Build quality, comfort, and sound at the absolute highest level: the Meze Empyrean II.
Open-back flagship planar headphones with Rinaro Isodynamic Hybrid Array
Building on the first-generation Empyrean, Meze refined the tuning once again—creating a headphone that now stands shoulder to shoulder with the very best, while already leading the pack in comfort and build quality.
It all starts with the driver. Meze relies on its collaboration with Rinaro, bringing a fresh twist to the planar-magnetic concept:
The diaphragm is split into two zones. A spiral-shaped section can generate focused treble up to 110 kHz, while the other—large, with a curved zig-zag pattern—handles mids and bass down to 8 Hz.

Another pillar of Meze’s philosophy is building products meant to bring joy for a long time. Every part is serviceable or replaceable, nothing is glued, nothing is hidden—radical transparency aimed at showing that true quality doesn’t need an aura of mysticism.

Sound is another major strength here: imagine treble that recalls the character and quality of a Sennheiser HD800S, but paired with a planar-style bass foundation—linear to the deepest lows.
The presentation is highly open and detailed, yet it never misses the punch. It’s genuinely fun—at an extremely high level.
On top of that, it’s easy to drive: 105 dB SPL @ 1 V with only 32 Ω impedance. With a wide selection of cables and terminations, the Empyrean II makes the most of that flexibility.
It had me floored with its exceptional performance. Its soundstage is as immaculate as ever, providing even more immersive qualities on top of its newly found precision. All the best characteristics of a reference sound signature are combined with the richness of a high-end audiophile headphone. Combined with the Empyrean’s mostly unchanged craftsmanship that seems like it’s built to withstand the test of time, the Empyrean II comes with the highest regard once again.
The emotional involvement was incredible, the refinement a delight and the soundstage placement remarkable. For me, the midrange was the standout and rendered human voice in an utterly believable manner. That said, the bass and treble were also outstanding.
| Driver Type | Rinaro Isodynamic Hybrid Array |
| Principle | Open, circumaural |
| Frequency Response | 8 – 110,000 Hz |
| Impedance | 32 Ω |
| Sensitivity | 105 dB SPL @ 1 V, 1 kHz |
| Max SPL | > 130 dB |
| THD | < 0.5% |
| Weight | 385 g |
| Geometric Shape | Oval |
| Size | 102 mm × 73 mm |
| Weight | 82 g |
| Case | Fiberglass reinforced ABS |
| Type | Rinaro Isoplanar® [MZ3] |
| Active Surface | 4650 mm² |
| Weight | 0.16 g |
| Frequency Response | 8 Hz – 110 kHz |
| Array Type | Isodynamic |
| Size | 75 mm × 49 mm |
| Magnetic Flow | 0.35 T |
| Case | High-strength ABS plastic suitcase with foam inserts and leather handle |
| Earpads Included | Two sets: Duo Earpads + Angled Alcantara |
| Cable Type | Premium silver-plated or copper PCUHD |
| Connector Options | Choice of 2.5 mm, 3.5 mm (1/8 in), 4.4 mm, 6.3 mm (1/4 in), 4-pin XLR |