I’ll be honest: I’m a pretty big Meze fan. I own both Meze 99 Classics and 105 AER, and the original Empyrean still ranks as one of my favorite headphones of all time. I was a bit surprised to see that Meze was releasing another headphone under $500. 105 Silva –"Silva" being derived from the Romanian word for forest – is the latest from Meze, priced at $499, $100 more than 105 AER. Is Silva sufficiently distinct from AER to justify having two open-back headphones in the same price range, and how does it stack up against the very well-regarded 109 Pro, Meze’s premier headphones under $1000?
Build and Design
105 Silva looks the most like the long rumored open-back 99 Classics as anything we’ve seen from Meze – even moreso than 105 AER – with the same basic headband design shared between the 99-109 series headphones and wood trim on the ear cups. One immediate difference between Silva and the 99 Classics is that the earpads are very similar to the velour pads of the 109 Pro, rather than the leather pads of the 99 Classics.
The driver itself, at the very least, is the same basic design as the driver in the 105 AER: a 50mm carbon-reinforced cellulose composite with 42ohm impedance. Though the end result in sound is quite a bit different – but more on that in a moment. The venting system is also completely different than its sibling, with air sporting a unique venting that evokes more of a vintage feel with the thin vented slits and wood trim.
For a package, you get a semi-hard case, molded to the headphones, a basic cable, and a typical Meze adapter set. The cable connections are the narrow design that seems to be pulled straight off of the 99 Classics, which is a step back from the more accommodating connectors on the 105 AER. While the physical design is clearly distinct from Meze’s other headphones in this class, how does the sound differentiate itself?
Sound
Meze is known for tunings that are often warm, usually quite detailed, and always exceedingly natural. If 105 AER leaned towards the warm end of the spectrum, sacrificing some detail in the process, 105 Silva is a shift in the other direction. Silva doesn’t have the characteristic warmth you might expect, but it remains highly natural, especially in its presentation of instrumental timbre.
The bass has nice, deep extension, and is largely linear. There’s very little in the way of emphasis in the low-end meaning you get a bass delivery that’s cleaner and more textured than Meze’s other headphones in this class. You still get that dynamic driver kick drum punch, but it’s more under control than some other Meze headphones.
In the midrange, the natural instrumental timbre and excellent layering are the big highlights. Whether it’s trumpets in vintage jazz, analog synthesizers in 2000s post-rock, or electric guitars in modern fusion, instruments sound incredibly lifelike across the board. Vocals are somewhat of a mixed bag, with male bass and baritone voices sounding bull and rich, along with deeper contralto female voices, but tenor and soprano voices often hit a little too forward, with a thinner character.
The treble offers clean extension with air and definition that nicely tops off 105 Silva’s sonic presentation. The upper air provides a sense of spaciousness, and the physical elements in the upper range of instruments like saxophones and violins is frankly beautiful.
As far as the soundstage and imaging, Silva has perhaps the most natural and expansive stage that I’ve heard in the $500 and under price range, along with excellent imaging separation and positioning. Silva gives 109 Pro a run for its money in terms of pure three-dimensionality and imaging presentation.
Silva is very sensitive and pretty forgiving of sources. Run it off an Apple Dongle, your laptop, or DAP and it sounds great. Hook it up to a desktop system and it’s even better. I found that many slightly warmer sources, like the Cayin HA-2A tube amp, helped mitigate the thinner sounding female vocals, and I was able to get a similar impact with a little bit of EQ with the FiiO M23.
105 Silva shines with classic jazz. The opening piano on John Coltrane’s Russian Lullaby rings out clear, with an ambience that captures the sense of space in a large club. When the band comes in, there’s an immediate dynamic shift, with notes flying all over the place. With Silva, each note is clearly articulated on the bass, you can feel each impact of the stick against the ride cymbal, and the fast saxophone licks come through crystal clear and silky smooth, drawing the listener into the groove with every note intact.
Listening to John Murphy’s “Superman Theme” from the Superman (2025) score, Silva offers great extension into the lows, and a clear mastery of timbre across the full range of instruments from the deep strings and brass, to the soaring highs. The layering and dynamics are absolutely incredible considering the $500 price point. Even the subtle crunch of the electric guitar fits right in. And when the main melody hits – borrowing heavily from John Williams’ classic score – if you don’t get chills, the problem isn’t with the headphones.
For something a bit more modern, there’s a nice sense of body and texture on the opening bassline of Paramore’s “This is Why.” When singing softly Hailey Williams’ vocals have an up front intimate feeling, but the bigger vocals on the chorus can feel a bit too close.The guitar tones are warm and natural, and there’s a nice blending on the bass and kick. The vocals overall hover right on the edge of “up front” and “too much”: often you get great presence and detail with clean sense of breath and intimacy, but other times it crosses over into being too forward.
Despite leaning slightly bright, 105 Silva is solid for heavier music. On Gojira’s “Flying Whales” it delivers incredible bass texture, along with crisp ringing in cymbals and a satisfying wet snap from the snare. The drums overall provide good impact and dynamics. The placement and spacing between the guitars feels good too, with tons of detail in the dirt and grit of the guitar tones. While Paramore’s vocals might be more palatable to the average listener, Gojira’s harsh, shouted vocals are perhaps better delivered by Silva – sounding powerful, but not overbearing.
Comparison: Meze 105 AER
It might seem a little redundant, but with Meze releasing two dynamic driver open-back headphones at $400 and $500 understanding the difference here between AER and Silva is crucial for anyone in the market for either. Is one clearly better than the other, or is it more a matter of getting the right headphones for the right listener?
In terms of build, design, and comfort, 105 AER and 105 Silva are essentially exactly the same for comfort, and while I would like to give Silva higher marks for its stronger visual appeal, the cables are a downgrade from 105 AER. AER can accept any TS 3.5mm cable, while Silva is limited to the skinny-barreled Meze 99 Series cables.
In terms of sound, AER and Silva almost seem to me as if someone split the 109 Pro in two, with each side getting some key characteristics, but not others. 105 AER is warmer, more lush, and inviting, while 105 Silva has stronger detail, definition, and resolution. Where 109 Pro features strong vocals, great timbre, a hint of warmth, and great imaging, 105 AER gets the vocals and warmth, but can’t quite deliver the same level of imaging and the timbre sometimes leans too much towards the warmth. 105 Silva gets the detail, imaging, and timbre, but loses the warmth and some of the richness and fullness of the sound along with that.
If I had to split them up, I think most people listening to modern pop, rock, hip hop, and similar genres with a vocal focus and more emphasis on deep low-end elements would be happier with 105 AER, while those listening to classical, classic jazz, and film scores would be happier with 105 Silva’s strong detail, separation, and imaging.
The Bottom Line
While 105 Aer captured a lot of 109 Pro’s best characteristics at a fraction of the price, 105 Silva’s stronger detail and imaging makes it feel more like a contender for those looking for a budget version of the 109 Pro. Its separation and resolution also means that those looking more towards a headphone for reference or critical listening are going to be happier with Silva. While 109 Pro has the more complete and versatile sound, if you primarily listen to instrumental music, 105 Silva’s total sonic package rivals 109 Pro and delivers incredible bang for your buck.
