Over-Ear
Meze ARTA
86Outstanding
$6000
Full review dataMeze ARTA vs STAX SR-X9000: which should you buy?
On aggregated review scores the STAX SR-X9000 comes out ahead with an HearWiki score of 88. The full breakdown - sub-scores, specs and what reviewers actually said - is below.
Our pick: STAX SR-X9000 - Outstanding overall at around $5050.
Over-Ear
STAX SR-X9000
88Outstanding
$5050
Full review dataScore breakdown
Each axis is a 0–10 blend of what reviewers scored, not a lab measurement.
Meze ARTA
Sound9.0
Value5.0
STAX SR-X9000
Sound9.5
Value5.0
Specifications
| Spec | Meze ARTA | STAX SR-X9000 |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Over-Ear | Over-Ear |
| Price (USD) | $6000 | $5050 |
| HearWiki score | 86 / 100 · Outstanding | 88 / 100 · Outstanding |
| Released | 2026 | 2021 |
| Audio | ||
| Driver | Rinaro High Impedance Isodynamic Hybrid Array MZ5 HΩ | electrostatic |
| Driver size | 102 mm | - |
| Drivers per side | 1 | 2 |
| Frequency response | 3Hz-115kHz | 5Hz-42,000Hz |
| Impedance | 225 Ω | 145000 Ω |
| Sensitivity | 98 dB/mW | - |
| Wireless | ||
| Multipoint pairing | No | No |
| Features | ||
| Active noise cancelling | No | No |
| Design | ||
| Weight | 495 g | 432 g |
What reviewers said
Meze ARTA
The Meze ARTA is a premium open-back planar flagship that delivers a warm-neutral, speaker-like sound with an expansive stage, making it ideal for classical, jazz, and vocal-heavy recordings. It demands high-quality desktop amplification due to its high impedance and sensitivity, while its striking design, serviceable build, and luxurious accessories justify its six-figure price tag for serious enthusiasts.
- Pro:Rich, warm-neutral tonal balance with natural timbre
- Pro:Huge, three-dimensional soundstage for immersive listening
- Pro:Premium craftsmanship with fully serviceable components
- Con:Extremely high cost limits accessibility
- Con:Requires powerful, high-end desktop amp to perform fully
- Con:No noise isolation or wireless connectivity options
STAX SR-X9000
The STAX SR-X9000 is a top-tier electrostatic headphone that excels at revealing fine detail, ambient cues, and instrumental nuance, delivering an exceptionally transparent and spacious soundstage. It offers outstanding speed, transient response, and realism, making it ideal for classical and spatially demanding music. However, it requires a dedicated energizer/driver unit, pushing the total system cost far beyond the already steep headphone price.
- Pro:Exceptional detail retrieval and transparency
- Pro:Huge, three-dimensional soundstage with precise imaging
- Pro:Fast transient response and realistic timbre
- Con:Requires separate electrostatic driver unit
- Con:Very high total system cost
- Con:No noise cancellation or wireless convenience
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
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