Unveiled soundlessly at the Vienna High End show, the ARTA is set to become the new flagship model from Romanian manufacturer Meze, surpassing both the Empyrean II and the Elite Tungsten.
Its main innovation is a brand-new, high-impedance planar-magnetic transducer developed by Rinaro Isodynamics. Coded MZ5 HΩ, this transducer takes the opposite approach to other planar models: instead of operating at low voltage and high current, it operates at high voltage and low current, resulting in exceptional linearity. Its nominal impedance is approximately 225 ohms.
On the Rinaro Parus ARTA® diaphragm, made of a lightweight composite material, the planar circuit is reported to be 2.5 times longer than on other high-end Meze models, with a cross-sectional area 2.8 times smaller. These specifications—which remain to be verified when we test the headphones—are designed to ensure great sound homogeneity and high sound density. The voice coil is divided into two sections: the longer, curved section handles low frequencies, while the circular section positioned at ear level handles midrange and high frequencies. Thanks to this dual-voice-coil design, the frequency range covered is enormous, as measured by the manufacturer from 3 Hz to 115 kHz.
With its fiberglass and carbon fiber frame reinforced by metal inserts, the ARTA still weighs 495 g. However, it offers exceptional comfort thanks to two pairs of ear pads of varying density and thickness. The first, the “Duo coudé,” is crafted from a blend of perforated lambskin leather and Alcantara®, angled for a more impactful musical presentation. The second, the “Slim Alcantara,” is made from two types of Alcantara® with interior perforations and designed for greater neutrality and a rounder upper frequency range.
Two 2-meter (6.6-foot) cables are included as standard with the ARTA, each consisting of silver-plated linear-crystal oxygen-free copper (LC-OFC) conductors arranged in a dual-strand configuration, with 161 individual conductors per strand and SoftFlex PVC insulation. The first, asymmetrical model features a 6.3 mm jack, while the second, symmetrical model features a 4-pin XLR connector.
The price of this new ARTA matches its musical ambitions, costing twice as much as the Empyrean II (3 000 €) and one-third more than the Elite Tungsten (4 000 €), for a total of 6 000 €. We look forward to getting our hands on a headphone amplifier worthy of it so we can test it and tell you more about its performance.
