Meze Audio ARTA

Meze Audio ARTA, open-back planar magnetic headphones

Headphones designed to disappear between the listener and the music: that is the intention Meze Audio pursued for several years with its new flagship model. Developed with Rinaro Isodynamics, ARTA is built around a brand-new planar magnetic driver and a sculpted silhouette that moves away from the usual high-end headphone codes. Here is what sets it apart among the Romanian brand’s open-back headphones.

An Art Nouveau-inspired silhouette

The first impression of ARTA is visual. Its curved earcups, crossed by a metal grille with visible blades, evoke both Art Nouveau and the organic lines of a futuristic object. Meze describes metal transformed into a sculptural object, and the comparison holds up: the curves seem cast rather than drawn, with no harsh angles or breaks.

The materials follow the same intent. Precisely machined metals, carbon fiber, and leather are combined throughout the headphones, each chosen as much for its long-term durability as for its visual finish. This density has a downside: on the scale, ARTA comes in at 495 g, a high figure for headphones, largely explained by its metal construction. Long listening sessions therefore require good support on the head.

The MZ5 HΩ driver and its high impedance

At the center of the headphones is a planar magnetic driver called MZ5 HΩ, developed with Rinaro Isodynamics, the Ukrainian manufacturer that already equips the brand’s other planar headphones. Its distinguishing feature is its impedance: 225 ohms, whereas most planar drivers are much lower. Meze presents it as the first planar driver with such high impedance.

This choice is not just a line on a spec sheet. By operating at higher voltage and lower current, the driver aims for better linearity and greater signal stability, resulting in cleaner reproduction. The trade-off is clear: with 225 ohms and a sensitivity of 98 dB SPL/mW, ARTA requires a headphone amplifier capable of delivering voltage. A properly sized home source will suit it, while a simple laptop headphone jack will quickly show its limits.

A speaker-like soundstage

The stated tuning is neutral with slight warmth, without artificial emphasis added in the bass or treble. The most striking point, according to Meze, is the way the soundstage unfolds: wide, airy, with precise instrument placement, close to what you hear in an acoustically treated room. The sound seems to occupy a real space around the head rather than staying glued to the ears.

The angled-blade grille contributes to this result. Its geometry calculates the angle of the blades to limit wave reflections inside the earcups, which helps deliver clean transients and a more open presentation. On the measurement side, the driver covers a frequency response of 3 Hz to 115 kHz and stays below 0.05% total harmonic distortion, two figures that place ARTA at the top end of the open-back headphone market.

Repairable down to the last component

ARTA is hand-assembled in Baia Mare, Romania, with repairability as a starting principle. Every major subassembly can be taken apart: earpads, headband, drivers, and earcups can be removed, maintained, or replaced. The idea the brand stands for is simple: headphones at this level are not meant to be thrown away at the first worn component, but to last and be passed on.

ARTA joins Meze’s open-back lineup, alongside the Elite, Empyrean II, and POET, taking the lead as the new flagship. Like these headphones, its open-back design lets sound pass in both directions: it does not block ambient noise and is mainly suited to relaxed listening in a quiet environment, in front of a good amplifier.

Technical Specifications

General Overview

• Type: open-back headphones with planar magnetic drivers
• Coupling type: circumaural
• Manufacturing: hand-assembled in Baia Mare, Romania
• Sound signature: neutral, slightly warm
• Design: fluid aesthetic inspired by Art Nouveau and futurism, design inspired by sculpture and organic design

Driver

• Model: Rinaro Isodynamic Hybrid Array MZ5 HΩ
• Technology: high-impedance planar magnetic
• Geometry: ovoid
• Dimensions: 102 mm x 73 mm
• Weight: 84 g
• Frame: fiberglass-reinforced polymer

Electroacoustic Specifications

• Average impedance: 225 Ω
• Sensitivity: 98 dB SPL / mW at 1 kHz
• Frequency response: 3 Hz – 115 kHz
• Maximum SPL: greater than 130 dB SPL
• Total harmonic distortion (THD): less than 0.05%

Audio Performance

• Soundstage: wide and immersive, comparable to listening in an acoustically treated room
• Rendering: very high resolution with three-dimensional spatialization

Technologies and Acoustic Design

• MZ5 HΩ high-impedance planar magnetic driver
• Angled-slat acoustic grille designed to reduce internal reflections
• Architecture optimized for signal stability and linearity

Construction and Design

• Weight: 495 g
• Materials: machined metal, carbon fiber, premium leather
• Modularity: fully disassemblable and repairable headphones
• Durability: designed for maintenance and longevity, with replaceable parts

Connectivity and Cabling

• Connectors: dual 4-pin mini-XLR
• Included cables: 6.35 mm jack and 4-pin XLR, length 2 m