Despite the sheer dominance of true wireless stereo earbuds, the audiophile market remains just as snobbish as ever. Although most have embraced the convenience of wireless music playback, some still prefer the acoustic fidelity of wired options. Meze Audio is offering a discrete pair of in-ear monitors — the ASTRU. Let’s find out if these fit the bill.
“It delivers a punchy, full-bodied, and rich, detailed sound – combining the layering and imaging associated with multi-driver IEMs with the tonal density and natural warmth dynamic drivers provide, all within a cohesive, unified presentation,” reads the marketing page.
A lot of manufacturers use plastics, composites, and other similar materials to keep the weight in check. However, these can affect the performance and accuracy. As such, the ASTRU opts for a housing crafted out of a single block of titanium. This metal is exceptionally durable yet remarkably lightweight, which makes it ideal for audio products.
Furthermore, ergonomics is taken into account, so that the IEMs do not cause irritation or fatigue during extended listening sessions. The curvature of its metal shell allows the ASTRU to fit the contours of our ears without discomfort. Inside each enclosure is a dynamic driver with a multilayer, metal-coated composite diaphragm for precision.
“The diaphragm dome consists of an outer gold coating applied in 80 ultra-thin layers via physical vacuum DC magnetron sputtering over a 48-hour process, followed by a titanium layer bonded to a PEEK dome base. This multi-stage architecture delivers smoother high frequencies, greater extension, and more natural transient response,” notes Meze Audio.
Each ASTRU ships with multiple pairs of liquid silicone ear tips, adapters for DAPs or headphone amplifiers, a 3.9-foot LC-OFC cable, and gold-plated connectors. Lastly, the box includes a PU leather envelope and carrying pouch for storage.
Learn More
Images courtesy of Meze Audio
