Meze Audio has again crafted another pair of very high-end planar-magnetic headphones, POET.
POET, priced at $2,000 no less, are described by the luxury Romanian manufacturer as “a carefully crafted audio masterpiece inviting listeners to experience a journey through inner worlds – where sound, emotion, and purpose intertwine”. They offer a more compact design compared to the brand’s flagship planar magnetic ELITE headphones (rated 9/10 by MusicTech).
Planar magnetic headphones utilise a thin, flat diaphragm with a magnet suspended next to it and an electromagnetic signal running through wires to vibrate the diaphragm to generate sound. They are usually lighter but larger than dynamic headphones.
For POET, this tech comes courtesy of Rinaro Isodynamics, and is combined with luxury materials, and a compact, open-back design. Meze Audio says they deliver “lush, airy vocals and precise bass impact, balancing low-end depth with delicate high-frequency clarity”.
To set the headphones apart from other high-end offerings on the market, they host a unique Hybrid Magnet Array designed to create a uniform, powerful magnetic field across the diaphragm. The Parus diaphragm has a low weight (0.06g) and an “expansive” active area for “pristine” audio reproduction. The POET headphones are also designed with longevity in mind, which makes sense with their hefty price. They are coupled with a premium hand-braided copper cable and are fully serviceable, as every component can be easily disassembled and replaced. They also have a flexible titanium alloy headband to evenly distribute weight, and magnetic ear pads to make swapping easier.
“From the very beginning of our POET journey, we knew we wanted to create something unique – a more compact planar-magnetic open-back headphone that is every bit as capable as our flagship models,” says Alex Grigoras, Acoustic Engineer at Meze Audio.
“What better place to look than at the very apex? In collaboration with our friends at Rinaro Isodynamics, we synthesised the essence of ELITE’s driver technology and gave it new life. I believe POET turned out to be more than just a headphone; it’s a nod to a huge stepping stone in our development as a team and a testament to how far we’ve come.”
The POET headphones are available now for £1,850/$2,000/€2,000. Find out more over at Meze Audio.
