Meze Audio's new closed-back headphones are gloriously green and expansive, but the soundstage isn't the only thing about them that's wide

Date:
Wed, 08 Apr 2026 21:30:00 +0000

Description:
In which Meze Audio takes elements of one of its more expensive models, adds elements from one of its similarly priced models, but manages to comfortably avoid a Frankensteins monster -style outcome

FULL STORY ======================================================================Meze Audio Strada: Two-minute review Visually, the Meze Audio Strada are more than a little reminiscent of the companys much more expensive Liric II planar magnetic over-ear headphones. In terms of the most important technical aspects, they share quite a bit with the brands 109 Pro open-back model. But despite all this apparent cross-pollination, the closed-back, dynamic driver-toting Strada manage to be a distinct and individual proposition. And not only because theyre only available in a combination of ebony hardwood and a delightfully deep, slightly metallic green.

The materials that have been deployed magnesium, PU leather and memory foam as well as that good-looking quantity of Macassar wood feel luxurious and utterly fit for purpose. The standard of build and finish cannot be argued with. Its even possible to overlook the rather unsophisticated adjustment rod mechanism that alters the fit although it is not possible to overlook the fact that even at their smallest adjustment these are quite large headphones. The smaller-headed music-lover can probably stop reading now. Those listeners who arent physically swamped by the Strada, though, are in for a treat a spacious, detailed and deliciously informative treat that only the best wired headphones can deliver. By the standards of the closed-back configuration these headphones sound large and airy, and create a well-defined and
expansive soundstage. The have plenty of dynamic headroom, great neutrality where both tonality and frequency response are concerned, a proper facility with rhythmic expression thanks to excellent control over the deep and textured low frequencies they generate, and an overall sense of refinement
and sophistication that is bound to satisfy a whole lot of customers.

In fact, if they didnt play the refinement card quite so strongly, even when dealing with the most unrefined music, they could conceivably snatch that extra half-a-star. (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas) Meze Audio Strada at Sevenoaks Sound and Vision for 799 Meze Audio Strada review: Price & release date Released January 21, 2026 Priced $799 / 799 / AUS1,499 The Meze Audio Strada (stylised to 'STRADA' in the company's marketing materials) are on
sale now, and in the United States they sell for $799 per pair. Theyre 799 in the United Kingdom, and AU$1,499 in Australia. Which means they have so very stiff competition, from both inside and outside their parent company, to overcome if theyre going to be a hit (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)
Meze Audio Strada review: Specs Swipe to scroll horizontally

Type

Closed-back wired over-ears

Drivers

50mm dynamic

Weight

332g

Cable length

2x 1.8m

Cable terminations

3.5mm to 3.5mm; 3.5mm to 4.4mm

Frequency response

5Hz - 30kHz frequency response (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas) Meze
Audio Strada review: Features 50mm dynamic drivers 5Hz - 30kHz frequency response 111dB sensitivity There are very few pairs of passive headphones
that have a long list of features, and the Meze Audio Strada are not among them. The one significant feature they do have, though, has quite obviously come in for an awful lot of attention.

The 50mm dynamic drivers Meze Audio has used here are derived from the
drivers fitted to the companys open-back 109 PRO model but naturally its
been finessed in order to suit its new closed-back environment. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

So each driver features a W-shaped dome made from carbon fibre-reinforced cellulose composite its a combination that offers light weight and durability, and is designed to reject most of the resonances that can cause audible distortion. The torus surrounding the dome is made of semicrystalline polymer thats been beryllium-coated; the coating adds to the durability of
the component, and because it adds stiffness without any knock-on effects where weight is concerned it doesnt hamper transient response. The torus also features some grooves positioned at carefully calculated angles to further boost its effectiveness. And theres a copper-zinc alloy stabiliser
surrounding the membrane that absorbs unwanted vibrations and reduces distortion yet further.

This painstaking arrangement results in a frequency response, says Meze
Audio, of 5Hz - 30kHz, which in real terms means staggeringly deep to inaudibly high. The 4ohms impedance measurement is nothing to be alarmed by, but a sensitivity rating of 111dB (SPL/mW @ 1kHz) seems to suggest a fairly powerful DAC or digital audio player will be required to get the best out of these headphones. Features score: 4.5 / 5 (Image credit: Future / Simon
Lucas) Meze Audio Strada review: Sound quality Spacious, organised and detailed sound Seem comfortable with pretty much any style of music Could conceivably sound a little more demonstrative If youve read the words closed-back during the course of this review and have assumed the Strada are going to sound intimate, direct and quite, well, closed then I cant really blame you thats how the vast majority of closed-back headphones sound, after all. But whats most immediately striking about these Meze Audio is how open and spacious their presentation is. They can do direct and conspiratorial, sure a listen to a nice big FLAC file of Elliott Smiths Between the Bars
lets you know they can communicate on a very one-to-one basis. But switch up to Shabakas Ol Time African Gods as a 24bit/48kHz file and it quickly becomes apparent the Strada create a big, well-organised and airy soundstage on which pretty much any recording gets the space to stretch out and express itself.

Tonally, the Meze Audio are almost entirely neutral from the top of the frequency range to the bottom. Theres the tiniest suggestion of heat at the lowest frequencies, but its not even close to making you want to take your pullover off. And the frequency response they muster is similarly even-handed
though they dig very deep into the lowest frequencies, and have great shine and a polite amount of shine at the opposite end, they neither under- nor overstate any particular area of the range. And in between those two
extremes, they communicate in the most unequivocal manner listen again to that Elliott Smith tune and the eloquence of his voice in unarguable.

These headphones seem able to turn their hand to pretty much any type of music, too. They have the sort of dynamic reach to put huge distance between the quietest and the most intense passage of Bernsteins rampage through Gershwins Rhapsody in Blue , they are deft enough to tease out the harmonic over- and undertones that exist within the squeal and grind of The Stooges I Wanna Be Your Dog , they have the power and the facility with rhythmic expression to make the heavily sedated skank of Dr Alimantados Best Dressed Chicken in Town roll by in the most natural and convincing manner.

Really, about the only meaningful criticism I can level at the Strada is not so much about the nuts and bolts of music reproduction but more about attitude. Theres a slightly self-conscious sense of refinement to these Meze Audio headphones, a grown-up and unflappable character thats very pleasant
and welcome right until the moment that it isnt. If theres energy in a recording, the STRADA do more than just allude to it, but at the same time, they seem unwilling or unable to properly sink their teeth in. I get the impression they think this sort of behaviour is both juvenile and a bit beneath them if they could sound a little more demonstrative when its absolutely crucial, theyd be holding all the cards. Sound quality score: 4.5
/ 5 (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas) Meze Audio Strada review: Design Macassar hardwood ear cups Magnesium frame PU leather ear pads attach magnetically The Strada are, at a glance, a dead ringer for Meze Audios (much more expensive) Liric II over-ear model. The fact the pricier headphones use planar magnetic technology to produce sound, rather than the dynamic drivers that are fitted here, goes a long way to explaining the price difference certainly theres nothing about the way the Strada are designed, built or finished that suggests penny-pinching.

The magnesium frame contributes towards a very acceptable 300g weight
(without cables attached), and the carefully considered hanger arrangement
and clamping force also helps the comfort quotient. Or, at least, it does if youre not one of the smaller-headed among us the Strada, like almost every pair of Meze Audio headphones Ive encountered, are large.

The rather prosaic adjustment rod mechanism that alters the fit of the headphones allows the size to run from quite large to very large indeed.

As well as being quite large, these headphones are quite wide and the generous nature of the PU leather-covered memory foam earpads makes them larger still. Happily, the broad headband (which is covered on the outside with more PU leather) is much more judiciously padded on its fabric-covered inside, and the layout of the padding allows air to flow and prevents your head from warming up too quickly.

The outside of the ear cups are, just as with the Liric II, made from some handsome and actually quite tactile Macassar ebony hardwood. The lustre of
the wood contrasts nicely with the colour of the frame its a mildly metallic variation on British Racing Green, its applied by hand (all four coats of it) and its your only option when it comes to the colour of the Strada.

The headphones arrive in a fairly large, rigid EVA travel case, and theres a little pouch inside containing two 1.8m lengths of braided Kevlar OFC cable. Each has two 3.5mm terminations at one end (both Strada earcups must be wired), and at the other end theres either a single-ended 3.5mm connection or a 4.4mm Pentacon alternative. Plug in both ear cups, plug the other end of your preferred cable into your source of music, and away you go. Design
score: 4.5 / 5 (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas) Meze Audio Strada review: Value Aesthetically very similar to much pricier Meze Audio cans and luckily, they sound very good too If youre judging purely on looks, its hard to argue against the value thats on offer here after all, the $799 / 799 Strada look very, very similar indeed to the $2,000 / 1899 Liric II. If youre judging on engineering prowess and integrity of construction, its similarly tricky to suggest the Strada dont represent value. And then when you consider the sound quality that these headphones are able to serve up, their case becomes even more watertight. Value score: 4.5 / 5 (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas) Should I buy the Meze Audio Strada? Swipe to scroll horizontally

Section

Notes

Score

Features

Two cable options in 1.8m, lovely build and finish

4.5/5

Sound quality

Detailed and beautifully accurate, just erring half a star over on 'refinement'

4.5/5

Design

The only issue here is, they're a touch large for some heads

4.5 / 5

Value

They look much more expensive than they are (similar to a lot of other Meze cans that actually are)

4.5/5 (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas) Buy them if... You like things luxurious but not opulent Theres more than a hint of premium about the
STRADA, but they dont shout about it You enjoy detailed, expansive sound The amount of detail that available here is predictably excellent, the spacious sound delivered by a closed-back arrangement is altogether less predictable You like green Specifically quite dark, slightly metallic green thats been flawlessly applied in multiple coats Don't buy them if... You like the more visceral aspects of music reproduction Even at their most abandoned the
Strada never sound less than refined Youre one of those smaller-headed people These are large headphones and you are unlikely to feel comfortable wearing them Youre a fidget Keep bumping the cable and it will keep transmitting
noise into the headphones (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas) Meze Audio Strada review: Also consider (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas) If the closed-back configuration isnt essential for you, then the Meze Audio 109 PRO are well worth considering they have much of what makes the Strada so compelling, and theyre not green.

You can also consider the five-star Grado Hemp great sound, interesting materials and a decent saving over the Strada, but hardly the last word in luxury.

If closed-back is your thing, though, then the Audio Technica ATH-W1000 (for
a little less money than the Meze Audio) and the Audeze LCD-2 (for more-or-less the same price) should be on your radar. (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas) How I tested the Meze Audio Strada I use the cable with the
4.4mm termination to connect the Strada to an iBasso DX340 digital audio player, and also (although obviously not at the same time) to an iFi iDSD Diablo 2 headphone amp/DAC thats hooked to an Apple MacBook Pro via USB-C. Additionally, I connect them to the 6.3mm headphones socket of an Eversolo DAC-Z10 pre-amp/DAC (using a 6.3mm adapter on the 3.5mm cable) this way I
get to hear music delivered by a Technics SL-1300G turntable, a Rega Apollo
CD player, and an Arcam ST25 network streamer. (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas) First reviewed: April 2026 Read more about how we test Meze Audio Strada : Price Comparison 799 View No price information Check Amazon We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices powered by



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