Meze Liric II Review – Premium vinyl record cleaners

Meze Liric II Review

It’s been some time for the reason that launch of the Liric, and since then Meze has continued to refine its patented Isodynamic planar design. This offers the latest model of the Liric rather a lot to reside as much as. The authentic remains to be the most effective closed-back headphones you may get, accompanied by there Focal Stellia and Dan Clark Audio E3. The Liric II appears very promising, however simply how a lot does it change from the unique?

What You Get

Liric II Isodynamic headphones
Carrying case
Leather drawstring pouch
3.5mm normal cable
4.4mm balanced copper premium cable
Quarter-inch adapter
Airplane adapter

Look & Feel

Almost all the pieces in regards to the building of the unique Liric is stored unchanged apart from the brand new wooden paneling. These wooden plates are produced from striped ebony, and it offers the Liric II an much more premium look. What I respect essentially the most about this variation is how delicate the brand new wooden paneling comes throughout. It makes the design pop a bit greater than the earlier model, but in addition matches with the Liric’s different facets, like its body.

With the Liric II, Meze has additionally created a option to probably launch new variations of those headphones with new paneling with completely different supplies and colorations sooner or later. Since the essential construction of the headphones stays intact, meaning they need to have the identical degree of consolation. You can anticipate the identical leather-based ear pads from the primary Liric. They’ll be the identical dimension, and you’ll change them out with ease with its easy magnets. Natural isolation is definitely achievable due to its nice seal.

Design

The MZ4 isodynamic driver from Rinaro has been a staple for Meze’s open-back headphones and carries it over for the closed-back Liric. With the Liric II, Meze refines and innovates this driver. What stays the identical is the dual-driver system, which mixes spiral and switchback voice coils in its diaphragm. This is how the headphones obtain their accuracy with such purity, letting the acoustic waves arrive naturally to your ears. What’s new right here is the Phase-X system, which has extra to do with how the soundstage and imaging are introduced within the Liric II. This system was carried out by Rinaro to fight the non-linearity points that some closed-back headphones have. In impact, Phase X goals so as to add a extra immersive spatial factor to the Liric II, helped by quicker transient decay and correct phasing.

Soundstage

Closed-back headphones hardly ever attain the heights that open-back headphones even on this worth bracket. The authentic Liric teeters on the sting of providing you with that utterly open headspace, supplying width and correct placement. The Liric II takes all the pieces additional and opens with much more depth and dimension. The very first thing that stood out to me was the separation and the way a lot room every sound had within the combine. Each sound is positioned precisely and feels utterly individualized in its personal house. Along with its holographic layering, this provides the Liric II a soundstage the place all the pieces is tremendous straightforward to localize.

Its imaging offers every instrument an impact of a large amount of scale, making the looks of every monitor a bubble of sound round your head. This is without doubt one of the few instances {that a} closed-back headphone accomplishes the sensation that every sound has an origin that it’s blossoming from. What the Liric II does that I discover most spectacular, is that it distinguishes the right angle the sounds are coming from. Some tracks have devices sitting barely above your ears, capturing down on you diagonally. The Liric II makes it really easy to wrap round your head, placing you in the course of the sound subject. It paints an extremely immersive sonic surroundings, bringing the most effective soundstages you’ll be able to hear on a closed-back headphone.

Low End

The authentic Liric possessed a pointed mid-bass that established good heat however was very dominant. You don’t lose that heat right here, however the lows are much more balanced this time round. It encompasses a ton of depth, however the physique of the sound feels extra reserved. It’s just like the frequencies are extra spaced out within the lows. While the bass won’t come along with a constant form, you’ll nonetheless discover satisfying textures and element right here. You can really feel each vibration like a clean layer of gravel beneath the sound. It does an amazing job establishing a stable basis, however the energy of it is dropped at extra even floor.

Mids

With most genres, the midrange comes throughout as very relaxed, however nonetheless in a position to present glossy transparency. They’re given an equal drive all through their response, and devices have a vigorous show. Its timbre feels leveled although, hardly ever breaking out with a lot of an assault. This didn’t hassle me in any respect, as I used to be constantly enwrapped within the Liric’s flavorfully detailed presentation. Maybe a bit extra chunk on sure notes would have given the devices extra physicality, however the Liric II gives sufficient room for sound parts to breathe and showcase depth. Tracks with very crisp vocals are layered with underlining textures that give them extra emphasis, which is extra pointed within the mid-treble.

Highs

Everything in regards to the high-frequency content material on the Liric II reveals a lot character. It’s the form of response that can make you blink when a monitor hits exhausting sufficient up there, like an in depth snare. It’s a extremely expressive timbre that’s by no means harsh however doesn’t draw back from punctual particulars. This treble provides a ton of peak to the combo, and it may bathe over your head with sparks of pleasure. It snaps and dissipates with a heightened tail, ringing out realistically whereas preserving its wealthy, sparkly texture. It looks like every instrument has a definite tick that’s accentuated by these lush excessive frequencies, and it offers the Liric II a lot character.

Summary

In phrases of premium closed-back headphones, I fee the Liric extremely. The Liric II pointed on the few faults it had, and utterly flipped them round, all whereas including new know-how that expanded its talents for a greater sound. Meze didn’t have to alter a lot about its construct, however the Liric II provides a brand new character to its design in a method that’s extra understated and inventive. All of those attributes mixed make the Meze Liric II nothing in need of the most effective closed-back headphones round.