About the Meze scandal, the problem, and a shoutout to Linus

[Irontheater]

I believe we have gone over this numerous times, so I'll keep it short.

 

After seeing some of the comments on the latest Meze review, and Linus' response, I felt there were a bit of a missunderstanding both ways, and I hope to clear some of it here.

 

The problem is not that Meze is a rebrander, Fischer audio rebrands, and they are still a big player in the audio industry. (but often, the products will have a different finish/materials, giving them an audible signature)

 

When rebranding, the products will sell for a more expensive price point, since obviously the OEMs will want to make money out of it.

 

Esmooth has no agencies overseas, and if you wanted to get some products from them, you will have to pay ~50$ for shipping.

 

Meze is advertising themselves quite well, by sending their products in to be reviewed by Youtube tech giants, whih gives them plenty of exposure for their shiny wooden cans.

 

No, the Meze 88 Classics is not a rebranded 45$ Esmooth headphones.

At least I couldn't find any proof for that. The only place I saw that number was on the hi-fi forums, with no source linked up to it. I assume it was either a misunderstanding, or just circle-jerking.

 

The Meze 88 are a rebranded ES-880EB, which costs around 120$. (but I don't know how much they cost in bulk)

Source: http://detail.zol.com.cn/microphone/index296717.shtml

 

Pictures:

Meze: http://static.neuerdings.com/1372583007/meze-88-classics-2.jpg

Esmooth: http://www.woodheadphones.com/esmooth/wp-content/gallery/es-880eb/es-880eb-ebony-wood-on-ear-headphones-01.jpg

 

They also have the same drivers.

 

I guess, from here, the problem starts to become more prominent.

 

The headphones have not been touched, nor tweaked. Same material, same design. Just a different brand.

 

The Tech specification on the official website for the Meze 88 are a scam. 

 

The "featured" specs are: (real specs in blue)

-Frequency response: 12Hz - 30KHz (20Hz-20KHz)

 

-Sensitivity:116+/-3dB at 1KHz,1mW.(107)

 

-Impedance: 36 Ohm(40 Ohm)

 

Another issue is the "Classics" nomination, coming from a company founded in 2010. I believe regardless of how they look or sound, this should not be allowed.

 

And the final nail in the coffin is the original manufacturer, Esmooth.

 

While you might think this is a renowned maker, with decades of experience in this field, they are in fact a Chinese company, founded in October 2009.

Their high end product (881EB, 130$), sounds no better than a Monopice 10-8323 (~30$). But they are definitely better looking and more comfortable.

 

 

I tried to keep things short, but turns out to be a bit longer than I had imagined.  actually a lot longer that I had imagined.

[Guest]

http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/27616-meze-11-classics-earphones-just-an-overpriced-rebranded-chinese-product/

[bchampion96]

.

 

I was trying to tell Linus that Antonio Meze is a scammer and that he claimed they were not OEM ware, but he called me out because he thought I had a problem with people like corsair using OEM stuff :(

[ShearMe]

Meze could have remeasured the specs at different frequencies to get the different sensitivity and impedance, and I'd bet Esmooth never measured the freq. range in the first place, instead puting the range of human hearing.

 

No, the scandal doth lay in the fact that Meze tried to cover up the fact that these were OEM headphones, and that certain strong voices in the community tried to shut up the "conspiracy theorists" instead of searching for truthful information. I don't think anyone who knows what they're talking about has a problem for paying a slight premium on an OEM product, especially if it's a rather decent one, but I for one will never give a cent to Meze due to their shenanigans. 

[Langdon]

I don't know how I feel about this scandal. I guess I'll just stray away from their products, and I'd rather buy other headphones that I personally think look nicer (AKG K550's anyone?).

[mr moose]

We can find the information, we can present the information, but we can't stop people from ignoring the information and buying cheap rubbish because it has a fashionable shiny sticker on it. 

[bchampion96]

I don't know how I feel about this scandal. I guess I'll just stray away from their products, and I'd rather buy other headphones that I personally think look nicer (AKG K550's anyone?).

 

I do want some K550s :D

[ShearMe]

We can find the information, we can present the information, but we can't stop people from ignoring the information and buying cheap rubbish because it has a fashionable shiny sticker on it. 

 

That's a little inflammatory - not like they're buying Beats.  :rolleyes:

[mr moose]

That's a little inflammatory - not like they're buying Beats.  :rolleyes:

no... I know... but it wears me down seeing the same old same old from people.  Meze are what they are, why try to convince everyone they are something different?

[ShearMe]

no... I know... but it wears me down seeing the same old same old from people.  Meze are what they are, why try to convince everyone they are something different?

 

Dude they're made with like mahogany or something.

[Aphexx]

$300 for an on ear headphone I'll give it an enthusiastic EA thumbs up

 

sigh: I wonder how many Linus parrots will start recommending the meze shit all over again in these forums 

[Irontheater]

Dude they're made with like mahogany or something.

 

The headphones are made out of African Ebony wood, which costs $5 to $7 per Kg.

[mr moose]

Dude they're made with like mahogany or something.

 

According to Floyd E.Toole and Sean E. Olive, in "The modification of timbre resonances: perception and measurement." Published in the audio engineering society journal Vol36 No.3 1988.  The best sounding audio reproduction device will have zero resonance modification.  Which means using timber on earbuds is a big no no unless it has had some major engineering. I don't think that has happened seeing as they are oems.  

 

Just my interpretation of some old journals of course.

[ShearMe]

The headphones are made out of African Ebony wood, which costs $5 to $7 per Kg.

 

I were sarcasm.  B)

[Aphexx]

out of all the thousands of headphones out there to unbox I wonder why linus chose to unbox another meze especially after he was alerted to the jackassery that meze was involved in after he did the in ear unboxing. 

 

I'm starting to wonder if paid unboxings are a thing

[Irontheater]

out of all the thousands of headphones out there to unbox I wonder why linus chose to unbox another meze especially after he was alerted to the jackassery that meze was involved in after he did the in ear unboxing. 

 

I'm starting to wonder if paid unboxings are a thing

 

Linus unboxes everything that is sent to him.

 

It's definitely not his fault he unboxed these, nor is it payed.

But Meze has a nice marketing tactic which involves sending their products to famous reviewers (Linus, Logan, unboxtherapy...etc) to get public tractions.

[ShearMe]

Let's buy Linus some Beyerdynamic's, AKG's, and Grado's. He's already got Senn's 598, so I'll assume that's good 'nuff from them.

[Aphexx]

Linus unboxes everything that is sent to him.

 

It's definitely not his fault he unboxed these, nor is it payed.

But Meze has a nice marketing tactic which involves sending their products to famous reviewers (Linus, Logan, unboxtherapy...etc) to get public tractions.

and tactically evading proper audio guys like Tyll, hifiguy528 and others. 

 

linus could have chose to not do a video on it, but he did. 

[t0wer]

Let's buy Linus some Beyerdynamic's, AKG's, and Grado's. He's already got Senn's 598, so I'll assume that's good 'nuff from them.

 

I've been thinking about a fiio e10 fund.

[h264]

I've been thinking about a fiio e10 fund.

 

I'll second that.  Let's see how he compares it to the essence one.  My guess is it won't be as "warm".

[ShearMe]

Hue. 

I'll pay for half an E10 if someone could convince him to give one of us his addy so we can send it to him - main reason I haven't bothered yet.

[t0wer]

yea, thought about shipping it to a mod if linus didn't want to give his address out.

I've just been dealing with so much right now, I didn't want to start anything yet.

[Focux]

We can find the information, we can present the information, but we can't stop people from ignoring the information and buying cheap rubbish because it has a fashionable shiny sticker on it.

Sounds like the whole Beats Studios huh...

[T.E.D]

Just wanted to add this, but it's more to do with eSmooth. For the Australian audience out there, there's a brand called Marley which uses eSmooth oems and sells earphones for around the $50 and is stocked by JB Hi-Fi.

[mr moose]

Just wanted to add this, but it's more to do with eSmooth. For the Australian audience out there, there's a brand called Marley which uses eSmooth oems and sells earphones for around the $50 and is stocked by JB Hi-Fi.

 

I've seen those, I got the impression they were another try hard brand, but you know, you can't try out earbuds in the shop, the bastards just won't let you.