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Editors' Choice Award - The Absolute Sound
Editor's Choice - the-ear.net
"Recommended Buy" Award - headfonia.com
Highly Recommended - earfidelity.com
Your Gateway to Sonic Paradise
Following the huge success of the original model Empyrean headphone, Meze Audio's Empyrean II emerges as a symphony of artistry, sound innovation and craftsmanship.
The design goal was to enhance the headphones’ ability to reproduce fine details and achieve a more neutral sound signature, all the while preserving the original 'easy to listen to' character.
The Path to a Newly Refined Sonic Signature
"When we first talked about creating the second generation of Empyrean, I knew it would be far from easy," observes Alex Grigoras, Acoustic Engineer for Meze Audio.
"With many ideas in mind, I reached out to our community, eager to gather their feedback in any way I could. I wanted to dive into their hearts and minds, to understand their expectations, and so their input is what shaped the path toward Empyrean II. What followed was a test of patience and precision. At first, the possibilities seemed endless, but reality showed us that only a few of our plans were feasible. We made a lot of revisions to discover the right proportions and materials that would deliver the sound signature we aimed for."
Award-Winning Performance
The Empyrean grabbed an Editors' Choice Award from The Absolute Sound magazine.
"The Empyrean was conceived as Meze’s cost-no-object headphone. At the heart of the Empyrean is a patent-pending, hybrid planar-magnetic driver that combines—on one diaphragm—two independently shaped voice-coil sections: a circular section optimized for upper-midrange and high frequencies; and a larger serpentine section optimized for mid/bass performance. The result is a headphone that offers a fundamentally natural and organic sound but is also extraordinarily revealing and detailed."
The Empyrean II also landed an Editor's Choice award from the-ear.net. According to reviewer Trevor Butler, "In the Empyrean II, Meze have clearly produced a design capable of extreme clarity, amazing neutrality and fine spaciousness. This is a well-designed and superbly engineered headphone that should be high on the audition list for anyone looking in this price bracket; it’s a top-level headphone in so many ways."
"A Remarkable Advancement in Headphone Technology"
"The Meze Audio Empyrean II represents a remarkable advancement in headphone technology that transcends mere comparison with its predecessor," observes Ichos, head-fi.org, February 14, 2025. "This model not only offers a more neutral tuning and enhanced technical performance than the original but also stands out as one of the most balanced and transparent headphones available today."
"As a flagship offering, the Meze Audio Empyrean II merges outstanding sonic attributes with superior craftsmanship, all at a price point that can be regarded as a bargain in the context of the current high-end audio market."
Sonic Mastery Reimagined
Empyrean II emerges as the fruitful collaboration of two passionate companies that set out to explore uncharted territories. Meze Audio's engineering team masterfully harnessed the power of Rinaro’s Isodynamic Hybrid Array Driver to reach a new world of sound. These efforts revealed new possibilities in terms of resolution and detail retrieval, achieving a cleaner and more accurate representation of sound, when compared to the original Empyrean.
Rinaro Isodynamics was founded in Ukraine during the Cold War to research acoustic technology and has been innovating in planar magnetics for over 30 years. They expanded with new R&D and manufacturing facilities in Ukraine and Poland, which were instrumental in developing the patented Isodynamic Hybrid Array technology used in Empyrean, Elite, and Liric headphones.
"Recommended Buy" Award Winner
"With the Empyrean 2, Meze Audio is walking into a new direction. In this new tuning, neutrality, clarity, speed and spaciousness are keywords," observes Lieven in his August 11, 2023 review for headfonia.com, which honored the Empyrean 2 with a "Recommended Buy" award.
"In terms of build quality, comfort and design, Meze still fully delivers and you get what you expect at this price point, a top-level headphone in all possible ways."
"Highly Recommended… Best Meze Headphone to Date"
Mateusz Chmura calls the Empyrean II "the best Meze headphone to date" in his ear-fidelity.com review for April 29, 2024, which awarded the Empyrean II a Highly Recommended listing.
"Meze Empyrean II’s sound signature is perfect for everyday listening when you choose to relax with your favorite music, with a fun, engaging, but not at all insistent DNA. The perfect single word to describe this pair of headphones is 'Balance' in my book. Fun, yet relaxing, natural, yet technical. It’s a well-priced product, deserving of all the praise it’s currently receiving…. Highly recommended."
"A New Cleaner, More Incisive Sound"
"The Meze Audio Empyrean II takes a huge chunk of what made the original Empyrean headphones so good such as looks and comfort and integrates a new sound signature that should appeal to a much wider audience than before," reports Marcus, headfonics.com, December 6, 2023.
"We have a new cleaner, more incisive sound signature closer to a neutral tone with enhanced contrast. It also sounds more open, especially through the mids and highs which in turn delivers an improved perception of clarity and instrument separation."
"Tuneful with Bass and a Sense of Authority"
"As we listen to Bob Marley’s Catch A Fire set, the lows come through with punch and power. These headphones sound tuneful with bass and deliver a sense of authority and solidity in this region that many alternatives struggle to match," reports What Hi-Fi? magazine, April 22, 2024. "If you are after headphones at this high-end level then these Meze models deserve serious consideration."
Isodynamic® Hybrid Array Driver
Over thirty years of research and development has led to the creation of the first Isodynamic Hybrid Array Driver, creating a new standard in planar magnetic audio. The technology has resulted in one of the lightest and most advanced planar magnetic drivers on the market.
One of the problems with conventional planar magnetic arrays arises from reflected signals entering the ear canal with different time delays, thereby worsening the focus of 3D sound imaging.
The Empyrean's driver combines individual switchback and spiral-shaped voice coils whose unique shapes allows sound to be targeted with more accuracy around the natural form of the ear. This unique combination generates an increased exposure of direct sound wave frequencies over the 10kHz range and improves imaging and localization by decreasing the impact of time delays caused by diffused field reflections.
Hybrid Array Driver Advantages
Combining two independently shaped voice coils within the same diaphragm delivering more selective acoustic performance to the various areas within the structure of the ear.
The switchback coil is more efficient at reproducing lower frequencies and is positioned in the upper part of the driver. The spiral coil is more efficient at reproducing middle-high frequencies and is positioned directly over the ear canal enabling more direct sound waves to enter the ear without any time delays.
Results of this technology include total harmonic distortion (THD) measuring under 0.05% in the whole frequency range and ultra-high-resolution audio with an upper-frequency limit of 110,000 Hz.
Isomagnetic® Ear Cup to Ear Pad Coupling Technology
Elevate your listening experience to new heights – Empyrean II comes with two sets of ear pads included, allowing the ultimate sound customization. Switch between Duo and Angled ear pads for an auditory journey that is entirely your own.
An innovative feature is Rinaro's Isomagnetic® ear cup attachment, which makes witching ear pads a breeze. It utilizes the demagnetizing field generated by the driver to hold the ear cup in place while also redirecting the magnetic field back into the driver and enhancing driver efficiency.
Duo Ear Pads
The included Duo ear pads are specifically tailored to match Empyrean II. Crafted from a precise blend of premium leather and Alcantara®, they introduce a contemporary dimension to the signature sound profile of Empyrean II.
Meze Audio researched and tested various material ratios to achieve the best there is to offer. The outcome is a flawless fusion: well-sustained bass frequencies owed to the leather, with beautiful refinement and spatiality from Alcantara.
Angled Alcantara Ear Pads
Made of soft foam coated with Alcantara, with a fine protective mesh on the grill, the included Angled ear pads excel at rendering intricate details and nuances in your recordings.
The angled shape creates more space inside the ear pad, which translates to an airier sound signature, with cleaner bass and improved presence in the mid-range frequency, when paired with Empyrean II. The result is a detailed and accurate listening experience, for the classic audiophile.
Exceptional Comfort
With Empyrean II, your music takes center stage. Following the highest standard for comfort, with a purpose-built structure that minimizes weight and pressure, this headphone instantly adapts to the shape of your head.
This synergy of ergonomics and premium materials guarantees more than just exceptional sound – it allows you to enjoy uninterrupted hours of music with increased comfort.
Choose Silver-Plated PCUHD or Copper PCUHD Cables
The Empyrean II is available with your choice of either Silver-Plated PCUHD or Copper PCUHD headphone cables.
Made to bring out the finest qualities of your headphones, the Silver-Plated PCUHD headphone cables combine the best of two different worlds – the conductive properties of silver with copper’s high durability. Manufactured using state-of-the-art Furukawa Copper wire, coated with pure silver, the cables are an easy upgrade to your listening experience, offering more depth, improving separation and enhancing details.
Hand-braided from scratch by the Meze team in Romania, the Copper PCUHD headphone cables are meant to emphasize the sonic performance of your headphone, creating a full-bodied, musical experience. Bass is tighter, imaging and separation are improved and vocals stand out. A state-of-the-art conductor for audiophile cable manufacturing, PCUHD copper offers increased flexibility and is highly resistant to damage.
