The special edition Meze 109 Pro Primal headphones are handmade by Meze Audio's skilled artisans, with the company telling us they draw from a proud wood crafting heritage. Combined with cutting-edge audio technology and a sustainable design, this culminates in “a timeless blend of performance and elegance”.

Company founder and lead designer Antonio Meze told StereoNET:

As locals of Maramures, our philosophy of life is intertwined with the ancient forests that surround us, and we are taught to appreciate and respect this craft from the youngest age. With Primal, we took up this deep-rooted skill and shaped it into a new perspective on headphone design.

The 109 Pro Prima features walnut earcup frames chiselled groove by groove and delicately sanded to ensure the smoothest feel before applying a coat of linseed oil. This final touch infuses the wood with a natural, matte texture that accentuates the wood grain and restores its innate, captivating colour.

Like all Meze Audio headphones, Primal is painstakingly crafted following the principle of “Graba strică treaba” - a Romanian expression which translated into English reads “Haste ruins the work”.

You're not sacrificing performance for principles, either: 109 Pro Primal features the same technology as the original 109 Pro, including the 50mm dynamic driver featuring a 109 series dual-composite diaphragm. According to Meze, the carbon fibre-reinforced cellulose composite W-shaped dome can reproduce high frequencies (claimed response of 5Hz-30KHz and 40Ω impedance) while mitigating resonances that may lead to harmonic distortion.

The ultra-thin torus (22 microns) surrounding the dome is constructed from a Beryllium-coated semicrystalline polymer, which contributes to the driver's clarity and fast transient response, says Meze, adding the high dampening qualities of Beryllium also suppress unwanted resonances. Finally, around the circumference of the membrane, the ring-shaped stabiliser made of copper-zinc alloy improves the absorption of vibrations to reduce distortion even further.

The diaphragm is encased in a high-precision machined aluminium frame boasting superior rigidity. It is also said to retain perfect surface flatness, which is essential for the precision assembly with the diaphragm.

Finally, this new edition also follows Meze Audio's commitment to sustainability, with the headphones designed to be taken apart and serviced. Every element can be replaced and upgraded, from cables to ear cups.

The Meze 109 Pro Primal is now available for pre-order with a retail price of £899/ €999.

Visit Meze Audio for more information