Meze 12 Classics V2 Review – Updating a Classic

Pros — Beautiful shell design
– Comfortable
– Well-executed (for the most part) V-shaped sound signature
– Good imaging and staging

Cons — Meze 12 Classics V2 is tip sensitive
– 6KHz peak can be fatiguing on some tracks/sources
– Slight metallic timbre
– Fixed cable that’s tangle-prone

INTRODUCTION

I have always admired Meze’s philosophy in terms of product development. In stark contrast to recent craze of releasing “Pro” versions and numerous rehashes of the same IEM within months of each other, Meze develops products with a long shelf-life in mind.

The Meze 12 Classics V2 is the successor/upgrade to their original Meze 12 Classics model which was released almost 5 years ago. The intention of the original model was to have a similar sound signature to Meze 99 Classics (their most popular headphone model) and the updated model tries to do the same.

Let’s see if Meze’s long awaited budget offering can hold against the current competition.

Note: the ratings given will be subjective to the price tier. Meze was kind enough to send me the 12 Classics V2 for the purpose of evaluation.

Sources used: Sony NW-A55, Hidizs AP80Pro
Price, while reviewed: $70. Can be bought from Meze’s Official Website.

PHYSICAL THINGS AND USABILITY

PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES

The Meze 12 Classics V2 have the usual bunch of tips (3 pairs of regular tips, 1 pair of dual-flange) and a nifty carrying case. That’s about all you get. I do wish the single-flange tips were of higher quality as I found them inadequate to provide a good seal (and thus made the Meze 12 Classics V2 sound subpar).
3.5/5

BUILD QUALITY

Wooden IEM shells usually look gorgeous and the Meze 12 Classics V2 is no exception. The housing is a 3-piece design with a walnut housing sandwiched between two aluminium “caps”. The dark walnut wood is contrasted by the copper color-trim of the aluminium pieces and the design exudes class.

Too bad that the fabric-covered cable is a pain to use while commuting. It’s janky, it’s bouncy, it gets coiled in your pocket, forms kinks easily – not a fan at all. Also the cable is fixed but my old Meze 11 Neo is still alive after 5 years (!) so I’d not be too wary of the fixed cable provided you use these carefully. There is a raised nub on the left strain-relief for channel identification.

There is a single vent right beside the cable-entry in the housing. There is adequate strain-relief all around. My biggest gripe is the cable, otherwise the build quality belies the price-tag.
4/5

COMFORT, ISOLATION, AND FIT

Given the bullet-style shell, it’s a fairly comfortable IEM and can be worn both cable-up and cable-down. There is some minor driver flex that subsides after a while. The isolation is good but depends on the tips used.
4/5

SOURCE AND EARTIPS

For this review, I mostly used the Sony NW-A55 player and the Spinfit CP-100+ tips. The warmer signature of the A55 somewhat mitigated the treble peak on the 12 Classics V2 and was quite enjoyable for on-the-go listening. I’d recommend pairing the Meze 12 Classics V2 with a warm source for best results.

DRIVER SETUP

Meze 12 Classics V2 is utilizing an upgraded 8mm Titanium-coated PET driver with a copper-clad Aluminium wire voice-coil. This driver isn’t as fast as the Titanium coated driver on the Dunu Titan 1 but is better than a regular PET driver.

TONALITY AND TECHNICALITIES

The general sound signature of the Meze 12 Classics V2 can be described as V-shaped. However, this is a rather well executed V-shape since the lower mids aren’t too recessed and male vocals have good intelligibility. Bass frequencies dominate the spectrum with deep bass tones having some added reverberation, likely due to the slower decay of the driver. However, the bass has decent texture and thus doesn’t sound one-note. Sub-bass rumble is lacking though, and I expected more slam from the driver (as it was the case with the old 11Neo).

The lower-mids get some warmth from the rise in the upper-bass and in some tracks you can feel the bass bleed into the mids. In most cases though this was kept well under control and lower-mids didn’t sound muffled (albeit they sound distant). The upper-mids are fairly prominent thanks to the 3KHz peak and female vocals sound more in balance with the rest of the frequencies.

The point of contention would then be the lower-treble peak which is rather scary in the graphs. Playing a sine-sweep with the IEMs in my own ear, I can hear the lower-treble peak become strong post 4KHz and sustain itself until 5.6KHz. Then, another peak starts from ~7KHz and sustains until 8KHz. However, these peaks aren’t as fatiguing in real-world scenarios and I couldn’t hear sibilance in any of my test tracks (incl. Evanescence’s Bring Me to Life). This tuning, however, may cause fatigue if you’re sensitive in those regions in the long run.

Dynamics are decent, esp macrodynamics. However, microdynamics (gradual change in volume) isn’t as noticeable and the lack of sub-bass rumble makes sudden bass drops sound less dramatic. Soundstage is impressively wide but lacks depth. Imaging is mostly left/right but due to above-average instrument separation things don’t sound congested at all. Timbre had a metallic sheen to it, a common problem in most Titanium-coated PET drivers.

Bass: 4/5
Mids: 4/5
Treble: 3/5
Imaging/Separation: 4/5
Staging: 4/5
Dynamics/Speed: 3/5

FREQUENCY RESPONSE GRAPH

SELECT COMPARISONS

vs Meze 12 Classics (discontinued): So, did Meze really improve upon the original 12 Classics? Yes, they did. The driver is noticeably faster, bass is better controlled, the imaging/staging are better, and I prefer the new copper-trim a lot more. A true upgrade in all aspects barring the cable.

vs Moondrop Aria ($80): The Moondrop Aria (2021) is my current benchmark in the <$100 price-bracket. Does the Meze 12 Classics V2 dethrone them? Not really. I find the Aria to have better tonal balance overall and better imaging/faster transients.

However, these are differently tuned IEMs with vastly difference preferences in mind. Those who need an exciting, colored, V-shaped presentation will find the extra energy in the Meze 12 Classics V2 that’s lacking on the Aria. However, the detachable cable on the Aria just makes it a better deal for just $10 extra if you want a more balanced sound signature.

vs Final E3000 ($50): The Final E3000 is another favorite of mine under the $100 mark. It also shares a V-shaped sound profile and has a fixed cable + bullet style shell just like the Meze 12 Classics V2.

In terms of sound, three areas where the E3000 absolutely trounces the 12 Classics V2 are: staging, imaging, instrument separation. I also find the vocals to be more “engaging” on the Final E3000, but that’s more down to personal preference (slightly thicker lower-mids on the Final IEM). The Meze 12 Classics does have a more prominent treble, better bass extension, has a more robust stock cable vs the E3000, and is easily driven from most budget sources (the E3000 needs a good source).

CONCLUDING REMARKS

Upgrading a classic like the OG Meze 12 Classics V2 is a tough task, but Meze has done well with the version 2.0. However, competition is far stronger than it was 5 years back, and the 12 Classics V2 isn’t as straightforward a recommendation as the OG was.

For me (and many potential buyers) the fixed cable may be a deal-breaker. Also those who are sensitive to peaky treble may find the 12 Classics V2 over long listening sessions. However, it’s one of the few well-tuned V-shaped sound signature under $100, and that counts as a strong point.

The Meze 12 Classics V2 gets my recommendation if you’re looking for an IEM with V-shaped sound signature (under $100). The design is excellent, the tuning mostly solid, and Meze usually supports their IEMs for a long time. That’s more than you can say about a lot of offerings lately, so there’s that.

MY VERDICT

4/5

Contact us!

DISCLAIMER

Get it from Meze Official Store.

Our generic standard disclaimer.

PHOTOGRAPHY

You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.