Meze 99 Classics Walnut Gold | Wired Over-Ear Headphones with Mic and Self Adjustable Headband | Classic Wooden Closed-Back Headset for Audiophiles

I had only read/watched 2 reviews for the Meze and once I got past the audiophile descriptions of the sound which all sounded very acceptable, I was attracted to the simplicity and construction of these headphones. No Glue. Very little plastics. Every piece is replaceable and every part can be disassembled by hand. In my opinion, when looking at the details and holding it in your hands it feels great and looks stunning. How the headband easily slides to accommodate an easy and firm hold of your head. Its also large enough to provide room for large ears without looking cumbersome or awkward. The cable that comes with the headphones are great and it comes with two versions. One that is purely for headphone amps and one with an in-line microphone that could be used with a mobile device. I have been listening to these headphones on either at Schiit Stack (Schiit Modi 3 + Schiit Magni 3) or a Chord Mojo and theres enough detail in these headphones that I can clearly tell the difference between the DAC and Headphone amp. These headphones are competitive in sound quality with headphones that are 1.5-2x the price. As far as I am concerned if you are spending less than $500, these are a must-buy.

Very musical headphones. Bass is there for weight but not overly done. Top end is smooth with satisfying detail. Very comfortable to wear in a home environment. Not sure I would take them out in a mobile fashion. For me these headphones strike a perfect balance and bring about blissful listening. Listened with a Teac ha501 headphone amp and most of my previous listening was with v moda 80 and v moda 100 headphones as well as various Panasonic headphones.

These things are incredible. Build quality is the best Ive ever seen, sound is amazing (they can handle my Fiio M15 at full tilt all day while still sounding perfect), and I literally forget Im wearing them theyre so comfortable. They also play Scarlet Fire very well. DankPods/10. Highly recommend.

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~

These were my first pair of audiophile grade headphones; or really any headphones above $100. I got them for gaming and music. I have them plugged into a Schiit Magni Heresy amp, a Schiit Loki EQ and a Schiit Modi DAC. Comfort-wise they are perfect. Zero pressure points, not too hot for stationary use, fairly light on the head. The foam covering the drivers does touch my ear like others have noted, but is not bothersome. This could be rectified with new earcups. Build quality is also fantastic at this price point and even exceeds much more expensive cans Ive seen. The walnut is beautiful and I dont think there is a single plastic piece on these phones. No adhesives or glue. In terms of sound, I will say I wasnt blown away at first listen. I think I was expecting an immediate audiogasm, but they just sounded...clear. After a couple weeks Ive noticed I can pick up a lot more detail and separation between instruments. With the EQ off they tend to have a warmer sound. Highs are modest with the mid-bass represented fully. Low-end bass response is lacking. Many, many reviews labeled these as bassy headphones...but Im sorry they are not. Ill be honest I have $50 TaoTronics cans that have more satisfying bass. I even did a blind listen test on my wife (who has never heard nice headphones) and she preferred the el cheapo TTs. For gaming I think they are perfect. The sound is immersive, clean and neutral overall, without dominance on any part of the spectrum. Imaging is much better on games I normally play compared to my bookshelfs or old wireless phones. All that said these just leave me wanting a little more sound-wise. I fiddle with my EQ endlessly but the sound satisfaction Im looking for just remains elusive. I need to listen to some other models at this price point before making a final call. TL;DR: Fantastic build quality, great comfort, with neutral and somewhat buttoned-down sound. If you want something with hard punchy bass or expansive soundstaging, these are not for you. But great all-around headphones at a totally fair price.

These are great headphones. One of the best I owned. The quality of the assembly is excellent. The package is outstanding with a comfy box for headphones and 2 wires and an adapter. Everything is very well thought. It was a wow effect for me when I received them. They sound very good with strong bass. However, listening fatigue can be an issue. I gave them to my wife and she said the same. What is headphone listening fatigue? Usually its related to too much energy in the higher frequencies, which becomes piercing, grating and irritating to your ears over longer listening sessions. But this can happen either due to the way the headphones are designed, or due to personal/psychological preferences and sensitivities. I returned them and bought another pair of headphones and now I dont have this issue.

Incredible headphones. A lot has been made of their current pad iterations, and it is mostly overblown. They are likely warmer than the older ones, but they are not like listening through a wall as I saw one user review claim. They are certainly warm and have ample bass, but the detail is stellar and nuanced, and Id say just about perfectly balanced. I will agree that the bass may be a touch overly resonant for some of my music, but an email exchange with Meze reveals that they are planning on making various pad options available so that you can play with different sound signatures, so I will be looking out for that.

I bought these to replace my B&W P7s. The only reason being as I wanted a headphone with an easy option for a 2.5mm balanced cable connector for my Pioneer XDP-300R. The P7s should in no way be considered bad, Wicked Awesome. These... are different headphones. I am not gonna pretend I know Frank all about soundstage or anything like a real reviewer would write. I will only say that these too, are Wicked Awesome.

For the money fit and finish are exemplary The wood improves the sound It is comfortable and the headband is self adjusting There is a slight ear sweat in prolonged listening sessions do not necessarily recommend them for use Jin the rain I replaced the cable and earpads O am an audiophile The one negate thing for me is the earpads are not snap on. And the cable is designed to release under pressure. You might like that Highly recommended.

The best headphones that I’ve ever owned, but the head strap took some getting used to because it became uncomfortable after long us. I have a bald head so that is probably why. Also, the overhead metal support bars makes an annoying tinging sound when hit by accident while listening to music. Sound quality is top notch no matter what music I play through them.