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Massdrop x Meze 99 Noir Closed-Back Headphones
$199

Massdrop x Meze 99 Noir Closed-Back Headphones

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$199
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Product Description
A regular fixture on InnerFidelity’s Wall of Fame, PC Magazine’s Editors’ Choice section, and award lists around the world, the 99 Classics get a dark new look in the 99 Noir. Made in collaboration with Meze Audio, these headphones update the original medium-brown finish with a deep matte espresso and swap the gold hardware for more understated black Read More
Review Highlights:
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Comfortable, pleasant, good surround, sufficiently detailed, and a lot of bass
By no means am I an audio expert, and so I have resorted to collating the different ways various reviewers here have described the headphones. So if it helps anyone, these are some amateur statistics from almost every review from today and back to Dec 2019 (I had to have a stop somewhere or risk questioning how I spend my time while working from home…): - There were at least 31 mentions of the Meze 99 Noir being comfortable. Definitely the top comment! Although at least 10 did find the headphones uncomfortable whether it’s from the clamping force or from the small pads, or sometimes the small ‘large’ pads. Another 6 found the pads too warming, i.e. sweaty ears. - At least 20 mentions of it having a lot of bass, in a good way, and at least 7 liked how switching to the small pads “tightened up” the bass or produced a more balanced sound. However, at least 8 found too much bass overall (even with the small pads) and at least 3 found the bass boomy and muddy (with the large pads). - At least 17 mentions of getting a ‘warm’ sound or at least 15 mentions of the sound being overall nice and enjoyable. - At least 10 mentioned getting a ‘fun’ (or V-shaped?) sound. - At least 12 liked the ‘big’ sound or wide soundstage for a closed-back headphone, but at least 2 found the headphones lacking soundstage. - At least 5 mentions of the sound being detailed and bright, but at least 14 mentioned of the sound lacking detail, not being analytical, or being coloured in general. - And at least 5 appreciated the good mids or intimate sound. Now on to the part where I try my best to describe the headphones after some burn-in time and prefacing this with the fact that I did switch from pad to pad and ended up using the large pads (mainly due to better comfort): Comfort: Unfortunately I’m part of the small portion of people that found the small pads uncomfortable. Switching to the large pads however made me forget about even checking whether my ear was hurting [Note: I have relatively big ears for a non-alien]. Extra prolonged use (3+ hours) does bite into my left ear. I’ve ordered the Brainwavz pads but it’s still stuck in the US so will update once I try them on! Warmth of pads: After relative prolonged use (2-3 hours), I might realize having ears being somewhat sweaty, but in no way distracts me from wearing when in use. I’ve experienced worse in other headphones, e.g. Sennheiser PXC550 and IEMS in general. Sound: I agree with the sound being very pleasant, enjoyable (see conclusion below), and ‘all around’ (considerably wide but obviously incomparable to open-backs). As for details, they are definitely there but I would suggest to lower your expectations but not lacking to the point that you would need to squint and listen hard for them. As for bass, I agree with this being the main point of the headphones alongside comfort, and it can get a bit boomy and loose, but the genres I listen to don’t focus on too much bass so it ends up with me really enjoying that extra bass. Conclusion: I really think that how much you enjoy the sound of these headphones really depends on what you enjoy listening to. I enjoy listening to different music styles and can say that I’ve enjoyed listening to my favourite albums more ever since I got the Meze 99 and paired it with the Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt and Tidal Hi-Fi. I’m not a gear head though so comparisons are limited to my IKKO OH10 IEM (entry-mid level chi-fi), my Beoplay H4 (entry consumer-grade over-ear wireless), and Audioengine A5+ monitor speakers paired with an entry-level LP player. As a couple of examples (+ mentions of my favourite tracks): - Weezer’s Pinkerton has been my go to since I got the headphones, i.e. because the album sounds really good on the Meze. The enveloping-like sound really enhances garage rock-style music (good bass, a lot of distorted guitars, and crash/ride cymbals) without being tiring. Rivers’ voice takes a bit of a step back, but when the rest of the band chimes in they sound really side-by-side-y in a really nice way. My favourite part? That drum solo in Pink Triangle coupled with double solo guitars where the bass drum really kicks you and not in an overly sharp way. - The Carpenters (yes) has also been another go-to. Karen’s intimate vocals are top of the world for me and she’s known for close-miking, so you get a really smooth and pleasant aural display of her peaceful vocals. Mids take a good step forward and in For All We Know, Karen’s vocal intricacies are highlighted and you can hear a lot of that vibrato and those “sss”, quick breathe-in, and slight lip smacking details (no, I’m not a fan of ASMR). In Those Good Old Dreams, the imaging of instruments and the vocal echoes really stand out. My favourite part, though? The electric guitar solo in Goodbye To Love. - The Beatles, which typically is the material I compare across gear, is… Well, let’s just say that the production and (re)mastering prowess really, really stand out. Most favourite track to listen to? Fixing A Hole and those good hi-hats, vocal echoes, harpsichord rhythm, distorted solo guitar, and melodic basslines. - Simon & Garfunkel, as my way of testing lighter, acoustic styles of music. Favourites? Bleecker Street, Wednesday Morning 3am, Mrs. Robinson, and those beautifully-harmonized side-by-side vocals that stand out well (particularly in the first two). Welp, the time spent on writing this probably could have been better spent on doing actual work? Thanks for reading; it’s my first headphone review ever!
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Would recommend to a friend.
WARM MUSIC ALL AROUND ME! Comfort too.
Everyone for Tyll at Innerfidelity to Zeos has given these a favorable review. The most compelling review was from John Darko though, and that got me to buy them. The overall opinion being that these are just well-made, fun cans that always sound good no matter the pairing(s). I agree. The "fun" part of these headphones is that the music is just all around me and extremely easy to listen to. I love the way the Noirs present sound: the soundstage is respectably wide with proper imaging, which covers every spot in front of your face--no dead zones. On the right track, one sound or effect can travel along the front of your head without ever dying out, and that gives these things a surprisingly holographic feel. The extra heft to the low end does not bother me. In fact, it feels substantial in a natural way to me--not tubby and bloated like I feared. I should take the time to say that I am using the LARGER EAR HOLE PADS that come with this set, so that is the sound signature I am referring to. I believe the SMALLER EAR HOLE PADS increase bass and treble, but some review or another advised against it, so I have not tried that combo yet. The above traits are a huge bonus for headphones I just bought to kick around the house. I also think the Noirs may scale up better than people have said. I have noticed the difference in swapping sources, and I even got the balanced version of the cable on amazon (the MEZE brand one) to enhance sound a bit. I think the cable that comes with it has a TRRS connection for MICs. I wanted a TRRS that foregoes the MIC for balancing the L & R channels. Finally, the comfort...DAMN. This suspension headband is wonderful. You can put it on your head and gracefully go up and down with the earcups. There is no jerkiness, wobbly nature, etc. Just a smooth fitting that easily adjust higher or lower to fit you perfectly. I wish I had better words to describe this experience, but it is greatly satisfying. Lightweight is another word that comes to mind--easy to relax with. I highly recommend these for people that want to comfortably enjoy well-represented music, but I think some audiophiles will be surprised by how much they enjoy these as well.
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Would recommend to a friend.
See all 732 reviews
Q&A Highlights:
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How heavy is this Headphone? I shall primarily use this for Travel, so I wanna know the weight. Thanks!
Weight without cable: 9.2 oz (260 g)
Is it noise isolating?
Almost every closed-back has some form of isolation from outside noises and this is no exception. Just keep in mind that no, there's no ANC
See all 44 questions
Want to know something about this product or how to use it?
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GordonGalaxy
6
Apr 24, 2021
Does anyone know if I can just plug these up to my PC and listen to them or do I need to buy an Amp/DAC? I know that buying an Amp/DAC will make the sound quality better, but I'm trying to penny pinch a lot on my plate right now to fit everything in and I only want the bare minimum and I can shell out for the Amp/DAC later.
HawaiiR
133
Apr 25, 2021
You don't need a dac/amp. They're very easy to drive and sound perfectly fine straight out of your laptop/desktop/phone.
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Steeeeeeeeven
0
May 4, 2021
Are these headphones vegan?
glennkresge
30
Mar 5, 2023
Are you planning on eating them?
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Bryan350
0
Apr 15, 2021
Are these in stock ready to ship? Already have a bad experience with drop not disclosing their bullshit shipping delays upfront.
HawaiiR
133
Apr 25, 2021
If you scroll down to the bottom of the Overview page, it very clearly states the estimated ship date. If you've had a bad experience and prefer to get a pair of 99 Classics sooner, you can always order a pair directly from the manufacturer or Amazon. 🙂
(Edited)
HawaiiR
133
Apr 25, 2021
Bryan350... and yet here you are, still on the drop “spam” list. No need to be rude, mate …
(Edited)
Milkman76
7
Jun 29, 2021
HawaiiRThe shipping nonsense isnt readily apparent unless you are looking for it, and nobody initially expects sometimes *months* of waiting with little information about what's going on throughout. I dont know of any other sellers of any kind who do this. And this is on top of the extremely poor shipping tier that often result in packages making circular trips, sitting in local facilities for a week without movement, etc. This combination of issues has pushed me away from making numerous purchases here, despite having *credit* on my account to do so. And no, I dont use amazon, nor should any sane person use amazon. I go direct, like I did with all my beyerdynamic stuff. And the prices here do not warrant the wait, as they are usually in line with discounts you can find elsewhere WITHOUT the delay.
HawaiiR
133
Jul 11, 2021
Milkman76Hey there! Yes, I agree. In fact, you essentially repeated what I stated. which is: if the OP had a bad experience, there were other options, such as going to the manufacturer, Amazon, Ebay, etc. I've experienced the delay myself, and now I place my orders accordingly, which includes getting my desired product from the most reliable or fastest distributor. Seems like the OP knows the drawbacks of using Drop. No point complaining about it, just go elsewhere, right?
Milkman76
7
Jul 21, 2021
HawaiiRNo point in complaining about it? Sure there is, here on the website that belongs to the vendor in question. Why try to stop public complaints? There is very much a point to that. Thanks for your reply.
HawaiiR
133
Jul 28, 2021
Milkman76Thanks for the response! Sorry, I should have framed my statement about complaints better, but I figured you'd be able to put it into the context of the thread and the OP's experience. Complaining is good, sure. It can help a company make improvements, no doubt. What I meant was - and this was one of my points in my responses to the OP - if there's something about a company that you don't like (so Drop's problems with shipping speed), and you've already had a bad experience, why come back for more of a bad experience and THEN complain about it? If I go out for a burger somewhere, and the restaurant I go to makes horrible burgers, I don't go back to the restaurant to order more horrible burgers and then complain about the horrible burger while I'm eating it for a second time, knowing they make bad burgers. I'll go elsewhere to get a burger. Pretty simple.
Milkman76
7
Jul 29, 2021
HawaiiRIts nothing like a burger at a burger restaurant, no. Poor quality food, too, typically typically requires a couple experiences to judge accurately. Drop promises certain cost benefits which are not initially apparent, and require experience and research to fully understand. The concept of Drop is attractive to anyone who understands the basic concept of a 'group buy', and this concept motivates people to try again, but unlike a poor quality burger it isnt as obvious nor is it as black/white as a bad burger until you've participated in a few of them, understand the community, and see the results. You eat at restaurants, then never go back if you had one poor experience? huh.
danny87
556
Jul 29, 2021
HawaiiRThe estimated ship date changes from time to time, so I guess that's why OP is frustrated. I'm in the same boat. Supposed to ship in June, which was then deferred to July, then August, and now September. I'm not surprised if I'll be getting the HD8XX first. I still prefer the Noir over the Classics as they're slightly cheaper and it looks better to me, plus I want to spend my Drop credits, so I can't really consider the option of ordering from Amazon/manufacturer. That solution works if the item in question is not a Drop exclusive.
(Edited)
Hewbacca
59
Jul 29, 2021
Milkman76Why no Amazon?
HawaiiR
133
Jul 29, 2021
Milkman76Hello again. Thanks for the explanation of how Drop works. I never would have understood it without your breakdown. Quite sweet of you to spell it out for me. But back to my point about a bad burger. Yes, if the burger sucks, I probably won't go back. There are other places to get a good burger. If, after my experience, I then see others post on a forum (say the restaurant's FB page) about how bad their burgers were, but I still go back for another burger and get burned again, I have nobody to blame but myself. I can complain again, sure. But who's to blame? In your eyes, it's probably the restaurant. In my eyes, it's the person who keeps going back. Not a hard concept to grasp, right? Or maybe it is. But this "conversation" is getting a bit boring. I'm guessing we won't see eye to eye on this, and that's fine. I'm not wasting any more time trying to explain basic concepts to you, reading your regurgitations of what I wrote, or your "explanations" of how things work. It's comical, really. Enjoy drop as you see fit, and I'll do the same. Cheers!
Milkman76
7
Jul 29, 2021
HawaiiRSure thing, friendo.
Rampage4v
1
Mar 26, 2021
Is it noise isolating?
dcha12
461
Mar 29, 2021
Almost every closed-back has some form of isolation from outside noises and this is no exception. Just keep in mind that no, there's no ANC
VIEW 3 MORE
HawaiiR
133
Apr 7, 2021
Does anyone own both the Noir and the regular/original Classics? If so, what are the similarities and differences? Also is the cup color on the originals lighter than the Noir?
HawaiiR
133
Apr 25, 2021
Alright, so to follow up on my own question I did a decent amount of research (reviews, videos, forum posts), and while only one person's been able to confirm the similarities/differences, here's what I've found for anyone else who's interested:
  1. Apparently, they are both pretty much the same as far as sound signature, comfort, etc, with the exception being that the Noir comes with two sets of pads, one of which changes the sound signature and comfort a tad.
  2. The color on the classics is definitely lighter, but the degree to which varies. I've seen a few (maybe it was just the lighting) that seemed quite a bit on the lighter side than what was pictured on the site, which were a very nice Walnut (and no these were not the Maple ones).
I've also heard that perforated pads help tighten up the bass and tame the highs a bit. Considering the pads only run about $20, I may just save a few bucks on the Noire and get some pads to clean up the sound a bit.