Meze Audio's new earbuds feature drivers coated with gold.
They sound like an incredibly premium offering.
If you're in the market for a pair of earbuds, there are literally hundreds of options out there. But few – if, indeed, any – of them pack in a drive coated with a whopping 80 layers of gold.
That's exactly what the new Meze Audio Astru earbuds offer. The diaphragm dome features over 80 ultra-thin layers of gold, which is applied during a 48-hour physical vacuum DC magnetron sputtering process.
That's then bonded to a titanium layer, and mounted onto a plastic called PEEK. That structure is designed to offer fast transient response, smooth and extended treble and natural warmth.
Those sit within a CNC-machined shell, which is crafted from a single block of pure titanium, before being refined through a multi-stage electroplating process. The result is a smooth satin finish which defies the seven days of processing required to achieve it.
As you may also have noticed, these buds come with an integrated cable. That's a really cool inclusion, which plays into the trend of wired audio products which are becoming more popular once again.
That's a 4.4mm balanced jack, though an adapter to take it down to 3.5mm can be found in the box. You'll also find five different ear tip sizes – extra small through to extra large – as well as a protective pouch and a soft PU leather envelope.
Personally, I'm really excited by these. Recently, at the Bristol Hi-Fi Show, I got my first taste of the brand's quality when I tried the Meze Audio Strada – a pair of over-ear headphones.
Those were the perfect combination of form and function, and have lived rent-free in my head ever since. And while these are certainly a different offering, I have every faith that they'll be just as impressive.
Priced at £819 / €899 / US$899 (approx. AU$1,560), these certainly aren't the most affordable pair of buds you'll come across. Still, they were never likely to be given the cost of raw materials alone.
If you're on the hunt for a high quality pair of earbuds, these should be on your radar.
