What’s Kraken! In this video I’m talking about Meze’s new closed-back dynamic driver headphone, the Meze Strada (yeah… “strada” like the street vibe in Italian, but I’m probably still gonna say it like an American). It’s $799 and it’s basically Meze’s flagship closed-back dynamic right now, and I’ll be real—I’m truly digging the look and the sound. I go over the basics (50mm dynamic driver like the 109 Pro, 40 ohms, 111 dB), the build details (Macassar ebony cups, green metallic coating, magnesium chassis, magnetic pads), and the comfort (a little clampy, but the pads are soft and I got a great seal). Sound-wise, the Strada is tuned for a bass-emphasized, chill, smooth vibe. Sub-bass reaches deep (around 40 Hz and below), it can get a little boomy in mid-bass, and the mids are relaxed with some bite around the upper mids, but overall it’s not a dark headphone—just mellow. I also get into amp synergy hard, because this one changes depending on what you plug it into: my Violectric V281 was my favorite for that bouncy, physical bass, while other amps opened the vocals and stage differently. I also touch on burn-in (I’m skeptical, but something definitely changed over a couple days), portable use, and how it compares to the Meze 109 Pro (brighter, more mid energy, less bass than Strada).