Meze Audio 105 AER

Thanks to their black color theme the 105 AER stand out compared to both the 109 PRO and 99 Classics I've reviewed by Meze and well, that's great since many people seem to be looking for something along those lines. Build quality may not be quite on par with that of the 109 PRO but it's better compared to the 99 Classics and based on cost alone that makes sense. Still the 105 AER are durable and should last for a long time (especially since you can get replacement parts from Meze). Comfort levels are set very high both due to the large and plush velour dressed earpads and the self-adjusting headband (open back also helps since heat doesn't build-up as much as with closed back models) so if you enjoy listening to music for long periods the 105 AER will not disappoint. As for audio quality things couldn't be much better. Reproduction of mids and highs feels natural and detailed (mids are emphasized significantly here so the same also applies for vocals), bass levels although not emphasized a lot (normal, especially for open back models) are plenty for most music genres (warmer than other open back models I've used) and as for soundstage it's very deep and wide with impressive separation. Do keep in mind that even though the 105 AER are easy to "drive" the sweet spot is not that easy to find and so even though the FiiO M23 did very well the M15 did even better as did the R9 (although again keep in mind that the R9 produced more bass than the other two – excessive at times - source always matters).

As you might expect from Meze Audio, the 105 AER is another beautifully designed set of headphones. However, importantly, it achieves a good balance in its sound signature, setting itself apart from many of its competitors by prioritizing versatility and compatibility with lower-powered devices.