Meze Audio 105 AER

Sound

Bass

The 105 AERs bass is very warm and satisfying, it has good decay and adds a heavy note weight to bass notes and instruments. It extends well and sub-bass can be heard without struggle or needing to nitpick for it. If you are someone who wants very tight and analytical bass, this wouldn’t be the headphone for you as the bass blooms and gets thick in the mid-bass area. I’d call the bass more fun than accurate, but that being said, the bass is not without detail or texture. The texture is clean and well-rounded, just not tight or quick like other more “neutral” headphones, such as the Sennheiser HD6X0 line. 

Midrange

Much like the bass, the midrange of the 105 AER is warm. The boosted mid-bass rides into the lower mids, adding to the thick presentation of the low end. The low mids are boosted, which gives instruments and vocals a good body and thickness when it's called for. My biggest problem with the 105 AER is the upper midrange scoop at 2khz, that said, it isn't an issue most of the time. Some attribute this scoop to adding sound staging through psychoacoustics, but I don’t hear an improvement when I fill in the scoop through EQ. Instead, for me, it makes the upper midrange and female vocals less forward, taking away some of the shine. It also makes the midrange presented as more warm, which is a common theme with this headphone. 

Treble

The treble is presented very neutrally for lack of a better term. It isn’t laid back or veiled, nor is it bright or overly detailed. I never find it to be sibilant or harsh, even in songs that get bright or uncontrolled. It also isn’t grainy which gives the treble a natural texture and detail. The treble is just airy enough never to be annoying or dark, I appreciate this because matched with the natural lower treble it just becomes a great treble response.

Technical performance

As far as a headphone tuned for warmth, the technical performance is quite good. The main thing I enjoy about it is the layering of the midrange. Vocals and instruments are textured and separated, complex songs don’t get overcrowded or smeary in their presentation. However, the 105 AER lacks openness and width in the top end. I don’t like describing things like soundstage but these aren’t the widest sounding headphones. While not wide, they don’t sound claustrophobic or boxy. As far as headphones I’ve tried, these have the best balance of tonality to technical ratio, about the middle of the road.

Conclusion

I place the Meze 105 AER in the S+ rank. They score so highly because of their robust and beautiful build, pleasant tonality, deep bass response, and satisfying technical capabilities. 

These are an impressive pair of headphones, they are the first set that has been able to beat the Sennheiser HD6XX out of the position of daily driver. Everything may not sound correct, but it all sounds good and natural. If you are looking for a warm but balanced pair of open-backs, and value a stellar build quality and design, then these would be the pair for you.