Meze Audio

Meze Audio (also referred to as Meze or Meze Headphones) is a high-end audio company based in Baia Mare, Romania. Its product range consists of audiophile headphones and earphones.

Meze Audio
TypePrivate
IndustryAudio electronics
FounderAntonio Meze
HeadquartersBaia Mare, Romania
Websitewww.mezeaudio.com

Meze Headphones was founded by industrial designer Antonio Meze in 2011, in Baia Mare, Romania. Its name later changed to Meze Audio.

History

The idea of developing headphones started in 2009, in a time when the founder, Antonio Meze, was traveling extensively while working as an industrial designer for different agencies or manufacturing companies.[1] Passionate about music and design, he was looking for a pair of headphones to accompany his travels, that he could relate to in the same way he did to his Fender Stratocaster guitar.

That's what drove Antonio to start experimenting with parts already on the market and acquiring knowledge about headphones, using wood to craft the speaker enclosure cups,[2] a departure from the standard plastics and polymers commonly used until then.[3]

In 2011, Antonio created Meze Headphones (later renamed as Meze Audio), in his hometown of Baia Mare, a city in the North West part of Romania.[4]

The breakthrough came in 2015, when the Meze 99 Classics were launched following an Indiegogo campaign.[5] These have been the first headphones Meze Audio has developed in house, from the ground up, receiving multiple awards and nominations.[6][7][8][9] The success of the 99 Classics was what helped Meze Audio initially build a name for themselves on the audiophile market.[10]

The next years came with new product releases for Meze Audio. In 2016 they launched their first earphones: 12 Classics[11][12][13] and 11 Neo,[14][15][16] and in 2017 they released the Meze 99 Neo headphones,[17][18][19] to complete the Classics product range.

The moment that has put Meze Audio on the map in the audiophile market came a year later, when the company decided to take a chance on developing a headphone which appeals to a higher, more exigent category of audiophiles. In 2018 Meze Audio has partnered up with Rinaro Isodynamics, a company from Ukraine, which has been at the forefront of planar magnetic development since the 1980’s. Combining Meze’s aesthetic and user-centered design approach and Rinaro’s experience in research and development within the field of planar magnetic drivers, the Empyrean[20][21][22] headphones were born and established Meze Audio’s position on the high-end audio market.[23]

Soon after the Empyrean, Meze Audio created their first flagship In-ear monitor, Rai Penta,[24] with 2 x dual BA's and 1 Dynamic driver. To complete the RAI product range, Rai Solo[25] came out end of 2019, as an IEM option for entry-level audiophiles.

Meze Audio headphones are currently being sold worldwide, online and through retail stores.

Products
ProductTypeYear releasedAvailability
Rai Solo IEM 2019 Available
Rai Penta IEM 2018 Available
109 Classics Open Back Headphones 2020 TBR
Empyrean Open Back Planar Magnetic Headphones 2018 Available
99 NEOClosed Back Headphones2017Available
12 Classics IridiumEarphones2016Discontinued 2019
12 Classics Gun MetalEarphones2016Discontinued 2019
11 NEO IridiumEarphones2016Discontinued 2019
11 NEO Gun MetalEarphones2016Discontinued 2019
99 Classics Walnut SilverClosed Back Headphones2016Available
99 Classics Walnut GoldClosed Back Headphones2015Available
99 Classics Maple SilverClosed Back Headphones2015Discontinued 2016
11 DecoEarphones2013Discontinued 2015
11 ClassicsEarphones2013Discontinued 2015
66 ClassicsHeadphones2012Discontinued 2015
73 ClassicsHeadphones2011Discontinued 2015
88 ClassicsHeadphones2011Discontinued 2014
55 ClassicsHeadphones2010Discontinued 2013

References
  1. "The Small Company Making Some of the World's Best Headphones". Gear Patrol. Gear Patrol. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  2. "Jazziz Sound Bites: Interview With Antonio Meze And Mircea Fanatan".
  3. Elric Phares. "Meze 73 Classics Wood Headphones Review". Tech of Tomorrow (techoftomorrow.com). Archived from the original on 2013-05-28.
  4. "Meze Audio About". Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  5. "99 Classics - Quality Wood Headphones". Indiegogo.
  6. "Hi-Fi Choice - Meze 99 Classics" (PDF). Hi-Fi Choice.
  7. "InnerFidelity's "Wall of Fame" Over-Ear Sealed". Inner Fidelity.
  8. "Meze 99 Classics Headphones Review". Sound&Vision.
  9. "Meze 99 Classics Review". PC Magazine.
  10. "History of Meze Audio - Interview with Antonio Meze from Sound Days Paris May 2018". Meze Audio. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  11. "Meze 12 Classics Review - Expatinjapan". Headpie.
  12. "Meze 12 Classics Review With Video". Head-Fi.
  13. "REVIEW: MEZE 12 CLASSICS GUNMETAL – DEPECHE NODE". Headfonia.
  14. "REVIEW: MEZE NEO 11 – METAL". Headfonia.
  15. "REVIEW: MEZE 11 NEO". The Master Switch.
  16. "Meze 11 Neo Earphone Review". Mobile Tech Talk.
  17. "Meze 99 Neo: Budget and Performance: the Fine Line". Resonance Reviews.
  18. "REVIEW: MEZE 99 NEO – RIOT". Headfonia.
  19. "MEZE 99 NEO: THE EDGY CLASSIC". Audiophile Heaven.
  20. "Headfonics: MEZE EMPYREAN REVIEW".
  21. "Headfonia: REVIEW: MEZE EMPYREAN – HAIL THE KING".
  22. "Meze Audio Empyrean".
  23. "John Darko: Antonio Meze talks Empyrean headphones @ Munich High-End 2018".
  24. "Meze Audio Rai Penta".
  25. "Meze Audio Rai Solo".
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