Modern head-fi specialist Meze Audio has a beautiful new pair of closed-back wired headphones that promise the detail and expansiveness of open backs — and it says they'll last for 'decades'

• Meze Audio Strava are closed back with 50mm dynamic drivers
• Ebony earcups and magnetic swappable ear pads
• $799 / £799 (about AU$1,590)

Meze Audio may have solved a headphone lover's dilemma: their new Strada headphones promise the intimacy of open-back headphones with the privacy and low-end fun of closed-back ones.

If you're looking for a high-quality set of headphones that won't leak so much audio that you get thrown out of the office, these could be the headphones for you.

As we've come to expect from Meze these are very beautiful headphones, and this time the earcups are made from Macassar ebony and embedded in a gorgeous deep metallic green frame. And they promise to sound as good as they look.

Meze Audio Strada: key features and pricing

The Strada are based on the chassis of Meze's acclaimed Liric series, with a revised build made for their dynamic drivers. Those 50mm drivers are made from carbon-fiber reinforced cellulose composite and were first introduced in the open-backed 109 Pro series; they have now been tuned for closed-back performance.

The sound profile is designed to be clear and natural, with a slight bass lift to deliver a deeper, more defined low end. Impedance is 40 ohms and the frequency range is 5Hz to 30kHz.

Each pair of earcups is unique thanks to the grain of the ebony, and the ear pads are magnetic for easy swapping. The headband is softly padded with its cushions arranged in a symmetrical cross pattern to evenly distribute pressure, maintain airflow and reduce heat build-up during long listening sessions.

As ever with Meze, the Strada were made to be easily serviced for long life – the company suggests they should last you for decades. And that's probably for the best, because they don't come cheap.

The Meze Audio Strada headphones will be available from today, 21 January 2026, with a price tag of $799 / £799 / €799 (about AU$1,590).

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