Meze 109 Pro

HiFi, OpenBack
Meze 109 Pro — Meze Goes Dynamic and Delivers

After making their name with planar and hybrid designs, Meze Audio surprised everyone by releasing a dynamic driver headphone. The 109 Pro uses a 50mm beryllium-coated driver in a design that screams “this is a Meze” from across the room. As someone who’s already fallen for the Poet and the 105 AER, I was eager to see what Meze could do with a good old-fashioned moving coil.

Build & Design

Gorgeous. The walnut and manganese steel construction is quintessential Meze — sculptural, tactile, and premium. The 109 Pro is one of the most beautiful headphones on the market, with those distinctive round earcups and the organic curves that make Meze products instantly recognisable. At 375g it’s comfortable, and the large pads accommodate all ear sizes with ease.

The build quality is, as expected from Meze, exceptional. Every joint, hinge, and surface communicates quality. It’s the kind of headphone you want to show off to visitors.

Sound

Bass

Warm, full, and textured with that dynamic driver slam that planars often lack. The 109 Pro has more bass energy than the Meze Poet — it’s fuller in the mid-bass, which adds richness to everything from jazz double bass to electronic music. Some might call it slightly north of neutral, but it never becomes bloated. DMS praised the bass as “the warm hug that Meze fans expect, done with more authority than before.”

Mids

Classic Meze: lush, engaging, and musical. The 109 Pro’s mids have a warmth and body that makes vocals supremely enjoyable. There’s less detail here than the more analytical Poet — the 109 Pro prioritises musicality over resolution — but for pure listening pleasure, it’s deeply satisfying. Acoustic instruments have beautiful timbre and natural decay.

Treble

Smooth and relaxed, with a gentle roll-off in the upper frequencies. Detail is present but not spotlit — this is a headphone for enjoying music, not dissecting it. Resolve described the 109 Pro’s treble as “polite but never boring,” and I’d agree. Through the Sparkos Gemini, the combination is supremely warm and enveloping.

Soundstage & Imaging

Good staging with a natural, spacious presentation. Not the widest stage I’ve heard, but instrument separation is clean and the overall spatial picture is convincing. The open-back design breathes well.

Comparisons

Against the Meze Poet, the 109 Pro is warmer and more bass-forward, with a more relaxed treble. The Poet is more technical; the 109 Pro is more fun. Against my HD600, the 109 Pro is warmer, more spacious, and more forgiving, but the Sennheiser’s midrange neutrality remains unmatched. They complement each other beautifully in a collection.

Verdict

Pros

  • Stunning build quality and design
  • Warm, musical tuning that flatters all genres
  • Dynamic driver slam and engagement
  • Supremely comfortable

Cons

  • Treble detail lags more analytical headphones
  • Bass warmth may mask detail in complex passages
  • Premium price for a dynamic driver
  • Not the best choice for critical studio work

Ratings:

  • Build & Design: 9.5 / 10
  • Sound: 8 / 10
  • Comfort: 9 / 10
  • Value: 7.5 / 10

The 109 Pro is Meze doing what Meze does best — making beautiful objects that make beautiful sounds. A headphone for the heart, not the head.