Materials and workmanship: look and feel
The Meze 99 Classics are characterized by their exceptional choice of materials, precise workmanship and well thought-out modification options that offer both aesthetic and functional advantages. And you don’t have to buy the entire headset combination if you’re only looking for headphones. That’s why I’ll start with the sound bodies for the ears.
The ear cups of the Meze 99 Classics are made of real walnut wood, which is manufactured in a complex process. Each piece of wood is first cut using CNC machines and then polished by hand. This process takes around 45 hours per pair of headphones, which underlines the attention to detail and care taken in the manufacturing process.
As wood is a natural product, each ear cup has its own unique grain, giving each pair of headphones its own individual character. The wood is not only visually appealing, but also contributes to the sound quality. It is often described that the wood supports a warm and natural sound by allowing the sound to resonate in an organic way. Once again, we’ve reached the golden ears stage, but I still want to mention it.
The headband is made of robust spring steel, which provides structural integrity. Underneath is an elastic carrying strap covered in artificial leather, which automatically adapts to the shape of the head. This double construction ensures an even distribution of pressure and prevents unpleasant pressure points. Thanks to the low weight of around 260 grams and the self-adjusting headband, the headphones sit lightly and comfortably on the head without exerting excessive pressure, even on me and hat size 64.
The hinge mechanism is simple but effective, so that all axes can be adjusted easily. The ear cup pads are made of PU leather (I’m hoping for durability), filled with memory foam, which provides a soft but stable seal on the ear. They provide a good seal that supports both sound quality and passive noise isolation. The combination of the soft materials and the ergonomic shape ensures that the headphones do not become uncomfortable even when worn for long periods. At first glance, you might think that the pads might be a little too small for people with larger ears, which would be detrimental to comfort, but despite having relatively large ears, I can’t report anything negative. And the best thing is that you can easily replace them with commercially available ear pads with a different covering.
Modification options
An interesting and practical feature of the Meze 99 Classics is their modular design, which allows for easy maintenance and repair. All parts can be replaced without the use of adhesives or welding seams. This is particularly advantageous as the headphones can be used for many years and can be repaired or upgraded if necessary. For example, the ear pads can be replaced to improve wearing comfort or slightly modify the sound. The cables are also detachable, which not only makes them easy to handle, but also offers the option of replacing them with longer or shorter cables, depending on your needs and preferences. I prefer balanced cabling, but this is easily replaceable here.
The wooden ear cups are also a modifiable aspect, as Meze offers different versions of the 99 Classics with different types of wood and finishes. This gives users the opportunity to choose the look of their headphones according to their preferences without compromising on sound quality. If you have a 3D scanner and printer, you can even try your hand at solid plastic and test it out with the “warm” sound of the walnut shells.
I don’t want to write any more now, because I’m not the deserving marketing employee of the month, but something like a normal end customer. And a pretty critical one at that. So let’s let the rest surprise us.
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