Meze Audio · Updated July 2026
Meze Alba: price & specs
- Best for Weighty, punchy bass for such a small IEM; Comfortable, lightweight fit for long sessions.
- Skip if Upper treble gets edgy/painful at higher volumes is a dealbreaker.
Meze Alba. Every price and spec below is linked to its source and dated — no guesses.
Source: mezeaudio.com verified ✓ corroborated verify in ledger
Is the Meze Alba a good buy?
At $159, the Meze Alba is the cheapest of the 10 in ear monitors we track, where the median is $529. On the spec sheet, its impedance ohms of 32 is above the median of the 10, its sensitivity db mw of 109 is above the median of the 6, and its connector type of 2pin-0.78mm is at the median of the 5.
Evidence of Record
Our data- Independent labsmeasured it
- 1
- Physical metricsrecorded
- 4
- Outlets on record1 tested · 1 mention-only
- 2
One independent lab measured this product across 4 physical metrics — mdaqs overall score, mdaqs timbre, mdaqs distortion and mdaqs immersiveness. These numbers rest on a single hands-on source so far; 1 other outlet has it on record by mention only.
Review consensus · sourced & dated
What reviewers say about the Meze Alba
Both whitelisted hands-on reviews — SoundGuys (Apr 2025) and TechRadar (Sep 2025) — recommend the $159 Meze Alba as an excellent entry-level audiophile IEM with detailed sound, weighty bass, a comfortable fit and a bundled USB-C DAC adapter; both flag edgy/painful upper treble at high volume and the lack of a mic or in-line controls. Only SoundGuys ran lab MDAQS measurements (Overall 4.8/5, HEAD acoustics). All quotes and measured values were verified as literal substrings of the source text; no sources were dropped.
Tested by SoundGuys, TechRadar
Consistently praised
- Weighty, punchy bass for such a small IEM · 2 sources
- Comfortable, lightweight fit for long sessions · 2 sources
- Included USB-C DAC adapter is a genuine value-add · 2 sources
- Detailed, clear sound across the frequency range
- Premium-feeling build and looks (zinc alloy/anodized aluminium) at a low $159 price
Commonly flagged
- Upper treble gets edgy/painful at higher volumes · 2 sources
- No microphone or in-line/volume controls · 2 sources
- Cable issues (tangling / poor over-ear fit) · 2 sources
- Painted pearlescent finish chips easily
Where reviewers disagree Build durability splits the two: SoundGuys found the painted pearlescent finish chipped within a week of use (Fragile paint finish), whereas TechRadar praised the zinc-alloy/anodized-aluminium build as luxurious and raised no durability concern.
The sources (2)
MDAQS Overall score (1.0-5.0, HEAD acoustics): 4.8 · MDAQS Timbre (MOS-T, 1.0-5.0): 4.9 · MDAQS Distortion (MOS-D, 1.0-5.0): 4.6 · MDAQS Immersiveness (MOS-I, 1.0-5.0): 3.3
It feels like a huge step up in terms of sound compared to general consumer earbuds.
there are times when the treble feels painful to the ears
it is painted on, leading to chipping
The Meze Audio Alba are simply an exemplary set of affordable IEMs.
Mids never sound recessed, treble is expressive
higher-pitched treble sounds can get a little harsh at higher volumes
Specifications
| Price (US) | $159 US price $159. Meze Audio official product page (International/USD store) lists "Sale price $159"; Bloom Audio, a US authorized Meze retailer, lists "Regular price $159.00" (variant price 15900 cents). The lower "$139" figures on Bloom are Open Box only. |
|---|---|
| Brand | Meze Audio |
| Released | — |
| Driver type | dynamic |
| Driver config | 1DD |
| Impedance ohms | 32 |
| Sensitivity db mw | 109 |
| Frequency response (Hz) | 15-25000 |
| Connector type | 2pin-0.78mm |
| Cable detachable | Yes |
| Plug termination | 3.5mm |
| Shell material | zinc-alloy |
| Weight grams | — |
Source: mezeaudio.com (verified 2026-07-11) · corroborated by bloomaudio.com. The Meze Audio official product page (mezeaudio.com/products/alba) confirms this exact model — the ALBA single 10.8 mm dynamic-driver IEM — via its SPECIFICATIONS table (Transducer Type Dynamic, Sensitivity 109 dB SPL/mW at 1 kHz, Impedance 32 Ω, Frequency Range 15 Hz - 25 kHz, 2-pin 0.78 mm connectors with 3.5 mm gold-plated jack) and shows "Sale price $159" on the International (USD) store. Bloom Audio, a US authorized Meze retailer, corroborates both identity and price with "Regular price $159.00" and matching specs (10.8mm Dynamic Driver, 2-Pin | 3.5mm plug, 32Ω, 15 Hz-25 kHz), and explicitly states "Zinc alloy die-casted shells with anodized Aluminum parts," which fixes the shell as zinc-alloy and confirms the detachable 2-pin cable. Both pages agree on the same model and the $159 US price.
Is the Meze Alba worth it vs cheaper in ear monitors?
Meze Alba against its closest cheaper and pricier in ear monitors on the specs that matter — every value sourced. See all 10 ranked →
| Product | Price | Driver type | Driver config | Impedance ohms | Sensitivity db mw | Frequency response (Hz) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meze Alba this | $159 | dynamic | 1DD | 32 | 109 | 15-25000 |
| Truthear Nova | $169.99 | hybrid | 1DD+4BA | 14.8 | — | 8-40000 |
Frequently asked questions
What do reviewers say about the Meze Alba?
Both whitelisted hands-on reviews — SoundGuys (Apr 2025) and TechRadar (Sep 2025) — recommend the $159 Meze Alba as an excellent entry-level audiophile IEM with detailed sound, weighty bass, a comfortable fit and a bundled USB-C DAC adapter; both flag edgy/painful upper treble at high volume and the lack of a mic or in-line controls. Only SoundGuys ran lab MDAQS measurements (Overall 4.8/5, HEAD acoustics). All quotes and measured values were verified as literal substrings of the source text; no sources were dropped. Praised: Detailed, clear sound across the frequency range; Weighty, punchy bass for such a small IEM; Premium-feeling build and looks (zinc alloy/anodized aluminium) at a low $159 price; Comfortable, lightweight fit for long sessions; Included USB-C DAC adapter is a genuine value-add. Flagged: Upper treble gets edgy/painful at higher volumes; No microphone or in-line/volume controls; Cable issues (tangling / poor over-ear fit); Painted pearlescent finish chips easily. (From 2 tester reviews, 1 lab-tested.)
How much does the Meze Alba cost?
The Meze Alba has a US price of $159 (US price $159. Meze Audio official product page (International/USD store) lists "Sale price $159"; Bloom Audio, a US authorized Meze retailer, lists "Regular price $159.00" (variant price 15900 cents). The lower "$139" figures on Bloom are Open Box only.), as of 2026-07-11.
How does the Meze Alba compare on price?
At $159, the Meze Alba is the cheapest of the 10 in ear monitors we track, where the median is $529.
What are the Meze Alba's key specs?
Meze Alba (Meze Audio): driverType dynamic, driverConfig 1DD, impedanceOhms 32, sensitivityDbMw 109, frequencyResponseHz 15-25000. Full sourced spec sheet verified 2026-07-11.
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