Packaging and Accessories

I was the second person in this specific tour program, so the headphones and packaging had already been opened, albeit re-packed as close to the original as possible by the previous participant. The parcel shipped directly from Meze, which would be the case if purchased directly from the company. It comes in a thick cardboard box that is branded with the company logo and product name clearly spelled out, which I would have rather not seen done to avoid any mishaps during shipping. Opening this box, we see plenty of protective layers involving bubble wrap and plastic around the product box itself.


Some of that plastic made its way around the product box to keep it clean during unboxing, and we see a very interesting design on the box. It's predominantly monochrome, but with many different shades between black and white to make it seem almost ethereal combined with that faded background image of someone playing the harp, or perhaps it is someone simply moving their hands while enjoying the music. Either way, the company logo and product name bring us back to reality, and I like the shout-out given to the collaborating partner on the front. But for two seals that keep the contents inside in place during transit, there is very little of note on the back of the box.


Open the box from either side and—surprise—there is a third (or possibly fourth if purchased from a distributor) box to now examine! This one is more in line with the luxurious experience I was wanting to see with the Liric, as Meze provided a padded box that has the Liric name and isodynamic driver coil artistically rendered around it. This is a storage box more than a carry case, and similar in function to the boxes HIFIMAN provides with its higher-end headphones too—prepare for plenty of those coming up. It opens up from the top with two straps keeping the lid in place, and the actual carry case is inside a thick foam sheet with a precisely machined cutout, which also accounts for the extra space for the zipper—a nice bit of attention to detail. There's the expected silica gel packet to keep things dry, and a user manual (online copy here) underneath goes over the contents, specifications, and basic operation of the Meze Liric.


The carry case made out of ethyl-vinyl acetate (EVA) is durable enough to handle daily use—at least as much as it would be susceptible to knowing an expensive set of headphones is inside. It's still larger than some of the other portable headphones I have seen, which is perhaps a hint that the Meze Liric does not fold inward. The surface is textured and dimpled, comes with a Meze logo applique on the front, carry tag on the top, and flat-enough back to allow it to rest naturally there. There is some dust and spill resistance courtesy the self-covering zipper mechanism, and two zipper pullers make opening and closing the case easier.


The inside of the carry case has felt lining to prevent any scratches to the headphones, which lie flat with the ear cups oriented upward. The accessories are found underneath, and note that they might all show up in that small Meze-branded drawstring PU leather bag for all I know. Regardless, we see two separate cables, an airline adapter, and 3.5 mm (1/8") TRS to 6.35 mm (1/4") adapter round off the unboxing section.