HiFiMAN Arya Full-size Over Ear Planar Magnetic Audiophile Adjustable Headphone

Product Information

The Arya Stealth’s tuning is very good. It’s pleasing, yet technically strong as well as musical and exciting. The Arya Stealth always has good body, presence, impact and depth. It’s very easy to understand why this headphone is getting so many recommendations. It’s an absolute award winner and in this price category, the Arya Stealth is hard to beat. Headphones – Hifiman Susvara, Final D8000 Pro, Audeze LCD-X 2021, Hifiman Deva, Hifiman Ananda, Hifiman HE1000se, Meze Elite

I like both the Arya and LCD-X. They have their own strengths and weaknesses. But I’ve been using the Arya more since it is more comfortable to wear. Sometimes I switch between the two depending on the music I listen to or the mood. Arya vs LCD-GX Today I will review their flagship Planar Headphones call Arya Stealth magnet Edition. The stealth magnet tech is about the rounded shape of magnet that permit a more even and distortion free sound wave projection. Arya use rather big planar driver too of 13cm tall and 10cm wide, promising a bigger than life sound experience, thanks to it's oversized ear cup.

Mids are leaner, dryer and have lighter note weight than the Arya, it feel more compressed in layering too and even more distant, at least dynamic wise. Instrument presence is more boosted though and we have a hint more transparency due to thinner timbre of the HD820. I may end up eventually sending the Arya on its way. Being so similar sounding to the HD800S, I'm not sure I can justify keeping both, and the HD800S has the advantage of actually being able to run off my WA2. The EarMen Colibri which we looked at a week or two ago in balanced mode sounds very fast, precise, and energetic with the Arya Stealth. The most remarkable thing here is that the Colibri struggles a bit with complex passages. For the rest you get a sound which is lighter in body and bass presence, with more forward vocals. You can turn on the Bass Boost function, but it just doesn’t sound natural to me with this headphone. This isn’t the very best combo for my ears, and that’s quite remarkable as I absolutely love the Colibri which I gave a recommended buy award. What’s most important though is that it’s not harsh or boosted, which could be problematic for some with the OG Arya. The SE is more forgiving and less fatiguing, but it is actually a more detailed pair of headphones than the original, which is really impressive…Stealth Magnets Ladies and Gentleman. In terms of technical ability, both of these headphones equally trade blows. Both have large, diffuse soundstages, great imaging, and effortless resolution. The HD800S is a little more resolving, with superb low level detail retrieval ability. Though the HD800S has a dynamic driver, it isn’t actually that much more dynamic than the Arya in the bass. It does have a lengthier decay compared to the tightly defined transients of the Arya but in terms of bass quality, I’d say they’re interchangeable.

Nonetheless, even with brighter sounding gear or lower quality material, the Arya has this inherent ability to stay musical and engaging without really becoming punishing. Speaking of the HD800S, how does the Arya compare to this venerable classic? From a tonal perspective, the Arya has a slightly V-shaped profile with a sharp vividness while the HD800S is smoother with a more neutral tuning. That 1 kHz scoop is quite noticeable when doing an AB comparison. Though the HD800S does still have a bit of an edge to its sound, it’s much better controlled than what the Arya presents. Fast forward today, although the Ether Flow is still considered a high-end planar headphone, there are now “better-sounding” or more competitive headphones in the market. And I think the Hifiman Arya is one of them. The Arya has better details, clarity, and transparency than the Ether Flow. But to my ears, the Ether Flow has more bass presence and sounds fuller, warmer than the Arya Stealth. Price and Availability The suspended dynamic driver is offering some of the best dynamics ever heard with a rumbling, thundering performance while the bass is considerably more visceral and full bodied with excellent technicalities at the same time. It is not perfect though, when listening to acoustic instruments you can't fail to notice some brighter overtones with sharper edges but thankfully everything is under control, the headphone is slightly bright on the upper treble but not sibilant, piercing or fatiguing.As the frequency response suggests, the Arya has a flat bass, a 1 kHz midrange scoop, and plenty of upper mids and treble. Though I won’t be comparing them in this review, the difference between the Stealth and V2 is in the treble. Specifically, the positioning of the 5 kHz peak and additional gain in the upper treble region around the 10 – 14 kHz mark. Overall, the Arya has a clear tuning with bright treble that gives it a sense of vividity. Bass

I have not tested a single hifiman product that could reproduce an authentic sound of an double bass for example. How can so many headphones from one company fail at an simple instrument? The cables are user-replaceable and have channel orientation for left and right. An “L” and “R” are indicated inside the headband. Once the cable is installed with correct channel orientation, an easy way to tell left and right is the cable is connected toward the front of the ear cup. The cable will drape on the user’s chest for greater comfort. The Ear Pads In fact, I don't think I have find the perfect DAC-AMP to pair with those, yet can confirm 1W and up is minimal amping needed for fully blossom dynamic and headroom openess… Most if not all planar Headphones are hard to drive and benefit from good amping power, and the Arya is sure no exception but I wouldn't say they are harder to drive than the Sundara, yet perhaps a bit even more capricious.The HE-1000SE for me still is the better headphone, sounding more natural and refined. The HE-1000SE has the width, depth and 3-dimensionality where the Arya focuses most on width. The top end of the HE-1000SE for me is also more precise and extended. Basically that goes from the lows all the way up to the highs. The Arya Stealth is fuller and softer sounding with bigger bass but the HE-1000SE is more vibrant and all around you. It’s more speaker like where the Arya Stealth, to me, is more headphone like. I prefer the vocal presentation of the HE-1000SE as well. All-in-all the HE-1000 is the better one of both to my ears. That doesn’t mean you will like it more than the Arya Stealth, but it to me is the better one, getting more things right. taekwondo, horror movies, trivia, word games, TED Talks, and spinning vinyl with her old-school audiophile The new Arya SE is more forward and extreme sounding than the Hifiman’s flagship, being a great choice for people that are looking for this kind of sound signature. Just curious what is everyone's preference between the new Hifiman Arya Stealth vs the V2? According to Joshua Valour the soundstage has reduced on the stealth in return for a bit more punch and some other EQ tweaks that make the headphones easier to run and less fatiguing. Speaking about the technicalities, both are on the same level when it comes to detail retrieval, even though the Arya SE sounds clearer and brighter. The HEDDphone has a better soundstage, especially the depth which is much more pronounced than in the Arya SE.