Over-Ear
Erzetich Charybdis
89Outstanding
$3,000
Full review dataErzetich Charybdis vs Meze Elite: which should you buy?
On aggregated review scores the Erzetich Charybdis comes out ahead with a HearWiki score of 89. The full breakdown - sub-scores, specs and what reviewers actually said - is below.
Our pick: Erzetich Charybdis - Outstanding overall at around $3000.
Over-Ear
Meze Elite
81Great
$3,400
Full review dataScore breakdown
Each axis is a 0–10 blend of what reviewers scored, not a lab measurement.
Erzetich Charybdis leads on 2 of 2 measures.
- Erzetich Charybdis
- Meze Elite
HearWiki score
89
81
Price (USD)
$3,000
$3,400
Generation & platform
The scores rank quality. This is the other question: is the newer one actually newer technology, or the same platform in a new shell?
Same generation
Both shipped in 2021. These are the same generation of hardware - nothing in the radio, the codecs or the noise cancelling separates them. Nothing separates them on convenience features either, so the choice comes down to tuning and price.
- Charybdis2021
- Elite2021
Specifications
CharybdisElite
- Type
- Over-Ear
- Over-Ear
- Price (USD)
- $3,000
- $3,400
- HearWiki score
- 89
- 81
- Released
- 2021
- 2021
- Availability
- Discontinued
- Discontinued
- Driver
- 115 mm planar magnetic
- hybrid
- Driver type
- planar
- hybrid
- Driver size
- 115 mm
- -
- Drivers per side
- 1
- -
- Frequency response
- 20 Hz - 20 kHz
- 3 Hz - 112 kHz
- Impedance
- 43 Ω
- 32 Ω
- Sensitivity
- 105 dB/mW
- 101 dB/mW
- Active noise cancelling
- -
- No
- Controls
- none
- -
- Weight
- 740 g
- 433 g
- Detachable cable
- Yes
- Yes
- USB-C
- No
- No
- Pad material
- leatherette
- -
- Connector
- XLR
- XLR
- Balanced connection
- Yes
- Yes
What reviewers said
Erzetich Charybdis
No summary yet - we haven't aggregated enough reviews.
Meze Elite
The Meze Elite is a premium open-back planar headphone that builds on the brand's flagship heritage with a refined, spacious, and highly musical sound. Its aluminum construction and updated driver array deliver strong technical performance, excellent detail retrieval, and a comfortable fit, making it a top-tier choice for audiophiles seeking a luxurious listening experience. While its price point is steep, the combination of craftsmanship, ergonomics, and sonic maturity positions it as a standout in the high-end segment.
- Pro:Exceptional build quality with premium aluminum materials
- Pro:Spacious and immersive soundstage with excellent separation
- Pro:Smooth, musical tuning that remains detailed and dynamic
- Con:Very high price tag limits accessibility
- Con:No ANC or wireless features for a wired-only design
- Con:Potential bass roll-off may not suit bass-heavy listeners
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
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