Meze are at it again and have sent me yet another IEM to review. Read on my dear readers, read on…

Disclaimer:
I have not been paid by Meze Audio for this review.
The views in this publication are unbiased and my own.
Alexandra and Meze Audio kindly sent this IEM my way to review.
The 12 Classic V2 IEM retails at €69 at the time of this review.

You can pick one up here:
https://mezeaudio.eu/products/meze-12-classics-v2

Review Equipment:
Periodic Audio Rhodium.
Audioquest Dragonfly Black.
Astell & Kern AK70.
iBasso DX80.
Meze Audio 12 Classic V2.

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Music:
Michael Jackson: Dangerous.
ZZ Top: Audiophile Collection.
Depeche Mode: Violator.
Marantz High-End Audiophile demo SACD. ( FLAC file )
Various playlists on Qobuz Studio Premier.

What’s in the box:
Meze Audio 12 Classic V2.
Carry pouch.
Silicone ear tips.
Documentation.

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Spec:

• Frequency response: 16Hz – 24KHz
• Impedance: 16Ω
• Sensitivity: 101dB (+/- 3db)
• Total harmonic distortion: < 0.5%
• Noise attenuation: up to 26dB
• Titanium coated 8mm mylar driver
• 3.5mm gold-plated jack plug
• 6N OFC cable, length: 1.2m
• No mic & remote

Build and finish:
The 12 Classic V2 are a beautifully made IEM.
The packaging as always is well done and presented nicely.
From the real walnut housings to the copper-anodised aluminium and finished with braided cables, they punch well above their weight, looking and feeling like a more expensive model.
The silicone ear tips included are good quality as always.
Meze Audio include a carry case identical to the one I reviewed that came with the 11 Neo IEM’s and as expected is the same high quality.
This time Meze have left the inline mic out of the equation, which is something I prefer.

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Comfort:
The 12 Classic V2 fit comfortably in my ear canals and are light weight so don’t fall out or feel like they could easily be yanked out.
The silicone tips are very smooth and comfy.
Isolation/passive noise cancelling is really good with the correct fit.
I wore these for a 3 and a half our session without feeling any discomfort or fatigue.

Sound:
Soundstage is more focused than it is wide or spacious. It has depth and separation is precise.
Bass: Full bodied low end with plenty of bounce, but a touch backed off on the lower frequencies.
Mids: The 12 Classic V2’s have a very forward and emphasised airy midrange which lends itself too vocals, and acoustic music.
Highs: Rolled off at the higher end but crisp and detailed with good definition.



Final thoughts:
The 12 Classic V2’s are a great looking IEM without a doubt.
The combination of real walnut and the copper-anodised aluminium is a fabulous pairing.
The finish on them is flawless and a testament to Meze’s craftsmanship and attention to detail.
The sound signature is one I’m not used to, with heightened mids and rolled off higher frequencies with a more mid-bass emphasised lower end.
However this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In fact I found them to perform particularly well with acoustic and vocals. I found they were best suited to classical, guitar and vocal-centric music.
They are good for EDM and other electronic music, however the bass doesn’t quite have that low end punch that I personally prefer.
For €69 however, I can’t complain. I was surprised at the low price when I looked them up pre-review.
Would I recommend them? Absolutely. Just bear in mind they have a very forward midrange and the low end is more mid-bass centric.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and please don’t forget to like, follow, subscribe and share.

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Sponsor & Partner:

The Audiophile Cafe is sponsored by a number of brands, and this time around we have AFAudio, our latest sponsor. Thanks to Andrew for offering to sponsor the blog, I appreciate the support!

And of course, supplying The Audiophile Cafe with a vast selection of high res music is our partner, Qobuz.
Qobuz support the blog with a Qobuz Studio Premier account which has become an invaluable tool over the past few years. Thank you David and team for the ongoing support!