Meze Alba Review – Adaptable

Pros –

Compact, comfortable design, Excellent build quality, Balanced and inviting tuning, Great note texturing throughout, USB-C dongle included in the box.

Cons –

Thinner cable tangle-prone, Treble extension could be better

Verdict –

The Alba represents one of the strongest all-around packages at this asking price with a gorgeous tonality that does the brand justice, making it a personal favourite recommendation.

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About Meze –

Meze is an award-winning audio company from Romania that specializes in high-end headphones. They focus on superlative craftsmanship, authenticity, immersive yet emotive sound tuning and excellent ergonomics and design. In addition, a core value for Meze is longevity, delivering serviceable products and sale of replacement parts straight to the consumer. This philosophy has granted the company a dedicated worldwide fanbase that continues to grow with each release.

Introduction –

Meze is a name near and dear to the hearts of many audiophiles who likely first think of their gorgeous headphone designs. This is because though the company has made quite a few attempts at piercing the IEM market, few have taken hold. The Advar was one of their most well-received models, boasting a compact yet premium design and a punchy, V-shaped sound. Similar to the trend we’ve observed on the newly released 105 AER, the Alba assumes the same formula as the brand’s premium model but brings it down to a far more affordable price point.

The Alba is available for $160 USD at the time of writing. You can read more about it and secure one for yourself at Meze Audio and Minidisc (AU)!

Disclaimer –

I would like to thank Alexandra from Meze very much for reaching out to organize a review of the new Alba. All words are my own and there is no monetary incentive for a positive review. Despite receiving the earphones free of cost, I will attempt to be as objective as possible in my evaluation.

Contents –

• Page 1: Intro, Unboxing, Design
• Page 2: Sound and Source Pairings
• Page 3: Comparisons & Verdict

Specifications –

• Drivers: 10.8mm Dynamic Driver
• Frequency Response: 15 Hz – 25 kHz
• Sensitivity: 109 dB
• Impedance: 32 ohms

Unboxing –

The packaging sees a clear simplification to hit the lower asking price but it still leaves a positive impression all the same. As with most listeners, I don’t suspect many will lament this. A hard box with silver print opens to reveal the earphones and white leather zipper case in a foam inlet. Meze have added plastic pull tabs onto the earphones to make removal easier, a thoughtful touch. Within the case is the included 3.5mm 2-pin cable that sports SPC conductors. The case itself is made from what Meze dubs “eco-leather”. It has a velvet interior and compact dimensions overall that make it portable yet protective. In a separate box included in the bundle is a type-C dongle. It shares similar SPC conductors to the included cable alongside metal hardware. This is a nice addition for smartphone listeners and easily represents one of the better-quality dongle adaptors I’ve seen. Meze also included a 4.4mm balanced cable with my review unit which shares an identical construction with the standard 3.5mm cable. While the cable itself didn’t offer any audible benefits, the balanced connector can help to draw a bit more power out from portable sources.

Design –

Meze always makes this part of the review easy to write; the Alba is overall a masterclass in design and construction. Those familiar with the Advar will find an uncanny resemblance here for Meze’s cheapest IEM sports the same housing shape and alloy construction. This means it is both exceptionally compact and handsome. Alba’s shells are smooth and contoured, visually appealing yet also ergonomic. The white-on-silver colour scheme is the main differentiator from Meze’s higher-end IEM, yet I find it looks no less premium. Though small and light, the alloy shells provide an excellent sense of rigidity in the hand. The Alba simply feels put together in a way few IEMs do at this price and well above.

The included cable complements the aesthetic and ergonomics of the earphones with its silver conductors and lightweight construction. It connects using ubiquitous 0.78mm 2pin connectors making replacement simple and easy. The 4-wire braided geometry and smooth TPU sheathing make it pliable and supple with zero memory, routing through clothes with ease and coiling for storage with no dramas. While its thinner construction feels like a good complement for the smaller earpieces, this does make the cable more tangle-prone than many competitors. The metal hardware matches the silver accents on the earphones and the Type-C dongle for a coherent overall package. The Alba represents far more refinement in the look and feel department than IEMs costing substantially more.

Fit & Isolation –

Another strength of this design, the ergonomics are some of the best I’ve tried similar to my experience with the Advar. A lot of this comes down to the sheer compactness of the shells, they are tiny in all aspects. At the same time, the rounded profile leaves no hard edges that may wear on the ear and the sculpted inner face creates a snug, stable articular fit with the outer ear. They are also quite slim making them very low profile which reduces susceptibility to wind noise and makes them suitable for side sleepers. The seal is strong but there is minimal wearing pressure and no driver flex on account of the vented housings. In terms of noise isolation, this does mean they let some ambient noise in albeit noise leakage is quite low. They are above average for a vented DD IEM due to the deeper fit depth but those prioritising isolation may still want to look towards a fully-sealed IEM like the AFUL MagicOne.

Next Page: Sound Breakdown