Meze Strada

The brand's new proposal fills a gap in its catalog, proving that Meze listens to its followers and continues to offer excellent options to audio lovers.

The new proposal from the brand fills a gap in its catalog, proving that Meze listens to its followers and continues to offer excellent options to audio lovers.

The beginning of the year usually catches us all with the great challenge of picking up everything left pending before the holiday break. It is also an excellent opportunity to resume pending conversations or plans once things return to normalcy.

Something like this happened during an interaction with DeCine Audio y Video, when we were discussing which reviews we could start 2026 with. "Do you want to hear the new release from Meze?", "Of course!"

A couple of days later, a box arrived at my door. Upon opening it: a surprise. A new model, so new in fact, that it didn't even appear on the website. The only request was that the review should be published after the official announcement. Very well.

Normally, I begin reviews based on some information, specifications, or data that allow me to anticipate what I will find. On this occasion, my only weapons were my limited experience and my previous contact with the brand's products. Without fear, let's move forward. (Eventually, I received the promotional material, which I have used to complement my first impressions and explain in these lines).

Speculation flared up in forums and social media for a few days. Many users thought the novelty would be a pair of wireless headphones. Few paid attention to Meze's lineup and the evident gap that existed in their closed-back headphone offerings, as well as the fact that these headphones had already snuck onto the brand's stand at a previous event.

Construction

A discrete box and a careful design reveal only a solid transport case inside.

The case itself is of excellent quality and design (the same as the Lyric, perhaps?) Yes. Upon opening it, the secret is revealed: a pair of closed-back headphones with the exterior design of the Lyric, but in a beautiful metallic green color instead of black. Accompanying the headphones is a cable with only a 3.5mm termination. I understand, after reviewing the material, that it will include an adapter of some kind.

Since we didn't have technical details at the start, we focused on observing. A ventilation port reminds us, once again, of the Liric and the brand's Pressure Equalization System technology. Macassar Ebony wood on the cups and copper-colored finishes complete the ensemble.

The support, or headband, is made of leather with the model name engraved. Good padding and finishes, typical of previous experiences with Meze and their almost obsessive attention to detail.

The earpads, finished in leather with excellent memory foam filling and comfort, are magnetically attached and reveal little about the drivers.

These are not the Lyric drivers (obviously); it seems to be the 50mm driver mounted in the 109 PRO, with a new exterior support slightly reminiscent of a beehive. If so, these are drivers with a beryllium treatment applied to the frame and a copper and zinc stabilization ring on the edge of the membrane. The documentation mentions a slight fine-tuning in terms of sound. I cannot give an opinion here; the 109 PRO are among the few Meze models I have yet to hear.

Under each cup is a connector that projects forward in a 3.5mm termination. The supplied cable is of excellent quality (braided OFC) like all from the brand, with a good finish (in Kevlar) and functionality. Correct length. In this demo product, a 6.5mm adapter was included, much appreciated, as it is the connection for my Icon Audio HP8 MKII.

With everything in order, we prepare for the next step:

How They Sound

The associated equipment was:

• Preamp: McIntosh C504

• DAC: Lampizator Amber 5

• Streamer: Innuos PULSE Mini + LPSU

• Streaming Platform: Qobuz/ROON

• Interconnects: Wires4Music Seth RCA

• Power Treatment: Lampizator Silk

• Power Cables: Wires4Music Seth

• Rack: Artesanía Audio Prestige 4

• Accessories: Artesanía Audio Damper

• Headphone Cables: Stock cables for each headphone (of course), Hart Audio Cables.

I also used the following as portable platforms: iFi xDSD Gryphon and the Nobsound P10-PRO (upcoming review) with the QKZ TC MAX PRO Dongle DAC.

Well, I normally let components burn in for a while before forming an idea of their performance but, I must admit, curiosity got the better of me. I listened to the Strada from moment one. What surprised me was not that they required almost no burn-in (the distributor confirmed they hadn't been able to listen to them yet), but that the sound was so clear and detailed from the start.

Listening to the essential Muddy Waters - My Home is in the Delta, it was possible to notice from the beginning the detail captured in the background of the recording. Every movement of the artist, every breath, the subtle sounds surrounding him. It had been a long time since I perceived such a sharp projection.

Changing musical genres, as we usually do, the cello of Roger Morelló Ros in The Voice of Casals (IBS Classical) produced a striking image. The same result was yielded by María Dueñas’s violin in her recording of Paganini's caprices. The Strada’s ability to draw the image of the artist, her instrument, and her interaction transported us, as soon as we closed our eyes, to an intimate stage, an organic and clear presentation where we are the only spectator.

I tried to convince myself it wasn't possible; I tried to put more obstacles in front of the Strada. Therefore, immediately after, I disconnected them from the Icon Audio and its associated components, lest it be said that what I hear is a result of those and not the Meze.

We pivoted to the iFi Gryphon: same result. Transparent, detailed without being analytical, almost surgical projection of details and space but with a touch of musicality and warmth that isn't fatiguing. I can't believe it. In this price range (€700), I have heard headphones with good presentation, but this is over the top. We are playing in a much higher range.

Let’s go to the minimum: smartphone, Dongle DAC, and a hybrid amplifier (incorporating tubes in its circuit) that is portable, small, and very interesting: The Nobsound P10-PRO. Surely we’ll make the Strada hit a bump, right? We are taking away power and adding more elements to the chain.

Zero, zip, zilch. Just like in the other two configurations, the headphones grab us from the very first second. Detail, projection. It is incredible that closed-back headphones have this soundstage; some open-back models we have tested have encountered more hurdles in giving the proper width to Head Space: Candlelight by The King's Singers (a work by Signum Classics). Excellent handling of dynamic range and space.

Technical Data

Driver Type Dynamic

Input Connector Dual 3.5 mm TS Jack

Driver Size 50 mm

Total Harmonic Distortion <0.1% at 1 kHz

Frequency Range 5 Hz - 30 kHz

Ear Cup Covers Macassar Ebony Wood

Impedance 40 Ω

Frame Magnesium

Sensitivity 111 dB SPL/mW at 1 kHz

Weight 330 g (11.64 oz)

Conclusions

Let’s see, moving on. Surely we can find some flaw. Bass? Defined, excellent body, good presence. Soundstage depth? Remarkable projection in terms of three-dimensionality. Comfortable? Very. As Shakira once said, we are running out of arguments and methodology.

The Strada stands out; what’s more, it stands out in everything. I have had them glued to my head this past week. The burn-in has done nothing more than what a Spanish cedar humidor does to a good habano: rounding out the flavor and softening its notes.

It is clear that Meze knows a thing or two about how to manufacture and tune headphones. The Strada are, in real terms, remarkable headphones. Better yet, they come to complement a solid lineup of options from the brand and, as if that weren't enough, they signal that Meze is still on the right track, with the promise that everything to come will probably be even better.

Congratulations to Meze, and thank you for striving so hard to bring us products of this quality. Thanks also to DeCine Audio y Video who, as always, ensure we can bring you the latest additions from their excellent product catalog.

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