Bloom's Take Elite pushes the Empyrean sound to the next level, with a higher level of detail and performance that retains the musicality and emotion that’s part of Meze’s DNA. If you’re looking for headphones that stand at the summit of detail, resolution, and performance, balanced with musicality, warmth, and emotion, Elite delivers it all in a headphone masterpiece. |
With a custom, newly designed driver, created by Rinaro Isodynamics, ELITE is the result of 3 years of research and development through which Meze Audio strived to create a powerful, lifelike, and immersive experience that awakens the senses of the listener.
Combining an exclusive aesthetic with state-of-the-art engineering, ELITE delivers an accurate, authentic listening experience ready to meet the highest expectations of the proficient audiophile. With a no-compromise mindset, driven by our love for art and sound, we built a one-of-a-kind headphone using innovative designs and technologies that perfectly complete each other to create pure emotion.
Switch between two ear pad types for the ultimate customization:
Angled Alcantara
These angled earpads enhance your Elite’s sound, revealing cleaner bass and clearer mids with a more open sound. Made from soft foam with Alcantara and a fine protective mesh on the grille, they offer improved comfort for most ear shapes.
Hybrid (Perforated Alcantara + Real Leather)
With a soft, durable outer finish, the Hybrid ear cushions perfectly balance the qualities of Alcantara and leather into a single, comfortable design. This unique combo delivers an airy sound signature, in which sound waves appear to transcend the space around you to create an immersive experience.
Taking long-term sustainability to a new level, Elite is also fully serviceable: from the replaceable earpads to the high-performance materials used, every part of the headphone chassis is available to be easily disassembled and serviced.
I've had my Elite since Sept. 2. I find it to be a significant improvement over my previous favorite headphone, the Empyrean, and worth the price. I'm using the hybrid pads; did not like the sound of the alcantara pads.
The Elite has these advantages over the Empyrean:
Elite eliminates the Empy's bass overemphasis, but still has plenty of accurate, well-controlled bass.
Elite's midrange is even better than the Empy, well-recorded vocals can take on a 3D quality.
The Elite has a smooth treble and eliminates the Empy's treble peak.
The Elite is more neutral and refined, with improved detail and soundstage.
You need an amp that can supply the detailed refinement you will hear with the Elite. I'm using a Burson Soloist 3X.
Read the written review at the Bloom Audio website. Their comments are consistent with what I am hearing with the Elite.
I loved my Empyrean. I didn't expect to like the Elite so much more. I ordered mine on Sept.1 from Bloom Audio and received it the next day.
I also had a chance to compare the Elite to another new similarly-priced headphone, a Dan Clark Stealth. It was no contest. I didn't like the tonality or bass response of the Stealth, and returned it.