Meze's classic headphones get a big audio upgrade, same sumptuous looks

A man wearing Meze Audio 99 Classics (2nd Generation) headphones in an image that appears to have been shot from behind a large plant, with its leaves blurred in the foreground

(Image credit: Meze Audio)

published 29 October 2025

Quick Summary

Meze Audio has revamped its 99 Classics over-ears with a host of sonic improvements to deliver more accuracy and bass, plus clearer mids and highs.

They are also affordably priced at £349 / €349 / $349.

Romanian high-end audio brand Meze Audio is having a celebration. Its 99 Classics headphones are 10-years-old, and to mark the occasion they have been given an audio upgrade.

Like like other Meze Audio products, the new 99 Classics have been made with longevity in mind – the company says every component is replaceable to extend their' life for years to come. That's not something you find often in even the best headphones on the market.

One thing that hasn't changed in the second gen headphones is the way they look. They have the same striking silhouette as the originals, and feature similar walnut earcups.

It's inside the earcups were you'll find some significant sonic improvements.

Moody product shot of the Meze Audio 99 Classics (2nd Generation) headphones on a black background

Meze Audio 99 Classics 2nd-gen: key features and pricing

Meze says there are 10 key improvements to the reimagined 99 Classics. The tuning has been refined for engaging but controlled bass, with clearer mids and highs. There's improved driver matching algorithms to deliver more accurate stereo imaging. And, subtle internal enlargements inside the ear cups improve low-frequency control.

There is improved acoustic sealing too, plus a dedicated bass port for more precise tuning. While a more open grille should reduce diffraction and high-frequency artefacts.

A new earpad system is on board that maintains a consistent frequency response, and there are also improvements to the spatial imaging, separation and soundstage.

Other practical tweaks have been made as well, including an enlarged 7mm input socket for wider cable compatibility, an upgraded 1.8m dual-twisted, Kevlar-sheathed OFC cable, and a USB-C DAC/amp dongle.

Specs-wise, you're looking at 16 ohm impedance, a frequency range of 15Hz to 25kHz and sensitivity of 103dB SPL/mW at 1kHz. And despite the use of walnut in the ear cups, the 99 Classics are lightweight at 290g.

The Meze Audio 99 Classics (2nd Generation) are available now for £349 / €349 / $349 (about AU$715).

Writer, musician and broadcaster Carrie Marshall has been covering technology since 1998 and is particularly interested in how tech can help us live our best lives. Her CV is a who’s who of magazines, newspapers, websites and radio programmes ranging from T3, Techradar and MacFormat to the BBC, Sunday Post and People’s Friend. Carrie has written more than a dozen books, ghost-wrote two more and co-wrote seven more books and a Radio 2 documentary series; her memoir, Carrie Kills A Man, was shortlisted for the British Book Awards. When she’s not scribbling, Carrie is the singer in Glaswegian rock band Unquiet Mind (unquietmindmusic).

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