Meze Audio Arta

The visual direction is unmistakably Meze, although Arta is not simply another variation on the familiar Empyrean shape. The company describes the design as a combination of futuristic, almost biological forms and Art Nouveau influences, with precision-machined metal, carbon fiber and leather forming a structure that looks more like a piece of kinetic sculpture than conventional headphone hardware. That impression is reinforced by the open-back grilles, whose long vertical elements are not purely decorative. They form a system of angled acoustic blades designed to diffuse energy from the rear of the diaphragm and reduce internal reflections, allowing the transducer to operate without the enclosure imposing too much of its own acoustic signature.

The real story, however, is hidden behind those grilles. Arta uses the new Rinaro MZ5 HΩ High Impedance Isodynamic Hybrid Array driver, developed specifically for this headphone. Meze and Rinaro describe it as the highest-impedance planar magnetic headphone transducer created to date. Its nominal impedance is 225 Ω - a very unusual figure in a category where relatively low impedances are far more common. Instead of operating primarily in a low-voltage, high-current regime, the MZ5 HΩ is designed to work with higher voltage and lower current. According to the engineers, this improves electrical linearity while reducing heat and mechanical stress on the diaphragm, helping the driver maintain low distortion and avoid dynamic compression even at demanding listening levels.

Rinaro did considerably more than simply increase the impedance. The conductive trace on the diaphragm is 2.5 times longer than in the company's previous implementation, while its cross-sectional area is 2.8 times smaller. The resulting higher-density pattern is intended to distribute electromagnetic force more evenly across the membrane and avoid localized stress points. The diaphragm itself is a new Rinaro Parus Arta design made from an extremely light composite material engineered for improved thermal stability. Its active area measures 4,650 mm², while the diaphragm weighs just 0.10 g. The complete ovoid driver measures 102 x 73 mm and weighs 84 g.

The familiar Isodynamic Hybrid Array principle also remains, although it has been adapted to the new architecture. Two differently shaped voice-coil sections handle different parts of the frequency range. The switchback coil is positioned higher on the diaphragm and works primarily with low frequencies, while the spiral coil sits closer to the ear canal and reproduces the midrange and treble. The idea is to direct higher-frequency information toward the ear as directly as possible, minimizing time delay and improving spatial precision. Meze specifies a frequency response extending from 3 Hz all the way to 115 kHz, sensitivity of 98 dB SPL/mW at 1 kHz, maximum SPL above 130 dB and total harmonic distortion below 0.05%. The headphone weighs 495 g.

Those figures also explain why Arta should not be treated as another pair of headphones that can simply be plugged into whatever happens to be nearby. Meze explicitly designed it around desktop amplification and recommends a source capable of delivering at least 500 mW into 225 Ω, a voltage swing of ±15-18 V peak and more than 150 mA of current. The minimum requirements are 200 mW, ±12 V peak and more than 75 mA. Meze says the high impedance also reduces sensitivity to amplifier output impedance and cable resistance, so once the basic electrical requirements are met, the headphone should retain its intended tonal balance with both tube and solid-state amplifiers. The current product page nevertheless makes the intended use very clear - Arta was optimized for capable desktop DAC/headphone amplifier systems rather than typical portable players.

Meze describes the target sound as warm-neutral, with strong low-frequency foundation, smooth upper registers and a presentation designed to feel more like listening to loudspeakers in a room than having sound projected directly into the ears. The manufacturer puts particular emphasis on three-dimensional imaging and physicality, arguing that Arta develops the direction already explored with Empyrean and Elite while simultaneously increasing resolution and control. Of course, claims about sound will eventually have to be verified in listening tests, but the engineering decisions behind them are interesting in their own right. Rather than chasing efficiency or portability, Meze and Rinaro have deliberately moved in the opposite direction - toward a demanding, high-voltage transducer intended to work as part of a serious desktop system.

Owners can also modify the final tuning by changing the ear pads. Two sets are supplied as standard. Duo Angled pads combine perforated lambskin leather with Alcantara and are intended to produce a richer, more impactful presentation, while the thinner Slim Alcantara pads aim for greater neutrality and a smoother upper range. They attach magnetically, although Arta uses a different mounting system from Elite and Empyrean, so pads cannot be exchanged between the models.

The package also includes two 2 m cables using silver-plated Linear Crystal Oxygen-Free Copper conductors, with 161 individual conductors in each strand. One cable terminates in a conventional 6.3 mm plug, while the other uses a balanced 4-pin XLR connector. Both connect to the headphones through dual 4-pin mini-XLR sockets. Users wanting to go further can also pair Arta with the recently introduced Ultra Cable - Meze's hand-braided flagship cable built from 7N pure silver conductors - although at €999 it is very much an optional finishing touch for an already uncompromising system. The current European store lists both Arta and the Ultra Cable alongside the company's other flagship models.

Despite the technological emphasis, Meze has not abandoned the practical philosophy that has become one of its strongest distinguishing features. Arta was designed to be fully serviceable, with the earpads, headband, drivers and earcups all capable of being disassembled and replaced. Acoustic tuning, mechanical design, quality control and final assembly are carried out at the company's headquarters in Baia Mare, Romania. The standard warranty lasts two years and can be extended to four years by registering the headphones through My Meze within the required period.

Arta is currently listed for pre-order on Meze Audio's European store for €6,000, with deliveries expected around mid-August. The announced international prices are $6,000 and £6,000. At that level it is clearly not meant to replace Elite in the conventional sense. Instead, Meze appears to be creating a new tier above it - one in which the company can experiment with a purpose-built driver, demanding amplification and increasingly elaborate mechanical construction without having to compromise for portability, accessibility or price. Info and pictures by Meze Audio.