Meze 99 Classics Review: Warm, comfy wooden cans with a few quirks

I’ve been using the Meze 99 Classics (Walnut/Black) for a few weeks now, mostly at my desk and on the couch, plugged into a laptop, a small DAC/amp, and sometimes straight into my phone. I bought them because I was tired of plasticky gaming headsets and wanted one decent wired pair that I could use for music, YouTube, and a bit of gaming without going full audiophile nerd with big amps and all that.

On paper, these tick a lot of boxes: 32 ohm so easy to drive, closed back for some isolation, wooden cups for that “fancy” vibe, and a built-in mic on one of the cables. The Amazon rating is solid (4.6/5 with a lot of reviews), so I kind of went in expecting them to be pretty good but not life-changing. I’d say that’s exactly what they are: very good in some areas, clearly flawed in others.

If you like a warm, slightly bassy sound and care a lot about comfort and looks, they’re going to make you happy. If you want super clean, tight bass and a big open soundstage, you’ll probably raise an eyebrow pretty fast. I’ve owned and tried a bunch of midrange headphones (Sony, Sennheiser, some Focal, plus random gaming stuff), so I’m not an expert, but I’m not new to this either.

Overall, they feel like a “treat yourself” kind of purchase: not cheap, definitely not the most neutral headphones, but easy to live with and kind of fun to use. The rest of this review is just me breaking down what actually stood out in daily use, good and bad, without the marketing fluff.

Price-wise, the Meze 99 Classics sit in that awkward middle ground: not cheap, but not ultra high-end either. You’re paying for a mix of sound quality, comfort, and looks, plus the wood/metal construction and repairability. If you only care about raw sound for the money, there are other options from Sennheiser, Beyerdynamic, or even some planar brands that can compete or beat them in pure audio detail or bass control at similar or slightly lower prices.

Where these justify their price is the overall experience. You get a headphone that looks more special than the usual plastic ones, feels comfortable for long sessions (minus the heat), and sounds warm and enjoyable right out of the box. The accessories (case, two cables, adapter) are complete enough that you don’t have to buy extra stuff just to get started. For someone who wants one nice wired headphone for home listening, gaming, and general use, it’s a pretty solid package.

On the downside, the bass being a bit muddy and the pads running hot do take away some value, especially if you’re picky. Also, these are wired only, no ANC, no Bluetooth, so you’re really buying them as a “sit down and listen” pair, not a do-everything travel headset. If you wanted something more versatile for commuting or office calls with noise canceling, your money might be better spent on a good wireless ANC pair instead.

In my opinion, they’re worth it if you care about design, comfort, and a relaxed sound more than clinical accuracy, and you plan to keep them for a long time. If you’re just chasing the best sound-per-dollar and don’t care how your headphones look, you can find better raw value elsewhere. So they’re good value for a certain type of user, not universally the best deal on the market.

Design-wise, these are not subtle. The walnut cups and black metal frame with gold accents look very different from the usual plastic black blobs you see everywhere. When I wore them in an office setting, people immediately asked what they were, which basically never happens with my more generic Sennheiser or Sony pairs. So if you like your gear to be a bit of a conversation starter, these do that without screaming gamer RGB nonsense.

The structure is a simple metal headband with a self-adjusting leatherette strap underneath. There are no numbered clicks like on most headphones; you just put them on and the strap tensions itself to your head. In practice, this works well. I never had to fiddle with them once they were on, and they sit at the same height every time. It feels a bit old-school but in a good way, and there’s less to break compared to those plastic ratcheting arms on cheaper sets.

One thing that’s not perfect: there are some creaks when you move your head or adjust them, especially when they’re new. The metal and plastic parts can make small noises that you hear because the cups are sealed on your ears. It’s not super loud, and it gets better as they loosen up, but it does take away a bit from the premium impression at first. You don’t hear it once music is playing, but in quiet moments it’s noticeable.

Overall, the design is visually premium but mechanically just decent. They look more expensive than they feel in the hand. The walnut cups are smooth and nice to touch, and the frame feels solid enough, but it’s not tank-like. If you baby your stuff, you’ll be fine. If you throw your headphones on the bed or desk all the time, I’d still use the case when traveling. For my use (mostly at home, sometimes at work), the design hits a good balance between style and practicality.

Comfort is probably the area where these headphones stand out the most for me. The clamp force is mild, the pads are soft, and the self-adjusting headband spreads the weight well. I can wear them for 2–3 hours at my desk without any pressure points on the top of my head or around my jaw, which is something I can’t say for every over-ear pair I own. They’re not feather-light, but the weight is balanced enough that they don’t feel heavy once you settle in.

The ear pads are memory foam and feel like soft cushions when you first put them on. For my ears (average size, not sticking out), they go mostly around the ear, but the inner wall of the pad does touch the outer part of my ear slightly. It’s not painful, but you’re aware of it. If you have larger ears, there’s a chance these might feel more like on-ear than fully over-ear, so that’s worth keeping in mind. The seal is strong, which helps with isolation but also leads to the main downside.

The big issue for me is heat and sweat. Because they’re closed-back with a tight seal and PU pads, after about 20–30 minutes in a warm room, my ears start getting noticeably warm. After an hour, I usually need to lift one cup off for a bit of air. This is pretty typical for closed-back headphones with fake leather pads, so it’s not unique to Meze, but if you’re sensitive to heat, this is something you will feel. In an air-conditioned room, it’s less of a problem, but it never fully goes away.

In terms of fit stability, they stay put even if you lean forward or move around in your chair. I wouldn’t use them for walking outside or commuting much (they’re a bit flashy and not super portable), but for home and office use, they’re great. Overall, I’d rate comfort as very good with the clear caveat of warm ears. If you’ve struggled with headband pressure or clamp force on other headphones, these are a nice step up. If you hate sweaty pads, you’ll probably be annoyed after longer sessions.

The big selling point here is the walnut wood earcups. They do feel and look like real wood, not fake vinyl. The finish is smooth, no rough edges, and the grain gives each cup a slightly different look. It doesn’t feel like it will chip easily, but I wouldn’t bang them around either. The wood gives them a more “object” feel, not just another plastic gadget, which I personally like on something I handle every day.

The frame is metal, and that part feels solid. The two metal bands that form the headband don’t flex in a scary way, and I never felt like I was about to snap anything when stretching them to put them on. The self-adjusting strap is some kind of synthetic leather with stitching. It feels okay on the head, no weird edges or seams digging in. Over time, I can see the strap creasing, but that’s normal wear and tear and not something I’d worry much about in the first couple of years.

The ear pads are where you’re reminded this is still a consumer product and not a luxury item. They’re PU leather (fake leather) over memory foam. They’re soft and comfortable, but PU tends to peel after a while, especially if you sweat or use them daily. The good news is that these are designed to be replaceable, and there are third-party pads out there if/when they eventually start flaking. So it’s not a dealbreaker, but don’t expect them to age like real leather.

Cable-wise, the materials feel decent: flexible rubber coating, not microphonic to a crazy level, and the connectors feel snug. No braided audiophile nonsense here, just normal, functional cables that don’t feel like they’ll fall apart in a month. Overall, the material mix is wood + metal where it counts, plastic and PU where it saves cost. For the price, that’s fair. It looks premium from a distance and good enough up close, as long as you don’t expect luxury headphones-level finishes.

After using them daily and handling them pretty casually (on and off the head, on the desk, into the case, etc.), I’d say durability seems good but not bulletproof. The main frame is metal, which helps a lot. There’s no scary flexing in the headband, and I never felt like I was close to snapping anything when widening them to put them on. The wooden cups haven’t picked up any marks yet, but I’m not the type to throw them in a backpack without the case, and I wouldn’t recommend doing that anyway.

One nice thing about the Meze 99 Classics is that the design is screw-based and modular. A lot of parts can be taken apart and replaced if something breaks: pads, cables, even the headband assembly. This is very different from many big-brand headphones where everything is glued and you’re basically stuck once something cracks. For a product in this price range, having a repair-friendly design is a real plus, especially if you plan to keep them for years.

On the downside, there are still a few areas that feel more fragile. The PU pads will almost certainly peel at some point if you use them heavily, especially in hot weather. That’s just how fake leather ages. The self-adjusting strap also feels like a potential long-term wear point, though I haven’t had any issues yet. The little creaks you hear when adjusting them also don’t scream “tank-like build,” even if they’ve held up fine so far. So it’s not something I’d abuse, but for normal home/office use, they feel reliable.

Overall, I’d say durability is above average for this segment mostly because of the repairability and metal/wood construction. If you treat your headphones as semi-delicate electronics rather than throwing them around like a pair of gym shoes, they should last. And if something does wear out, there’s a decent chance you can fix it instead of binning the whole thing.

Sound-wise, these are clearly tuned for fun, relaxed listening, not studio accuracy. The overall signature is warm, slightly V or U-shaped: bass and treble a bit boosted, mids not buried but not front and center either. If you’re coming from flat studio monitors, they’ll sound colored. If you’re coming from generic consumer headphones or gaming headsets, they’ll probably sound richer and more engaging, especially in the mids and highs.

The good part first: mids and highs are very likeable. Vocals come through clearly, guitars have good presence, and there’s enough treble detail to hear little things in recordings without it getting piercing. I listened to a mix of rock, electronic, movie soundtracks, and some metal, and these handled all of that well. They’re easy to drive from a phone or laptop, but they do tighten up a bit with a decent DAC/amp. You don’t need an amp, but it doesn’t hurt. The soundstage is a bit narrow (typical closed-back), so things feel more “inside your head” than out in the room, but instrument separation is still decent.

The weak point is bass control. There’s plenty of bass in terms of quantity; it’s full and warm. The problem is that it can be a bit muddy, especially on tracks with a lot of low-end activity. Kick drums and bass lines can blur into each other instead of staying clean and punchy. If you’re a basshead who just wants a lot of thump, you might actually like it. If you prefer tight, detailed bass where you can easily pick out each note, you’ll notice the lack of precision. I ended up dropping the bass slightly with EQ, which helped a lot and made the overall sound more balanced.

For gaming and movies, the tuning works pretty well. Explosions and sound effects have weight, voices stay clear, and the closed-back design helps keep outside noise down. Just don’t expect positional audio and soundstage on the level of open-back gaming or audiophile headphones. In short, they sound good and enjoyable, but not reference-grade. If you’re okay with that and maybe willing to tweak EQ a bit, they’re a solid daily driver for mixed use.

Out of the box, the Meze 99 Classics feel like a complete package, not just a pair of headphones thrown in a cardboard sleeve. You get the headphones, a semi-hard carrying case, a small pouch inside the case with the cables and adapters, and two different cables: a shorter one with an in-line mic and remote, and a longer one for home listening. There’s also a 6.3 mm adapter for plugging into amps or bigger audio gear. No Bluetooth, no ANC, just old-school wired stuff.

The case is actually useful. It’s not some floppy bag; it’s rigid enough that I’d toss it in a backpack without worrying about the headphones getting crushed. Inside, it’s a bit basic: kind of cheap-feeling fabric, nothing fancy, but it does its job. The outside looks nicer than the inside, so visually it fits the premium vibe, but when you touch the lining, you’re reminded this isn’t a luxury watch box or anything. Still, it’s miles better than what most midrange headphones ship with.

The cables are decent: not too thick, not crazy thin, and they don’t tangle like crazy. Both plug into the bottom of the earcups with dual 3.5 mm connectors (left and right marked on the cable, not on the cups), which is a bit odd but you get used to it. The in-line mic cable is handy if you want to take calls or use it for gaming chat, and people on the other side told me I sounded clear enough, nothing special but absolutely usable.

In terms of first impression, it feels like you’re getting a proper product, not something slapped together. But you can also tell where they saved a bit: some plastics here and there, the inside of the case, and no fancy extras like spare pads or cleaning cloth. It’s a pretty solid unboxing experience, just not on the same level as super high-end stuff, which is fair for the price point.