Meze Audio 99 Classics review everyone! Meze Audio is no stranger for me as I’ve reviewed their 12 Classics earphones way back as well as their 99 NEO headphones. They are certainly not stranger in the audiophile community as well given the fact that their 99 Classics headphones are oftentimes seen circulating in various audiophile communities. They are one of the few that placed Romania in the audiophile map with their statement flagship headphone, the Empyrean.

The reviews and impressions on Meze Audio products are aplenty but we all know that there’s no such thing as too much for an audiophile which breathes audio day in and day out. What I would be checking out is their most established and memorable headphone offering, the Meze Audio 99 Classics in the signature Walnut wood design with Silver accents along with its recently released 99 series Silver Plated upgrade cables. Both review unit was sent in exchange for an honest opinion and no monetary factors were involved. You can check out the official Meze Audio website for a full-on display of what they offer for us audiophiles.

Meze Audio 99 Classics Walnut Specifications:

• Transducer size: 40mm
• Frequency response: 15Hz – 25KHz
• Sensitivity: 103dB at 1KHz, 1mW
• Impedance: 32 Ohm
• Rated input power: 30mW
• Maximum input power: 50mW
• Detachable Kevlar OFC cable
• Plug: 3.5mm gold plated
• Weight: 260 gr (9.2 ounces) without cables
• Ear-cups: Walnut Wood

Packaging and Build Quality

Presentation and first impressions, last. The Meze Audio 99 Classics Walnut Silver comes in a very sturdily built and neatly designed box with a smooth papery finish. A single black ribbon flips open this box and we are immediately granted access to the beginning of the Meze Audio 99 Classic accessory set which are as follows:

• Hard EVA carrying case
• 1.2m thread Kevlar OFC cable with mic controls
• 3m thread Kevlar OFC studio cable
• 6.3mm gold-plated adapter jack
• Airplane jack adapter
• Black circular cable zipper pouch

The accessory set alone screams a sense of entirety and value for money without dropping the ball in the materials used with an end result of quality and precision. The cables, carrying case and adapters are all built-to-last and doesn’t exhibit any factory residual traces of glue, thread or uneven lines.

If care and attention was already done on the accessory set, the actual Meze Audio 99 Classics Walnut headphone definitely had more to it than those. Removing it from the carrying case and the first thing that would grab the spotlight is its earcups which are made from Walnut trees that have reached the end of their life cycle and are given another chance to shine on an audiophile gear.

The process alone on crafting the earcups takes 45 days, all that sanding, lacquering and finishing gives the Meze 99 Classic Walnut its polished and exquisite feel. It would be a tall task too to find an identical Meze 99 Classic Walnut earcup as each sports a distinct and singular wood grain. Clamping force on them are also satisfying as they don’t grip and press too hard on your head.

The earcups are not only the functional components of the Meze 99 Classics Walnut which are made well. The auto-adjustable and tractable headband is made of smooth leather that promotes heat dissipation and has a touch of supple foam on it for added comfort.

Providing structural form and support are the electroplated coating, stamped manganese spring steel headband in black to compliment the either silver or gold accent and the walnut wood earcup. A foldable design isn’t that much missed on this given that they provided an excellent storage solution.

The last but the least is its stock memory circum-aural foam earpads are plush and gives great seal and isolation without compromising comfort. The usual heat accumulation period is still present which is commonplace but coupling it with the relaxed clamping force that the Meze 99 Classics exhibit and you’ll be getting a more than decent ear time use which I personally reached around 3-4 hours especially when doing the usual gaming/streaming/music listening marathon.

And yeah, all these already great components are completely serviceable from the get-go for that ultimate headphone longevity hack. So far so good with branding, packaging and build quality but all this will be put to naught if the sound falls short of its

Tonality and Isolation

It has been a full two years since I featured the Meze 99 Neo on this site, and it is still 2020 worthy. It’s sound is reminiscent of that of the 99 Neo. The Meze Audio 99 Classics presents and showcases a clean and smooth warm sound signature. It doesn’t fit the mold that is reference sounding and doesn’t dwell on the obsession of providing the most tone accurate sound or crystal-clear resolution. The Meze Audio 99 Classics is meant to be enjoyed in a laid-back environment where musicality and livery.

The isolation aspect of the Meze 99 Classics benefits greatly on its excellent stock earpads and there’s completely no reason to change or upgrade it unless you wear them out yourself. While it eventually makes the head a tad hot and awkward to wear, just a little break from it is enough to warrant another round with it.

I tested the Meze Audio 99 Classics using the Sony WM1A and the Sony CAS-1 off a MSI GF62-8RE laptop via Foobar2000 v1.4 outputting various FLAC files which would be mentioned along the review. The usual 200 hour burn in process was also observed, in fact, way more than 200.

Lows

There is much to love about the Meze 99 Classics low frequency performance. It is its strongest area and the would be the main aspect that would drive one to get it. Starting of with its texture, it is rendered in a smooth yet compact manner. Speed is kept at a slower pace and doesn’t overdo even when handling busier tracks. Rocking Pearl Jam’s Sometimes in 16/44 FLAC and the sub bass of the Meze 99 Classics leans on the thicker side with a distinct rumble. Its midbass performance comes out a tad weighty and solid with a slight midbass bloom. The overall bass performance of the Meze 99 Classics is a statement that the low-end frequency when done smoothly can be enjoyable even when it doesn’t pump out loads of punchy and powerful bass drops.

Midrange

Teamwork makes the dream work comes true to life with how the Meze 99 Classics midrange frequency performance complements the low-end. Its coherence in the midrange and the low-end makes the end result totally pleasant to the ears. Michael Buble’s Feeling Good in 16/44 FLAC highlights an energetic and full-sounding lower midrange which aids in giving the vocals a natural and rich sound. Detail and articulation aren’t the best here, but boy do they sound very engaging. The upper midrange leans on the breathy side with a slight lack of control and grip that ends the sound in a loose and somewhat diffused manner. The Meze 99 Classics is really meant for taking pleasure in the vibe and energy of a song rather than zeroing in on the minute details offered by the track.

Highs

The high frequency performance of the Meze 99 Classics hinges on its ability to provide a sweet and clean presentation. Its treble area is its kink in the armor if things get right down to business. Chugging out Nigel Stanford’s Cymatics in 16/44 FLAC gives out a mellow and toned-down end result with noticeable lack of treble bite and kick which helps with the non-fatiguing experience. Details are still distinct and aren’t any way muffled or distorted. Sibilance is also absent. Sparkle on the top-end is spare and highlights the already relaxed approach of the Meze 99 Classics rather than zeroing in on the minute details offered by the track.

Soundstage and Imaging

It’s already dawning on me that while we have already tackled the 3 main sound aspects of the Meze 99 Classics, the mood of the review isn’t overtly indicative of a recommendation from my end. That can’t change much on this part but what the 99 Classics offers on the soundstage part helps its case. It leans on being spacious and width-centric despite being a closed back headphone. The left to right and right to left panning is easy to discern. Layering is also handled well giving a great sense of height and depth.

Imaging is also done well here with instrument separation and placement easy to identify. Vocals are placed on the central position with a nice touch of being airy. The Meze 99 Classics stitches all these characteristics into an intimate yet freedom-inducing atmosphere for a nice listening session.

Conclusion

The Meze 99 Classics has been around for a while now and it’d be apt to say that it’s nearing the end of its own shelf life but its inherently complementing old school look with materials only accessible through modern technology makes it a surefire candidate to last more than its intended run. Its warm signature that focuses on being a set of cans that helps in savoring and enjoying your tracks paired with a soundstage that creates a wide illusion in an intimate setting makes the Meze 99 Classics what it is, a Classic.