By aspect — in detail
The defining disagreement. Everyone describes the same elevated top end — a lifted upper treble (roughly 7 kHz and again post-12 kHz) that adds air and sparkle — but listeners split on what it means. Most reviewers and many owners find it energetic yet non-fatiguing; treble-sensitive listeners hear sharpness or sibilance, conditional on source, cable and pad break-in, and a minority return the headphone over it.
Measured
The elevated treble is agreed on the graph: Pragmatic Audio measures a slightly emphasised, extended treble against the Harman OE 2018 target; Twister6 hears a boosted upper-treble (12–17 kHz) over a linear lower-treble; ASR members flag a 7 kHz peak. It measures bright, and SoundGuys calls it 'a touch trebly.' ASR's Peterinvan found it 'a bit hot' out of the box and says it settled with burn-in; ASR members even swap in AKG K240 front-foam discs to smooth the 3–6 kHz region.
⚠ vs. listeners — The elevated top end is real and agreed. Whether it lands as pleasant air/sparkle or as fatiguing sharpness tracks the listener's treble sensitivity plus the source, cable and pad wear-in — not a measured difference between units.
Where it splits
Bright and sparkly, but non-fatiguing — the lifted top end adds air and detail without turning harsh.62%
“the 109 PRO feels sparkled and plentiful on the top side, but thankfully never painful or wince-worthy.”
Headfonics
Too hot for treble-sensitive ears — sibilant on some sources/cables, and enough that a minority send them back.38%
“it can be sibilant depending on the source and if you’re using Mese’s stock cable.”
r/headphones (Otherwise-Rope8961)
Genuinely split at $799. One camp calls it a complete package — the build, looks, comfort and fun sound together justify the price. The other says you're mostly paying for the design and craftsmanship: the sound-per-dollar is beaten by cheaper rivals (HiFiMan Edition XS, the HD 6XX, even the ~$70 Truthear Hexa) and pricier planars out-resolve it, so it isn't the 'value' headphone the hype suggests.
Measured
$799/€799, current. Much of the value is the industrial design, walnut/metal build and repairability (SoundGuys notes replaceable parts 'help justify the price tag' but still scores value 6/10). Sound-per-dollar dissenters name the Edition XS, HD 6XX and Truthear Hexa; ASR's srkbear calls it 'style over substance,' while r/headphones' CapitalCount 'would personally not categorize them as the value headphones' he was led to expect.
Where it splits
A complete package at $799 — the build, comfort, looks and fun sound earn the price.55%
“the 109 Pro is a complete package for $800.”
Pragmatic Audio
Overpriced for the sound — you're paying for the design, and cheaper rivals do as much or more.45%
“€ 800.- is not really cheap though and there are lots of alternatives at that price, the Ed XS would be a cheaper and not that different sounding alternative.”
Audio Science Review (solderdude)
Warm-leaning and fun rather than neutral — a rich mid-bass paired with an airy treble lift, described as a warm/W-shaped 'house sound.' Most find it musical and engaging and explicitly not a reference tuning; a minority who prefer neutrality feel the warmth slightly clouds clarity. Measurement-minded reviewers call it the most balanced Meze while stressing it isn't 'neutral.'
“Meze 109 Pro has an exciting, fun tuned, bright leaning W-shaped signature that makes for a very engaging listen”
Twister6
“there’s a little bit of haze in what could otherwise be clear sky”
r/headphones (CapitalCount)
Measured
A warm-of-neutral W-shape: elevated mid-bass and upper treble with a slight 1–2.8 kHz dip. Pragmatic calls it 'probably the most neutral and balanced headphone in their collection'; SoundGuys warns it's 'not especially neutral' and steers audio engineers elsewhere.
A consistent strength: rich, textured, well-controlled mid-bass with more low end than a typical open-back, and reach down toward 20 Hz. The one agreed caveat is that the sub-bass is the relative weak point — present but not the deepest, and several wish for a touch more rumble. The bass texture also scales noticeably with a more powerful, warmer amp.
“this feels like one of the smoothest dynamic driver bass experiences I’ve heard in years.”
Headfonics
“The only issue I hear is that I wish the headphone reproduced some more sub-bass.”
Ear Fidelity
Measured
Pragmatic measures a rich, textured mid-bass that doesn't dig as deep as planar rivals, with low distortion (~2% in the sub-bass, THD <0.1% at 1 kHz even past 100 dB). Twister6 hears reach to ~20 Hz with more mid-bass punch than sub-bass rumble; Headfonics finds the low end scales markedly with amp power (thin on a phone, 'slick and creamy' on ~3.5 W).
Mostly warm, full-bodied and natural, with forward, engaging vocals from a lifted 3–4 kHz ear-gain region. The recurring caveat is a measured dip around 1–2 kHz that a few hear as a slight hollowness or 'something missing,' most noticeable on modern recordings.
“warm and full-bodied, providing excellent instrument tonality and a natural sound”
Ear Fidelity
“The Meze 109 PRO mids around 1-2k are a bit lackluster and feel like something is missing.”
Headfonics
Measured
Twister6 measures a 1–2.8 kHz dip with strong (~9 dB) ear gain peaking at 3–4 kHz; ASR's Ilkless notes '2 kHz is a bit too subdued.' The forward upper-mids make vocals present; the lower dip is what a minority read as hollow.
Soundstage
Moderate · 7 srcGenerally a plus — open, out-of-head and wide for a dynamic, with good depth and layering. But width verdicts split: some hear a spacious, almost speaker-like stage, while others call it merely modest for an open-back and not as expansive as the biggest planars.
“It’s almost like listening to stereo speakers.”
Ear Fidelity
“soundstage is honestly not very big to my ears”
r/headphones (CapitalCount)
Measured
Twister6 and Pragmatic hear an open, out-of-head stage wider than most dynamics; Headfonics and Apos call the width modest with strong depth; an owner notes it's 'wide but not expansive like my HEKV2 or the HD 800 S.' A perceptual spread, not a unit difference.
Good, if not class-leading. Placement and separation are praised and the presentation is coherent, but the upper-treble lift and 1–2 kHz dip make images read a little thin to some, and pricier planars are noted as more precise.
“fairly good imaging, which is slightly thinner than I like”
Twister6
“instrument separation and imaging is okay but not as detailed as HEKV2 and 800S.”
r/headphones (Otherwise-Rope8961)
Measured
Localization and separation rate well across sources; Twister6 ties the slight thinness to the scooped 1–2.8 kHz and boosted upper treble. Precise but not the last word at the price.
A strength for the price — clear, resolving and rich in micro-detail, helped along by the airy treble lift. The nuance: a few feel the warmth slightly softens the sense of clarity, and it isn't the most technical option in its bracket.
“What it does exceptionally well for its asking price is clarity, micro-detail retrieval, left to right separation and layering.”
Twister6
“They overall do feel clear and resolving, but to me, their clarity and resolution are somewhat impaired by this warmth.”
r/headphones (CapitalCount)
Measured
The lifted upper treble boosts perceived detail and clarity; resolution is genuinely strong for $799, though some owners rate pricier planars (HiFiMan Arya) and even the Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro as more resolving.
Consistently praised: lively, punchy and engaging, with clear contrast between soft and loud passages. It's explicitly not a laid-back headphone, and the sense of drive improves further off a strong (especially tube) amp.
“They are so deliciously dynamic, where soft and loud sounds are played next to each other, both being well defined”
r/headphones (CapitalCount)
“This is not a laid back headphone”
Twister6
Measured
Cited as energetic and engaging across sources; owners report it 'opens up' and grows more dynamic with a high-current or tube amp.
Excellent for most: light (375 g), soft velour pads and a self-adjusting headband that most call among the most comfortable they've worn. The real caveat is a minority report — the caliper/clamp pressure and pads pressing on the ears cause soreness or even nerve pain for some after an hour or two, so it's fit-dependent.
“Meze 109 Pro is THE most comfortable headphone I’ve had the pleasure of trying till now!”
Twister6
“the clamping pressure, in combination with the ear pads pressing on the sides, can cause slight nerve pain after an hour or two of use.”
SoundGuys (Jasper Lastoria)
Measured
375 g on a self-adjusting spring-steel headband with soft velour pads. Most report multi-hour comfort; Headfonics found 'the caliper pressure a little too high' with soreness after an hour, and SoundGuys flags possible nerve pain — a fit-and-head-shape variable, not a universal flaw.
Build
Strong consensus · 8 srcA near-universal high point: black walnut cups, a zinc-alloy and manganese-steel frame and a self-adjusting headband, widely called one of the best-built and best-looking headphones at the price, with the bonus of user-replaceable parts. Minor knocks: a spring-steel headband that can creak, a basic/microphonic stock cable and deeply recessed sockets that reject some aftermarket cables.
“Meze Audio’s build aesthetics and quality are right up there at the top, one of the best in the industry!”
Twister6
“These unique open-back headphones allow you to repair and replace parts on as they age, which helps justify the price tag.”
SoundGuys (Jasper Lastoria)
Measured
Black walnut, zinc alloy, manganese steel and vegan leather; self-adjusting headband; replaceable pads/cables/parts. Caveats owners raise: a headband that can creak when moving (unit-variable), microphonic stock cable, and cable sockets nested too deep for many third-party cables.
Isolation
Strong consensus · 4 srcOpen-back by design: essentially no passive isolation, and it leaks both ways. Expected for the type and not a flaw — but it rules out offices, commutes and shared rooms.
“This is not a bug but a characteristic of open-back headphones, which do not isolate well.”
SoundGuys (Jasper Lastoria)
Measured
Fully open-back — negligible passive isolation and free leakage in both directions. A quiet-room, solo-listening headphone.