow guitarist , which pair you would choose given the criteria i have listed. Many thanks in advance.
I'd choose the M40x since its mids won't overdo the tone and fatigue you, but the comfort is a pain to live with over long periods of time unless you get used to it. The 840 and 8400 are a lot more comfortable but they are more aggressive in the mids so they might be more fatiguing to listen to over long periods. So it's a trade off. It's just almost impossible to choose a headphone without having heard it is really the problem here, I can only give my own personal experiences
Thanks very much for your reply-much appreciated. Actually you are the second person that suggested the M40xs , and both of you are learned when it comes to the headphone arena, so i'll go with the 40x. As for the pain, i will suffer for my art lol! As for your comment on choosing a headphone without actually hearing it, i agree wholeheartedly, BUT due to circumstances & where i am atm (Europe) i cant access headphones plus listen to them through a guitar amp. I can always return the cans to Thomann's if i dont like them & order one of the others on my list. I'll let you know how it went when i get them, till then keep up the good work & thanks again for taking the time out to reply!
I don't really think it's necessary since I don't really do sound reviews on DACs and amps. Just wanted an oled, clean measurements, and balanced power so that's what it is
Definitely. But do they explain everything we hear? No. It's no different than people memeing on and on about how FR is the only thing that describes how a headphone sounds. It just doesn't give you the whole picture.
I heard this at RMAF 2018 and it was incredible! I heard it and was like yes, this is perfect. Yeah it wasn't as detailed or had as great of a resolution as other headphones like the LCD4, Utopia, SR009, L700, etc, but it is tuned so well for just enjoying the music. I remember hearing to Utopia and being like yup, sounds more detailed than other headphones and put it down rather quick. But man, the Empyrean just sounded musical and I could just enjoy my music. That $3000 price tag though is a bit too steep, but after listening to a lot of other headphones at that price range, this one actually impressed me.
Yeah it's "musical" (lol that term is ridiculous) because it's not annoyingly bright or "reference" sounding unlike a lot of other audiophile headphones. I had a good time with these if you are just looking for something that is comfortable and cozy for relaxing
I tried them at axpona and I actually preferred the alcantara pads. To me, they just sounded more relaxed and nicer to listen to, and I also preferred them for comfort. But I guess that’s why they include both.
IIRC Zeos too. It depends on what the listener wants from his listening session. Relaxation and joyful listening with the sense of "loosing yourself in the music", or focused, critical, sober listening that's exciting and dynamic, while concentrating on the minutest of details and trying to look deeper through the layers. Me personally, I'm the second kinda guy, although I've had my surreal listening moments.
Right on time with this review Metal. I have been going back and forth between these and the 4z. Another guy that has owned both says the 4z is better than the Meze for the same reason you said detail. He said he couldn't accept that low of a level of detail in a $3K headphone, so he sold them. He also mentioned some weirdness going on in the upper midrange of the Meze too. I know you are not particularly fond of the 4z but for me realistically I would never buy the 4...It's too hard to drive and too heavy compared to the 4z. Wish I could have heard them both back to back at CanJam.
I've had an hour of quiet listening to them, and I own Focal Utopia atm, lets just say that I'm planning on selling my Focal Utopia headphones in favor of Empyrean, they certainly don't lack in detail, so whatever you're on about...
@@SergeySedlovsky If you don't think empyrean has less detail then either you have hearing loss or you are just inexperienced to identify what "detail" is. Because nearly 99% of the experienced people I have talked to or saw the impressions of and I ( who had an experience with the empyrean itself) think utopia has significantly more detail compared to empyrean.
@@akshat3516 Wow Geralt, the amount of hypocrisy you're willing to divulge is grater than I thought! You tried (very hard might I add) to chastise and berate me for merely metioning your biases, yet you compleatly flip the table when its them thats making the observation. Those mutations have gotten to you, man...
Mike D it might be worth checking out the Diana Phi. I had the LCD 4z and find the Diana Phi a good headphone that has some of what makes the utopia special as well as the 4z. It has a good sound stage as well and is pretty easy to drive.
I'm glad you actually own them though, I do depend on viewers to make these reviews and prefer to get review units from them rather than companies. Most people in the comments just think these headphones materialize out of thin air at my doorstep lol
Once the warranty expires I will be getting another pair. I prefer these over others I own. The Denon D7000 is another hp I will be getting another pair lol.
Glad you spoke about that haziness to the mids, so far I have only heard that on one other review and thought the guy was hearing things since not many people spoke about that. But, I've also heard that the lcd4 can be fatiguing for long listen sessions compare to the empyrean and that's and the comfort is why the lcd4s are a deal breaker for me
can you please do a review on beyerdynamics MMX 300 Gen 2 headphones as it is considered by a lot of ppl as the best "gaming" headset someone can currently buy? Would like your opinion on that specific set. Love your work and videos,thank you.
@@provisionalhypothesis I would not put the diana phi in the category of fashion headphones. Have you had a chance to listen to them? I would not let the size or form factor of the diana phi fool you. They get you at least 90% of the AB-1266 sound in a smaller lighter package. From my time listening to both the empyrean and diana phi I think that the diana is a better headphone overall. They are more detailed and more of a reference type sound signature.
Yeah I don't think empyrean plays in the same league. Diana Phi destroyed most headphones I've ever heard in terms of detail in one fell swoop honestly. The fit is super strange for me though
@@metal571 Haven't heard Diana or newer abyss phi, but the og abyss sounded like it had meh detail and unrefined treble, I thought it should cost 500$, don't know how good the seal was but I doubt it would change much other than bass quantity maybe. Some say phi had way better detail while others think it has a minor improvement in detail. It was connected to Wa5 iirc. I would get speakers at that 5k price anyway. Garbage value like susvara.
But the differences between a 1000dollar headphone and 4000dollar headphone are so minute that the price gap isn't worth it. Any one who says otherwise is just trying to justify there purchase.
It's pretty noticeable and very much nonzero between an LCD-2 and an LCD-4, and between Ananda and Susvara. But that difference is not often worth the extreme price difference for most people. I've had those 2 side by side, and I own the cheaper one because I just can't justify the 4 - but it is absolutely better, and for obvious reasons, such as much stronger magnets and thinner diaphragm
@@Jordonater the wording here is difficult. I've been preaching this for a while that an FR graph does not convey all that there is - but generally from the audio scientists I talk to, if you can hear it, it CAN be measured. But I don't think we know how to look at a FR graph and go "look, detail." How to quantify this is an ongoing interest of mine. Most Audeze full size cans for example have about the same frequency response. But they definitely don't sound the same as each other
Seeing reviews on a super expensive pair like these makes me appreciate my Atticus and LCD-2f even more. Anything more expensive than those and I feel serious diminishing returns would take over.
Lol funny you say this because I'm looking at upgrading from my LCD2C to an LCD2F right now and replacing the K553 at the office with an Atticus. That's definitely a 100% metal571 setup there
@@provisionalhypothesis I've been in the hobby a while now, but I'd still have reservations about spending 4K on a pair of headphones. If I won the lottery, different story. Maybe one day I'll get lucky so I can buy Abyss Diana Phi.
I think what you’re actually talking about being a problem is not the detail itself, but the frequency response which leaves you with an illusion of less detail on these headphones. These headphones are capable of producing up to 110,000Hz which means the diaphragm is capable of moving in and out 110,000 times a second. There’s no lack of detail there. Headphones that have a lower amount of 400Hz and a higher amount of 16.5k can sound like they have “more detail” because the balance of frequencies is “cleaner” or less “muddy” or “bassy”. These things can be corrected with EQ. But Also, loosing your hearing will make overly bright headphones seem “more detailed” because you’re only hearing the higher frequencies on them.
@@oldgeezerstechreview4048 I think hd 800S is a better all-rounder, empyrean isn't nearly as dynamic sounding as hd 800 and the fact that hd 800 has significantly better technicalities as well as having a more natural timbre.
Geralt Of Rivia Two issues here: First of all, the HD800S is much harder to drive, so if one has a powerful amp, yes, the HD800S is a technically superior contender. But for someone with no gadgets, the Empyrean is a really nice option, you can use any dap or source. Second, the HD800S sound signature is definitely not for everybody, and the Empyrean has a more appealing signature despite less excelling measurements / technicalities.
@@oldgeezerstechreview4048 Sure, I don't disagree with that. But as you know already, used hd 800 can be had for 700 bucks, compared to empyrean you have a lot of money left to spend on an amp if you go hd800. Personally speaking, I don't see the point of getting mega kilobuck headphones for portable use or without an amp, I mostly focus on performance. For 3k$, I would get 1k speaker/amp and spend on the rest on improving the room acoustics, which will provide a more natural and accurate depiction of sound anyway, but I know I am in the minority. I think hifiman Ananda is a really great sounding headphone for it's price and can be used without a dedicated desktop amp, I would rather get that, although the build quality is many times worse than empyrean or even hd 800/lcd2.
I definitely wouldn't want to buy these...but I also know I'd definitely listen to them for hours after hearing your review amongst a few others. Sound like a lot of fun, and they probably should be for $3,000 lol. Good stuff here.
Hi metal571, I auditioned Empyrean yesterday at the head fi show in my country. First impression is it is defenitely a high end headphone, very well built. In term of sound quality, I dont really justify the price on these to be honest. The bass is awesome but mid and treble dont resolve well for me though. I also try LCD 4 with Mcintosh MHA150 and that combo is awesome. I am currently using the hifiman headphone line up specifically he500 and hifiman edition X v2. I would say it is very hard to convince me to upgrade to these after listening to very good and capable of hifiman edition X v2. I also own LCD 3 but I use it very lightly though.
@@metal571 In my country the distributor try to sell these with bundle Empy and Cayin Iha 6 dac and amp for 3k. Still I find it is very hard to purchase the headphone that you dont really love. I will stick with hifiman for now. I am looking for your review on the Hifiman arya cause it is seemed to me that is an upgrade though. I also audition Stax 009 with the Blue Hawai setup with the source from the project cd player as transport coax out to project dac. To be honest, it is very good with instrument but the voice is kind of lacking impact to me. I dont know if it is just me or people auditioned the Stax 009 would have different opinion.
He said it didn't justify the price in sound quality for him either. Anyone paying 3 grand for the empy is getting ripped off if sound quality is the only priority here
@@metal571 I strongly doubt that many audiophiles with 3k to spend on a pair of headphones will isolate their purchase decision on sound quality. Besides, he gets a $700 DAC/Amp with it. That's a considerable bonus. And yet he was scared off because you didn't love it. Not your fault though, but I think that's just a retarded mindset.
I appreciate your review and I know how much work it is. But I don’t agree with your conclusion - that’s at least what I took away- that in terms of sound they are not worth their price tag. How to determine this? Probably by listening to a headphone in that price category in an a/b test... but of course it is fair to put them against the Vérité. Anyway, what I really want to say is that I am right now listening to the empy. After a rocky start, I know believe them to be a masterwork which ticks off many boxes - easy to drive and usable with a dap; inoffensive but yet sophisticated sound; reasonable soundstage hitting it right between overly wide and too intimate; and a fantastic bass. Plus the best comfort and build quality.
Yeah it's by comparison with other similarly priced products that I get a sense of what level of detail and soundstage and dynamics (all things we can't measure yet) are available. ZMFs tend to be priced higher than their competition of the same technical ability because of the small operation and the hardwoods used, but their frequency responses tend to be on point. I haven't reviewed the Verite yet but it'll eventually come out since Zach is supposed to send that and the closed version in the coming months
Interesting review with those I trust, like Darko who has been a pro and uses big time gear and other AAA789 guys like Z, much more excited. I think you're a bit of an LCD guy in your preferences which is fine.
Not really that simple. The LCDs have an awful frequency response out of the box. Empyrean is a lot better on that front, although it's still dipped around 2k to some degree. After EQ, the LCD beats it with more dynamic impact in the bass and better resolution in the upper mids. LCDs are also heavy as all hell and Empyrean is NOT, especially for a planar. So it's about what you value and what you're willing to live with. Empyrean is a $6000 category headphone build with a $1000 range sound quality, and my opinion has not changed.
@@metal571 Hi Metal, I just listened to the empyreans on the spl phonitor x (2500$ amp) and I thought they sounded quite slow, dull and the bass was just soft. I also tried the hifiman arya focal clears and lcd x and I prefered all 3 of them over the empyreans. Have you heard the final d8000 pro?
With IFI PRO iDSD DAC and MASTER 19 AMP this is at top 10 headphones in the world in my mind. Not even my STAX L700 cant do what this can do with extremely high DAC and AMP. It is as wide as HD800 on soundstage with the new angled pads. But much more detailed and the instrument separation is out of this world. With the balances silver plated cable. DAMN, my chase of the end game system is done. After spending +30.000€ on headphones , DACs and AMPs My journey has ended. I do not need anything more. Not even mighty Susvara does that much better anything that im willing to bay few thousand more. Im happy to just enjoy the music.
Someone pulled the emergency-stop on the hype train 🚂 , great review Metal 👏🏼 They are a gorgeous design all the same, bravo Meze. I think if they got this much right with their first crack at a high-end headphone there are great things to come. Hopefully some trickle down cheaper great things too.
If anyone buy's these headphones and want a better detail retrieval then make sure you use OCC Silver Litz cables. I was going to send mine back because of the HAZE with them but too my surprise changing to a better Silver Cable brought these HP back to life. Very happy camper now and I wish metal571 you could have a chance to listen with this cable I think you would change your views like I did.
Lu(ky I saw your comments here and somewhere else ... that you were initially a bit disappointed and that you then turned around. How do you feel about it after some more months?
@@oldgeezerstechreview4048 I really like the EMP now with the SILVER LITZ CABLE really helps with more detail retrieval "sparkle" that I thought was missing. And not to mention that I just bought a new Holo Springs Level 3 DAC which is more on the neutral/warmish side that was breaking in still along with the Empyreans. So at first I felt this was the problem I had. I bought a Sony NW-WM1Z DAP and everything just opened up more with the EMP's, I also listen with vinyl too which sounds awesome with the combo.. My other headphones are the Focal Utopias and Sony Z1R. I love those HP's as well and probably going to sell the Z1R because the no playing time. I listen to the Emp & Utopia's everyday.
Lu(ky Good to hear you are still enjoying them. Funnily enough, I also have (and love) the Utopias, and sold my z1r, the empyrean can do all what the sony could and more. Miss an open back, thou
I think best options are the oldschool hifimans he-5 se/500 or the lcd2 (classic) versions for planars. If you get one,a he-6 or he-6se about 1k or lower price, would be even better. See, planars will never reach the coherent fidelity/fast decay of good e-stats, so why bother with this expensive stuff. So the newer lcds/mr speakers, hifiman 1k etc. IMO spending more than 1K for the inferior planar technology is bullshit.
@@metal571 Try as I might, I just couldn't get into the MX4 either. I had the same feeling at CanJam...probably the only Audeze that kind of turned me off. I was looking for them to be a cheaper upgrade to my LCD X, but unfortunately it seems that the 4 or 4Z are the only real upgrades I have found for that detailed, laid back type of sound. It looks like the Empyrean may not be the way to go either.
Nice review man, respect the reviews you are like the black sheep of audio reviews haha when everyone says something is perfect you come out saying that is really not👍
Idk, I think comfort is kind of underrated. It's probably just as important as SQ to me. I mean compare these to susvara in terms of build and comfort and the 6k susvara is a bit of a joke.
@@Juanixtec Utopia and Susvara I haven't reviewed yet but are both right there with it as far as I know. Still way expensive though compared to the L700
@@metal571 I wonder how the lower end Stax compares. I just got the SRS-2170 system to try out and I don't think it's that amazing in terms of detail, although quite nice. But my Clear is more resolving I think. I am considering trying out the L300 LTD, but uses similar driver to the L700 apparently, but is substantially cheaper. Not sure how well the little SRM-252S amp can drive them though. lol
Meh. I was not impressed with the L300LTD I heard at CanJam, didn't sound like L700 at all despite the rumors floating around that it uses the same driver, so I'd be skeptical
I absolutely agree with your review on how these sound. I had a chance to demo them and they do lack the strong slam bass, and they do have the $1500 sound and build quality is great. To me they sounded muddy. For my self they are not worth the price.
I do enjoy your reviews, but I do believe you tend to like a harsh sound. You said the Maze lines up with what you like, then say, you would rather listen to the LCD 3's, which baffles me. The LCD 3's, to me, are painfully bright. My taste leans toward a darker sound. I listen for pure enjoyment, not to analyze. Thank God there something for everyone, right.
Ah I think the last LCD-3 I had in for review was much warmer than what they sound like now. Last time I heard one at canjam in NYC the treble above 10k is definitely too boosted, similar to the LCD-X. I equalize the crap out of my LCD-2 but mostly to add upper mids back in. I do cut some at 6k and 11k though and I agree Audezes do tend to have too much upper treble energy. But when I am talking about preferring the LCD3 in this context vs the Meze, I'm talking about detail and soundstage, not frequency response
@@metal571 ah ok, thanks. That clears that up. Thanks for the reply and please keep doing what you do. Your reviews are very detailed, which is what we need. It helps folks like myself that don't have the chance to try out all these great headphones.
Unfortunately I am retired now from doing videos on this channel but I highly recommend The Headphone Show. I talk with resolve and chrono on the regular, big thumbs up from me on those guys. In the meantime I just hang out on my Twitter
The two different planar and voice coils reminds me a lot of those gimmicky video game headsets with multiple speakers in them. I think the technical issues of the Meze Empyrean is very similar to those said headsets. Stick to one one diaphragm, why make things complicated for the sake of being different?
Do know though that most of your viewers, do not fiddle around with EQ’s. I feel like you, as a reviewer with regard to sound, revolve around EQ. The LCD-4 without EQ is just not good, imho, the highs are poor. Tyll himself does not fuss around much with EQ. So kind of find it a little disconnecting to relate with when you talk about this. Just sayin’
Tyll did mess with EQ after Katz started writing articles about that - see his HD 800S review. And I made it clear that if you aren't going to use EQ this FR isn't so notable. So not sure how much clearer you want me to be about that. Just sayin
@@metal571 Definitely not as much emphasis as you do (with EQ). Anyways, my intentions are just to give insight that many of the viewers, myself included, may not relate with you, as you seem too fond of EQ. I think the majority of people here just get a hold of really good gear, highest of quality of audio files, have them play on Roon, and presto 👏
I don't really see a disconnect there as my EQ is directly based on what FR deviations I perceive - so the description of the sound is essentially based on how I'd fix it with EQ, and if the end user doesn't want to deal with the FR issues I've described then I think that's a pretty clear sign not to buy the headphone if you aren't going to correct it with EQ. I'm aware that not everyone wants to play with EQ, but I'm just super picky and am willing to experiment with that. LCD4 then wouldn't be a good idea
@@metal571 I never ever heard top tier audeze are they good enough to buy over he 1000 v2 , I just bought Chord M Scaler with used Dave used from UK guy , now I'm trying to sell all my headphones and goes for high end. he 1000 was soft not very dynamic or punchy, hd 800 defuse with imaging isn't as 3d as I would like , thin and harsh if eq still not good tbh. Beyer t1 not very clean and humb in mid- bass, small soundstage but good depth , very tiny spike . Audeze lcd 2 and 3 heavy but lost detailed with it's full sound but I love them both . if there is a headphones with huge 3d soundstage with amazing depth and pinpoint accuracy I would be happy to buy it ?
@@yooanto9465 probably can't get everything at once, but LCD4 is the closest I've heard. Unfortunately it's very heavy but easily out resolves everything else Audeze makes
Well at least this thing shits all over the Susvara that costs twice as much in terms of build. I still won't touch this beauty because I've a feeling this won't obliterate my LCD-X completely..
No way in hell would I buy any LCD, might as well to try an balance a tank on your head. And every review of the MEZE are, "the most comfortable hp ever" And there are more possitive SQ reviews of the Empyrean than ones like your's.
I think that for the price the SQ could simply have been better. I'm quite aware of other reviews, but this is what I think and I stand firmly with that opinion. Never forget that expensive does mean automatically best sounding, by any means
From my point of view, it's useless for someone to do a sound review of expensive headphones and without having a sound test, where one as a viewer of the video, it's not part of that test. I'm not satisfied with so much blah blah blah, I can find that on a website specializing in headphone reviews. As a CZcams user, I want to go far beyond a simple video that only talks everything about 16, 20 or 30 minutes wasted in vain. I have good in-ear headphones to be able to enjoy the reproduced sound of the headphone that is presented in a video, period. IMHO! 🤫🤷🏻♂️📱🎧🎵🎶🎵
Not that simple unfortunately because this is too many layers of coloration. At that point, you're listening to a high end audiophile headphone through another product's frequency response, plus there is no way to judge resolution or soundstage since they are fundamentally limited by the device you're listening through. This is why for example Resolve and I have both made it a point to show industry standard frequency response graphs, as that's all we can do to help in terms of understanding how something sounds. The rest, well, that's listening to the product yourself in person!
Durch deine reviews finde ich das du gar keine Freude mehr so wirklich empfindest. Alles wird zeredet. Hier paar DB mehr, dort ein bisschen mehr, hier ein bisschen weniger. Völlig übertrieben, und am thema vorbei meiner meinung nach
Senheisers are very bad non professional reference to any audio or music related materials. do not use them to reference anything. they are garbage most days of the week.
How's the bass?
Metal571: yes
i laughed
Zeos: yes
I will say with LCD headphones, they are just too heavy to wear long term. That's a major issue. If they're not comfortable, all bets are off.
just dont be a baby then
@@jumbocrunchh dude its like 800 grams
Thanks for the honest review.
I work from home and wear headphones fairly consistently for ten hours a day. Whether its work, gaming or music I'll always be using the headphones and have no desire to swap in between. I am not hugely interested in the sound signature of the HD800s but its been my go to because nothing has come close in regards to comfort on top of the very easy listening soundstage. Tried the LCD-X and loved the overall sound but its just never going to be an option because of the lack of comfort in long-term wear. The Empyrean has finally given me an option to look at in the future without feeling and looking like a nerd who is suffering for some kind of greater satisfaction.
empyrean are trash for 3k
Solid review. Great perspective of where this sits and what it offers.
Hope you are doing well, dude. Haven't heard from you in a while and your voice is totally needed. Especially when you refer to yourself in the 3rd person (does that work if you use your youtube moniker?).
This is the first video of yours I have seen. I live and breathe the Audiophile community. Lots of my gear goes to Z to review. Happy to send you gear as well as I like your style. IF you'd like to review my Fostex TH900MKII in the very rare Sapphire Blue variant which has a custom tune by Fostex or my Ether C closed or Mytek gear, etc, let me know here.
Cool! Was really curious about these! Great review, thank you!
Everyone wants a new Bert review all the time haha. I just got Aeolus and Auteur in the other day and Aeolus is so damn fun... I just really prefer Zach's TPE driver I guess since I also liked Atticus better than Eikon
Fantastic, now I really want to hear the Aeolus! Was Z's favourite headphone of 2018. Would love to know your thoughts on the ZMF open-backs. Never got a chance to hear the TPE! Seems like one more reason Zach really is...awesome.
Thanks, Metal is the best though, great great reviews. He wears the Hawaiian shirt now!
@@bertreviews "Was Z's favourite headphone of 2018." Must have been the last headphone he reviewed in 2018 then.
Yeah I need my Bert fix as well. But with out Tyll Hertsens I mean Santa 🎅.
thanks brother, luv ur work
I am expecting this one today! Thanks for your review
Hey, @metal571. i have a few questions for u. 1- What do you think Samson s850 ? 2- How should i make an equalizer for flat ? if you tell me their advice, I would be grateful. Thanks.
Sometimes it’s shocking how different people perceive the same thing. For me Empyrean is highly detailed (Utopia, HEKse level, slightly less because of warm tuning), has tremendous spatial presentation (not easy to do for warm tuning) and makes things sound full bodied. Drums hit with authority, guitars sound meaty, in fact everything has this meaty textured feel, at least for me. After about 3 months of going back and forth HEKse, Utopia and Empyrean I still can’t find the detail the Empyrean is missing, sure you have to dig for it because it’s not on the forefront but it lacks none for me at least 🤷♂️ and I’m really critical of gear and value
I think what he’s actually talking about being a problem is not the detail itself, but the frequency response which leaves you with an illusion of less detail on these headphones. These headphones are capable of producing up to 110,000Hz which means the diaphragm is capable of moving in and out 110,000 times a second. There’s no lack of detail there. Headphones that have a lower amount of 400Hz and a higher amount of 16.5k can sound like they have “more detail” because the balance of frequencies is “cleaner” or less “muddy” or “bassy”. These things can be corrected with EQ.
But yeah, everyone hears frequencies differently. Also, loosing your hearing will make overly bright headphones seem “more detailed” because you’re only hearing the higher frequencies on them.
these look awesome. I need to try a pair on asap
I'd like to see what you think of the Sonorous X!
I’m looking for information on the 4z. You mentioned it at the end. Would you still choose a 4z to the empyrean? And how close is the 4z to the 4 in terms of bass and slam?
Does the mid perhaps has something to do, that this coil structure to create mid and high sound is also causing the rest of the wiring to also "him" with low ends always...especially lower mids tingling it consistently...so it mixes in more obvious than in a normal design?
Really tempted to buy these.
Wow! What a great review! I would love to try these! They look like they would be very comfy. Wouldn’t more padding on the headband be better? That headband strap looks weak.
It's wide and spreads the weight perfectly so it's actually a lot more comfortable than it looks I'd say
coming back to this vid, its confusing how in oluvs review on these, the upper treble sounds bright, amp source difference maybe? but its 32ohms so..
Ever considered reviewing IEHs? There's a lot of them around.
You still recommend K553 for producing? I'm doing electronic stuff. I will have Sr850 for open but you said they are really flat
Yes
I have/love my LCD2f, but with everything in life, we want better.
Are these a step from the LCD2f if you like that sound?
I tried the LCD-X 2012, and yeah, better detail, but they sounded robbed of life vs my 2f. Then I tried the Arya Stealth. Again, great detail and soundstage, but everything was always at a distance. It sounded too roomy.
Ooh shoot "nighthawk-ness" 🤣
thanks for the review :) , OT: when you listening closed headphones do you wearing glasses? i am asking because I am also wearing glasses, but when I am using my aeon flow I must wear off my glasses because of the change in sound quality.
I guess I don't have thick enough rims to break the seal of most closed backs on mine in particular
metal571 - thanks 4 answer
Great review, was really looking forward to something to take these off a pedestal for me. A bunch of reviews looked like this was the end-game headphone for me (equal use gaming/music/movies) but now I can comfortably go back into headphone decision limbo.
If you don't mind, I'm at a crossroads of choosing between the HD800, LCD-2F, and Massdrop's Elex. What do you feel is best for equal (gaming/music/movie) use? I've tried HD800S, LCD-2F/C, HD660S, and unfortunately haven't been able to have them all to compare at the same time. Wouldn't say I'm a basshead but I find LCD-2F bass really impressive.
LCD's bass are always impressive, the 2C's i have are absolute monsters once EQ'ed.BUT for mixed usage i believe the HD800 are the best of all of them, they have Hands down the best Soundstage, the best Imaging and still really good dynamic range and Eqability
The 2's are a little bit behind in dynamics and soundstage, the Focals have less detail and less soundstage.
@@Juanixtec Thanks man really appreciate it!
Forgot to note that I consider myself treble sensitive, example being the Fidelio X2's being way too sibilant and fatiguing. I've heard around 6K the HD800's may be too much for me. Does the HD800 still stand as my best bet?
Another option I've been suggested is the HE1000 V1
@@kryonaut3093 hd800 imo if you're willing to eq. hd800 bass is also pretty decent if you eq, though i still prefer my lcd-2c for anyting bass related. Can't comment on the elex and he1000 though unfortunately.
I’ve tried these, I can vouch for the extremely comfortable fit of the Empyrean. Does ANYONE actually find the LCD 4 comfortable to wear for longer than an hour?!
LCD4 doesn't really bug me, maybe after 90 mins I have to take a break though
I own the LCD-4 and, honestly, the weight doesn't bother me at all and I can easily wear it for 2 hours or more. Yes, lighter would be better and it's not something to wear if you are going to move your head around a lot but, overall, I personally don't find it an issue.
Maybe weight-lifters? Normal people can't take the weight
Interesting, so in the $2000-3000 range, you'd recommend the LCD-3 instead of the Empyrean. What about the RAD-0?
Have not reviewed that yet or heard it at home so I can't say. LCD3 of course comes with the usual caution about its much heavier weight
Hey metal, which headphones do you wear in this video?
Sennheiser hd 380 pro
If they remove the premium packaging, alternative pads, extras and sell it at $1500 it would be great. How are these compared to Arya, LCD X, Clear though ?
They are on another level, had all of the above. Empyrean is a lot closer to Utopia and HEKse than it is to say LCD X, just sold my 2021 LCD X and the Utopia and keeping the Empyrean 🤷♂️ you just have to a / b them to understand the rift of difference.
What do you think of the focal elegia?
Don't know until I have a pair at home
What's your pick for most detailed sounding headphone no matter what the price ?
Having not reviewed 007, 009, Utopia, and Susvara yet, I can't really say
Great review and I have to agree with you on 99% of your comments. I have one and been using it for the past 3 weeks and at first coming from my other two hp's Sony Z1R and Focal Utopia's I really did not like the sound signature and thought it was very boring. But after about 1 week of use something changed and in the treble region where it was very dark now much better. The Empyrean is a HP you can play 99% of all music genre with no problems. But for my go to detail retrieval HP is the Utopia with my Felix Euforia OTL amp then Z1R sounds amazing as well. Just ordered a Silver Cable for it to try to get more detail retrieval from it. I have multiple DACs and even highend vinyl sounded really amazing with the Empyreans. But to this day I have never tried a LCD 3 or 4 as of yet and from your review I think I need too fast...
Lu(ky Reading this, it makes me feel you are .... me :). I also have an Utopia and Z1R, and I had the very same impression with the Meze. I might want to add that I like how easy the Meze is to drive in comparison to the utopias. In addition, the empyrean sounds great on my DAP which makes my z1r “shouty” (z1r is great on my big amp). So, the empyrean would be my favorite headphone if it were my first, and I had no other gear. Which makes it outstanding, really. Besides that, I also ordered a silver cable for my z1r... haha. In fact, I wanted to sell it but then I had second thoughts, spent more time with it and will not let it go now. Where do you think the z1r shines?
I own a Meze Empyrean, and have auditioned a Z1R and Utopia. The Meze is way more neutral, while the Z1R and Utopia have over-emphasized treble which gives the impression of more detail, but spoils the sound of orchestral strings, for example. The Empyrean is my favorite headphone ever. I can see why it took some time to appreciate the Meze, when you were accustomed to the Sony & Focal. Personally, I would not try to brighten the Meze with silver cables. It is accurate and neutral with copper cables.
Hey, any recommendations on closed neutral headphones with good ear paddings and big ear cups? I have an Sony mdr-z1000 but its ear pads and cups are too small and uncomfortable that I can’t use it full time on work.
I was thinking of beyerdynamic’s dt770 but it might not be as neutral as I want it to be. (Or is it?)
Zmf eikon
Geralt Of Rivia might be good but it’s waaaay out of my budget.
Aunchient Pistol I know, but I have to use it in a crowded office, so I have no choice. I can’t mix anything with a openback and all my colleagues chatting over my ears. Which is very unfortunate.
K553 mk2/K550 mk3 depending on inside/outside the US
metal571 thank you!! I’ll look into it
What amp have you been driving the LCD-4 with? I’m thinking about pulling the trigger on one.
Also, do you know the approximate build date of that exact LCD-4?
I don't know the build date of this one. Same amp as I used as mentioned in the video - THX 789
@@provisionalhypothesis I was actually asking because I was about to pull the trigger on a used pair. Decided to go new.
I don't think there have been any revisions to the LCD4 since its inception except after they changed everything to 200 ohm
I came across your channel whilst looking for a pair of headphones (who'd of thought!?) . Seriously though, i have listened to your vids (especially with regards to the type of phone i'm looking for) and i would just like to say, that your reviews are well balanced. learned & very informative-keep up the good work. Before though, you go basking in yet another like :) (i'm kidding), the fact that your reviews are so informative, creates problems for me. Please allow me to explain (and sorry for hi jacking the thread)
You give so much info, that i cant decide between, the Audio-Technica ATH-M40x, Shure SRH840 and the KRK KNS 8400,primarily FOR GUITAR USE WITH MY Katana 50 practice amp & occasionally my JDS labs C5 + Ipod classic(i'm buying from Thomanns with my account there-don't want to spend more that 140 euro, ergo the models i've listed).
Build (how long it will last) & the ability to get new parts(they must have removable cables/earpads), is very important to me, nearly as important as the sound(i've done my research on the specs, so no need to address those). I would have liked to go O backed , but i will be practicing late at night, ergo the C backed phones. Can i have your opinion as a fellow guitarist , which pair you would choose given the criteria i have listed. Many thanks in advance.
I'd choose the M40x since its mids won't overdo the tone and fatigue you, but the comfort is a pain to live with over long periods of time unless you get used to it. The 840 and 8400 are a lot more comfortable but they are more aggressive in the mids so they might be more fatiguing to listen to over long periods. So it's a trade off. It's just almost impossible to choose a headphone without having heard it is really the problem here, I can only give my own personal experiences
Thanks very much for your reply-much appreciated. Actually you are the second person that suggested the M40xs , and both of you are learned when it comes to the headphone arena, so i'll go with the 40x. As for the pain, i will suffer for my art lol!
As for your comment on choosing a headphone without actually hearing it, i agree wholeheartedly, BUT due to circumstances & where i am atm (Europe) i cant access headphones plus listen to them through a guitar amp. I can always return the cans to Thomann's if i dont like them & order one of the others on my list. I'll let you know how it went when i get them, till then keep up the good work & thanks again for taking the time out to reply!
thanks for your honesty
i was almost going to buy them til i saw your review
They are very pleasing, but also not the most technically proficient headphone. That's what makes them polarizing
Which is more detailed, this or HD800?
HD800. But they sound much more 'sharp' which the empy's never will.
How’s detail? It is similar to LCD X?
From what I remember, not as good
Will you do a review on topping d50 and thx 789?
I don't really think it's necessary since I don't really do sound reviews on DACs and amps. Just wanted an oled, clean measurements, and balanced power so that's what it is
@@metal571So do you think the measurements of audio science review are credible?
Definitely. But do they explain everything we hear? No. It's no different than people memeing on and on about how FR is the only thing that describes how a headphone sounds. It just doesn't give you the whole picture.
I heard this at RMAF 2018 and it was incredible! I heard it and was like yes, this is perfect. Yeah it wasn't as detailed or had as great of a resolution as other headphones like the LCD4, Utopia, SR009, L700, etc, but it is tuned so well for just enjoying the music. I remember hearing to Utopia and being like yup, sounds more detailed than other headphones and put it down rather quick. But man, the Empyrean just sounded musical and I could just enjoy my music. That $3000 price tag though is a bit too steep, but after listening to a lot of other headphones at that price range, this one actually impressed me.
Yeah it's "musical" (lol that term is ridiculous) because it's not annoyingly bright or "reference" sounding unlike a lot of other audiophile headphones. I had a good time with these if you are just looking for something that is comfortable and cozy for relaxing
3000usd? But is it better than Koss Porta Pro
I tried them at axpona and I actually preferred the alcantara pads. To me, they just sounded more relaxed and nicer to listen to, and I also preferred them for comfort. But I guess that’s why they include both.
IIRC Zeos too.
It depends on what the listener wants from his listening session. Relaxation and joyful listening with the sense of "loosing yourself in the music", or focused, critical, sober listening that's exciting and dynamic, while concentrating on the minutest of details and trying to look deeper through the layers.
Me personally, I'm the second kinda guy, although I've had my surreal listening moments.
Right on time with this review Metal. I have been going back and forth between these and the 4z. Another guy that has owned both says the 4z is better than the Meze for the same reason you said detail. He said he couldn't accept that low of a level of detail in a $3K headphone, so he sold them. He also mentioned some weirdness going on in the upper midrange of the Meze too. I know you are not particularly fond of the 4z but for me realistically I would never buy the 4...It's too hard to drive and too heavy compared to the 4z. Wish I could have heard them both back to back at CanJam.
I've had an hour of quiet listening to them, and I own Focal Utopia atm, lets just say that I'm planning on selling my Focal Utopia headphones in favor of Empyrean, they certainly don't lack in detail, so whatever you're on about...
@@SergeySedlovsky If you don't think empyrean has less detail then either you have hearing loss or you are just inexperienced to identify what "detail" is. Because nearly 99% of the experienced people I have talked to or saw the impressions of and I ( who had an experience with the empyrean itself) think utopia has significantly more detail compared to empyrean.
@@akshat3516 Yeah yeah
@@akshat3516 Wow Geralt, the amount of hypocrisy you're willing to divulge is grater than I thought! You tried (very hard might I add) to chastise and berate me for merely metioning your biases, yet you compleatly flip the table when its them thats making the observation. Those mutations have gotten to you, man...
Mike D it might be worth checking out the Diana Phi. I had the LCD 4z and find the Diana Phi a good headphone that has some of what makes the utopia special as well as the 4z. It has a good sound stage as well and is pretty easy to drive.
Hi man, could you please review the Hifiman he6se? Thx.
Send me yours
Lol. I love them too much. And now with the Rogue Audio RH-5 amp, it’s a match made in heaven. I can’t be separated from them, sorry man.
I'm glad you actually own them though, I do depend on viewers to make these reviews and prefer to get review units from them rather than companies. Most people in the comments just think these headphones materialize out of thin air at my doorstep lol
Once the warranty expires I will be getting another pair. I prefer these over others I own. The Denon D7000 is another hp I will be getting another pair lol.
If you could get Lcd 4 for only 2500$ and you would have to choose between those and Meze Empyrean for 3000$ , which one you would get ?
Not even close. The 4
@@metal571 allright thanks alot!
plz be my back up audioboi
Hi Metal571, just FYI I have a pair of DT 770 Pro 250 Ohm if you want to review them. Sent you an email, cheers!
Glad you spoke about that haziness to the mids, so far I have only heard that on one other review and thought the guy was hearing things since not many people spoke about that. But, I've also heard that the lcd4 can be fatiguing for long listen sessions compare to the empyrean and that's and the comfort is why the lcd4s are a deal breaker for me
I don't find LCD4 fatiguing in sound but they sure are heavy
can you please do a review on beyerdynamics MMX 300 Gen 2 headphones as it is considered by a lot of ppl as the best "gaming" headset someone can currently buy? Would like your opinion on that specific set. Love your work and videos,thank you.
If it's labeled as "gaming" headset, it's more than likely never worth it.
That one happens to be a DT770 32 ohm in disguise iirc
So how would you compare these to the abyss diana phi?
@@provisionalhypothesis I would not put the diana phi in the category of fashion headphones. Have you had a chance to listen to them? I would not let the size or form factor of the diana phi fool you. They get you at least 90% of the AB-1266 sound in a smaller lighter package. From my time listening to both the empyrean and diana phi I think that the diana is a better headphone overall. They are more detailed and more of a reference type sound signature.
Yeah I don't think empyrean plays in the same league. Diana Phi destroyed most headphones I've ever heard in terms of detail in one fell swoop honestly. The fit is super strange for me though
@@metal571 You heard abyss ab1266 right? Any impressions (even if from the show)?
FR just sounded too weird for me to like it. Diana much more normal. Maybe I just didn't get a seal properly
@@metal571 Haven't heard Diana or newer abyss phi, but the og abyss sounded like it had meh detail and unrefined treble, I thought it should cost 500$, don't know how good the seal was but I doubt it would change much other than bass quantity maybe. Some say phi had way better detail while others think it has a minor improvement in detail. It was connected to Wa5 iirc.
I would get speakers at that 5k price anyway. Garbage value like susvara.
Nice bro.
1 - 2k sound in 6k body - that nicely sums up meze Empyrean review
But the differences between a 1000dollar headphone and 4000dollar headphone are so minute that the price gap isn't worth it. Any one who says otherwise is just trying to justify there purchase.
It's pretty noticeable and very much nonzero between an LCD-2 and an LCD-4, and between Ananda and Susvara. But that difference is not often worth the extreme price difference for most people. I've had those 2 side by side, and I own the cheaper one because I just can't justify the 4 - but it is absolutely better, and for obvious reasons, such as much stronger magnets and thinner diaphragm
@@metal571 Interesting. I suppose these are things that cant be measured.
@@Jordonater the wording here is difficult. I've been preaching this for a while that an FR graph does not convey all that there is - but generally from the audio scientists I talk to, if you can hear it, it CAN be measured. But I don't think we know how to look at a FR graph and go "look, detail." How to quantify this is an ongoing interest of mine. Most Audeze full size cans for example have about the same frequency response. But they definitely don't sound the same as each other
the best headphone!
Seeing reviews on a super expensive pair like these makes me appreciate my Atticus and LCD-2f even more. Anything more expensive than those and I feel serious diminishing returns would take over.
Lol funny you say this because I'm looking at upgrading from my LCD2C to an LCD2F right now and replacing the K553 at the office with an Atticus. That's definitely a 100% metal571 setup there
@@metal571 I work in a huge office building, so I use my Sony MDR-1A there cause if something happened to them, I could deal with it.
A little birdie on my shoulder says that if you don't need isolation, then the Aeolus is like Atticus, but better
@@metal571 Funny you say that, I am currently saving up for those. I did enjoy the Auteur, my buddy let me try them for a few days.
@@provisionalhypothesis I've been in the hobby a while now, but I'd still have reservations about spending 4K on a pair of headphones. If I won the lottery, different story. Maybe one day I'll get lucky so I can buy Abyss Diana Phi.
I think what you’re actually talking about being a problem is not the detail itself, but the frequency response which leaves you with an illusion of less detail on these headphones. These headphones are capable of producing up to 110,000Hz which means the diaphragm is capable of moving in and out 110,000 times a second. There’s no lack of detail there. Headphones that have a lower amount of 400Hz and a higher amount of 16.5k can sound like they have “more detail” because the balance of frequencies is “cleaner” or less “muddy” or “bassy”. These things can be corrected with EQ.
But Also, loosing your hearing will make overly bright headphones seem “more detailed” because you’re only hearing the higher frequencies on them.
Great review bro. Seriously some of the most beautiful headphones I've ever seen.
Zeos's biggest gripe was indeed the memory of the cables.
Zeo sucks, only thing in his review that's worth going for was his humor
@@luezio8914 I find him irritating. I only want the headphone to be review. His reviews are way too long.
@@cool28990 If you, for some reason watch him. Set playback speed on 1.5x or 1.75x :)
I honestly suggest people watch me at least 1.5x also
@@metal571 I find your review soothing....
Are these worth it over the HD800S?
I think it's still overpriced but it's a warm planar so a very different sound than those
Depends on your music taste. If you only listen to classic, no. If you are listening to all genres, yes.
@@oldgeezerstechreview4048 I think hd 800S is a better all-rounder, empyrean isn't nearly as dynamic sounding as hd 800 and the fact that hd 800 has significantly better technicalities as well as having a more natural timbre.
Geralt Of Rivia Two issues here: First of all, the HD800S is much harder to drive, so if one has a powerful amp, yes, the HD800S is a technically superior contender. But for someone with no gadgets, the Empyrean is a really nice option, you can use any dap or source. Second, the HD800S sound signature is definitely not for everybody, and the Empyrean has a more appealing signature despite less excelling measurements / technicalities.
@@oldgeezerstechreview4048 Sure, I don't disagree with that.
But as you know already, used hd 800 can be had for 700 bucks, compared to empyrean you have a lot of money left to spend on an amp if you go hd800.
Personally speaking, I don't see the point of getting mega kilobuck headphones for portable use or without an amp, I mostly focus on performance. For 3k$, I would get 1k speaker/amp and spend on the rest on improving the room acoustics, which will provide a more natural and accurate depiction of sound anyway, but I know I am in the minority. I think hifiman Ananda is a really great sounding headphone for it's price and can be used without a dedicated desktop amp, I would rather get that, although the build quality is many times worse than empyrean or even hd 800/lcd2.
Dude enough! Come back! Please!
Andrew at The Headphone Show is my replacement, so watch there for all future headphone review content that I endorse
I definitely wouldn't want to buy these...but I also know I'd definitely listen to them for hours after hearing your review amongst a few others. Sound like a lot of fun, and they probably should be for $3,000 lol. Good stuff here.
Hi metal571, I auditioned Empyrean yesterday at the head fi show in my country. First impression is it is defenitely a high end headphone, very well built. In term of sound quality, I dont really justify the price on these to be honest. The bass is awesome but mid and treble dont resolve well for me though. I also try LCD 4 with Mcintosh MHA150 and that combo is awesome. I am currently using the hifiman headphone line up specifically he500 and hifiman edition X v2. I would say it is very hard to convince me to upgrade to these after listening to very good and capable of hifiman edition X v2. I also own LCD 3 but I use it very lightly though.
Yeah that's basically exactly what I found between the 4 and the empy
@@metal571 In my country the distributor try to sell these with bundle Empy and Cayin Iha 6 dac and amp for 3k. Still I find it is very hard to purchase the headphone that you dont really love. I will stick with hifiman for now. I am looking for your review on the Hifiman arya cause it is seemed to me that is an upgrade though. I also audition Stax 009 with the Blue Hawai setup with the source from the project cd player as transport coax out to project dac. To be honest, it is very good with instrument but the voice is kind of lacking impact to me. I dont know if it is just me or people auditioned the Stax 009 would have different opinion.
@@Khuongreview "Still I find it is very hard to purchase the headphone that you dont really love." - Are you serious?! Lmfao.
He said it didn't justify the price in sound quality for him either. Anyone paying 3 grand for the empy is getting ripped off if sound quality is the only priority here
@@metal571 I strongly doubt that many audiophiles with 3k to spend on a pair of headphones will isolate their purchase decision on sound quality.
Besides, he gets a $700 DAC/Amp with it. That's a considerable bonus. And yet he was scared off because you didn't love it. Not your fault though, but I think that's just a retarded mindset.
I appreciate your review and I know how much work it is. But I don’t agree with your conclusion - that’s at least what I took away- that in terms of sound they are not worth their price tag. How to determine this? Probably by listening to a headphone in that price category in an a/b test... but of course it is fair to put them against the Vérité. Anyway, what I really want to say is that I am right now listening to the empy. After a rocky start, I know believe them to be a masterwork which ticks off many boxes - easy to drive and usable with a dap; inoffensive but yet sophisticated sound; reasonable soundstage hitting it right between overly wide and too intimate; and a fantastic bass. Plus the best comfort and build quality.
Yeah it's by comparison with other similarly priced products that I get a sense of what level of detail and soundstage and dynamics (all things we can't measure yet) are available. ZMFs tend to be priced higher than their competition of the same technical ability because of the small operation and the hardwoods used, but their frequency responses tend to be on point. I haven't reviewed the Verite yet but it'll eventually come out since Zach is supposed to send that and the closed version in the coming months
Looking forward to your review of the verite c.
Interesting review with those I trust, like Darko who has been a pro and uses big time gear and other AAA789 guys like Z, much more excited. I think you're a bit of an LCD guy in your preferences which is fine.
I agree. Everyone biased but they don't know lol.
Not really that simple. The LCDs have an awful frequency response out of the box. Empyrean is a lot better on that front, although it's still dipped around 2k to some degree. After EQ, the LCD beats it with more dynamic impact in the bass and better resolution in the upper mids. LCDs are also heavy as all hell and Empyrean is NOT, especially for a planar. So it's about what you value and what you're willing to live with. Empyrean is a $6000 category headphone build with a $1000 range sound quality, and my opinion has not changed.
@@metal571 Hi Metal, I just listened to the empyreans on the spl phonitor x (2500$ amp) and I thought they sounded quite slow, dull and the bass was just soft. I also tried the hifiman arya focal clears and lcd x and I prefered all 3 of them over the empyreans. Have you heard the final d8000 pro?
@@tomvu9353 I have not
Haha, finally metal571 dicovered the efficiency, portability(size), extension rule... You can maximize one spec by minimizing the 2 others...
you mean everything, haha
With IFI PRO iDSD DAC and MASTER 19 AMP this is at top 10 headphones in the world in my mind. Not even my STAX L700 cant do what this can do with extremely high DAC and AMP. It is as wide as HD800 on soundstage with the new angled pads. But much more detailed and the instrument separation is out of this world. With the balances silver plated cable. DAMN, my chase of the end game system is done. After spending +30.000€ on headphones , DACs and AMPs My journey has ended. I do not need anything more. Not even mighty Susvara does that much better anything that im willing to bay few thousand more. Im happy to just enjoy the music.
What microphone are you using?
Rode NT1
@@metal571 thx
Sound quality is really good
Someone pulled the emergency-stop on the hype train 🚂 , great review Metal 👏🏼
They are a gorgeous design all the same, bravo Meze. I think if they got this much right with their first crack at a high-end headphone there are great things to come. Hopefully some trickle down cheaper great things too.
Exactly what I'm hoping
If anyone buy's these headphones and want a better detail retrieval then make sure you use OCC Silver Litz cables. I was going to send mine back because of the HAZE with them but too my surprise changing to a better Silver Cable brought these HP back to life. Very happy camper now and I wish metal571 you could have a chance to listen with this cable I think you would change your views like I did.
Lu(ky I saw your comments here and somewhere else ... that you were initially a bit disappointed and that you then turned around. How do you feel about it after some more months?
@@oldgeezerstechreview4048 I really like the EMP now with the SILVER LITZ CABLE really helps with more detail retrieval "sparkle" that I thought was missing. And not to mention that I just bought a new Holo Springs Level 3 DAC which is more on the neutral/warmish side that was breaking in still along with the Empyreans. So at first I felt this was the problem I had. I bought a Sony NW-WM1Z DAP and everything just opened up more with the EMP's, I also listen with vinyl too which sounds awesome with the combo..
My other headphones are the Focal Utopias and Sony Z1R. I love those HP's as well and probably going to sell the Z1R because the no playing time. I listen to the Emp & Utopia's everyday.
Lu(ky Good to hear you are still enjoying them. Funnily enough, I also have (and love) the Utopias, and sold my z1r, the empyrean can do all what the sony could and more. Miss an open back, thou
I think I would take the AUDEZE LCD4Z over the original LCD 4 and the meze empyrean if I could take one of them home with me
I think best options are the oldschool hifimans he-5 se/500 or the lcd2 (classic) versions for planars. If you get one,a he-6 or he-6se about 1k or lower price, would be even better.
See, planars will never reach the coherent fidelity/fast decay of good e-stats, so why bother with this expensive stuff. So the newer lcds/mr speakers, hifiman 1k etc.
IMO spending more than 1K for the inferior planar technology is bullshit.
A better vs would be against LCD MX4. You need way more money to drive LCD 4 than for meze.
MX4 in my brief impression at two CanJam displays, is the worst LCD model available. Very grainy, not at all sounding like the full LCD4
@@metal571 Try as I might, I just couldn't get into the MX4 either. I had the same feeling at CanJam...probably the only Audeze that kind of turned me off. I was looking for them to be a cheaper upgrade to my LCD X, but unfortunately it seems that the 4 or 4Z are the only real upgrades I have found for that detailed, laid back type of sound. It looks like the Empyrean may not be the way to go either.
These are AMAZING! Goes well with my Utopias. I own both. Very adequate, honest review.
Nice review man, respect the reviews you are like the black sheep of audio reviews haha when everyone says something is perfect you come out saying that is really not👍
Your hyperfocus on detail is understandable but not all that goes into a pleasurable listening experience.
Of course. A lot of people love this headphone and I get it. But it needs to be mentioned
Idk, I think comfort is kind of underrated. It's probably just as important as SQ to me. I mean compare these to susvara in terms of build and comfort and the 6k susvara is a bit of a joke.
LOL yeah the build quality on these is miles ahead of Sus
Man for that kinda money id have to try audioflys 12 driver earbuds just for the fuck of it
bravo.... you're first video review to say it's not THE best cans in the universe.... now all you need is a Utopia to finish the top end up
And Susvara as well. Tough to get ahold of such things but I'll eventually find a way
@@metal571 also the Verite as well while you're @ it
Are these end games?
For some people it certainly could be
It'll be mine some day, it sounded perfect to me when I heard it at RMAF 2 years ago
It's not even as good as the L700? I had an inkling.
FR might be more pleasing at least to me but it just doesn't extract detail in the treble like the Stax does sadly
@@metal571 So far only LCD 4's can achieve detail levels close to the L700's. I mean the detail on those Electrostats is SERIOUS.
@@Juanixtec Utopia and Susvara I haven't reviewed yet but are both right there with it as far as I know. Still way expensive though compared to the L700
@@metal571 I wonder how the lower end Stax compares. I just got the SRS-2170 system to try out and I don't think it's that amazing in terms of detail, although quite nice. But my Clear is more resolving I think. I am considering trying out the L300 LTD, but uses similar driver to the L700 apparently, but is substantially cheaper. Not sure how well the little SRM-252S amp can drive them though. lol
Meh. I was not impressed with the L300LTD I heard at CanJam, didn't sound like L700 at all despite the rumors floating around that it uses the same driver, so I'd be skeptical
I absolutely agree with your review on how these sound. I had a chance to demo them and they do lack the strong slam bass, and they do have the $1500 sound and build quality is great. To me they sounded muddy. For my self they are not worth the price.
My dream headphone...if I buy these my wife will divorce me.
I do enjoy your reviews, but I do believe you tend to like a harsh sound. You said the Maze lines up with what you like, then say, you would rather listen to the LCD 3's, which baffles me. The LCD 3's, to me, are painfully bright. My taste leans toward a darker sound. I listen for pure enjoyment, not to analyze. Thank God there something for everyone, right.
Ah I think the last LCD-3 I had in for review was much warmer than what they sound like now. Last time I heard one at canjam in NYC the treble above 10k is definitely too boosted, similar to the LCD-X. I equalize the crap out of my LCD-2 but mostly to add upper mids back in. I do cut some at 6k and 11k though and I agree Audezes do tend to have too much upper treble energy. But when I am talking about preferring the LCD3 in this context vs the Meze, I'm talking about detail and soundstage, not frequency response
@@metal571 ah ok, thanks. That clears that up. Thanks for the reply and please keep doing what you do. Your reviews are very detailed, which is what we need. It helps folks like myself that don't have the chance to try out all these great headphones.
Unfortunately I am retired now from doing videos on this channel but I highly recommend The Headphone Show. I talk with resolve and chrono on the regular, big thumbs up from me on those guys. In the meantime I just hang out on my Twitter
The two different planar and voice coils reminds me a lot of those gimmicky video game headsets with multiple speakers in them. I think the technical issues of the Meze Empyrean is very similar to those said headsets. Stick to one one diaphragm, why make things complicated for the sake of being different?
Every reviews I watched on this channel (3 or 4) ended up being quite negative towards the headphones.
What can I say, when the price gets out of control I expect near perfection and this just ain't it.
👀
♿
Reddit crew?
Not yet but if you post this review on /r/headphones then it'll be
@@metal571 Will do sir :)
lcd-4 is much more expensive...almost up to +2k in Europe. 2999 vs 4999, i bet it should have something :)
This sounded like a 1.5k to 2k sounded headphone with a 6k build quality, thus Meze price it in between
Do know though that most of your viewers, do not fiddle around with EQ’s. I feel like you, as a reviewer with regard to sound, revolve around EQ.
The LCD-4 without EQ is just not good, imho, the highs are poor. Tyll himself does not fuss around much with EQ. So kind of find it a little disconnecting to relate with when you talk about this. Just sayin’
Tyll did mess with EQ after Katz started writing articles about that - see his HD 800S review. And I made it clear that if you aren't going to use EQ this FR isn't so notable. So not sure how much clearer you want me to be about that. Just sayin
@@metal571 Definitely not as much emphasis as you do (with EQ). Anyways, my intentions are just to give insight that many of the viewers, myself included, may not relate with you, as you seem too fond of EQ. I think the majority of people here just get a hold of really good gear, highest of quality of audio files, have them play on Roon, and presto 👏
I don't really see a disconnect there as my EQ is directly based on what FR deviations I perceive - so the description of the sound is essentially based on how I'd fix it with EQ, and if the end user doesn't want to deal with the FR issues I've described then I think that's a pretty clear sign not to buy the headphone if you aren't going to correct it with EQ. I'm aware that not everyone wants to play with EQ, but I'm just super picky and am willing to experiment with that. LCD4 then wouldn't be a good idea
@@metal571 👍
I was thinking to buy the Empyrean but after demo, it changes my mind , I thought it was lacking depth and very detailed bass. for 4k$ no sorry
Yeah exactly like I said it's a 6k build with 1.5k sound lol
@@metal571 I never ever heard top tier audeze are they good enough to buy over he 1000 v2 , I just bought Chord M Scaler with used Dave used from UK guy , now I'm trying to sell all my headphones and goes for high end. he 1000 was soft not very dynamic or punchy, hd 800 defuse with imaging isn't as 3d as I would like , thin and harsh if eq still not good tbh. Beyer t1 not very clean and humb in mid- bass, small soundstage but good depth , very tiny spike . Audeze lcd 2 and 3 heavy but lost detailed with it's full sound but I love them both . if there is a headphones with huge 3d soundstage with amazing depth and pinpoint accuracy I would be happy to buy it ?
@@yooanto9465 probably can't get everything at once, but LCD4 is the closest I've heard. Unfortunately it's very heavy but easily out resolves everything else Audeze makes
@@metal571 is there any mod to reduce the weight cause me and my wife only enjoy light comfy hp ?
@@metal571 I'll search more don't worry about it thanks , but I'm thinking about focal now ,have you heard the Utopia ?
Meze should take notes….
Apparently from those I trust it sounds like the Elite barely improved the lacking detail and dynamics despite a massive extra 1000 upcharge. Sigh
Company karma can not get out from the loop of a signature😆🙋♂️
If you know what I mean...but still lovely to have the Empyrean at home😉 From what I can see the benchmark is probably Susvara
Well at least this thing shits all over the Susvara that costs twice as much in terms of build. I still won't touch this beauty because I've a feeling this won't obliterate my LCD-X completely..
Hifiman, not a high mark in build quality no matter what lol
Second
No way in hell would I buy any LCD, might as well to try an balance a tank on your head.
And every review of the MEZE are, "the most comfortable hp ever"
And there are more possitive SQ reviews of the Empyrean than ones like your's.
I think that for the price the SQ could simply have been better. I'm quite aware of other reviews, but this is what I think and I stand firmly with that opinion. Never forget that expensive does mean automatically best sounding, by any means
The lcd x is worth. It's a must. Truly.
From my point of view, it's useless for someone to do a sound review of expensive headphones and without having a sound test, where one as a viewer of the video, it's not part of that test. I'm not satisfied with so much blah blah blah, I can find that on a website specializing in headphone reviews. As a CZcams user, I want to go far beyond a simple video that only talks everything about 16, 20 or 30 minutes wasted in vain. I have good in-ear headphones to be able to enjoy the reproduced sound of the headphone that is presented in a video, period. IMHO! 🤫🤷🏻♂️📱🎧🎵🎶🎵
Not that simple unfortunately because this is too many layers of coloration. At that point, you're listening to a high end audiophile headphone through another product's frequency response, plus there is no way to judge resolution or soundstage since they are fundamentally limited by the device you're listening through. This is why for example Resolve and I have both made it a point to show industry standard frequency response graphs, as that's all we can do to help in terms of understanding how something sounds. The rest, well, that's listening to the product yourself in person!
Durch deine reviews finde ich das du gar keine Freude mehr so wirklich empfindest. Alles wird zeredet. Hier paar DB mehr, dort ein bisschen mehr, hier ein bisschen weniger. Völlig übertrieben, und am thema vorbei meiner meinung nach
Senheisers are very bad non professional reference to any audio or music related materials. do not use them to reference anything. they are garbage most days of the week.
This guy cracks himself up. He'd be more credible if he'd lose that nervous chuckle. Very annoying.
??? lighten up