How to Choose a Meze Audio Headphone in 2026: A Walkthrough of the Lineup
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Meze Audio has become one of the most asked-about headphone brands at our King City showroom, and it is easy to understand why. The headphones are hand-assembled in Baia Mare, Romania, built to be repaired rather than replaced, and tuned with a recognisable house character that runs from the entry models all the way up to the flagships. Once someone hears one Meze, they usually want to understand the whole range.
The trouble is that the range has grown. There are now open-back and closed-back models, dynamic and planar drivers, over-ears and in-ears, spanning roughly $1,100 to $5,200. They are not simply "good, better, best" — each one is aimed at a different listener and a different setup. This guide walks the current Meze lineup we carry, explains what separates each model, and helps you find the one that fits how and where you actually listen.
If you want the short version: the 109 Pro is where most people should start for an open-back at home, the Strada or Liric II are the closed-back picks for shared rooms and travel, and the Poet, Empyrean II and Elite are the planar step-ups for a dedicated listening chain.
Two questions decide most of it
Before 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 — what you play is audible to the room, and the room is audible to you. They belong in a dedicated listening space, not an open-plan office or a room with someone trying to sleep nearby. 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 you want a headphone you can travel with, start with the closed-back models.
2. Dynamic or planar?
Meze builds both. Dynamic drivers (the 109 Pro, Strada, and the Astru in-ears) are warm, punchy, and easy to drive — they sound good from a wide range of sources without demanding a powerful amplifier. Planar magnetic drivers (Liric II, Poet, Empyrean II, Elite) resolve detail more linearly and open up the soundstage, but they generally reward — and sometimes require — a properly powered headphone amplifier. If you do not yet have a dedicated amp, that is not a reason to avoid planars, but it is a reason to plan for one.
Answer those two and the lineup below mostly sorts itself.
The Meze lineup at a glance
Here is the quick read on the models we carry, from most accessible to flagship. Prices are approximate CAD and current as of writing.
| Model | Driver | Back | Approx. CAD | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 109 Pro | Dynamic | Open | $1,099 | First reference open-back; easy to drive |
| Strada | Dynamic | Closed | $1,199 | Closed-back for shared rooms; isolation with body |
| Astru | Dynamic (IEM) | Closed | $1,299 | Portable, in-ear listening on the go |
| Liric II | Planar | Closed | $1,999 | Closed-back planar; desktop and travel resolution |
| Poet | Planar | Open | $2,799 | Flagship driver tech in a compact open-back |
| Empyrean II | Planar | Open | $3,999 | Resolution-first reference listening |
| Elite | Planar | Open | $5,199 | The statement headphone; end-of-the-road |
Shop the full Meze Audio collection at Noteworthy Audio →
The dynamic models: warm, punchy, easy to live with
Meze 109 Pro — the one most people should hear first
The 109 Pro is the natural entry point to Meze's full-size open-backs, and for many listeners it is also the finish line. A 50 mm dynamic driver with a carbon-fibre-reinforced cellulose dome gives it a warm, musical, slightly forward presentation that is immediately enjoyable, and its solid walnut cups and self-adjusting headband make it light and comfortable for long sessions. Crucially, it is easy to drive — it plays loud and clean from most decent headphone outputs, so you do not need a flagship amplifier to get the best from it.
Buy it if you want a reference-grade open-back for rock, jazz, acoustic, and modern music without committing to a demanding amplification chain. If you are specifically choosing between the 109 Pro and the Empyrean II, we have written a full side-by-side on that exact question — see our 109 Pro vs Empyrean II review.
Meze Strada — the closed-back dynamic for shared spaces
The Strada is the closed-back, dynamic-driver answer for listeners who cannot use an open-back at home. It is tuned for tonal balance and intimacy — a tight, well-defined low end, a neutral midrange that preserves natural timbre, and enough treble energy to surface fine detail without becoming sharp. Because it is closed, it isolates you from the room and keeps your music to yourself, which makes it a practical first serious headphone for an apartment, a shared office, or a household where an open-back simply is not realistic.
Buy it if you want the Meze house character in a sealed design that respects the people around you.
Meze Astru — Meze sound, in-ear
The Astru is Meze's single-dynamic in-ear monitor, built around a full-titanium shell and a metal-coated composite diaphragm. It carries the dense, natural, slightly warm Meze character into a portable form — a single well-engineered dynamic driver tuned for cohesion rather than the busy, multi-driver sound some IEMs chase. It is the right Meze for listening on the move, at a desk, or anywhere a full-size headphone is impractical.
Buy it if you want Meze's tonal signature in your pocket rather than on a stand.
The planar models: resolution, soundstage, and scale
Meze's planar magnetic headphones use the Isodynamic Hybrid Array driver developed with Rinaro. Compared with the dynamic models, they trade a little of the easy warmth for greater detail retrieval, a more open soundstage, and a more linear low end. They also ask more of your source and amplifier — these are headphones that reveal the quality of the chain feeding them.
Meze Liric II — the closed-back planar
The Liric II is the unusual one: a closed-back headphone with a planar driver, which means it brings planar resolution to environments where an open-back will not work. Meze tuned it to sit between balanced and warm, so it keeps clarity and accuracy with a touch of added depth, and the closed wooden cups make it suited to desktop use and portable listening alike. It is the natural step up for a Strada owner who wants more resolution, or for anyone who needs isolation but does not want to give up detail.
Buy it if you want planar performance in a closed design you can use anywhere.
Meze Poet — flagship driver technology, compact open-back
The Poet brings diaphragm technology from the flagship Elite into a more compact, open-back planar. The result is an airy, natural presentation with precise bass impact and excellent separation — a genuinely high-end listen at a price below the Empyrean II and Elite. For listeners who want most of the flagship character without the flagship footprint or budget, the Poet is often the sweet spot of the planar range.
Buy it if you want a large share of the top-tier Meze sound in a lighter, more affordable open-back.
Meze Empyrean II — the resolution-first reference
The Empyrean II is the evolution of the headphone that put Meze's planars on the map. It is tuned for fine detail and a more neutral signature while keeping the easy-to-listen-to character of the original, wrapped in a CNC-machined aluminium frame. This is a resolution-first headphone — it excels with classical, vocal jazz, film scores, and well-recorded live material, and it rewards a serious source and amplifier. For most listeners it is the point where the lineup crosses from "excellent headphone" into "reference system component."
Buy it if resolution, soundstage, and transparency are your priorities and you have a proper chain to feed it.
Meze Elite — the statement piece
The Elite sits at the top of the lineup. Meze designed it as an heirloom — carbon-fibre headband, real leather headrest, a suspension-wing support system, and the most refined version of the Isodynamic Hybrid Array driver. It is the most resolving, most composed headphone Meze makes, intended for a listener who has the source and amplification to match and wants the end of the road rather than a stepping stone.
Buy it if you are building around the headphone and want Meze's best, full stop.
What you'll need to drive them
Amplification matters more as you move up the range. The dynamic models — 109 Pro, Strada, and the Astru in-ears — are easy to drive and sound good from most quality headphone outputs and integrated DAC/amps. The planar models scale with the amplifier: the Liric II and Poet benefit clearly from a dedicated headphone amp, and the Empyrean II and Elite genuinely deserve a properly powered, planar-capable amplifier and a good source to show what they can do.
If you are stepping into the planar range and you do not yet have a dedicated chain, plan to budget for one — the headphones are worth feeding well. We are happy to match an amp and DAC to the model and budget you are working with.
Browse our headphone amplifiers → · Browse DACs & streamers →
Quick recommendations by listener
- First serious open-back, home listening: 109 Pro
- Shared room or apartment, needs isolation: Strada, or Liric II for closed-back planar resolution
- Portable, in-ear: Astru
- Most of the flagship sound, smaller budget: Poet
- Resolution-first reference with a real chain: Empyrean II
- The end of the road: Elite
If you are weighing open against closed, or dynamic against planar, the honest answer is that the differences are easier to hear than to read about. An hour with two or three of these on the same chain usually makes the choice obvious.
Hear the Meze lineup in our King City showroom
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 range available to audition by appointment in our King City listening room, and we will help you compare the models that fit how you listen and what you are driving them with.
Book a listening appointment →
Frequently asked questions
Which Meze headphone is best for beginners?
For a first reference-grade headphone, the 109 Pro is the usual starting point — it is comfortable, easy to drive, and carries the Meze house sound at the most accessible full-size price. If you need a closed-back because you share your listening space, start with the Strada instead.
What is the difference between the Meze Empyrean II and the Elite?
Both are open-back planar flagships using Meze's Isodynamic Hybrid Array driver. The Elite is the more refined and resolving of the two, with premium build materials and the most composed presentation Meze makes; the Empyrean II delivers most of that character at a lower price and is the better value for many listeners. Both deserve a strong source and amplifier.
Are Meze headphones hard to drive?
The dynamic models (109 Pro, Strada, Astru) are easy to drive from most quality sources. The planar models (Liric II, Poet, Empyrean II, Elite) benefit from a dedicated headphone amplifier, with the Empyrean II and Elite scaling the most with better amplification.
Where are Meze headphones made?
Meze is a Romanian company and every Meze headphone is hand-assembled in Baia Mare, Romania. They are designed to be serviceable and repairable rather than disposable. Meze is sold in Canada through authorized dealers — Noteworthy Audio is the authorized Meze Audio dealer in Canada for customers in our region, with free Canada-wide shipping, financing available, and a by-appointment listening room in King City, Ontario.
Open-back or closed-back Meze — which should I buy?
Choose open-back (109 Pro, Poet, Empyrean II, Elite) if you have a dedicated, quiet listening space and want the most natural, spacious sound. Choose closed-back (Strada, Liric II) if you share your environment, need isolation, or want to listen on the go.
Explore the Meze range
We are an authorized Meze Audio dealer in Canada, with 25+ years in specialty hi-fi, free shipping nationwide, financing available, and a by-appointment listening room in King City, Ontario. If you enjoy open-back headphones, you may also want to look at our Grado Labs collection for a very different take on the open-back sound.
The Meze lineup: 109 Pro · Strada · Astru IEMs · Liric II · Poet · Empyrean II · Elite
