Meze 105 SILVA Headphones

The Meze 105 SILVA takes the familiar pleasures of an open-back headphone and gives them a distinctly modern, rather elegant treatment. Designed for long listening rather than quick impressions, it has an easy, natural presentation that lets music breathe, with plenty of space around instruments and vocals without making the sound feel distant or detached. There’s a pleasing sense of balance here, with detail readily apparent but never pushed into the spotlight, making everything from acoustic recordings to densely produced albums enjoyable to settle into.

As you’d expect from Meze, the design is just as considered as the sound. The lightweight construction, comfortable earcups and carefully shaped headband make the 105 SILVA wonderfully easy to live with, while the open-back design gives your music room to unfold naturally. It’s a headphone that feels rather less interested in showing off and rather more interested in making you want to listen to another album — which, frankly, is a sensible approach.