the new ALBA earphones from Romanian brand Meze Audio come with USB-C DAC so you can use them with … [+]
High-end Romanian headphone brand, Meze Audio, has just announced its first pair of In-Ear Monitors and the price is as much a revelation as the product. ALBA which stands for “First Light” in Romanian is designed for people wanting a first taste of high-end earphones.
ALBA earphones are the entry point to Meze Audio’s growing portfolio of headphones and earphones and they preserve the brand’s design language while providing a comfortable fit, good passive noise isolation and an immersive listening experience.
If you’ve not heard any of Meze Audio’s products before, take it from me that they make some amazing headphones with a styling that echoes the Art Nouveau style so beloved in Romania. ALBA provides a toe in the water for sampling the kind of quality that Meze Audio’s best-in-class collection offers.
Sensibly priced and beautifully designed, the Meze Audio ALBA earphones are step on the first rung … [+]
The new earphones are tuned to have a neutral sound profile and a splash of warmth that only really comes with wired earphones. Using a combination of zinc alloy and anodized aluminum parts, the ALBA are robust enough for everyday use without wearing away their lustrous pearlescent appearance.
Meze Audio says the ALBA will make a good pairing with a wide range of music sources, including the latest iPhone and other smartphones that have USB-C connectivity, as well as those with the traditional 3.5mm output.
The ALBA earphones have a cable with a gold-plated 3.5mm connector but they also ship with a custom-made USB-C adapter with a built-in DAC. This little gadget lets you use wired headphones on almost any device with a USB-C port. The adapter not only improves the sound quality of almost any smartphone, but it also serves up a more immersive listening experience, according to Meze Audio.
The ALBA earphones are supplied with a USB-C DAC so you can plug the earphones into the 3.5mm jack.
The new earphones have a single 10.8mm dynamic driver in each earpiece with a frequency range of 15-25kHz. The sound pressure level (SPL) is a healthy 109dB and Meze Audio has included silicone ear tips in four different sizes for a more comfortable fit.
Pricing & Availability: Meze Audio’s new ALBA earphones will be available for pre-order from June 20, 2024, at mezeaudio.com. The launch price with be $159/£139 / €159.
Tech Specs:
- Driver: 10.8 mm Dynamic.
- Frequency range: 15Hz – 25kHz.
- Impedance: 32Ω at 1kHz
- Frequency response: 4 – 92,000Hz.
- SP: 109 dB SPL/V at 1kHz.
- Distortion: