Meze Manta Headphone Stand review: Premium at a price
Meze's Manta Headphone Stand gives you a premium way to store and display your cans - but is it worth the price?
While the Meze Manta is unequivocally a fantastic product that looks fantastic and is meticulously designed, its allure is very much defined by how you perceive the price tag. It'll likely end up being a finishing piece to an already expensive setup, but in that case it's hard to fault.
Images via GGRecon | Meze
Any good pair of headphones deserves its own headphone stand, if not just so that they look great displayed next to your setup.
Meze, therefore, has a solution for you with its new Manta Headphone Stand, offering premium build quality and a design philosophy to help your headphones shine.
The question remains then whether it's worth the rather steep entry price of $300/£289, or whether you're better off investing your cash elsewhere.
GGRecon Verdict
While the Meze Manta is without doubt a premium product, that does also come with a premium price tag that some might not want to pay. If you are willing to fork out though then you're in for a treat, and it's more than good enough to finish off a fantastic setup.
Pros
Enhances any headphone that you use it with
Wonderfully designed
Build quality is excellent
Cons
Price is hard to get past
Marine-inspired design
As the name suggests, the Manta's shape has been 'inspired by the elegant curves of marine life' - in particular the manta ray that it sources its name.
It's a simple yet effective design that stands distinct on its own without taking too much attention away from any headphone that sits proudly atop its central resting place. I love the look and feel of the cast zinc alloy frame, and the black power coating creates a lovely matte finish that remains soft and indiscreet in ambient lighting.
While I think predominantly darker headphones would pair best with the soft black of the Manta, I imagine it would look great with pretty much anything - provided the headphones themselves aren't an eyesore! Understandably, they pair excellently with Meze's own repertoire, as the walnut wood accents of the 99 Classics give off a lovely heritage feel.
I wouldn't say that the Manta alone has enough to become a display piece, but its strength lies in elevating anything you place upon it, which is definitely something that many audiophiles out there will look for in a stand. When you've spent so much on a pair of high-grade headphones, it's only natural that you'll want to display them in their best light.
Faultless build quality
From a construction perspective, you definitely won't be disappointed either, as the Manta's simple yet effective design will cause you zero stress in the long run.
Right out of the box it was a delight, having only a couple of parts to put together with only a handful of screws. This means that you could feasibly build it in under a minute, and it's so simple you won't even need instructions.
The stand itself is incredibly hefty and structurally secure, weighing in at around 1.5kg. I was a bit worried beforehand that the weight might be imbalanced - especially when used with heavy headphones - but it holds up perfectly without moving an inch - a testament to both the weight and design of the stand.
The PU leather rest at the top is also great at keeping your headphones sturdy, although I'd imagine it is better suited towards headband-style designs. You might find that it'd struggle a little with a thinner headphone, although the curve hardly moves when pressure is applied so it might be good to relieve any pressure from clamping force too.
Deal or no deal
The question then arises of value, as it's no secret that the Manta is quite the investment. Reviewing this alongside Meze's 99 Classics made this even clearer, as it felt quite absurd that the audiophile headphones sitting on top of the stand cost only a fraction more.
There's no doubt that the Manta is a premium product, but it remains simplistic in its design and aesthetics both to its benefit and to its fault. If you're willing to spend closer to $1,000 on a pair of headphones like the 109 PRO or in the realms far beyond that then a $300 stand is likely a worth investment, but it's something that's tricky to recommend for anything around or only slightly above its price point.
The Verdict
Meze's Manta Headphone Stand is a fantastic product - if you're willing to pay the price for it. It's undoubtedly well made, with a design that highlights any headphones that sit upon it, and it's hard to fault from a structural perspective either.
It is just hard to move away from the $300 price tag when that could be invested into an improved headphone, amp, or DAC for your overall setup. It's definitely something to consider as a finishing piece, but you might want to consider other options beforehand.
3.5/5
Review unit provided by the manufacturer. GGRecon uses affiliate links, if you purchase any products from our links we may earn a commission.
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