A WITNESS OF TIME – As time flows, change is always accompanying it. The only permanent element in this universe is impermanence. Within it is the opportunity to grow and change for the better. This is the evolution of the LIRIC headphones.
“The higher aim of our design and development process has always been to deliver a transformational experience for people, a transformation through emotions and sensations. Every day we try to get just a little bit better at it.” Antonio Meze – Lead Designer & Founder
The 2nd generation LIRIC is turning a page on a new chapter within Meze Audio. Every single aspect of this closed-back planar has been reviewed, together with feedback from the community, to determine the exact areas of improvement. The newly discovered potential in sound is enhancing its essence, while introducing a richer sound and refined tuning.
At first glance the striking Macassar ebony wood on the earcups immediately connects you with a feeling of warmth, but of course this is only a slight glimpse of what has changed in these headphones. The distinctive nature of Macassar ebony means that each pair is unique in its essence. This characteristic ensures that your headphones are not just a tool for experiencing music but a personal statement piece with its own story and character.
The Quarter Wavelength Resonator Mask is a precision-crafted metal component that strategically covers select openings in the driver frame, to effectively attenuate high-frequency peaks above 7kHz for a less fatiguing listening experience.
Created exclusively for Meze Audio, the MZ4 driver has already seen successful implementation in the first generation of LIRIC. Over 30 years of R&D have gone into developing this technology, resulting in one of the lightest and most advanced planar magnetic drivers on the market.
An innovation to the MZ4 driver developed in-house by Rinaro is the Phase-X™ system, which improves ambience and spatial sound imaging, often found to be a problem in closed-back headphone designs. With the addition of the Phase-X™ system, LIRIC achieves a more linear phase response and a faster transient response decay. This allows for a more faithful reproduction of transient sounds and improves ambience and spatial imaging for the listener, taking them closer to the original source recording.
To allow for optimal earcup chamber pressure and better airflow control, our finely tuned Pressure Equalization System is present on the LIRIC. It has also been upgraded to achieve a smoother transition from the bass frequency region into the low midrange.
The premium hand-braided copper cable now serves as the stock cable for LIRIC. Meze Audio has focused their efforts towards enhancing the listening experience, offering a 4.4mm termination premium cable suitable for most portable headphone amplifiers, as well as a 3m soft TPE cable with a 3.5mm jack, ideal for home headphone setups.
Award-winning Technology
LIRIC features the state-of-the-art technology developed by Rinaro, re-engineered for day-to-day use. The MZ4 Isodynamic Hybrid Array driver was purposefully scaled down and tuned to deliver a similar audio experience with its larger counterparts found in the Empyrean II and Elite.
Combined with the closed-back design, it helps preserve the original clarity and emotion of your favorite music through enhanced sound and minimized external noise. Each driver is entirely hand-assembled and tested by in Rinaro’s industrial facility in Ukraine.
In the spirit of natural evolution, LIRIC joins the Meze Audio family of products with detachable magnetic earpads. This ultimately translates into enhanced reliability and serviceability, characteristics that audiophiles and music enthusiasts worldwide have grown accustomed to.
Driver Type: Rinaro Isodynamic Hybrid Array® MZ4
Enclosure: Closed-back
Ear Coupling: Circumaural
Frequency Response: 4-92,000 Hz
Impedance: 61 Ω
Sensitivity: 100 dB SPL @ 1 kHz, 1 mW
Maximum SPL: > 130 dB
Total Harmonic Distortion (THD): <0.15%
Weight: 427 g
Meze Audio LIRIC 2nd Generation MSRP €2000
