Meze POET

The Art of Listening: A beautiful lyrical Headphone

In the lead up to Munich Highend this year, I thought I would review a few flagship devices, and Meze were kind enough to let me borrow some of their flagships, including both the Poet and the Empyrean II. So in this review I will get into some details around the Meze POET.

Note: As I mentioned in many Meze reviews, I do love the names selected by Meze Audio for their devices, as I think it can be a bit of fun seeing how the chosen name evokes some subtle hints about the nature of the headphone.

So, does the Poet live up to its name? Without spoiling too much of this review, I can say yes, I think it does. Though not through grand poetic gestures, it’s not an epic peom like ‘Paradise Lost,’ rather it is much more like a Romantic lyrical poem, maybe one by Shelley or Wordworth.

So, I think the initial reaction by the community to this headphone was especially interesting, so before I get into my opinions, I want to acknowledge some other opinions.

Initial reaction

One thing that makes the Meze POET particularly interesting for me, is that when it was introduced a few months ago, there seemed to be some divided opinions among reviewers. So, some measurement-focused reviewers noted the excellent measurements and excellent technical performance yet didn’t connect with the sound as much as expected. Was this expectation bias from looking at the graphs before listening? While other more subjective listeners who never look at graphs seemed to be captivated by its presentation.

After listening to the POET for nearly a month now, I have a theory about why there is this discrepancy. Since I do believe that measurements can tell you allot (but not everything) about headphone, I feel it makes the POET one of the most interesting headphones released in a while.

But before I get into this and both the objective and subjective aspects of this headphone, let’s dive into the unboxing.

Unboxing Experience

The unboxing experience of the POET is fairly modest with some environmentally friendly packaging and minimal marketing:

And the bottom is even more minimal:

But once you open this up and see the size of the carry case, you start to get the sense that you are getting a flagship headphone:

Underneath the box is a booklet:

Opening the box, you’ll finally find the POET:

Accessories

The accessories are thoughtfully arranged and include premium cables that match the quality of the headphones themselves.

While the cable is different quality as the Empyrean II cable, it is still an excellent quality cable; since I only borrowed this headphone, I decided not to take off the protective plastic. Mine came with a 6.3mm connector:

Build Quality and Design

The build quality of the POET is nothing short of exceptional — even surpassing the already impressive Empyrean II that I have reviewed previously.

While the Empyrean II evoked the luxury of a Rolls-Royce, the POET has the sleek, refined aesthetic of an Italian sports car — perhaps a Maserati.

It combines premium materials with meticulous craftsmanship to create a headphone that’s as much a visual statement as it is an audio one.

For some subjective comparisons, I asked my Son (who is an Apple fanboy) which was the more expensive headphone, the Empyrean II or the Poet, and after examining both for a while, he went for the Poet.

The attention to detail is clear in every aspect of the design, from the precision-machined components to the flawless finish.

One of the most impressive aspects of the POET’s design is its modularity.

Every component is replaceable, making this truly a headphone that could last a lifetime with proper care.

I do feel its a pity that it’s not a closed-back design that you could show off in public — the POET is so stunning in real life, that it deserves to be admired.

Comfort and Fit

The POET continues Meze’s tradition of exceptional comfort. The weight distribution is masterfully engineered, preventing fatigue during long listening sessions.

The earpads envelop your ears completely, creating both an excellent seal and remarkable comfort.

While not as big as an Hifiman the internal dimensions are easily large enough for most ears:

And even when using such premium material, relatively, it is not the heaviest headphone:

The headband distributes pressure evenly, eliminating any “hotspot” issue, at least for me.

I believe Meze did some subtle refinements since the earlier release of the POET, and I found it as comfortable as the Meze Empyrean II with no creaks (which I believe some early reviewers mentioned in their units).

This is a headphone designed for those who lose themselves in music for hours at a time.

It does stand out as a uniquely premium-looking headphone, even against other Meze headphones:

But before I get into my subjective opinions, I felt it would be useful to discuss the driver and specifically the use of AMTS (Acoustic Metamaterial Tuning System).

The Driver design and AMTS

At the heart of the Meze POET lies the Rinaro Isodynamic® Hybrid Array MZ6 driver, a culmination of over eight years of research and development by Rinaro Isodynamics. This driver is a synthesis of technologies from Meze’s flagship models, combining elements from the MZ3SE driver found in the ELITE and the MZ4 driver used in the LIRIC II.

The MZ6 features a lightweight Parus® diaphragm, weighing just 0.06 grams, with an expansive active area of 3,507 mm². This diaphragm is suspended within a fiberglass-reinforced polymer casing and driven by a hybrid magnet array that generates a uniform 0.3 Tesla isodynamic magnetic field across its surface. The dual-coil system comprises a switchback coil optimized for low frequencies and a spiral coil positioned directly over the ear canal to enhance mid-to-high frequency reproduction.

AMTS

One of the most fascinating aspects of the Meze POET is its use of AMTS (Acoustic Metamaterial Tuning System), a technology licensed from Dan Clark Audio. AMTS is effectively a mechanical acoustic filter, integrated between the driver and the ear, that shapes the frequency response with extraordinary precision.

You might think of it like room correction technology — except for headphones, it’s correcting the “room” between the driver and your eardrum. This gives Meze’s engineers an unusual level of control over the final tuning, ensuring that — when positioned correctly — the listener experiences a beautifully balanced, richly detailed presentation that carries exactly what Meze wanted with their signature tuning.

However, this precision comes with a caveat: the effect relies heavily on the geometry of your ears and how well the headphone seats around them. If your ears are an unusual shape or your ear canal is not aligned relative to the AMTS target zone, you may not hear quiet as Meze intended.

Let me use another analogy, AMTS tuning in a headphone is a bit like designing a world-class concert hall. The Meze POET, much like Dan Clark’s own models, uses this metamaterial system to shape how sound travels into your ears — carefully tuned acoustic pathways that act like perfectly placed accoustic panels in a concert hall. With a concert hall design there will be a huge area with an acoustic sweet spot, but there will also be parts of the concert hall with a less than ideal frequency response. So for most people this headphone will be tuned for exactly the frequency response Meze wanted, but for those maybe with larger heads or their ear placement is a little different maybe they will be more like the “cheaper” seats in an concert hall.

This is why I feel some of the earlier reviews of the Meze POET, mentioned it sounded a little different to them than the measurements. For me, I subjectively I found it exceptional, the only minor complaint was the treble was a little more boosted in the upper treble area than with some other Meze headphones, so when swapping between this and the 109 Pro and the Empyrean II, there were some subtle differences with cymbols and high-hats.

Sound Impressions

So how did the POET sound to me? This is where things got particularly interesting. For me it was not a headphone that reveals all its secrets at first listen; I feel I might have been on the edge of the sweet spot, that treble peak I mentioned above takes a little brain burn in at least for me, I think.

I do not believe in physical “burn-in” for headphones (other than perhaps a few minutes initially), but I do firmly believe in “brain burn-in” and after spending a few days with the POET, listening for a few hours each day, my listening aligned with what the POET does best. This is where I felt it was its most poetic with subtle textures and detailed sound revealed. So the opinions, below are basically after about 2 weeks of daily listening. Though, there was also a crossover with the Empyrean II and its 2 excellent earpads during these 2 weeks, so effectively i was swapping between 3 slightly different twists on the Meze house sound.

Bass

The bass response of the POET is refined and textured, with excellent extension into the sub-bass region without any bloat or muddiness. It’s not bass-forward in the conventional sense, but rather presents low frequencies with a natural weight and authority that serves the music.

Tracks like “Limit to Your Love” by James Blake showcase the POET’s ability to reproduce sub-bass with precision while maintaining perfect control. The bass never bleeds into the midrange, preserving clarity across the frequency spectrum.

Midrange

The midrange is where the POET truly shines. Vocals are presented with exceptional clarity and natural timbre, neither pushed forward nor recessed in the mix. There’s a sense of intimacy to vocal performances that draws you into the recording.

Female vocals like Diana Krall’s “Temptation” sound remarkably lifelike, with all the subtle nuances of her voice preserved. Male vocals have appropriate weight and body, conveying emotion with conviction.

Instrumental timbres are rendered with exceptional accuracy. Piano notes have the right amount of attack and decay, while acoustic guitars sound remarkably realistic with their harmonic complexity fully intact.

Treble

The treble response of the POET strikes an ideal balance between detail and smoothness. There’s plenty of air and extension without any harshness or sibilance at least for me, allowing for extended listening sessions without fatigue.

Cymbal crashes have natural shimmer and decay, while high-pitched instruments like violins maintain their character without becoming strident. This is a treble presentation that reveals plenty of details and one where this brain burn-in I mentioned really builds an appreciation over time.

Soundstage and Imaging

The POET presents a spacious, three-dimensional soundstage that extends well beyond the confines of the headphones. The sense of space is remarkable, creating an immersive listening experience.

Imaging is precise, allowing you to pinpoint the location of instruments within the soundstage with ease. Complex orchestral pieces remain coherent, with each section clearly delineated in space. The POET excels at presenting the relationships between instruments, enhancing the sense that you’re listening to a cohesive performance rather than isolated sounds.

Who Is This Headphone For?

The POET is not for everyone, and Meze seems to understand this. If you connect with it immediately, it will likely be a keeper for life (especially since every part is replaceable). However, if you need that “brain burn-in” period, and you frequently switch between different manufacturers’ headphones (like a typical reviewer), then perhaps the POET isn’t for you.

Where the POET truly shines is as an “end game” headphone for someone looking to make a single, definitive purchase. If you’re willing to give it time and if you need to allow your brain to adapt to its presentation, you’ll be rewarded with a headphone that looks great, feels great, and ultimately sounds great.

In the world of high-end headphones, there’s probably nothing more you could ask for.

Specifications and Measurements

These specifications show the POET unlike many flagship planars can be easily driven on modest equipment. You can even have a very nice experience using an Apple Dongle (or a Macbook Pro). Though I would suggest pairing with a nice desktop amplifier, for example, a JDS Labs Element IV, especially if you want to EQ it slightly.

Measurements

Note: The following measurements were taken with my KB501X soft ear Pinna and a 711 clone coupler. They are available on my measurement database here.

So let’s start with the Frequency response:

So, I highlight some places of interest above, the excellent linear bass response (1), the typical “sound stage” dip (2) seen in many Hifiman Headphones and the Sennheiser HD800s and the treble peak which typically delivers details. This treble “airy” area, while typically not associated with sibilance, might have been shiftware due to AMTS and might explain that for some people the treble was too bright.

I typically try many seatings when measuring headphones, and because of my theory about AMTS I thought I would include a typical alternative seating I measured with the POET, which would definitely cause a tonality difference:

I also measured with glasses, and like many planar’s, it can be almost beneficial to listen with glasses as you still get an excellent bass response but now with a little-added subbass bump which most people will appreciate:

I also compared the POET with some other headphones that I have recently reviewed:

The bass response is similar across these excellent headphones (other than the HD800s which had Dekoni pads so rolled off a little earlier than the stock earpads.) Though the 109 Pro has that more typical Meze warm bass in the 200Hz region. And as you can hopefully see, the POET mostly measures perfectly neutral and very similar to the Mod house Tungsten across most of the frequency response.

Distortion

Given it’s a planar you should not expect much distortion, and as you can see there is only minimal well below any thresholds:

And as a percentage, everything is below 0.2%

Therefore, if you want to EQ this headphone, it will not be a problem.

Rating

The Meze POET earns exceptional ratings across all categories:

Pragmatic Rating (5/5): The POET delivers a complete package — outstanding sound quality, exceptional build, remarkable comfort, and a unique listening experience that deepens over time.

Price Rating (4/5): While certainly a premium-priced headphone, the POET justifies its cost through exceptional craftsmanship, premium materials, outstanding performance, and complete replaceability of all components, making it a potential lifetime investment.

Features Rating (5/5): The innovative driver technology, premium accessories, versatile connectivity options, and modular design all contribute to a complete flagship package.

Measurement Rating (5/5): The technical performance is exemplary, with excellent frequency extension, low distortion, and channel matching.

However, the POET demonstrates that measurements alone don’t tell the complete story of a headphone’s performance.

Conclusion

The Meze POET is not a headphone that shouts its brilliance—it reveals it gradually, with elegance and intention. It’s a flagship that invites you to listen more closely, rewarding patience with one of the most refined and immersive audio experiences available today.

With its modular design, exquisite craftsmanship, and balanced yet expressive sound signature shaped by AMTS and the MZ6 driver, the POET lives up to its name—not through bombast, but through balance, nuance, and emotional resonance. If you’re willing to engage with it on its own poetic terms, it just might be the last headphone you ever need.

So, in summary the POET is like a well-crafted poem, it invites you to slow down, think, and most of all listen to the details, the textures, and the space between the notes.