Abyss JOAL Vs Meze Empyrean II Comparison Review

In the realm of high-end headphones, two brands stand out for their dedication to excellence: Abyss and Meze Audio. The Abyss JOAL and the Meze Audio Empyrean II are both planar magnetic headphones that promise an unparalleled listening experience, characterized by exceptional design and sound quality. These audiophile-grade headphones cater to enthusiasts seeking both aesthetic appeal and superior audio performance. With a combination of innovative technology and meticulous craftsmanship, these headphones offer exceptional soundstage and imaging quality, ensuring they deliver on the promise of high-fidelity audio. Let’s delve into the specifics of what you can expect from the JOAL and Empyrean II, exploring their build quality, low-end performance, and overall sonic capabilities to determine which model deserves a spot in your audio arsenal.

What You Get

Look & Feel

The JOAL and Empyrean II have distinct looks that follow their respective product lines. When set next to each other, it’s hard not to be impressed by the striking design of the Empyrean II. It is simply one of the best-looking headphones around. The build of the JOAL resembles that of the Diana series, but with new ear pads that seal much better than past models. You get a comfortable fit with the Empyrean as well, but the headphones are also bigger.

Design

Both the JOAL and Empyrean II are planar magnetic headphones that offer unique designs to achieve the best tuning and noise isolation possible for the signal. Neither headphone is terribly hard to drive, but still requires a good amp to push them the right way. Using the HiFiMAN Serenade, I found that the JOAL took slightly more gain to reach an efficient level, but both synergized well with it.

Soundstage

While both the JOAL and Empyrean II excel in their soundstage and spatial imaging, I think most will prefer the Empyrean II. After listening to both headphones back and forth, I found it hard to tell which one I liked more. They’re both wide and open stereo fields with great depth and separation. Some might even prefer the level of precision that the JOAL presents, however, it’s hard for me not to be wowed by how immersive the Empyrean II is. The JOAL seems more limited in comparison, at least in terms of headspace. You get a level of spatial imaging that feels more holographic with the Empyrean II, which just makes testing out tracks more enjoyable for me. The JOAL isn’t that far off from the Empyrean II in its imaging, but I started to understand that there were more barriers in the sound the more I listened. With that said, you still can’t go wrong with either headphone in this area.

Low End

The JOAL and Empyrean II have similar mid-bass extension that allows for both warmth and impact. Hearing both headphones, it becomes very clear that the JOAL has a stronger attack. It punches down harder and propagates more articulately, while the Empyrean II has a slower response time in comparison. Both headphones offer balanced and dynamic low-end, and you might even prefer the Empyrean’s smoothness over the JOAL’s aggressive slam, but the JOAL has more technical ability overall.

Mids

If you like your midrange to have more weight and dynamism, the JOAL will deliver. The Empyrean II has a similar level of fullness to it, but the JOAL takes it a step further with more details and artifacts dispersed throughout. While the JOAL has more tactility with individual notes, the Empyrean II has more texture added to instruments. It offers more crispness and clarity to vocals too, and overall feels more lush.

Highs

The treble is very easy to discern with both headphones. If you prefer a smoother high end that is still clear and detailed, you’ll like the JOAL better. I tend to like more glistening highs, which the Empyrean II gives you in droves. Brightness is a much bigger concern with the Empyrean II, so if you find yourself easily fatigued by more aggressive treble content, the JOAL should be your pick. However, the JOAL has a slight dullness to it compared to the Empyrean II. The Empyrean II has much more sizzle to it.

Summary

Both the Abyss JOAL and Meze Audio Empyrean II headphones showcase remarkable engineering and design, making them standout options in the high-end headphone market. While the JOAL leans towards a more aggressive and detailed sound signature, the Empyrean II captivates with its immersive soundstage and glistening highs. Your choice may depend on your personal listening preferences—whether you gravitate towards the JOAL’s strikingly articulate lows and mids or the Empyrean II’s enveloping sound experience. Regardless of which model you choose, both deliver exceptional performance, marking them as top contenders for discerning audiophiles.

The Abyss JOAL and Meze Empyrean II are available at Audio46.