If you need great basic earbuds, buy these!

Wireless earbuds are very popular, but they’re not always the best option. The batteries run out when you really need them, and the quality isn’t as good in the cheapest price ranges. Often, the ”old” technology may be a much better option.

Romanian Meze Audio is a relatively new player, but it has already earned its place in the heavyweights of headphone manufacturers. The brand's catalog includes, alongside slightly more expensive models, a real budget gem, the 12 Classics V2.

Meze Audio has only been in the headphone market for 10 years, but even during that time it has managed to stand out for its advantages. For example, the Meze 99 Classics brand has proven to be quite pleasant-sounding, handsome, and at the peak of its usability as a hi-fi headphone.

Perhaps in part, Meze Audio's popularity is based on the fact that it doesn't get overly bogged down in gimmicky gimmicks in its operations. For example, the Meze 99 Classics structure uses only simple but high-quality building materials: wood, metal, and leather – and there's not a single drop of glue in the structure; everything is screwed or riveted together.

Similarly, the Empyrean, aimed at the high-end segment, is a surprisingly simple, albeit already priced at nearly three tons, headphone. It is also a clear demonstration of the manufacturer’s pursuit of consistency and simplicity.

On the other end of the price range is the 12 Classics V2, a completely simple, conventional and straightforward wired earphone with a price tag of 69 euros.

The Meze Audio Classics V2 is therefore, contrary to current trends, not a wireless headphone; it does not have active noise cancellation or any other advanced features. It is a very ordinary, very simple wired in-ear headphone with a 3.5 mm gold-plated connector.

Its design has clear references to Meze Audio’s other models, especially in terms of colors and materials: the walnut wood and copper-colored anodized aluminum form a timeless yet elegant combination.

On the inside, there is an eight-millimeter mylar element with a titanium coating wrapped in a copper-coated aluminum wire. Nothing more extraordinary than what feels even surprising at this time.

The frequency band is said to extend from 16 hertz to 24 kilohertz, and the nominal impedance of the Classics V2 is 16 ohms. The manufacturer reports a sensitivity of 101 decibels ±3 dB in the range, and the total harmonic distortion is said to remain below one-half percent. Thanks to its design, the headphones offer -26 decibel passive noise reduction. The cable is made of oxygen-free copper and is 1.2 meters long, and it does not have a microphone or remote control.

The package also includes a compact and convenient storage case, which makes it easy to stow the headphones after use.

And there’s really no need to worry about usage either, because the implementation is so simple and passive. Whereas with wireless headphones, sooner or later the battery runs out, and often you can’t even replace it, they end up going to waste. And when it comes to affordable full-wireless headphones, the sound quality is often not even very good.

With that money, you can actually get really good and simple basic headphones; their lifespan depends mainly on the user. With this design, structure, and materials, the Meze Audio Classics V2 headphones can last at least theoretically from generation to generation, and even that easily!

Additional information: Simex Oy