Elite Headphones by Antonio Meze is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2022 A' Design Award 金奖 in 音频与声音设备设计 Competition Category.

金音频产品· 2022

Elite Headphones

by Antonio Meze

Client: Meze Audio

A' Design Award 金奖 Winner in 音频产品 Category

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Verified Award Winner
Verify Award Status for #130376

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Colors

The Design

About Elite Headphones

Elite delivers accurate, authentic sound for music lovers, embodied into a lightweight, highly comfortable chassis. On closer look, the frame reveals a complex geometrical imprint accentuated through the silver finish of the CNC aluminum frame. A deep black grill with intricate carvings and a carbon fiber headband with real leather headrest were added, turning Elite into a futuristic take on personal audio design.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award 金奖

Elite Headphones是 A' Design Award 金奖得主，这是授予一流、绝妙而杰出设计的极为崇高的认可。金奖得主是极具创新、极富远见且璀璨夺目的创作，反映出其设计师的天才、智慧与才干。预计Elite Headphones将成为一项备受赞誉、引领潮流、气势恢宏的发明，带来前所未有的价值。这件赢得 A' Design Award 金奖的设计是一个壮观而受人敬重的项目，极大地造福并拓展艺术、科学、设计和技术的边界。Elite Headphones激起强烈的渴望，唤起激情，鼓励创造力，令我们着迷。

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: Elite is one of the most advanced planar magnetic headphones, delivering an authentic listening experience embodied into a unique frame that provides utmost comfort.

Elite features:
High-precision CNC sculpted chassis
Isodynamic Hybrid Array Driver
Lightweight materials
Patent-pending pressure distribution wings
Anatomical ovate earcups

Designed for life. Elite is made to surpass all short-living trends and industry changes, bringing long-lasting value to the customer.
Dimensions & Packaging: Width: 255 mm
Height: 230 mm
Depth: 89 mm
Tags: headphones, aluminum, CNC, industrial, product design, audio, technology, electronics
Production Technology: Elite features a CNC aluminum chassis, milled from a single piece of aluminum. The process of shaping a single frame takes about 20 hours. The ovoid shape of the earcup was designed to fit the ear more closely, for increased wearing comfort. A carbon fiber headband with a real leather headrest were added to the frame, for an ultra-light feel and maximum durability. The patent-pending suspension wings distribute the weight evenly, providing a comfortable listening experience.

From the replaceable earpads to the high-performance materials used, every part on the headphone chassis is available to be easily disassembled and serviced.
Design Challenge: With Elite, the goal was to create a high-end product meant for those who know what they want and expect to be treated accordingly. The biggest challenge for the designer and the engineering team was to find the perfect balance between technology, design, materials and ergonomics. Finding the right material for each component took a lot of experimentation, as did getting a precise and durable assembly that allows each part of the headphone to be easily disassembled and serviced.
Research: Meze aimed for perfection in every component, so producing Elite just the way the designer intended and without any compromises was a real challenge. An in-depth research process into material sciences was conducted, which opened the door for new technological advances, in terms of sound and comfort. It took 3 years of developing and testing new technologies, different combinations of materials and various sound tuning options, in order to achieve this final result.
Inspiration: At Meze Audio, products are created from pure passion for great aesthetics, good craftsmanship and breakthrough engineering. It is the love for art and design and not a business mindset that drives innovation. With Elite, our goal was to make a headphone without any compromises.

With few exceptions, audio gear is rarely considered a work of art, and design often comes second to performance. Born out of love of sound and artistry, we believe Elite breaks that barrier.
Project Duration: Meze Audio started working on Elite in 2018, and it took 3 years of research and development in order to create a powerful, lifelike and immersive experience with a multisensory character.
Operation Flow: The unique design of the frame is definitely the first thing that stands out, but then you are completely captured by how lightweight and comfortable they actually are, thanks to the patent pending suspension wings. When paired with your favorite audio device, Elite delivers a natural sound transparency and a wide, articulate soundstage, which creates an immersive listening experience that compliments most music genres.
Patents: Meze Audio
Image Credits: Meze Audio