Audiophile headphones don’t have to be super-expensive, as Meze proved with the 99 Neos we reviewed last year. Now the 99 Classics are here, offering a step up in materials – walnut earcups and a spring steel frame – and a subtly different sound signature in exchange for a higher £269/$309 price.
The walnut earcups are what set this model apart from the textured black ones on the Neo, and feature a unique grain pattern on each model, according to Meze. The shaping of these wood and finishing process takes 45 days – an incredible amount of time given the asking price. It’s also worth noting that the headphones can be disassembled to their component pieces, making them a lot more repairable than an average pair of headphones.
The Neos changed my perception on suspension headbands, as I’d previously never been the biggest fan of them. However, combine the plush leatherette headband with their lighter metal frame, and they’re beautifully effortless to wear. They conform to my head wonderfully, while there is also a lot of room to breathe thanks to their deep, plush earcups. Those deeper earcups also lend the 99 Classics to have sublime passive noise isolation, making them a good set of cans for travel if you prefer a wired set, and to just have on your head for extended periods. During my time with them, I never really wanted to take them off.
It’s also the little things with Meze that also extend to the 99 Classics that set them apart, such as the excellent case they come with that’s felt-lined on the inside and hard on the outside. They’re also kept in place with a small pouch in the middle that holds all the cables, including a shorter standard cable for portable listening, and a bigger, longer one for listening with your home amp, streamer, or similar. You also get a plane adapter so you’re flight-ready with your own headphones for when you’re jetting off somewhere nice.