Short answer: the Focal Spirit Classic. Both are rated 3.8/5 for sound quality (#99 and #91 of 216 over-ear headphones), and the Focal Spirit Classic costs $672.53 against $799 for the Meze 109 Pro, so with nothing between them on sound quality, price settles it.
What the Focal Spirit Classic does well: The response is smooth, with a deviation of only 2.15 dB around the target, so tonal balance sounds coherent without sharp spikes. Watch for: Sub-bass is about 3 dB light and the upper mids, presence and treble all run roughly 2.5 dB under target, giving a warm, slightly veiled tilt that softens detail.
What the Meze 109 Pro does well: The open back has a warm, full tuning, with bass from 60 to 200 Hz about 2 dB above target and low mids 2.2 dB above, giving music weight and body. The tradeoff: A 6.3 dB dip near 9.5 kHz sits next to a 4.5 dB peak near 7.4 kHz, so cymbals and sibilants sound uneven.
Buy the Focal Spirit Classic. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $126.47 less than the Meze 109 Pro.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Headphones rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Focal Spirit Classic | Meze 109 Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $672.53 | $799.00 |
| Ranked | #99 of 216 in Over-Ear Headphones | #91 of 216 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 77 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) | 78 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.15 dB standard deviation | 2.25 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.65 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.50 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-4.9 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-4.6 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Back | Closed | Open |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 40mm dynamic | 1 x 50mm dynamic |
| Impedance | 32 ohms | 40 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 102 dB SPL/mW | 112 dB SPL/mW |
| Weight | 0.7 lbs (310 g) | 0.8 lbs (375 g) |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 22kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 5Hz - 30kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
Related Headphone Comparisons
How Meze 109 Pro compares with other leading options:
- HIFIMAN Mini Shangri-La vs Meze 109 Pro
- Meze 109 Pro vs Focal Bathys
- Meze 109 Pro vs Denon AH-D5200
- Cleer Next vs Focal Spirit Classic
- Focal Spirit Classic vs Neumann NDH30
Prices on this page were last checked October 11, 2026 at 4:59 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Headphones In Full
Focal Spirit Classic: $672.53 Amazon eBay
Pros: The response is smooth, with a deviation of only 2.15 dB around the target, so tonal balance sounds coherent without sharp spikes. Bass at 60 to 200 Hz is within half a dB of the target and a slight lift in the low mids adds body to vocals and guitars. At 32 ohms and 102 dB/mW it runs fine from a phone, and the closed back at 310 g is portable enough for daily use.
Cons: Sub-bass is about 3 dB light and the upper mids, presence and treble all run roughly 2.5 dB under target, giving a warm, slightly veiled tilt that softens detail. A 5.5 dB dip near 7.5 kHz takes some edge off cymbals. It costs far more than the AKG K712 for an equal rating.
Full Focal Spirit Classic review and specifications →
| Back | Closed |
|---|---|
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.15 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 40mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 22kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 77 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 32 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 102 dB SPL/mW |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-4.9 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.65 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.7 lbs (310 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -3.2 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +2.6 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 544 Hz | -3.4 dB | 0.41 |
| Peak | 2,189 Hz | +4.1 dB | 0.69 |
| Peak | 7,443 Hz | +2.6 dB | 4.61 |
| Peak | 103 Hz | -1.2 dB | 1.52 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -0.8 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 4,490 Hz | +1.6 dB | 5.05 |
| Peak | 3,885 Hz | -1.4 dB | 4.10 |
| Peak | 5,059 Hz | +1.0 dB | 4.56 |
| Peak | 6,119 Hz | -1.1 dB | 6.00 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Meze 109 Pro: $799.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: The open back has a warm, full tuning, with bass from 60 to 200 Hz about 2 dB above target and low mids 2.2 dB above, giving music weight and body. Treble and air are lifted, with the top octave about 4.7 dB above target, which adds some openness. It uses a single 50 mm dynamic driver, runs at 40 ohms and 112 dB SPL per milliwatt so a phone can drive it, and the preference score is 78.
Cons: A 6.3 dB dip near 9.5 kHz sits next to a 4.5 dB peak near 7.4 kHz, so cymbals and sibilants sound uneven. The upper mids are about 1.8 dB low, which pulls vocals back slightly. It costs well above the HIFIMAN Audivina yet rates lower, and at 375 g it is heavier than some alternatives.
Full Meze 109 Pro review and specifications →
| Back | Open |
|---|---|
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.25 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 50mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 30kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 78 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 40 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 112 dB SPL/mW |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-4.6 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.50 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.8 lbs (375 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -5.3 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +7.4 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 72 Hz | -4.2 dB | 0.25 |
| Peak | 2,028 Hz | +5.6 dB | 1.63 |
| Peak | 2,856 Hz | -1.9 dB | 4.04 |
| Peak | 83 Hz | -1.2 dB | 1.11 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -4.7 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 8,692 Hz | +1.6 dB | 2.63 |
| Peak | 825 Hz | -0.9 dB | 2.44 |
| Peak | 475 Hz | +0.4 dB | 1.32 |
| Peak | 4,705 Hz | +1.3 dB | 6.00 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons