Massdrop x Meze 99 Noir Closed-Back Headphones Discussions | Drop

Massdrop x Meze 99 Noir Closed-Back Headphones

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Jan 12, 2020

This might be a weird comparison but I'm looking to try a new closed headphone. Right now I own Denon D2000. I might try either Meze 99 Noir or A990Z, anyone here has experience with both that can chime in?

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Fayne

2583

Jan 13, 2020

HydeI used to own Denon AH-D2000 and currently own E-MU TEAK which is the same OEM Foster driver and chassis design, just with the wood style from like the D5000 (I think). I also have a whole host of other cans including the 99 Noir. I don't own the Audio Technica A990Z, or pretty much any of their gear simply because of lack of detachable headphone cable. If you like bass, the Meze 99 is a freaking champ. It is one of the most fun sounding sets of cans I've got. Maybe not the most precise sounding, but very pleasant. You can make them thump even more by upgrading the earpads to Brainwavz angled sheepskin. The headphones themselves are super super easy to drive, but still benefit from balanced drive from an amp like the LCX or 789. Better yet, they come with detachable cables and Meze sells a first party balanced trrs cable. They are NOT suitable for tube amplifiers; being as sensitive as they are, you can hear the power hum like a dull roar on the CTH, ZDT Jr., LittleDot1+. YMMV there, but for me it was quite unpleasant. They work exceptionally well for movies and tv. Especially if there explosions, you feel the rumble. If you're into EDM or Rap the bass really helps. Isolation wise, while not perfect, they were good enough when I used them while on a cross country flight. Comparing to the Denon, the treble, especially the high end of it is not as prominent on the 99 Noir. Not even close to as likely to give sybilance issues like the Foster drivers are known for. Bass on the 99 is of course much more forward and powerful than the Denon. The 99 is much more comfortable than the Denon (or pretty much any of the Foster OEM designs), the auto-adjusting band is very awesome. If I personally had to pick between the two, I'd go with the Meze every time. While I loved my Denon (and rather like my E-MU Teak), the Meze is a much more pleasant experience over all. My only complaint with the 99? If you have long hair and don't pony-tail before putting the cans on, there is a non-zero probability that one or both earcups will eat your hair. It hurts. :)

(Edited)

Jan 13, 2020

FayneDamn thank you for your awesome and in-depth explanation!!! My original concern was that since Denon was already a bassy headphone I was wondering if buying Meze 99 Noir would be redundant, but seems like they still have enough of their own flavours to be a different enough experience. Sorry I have a few more questions. Personally in general I don't mind treble (actually is a fan of Grado), would you say Meze 99 Noir still have enough trebles to keep things interesting? Also my biggest concern before buying this is head size, since I have relatively big head I was wondering if Meze would fit me LOL (Denon headband goes quite BIG). Also how close/far would you say the vocal distance is (in general I like intimate vocal) and also how big is soundstage on Meze? Thank you again for all your help!!! :)

(Edited)

Fayne

2583

Jan 13, 2020

HydeOh yeah, they totally have enough treble to be entertaining. It just isn't presented front and foremost like on the Foster drivers. Head size might be an issue. I've got a fairly large gourd and the auto-band is going to damn near the maximum extension, maybe 1-2 cm of play left. I'd suggest risking it though as the band is part of what makes them so comfortable. Also, I'm using BrainWavz Angled Sheepskin Earpads and they totally take away some of the wiggle-room but make the bass even more potent. They're bigger than the stock pads and then some and fit my noggin more comfortably. Sound-stage wise, I'd say these are like being in a small room with the the band being right in front of you like 5 or 6 feet. It is not light and airy. Very up front and solid sounding. I suck at judging this stuff, so ymmv here. Aside from the EDM and Rap being awesome on them, throw something like Madonna's Vogue, Tiffany's I Think We're Alone Now, or The Human League's Don't You Want Me through them and they shine. All them drums, synths, and great vocals. For reference, my review is here and I posted a close-up picture here.

(Edited)

Jan 14, 2020

FayneDamn they've actually manage to dethrone your E-Mu Teak eh? That's really high praise. Haha I most likely will max out the suspension headband, oh well ~ on Fostex cans I use like 5 lines showing (5 or 6 tick probably). This will be my biggest challenge so hopefully this works out lol. But otherwise thanks for the review everything else sounds really good! I'm most likely gonna pull the trigger lol. :P

Muscle_Cow

928

Jan 17, 2020

Hyde$40 off now... good time to buy. I also endorse these - they have wicked bass.

Rambone

Jan 23, 2020

HydeI have an ATH-A900x, not sure how similar that is to the A990z but the Meze 99 to my ears beats the pants off it in every way, more so when swapping over to the thinner pads that have the extra padding over the driver that came with it. The A900x sounds like somebody stuffed my ears full of cotton in comparison is the best I can come up with to describe the dramatic difference when comparing the two. I have a few amps that I have paired my A900x with such as a Creative G6 (my daily driver), Magni 3, Dragonfly Red and a Monoprice Hybrid Tube Amp, so there is no worry that I have been running it off an underwhelming dac/amp.

(Edited)

Jan 23, 2020

RamboneLOL damn thanks for your answer, this settles it. I was having trouble finding people who tried both since Audio Technica's ART Monitor series headphones are not too popular, however reviews are generally quite good that's why it was a tough call. But hearing this from you seals the deal. Thanks again!

Rambone

Jan 23, 2020

HydeAwesome, glad that this helped out! Some tips with the Meze 99 that I have observed that might help you figure out which pad is best for your needs. -Stock pads will sound too bassy if you have an amp or EQ that boosts the bass too much, so turn off any bass boosting as the Meze will most certainly not need it, otherwise you will find that there are songs that the bass effect might be overpowering if not lowered or turned off. While this might not sound like a bad thing to some, it was overpowering on some songs. The sound is also pretty laid back which makes music super easy listening but this might also present a scenario where it might sound on the bland side if you are looking for a bit more sizzle. Makes me think of headphones like the HD6XX where you can listen to just about anything without ear piercing sounds and some people really respond well to this. -The extra pads that come with this that appear thinner will lower the bass some to be more compatible with amps that give off a bit more thump (in my opinion the bass level was perfect and complimented everything even with the bass boost enabled). I also noticed that everything now has a bit more sizzle and that laid back sound was lifted, the music was much more vivid. I preferred this pad, not sure I will seek other pads after listening to this one but you never know, sometimes a guy has to try different things. Despite having more headphones than any one man needs, I do not regret picking this one up at all and will actually use it. Enjoy! As for the ART monitor series I have a few more headphones from that series, the AD-500x and the AD-900x open back variants in addition to the A900x closed back model I have.

(Edited)

Jan 23, 2020

RamboneLol thank you for the break down I think this is what I heard about regarding the pads too. I guess my initial worry is that since I already have D2000, but often time I find it a bit too cold/metallic sounding I was hoping Meze would be more warm/organic but also hoping there won't be TOO much difference in resolution (since I know they're different tier headphones lol). But it's for office use so I don't want to go balls out and get a ZMF or something LOL so currently Meze seems to fit the bill the best.

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