Relating to reference sound, Sennheiser has lengthy held the crown for bringing impartial and pure sound with glorious high quality. Now, Meze Audio has stepped to the plate with its personal reference sound, the brand new Meze Astru. This provides the Sennheiser IE 600 some stiff competitors. Each retail for a similar $899 worth level, so it is pure to need to see these facet by facet. Which of those earphones is the most effective in your reference listening? Ought to we even pit two queens towards one another? On this comparability, we see which IEM takes house the reference-sound crown.
The primary comparability individuals could make with these earphones is the bodily high quality. Regardless of how totally different they give the impression of being, they’ve the identical defining trait of being very small. The Sennheiser IE 600 has been identified to have a really small shell that matches nicely into smaller ears. It makes the design extra refined and stands out lower than some larger IEMs. The Meze Astru is similar manner. The titanium shell is small and easily matches within the ear, and the concave circle on the surface makes it much more hidden. With the precise eartip, each are very simple to get a safe match that may final hours on finish.
The Sennheiser IE 600 is a little more matte in colour. Its extra rectangular form is nice for becoming to the form of your ear, and the cable is one other good level of stability. It is moldable earhook wraps across the ear properly and means that you can actually adapt to your private ear form. This function is on each the three.5mm cable and the 4.4mm cable. The Meze Astru does not have this similar cable function, however it’s a properly braided cable that terminates in 4.4mm. Whilst you could not get a number of cables with the Astru, they do include a extra sturdy cable that feels as high-quality because the IEM.
By way of consolation, each of those IEMs are extraordinarily simple to put on. Personally, I preferred the rounder match of the Meze Astru versus the Sennheiser. This is not to say the Sennheiser was not snug; I believe individuals searching for a less complicated, studious look will respect the Sennheiser. For a classier, fashion-forward look, the Meze Astru excels in its modern, geometric design.
SOUNDSTAGE & IMAGING
Now for the primary occasion: the sound evaluation. Between the Astru and the IE 600, you hear a whole lot of similarities as a result of the driving force configuration is similar. The one driver provides each of those IEMs a pure high quality that makes all of them the extra set to be a reference IEM. A essential distinction I discovered was in how the extensive soundstage of each is introduced. The Astru has a large soundstage, but it surely feels very intimate. Devices come to the very entrance and are positioned within the entrance of the sound discipline. It’s well-balanced and has good imaging in each style. The midrange does come barely ahead to present the Astru a V-shaped signature, but it surely does not distract from the impartial stability.
Now we examine it to the Sennheiser IE 600, which is well-known for its treble-focused neutrality. The IE 600 does not have as a lot bass sound because the Astru, but it surely nonetheless does have sufficient punch for it to be current. It takes a backseat subsequent to different frequency ranges, however does not disappear fully. The soundstage may be very extensive and expands outward, differing from the intimate nature of the Astru. It creates an open signature that makes the IEMs themselves much less fatiguing to put on for lengthy intervals of time. The IE 600 has nice imaging accuracy, each in horizontal placement and in depth. There is not a lot top, however the pure replica of the devices is notable and stands out amongst a whole lot of different finely tuned and dynamic signatures.
Between the 2 IEMs, they each provide nice pure sound signatures. They pair nicely with DACs and amplifiers, permitting you to paint the sound with exterior gear or software program versus coming in with its personal stark taste. Musicians could lean in direction of the IE 600 primarily based on signature alone, however informal listeners could respect the Astru extra for its fuller and extra current bass.
BASS FREQUENCIES
By way of bass response, the Meze Astru wins to my ears. Dynamic driers are identified to supply a stronger bass response than different drivers, and Meze proves this to be true. The Astru has a bass response that’s punchy and thick, making decrease register devices have extra physique and life. It does not overpower the signature fully; as an alternative, it simply sits behind the midrange and features up with the treble to create the V-shape talked about earlier.
However, the Sennheiser IE 600 falls a bit quick. To not say the bass has disappeared fully: it’s truly very current and really detailed. It has extra of a treble and brighter response that retains it from changing into too darkish and overpowering within the earphones as a complete. In case you’re a fan of bass, the Sennheiser IE 600 could also be underwhelming; you will possible discover a extra appropriate sound with the Meze Astru. In case you are extra delicate to bass and like a robust treble, the IE 600 could also be up your alley.
MIDRANGE FREQUENCIES
For midrange frequencies, the Astru and IE 600 come to a fairly even tie. The Astru presents a midrange that’s near the pinnacle, bringing voices to the entrance and letting them take middle stage. On this vary, you may hear how the Astru is extra intimate than the IE 600. The best way the devices layer themselves within the Astru is nearer collectively versus the extra unfold out within the IE 600. The Astru balances intimate presentation with distinct separation very nicely, permitting you to pay attention for minute particulars in each monitor. The pure timbres and textures of the devices have been very simply noticeable and might be distinguished aside from one another with ease.
Within the Sennheiser earphones, there’s a related sound replica to the Astru. It’s pure and extremely detailed, making devices simply recognizeable in a number of various genres. This time, as an alternative of simply pushing to the entrance just like the Astru does, the IE 600 makes use of the area within the soundstage to actually create a big picture. This makes bigger ensembles extra life like and immersive in replica. The IE 600 had a sharper consideration to element, possible as a result of stronger treble presence that adopted to the midrange. The midrange on these IEMs undoubtedly lies extra impartial than the Astru, making it a greater candidate for these searching for true reference monitoring.
TREBLE FREQUENCIES
On the high of the sound signature, we have a look at the treble vary. The treble is vibrant and ethereal in each of those IEMs, however they play totally different roles in every. Within the Astru, the treble balances out the punchy bass with sharp element of its personal. It sits simply behind the midrange and features up with the bass, so that you get reduction if the bass finally ends up being overly highly effective. The element from the treble carries over to the remainder of the signature, ensuring the opposite ranges do not sound muffled or muddy. In an intimate soundstage just like the Astru, the treble did wonders for opening up the highest finish to ensure it did not really feel claustrophobic throughout listening.
In the meantime, the IE 600 embraces the treble and makes it a defining function of the signature as a complete. You’ll be able to hear how the treble comes ahead and matches the midrange when it comes to depth and forwardness, although it by no means turns into too sharp or piercing. The IE 600 has a really open high finish that makes bigger ensembles sound extra pure within the areas they’re performed in. It’s a extra ahead treble presentation than that of the Astru, however equally to it, it does not change into overpowering or take away from the pure sound of the devices.
The Meze Astru and the Sennheiser IE 600 are two improbable IEMs that each musicians and audiophiles can take pleasure in. We posed a query in the beginning of this comparability: Is the Meze Astru the brand new IE 600? My reply isn’t any. The Meze Astru cannot change the IE 600, but it surely does function a pleasant different or second possibility for individuals searching for one thing new. In case you’re not prepared to surrender that Sennheiser sound however are searching for a little bit selection, the Meze Astru will simply impress.
By way of discovering the precise reference sound for you, it should come right down to your private preferences and what your ear prefers. In case you like a extra intimate soundstage and punchy bass, the Meze Astru will likely be up your alley. If you would like neutrality above all else and an open sound, the Sennheiser IE 600 is a superb possibility. No selection is a foul one, and you’re set to pay attention comfortably with both one.
You will get the Meze Astru and the Sennheiser IE 600 at Audio46.
