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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-23 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
• Sennheiser HD 300 Pro — biggest strength: a lightweight 340 g over-ear design with a 64 ohm / 123 dB dynamic driver, 20 Hz–20,000 Hz range and a stated 1 ms latency, aimed squarely at professional monitoring with passive sound isolation.
• Sennheiser HD 300 Pro — biggest trade-off: it's a wired, function-first tool. No wood, no swappable earpads advertised, no USB-C DAC in the box, and the "Wi-Fi / 30 m range" line in its own spec sheet is odd for a wired headphone — treat it as a wired set and nothing more.
• MEZE AUDIO 99 Classics 2nd Gen — biggest strength: solid walnut earcups, snap-fit replaceable pads, a screw-built fully serviceable frame, two tonalities via acoustic absorbers, and a bundled USB-C DAC/AMP with 3.5 mm and 3 m cables.
• MEZE AUDIO 99 Classics 2nd Gen — biggest trade-off: it's a 32 ohm audiophile headphone, so it leans on the source you feed it, and its wood-and-metal build means it's a home/casual set rather than a knock-around studio beater.
• Who each is for → Sennheiser: producers, editors, gamers and anyone who wants a sealed, lightweight wired monitor. MEZE AUDIO: music listeners, vinyl/desk setups and tinkerers who value materials, comfort and repairability.
The HD 300 Pro is a professional-audio object first and a lifestyle product second. At 340 g it's genuinely light for an over-ear, and the rounded over-ear cups are listed with leather as the enclosure material — a combination that says "sealed, isolating, wear-it-all-day" rather than "sit back with a glass of wine." The 64 ohm impedance and 123 dB sensitivity tell you it's designed to be driven properly by an interface, mixer or decent dongle rather than a phone's built-in jack.
So who should buy it? Anyone whose priority is isolation, low weight and a flat, work-focused presentation — studio engineers, podcasters on a wired rig, gamers who want a closed back that doesn't leak, and commuters who want a sealed on-ear-to-over-ear fit with a 3.5 mm jack. Who should skip it? If you care about materials, aesthetics, replaceable pads, or want a USB-C DAC included so you can plug straight into a modern laptop or phone, this isn't that product. It's a tool, and it reads like one.
MEZE AUDIO: Who It's For
The 99 Classics 2nd Gen is the opposite philosophy: it's a headphone you're meant to own and keep. The earcups are CNC-machined solid walnut, hand-finished, stained and polished, so age, color and grain make each pair visually unique. The frame uses manganese spring steel with a self-adjusting headband, and Meze explicitly redesigned the earpads for better comfort and noise isolation over long sessions. If your use case is a two-hour listening session at a desk, that combination matters more than any single number.
The sound story is the interesting part. Meze moved the tuning closer to a balanced, neutral target versus the original, with slightly more controlled bass so midrange and treble detail come through more clearly — but they also kept the option to go back. Acoustic absorbers let you shift the balance toward a warmer presentation, giving you two voicings in one headphone. Add the increased internal cup volume, precision sealing at key junctions and a dedicated bass vent, and you get a design that's clearly been engineered for cleaner low-frequency control and better left-right consistency.
Then there's the practical side. Snap-fit earpads swap in seconds. The whole thing is assembled with screws instead of glue, so earcups, pads, cables and headband can all be replaced. The stock cable is a dual-twisted, Kevlar-sheathed OFC design, the input socket is enlarged to 7 mm for wider plug compatibility, and there's a compact USB-C DAC/AMP in the box plus 1.2 m and 3 m cables and a carry case. At 32 ohm with a 15 Hz–25 kHz range, it's easy to drive from almost anything — including a phone, thanks to that adapter.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for critical monitoring and low-latency work → Sennheiser. 64 ohm, 1 ms stated latency, sealed leather cups.
• Best for materials and long-term ownership → MEZE AUDIO. Solid walnut, screw-built, fully serviceable.
• Best for long-session comfort → MEZE AUDIO. Self-adjusting manganese steel headband, redesigned pads, 9.2 oz weight.
• Best for plug-and-play with modern devices → MEZE AUDIO. USB-C DAC/AMP included, plus 3.5 mm and USB-C connectivity.
• Best for isolation on a wired rig → Sennheiser. Passive sound isolation is part of its stated design.
• Best for people who want to tune their own sound → MEZE AUDIO. Acoustic absorbers give two voicings in one headphone.
• Best for replaceable parts → MEZE AUDIO. Snap-fit pads and a glued-free, screwed-together frame.
• Best for a bare, no-fuss wired setup → Sennheiser. 3.5 mm jack, touch controls, nothing to configure.
If I were buying for myself, I'd take the MEZE AUDIO 99 Classics 2nd Gen. In my opinion, the combination of walnut earcups, a self-adjusting headband, snap-fit pads, a screw-built serviceable frame and a bundled USB-C DAC is simply more headphone for a long-term owner — and the two-voicing absorber system means I can nudge it warm or neutral depending on my mood. The Sennheiser HD 300 Pro is the better pick if your job is monitoring: lighter, sealed, low-latency, no extras to think about. But for listening, keeping and repairing, I'd go Meze.
FAQ
MEZE AUDIO, clearly — it's 32 ohm and ships with a USB-C DAC/AMP plus a 3.5 mm-to-USB-C adapter. The Sennheiser is 64 ohm and wired-only, so it benefits from a proper headphone output.
Yes. They're snap-fit and designed to be removed and replaced in seconds, and the whole headphone is assembled with screws rather than glue, so cups, pads, cables and headband are all serviceable.
MEZE AUDIO. Solid walnut cups, Kevlar-sheathed OFC cable, manganese spring steel frame and a fully serviceable design make it the more repairable long-term purchase. If you'd rather have a light, sealed workhorse, the Sennheiser is the simpler tool. Either way, check the current price on Amazon before you decide.
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