Description
Meze Audio ELITE Headphones
“With Meze Audio ELITE Headphones, we’ve created something that transcends all barriers of headphone design and engineering and moves to a new, artistic, graceful level. Following in the footsteps of a successful partnership, together with Rinaro Isodynamics we managed to exceed our expectations once again and create something for the ages. It’s not mass production; it’s the craftsmanship that sparks the magic and wonder in ELITE, what makes it exciting, and these are values that we choose over any shortcuts.” Antonio Meze, Lead Designer and Founder of Meze Audio
View the Owners Manual >>
Reviews
“Meze together with Rinaro built new drivers from the ground up, and that resulted in a more balanced, faster, more precise and cleaner sounding headphone. The clarity of the ELITE is really nice and it does complex and fast passages in a better way.” – Headphonia
“Sonically, it sits right at the top with the other audiophile flagship headphones. If you are looking for a true upgrade, get the Elite. If you want more detail and clarity from your Empyrean, get the Elite. If you want the better and more efficient headphones without having to purchase an additional headphone amp, get the Elite.” – Moon Audio
Features
- ULTRA LOW DISTORTION – Total harmonic distortion (THD) measures under 0.05% in the whole frequency range.
- LIGHTWEIGHT – 75g combined driver weight designed to create a headphone that offers prolonged listening sessions.
- ULTRA HIGH RESOLUTION AUDIO – Upper frequency limit of audio reproduction is 112,000 Hz.
- RINARO PARUS® DIAPHRAGM – An innovative low mass acoustic diaphragm constructed on an ultrathin biaxially oriented semi-crystalline film.
- EASY TO DRIVE – 101db@1mw/1kHz; 32Ohm; can be driven by almost any source without the need for amplification.
- PATENTED ISODYNAMIC HYBRID ARRAY TECHNOLOGY – One of the most sophisticated and advanced planar magnetic technologies in the world.
BEAUTIFUL AESTHETICS – TAILORED FOR LONG LISTENING SESSIONS
A core belief of Meze Audio is to create products that last through years and years of industry changes, bringing long-lasting value to the customer. Elite is no different. From looks to technology, this headphone was designed to surpass all short-living trends and become a true heirloom.
Take a closer look to discover the highly complex geometrical imprint accentuated through the silver finish of the CNC aluminum frame. A deep black grill with intricate carvings completes the look, turning ELITE into a futuristic take on personal audio design.
Materials were chosen not just for the exciting sensory experience their raw texture provides, but also for comfort and durability.
A carbon fiber headband with a real leather headrest were added to the frame, for an ultra-light feel and maximum durability.
PATENT PENDING – PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION WINGS
The patent-pending suspension wings support system is elongated and curved at both ends, descending further on the side of the head and distributing the weight of the headphone evenly, for an utmost comfortable listening experience.
PATIENCE MAKES PERFECT
Creating a flagship headphone takes time and patience to do well, and it’s that kind of craftsmanship that separates the average from the great.
The process of making a single aluminum frame takes about 20 hours. To that, they add days of inspecting each part of the headphone, assembling the parts and making sure the final product rises up to our high standards. This can’t be achieved through mass-production and that means delivery times can be longer, but we guarantee it’s worth it.
ELITE is hand assembled with care and painstaking attention to detail in Baia Mare, Romania.
THE PROGRESSION OF THE FLAGSHIP – RINARO ISODYNAMIC HYBRID ARRAY DRIVER®
With a custom, newly designed driver, created by Rinaro Isodynamics, ELITE is the result of 3 years of research and development through which we strived to create a powerful, lifelike, and immersive experience that awakens the senses of the listener.
ARCHITECTURE OF THE ISODYNAMIC HYBRID ARRAY DRIVER®
The MZ3SE driver builds on the pioneering technology of the flagship MZ3 driver found in the Empyrean headphone. The innovative Isodynamic Hybrid Array technology delivers a more selective acoustic performance to the various areas within the structure of the ear. Advances in diaphragm materials have opened the doors to even higher resolution and accuracy of the sound reproduction, setting a new benchmark in headphone design.
- CASING – Reinforced polymer housing designed to withstand the demanding 12,7N load generated by the Hybrid Magnet Array.
- RINARO PARUS® DIAPHRAGM – Weighing only 0.11g with a large active area of 4650mm2.
- HYBRID MAGNET ARRAY – Symmetrically placed on either side of the diaphragm our neodymium magnets are arranged into a Hybrid Array to create a 0.35 Tesla Isodynamic magnetic field required for a uniform activation across the whole diaphragm surface.
RINARO PARUS® – A NEW LOW MASS DIAPHRAGM MATERIAL
The new driver behind ELITE features Rinaro Parus®, an innovative low mass acoustic diaphragm built on an ultra-thin biaxially oriented semi-crystalline polymer film. This, combined with the signature Isodynamic Hybrid Array Driver technology, allows sound waves to be targeted with more accuracy around the shape of the ear, producing natural sound transparency and a wide, articulate soundstage. This results in improved definition and speed over the entire frequency range.
The polymer is produced with bespoke sequential biaxial lengthening technology, a process that involves stretching the polymer in transverse directions at elevated temperatures to improve structural performance. This result is a complex semi-crystalline micro structure developing in the material, which exhibits remarkable strength, stiffness, and stability, combined with an extremely low acoustic mass.
DUAL DRIVEN SYSTEM ADVANTAGES
The use of different voice coil configurations found in the Isodynamic Hybrid Array creates the opportunity to improve the sound intensity distribution at high frequencies when directed at the auricle and ear canal.
This solves a common problem with conventional planar magnetic arrays whereby reflected signals enter the ear canal with different time delays, thereby worsening the focus of 3D sound imaging.
The use of dual coil arrays not only creates a balanced frequency response around the whole range, it also allows for better frequency targeting within different areas of the ear, improving acoustical perception on the upper frequency range.
- SWITCHBACK COIL – The switchback coil is more efficient at reproducing lower frequencies and is positioned in the upper part of the driver.
- SPIRAL COIL – 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.
At frequencies above 10kHz, where sound wave length is smaller than the cushions’ inner cavity, the sound field becomes diffused with an amount of direct and reflected sound waves within the ear canal.
A significant increase of direct sound waves can be achieved by positioning the most efficient part of the diaphragm in mid-high frequencies directly over the ear canal, resulting in improved 3D imaging and spatial localization.
REVOLUTIONARY EARPAD TECHNOLOGY
An innovative design feature developed by Rinaro is the Isomagnetic® earpad attachment, which utilises the demagnetizing field generated by the driver to hold the earpad in place whilst also redirecting the magnetic field back into the driver and improving driver efficiency.
- 95% Magnetic field shielding – Ferromagnetic earpads decrease the magnetic stray field affecting the listeners head by 95%
- Invisible locking system – Innovative use of the magnetic field of the drivers to keep the earpads in place
- 12% Increase in driver power – Patented ferromagnetic plates channel the magnetic field back into the driver increasing output by 1db or 12%
CALIBRATE YOUR SOUND
The Meze Elite headphone comes with two uniquely shaped earpads developed by Rinaro to allow for personal calibration of the sound signature.
01. ALCANTARA®
This is the well known 30mm deep Alcantara® ear pad originally developed for the Empyrean headphone in 2018.
02. HYBRID (Perforated Alcantara® Interior + Real Leather Exterior )
With a soft, yet durable outer finish, the HYBRID ear cushions are a new addition to our earpad family that perfectly balances the qualities of Alcantara® and leather into a single design. Besides the high wearing comfort, this unique combo lowers the bass pressure and delivers an airy sound signature, in which sound waves appear to trancend the space around you to create an immersive experience.
DESIGNED FOR LIFE
Taking long-term sustainability to a new level, Elite is also fully serviceable: from the replaceable earpads to the high-performance materials used, every part on the headphone chassis is available to be easily disassembled and serviced.
ACCESSORIES
- Case: High-strength aluminum suitcase with foam inserts
- Two sets of earpads included: one Alcantara®, one HYBRID (Perforated Alcantara® Interior + Real Leather Exterior)
- Warranty period: 2 years
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
OVERVIEW
Driver Type – Rinaro Isodynamic Hybrid Array®
Operating Principle – Open
Ear Coupling – Circumaural
Frequency Response – 3-112,000 Hz
Impedance – 32 Ω
Nominal SPL – 101 dB (1 mW / 1 kHz)
Maximum SPL – > 130 dB
Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) – <0.05%
Weight – ~430 g
MZ3SE DRIVER SPECIFICATIONS
Geometrical Shape – Ovoid
Size – 102 mm x 73 mm
Driver Weight – 75 g
Casing – Fibreglass reinforced polymer
Diaphragm Type – Rinaro Parus® [MZ3SE]
Active Area – 4650 mm2
Diaphragm Weight – 0.11 g
Acoustic Mass – 7.5 kg/m4 – 3 Hz
Upper-Frequency Limit – 112,000 Hz
