The Meze Audio 99 Classics have always been about craftsmanship, comfort, and an inviting aesthetic. With the 2025 update, Meze clearly aimed to modernize and refine the formula—but after spending real time with them, this refresh lands in a more divisive place than I expected.

This is still a beautifully made headphone. Sonically, though, it’s a very different experience than what many long-time 99 fans may remember.

Design & Build: Still a Looker

There’s no denying it—the new 99 Classics are gorgeous. The real wood ear cups, warm walnut finish, and metal hardware still feel premium and intentional. These don’t look like mass-market headphones, and they absolutely don’t feel cheap.

What did catch me off guard was the weight.

These are extremely light—honestly, among the lightest over-ear headphones I’ve reviewed in quite a while. At first, I wasn’t sure if I should be impressed… or concerned. They almost disappear on your head, which is great for comfort, but there’s a moment where your brain goes, “Wait, is something missing here?”

To Meze’s credit, the build still feels solid. Nothing rattles, nothing flexes, and the self-adjusting headband works beautifully. This is lightness done intentionally, not cheaply.

Comfort: Effortless, All-Day Wear

Because of that low weight, comfort is a standout strength. Clamp force is mild, ear pads are plush, and there’s very little pressure buildup over time. Long listening sessions are easy, and fatigue from wearing them is basically nonexistent.

If comfort and ergonomics are near the top of your priority list, the 2025 99 Classics absolutely deliver.

Sound Quality: Clean, Clear… and Where’s the Bass?

This is where things get complicated.

The highs are fantastic—clean, articulate, and airy without being sharp or fatiguing. Detail retrieval up top is excellent, and this is genuinely a clear high-hitter from Meze. Vocals, strings, acoustic recordings, and lighter mixes sound refined and precise.

The mids lean toward the upper-midrange. What I mostly hear is low mids through upper mids, with very good clarity and separation. Imaging is solid, and nothing feels smeared or muddy.

But the bass?

Honestly… it feels almost nonexistent.

And no—I’m not a bass head. I’m not looking for skull-rattling sub-bass or bloated warmth. I just expect some foundation. With the 2025 99 Classics, I kept feeling like the low end simply wasn’t showing up.

It got to the point where I unplugged them and connected multiple other headphones to the same system, just to make sure nothing was wrong with my DAC or amp. Everything else sounded normal. Plug the Meze back in—and the bass dropped out again.

What remains is more low-mid body than true bass weight. Kick drums lose impact. Bass guitars feel polite and distant. Electronic tracks feel stripped of their foundation. Even well-recorded rock lacks physicality. Just a complete lack of bass no matter what I did.

This tuning choice will absolutely work for some listeners—but it’s a dramatic departure from what many expect in a closed-back headphone at this price.

Tuning Perspective

To be clear: this is not a “bad” headphone.

It’s a very specific one.

If you prioritize:

• clarity over impact
• lightweight comfort over physical slam
• upper-mid and treble detail over low-end authority

…the Gen 2 99 Classics may land beautifully for you.

If you expect a closed-back headphone to deliver any meaningful bass presence—even a neutral one—this tuning may feel underwhelming.

Who These Are For

Great fit if you:

• Value ultra-lightweight comfort
• Want a clean, airy, detailed presentation
• Listen heavily to acoustic, vocal, jazz, or lighter mixes
• Care deeply about design and build quality

Probably not for you if you:

• Expect bass presence from a closed-back headphone
• Listen to rock, electronic, or hip-hop and want impact
• Loved the warmer, fuller sound of older 99 models

Final Thoughts

The 2025 Meze 99 Classics are beautifully made, incredibly comfortable, and technically clean—but they are also one of the most bass-shy closed-back headphones I’ve heard in recent memory.

I genuinely love the design, the feather-light weight, and the high-frequency performance. But the low end left me questioning whether this tuning will resonate with longtime fans—or with anyone expecting a traditional closed-back sound signature.

This is Meze swinging for refinement and clarity. Whether that lands as elegant or anemic will depend entirely on your expectations. Buy them here!

Either way, it’s a bold tuning choice—and one that definitely deserves discussion.