Press Release
Antonio Meze Is Honored with the Golden A' Design Award for Elite Headphones in Audio and Sound Equipment Design
Antonio Meze acknowledged for audio and sound equipment design by the international grand jury of the 2021 - 2022 A' Design Award & Competition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 28, 2022 /DesignNewswire/ A' Design Award & Competition has confirmed the Golden A' Design Award in the Audio and Sound Equipment Design category for Elite Headphones by Antonio Meze, designed for Meze Audio. The recognition forms part of the 2021 - 2022 A' Design Award & Competition and was determined through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who assessed anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.
The Golden A' Design Award Explained
The Gold A' Design Award is granted to designs that demonstrate a high level of innovation and a significant impact on their intended audience. Recognized as a major achievement by the A' Design Awards, these designs are characterized by their visionary approach and the exceptional skill of their creators. Winners of the Gold A' Design Award are noted for their ability to push the envelope in art, science, design, and technology, delivering solutions that not only meet but exceed expectations. These designs serve as benchmarks for excellence, encouraging further innovation and inspiring future generations of designers.
More About Elite Headphones
Elite delivers accurate, authentic sound for music lovers, embodied into a lightweight, highly comfortable chassis. On closer look, the frame reveals a complex geometrical imprint accentuated through the silver finish of the CNC aluminum frame. A deep black grill with intricate carvings and a carbon fiber headband with real leather headrest were added, turning Elite into a futuristic take on personal audio design.
About Antonio Meze
Antonio is an Industrial Designer and creative thinker, user-focused, socially responsible designer & product developer born and educated in Romania with a eclectic experience gained trough his work in design agencies from around the world (LA, NY, Amsterdam, Prague, Bangkok, London) during 2005-2013. Now he focuses on his own brand, Meze Audio, one of the most appreciated headphone companies in the audiophile industry.
Award Record
With this recognition, Antonio Meze is a winner of 2 A' Design Awards. The awards were granted between the 2015 - 2016 and the 2021 - 2022 editions 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/130376
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/130376
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!130376
- Laureate Profile: https://desingers.org/d/152183
- Further Information from the Laureate: http://bit.ly/3reHBmo
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
- Elite Headphones
- Function
- Headphones
- Category
- Audio and Sound Equipment Design
- Discipline
- Industrial Design
- Industry
- Electronics & Appliances and Entertainment
- Colors
- Black, Dark Slate Gray, Dark Gray, Gray and Silver
- Images
- 5
- Client
- Meze Audio
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Antonio Meze
- Country
- Romania
- Recognition
- Golden A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2021 - 2022
- Design ID
- #130376
Credits
- Image Credits
- Meze Audio
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- Elite is one of the most advanced planar magnetic headphones, delivering an authentic listening experience embodied into a unique frame that provides utmost comfort. Elite features: High-precision CNC sculpted chassis Isodynamic Hybrid Array Driver Lightweight materials Patent-pending pressure distribution wings Anatomical ovate earcups Designed for life. Elite is made to surpass all short-living trends and industry changes, bringing long-lasting value to the customer.
- Inspiration
- At Meze Audio, products are created from pure passion for great aesthetics, good craftsmanship and breakthrough engineering. It is the love for art and design and not a business mindset that drives innovation. With Elite, our goal was to make a headphone without any compromises. With few exceptions, audio gear is rarely considered a work of art, and design often comes second to performance. Born out of love of sound and artistry, we believe Elite breaks that barrier.
- Research
- Meze aimed for perfection in every component, so producing Elite just the way the designer intended and without any compromises was a real challenge. An in-depth research process into material sciences was conducted, which opened the door for new technological advances, in terms of sound and comfort. It took 3 years of developing and testing new technologies, different combinations of materials and various sound tuning options, in order to achieve this final result.
- Challenge
- With Elite, the goal was to create a high-end product meant for those who know what they want and expect to be treated accordingly. The biggest challenge for the designer and the engineering team was to find the perfect balance between technology, design, materials and ergonomics. Finding the right material for each component took a lot of experimentation, as did getting a precise and durable assembly that allows each part of the headphone to be easily disassembled and serviced.
- Realization and Technology
- Elite features a CNC aluminum chassis, milled from a single piece of aluminum. The process of shaping a single frame takes about 20 hours. The ovoid shape of the earcup was designed to fit the ear more closely, for increased wearing comfort. A carbon fiber headband with a real leather headrest were added to the frame, for an ultra-light feel and maximum durability. The patent-pending suspension wings distribute the weight evenly, providing a comfortable listening experience. From the replaceable earpads to the high-performance materials used, every part on the headphone chassis is available to be easily disassembled and serviced.
- Operation and Interaction
- The unique design of the frame is definitely the first thing that stands out, but then you are completely captured by how lightweight and comfortable they actually are, thanks to the patent pending suspension wings. When paired with your favorite audio device, Elite delivers a natural sound transparency and a wide, articulate soundstage, which creates an immersive listening experience that compliments most music genres.
- Project Duration and Location
- Meze Audio started working on Elite in 2018, and it took 3 years of research and development in order to create a powerful, lifelike and immersive experience with a multisensory character.
- Specifications
- Width: 255 mm Height: 230 mm Depth: 89 mm
- Keywords
- headphones, aluminum, CNC, industrial, product design, audio, technology, electronics
