Description
Meze Audio LIRIC Headphones
“In our folklore, lyricism is found in the smallest of details, from odes to poems, from flute songs to the melismatic tunes of the “doina” (a style of voice singing specific to Romania). Our first closed-back isodynamic headphone was born out of love for music, poetry, and the indisputable attachment we have to our country’s culture.
We’ve been wanting to do a portable planar for a while, and following two successful collaborations with Rinaro, it was a natural next step. Naming it LIRIC was not a game of chance. It was an ideal metaphor to paint the authentic, vivid and poetic sound disguised behind its ethereal silhouette“ Antonio Meze, Lead Designer and Founder of Meze Audio
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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 0.15% in the whole frequency range.
- LIGHTWEIGHT – 71g combined driver weight designed to create a headphone that offers comfortable listening on the go.
- Phase-X™ SYSTEM – Improved ambience and spatial sound imaging through innovative technology. (Patent pending)
- ULTRA HIGH RESOLUTION AUDIO – Upper frequency limit of audio reproduction is 92,000 Hz.
- EASY-TO-DRIVE – 100dB@1mw/1kHz; 30Ω. Can be driven by almost any portable source without needing amplification.
- SCALED FLAGSHIP ISODYNAMIC HYBRID ARRAY TECHNOLOGY – One of the most sophisticated and advanced planar magnetic technologies in the world has been scaled down for portable use.
Patented in US, EU, China and other countries.
MEZE X RINARO COLLABORATION
Time flies when you’re having fun! Together with Rinaro Isodynamics, we are adding a third model in our collaborative lineup. LIRIC raised a true challenge for both companies: how can we create a planar closed-back headphone that will change all standards in the audiophile world. Fusing Meze Audio’s industrial design capabilities with Rinaro’s technological development, LIRIC brings a new flavor for all the active audiophiles that like to take their music on the go.
Meze Audio
For the past 10 years, Meze Audio has been developing audiophile headphones and earphones renowned for their timeless design, pure comfort and engaging, vivid sound. From looks to technology, Meze Audio products are designed to surpass all short-living trends and become heirlooms, rather than just headphones. Today, founder Antonio Meze and his skilled team design and develop their products in Baia Mare, Romania, in the spirit of their original ‘no-compromise’ vision.
Rinaro Isodynamics
Rinaro originated in the USSR (today’s Ukraine) during the Cold War, as part of a state-funded acoustic technology research program. With government backing and access to advanced testing facilities, the team was able to focus all of its efforts on planar magnetics. A field they have continued to innovate in for the last 30 years, since the collapse of the USSR. In the last decade, Rinaro have expanded their capabilities and capacity with the development of state-of-the-art R&D and manufacturing facilities in Ukraine and Poland. The new facilities have been a driving force in the creation of the revolutionary Isodynamic Hybrid Array technology found in Meze Audio EMPYREAN, ELITE and LIRIC headphones.
AWARD-WINNING TECHNOLOGY IN A PORTABLE FRAME
LIRIC features the state-of-the-art technology developed by Rinaro, re-engineered for day-to-day use. The MZ4 Isodynamic Hybrid Array driver was scaled down and tuned to deliver an audio experience in-line with its larger counterparts found in Empyrean and Elite.
Combined with the closed-back design, it helps preserve the original clarity and emotion of your favorite music through enhanced sound and minimized external noise. Each driver is entirely hand assembled and tested in Rinaro’s industrial facility in Ukraine.
[MZ4] CASING
Reinforced polymer housing designed to withstand the demanding 10,7N load generated by the Hybrid Magnet Array.
[MZ4] ISOPLANAR DIAPHRAGM
Weighing only 0.08g with a large active area of 3507mm2.
[MZ4] HYBRID MAGNET ARRAY
Symmetrically placed on either side of the diaphragm our neodymium magnets are arranged into a Hybrid Array to create a 0.3 Tesla Isodynamic magnetic field required for a uniform activation across the whole diaphragm surface.
MZ4 ISODYNAMIC HYBRID ARRAY DRIVER
LIRIC is the first closed-back headphone to be powered by Rinaro’s Isodynamic Hybrid Array driver. Created exclusively for Meze Audio, the MZ4 driver offers the same dual shaped voice coil array seen in the Meze Empyrean. Over 30 years of R&D have gone into developing this technology, resulting in one of the lightest and most advanced planar magnetic drivers on the market.
A new innovation to the MZ4 driver developed in-house by Rinaro is the Phase-X™ system, which improves ambience and spatial sound imaging, often found to be a problem in closed back headphone designs.
ADVANTAGES OF A DUAL DRIVEN SYSTEM
The MZ4 driver combines individual switchback and spiral shaped voice coils within the same diaphragm, allowing sound to be targeted with more accuracy around the natural form of the ear, for a more selective acoustic performance.
Using this combination allows the headphone to achieve an increased exposure of direct sound wave frequencies over the 10kHz range, as well as improved imaging and localization, by decreasing the impact of short-wave time delays caused by diffused field reflections.
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.
IMPROVED EFFICIENCY AT HIGHER FREQUENCIES
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 was 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.
Phase-X™, A REVOLUTION IN SOUND IMAGING
An innovation to the MZ4 driver is the Phase-X™ system created by Rinaro as a way to minimize phase distortion issues, typically found in closed-back headphone designs. This patent-pending technology helps deliver an immersive spatial sound imaging.
The Phase-X™ system improves the accuracy of spatial imaging, in-line with its open back counterparts, especially noticeable on binaural recordings.
ORIGINAL SOURCE RECORDING
Absolute linear phasing offers the listener the original spatial image as it was recorded. This includes information from the instrumentation as well as the recording environment itself.
NONLINEAR PHASING
Phase distortions, typically found in the conventional closed-back headphone designs, noticeably affect the reproduction of the spatial image of the original recording.
Phase-X™ SYSTEM
With the addition of the Phase-X™, LIRIC aachieves a correct phase response and a faster transient response decay. This allows for a more faithful reproduction of transient sounds and improves ambience and spatial imaging for the listener, taking them closer to the environment of the original source recording.
EAR PAD AIR FLOW SYSTEM
New for the LIRIC is the introduction of an Ear pad Air Flow (EAF) system, developed by Rinaro, which reduces the weight and size of the LIRIC headphone through optimizing it’s acoustic volume.
Precision cut air vents which run from the LIRIC ear cup chamber into the ear pads allow the MZ4 driver to utilise acoustic volume from the ear pads as well as the ear cup chamber.
This significantly reduces the required size of the ear cup chamber allowing LIRIC to keep a compact and truly portable closed-back headphone profile without compromising on the acoustic performance.
AN AUDIOPHILE-WORTHY EXPERIENCE ON THE GO
Combining high-end materials with an ergonomic design approach and a sleek, modern finish, LIRIC is made for the audiophiles who want to enjoy their passion in and outside the house, for hours on end.
LIGHTWEIGHT MAGNESIUM SKELETON
A lightweight magnesium skeleton ensures the headphones stay flexible, shock-resistant and oxidation free, while maintaining an ideal fit for long listening sessions.
OPTIMAL AIRFLOW CONTROL
Padded headband cushions are symmetrically placed in a “+” shape to allow proper air flow, and lowers the heat and humidity buildup. Covered in genuine leather, the headband is perfectly tuned for optimal pressure distribution – it follows the structure of the head, creating firm and even contact.
Just like all Meze Audio headphones, LIRIC is easily adjustable for a sturdy, yet comfortable feel that fits most head shapes.
ERGONOMIC OVOID SHAPE
The choice of an angled ovoid ear cup shape was best for surrounding your ears closely without adding unnecessary pressure or weight, at the same time offering a deeper sound and a better passive sound isolation.
PRESSURE EQUALIZATION SYSTEM
A precisely tuned air vent hole can make a world of difference in how you perceive the sound around you, that is why we’ve learned and adapted from our previous experiences and decided to add our Pressure Equalization System in LIRIC’s ear cups as well. The result: better controlled airflow, improved ear cup chamber pressure, and a sound that is airy, transparent, detailed and flows naturally, enveloping you into a whole new world of music.
LOVE AT FIRST TOUCH
No detail is left to chance when creating a multisensory experience. With the LIRIC, each texture was carefully selected to complete the other, creating a tactile spectacle distinguishable at first contact. Referencing the textures found on magnesium parts of professional photo cameras, this headphone preserves the same softness to the touch, while demonstrating an outstanding wear resistance.
STRIKING DETAILS
Achieving the highly-refined finish was definitely a challenging process. The union of black leather, gloss-matte spatters on magnesium, and metallic copper accents were the perfect addition to this contemporary aesthetic, completing its portable personality.
ACCESSORIES
- Case: Hard EVA pouch with velvet lining
- Two cables included:
- 1.5m soft TPE cable with 3.5mm jack
- 3m soft TPE cable with 3.5mm jack
- Adapters:
- 6.3mm jack adapter
- Airplane jack adapter
- Cables pouch
- Warranty period: 2 years
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
OVERVIEW
Driver Type – Rinaro Isodynamic Hybrid Array® MZ4
Operating Principle – Closed
Ear Coupling – Circumaural
Frequency Response – 4-92,000 Hz
Impedance – 30 Ω
Nominal SPL – 100 dB (1 mW / 1 kHz)
Maximum SPL – > 130 dB
Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) – <0.15%
Weight – 391 g
MZ4 DRIVER SPECIFICATIONS
Geometrical Shape – Ovoid
Size – 92mm x 63mm
Driver Weight – 71 g
Casing – Fibreglass reinforced polymer
Diaphragm Type – Rinaro Isoplanar® MZ4
Active Area – 3507 mm2
Diaphragm Weight – 0.08 g
Acoustic Mass – 6.5 kg/m4
Lower Frequency Limit – 4 Hz
Upper-Frequency Limit – 92,000 Hz
