The Meze Empyrean II Headphone is a Masterclass In Design

The Romanian company Meze Audio had a huge hit with the Meze 99 Classics ($309), which launched in 2015 and went on to become one of the most popular headphones of the last decade. When they decided to compete in the high-end headphone space, the folks at Meze teamed up with Ukraine’s Rinaro Isodynamics, a company with decades of experience in research and development within the field of planar magnetic drivers. In 2018, the result of this collaboration arrived in the form of the Empyrean headphone ($3,000), which earned praise both for its sound quality and its incredibly meticulous build quality. Now, after another years-long research and development campaign, Meze has introduced the Empyrean II, which sells for the same $3,000 as its predecessor. Meze says that the new headphone delivers “more of what you love: more clarity, more depth, more fun.”

According to Meze, the goal in developing the Empyrean II was to preserve the original’s “easy to listen to” character while enhancing its ability to reproduce fine details. The team also sought a more neutral sound signature, as the original Empyrean was known to be on the warm side. Meze says its engineers tried a number of different tuning techniques over a period of several months, tweaking the sound to improve resolution and detail retrieval, resulting in a cleaner and more accurate sound. The driver membrane in the Empyrean II is also reported to be more reliable, thus ensuring “exceptional performance even in challenging acoustic environments.” Like the original, the new Empyrean uses a Hybrid Array Driver, developed by Rinaro Isodynamics, which combines individual switchback and spiral-shaped voice coils in one driver. Meze says that the switchback coil of the diaphragm is more efficient at reproducing lower frequencies, and is positioned in the upper part of the driver. Meanwhile, the spiral coil of the diaphragm is more efficient at reproducing mid-to-high frequencies. The spiral is positioned directly over the ear canal, enabling more direct sound waves to enter the ear without any time delays, according to Meze. This configuration reportedly allows sound to be “targeted with more accuracy around the natural form of the ear.”

When we first talked about creating the second generation of Empyrean, I knew it would be far from easy. With many ideas in mind, I reached out to our community, eager to gather their feedback in any way I could. I wanted to dive into their hearts and minds, to understand their expectations, and so their input is what shaped the path toward Empyrean II. What followed was a test of patience and precision. At first, the possibilities seemed endless, but reality showed us that only a few of our plans were feasible. We made a lot of revisions to discover the right proportions and materials that would deliver the sound signature we aimed for.

Alex Grigoras, Acoustic Engineer at Meze

Meze has some impressive specs to boast for the Empyrean II, including total harmonic distortion (THD) measuring under 0.05% across the whole frequency range, for highly accurate signal reproduction. Meze says that the upper-frequency limit of audio reproduction in the Empyrean II is a remarkable 110,000 Hz. The driver uses neodymium magnets symmetrically placed on both sides of the diaphragm, according to Meze, “specifically arranged into a Hybrid Array to create the efficient Isodynamic magnetic field required for a uniform activation across the whole diaphragm surface.” 

The lightweight Rinaro Isoplanar Diaphragm weighs only 0.16 grams, while covering a surface area of 4650 square millimeters (7.2 square inches). An improved frame made of fiberglass-infused ABS also contributes to lower weight, allowing for longer listening sessions without discomfort. Meze lists the weight of the Empyrean II at 385 grams, down from the 430-gram original. The frame of the Empyrean II is crafted with precision CNC milling, and features a matte black finish with silver accents. The headband appears to be made from the same carbon fiber used in the original, but the redesigned grille is completely new, drawing inspiration from “bold and timeless art deco patterns,” according to Meze. (The precision with which Meze’s aluminum grilles are CNC-milled is unlike anything I’ve seen in any other headphone — or any audio product, for that matter.)

As good as the initial design looked, the headphones we thought were final proved to be fragile. The aluminum grille wasn’t turning out that great, there was an unexpected structural failure, and we were changing the colors almost daily, struggling to decide upon the perfect combination. A lot of determination, a few more iterations and we finally nailed it – Empyrean II.

Vladimir Brezovszki, Product Designer

Rinaro developed an interesting “Isomagnetic coupling technology,” which makes switching ear-pads quick and painless. (That might not sound like a big deal, but a few years ago, I literally spent about half of Christmas Day trying to put new ear-pads on my girlfriend’s Sennheiser Momentum 2 headphones. Brain surgery would have been easier.) Rinaro’s Isomagnetic coupling technology reportedly “utilizes the demagnetizing field generated by the driver to secure the earcup in place, while simultaneously redirecting the magnetic field back into the driver, thereby enhancing efficiency.” And it’s a good thing that switching ear-pads is a breeze with the Empyrean II, because it comes with two sets of ear-pads that offer slightly different sonic presentations. The new “Duo Earpads” are said to be specifically tailored to match Empyrean II. They’re made from a combination of premium leather (forming the base half of the ear-cup) and Alcantara (covering the rest). Vegan leather is available upon request. Meze says that the Duo Earpad design introduces a “contemporary dimension to the signature sound profile of Empyrean II… (delivering) a harmonious tonal balance that resonates across all music genres.” Meze’s engineers researched and tested various material ratios to achieve the best sonic balance, according to the company. The result is said to be “a flawless fusion” of well-sustained bass frequencies (attributed to the leather), and “beautiful refinement and spatiality” from the Alcantara.

The second ear-pad option is Meze’s “Angled Alcantara” ear-pads, which are made of soft foam coated with Alcantara. They also include a fine protective mesh on the grille. These angled earpads “excel at rendering intricate details and nuances in your recordings,” according to Meze. The angled shape creates more space inside the ear-pad, which Meze says translates to “an airier sound signature, with cleaner bass and improved presence in the mid-range frequency.” When used on the Empyrean II, these pads deliver a more “classic audiophile” presentation, according to Meze, with a “detailed, airy, and accurate” sound.

Our engineers have masterfully harnessed the driver’s power to reveal new possibilities in terms of responsiveness and accuracy, and even (made) the driver more reliable in challenging acoustic environments.

— Mircea Fanatan, Meze Audio’s Managing Director

Meze Empyrean II: What We Think

From a consumer’s perspective, one of the best things about Meze headphones is that they are all fully serviceable. Every part of the Empyrean II’s chassis can be disassembled, serviced, and replaced if necessary, meaning that the headphones should last a long time. That’s a comforting thought if you’re about to spend $3K on a pair of headphones. While not inexpensive, high-end headphones like the Meze Empyrean II can offer a level of sound quality that similarly-priced loudspeakers would struggle to achieve. The original Empyrean was a beautifully-made headphone with an appealingly warm sound signature that pleased many audiophiles, but its sound wasn’t as detailed as some other flagship headphones, such as the Focal Utopia ($4,000). That said, even the Utopia can’t match the Meze’s build quality and comfort. Now that the Empyrean II boasts improved detail retrieval and a more neutral tonal balance, it could be a runaway hit. Whether you’ve been saving up for and end-game headphone or you’re looking for a gift for the well-heeled audiophile who has everything, the Meze Empyrean II should not be overlooked.

The Meze Empyrean II comes with a high-strength ABS plastic suitcase with foam inserts and a leather handle, and your choice of two cables, fitted with a 2.5 mm, 3.5 mm (1/8 inch), 4.4 mm, 6.3 mm (1/4 inch), or 4 pin XLR connector. Th Empyrean II is available on Meze’s website, and can also be purchased from authorized Meze dealers, like our friends at Audio Advice.

Unless otherwise indicated, this is a preview article for the featured product. A formal review may or may not follow in the future.