The midrange IEM market is a cut-throat one. Person X will tell you “buy *enter random head-fi flavor-of-the-month IEM*, it’s a no-brainer”. And then Person Y will rectify that statement by explaining how overrated said IEM is and this new one that just came out is infinitely better.
Confusions, confusions.
Meze 11 Neo is yet another midrange IEM that promises excellent audio at a moderate price. Meze is a Romanian company that started off with the rather excellent Meze 99 Classics, and is usually known for their wooden headphones/IEMs. Meze 11 Neo is their first metal-clad audio product, and thus warrants a serious look.
So, without further ado.
(Note: the ratings given will be subjective to the price tier. Definitely the expectations from a $15 IEM won’t be the same as a $150 one, and that’s the approach taken while assigning scores.)
Build and Fit: Excellent build quality. I have been using them for almost 3 months, and they have been thrown in and around my backpack/pocket countless times already. The housing itself is Aluminum with a smooth finish. Y-splitter, mic housing and the 3.5mm jack all share the same materials, so it feels consistent throughout. As for the cable, it’s moderately thick, and doesn’t tangle easily. Strain reliefs are ample, and so far has stood all the abuse thrown at it. The cable noise though is a glaring issue. Every movement is enunciated. Wearing it over-the-ear does eliminate cable noise almost entirely, but those who like to wear IEMs cable down: the supplied shirt-clip is a must to use it while commuting. Fit was also effortless, and should not be an issue for anyone due to the plethora of supplied tips.
4/5
Accessories: A nice semi-hard carrying case, a shirt-clip, and numerous tips including genuine Comply T-400 (M) tips and some double-flanges. For the price: more than enough.
4/5
Lows: One of the most unique bass response I’ve heard in a mid-tier IEM. Bass is fast and very well controlled. There is some spillage in the lower-mids, but it’s rather minimal and can be easily taken care of by slight equalization. I personally like the default signature though, as the bass gives a nice “body” to the sound. Sub-bass response is not basshead levels, but can go pretty deep whenever needed. Overall: excellent bass.
4.5/5
Mids: The mids are ever so slightly laid back in the presentation, but the details and tonality are kept intact. Neutral and natural — that’s how I will probably describe the mids of Meze 11 Neo. Resolution is as expected from IEMs at this price range: micro details are missing, but the rest of the elements are rendered really well. Musicality is top-notch for this IEM, and kudos to Meze for that.
4.5/5
Highs: Treble response is quite peculiar. While the signature is far from treble-forward, high-hats are quite detailed and no roll-off is evident. What’s more surprising though is lack of sibilance. Even boosting the treble by +2dB, sibilance and peaks were kept very controlled. Marvelous tuning it must be said. Highs are not as detailed as certain $150+ multi-BA/Hybrid solutions e.g. Fidue A73 or high-end single Dynamic drivers e.g. Pinnacle P1, but it does give many popular IEMs (even much higher priced ones) a run for their money in this department.
4/5
Soundstage: Width/depth is above average, imaging is pretty good however. There is a sense of airiness in the vocals that separates it from the instruments rather well. However, there are other IEMs at this price point with noticably better soundstage.
3.5/5
Imaging: Instrument placement is mostly accurate. There is enough “space” between instruments that you can identify them easily in the soundstage, but with more complex tracks the subtler instrumental details get lost.
4/5
update: after 200hrs+ burn-in, the imaging has improved noticeably. Even in the complex tracks the instruments hold up pretty well. 4.5/5
Bang-for-buck: Considering the overall build, accessories and top-notch musicality, $60 is a pretty reasonable price. However, there are some interesting options at or below this price point, thus it’s not one of those “no-brainer” purchases.
3/5
Comparison with other models
vs SoundMAGIC E80: SoundMAGIC E80 is brighter, and has a better treble extension. The midrange however sounds less organic/musical than 11 Neo. Build quality is stellar on both, but E80 has a better cable due to much lower microphonics. E80 does cost ~$15 more, but if you are after a brighter/more analytical sound, it’s a compelling option.
vs Shozy Zero: Shozy Zero is an interesting comparison given it’s priced exactly the same as 11 Neo, and due to the fact that they sound the polar opposite. 11 Neo is mostly neutral, while Shozy Zero is very dark and warm. Build quality is much better on 11 Neo, so is treble extension. So if you are a heavy metal fan or listen to a lot of female vocals, forget Shozy. You will miss those cymbal hits/higher notes a lot. But if you mostly prefer Pop/Soft Rock/Jazz and certain classical music, Shozy Zero can be an option. However, 11 Neo is much more versatile.
vs Fidue A65: Yet another midrange contender, Fidue A65 is a mid-forward alternative. Highs are cleaner on Meze, and the bass response is faster/more controlled. Mids are luscious on the Fidue though, so vocals stand out more prominently in the presentation. Imaging is also better on Meze.
vs Fiio EX1 (1st gen): Soundstage is massive on the Fiio. But that’s about it. I personally didn’t like it’s overall signature, and 11 Neo sounds more coherent. Mids are also noticeably more recessed on the Fiio model.
Issues:
- Microphonics are the worst part of this IEM. If you hate cable noise and don’t want to wear cable-up/over-the-ear — this one is not for you.
- Soundstage could be a bit wider, but it’s nitpicking really.
Conclusion:
If it wasn’t evident by now — I really liked the Meze 11 Neo. It’s solidly built, has a mostly neutral presentation with slight emphasis on bass so the songs don’t sound dry, and the treble is well defined without being sibilant or having some weird roll-off. Cable noise is its Achilles’ heel, but if you can get around that, there’s a great IEM here.
#Recommended
Test tracks: http://pasted.co/dfa86969
Update 28–08–2018: I’m still using the Meze 11 Neo as a daily driver, and it’s been over a year since it’s been my commute-partner. The IEMs still look pristine even after being abused daily, courtesy of me coiling it up in weird manners and shoving in the pocket. It’s also one of my top recommendations till this day for IEMs under $100. So yeah, still a fan.
