Dekoni Premium Earpads for Meze 99 Reviews | Drop

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Dekoni Premium Earpads for Meze 99

Jan 18, 2022

Verified Buyer

Best Upgrade for the 99 Classics, Especially at this Price

I'm no stranger to pad swaps - I've experimented with nearly all of my headphones (nearly 40 on/over-ear pairs) well before they "needed" to be changed out due to discomfort or wear, solely for the fact that 95% of the pad upgrades I've made have been significantly beneficial, at least in either comfort, sound, or (in the best cases) both. The 99 Classics (I happen to have the walnut/silver trim versions) are nearly a perfect product for what they're aiming for - they include a lovely 'leather' carrying case with accessory storage within, a *damn* good cable that's long, supple, and durable, and the fit & finish you've come to expect from this relatively young but deservedly-popular brand. This is all despite how many people seem to overlook what I consider to be the 99C's weakest link by far: the stock pads. They aren't quite "offensive" in the comfort department; I wear glasses and don't notice any pressure point for several hours of listening, they seal well enough, and are covered in a soft enough material to relieve any immediate discomfort. When it comes to the sound, though, is where all the difference lies. I expected these to be one of the more bass-heavy headphones I own, but (hopefully) not at the detriment of midrange & treble capability; I'd describe the sound on the stock pads at the very limit of the compromise I'd tolerate between bass response/impact and the muddying of the rest of the spectrum. After my first day of solid listening on the stock pads, I already started thinking about the genres of music they'd be best suited to for listening, and they admittedly weren't my cup of tea - I typically prefer airy treble and midrange-focused sound signatures on open-back sets, but had an idea of what to expect. Then I swapped the pads, which took all of about 5 minutes (3-4/10 on my difficulty scale), and put them back on...If only every reviewer & Meze customer were able to get their first impressions of these headphones in THIS configuration, the admittedly already-high hype would be off the charts. Yes, the bass is still present and sometimes impactful, but the treble had significantly opened up and a surprising width revealed itself I didn't expect from closed-backs at this price and with this approach to engineering. Clarity in the upper midrange appeared out of nowhere and my understanding of the purpose of these things completely changed - I wore them for a straight 23 hours and listened to all genres of music in my library, completely surprised at how refined, capable, and versatile they were across the spectrum. The biggest surprise? I had no idea I could enjoy classical music so much on a pair of closed-backs, let alone at the price these sit at (ALL the time). That full day should be another testament to the folks at Dekoni - comfort is key. While I don't know whether the stock pads would have given me "glasses-ache" after longer sessions, I don't need to find out. The sound is so much more refined and enjoyable to my ears that this had become the only upgrade I'd recommend to anyone & everyone who owns the 99Cs, and possibly the Noirs if you believe the same experience might apply. These are understandably expensive pads (especially in sheepskin) direct from Dekoni, but at less than an additional 20% over the cost of the headphones themselves, they're a no-brainer.

(Edited)

Recommends this product? Yes

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