Meze Audio Empyrean Phoenix open-back headphones

The Meze Empyrean Phoenix is clad in fierce red and deep black for a look as textured and interesting as the sound. A rare work of art for audio aficionados For some, headphones are a commodity - simply a tool they use for one purpose or another. And I get it, and that's totally fine. But then there are headphone obsessives like me out there, who deeply appreciate the beauty of a well-put-together set of 'phones. The Meze Audio Empyrean Phoenix planar magnetic headphones are built for us. Master-of-his-craft Antonio Meze and his team of engineers and artists have reimagined the look of their flagship Empyrean headphones . This special collector's item sports a hand-painted, Instagrammable finish of vivid red and lush, deep black. There's a limited run of 100 worldwide, and each one is individually numbered. The structure and sound are the same as their original Empyrean - among the best headphones on the planet. Solidly constructed with fine attention to detail The first time I held the original Meze Empyrean, it was like I was putting my hands on a fine sculpture. From a distance these might look like closed-back headphones, but a closer look at their robust aluminum frame reveals a different story. An intricately etched pattern in the earcup allows air to flow in and out freely. In the carousel above, you can see a video of the machining process that Meze Audio uses to create these beautiful earcups. Incredibly comfortable and beautifully packed The Empyreans are among the physically largest headphones out there, but they also might be the easiest to wear at this size. A flexible, carbon-fiber headband acts as a spine for a leather strap that hugs the crown of your head. This evenly distributed the weight of the headphones, and I felt like I could've worn them for way longer than the hour audition I had with them. Of course it helped that the earpads were some of the thickest, and softest to the touch that I've ever worn. The pads delicately cradled my head, av