The Meze 99 Classics (2nd Gen) is 16Ω at 103.0 dB/mW; the Meze ARTA is 225Ω at 98.0 dB/mW. This page covers what they ask of an amplifier, not how they sound.
The ARTA needs 5.0 dB more than the 99 Classics (2nd Gen) to reach the same loudness — 1.6 mW against 0.50 mW.
| Specification | 99 Classics (2nd Gen) | ARTA |
|---|---|---|
| Impedance | 16 Ω | 225 Ω |
| Sensitivity | 103.0 dB/mW | 98.0 dB/mW |
| Sensitivity (voltage) | 121.0 dB/V | 104.5 dB/V |
| Power for 100 dB | 0.50 mW | 1.6 mW |
| Voltage for 100 dB | 90 mV | 0.60 V |
| Current for 100 dB | 5.6 mA | 2.7 mA |
| Highest source impedance that leaves them alone (one-eighth rule) | 2.00 Ω | 28.12 Ω |
| Sources that reach 100 dB out of 280 | 280 | 280 |
Every source in the database that drives one of them drives the other. On power, the choice between these two changes nothing about what amplifier you need.
19 sources are low enough in output impedance for the ARTA under the one-eighth rule but not for the 99 Classics (2nd Gen) (Zoom AMS-22, Arturia MiniFuse 2, Arturia MiniFuse 1, 16 more).
1 source stays below the audible-hiss threshold with the ARTA but crosses it with the 99 Classics (2nd Gen) (Schiit Mjolnir 3).
280 of the 280 sources here reach 100 dB on both.
The ARTA is more demanding than 91% of the 567 non-electrostatic models in this database; the 99 Classics (2nd Gen) than 29%.
| dB SPL | 99 Classics (2nd Gen) power | 99 Classics (2nd Gen) voltage | ARTA power | ARTA voltage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 80 | 5.0 µW | 9 mV | 0.02 mW | 60 mV |
| 85 | 0.02 mW | 16 mV | 0.05 mW | 0.11 V |
| 90 | 0.05 mW | 28 mV | 0.16 mW | 0.19 V |
| 95 | 0.16 mW | 50 mV | 0.50 mW | 0.34 V |
| 100 | 0.50 mW | 90 mV | 1.6 mW | 0.60 V |
| 105 | 1.6 mW | 0.16 V | 5.0 mW | 1.06 V |
| Source | Price | Headroom, 99 Classics (2nd Gen) | Headroom, ARTA | Output impedance | Noise |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JadeAudio JA11 | $20 | 14.8 dB | 4.3 dB | 0.5 Ω | 1.7 µV |
| FiiO KA11 | $29 | 26.9 dB | 12.6 dB | 0.7 Ω | 1.7 µV |
| FiiO BTR11 | $36 | 19.5 dB | 4.1 dB | 0.5 Ω | 8.0 µV |
Of the 280 sources here, 280 reach 100 dB on both. 69 of them also publish an output impedance low enough for both under the one-eighth rule and a noise figure that stays below the audible-hiss threshold with both.
The cheapest of the 69 is the JadeAudio JA11, at $20. It leaves 14.8 dB of headroom on the 99 Classics (2nd Gen) and 4.3 dB on the ARTA, its output impedance is 0.5 Ω against a one-eighth limit of 2.00 Ω and 28.12 Ω, and its noise figure puts the hiss floor 14 dB and 31 dB below the 20 dB SPL this site treats as the point where a quiet room stops hiding it.
| Model | As printed | Tolerance | Standard |
|---|---|---|---|
| 99 Classics (2nd Gen) | 15 Hz - 25 kHz | not printed | not printed |
| ARTA | 3 Hz - 115 kHz | not printed | not printed |
Meze prints 15 Hz - 25 kHz for the 99 Classics (2nd Gen) and 3 Hz - 115 kHz for the ARTA.
Neither range has a tolerance printed beside it, so a wider range on one sheet is not deeper bass or more treble.
Not a measurement; maker by maker.
Both have a page of their own. In full: Meze 99 Classics (2nd Gen) and Meze ARTA. Every figure on this page comes from what Meze published, or is derived from it — what that maker publishes, counted.