Kicking things off this week is a review of some of the best headphones I have ever heard, a product on the completely opposite end of the spectrum compared to the budget earphones I have covered recently. The Meze 109 Pro open-back wired headphones are a premium product meant for audiophiles and music lovers. Handmade in Romania, the 109 Pro is finely crafted out of wood, velour and metal and designed to be easily user-serviceable with readily available parts, making them a lifetime investment. I do not think this can be overstated since every day people are spending huge sums on wireless headphones, headphones that are likely to wind up in the junk pile once the rechargeable battery is at the end of its usable life. Meze has a customer-friendly and environmentally smart approach I would love to see more manufacturers emulate.

Though beautiful to behold and comfortable to wear, it is in listening that the 109 Pro headphones most satisfy. They use conventional dynamic drivers but the clarity and precision is more akin to planar-magnetic headphones, while providing superior dynamics and bass punch. In fact, the 109 Pro headphones are acoustically tuned with a slight bass emphasis, given that most listeners prefer a touch more bass than 100% accurate. The execution is masterfully done and the bass never feels overly accentuated, just very satisfying and full.

At $799 the Meze 109 Pro probably does not rate as an impulse purchase for most consumers, but they represent a very good value in the rarefied air in which they compete. I’ve heard $4,000 headphones that I did not like nearly as much, and they come in a beautiful presentation box with a stylish hard case and two sets of cables. This is one example where you pay for luxury and performance and get what you pay for. They are widely available from many vendors, but given the $799 price I would put headphones.com on your shopping list given their consumer-friendly 365-day return program.

Q. I am trying to receive television signals from about 50 miles away and want to use an outdoor antenna. What over-the-air antenna would you recommend? I am familiar with outdoor antennas and can mount it in a high place, and can use it with a rotor if it is directional. Most of the channels are coming from the same direction from the nearest major city (Pittsburgh) so I do not know how much I will need the rotor.

—K.S., Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania

A. Winegard and Channel Master are my go-to outdoor antennas, and I think the $249 Channel Master Masterpiece 100 would be an especially good match for you. You won’t need to turn the rotor much when receiving broadcasts from Pittsburgh, and if you point the antenna north you should be able to pull in channels from Erie as well.

Q. Do you have a recommendation for replacing the felt turntable mat on a Music Hall Classic turntable? When I close the dust cover or touch the turntable I hear an audible sound when a record is playing. Would a different mat reduce this? I do not hear similar sounds on my Technics SL-1200GR.

—B.N., Minneapolis

A. I don't think replacing the mat will make much, if any difference. The Technics has far superior vibration insulation than the Music Hall Classic, which is something the SL-1200 series is known for and is not unexpected given the price difference between the two turntables. If you do want to try a different mat, Herbie’s Way Excellent II from herbiesaudiolab.com is highly regarded for $64.99.

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