Today, we will discuss Meze Audio’s newest open-back headphones, the 105 Silva! We will discuss their build quality, design, and sound quality, paired with several headphone amplifiers and DACs, including the Ferrum Audio ORR, WANDLA, HYPSOS 2 stack, the Ferrum ERCO, the Chord Hugo 2, and the Woo Audio WA22 and McIntosh MHA200 headphone tube amplifiers.

Priced at $499, the Meze 105 Silva is positioned between the more affordable $399 105 AER and the higher-end $799 109 Pro. Let’s first examine the build quality of the 105 Silva, which I believe is a step up from the 105 AER and shares some similarities with the 109 PRO from Meze.

The Mid-Century Modern movement inspired the 105 Silva’s design. Giving off vintage vibes with contemporary aesthetics. The radial grille intertwines beautifully with the hand-polished walnut wood to create the gorgeous ear cups.

If you have been following our TSAV YouTube channel, you will know that Meze Audio produces some of the most visually stunning headphones on the planet, and the 105 Silva are no exception.

The headphones utilize 50mm dynamic drivers with carbon fiber-reinforced cellulose composite domes and titanium-covered surrounds. The titanium-coated semicrystalline polymer torus and copper-zinc stabilizer ensure the driver membrane’s rigid properties and strength according to Meze Audio.

The deep and cushioned velour earpads, along with the self-adjusting headband, make the 105 Silva a pleasure to wear and listen to from a comfort perspective. The clamp force is just right as well.

The weight of the 105 Silva is very reasonable, weighing only 354 grams, which is slightly heavier than the 105 AER and somewhat lighter than the 109 PRO.

The 105 Silva has an impedance of 42 ohms, with a sensitivity of 112 dB SPL/mW at 1 kHz, making them relatively easy to drive. However, using a dedicated headphone amplifier, DAP, or portable DAC/Amp will improve sound quality compared to running them directly from a laptop, phone, or tablet.

Included with the headphones are a hard EVA Case, a cable pouch, and a 5.9ft Kevlar duo OFC twisted cable terminated in 3.5mm to the cups, along with a 3.5mm termination with an included ¼” gold-plated adapter.

Also included is a USB Type-C to 3.5mm dongle DAC amp.

In terms of build quality and visual aesthetics, I believe the 105 Silva is easily worth its $499 price, especially when compared to many headphones from other manufacturers that are primarily made of plastic, and even surpasses the visual design of Meze’s own 105 AER headphones.

Appearance is, of course, not the entire picture, so let’s discuss how the 105 Silva headphones sound. If the 109 PRO is the more technical sounding headphones with more energy in the treble region, and the 105 AER has the warmer bass and more prominent sub-bass, the 105 Silva sits somewhere right in the middle of the two headphones. 

I enjoy the 105 AER quite a bit, especially for $399, and the 105 Silva shares some similarities with the 105 AER, with a bit less sub-bass and bass quantity. The treble is also slightly smoother-sounding when listening to the 105 Silva, with a bit more emphasis in the mid-range.

 

 

 

The 105 AER is the more fun and exciting sound signature, with the 109 PRO sounding the most technical and analytical. If you felt the 105 AER was too much in the bass and treble regions, then the 105 Silva might be the perfect fit.

Or, if you are like me and felt the 109 PRO was a bit too treble-focused and sounded bright at times, then the 105 Silva offers a similar sound signature with a smoother overall sound that is easy to listen to during long listening sessions.

When it comes to bass, the 105 Silva emphasizes the mid-bass region, which I appreciate as a headphone listener. The sub-bass is less emphasized, which is especially noticeable from the majority of the tracks from the Weekend’s Dawn FM album. 

This is one aspect of the Silva that I found myself missing, especially after listening to the 105 AER. However, it still sounds enjoyable for the majority of modern-produced music, with a slightly less visceral feel than the 105 AER.

 

 

 

The midrange sounds great for most vocals, and strings have excellent energy. The acoustic and electric guitar are of particular note when listening to Tash Sultana’s Terra Firma Album.

The upper mid-range doesn’t sound overemphasized and creates good clarity without sounding too dry or over-sharpened. This is great for vocals, as it prevents them from sounding shouty or offensive.

The treble has a bit of extra sparkle and energy above what I consider true neutrality. Still, it is neither offensive nor bright-sounding and doesn’t cause me fatigue when listening. Synths sound exceptionally airy and sparkly when listening to electronic music or modern pop music.

The soundstage is larger than I expected it to be. I believe this is a definite advantage compared to the 105 AER, and the increased width and depth demonstrate a significant improvement that I appreciate about the 105 Silva.

Imaging is also excellent, with good definition around vocals and instruments on the medium-sized soundstage. Listening to Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon gives you a good picture of the 105 Silva’s soundstage performance with vocals and instruments traveling outside the cups and above your head at times.

When it comes to punch and slam, the 105 Silva doesn’t have the most visceral punch or slam, not sounding as dynamic and punchy as the 105 AER. Still, unless you prioritize punch and slam above some of the other benefits like the sound stage and smoothness of the Silva, I think most listeners will find the headphones quite enjoyable in this regard.

 

 

 

The timbre and tonality of instruments and vocals are fairly natural sounding, with a bit of extra emphasis in the treble region, causing snares and cymbals to sound slightly more pronounced than on totally neutral headphones.

When listening to "Mountains" from Hans Zimmer, the Organ lacks the body and timbre it should have, particularly in the low bass frequencies on this track. However, for the most part, the rest of the headphones’ timbre is quite good.

As for which genres of music sound good with the 105 Silva, I think most genres sound great. I don’t believe the headphones were designed to perform well with just a few genres, but they do well with all the genres I listened to.

In honor of the legend Ozzy Ozborne, Rest in Peace, Prince of Darkness, I listened to Black Sabbath’s Remastered Paranoid album. On “War Pigs,” the cymbals have that extra emphasis we discussed, drawing attention to their splash. 

The electric guitar also has plenty of bite and rips on War Pigs. Ozzy’s vocals sit a bit back in the mix, and the drums are present but lack the impact or slam we discussed earlier. 

Listening to 'Tripping with Nils Frahm' showcased the soundstage capabilities of the 105 Silva, along with decent detail retrieval at this price, revealing subtle details from the recording, such as audience noises and the keys being struck by Nils.

I briefly compared my in-house reference dynamic driver headphones, the HD 660S2, which are around this price point, to the 105 Silva. Of course, the build quality and look of the 105 Silva are far better, and honestly, I don’t think anyone in the industry right now can compete with Meze from a visual design perspective.

From a sound perspective, both headphones are very enjoyable and distinctive. The instrument timbre of the HD660s2 is slightly more accurate when listening. However, the soundstage performance of the 105 Silva offers a broader and more profound experience compared to the more intimate soundstage of the Sennheiser’s.

The HD660S2 is more focused on vocals, as you would expect from Sennheiser, but the 105 Silva presents more bass, as well as sparkle and air, than the HD660S2.

The Sennheiser headphones sound punchier and more dynamic. Comfort-wise, there is no comparison. The 105 Silva offers a far more comfortable listening experience, featuring plusher pads, reduced clamping force, and its self-adjusting headband system. Both headphones are fantastic at this price, and I could see a listener owning both headphones in their collection. 

Meze is doing a great job of offering a variety of headphone options at different price points for us Head-Fi enthusiasts. Suppose you are in the market for a pair of Meze headphones and are trying to choose between the 105 AER, 105 Silva, or the 109 PRO. In that case, we always recommend trying them all out at our headphone bar in Southern California or visiting your local CanJam.

However, if I were to offer a few tips to help you make a decision, I would say that if you value a more fun sound with prominent bass and a bit more punch, yet an exciting sound that's not quite as smooth, then check out the 105 AER.

If you are looking for a more analytical sound, with a focus on the upper midrange and treble regions, a broader, more open soundstage, and don’t mind a sound that some listeners might consider a touch brighter, then the 109 Pro could be a great fit.

Or if you are looking for a set of headphones that falls in between, then the 105 Silva could be the sweet spot for you! Thank you to our friends at Meze Audio for providing the headphones for review.

For more information on any of the products discussed in this article or to make a purchase, please visit us in-store, purchase directly through our website, or shoot us a message through our website. Also, TSAV has added some great options on our website. 

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This is the part of the article where we'd love for you to share your thoughts on the 105 Silva headphones in the comments. Have you heard them yet? If so, what do you think? Until next time, friends, remember, let the music be your guide!