Strikingly designed earbuds with punchy, nuanced sound
The Meze Alba IEMs are gorgeously crafted with an ergonomic fit.
You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better-built set of wired in-ear monitors (IEMs) at a similar price to the Meze Alba headphones. In fact, I found that their look, feel, and overall design compared favorably to the company’s higher-end Advar IEMs costing over three times as much. And the sound was sparkling and vivid, too — tuned for a “U-shaped” listening curve with an emphasis on bass and treble. Yet, vocals and mids never felt scooped out or blunted, even as they occupied a space further back in the mix.
Molded and contoured for comfort and pearl-like looks
These earbuds were molded from zinc alloy and aluminum, rather than stainless steel like the Advar. They’ve been smoothed using a CNC process and finished with a glimmering gloss finish — piano-key white this time around. I found they slid in easily and avoided pressure points. And when I secured them by wrapping the cord behind my ears, I didn’t feel any strain.
Accessories for high-grade listening on the go
They come with a detachable braided cable that’s terminated with an old-fashioned 3.5mm miniplug. But mindful of modern phones, Meze also included a USB-C adapter with an LED indicator and built-in DAC. It gets the job done, but I still recommend a separate headphone amp to hear them at their best. I primarily used my go-to portable DAC/amp, the iFi Audio GO Bar to rock-solid results.
I also found that when using foam Comply ear tips (sold separately), I noticed a bit more presence in the upper mids. Still, Meze includes four sizes of silicone tips for finding the right fit. And I was able to make a strong, noise-isolating seal by choosing one size up from my usual ear-tip selection.
My listening impressions
The overall sound presentation is fairly straightforward, but never basic. Most of the action happened “between the ears,” but the imaging is spot on. So within the condensed soundstage I heard depth and separation.
As noted, the tuning accentuates high-end detail and lends an overall sonic brilliance. Qobuz recommended the funk-jazz-infused track “Kaät” from French session musicians Roseaux. It’s layered with soaring woodwinds, delicate acoustic guitar, and falsetto vocals from Blick Bassy gliding over it. There’s plenty of high-end sizzle with the flute tap-dancing on the edge of running hot — but it remained satisfying and pleasant through the Alba.
Zach Bryan’s “Northern Thunder” of The Great American Bar Scene thrives within the focused soundstage. His gravelly vocals and the acoustic rhythm guitar both sit dead center with a healthy bit of air around each. Then, the backup vocals and slide guitar kick in to extend the presentation left and right. But as the production heightens, the urgency and intimacy are maintained.
