The Meze ALBA are an ambitious entry into the saturated in-ear monitor (IEM) market, largely dominated by brands like MOONDROP and TRUTHEAR. That said, the Romanian company, based in Baia Mare, comes out swinging with a more accessible addition to its IEM lineup, offering a reasonably priced yet well-built product that still features Meze's signature premium finish and materials. These single dynamic driver earbuds also include an analog to USB-C adapter with an integrated AMP/DAC, along with a USB-C to USB-A converter. This flexibility makes the Meze ALBA an appealing plug-and-play option for audio enthusiasts who use a wide range of devices, from smartphones to USB hubs.
Our Verdict
The Meze ALBA are decent for sports and fitness, though they weren't designed for this use case. They don't have an IP rating, so they're not the best earbuds to take out into the elements, plus the cable can be a snagging hazard. That said, if you're planning on using them at the gym, they're comfortable and lightweight, and their fit is stable even if you move around a lot. They have a good helping of bass, too, which can help keep you pumped up while you work out.
Includes an analog to USB-C adapter.
Impressive comfort and stability.
Wired design can be cumbersome.
The Meze ALBA are alright for travel. They're quite portable and come with a compact carrying case, making them easy to stow while you rush to your connecting flight's gate. That said, they won't do much against engine rumble when you're on a plane or bus. The earbuds are also wired and have an analog to USB adapter, making them flexible to use with a tablet or phone or in-flight entertainment systems on planes.
Includes an analog to USB-C adapter.
Impressive comfort and stability.
Disappointing noise isolation.
The Meze ALBA are bad for office work if you need a microphone. They also don't mitigate much noise from coworkers' clicky keyboard switches or conversations. That said, they're comfortable to wear even for long periods, and they come with an analog to USB-C/A adapter, making them a flexible audio output option for a variety of devices from phones to workstations. On the plus side, their sound signature is suited for a variety of content, so your productivity sprint playlist and coworkers' voices on Teams are rendered naturally.
Impressive comfort and stability.
Disappointing noise isolation.
No integrated microphone.
The Meze ALBA are wired-only headphones and can't be used wirelessly. That said, you can purchase wireless transmitters that work with wired devices, though they'll probably introduce a notable amount of latency, contributing to audio-visual desync.
The Meze ALBA are alright for wired gaming. They don't have a microphone for when you want to chat with friends. That said, the Meze use a standard 2-pin connector cable, so you can find an aftermarket option with an integrated mic easily. The headphones are comfortable and stable, so you'll be able to game for extended sessions without issue. Their L/R drivers are also well matched; footsteps and other audio cues will be rendered accurately in the stereo image. Meanwhile, their balanced sound profile makes them a good option for fast-paced cutscenes with plenty of explosions or dialogue-heavy sections with a focus on narrative.
Impressive comfort and stability.
No integrated microphone.
The Meze ALBA have very good audio reproduction accuracy. Their frequency response doesn't deviate much from their balanced sound profile, though a dip into a peak in the treble can render upper harmonics dull or hissy as neighboring frequencies are under- or over-emphasized relative to one another. The headphones have outstanding harmonic distortion performance, reproducing audio cleanly even at high listening levels. The Meze's L/R drivers are also well matched with minor stereo mismatches in frequency and phase response that's barely audible in test tones, but not in real content. The group delay performance also isn't an issue, despite the fluctuations in the graph; most deviations are likely artifacts caused by interactions with our test rig, though minor blips around 100Hz are indicative of the issues captured by stereo matching tests. As the Meze are earbuds, they bypass the outer ear, so you won't experience any pinna interaction that contributes to a sense of immersion.
The Meze ALBA have disappointing noise isolation. They only come with silicone ear tips and don't have active noise cancellation. As expected, their passive isolation doesn't block out much noise in the bass range, like rumbling bus and airplane engines. That said, they attenuate noise more effectively in the upper-mid and treble range. The Meze also don't leak much audio, barely exceeding the noise floor of a very calm room.
The Meze ALBA don't have an integrated microphone. That said, they use a common 2-pin connection type, so you can easily find an aftermarket cable with a mic if you need one.
The Meze ALBA have great frequency response consistency. If you get a good seal with the included ear tips, your listening experience will match our frequency response measurements. That said, we found the included ear tips to be a bit smaller than similarly labeled ear tips from other IEMs, so it might take some trial and error to find the right size for you.
Performance Usages
Changelog
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Updated Aug 27, 2025:
We've updated the Sound Profile box with a link to a downloadable folder of EQ settings that will help you match these headphones' frequency response to different target curves available in our Graph Tool.
- Updated Jul 15, 2025: Review published.
- Updated Jul 03, 2025: Early access published.
- Updated Jun 27, 2025: Our testers have started testing this product.
Check Price
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Meze ALBA come in one color: 'White,' and you can see their label. If you encounter another variant of these earbuds, let us know in the comments, and we'll update the review.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Meze ALBA are mid-range wired in-ears that prioritize comfort and broad device compatibility. They're among the few earbuds in this price range to include an analog-to-USB-C/A adapter. That said, two alternatives that also support both analog and USB-C connectivity, either via a second cable or an included dongle, are the MOONDROP x Crinacle DUSK and the MOONDROP KADENZ (successor to the MOONDROP KATO), which offer DSP features like an EQ not found on the Meze.
Beyond connectivity, passive earbuds like the Meze ALBA naturally offer fewer features than true wireless (TWS) options. But if you work in a noisy environment and need stronger isolation from a passive product, the TRUTHEAR HEXA attenuate noise impressively when paired with their included foam tips. For listeners seeking more pronounced bass, the TRUTHEAR x Crinacle ZERO and TRUTHEAR x Crinacle ZERO:RED (with the 10-ohm bass-boosting resistor) offer a more bass-forward tuning.
If you're interested in recommendations for the greatest sound regardless of headphone type, check out the best sounding earbuds and best audiophile headphones.
The Sennheiser IE 200 and Meze ALBA are both single dynamic driver IEMs. The Sennheisers are slightly warmer, with a scooped low-mid treble, while the Meze have a frequency response that more closely resembles our target curve. You may prefer the Sennheiser's subdued treble if you're particularly sensitive to higher frequencies. The Sennheiser also come with foam tips which help the earbuds block out more noise than the Meze. That said, the Meze are made from premium materials rather than plastic and are more comfortable for most people.
The TRUTHEAR HEXA and Meze ALBA are earbuds with similarly balanced sound profiles. That said, the Meze have a bit more bass emphasis, which you might prefer if you tend to listen to EDM. Their curved design incorporates premium materials like zinc and aluminum in their body, and they're more comfortable. That said, the TRUTHEAR include foam ear tips, which help them isolate you from noise much more effectively.
The Meze ALBA and MOONDROP Blessing 3 are earbuds in different price ranges. The price difference is apparent in the complexity of the driver system on the MOONDROP Blessing 3, which features an opposed dual dynamic driver design accompanied by four balanced armature drivers in each earbud. That said, they both have a similar balanced sound profile, with the MOONDROP deviating from their sound signature less than the Meze. However, the cheaper Meze are more comfortable for most people and come with a convenient analog to USB-C/A adaptor, enabling their use with a wider variety of devices.
The 7HZ Timeless and Meze ALBA are relatively distinct products. The 7HZ feature planar magnetic drivers, a rarity for IEMs, while the Meze feature a more standard single dynamic drivers design. The 7HZ have a slightly warmer sound signature, though both are relatively similar to our target curve. The Meze are more comfortable, though, and come with an analog to USB-C/A adaptor, making them more compatible with a variety of devices out of the box.
We've upgraded our Headphones Test Bench to 2.0! This update brings several key changes to our tests and usages, making it easier than ever to interpret our sound results based on your personal preferences. You'll also find a brand-new interactive graph tool featuring multiple targets (including our own!) for you to explore and compare.
For a full breakdown, check out our changelog, which includes detailed commentary from our test designer explaining the rationale behind our update.
We'd also love to hear your thoughts: your feedback helps us keep improving, so join us in the comments!
Test Results
These earbuds have a balanced sound profile that resembles our target curve, but with a restrained bass emphasis. The tuning suits a variety of genres and is functionally identical even when you connect to your source with the analog to USB-C adapter.
If you want to adjust the EQ so that the frequency response more closely mirrors our target curve and others we show in the Graph Tool, download this folder of preset EQs.
The Meze ALBA have great frequency response consistency. With the correct ear tips for you, you'll experience consistent audio delivery across the measured frequencies. It's worth noting that some fluctuations presented on the graphs are related to differences in frequency response between the L/R drivers, as the benchmark used to calculate consistency is the average of both drivers' responses. We found the included ear tips to be a bit smaller than similarly labeled ear tips from other IEMs, so it might take some trial and error to find the right size for you.
They have fantastic bass target compliance. The earbuds have slight bass emphasis throughout the range, which facilitates the reproduction of punchy kicks and rumbly EDM drops.
They have exceptional mid-range compliance. Minimal deviation in the earbuds' frequency response from our target indicate instruments and vocals are present and clear in the mix. Swells of the full orchestra in the latter half of "Nimrod" from Elgar's Enigma Variations are reproduced as grandiose without becoming muddled or honky.
They have remarkable treble compliance, matching our target curve through most of the range. Vocals and instruments are well articulated, but a recessed transition from the mid- to high-treble can dull the shimmer of crisp cymbal crashes in Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet, or bring a warmer tonality to mixes, which you may enjoy.
The Meze ALBA's peaks and dips performance is good. Over most of the measured frequency range, the earbuds' frequency response barely deviates from their balanced sound profile. That said, a major dip in the mid- to high-treble can render the upper harmonics of percussion like cymbals dull or hissy, depending on the frequency.
These earbuds have amazing stereo matching. The L/R drivers have almost no overall amplitude mismatch and minor, isolated mismatches in frequency and phase response. While the minor issues are slightly audible with test patterns, audio objects in real content, like footsteps, are encompassed by a wider range of frequencies, and it's unlikely you'll notice directional bias or unclear positioning. Overall, vocals and instruments are clearly positioned in a complete stereo image.
While the group delay measurements on our graphs have a significant amount of fluctuation, in practice, the buds don't have any severe issues. Subjective listening with test tones in the affected range did catch some perceivable wobble in the mid-bass range, likely related to the fluctuation in group delay around 100Hz on both the L/R drivers. Timing differences in neighboring frequencies are indicative of localized phase shifts, which can cause constructive and destructive wave interactions in neighboring frequencies and ultimately affect the frequency response. That said, we didn't notice any issues in the bass of real content, like Six Feet Under by The Weeknd. The earbuds will reproduce tight bass and transparent treble.
We measure group delay over three passes (1, 2, and 3), and it produced varied results in the low bass. This was likely caused by interactions of the silicone ear tips and our test rig's silicone ears.
These earbuds are in-ear monitors that bypass outer ear interaction.
These in-ears have superb harmonic distortion performance. Though there is a peak in distortion present in the mid-treble, you likely won't perceive coloration that affects your listening experience.
These headphones don't require an amp to drive them during wired use; you'll be able to listen to them at loud levels even when connected to a portable device like a smartphone.
These are the settings used to test the Meze ALBA. Our results are only valid when the earbuds are used in this configuration. We used the analog connection for all our measurements after confirming the earbuds' frequency response was nearly identical when using the analog to USB-C adapter.
They have an understated, stylish design. Unlike the more angular TRUTHEAR HEXA, the Meze have nearly no straight edges in their design. Their shape more closely resembles the Sennheiser IE 200, though their finish is notably more premium; their body is composed of zinc and aluminum, which features silver highlights and an off-white pearlescent coating. To top off their aesthetic, the earbuds feature Meze's silver logo near their 2-pin connections, and the text "MEZE AUDIO DESIGNED IN BAIA MARE ROMANIA" is printed around the exhaust ports.
The earbuds have a comfortable in-ear fit. They come with soft, silicone ear tips that come in four different sizes. The earbuds themselves aren't particularly bulky and don't have any sharp edges. The included earbuds are on the smaller side relative to those included with other IEMs, so you might need to go one size up from what normally fits. But once you've found the right ear tips for you, the buds won't exert much pressure on your inner ear or the opening of your ear canal. That said, the earbuds have a design that encourages cable routing over and behind your ears, which, though common for IEMs of this type, can be uncomfortable for some.
The Meze ALBA are exceptionally portable. If you forget their case at home, you can coil them up and store them in a pocket or bag without much issue.
The Meze ALBA have a great case. Compared to similar products with hard cases like the MOONDROP Blessing 3, this leatherette-covered, hard-shell case has a much smaller footprint. That said, it can still accommodate the analog to USB adapter and earbuds simultaneously. While the outer material feels a little artificial, the zipper closes smoothly, and the inside has a soft velvet material.
The Meze ALBA have a great build quality. The buds are lightweight, but don't cheap out on materials with their aluminum and zinc body. The ear tips feel well-made and soft, too. While there were early reports of their off-white pearlescent finish chipping, Meze have since altered the earbuds' design to avoid the issue. Other potential weak links include the 2-pin connectors on the cable, though this is common with most products. Unsurprisingly, the buds also don't have an IP rating, so you probably shouldn't take them out in a torrential downpour.
They have excellent stability. Once you've found a tip size that works for you, they remain snug in your ear, even while chewing or shaking your head during exercise.
- Meze ALBA headphones
- Carrying case
- 4x sets of ear tips (S, M, L, XL)
- Analog to USB-C adapter
- USB-C to USB-A adapter
- Documentation
These earbuds don't have active noise cancelling, relying solely on the passive isolation of their silicone ear tips and body. As expected, they don't block out as much noise compared to something like the TRUTHEAR HEXA with their foam ear tips. While you'll experience some attenuation of higher frequency noise like ambient chatter and whirring fans, rumble from engines won't be blocked out much. It's worth noting that you won't experience sub-bass from external noises louder than you would with the earbuds off; the peak on the graph is an artifact of our testing process.
The Meze ALBA in-ear monitors are inadequate for blocking out everyday sounds. They won't block out much low-frequency noise like airplane engines and buses on the street. However, you'll probably notice some attenuation of chatty coworkers' voices.
The Meze ALBA have amazing leakage performance. A relative or coworker sitting 1 ft away from you likely won't hear your favorite tunes over the noise floor of a calm room.
The headphones come with a 47 in/1.2 m, detachable, 2-pin, braided TRS cable. If you'd like to listen to a USB audio source, you can use the included analog to USB adapter which works for both USB-C and USB-A (with the relevant attachment). That said, you can't adjust the headphones' audio through cable DSP like you can on the MOONDROP x Crinacle DUSK. As with most wired connections (even over USB), latency isn't an issue for the Meze ALBA.
These earbuds don't have a mic, but you can receive audio from your PC via an analog or wired USB connection.
You can use the Meze ALBA IEMs with or without the USB-C adapter for audio when plugged into your Playstation controller. You won't be able to use voice chat without a standalone mic or an aftermarket cable with an integrated mic.
You can connect the headphones via their TRS cable to your Xbox controller's AUX port. They aren't compatible using the analog to USB-C dongle, though. You won't be able to use voice chat without a standalone mic or an aftermarket cable with an integrated mic.