Press Release
109 Pro Headphone by Meze Audio Receives the Platinum A' Design Award in Audio and Sound Equipment Design
The international grand jury of the 2022 - 2023 A' Design Award & Competition recognizes Meze Audio for audio and sound equipment design
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 20, 2023 /DesignNewswire/ A' Design Award & Competition has confirmed the Platinum A' Design Award in the Audio and Sound Equipment Design category for 109 Pro Headphone by Meze Audio. The award was conferred within the 2022 - 2023 A' Design Award & Competition and was reached through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who scored anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.
What the Platinum A' Design Award Means
The Platinum A' Design Award is recognized for honoring designs that stand at the forefront of creativity and innovation. It is the highest accolade bestowed by the A' Design Awards, acknowledging works that blend remarkable innovation with impactful societal contributions. These designs not only showcase exceptional artistic and technical proficiency but also highlight their creators' commitment to advancing the boundaries of art, science, design, and technology. Recipients of this award are celebrated for their role in shaping the aesthetics and trends of our time, contributing significantly to the enhancement of quality of life and promoting sustainable development.
About 109 Pro Headphone
109 Pro is an open-back headphone made for music listening. The design is the first dynamic open-back model from Meze Audio. A 50 mm dynamic driver is housed in a chassis that combines walnut wood, zinc, steel, vegan leather and velour, and each unit is assembled by hand. The self-adjusting headband spreads the weight evenly across different head shapes and sizes. Velour cushions surround the ears and stay soft and breathable during long listening sessions. The headphone can be taken apart and serviced, which extends its useful life.
About Meze Audio
Meze Audio is a high-end audio company developing audiophile-grade headphones and earphones, renowned for their timeless design, pure comfort and engaging vivid sound. Every aspect counts - the engineering, choice of materials, the precision of craftsmanship, the reliability – they are all equally important in creating a product that you can fall in love with, over and over again. From looks to technology, Meze Audio products are designed to surpass all short-living trends and become heirlooms, rather than just headphones.
Award Record
With this recognition, Meze Audio is a winner of 2 A' Design Awards. The awards were granted in the 2022 - 2023 edition of the A' Design Award & Competition.
About the A' Audio and Sound Equipment Design Award
The A' Audio Products Design Award is an international product design competition recognizing best audio equipment by leading designers and brands worldwide. It is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to audio product designers, sound equipment designers, industrial designers and product engineers from all countries. Typical entries include headphones, microphones, speakers, amplifiers, soundbars and turntables. The awarded audio products designs are published at https://desingers.org/design-category/audio-products
About A' Design Award & Competition
Organized annually since 2008, A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The philanthropic mission of the A' Design Award is to advance society through good design, by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Nominations are peer reviewed and evaluated anonymously by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. Eligible laureates receive the A' Design Prize, which includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, uploading a work and receiving a preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. More information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com
Press Resources
- Winner Page: https://desingers.org/143978
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/143978
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!143978
- Laureate Profile: https://desingers.org/d/334710
- Further Information from the Laureate: http://mezeaudio.com/
Media Contact
Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953
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Fact Sheet
The Work
- Project
- 109 Pro Headphone
- Function
- Headphone
- Category
- Audio and Sound Equipment Design
- Discipline
- Industrial Design
- Industry
- Electronics & Appliances and Entertainment
- Colors
- Dark Olive Green, Black, Gainsboro, Dark Slate Gray and Gray
- Images
- 5
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Meze Audio
- Country
- Romania
- Recognition
- Platinum A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2022 - 2023
- Design ID
- #143978
Credits
- Team
- Antonio Meze, Paul Stet, Remus Feldman
- Image Credits
- Meze Audio
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- The first dynamic open-back headphone from Meze Audio, 109 Pro goes beyond the faithful reproduction of sound to deliver pure emotion. An artistic take on functionality, the chassis combines premium materials in a comfortable, lightweight, yet highly durable design.
- Inspiration
- Meze Audio was born out of pure passion for extraordinary sound, timeless aesthetics and good craftsmanship. To this day, the philosophy remains unchanged. Through an integral approach, without cutting short on quality, build or performance, Meze Audio aims to blur the barriers between headphone design and artistry, and create inspiring, meaningful experiences. The 109 Pro is the expression of all of these values.
- Research
- The 109 PRO was created with one purpose - to create joy, to allow the listener to get lost in sound without any distractions. In order to meet the acoustic goals set for the 109 Pro, we focused our R&D efforts on materials research, looking to build a structure that would maximize the sonic abilities of the headphone. Over a time span of 3 years, various prototypes were tweaked and tuned, until arriving to an ideal form that would be as beautiful looking as it is comfortable.
- Challenge
- The biggest challenge was to deliver the same level of workmanship found in our top of the line products, to create an aesthetically pleasing structure and a sound to match all listening preferences and setups, and still be able to keep the cost of the product low.
- Realization and Technology
- In a world of fast paced technology, the 109 Pro bets on proven fundamentals. With a 50mm dynamic driver and a structure that combines walnut wood, zinc, steel, vegan leather and velour, the headphone is assembled by hand with ultimate precision and attention to detail. Crafted with utmost care for sustainability, the 109 Pro can be taken apart and serviced endlessly if ever needed, which can extend the life of the product beyond limit.
- Operation and Interaction
- The 109 Pro is all about comfort. Once placed on your head, the headphones have to become unnoticeable, leaving you with nothing but the music. The self-adjusting headband spreads the weight out to deliver even pressure for any head shape and size. Velour cushions comfortably surround the ears, providing the optimal seal to create an emotionally engaging sound. As velour is far softer and more breathable than leather, it also prevents sweat and overheating during lengthy listening sessions.
- Project Duration and Location
- The project started in 2019 and was finalized in May 2022. After a series of teasing events, the product is set to be officially launched in September 2022.
- Specifications
- 100 mm Width x 90 mm Depth x 210 mm Height
- Keywords
- headphones, audio, woodwork, industrial design, modern design, avant-garde
