It’s time to revisit an old classic, the 99 Classics that is! Meze Audio’s mid-budget closed-back headphones have been a favorite in the audiophile community for a while and good reason. For this review, we’re going to recall what makes these headphones one of the best in their bracket, especially when you can find them on sale.

What You Get

• Case: Hard EVA carrying pouch
• Cable: 1.2m thread Kevlar OFC with Mic and remote
• Cable: 3m thread Kevlar OFC
• Adapter: 6.3mm gold-plated jack
• Airplane jack adapter
• Cable pouch

Look & Feel

The 99 Classics are wooden closed-back headphones that are maticulously crafted. Each pair of walnut wood earcups go through a rigorous process, and you can tell how much care goes into the build by just looking at and handling them. The gold, or silver accents are also a nice touch depending on which version you get. Its aluminum frame and suspension headband make for a classy look as well as being very comfortable. These are very light headphones, which are easy with pressure, but I always felt the seal could be a bit more snug if I had to nitpick. 

Design

There is a 40mm dynamic driver within the 99 Classics. It’s a simple design with an impedance of 32 Ohms, making it very easy to drive with any headphone output. 

Soundstage

No matter if it’s a closed-back headphone or an open-back headphone, Meze Audio will reproduce a great soundstage. The 99 Classics have some of the best soundstage and imaging qualities you’ll find on closed-back headphones in this price range. Everything in the mix appears with easy-to-identify positions separated elegantly throughout the stereo field. There’s a lot of dimension to each performance, with each layer peeling back more depth and spaciousness. Its headspace travels right up to the edge of having an open headspace, and it’s enough for the sounds to wrap around and form a bubble that engulfs the listener. 

Low End

I would consider the 99 Classics as having a pretty dark timbre, but it’s not until you get to the low mids that that character starts to resonate. As it stands, the bass still has some definitive characteristics, like its depth and smoothness. Bass notes come through with distinct clarity and a strong form, but there isn’t much of an impact on them. You get a full response, but the amplitude of these frequencies is more in balance with the rest of the sound signature. They work in great synergy with the rest of the frequency response, but if you’re looking for more drive and slam, the 99 Classics might disappoint you. 

Mids

The most expressive elements of the 99 Classics lie within the midrange frequencies. I previously stated that the low mids show the most prominence, and they’re able to do that without clouding the rest of the sound signature in confusion. The darker tone adds warmth to the timbre, establishing good texture and shape to the sound elements. There’s a clear form to the instruments, and the vocal reproduction is a spectacular highlight of the 99 Classics to the point of being its main selling point. They come through with plenty of room to appear full and vivid in the mix. 

Highs

There’s a good amount of clarity and detail in the treble frequencies, but the response never calls too much attention to themselves. There’s some roll-off in the upper treble, but it isn’t destructive to the overall tone. You never have to worry about any piercing textures or overemphasized brightness. This is just a laid-back treble that has nothing to hide, but never overextends.

Summary

For lack of a better word, the Meze 99 Classics are…well, classics. Its sound signature is super easy to be enthralled by, especially in its price range. The soundstage is spacious and understandable, with warm mids and crisp vocal definition. I think these are a no-brainer for anyone that’s still okay with wearing wired headphones on the go. 

The Meze 99 Classics are available here.