Meze Audio has become one of the most talked-about headphone brands in our Lincoln showroom — and for good reason. Founded in 2011 by industrial designer Antonio Meze in Baia Mare, Romania, the company builds headphones that prioritise timeless design, exceptional comfort, and an engaging, vivid sound signature. Every pair is designed to last, with replaceable parts and a philosophy of repair rather than replace. Once someone hears a Meze, they usually want to understand the rest of the range.
We currently profile four models that cover the heart of Meze’s dynamic and planar offerings: the 99 Classics, 105 Silva, 109 Pro, and Poet. These span closed-back and open-back designs, dynamic and planar drivers, and a price range that takes you from an accessible entry point into serious high-end listening. They are not simply “good, better, best” — each is aimed at a different listener and listening environment.
Here’s a clear walkthrough of the models we carry, what separates them, and which one is most likely to suit how and where you listen.
Before diving into model names and prices, two practical questions narrow the field faster than any spec sheet.
1. Open-back or closed-back?
Open-back headphones sound more spacious and natural, but they leak sound both ways — your music is audible to the room, and the room is audible to you. They belong in a dedicated listening space. Closed-back headphones isolate you from the room (and the room from you), at the cost of a slightly smaller sense of space. If you share your listening environment or want something more practical for everyday use, start with the closed-back option.
2. Dynamic or planar?
Meze Audio builds both. Dynamic drivers (99 Classics, 105 Silva, 109 Pro) are warm, punchy, and easy to drive — they sound good from a wide range of sources without demanding a powerful amplifier. Planar magnetic drivers (the Poet) resolve detail more linearly, open up the soundstage further, and reward a properly powered headphone amplifier. If you don’t yet have a dedicated amp, that isn’t a reason to avoid planars, but it is a reason to plan for one.
Answer those two questions and the lineup largely sorts itself.
| Model | Driver | Type | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 99 Classics | Dynamic | Closed | £319.00 | First serious closed-back; warm & portable |
| 105 Silva | Dynamic | Open | £469.00 | Open-back entry with comfort and musicality |
| 109 Pro | Dynamic | Open | £769.00 | Reference-grade open-back dynamic |
| Poet | Planar | Open | £1,899.00 | Compact high-end planar with flagship tech |
Meze 99 Classics — the closed-back starting point
The 99 Classics remain one of the most loved headphones Meze Audio has ever made. Closed-back with 40 mm dynamic drivers, genuine walnut earcups, a self-adjusting spring-steel headband, and excellent comfort, they deliver the classic Meze house sound: warm, engaging, and slightly forward, with satisfying bass and natural midrange. They are easy to drive from almost any source and come with practical accessories including a cable with inline controls.
Buy them if you want a beautiful, long-lasting closed-back headphone for shared spaces, commuting, or everyday listening that still feels special. They are the natural first Meze for many people.
Meze 105 Silva — the accessible open-back
The 105 Silva sits between Meze’s more affordable open-backs and the 109 Pro. It uses a 50 mm dynamic driver with a carbon-fibre-reinforced cellulose composite dome and titanium-coated surround, housed in elegant walnut earcups with a distinctive radial grille. The result is a spacious, well-balanced, easy-to-drive open-back that is extremely comfortable for long sessions. Sensitivity is high (around 112 dB) and impedance is modest (42 Ω), so it works well from phones, laptops, or a modest desktop setup.
Buy them if you want your first proper open-back Meze experience without jumping straight to the 109 Pro. They offer a large slice of the Meze open-back character at a more approachable price.
Meze 109 Pro — the one most people should hear first for home listening
The 109 Pro is Meze’s flagship dynamic open-back and, for many listeners, the sweet spot of the entire range. A purpose-designed 50 mm dual-composite dynamic driver (W-shaped carbon-fibre-reinforced cellulose dome with beryllium-coated torus) delivers a warm-yet-detailed, highly musical presentation with excellent dynamics, natural timbre, and a sense of scale that belies its price. Black walnut cups, refined metalwork, and outstanding comfort complete the package. At 40 Ω and 112 dB sensitivity it remains relatively easy to drive, though it rewards a decent headphone amplifier.
Buy them if you want a reference-grade open-back for home listening that works across genres and doesn’t demand an extreme amplification chain. For many people the 109 Pro is both the starting point and the finishing line.
Meze Poet — flagship driver technology in a more compact form
The Poet brings Meze’s collaboration with Rinaro Isodynamics into a lighter, more compact open-back chassis. It uses the MZ6 Isodynamic Hybrid Array planar driver (a refined combination of technologies from higher models) and Acoustic Metamaterial Tuning System elements for controlled high frequencies. The result is greater resolution, improved separation, tighter and more linear bass, and a more open soundstage than the dynamic models, while retaining the engaging Meze character. Build quality is exceptional — magnesium and aluminium frame, carbon elements, premium pads — and comfort is excellent for a planar.
At around 55 Ω and 101 dB sensitivity the Poet is more demanding than the dynamic models and benefits clearly from a dedicated headphone amplifier. It is the natural step up for anyone who has enjoyed the 109 Pro and wants the extra resolution and refinement that planar technology provides, without moving all the way to the larger flagship Empyrean II or Elite.
Invest in them if you have (or are planning) a proper source and amplifier chain and want most of the high-end Meze planar experience in a more manageable size and price.
The dynamic models — 99 Classics, 105 Silva, and 109 Pro — are easy to drive and sound excellent from most quality headphone outputs, portable DACs, and integrated amplifiers. The 109 Pro in particular scales nicely with better amplification but does not require it to sound good.
The Poet rewards a dedicated headphone amplifier. Pairing it with a capable amp and source reveals the full resolution, dynamics, and soundstage the driver is capable of. We are happy to match amplifiers and DACs to whichever model you choose and the budget you are working with.
If you are weighing open against closed, or dynamic against planar, the differences are much easier to hear than to read about. An hour with two or three of these on the same chain usually makes the choice obvious.
Choosing a headphone at this level is best done in the chair, with music you know well, on a system set up to let each model show its character. We keep the Meze models we profile available to audition by appointment in our historic 15th-century showroom at 50 Grantham Street, Lincoln. The space is set up as a relaxed, home-from-home listening environment — no pressure, just great sound and honest advice.
Book a listening appointment and we’ll help you compare the models that fit how you listen and what you’ll be driving them with.
We are extremely proud to offer Meze Audio at Revelation Audio.
It’s more than just music.
David McCaffrey
Revelation Audio
