Antonio Meze is Meze Audio’s founder and lead designer. He established the company in 2011 in Baia Mare, Romania. First he named it Meze Headphones and later changed it to Meze Audio. The story started long before Meze Headphones came to life. Antonio Meze was traveling frequently for his work as a product designer. He was unsatisfied by the lack of a pair of headphones that he felt emotionally connected to, something with personality and soul. 

Meze began to experiment with headphone construction using parts available on the market. A unique aspect from the very beginning was his use of wood to craft the headphone cups, setting Meze Audio apart from competitors back then, who typically used plastics and polymers.

After years of research and development, the company’s big breakthrough arrived in 2015 with the launch of the Meze 99 Classics, developed entirely in-house. The 99 Classics received widespread acclaim from audiophiles for their distinctive design and engaging sound. 

Today, Meze Audio continues to innovate with new headphones and in-ear monitors, upholding their founding principles of a timeless design and comfort with a passion for music and art. The company does not follow populair trends or rush new products to market. Meze Audio makes effort to sculpt each creation with attention. They combine natural materials like wood and metal.

In this review, we will take a look at their beautiful Alba, which means ‘first light’ in Roemenian.

 The Alba, is launched as an affordable (single) dynamic driver IEM. Ideal for use with smartphones, dap’s or USB dacs. It serves as a logical upgrade from basic wired earbuds or standard wireless options.  

The Alba uses a single 10.8mm dynamic driver with an impedance of 32 Ω.

Test equipment:
– Mojo2 + Poly
– Sparkos Labs Gemini
– Shanling M8T
– Luxsin X9

Specs:

• Driver: 10.8 mm dynamic driver

• Frequency Response: 15 Hz – 25 kHz

• Impedance: 32 Ω at 1 kHz

• Sensitivity: 109 dB

• Total Harmonic Distortion (THD): < 0.1% at 1 kHz

• Weight (without cable): ~14 g

In the box
The Alba is delivered in two boxes, one for the USB-C DAC and one for the headphones.

• The Alba in-ear monitors
• A compact carrying case
• Three sizes of ear tips (S, M, L, XL)
• A 2pin cable with 3.5 termination.
• USB-C DAC

In a separate box you’ll find a USB Type-C dac to 3.5mm adapter, a nice gesture, making smartphone or laptop use easy.

Although I expect limited demand among entry-level buyers, offering users an option for 4.4mm out-of-the-box would have been nice. 

Design
Meze Audio has a solid track record for good designs and build quality, the Alba keeps that standard high, despite its lower price point. Combining zinc and aluminium, the IEM’s premium look goes beyond its price point.

The build quality is excellent, with clean assembly and secure-fitting 2-pin connectors. Even the nozzle and wax filter show careful attention to detail. The only aspect that doesn’t quite match the overall refinement is the cable.

Alba provides a remarkable comfortable fit, suitable even for extended wear. The supplied eartips are comfortable and pair well with Alba’s ergonomics.

Isolation took some effort at the beginning, but I was able to get a comfortable fit eventually. The fit is moderate rather than exceptional. The necessary venting to accommodate the dynamic driver mean Alba does not completely seal out external noise, providing acceptable but not superior isolation.

Sound Quality
Meze Audio appears to deliberately target everyday listeners with the Alba, emphasizing natural tonality and balanced musicality over boosting bass or dramatic frequency contours. The resulting sound is coherent, detailed and invitingly smooth. 

Treble
Treble performance on the Alba is pleasant and articulate, delivering a clear detail without any harshness. The upper frequencies show limitations in extension and air, which makes a little forgiving. The smoothness and precision are commendable at this price point. High notes exhibit a realistic weight, maintaining an open and clear soundstage. Despite some restrain and extension in the lower treble, overall clarity and separation remain very good.

Midrange
The Alba presents mid-range frequencies neutral with a gentle touch of warmth. It sounds transparent, clear and detailed. While not particularly forward or vivid in their attack, vocals and instruments retain clear and have adequate dynamics. Slightly fuller mids would have enhanced more musical engagement, but overall performance remains strong.

Bass
The bass is controlled and balanced, with sufficient presence. Its moderation ensures the bass supports rather than overwhelms, maintaining clarity across all genres. The bass response has decent detail, though it lacks deep sub-bass rumble or textured mid-bass. Transitions into mids are clean and provide an enjoyable listening experience.

Soundstage 
The Alba delivers quite a wide soundstage, creating a spacious presentation that significantly exceed typical budget expectations. Depth and layering, while decent, understandably lag behind pricier alternatives. Nevertheless, separation and positioning accuracy are excellent. Detail retrieval is very good and timing is precise.

Melody Gardot – Our Love Is Easy, from the album My One and Only Thrill
The Meze Alba brought out the velvety warmth in Melody Gardot’s voice with remarkable grace. Her smoky phrasing flows effortlessly, the gentle piano and strings are rendered with a soft shimmer that made the track intimate and soulful. There was a nice romantic richness to the mids.

Ibrahim Ferrer – Guaguancó Callejero, from the album Buenos Hermanos
With the Alba’s, the rhythmic pulse of Cuban street music came alive. You could really feel the wood of the congas and the subtle rasp of Ferrer’s voice textured beautifully against a backdrop of horns and percussion. The Alba’s dynamic range and natural tone gave the track a festive realism, full of life and streetwise charm.

The Dave Brubeck Quartet – Take Five, from the album Time Out
The Meze Alba’s handled Paul Desmond’s alt sax with a delicate touch, it float effortlessly, with a silky edge and just enough bite to enjoy. The piano had weight without muddiness and the snap of the snare drum was crisp and natural. The Alba preserves the jazz club atmosphere with finesse and space.

Sophie Milman – That is love, from the album Take Love Easy
Sophie’s voice, slightly airy but rich with color was perfectly framed by the Alba’s sweet upper mids and elegant treble extension. Every word carried nuance, the breathiness, the phrasing and the backing instrumentation wrapped around her like velvet. Very nice.

Buika – Jodido pero Contenta, from the album En Mi Piel
Buika’s raw emotional was delivered, with power. Her voice came through textured and intimate, the Alba capturing every whisper and wail. The Spanish guitar sounded vibrant and tactile and the silence between the notes spoke volumes. There was real soul listening to this track, no detail was missed.

Meze Audio Alba product page