DESIGN NAME: Liric
PRIMARY FUNCTION: Headphone
INSPIRATION: At Meze Audio, products are created from pure passion for great aesthetics, good craftsmanship and breakthrough engineering. With few exceptions, audio gear is rarely considered a work of art, and design often comes second to performance. Our ultimate goal is to change that perspective and find the perfect balance between aesthetics and functionality. We wanted LIRIC to embody that vision and deliver all the benefits of an open-back, planar magnetic design, in a portable frame.
UNIQUE PROPERTIES / PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Combining a contemporary aesthetic with state-of-the-art engineering, LIRIC is the first closed-back headphone powered by the Isodynamic Hybrid Array driver. A blend of magnesium, leather, stainless steel and aluminum in an ergonomic, ovoid design, LIRIC is one of the very few high-end closed-back planar magnetic headphones available.
OPERATION / FLOW / INTERACTION: The headphone is powered by the innovative Isodynamic Hybrid Array Driver created by Rinaro Isodynamics. Combined with the closed-back design, the driver helps preserve the original clarity and emotion of your favorite music through enhanced sound and minimize external noise.
It can be driven by almost any portable source without needing amplification and, when paired with your device of choice, it delivers natural, detailed sound, with impressive transparency and an undeniable feeling of space that goes beyond anything you can expect from a closed-back headphone.
PROJECT DURATION AND LOCATION: Meze Audio started working on Liric in 2019, and it took nearly 2 years until completion. The result is a blend of high build quality, excellent comfort, and a natural, immersive sound.
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PRODUCTION / REALIZATION TECHNOLOGY: The main priority was to make these headphones compact, light and comfortable, and they had to work seamlessly with the Isodynamic Hybrid Array driver inside. After experimenting with various materials, magnesium turned out to be the best solution for creating a lightweight, yet reliable frame. A stainless-steel headband and aluminum rods on the side were added for easy adjustment while ensuring the proper pressure needed to keep the headphone in place while moving around.
SPECIFICATIONS / TECHNICAL PROPERTIES: Dimensions: W 93 mm x H 204 mm
TAGS: headphones, magnesium, industrial, product design, audio, technology, electronics
RESEARCH ABSTRACT: In a world where everything is fast-paced, even the life span of the products that we use most in our day-to-day life, Meze Audio aims to create a long-lasting audiophile headphone, that preserves the qualities of true hi-fi and pairs them admirably with an ergonomic design approach and a sleek, modern finish. After 2 years of intense research and thousands of iterations, the result is a no-compromise audiophile-grade portable headphone.
CHALLENGE: Meze Audio's goal was to create an audiophile portable headphone that true connoisseurs can enjoy on the go. Everything needed to be scaled down: the driver had to be re-designed to comply with the new, smaller shape; the weight of the headphone had to be adjusted by use of lightweight premium materials, the packaging had to be thought for easy transportation and maneuvering. The use of magnesium for the frame of the headphone ensures that they stay flexible, shock-resistant and oxidation free.
ADDED DATE: 2022-03-25 07:53:30
TEAM MEMBERS (2) : Lead Designer: Antonio Meze and Design Team: Paul Stet, Remus Feldman
IMAGE CREDITS: Antonio Meze, 2021.
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