Headphones Open Meze Audio ARTA

Open-back headphones with the MZ5 HΩ planar magnetic driver and 225 Ω impedance

ARTA are open-back, circumaural planar magnetic headphones built around the Rinaro High Impedance Isodynamic Hybrid Array MZ5 HΩ driver with an ovoid shape measuring 102 × 73 mm and an active area of 4,650 mm². It is the highest-impedance planar driver to date — nominally 225 Ω (±10%), with left and right drivers matched for precise channel balance. Instead of conventional low-voltage, high-current operation, it works in a high-voltage, low-current regime, which delivers greater electrical linearity across the entire audible band and lower thermal stress on the diaphragm.

The driver's conductive trace is 2.5 times longer with a 2.8 times smaller cross-section, creating a denser conductive trace geometry that distributes the electromagnetic force more evenly across the diaphragm surface. The Rinaro Parus ARTA diaphragm, weighing 0.10 g, is made from a low-mass composite resistant to thermal drift during longer listening sessions. The dual-shape coil arrangement divides the frequency band: the switchback coil reproduces low frequencies from the upper part of the driver, while the spiral coil directs mids and highs straight into the ear canal without time delay.

Even force distribution means the diaphragm moves as a single unit — preserving transient integrity and keeping distortion below 0.05% THD even at higher levels. The result is a soundstage extending beyond the area around the ear, with substantial bass, stable instrument localisation and consistent on-axis and off-axis response. Frequency range of 3 Hz – 115 kHz, sensitivity of 98 dB SPL/mW at 1 kHz and maximum SPL above 130 dB. An grille with angled acoustic louvres protects the driver while not restricting the acoustics of the open-back design.

The high impedance minimises sensitivity to the amplifier's output impedance as well as to cable resistance, so the tuning remains consistent with both tube and solid-state sources; the headphones are optimised for desktop DACs/amplifiers with a high-voltage output. The package includes two two-metre cables with silver-plated LC-OFC conductors in a four-strand braid (161 conductors per strand), SoftFlex PVC insulation and CNC-machined anodised aluminium bodies — one with a 6.3 mm jack, the other with a 4-pin XLR. Connection to the headphones is handled by a pair of 4-pin mini-XLR connectors. Two types of earpads are supplied (Duo Angled made of perforated lambskin and Alcantara, and Slim Alcantara for a more neutral presentation); the 495 g construction is fully disassemblable and serviceable.

Key features

• Driver: Rinaro Isodynamic Hybrid Array MZ5 HΩ, 102 × 73 mm
• Impedance: 225 Ω, high-voltage, low-current operation
• Diaphragm: Low-mass Parus ARTA, 0.10 g, thermally stable
• Coils: Dual-shape array: switchback and spiral geometry
• Accessories: Two LC-OFC cables, 6.3 mm jack and 4-pin XLR