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Meze Audio 105 AER
MSRP: $399.00
“Meze’s 105 AER pairs sonic excellence with all-day comfort.”
Pros
- Well-built from high-quality materials
- Very comfortable for long sessions
- Clear, precise, and detailed sound
- Comes with a hard shell travel case
Cons
- May not fit smaller heads
I’ve just had my first experience with a Meze Audio set of headphones, but it won’t be my last. After spending a few weeks with the new Meze 105 AER — the Romanian audio company’s most affordable open-back model — I now have a deep-seated need to hear what its more expensive headphones can do. Because if spending $399 is all it takes to get the incredible clarity and detail I’ve been enjoying, the mind boggles at what might be possible if you spent more.
If you’re an open-back enthusiast, you already know that this kind of headphone design lets sound (air) travel freely in both directions through the backs of the earcups. Fans of this approach value the more natural, “open” quality of the sound they create.
Simon Cohen / Digital Trends
If you’ve only ever used closed-back cans (e.g. wireless headphones from companies like Bose, Beats, or Sony), you can probably tell just by looking at the 105 AER that they’re nothing like those products. But it’s still worth pointing out that these aren’t the right choice for commuting, sitting in a Starbucks, or flying — they offer almost no isolation from external sounds.
Where they excel, however, is for at-home critical listening, or any place where you can be assured of relative peace and quiet. The oversized, velour-covered ear cushions are comfortable for long listening sessions — even while wearing glasses — and I never found them too hot. The wide headband attaches to the steel frame via an auto-adjusting inner strap, and does a great job at distributing pressure.
Simon Cohen / Digital Trends
At 11.8 ounces, the 105 AER are a bit heavier than competing open-ear cans, but their clamping force compensates for it with just the right amount of squeeze. It keeps the earcups where you place them, while avoiding unwanted pressure.
If I could change one thing, I’d shorten the headband by a few millimeters on each side. I have a very small head. If it were any smaller, the headband would end up floating above it, instead of pressed against it — something to keep in mind if your noggin is also on the smaller side.