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Big bass in a small IEM: Meze Alba review
Published onApril 9, 2025
Meze Audio Alba
The Meze Audio Alba are IEMs that promise an upgrade for those coming from a budget audio setup, especially for audio enthusiasts looking for refined IEMs that don’t disappoint in bass. On the other hand, if you’re looking for gaming earphones, depending on what types of games you play, these could be a horrible choice. Let’s dive into the review to see if the Meze Audio Alba are the right fit for you.
Audio enthusiasts looking for a small IEM with deep bass.
This article was published on April 9, 2025, and this is the first version of the article. Updates will follow as the market changes.
What’s it like to use the Meze Audio Alba?
The pearlescent sheen of the Albas is a warm off-white colouration, but it is painted on, leading to chipping that I’ve found after using them for a week. I have dropped them, but after I noticed the chips in the paint, and given where it chipped and only on one side, it seems the paint wasn’t able to bond to the full metal body of the earphones. The build of the Alba is small enough to sleep with, and they are very lightweight. The fit in my ears is fine with no particular pressure points, and I have worn them without issues for over 6 hours. The cable, on the other hand, while soft, doesn’t quite fit over my left ear, constantly falling off. I had to twist them considerably to push them into a better fitting shape, without having to pull up the cable clip to my neck. On the positive side, the cable is detachable, using a 2-pin connector.
The included case is made of faux leather with a soft fabric lining to store the IEMs without scratching them. There is a pocket that would fit the included USB-C to 3.5 adapter, aka a dongle DAC. It comes in handy if you aren’t an audio enthusiast with a dedicated Digital Audio Player. Note that plugging the Alba into a phone drains the phone battery faster, not just because of the connection light with the DAC, but because it uses the battery of the device to power the IEMs. Thankfully, they aren’t too power hungry.
How does the Meze Audio Alba connect?
The Meze Audio Albas are wired earbuds with a 3.5mm aux connection, and Meze Audio includes a 3.5mm to USB-C adapter. They don’t require an extra amp to drive.
How well do the Meze Audio Alba block out noise?
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As IEMs, the Meze Audio Alba isolate sound very well. It’s not as good as active noise cancellation, but it gets close. Without music playing in the earbuds, I can still listen to people talk while being understandable. But playing music at a moderate volume blocks out most noise in an office environment. On the subway, however, the screeching of the train on the tracks and the hum of bystanders waiting for the next stop still push through.
How do the Meze Audio Alba sound?
The Meze Audio Alba have a deep and punchy bass, but not so much that it muddies the overall sound and there are times when the treble feels painful to the ears.
Multi-Dimensional Audio Quality Scores (MDAQS)
The chart below shows how the Multi-Dimensional Audio Quality Score (MDAQS) algorithm from HEAD acoustics assesses the sound of the Meze Audio Alba. The sound quality is rated on a scale from 1.0 (very bad) to 5.0 (very good).
With an Overall rating of 4.8 according to the Multi-Dimensional Audio Quality Score algorithm, most people are going to have an enjoyable experience with the Meze Audio Alba. With the Timbre scoring very high it’s unlikely many people will take issue with the default tuning. Distortion is low enough that most aren’t going to notice it. Some people may find issues with the Immersiveness, which matches my experience with the Meze Audio Alba (more on that below).
Timbre (MOS-T) represents how faithfully the headphones reproduce the frequency spectrum and temporal resolution (timing information).
Distortion (MOS-D) represents non-linearities and added noise: higher scores mean cleaner reproduction.
Immersiveness (MOS-I) represents perceived source width and positioning: how well virtual sound sources are defined in three-dimensional space.
See here for an explanation of MDAQS, how it works, and how it was developed.
Reviewer’s notes
Editor’s note: This review uses a hover-enabled glossary to describe sound quality based on a consensus vocabulary. You can read about it here.
Should you buy the Meze Audio Alba?
I would recommend the Meza Alba, especially if you’re new to the hobby of audio gear. It has a what could be considered a refined, slight V-shaped sound signature, which isn’t too far from most general consumer earbuds. The included DAC/USB-C to 3.5mm adapter is a godsend, especially with the disappearing headphone jack. They’re small and fit into most ears, and they have an interesting design compared to most IEMs. The Meze Audio Albas are a great pick even when compared to most IEMs at under 300$, and an amazing upgrade from budget IEMs under $100. The Meze Audio Alba are worth the $159 asking price.
What should you get instead of the Meze Audio Alba?
For a less coloured sound that leans into production environments, consider the Sennheiser IE 200 ($119 at Amazon). They are smaller than the Meze Audio Alba, have better cable hooks with memory wire, and a wider range of eartips. They are cater towards being a studio set of IEMs for more analytic listeners. The sound may come as too much of a change compared to the more consumer-friendly tuning of the Meze Audio Alba.
Meze Audio Alba review: FAQs
No, you do not need a dedicated amp to use the Meze Audio Alba, they have an impedance of 32 Ohms and they don't require a lot of power to run. The included DAC is good enough.
No, it does not have a microphone built in. They have a detachable 2 pin connection, which allows you to use another cable that has an integrated microphone as a separate purchase.
No, the Meze Audio Alba comes with a 3.5mm to USB-C DAC included.