Meze Audio has revealed what it is calling a “major evolution” of its Liric closed-back, planar magnetic headphones with a number of performance enhancements on a headphone that we feel is one of the best wired over-ears available.
These performance enhancements include a new QWRM (Quarter Wavelength Resonator Mask), new leather-clad earcups, and added flexbility in terms of repairability and cable choices.
The QWRM is a “precision crafted metal plate” that strategically covers openings in the driver frame to attentuate high-frequency peaks above 7kHz for a smoother listening experience. The sound has been tuned in a slightly different manner to the original, retaining its balanced approach but with a “touch of warmth for added depth” thanks to the use of striped Macassar ebony wood on the earcups.
The closed-back design is according to Meze, designed to help preserve the “clarity and emotion” of your music by minimising external noise.
The Liric 2nd gen continues to use the planar magnetic technilogy developed by fellow Ukranian audio brand Rinaro, with a Isodynamic Hybrid Array driver scaled down and tuned to deliver a performance that’s in line with larger counterparts found in the Empyrean and Elite headphones. Each driver is hand assembled and tested in Rinaro’s specialist workshops in Ukraine.
Other changes include detachable magnetic earpads that Meze Audio says can be easily repaired and replaced to improve the headphone’s sustainability. The headphones come with a hand-braided copper cable that ends in a 4.4mm connection along with a 3m TPE cable for home listening.
By the time you read this, the Meze 2nd Generation will be available to purchase (availability starts from March 7th) on mezeaudio.com, mezeaudio.eu as well as selected retailers worldwide. The suggested retail price for the headphone is $2000 / €2000 / £1850, which is around the same price that the original headphones sold for.
