Marcus opinions the Meze Audio POET, a set of open-back headphones priced at $2000. It encompasses a recent design and the corporate’s newest Rinaro Isodynamic Hybrid Array MZ6 driver.
Disclaimer: This pattern was despatched to me in change for my sincere opinion. Headfonics is an impartial web site with no affiliate hyperlinks or standing. I thank Meze Audio for his or her help.
You possibly can click on right here to study extra about Meze Audio merchandise beforehand reviewed on Headfonics.
This text follows our present scoring tips, which you’ll be able to learn in additional element right here.
Meze Audio POET Evaluation
Abstract
Of all of the Meze headphones, the POET comes closest to capturing a number of the spirit of the unique Empyrean’s tuning. And but it retains its personal id with a usually clean sound signature, a touch of treble sparkle, and a barely flatter bass response that creates a properly balanced tonal high quality.
Execs
Balanced and straightforward to hearken to sound signature.
Beautiful Design.
Simple to drive from good sources and amplifiers.
Cons
Barely restricted soundstage.
Wants a inventory balanced cable out of the field.
The POET is Meze Audio’s latest set of planar headphones. Priced at $2000, it sits alongside the equally priced closed-back Liric II and is positioned under the flagship Elite and Empyrean II headphones.
That is an open-back planar, and although tempting to say the open-back equal of the Liric II, it has a brand new Isodynamic driver drawn from the merging of the Elite and Liric driver expertise, giving it a real ‘mid-way’ id of its personal.
For followers of the unique Empyrean, the tuning is probably nearer to that than the Empyrean II. You’re going to get a clean sound signature with a sprinkle of brilliance within the highs that many ought to discover fairly simple on the ear.
And true to Meze Audio’s impeccable design credentials, the POET appears beautiful and delivers a really comfy sporting expertise for the person.
So is the POET the OG Empyrean reborn or one thing altogether totally different? I came upon in my full assessment under, together with how nicely it competes towards the Liric II, the Empyrean II, and the unique Elite.
Options
The Meze Audio POET is a compact set of open-back circumaural headphones rated at 55Ω impedance with an SPL of 101 dB SPL/mW at 1 kHz. That locations it between the Liric II and the Elite by way of effectivity.
It makes use of a brand new ovoid-shaped Rinaro Parus® MZ6 Isodynamic® Hybrid Array, which is a synthesis of the Parus MZ3SE from the Elite and the extra compact Rinaro Isoplanar MZ4 contained in the Liric II.
Just like the Liric II driver, the brand new 92 mm x 63 mm MZ6 model is smaller than Meze’s flagship choices, with the same lively space of 3507mm² versus the Elite’s 102 mm x 73 mm 4650mm² model.
Just like the Liric II, the POET makes use of a type of acoustical tuning on the entrance of the motive force, which within the Liric II assessment I remarked how comparable it was to Dan Clark Audio’s AMTS system.
On the time, Meze Audio known as it ‘QWRM’ however with the launch of the POET, the complete licensing course of is now clear and sure, it’s certainly a particular Acoustic Metamaterial Tuning System or AMTS format from DCA.
Meze refers back to the AMTS element as being programmed to have a particular calming impact on the efficiency of the POET’s excessive to scale back listener fatigue.
Due to this fact, I presume it’s nonetheless performing as a quarter-wavelength resonator masks utilized with a particular concentrate on attenuating the FR above 5-7kHz to attain its desired impact.
Design
The POET is a gorgeous-looking set of open-back headphones. It has the same type issue and dimension to the Liric II however with the long-lasting “Persian-like” mesh design from the Elite and OG Empyrean in a hanging shimmering bronze end that can also be matched with a equally copper-toned set of adjuster rods.
It additionally retains an ovoid cup design with Meze’s distinctive arched gimbals, a matte silver magnesium body, and a removable magnetic ear pad system.
What’s disbursed with is their giant carbon fiber headband and the ‘patented suspension wings design’ leather-based strap used on the Elite and Empyrean II.
As a substitute, the POET makes use of a ‘common’ pressure-relieving leather-based strap and, surprisingly, DCA’s signature Nitinol wireframe headband system.
Additionally, the yoke meeting mirrors that of the Liric II simply above the cup quite than extending over the grill, which, to be sincere, I type of like, given you see extra of that scrumptious copper-toned grill than had it been behind an arch.
With AMTS and people Nitinol wireframes, the POET has an fascinating, virtually hybrid DCA/Meze theme. I presume the selection of Nitinol is aimed toward lowering the headphones’ weight; at 405g, solely the 109 PRO and the 105 AER are lighter within the Meze Audio headphone lineup, so mission success if that was the target.
Consolation
As you may count on from a Meze design, the POET is a really comfy headphone. Given it has the same type issue dimension to the Liric II and smaller pads than the Elite, the POET consolation stage sits someplace in between.
The primary enchancment over the Liric II is the larger inside cavity dimensions of these magnetic hybrid leather-based and velour pads.
On the Liric II, the pads sat ever so barely on my ear, whereas this time, the opening has been widened simply sufficient to clear the ear. It’s nowhere close to as large because the Elite opening, however this sizing appears to go well with the extra compact POET type issue.
Additionally, I understand the lateral strain or clamping from the POET to really feel barely decreased from the Liric II’s strain stage however extra so than the looser Elite or Empyrean II becoming.
It does really feel safer on my head than the massive flagship with the strain strap doing a superb job of mitigating any potential vertical strain hotspots.
I get a sense Meze sees the customers of the compact POET as being extra cellular and lively whereas utilizing them, whereas the Empyrean II and Elite’s looser sitting has a “sit at dwelling and chill’ connotation.
The dearth of velour pad inclusions with the POET might scale back the worth, nevertheless it takes away an much more comfy and sweat-free becoming choice and a second tuning alternative. Maybe velour merely doesn’t sound that good with the POET?
Inventory cable
The POET comes with one inventory cable, however it’s Meze’s premium braided Furukawa PCUHD copper cable that fantastically matches the coppery tones of the mesh grill on the cups.
The Furukawa PCUHD 4.4mm cable makes use of 0.04 mm x 140 conductors in an 8-wire to 4-wire steady braid inside a TPD sleeve construct. It’s a stunning cable design and handles fantastically with zero kinks and microphonics.
Meze has caught with the decrease profile 3.5mm sockets of the Liric II, so the cable connectors are unchanged for the POET model.
Nonetheless, for some unusual purpose, the POET model is single-ended out of the field with a 6.35mm plug. This looks like a missed alternative, given most are going XLR or 4.4mm, particularly with fashionable transportable amps and DAPs which have sufficient energy to drive the POET nicely.
The Meze branded blue barrel ending on the splitter and plug is refined and strong, with simply distinguishable purple and blue rings on the three.5mm connector aspect.
I do have to notice that the splitter barrel on this cable model is barely thicker and heavier than the older one on the unique Furukawa cable model that got here with the og Empyrean from 2019.
Packaging & Equipment
Whereas the POET’s cardboard outer field isn’t as flashy because the Liric II or Empyrean II packaging, I commend Meze for together with a gorgeous and practical hard-shell case with loads of area to suit the headphones and cable.
The POET will not be a folding headphone, so it’s by no means going to be as compact as one thing just like the DCA E3, which means slipping it right into a bag might be a no-go.
Nonetheless, the case styling appears a bit classier than the mobile-orientated Liric II case, virtually like a watered-down model of the Empyrean II hardshell variant.
The one factor lacking from the case is a set of handles which might be very helpful when carrying it round.
As well as, the inventory cable is available in a PU leather-based pouch alongside a beautiful little cream-colored POET guide. In case you are acquainted with HIFIMAN’s high-end choices, such because the Susvara, it’s the same introductory booklet drawn from the web site advertising and marketing collateral.
Click on on web page 2 under for my sound impressions and beneficial pairings.
