The Meze Audio Empyrean headphones are one of the most solidly built, visually stunning headphones I've ever tried.

A statement piece from a design-focused audio company

These stellar planar magnetic headphones have been years in the making. Throughout production of the Meze Audio Empyrean, Antonio Meze and his team have taken their prototypes to high-end headphone shows all over the world — collecting feedback along the way. I've been fortunate enough to hear the Empyrean twice, about a year apart. The finished product delivers an absolutely deluxe headphone experience, with the best bass response I've ever heard in a pair of planar magnetic headphones.

In fact, Meze Audio teamed up with Ukrainian research team Rinaro to develop an entirely new take on traditional planar drivers. They call them "Isodynamic hybrid" drivers, and it is more than just a fancy name. I feel they've carved out a completely new sound signature, and I really enjoyed it.

Solidly constructed with fine attention to detail

Antonio Meze has an industrial engineering background, and these headphones look and feel like the result of a master at their craft. When I first held the Meze Empyrean, I reacted like you might when handling a piece of art. It felt like I was doing something wrong. Not because the headphones feel overly delicate — they're not — but because the design is so clean and detailed, it was like I was putting my hands on a fine sculpture.

The Empyrean headphones arrive packed neatly in a heavy-duty travel case.

From a distance these might look like closed-back headphones, but a closer look at their robust aluminum frame reveals a different story. An intricately etched pattern in the earcup allows air to flow in and out freely. In the carousel above, you can see a video of the machining process that Meze Audio uses to create these beautiful earcups.  

Incredibly comfortable and beautifully packed

The Empyreans are among the physically largest headphones out there, but they also might be the easiest to wear at this size. A flexible, carbon-fiber headband acts as a spine for a leather strap that hugs the crown of your head. This evenly distributed the weight of the headphones, and I felt like I could've worn them for way longer than the hour audition I had with them.

Of course it helped that the earpads were some of the thickest, and softest to the touch that I've ever worn. The pads delicately cradled my head, avoiding pressure points, yet still managed to stay securely in place as I moved my head. Meze packs two sets of earpads — one leather, one Alcantara® — inside a heavy-duty, luggage-size carrying case. It is a stunning presentation.

One-of-a-kind driver for powerful full-range sound

If that impeccably packed briefcase reminds you of something Q would hand James Bond, just wait till you look at the technical wizardry inside the driver. Planar magnetic drivers in general are pretty complex, but here are the basic physics: a super-sized diaphragm moves lots of air, resulting in spacious sound with true-to-life dynamics. The diaphragm is covered with a flexible voice coil circuit and trapped in a magnetic field. It moves when the circuit receives an audio signal.

This color-coded illustration of the Empyrean's hybrid array planar diaphragm shows the separate voice coils for bass (blue) and mids/highs (gold).

Meze and Rinaro developed a way to separate the voice coil circuit into two distinct parts. There is a spiral coil that is positioned right next to the ear canal so that it can carefully distribute mids and highs. Since there is no obstruction to the listening path, it provides greater resolution and helps lower distortion.

Above that spiral, the snake-like coil handles the bass, and only the bass. This is likely why I heard — and felt — that deep, authoritative low-end, whereas some planar drivers can occasionally sound too "polite." But, like those other planar drivers, the bass here is clean and bloat-free. It's the best of both worlds. 

Special magnet array for greater efficiency

One of the coolest features of this headphone from a tactile standpoint is the planar magnet system. The same magnet array that moves the drivers also helps secure the earpads to the earcups. Those lush pads fasten in place with a satisfying snap.

Meze's unique magnetic mounting method also serves a sonic purpose. When the earpads are firmly in place, they help send magnetic power back to the planar driver system. That extra magnetic flux increases the driver output and the overall efficiency of the Empyrean headphones.