HIFIMAN Arya

TONALITY: 8.5/10
TECHNICALITIES: 9.5/10
CONSTRUCTION: 8.2/10
ACCESSORIES: 7.5/10
SOUND VALUE: 8.5/10

HIFIMAN doesn't need a long introduction, it's a well known and established audio company from China, a touch everything that create DAPs, DAC-AMPS, Amps, IEMs and Planar Headphones, which is what they specialize and get most recognition for.
I have tested numerous Hifiman products in the past, from their flagship IEMs like Svanar, RE600, RE800 and RE2000 Gold to their diverse planar Headphones like Deva, Ananda BT and my personal favorite: the Sundara.

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.

Priced 1300$usd but often on sale like most Hifiman products, the Arya is an high end Planar headphones thinked ofr high end deskop gear, it's not a portable headphones at all due to its fully open back design and well enormous size.

Let see in this review if the Arya worth their asking price and deliver a sound performance that can be truely consider high end.

CONSTRUCTION, ACCESSORIES & PACKAGING




The Arya are gigantic Headphones, the oval shaped ear cups size is about 13cmx9.5cm which is oversized and will certainly fit the biggest ears of them all. Those ear cups are swivable, which is a big plus over the Sundara, as well it have very thick cushion pads that are quite comfortable.
In term of built, its made of plastic and metal and the craftmanship is good but not extremely impressive, especialy the strange metal clamping headband which have a rectangular shape and rough industrial look.




As we know, devil hide in details and I'm sensitive to details. So their alot of piece that are put togheter to built this Headphone and as said its a mix of plastic and metal, not always appropriate for long term durability I feel. For example, the plastic piece that hold false leather headband feel a bit weak and changing position is clunky and shaky, each level step do big clicking and it isn't smooth at all to do. I expect this very plastic part to broke in a near futur like it do with my Sundara, so the ''special durable plastic'' stated by Hifiman should be improve.
Then the part that can swivel and hold the ear cup is made of plastic too, this one looking quite sturdy but still I wonder why it's no made of alluminium. Above it their another small plastic part with screw that hold head band and ear cup holder, this part seem fragile too.



Then the most beautifull and well crafted part of the Arya are the big oval earcups, which are a joy to look at with the wide open design with patented ''window shade'' metal grill. The plastic used is now of great quality, with a dark grey glossy finish and thick material that doesn't create or transmit sound easily when we hit it. The window shade protective grill material is made of metal which seem to be alluminium, and its a big relieve it's not plastic. Under this their a black mesh that is transparent enough to permit to see the planar driver, which is fascinating to look at.
Then under the cup you have 3.5mm connector that permit you to upgrade the stock cable easily, which I urge you to since.…



The cable is average at best. Its a single crystal copper cable with woven finish and 6.35mm plug. Main issue is that it keep its bent and is not very flexible and create microphonic quite easily too...it feel a bit short and dont have y splitter slider. It doesn't do justice to Arya sound performance too, which will sclae up with superior cable. Even the cheap 20$ Faaeal braided cable is better and offer cleaner sound transmission. I use the Meze 2.5mm balanced cable too, and again, cleaner but hint brighter with this SPC cable. Anyway, this is to be expected with Hifiman and last time I complaint about poor cable included with one of their products, they answer me that they are now working to improve it, which give me hope they will!



And now what to say about packaging? Apart that it's ecologicaly friendly since the box can be recycle...and that they have a wise idea to transform the protective foam into a headphones holder....that i'm not sure to find beautiful, but still its a very nice addition that is certainly practical and valuable.But thats about it for packaging presentation of a flagship planar Headphones, you don't even have extra pads, extra balanced cable nor even a 6.35mm to 3.5mm adapter. As a consumer, you aren't spoil with luxurious looking packaging, in that regard the Hifiman Svanar was better, but still underwhelming accessories and cable wise.



All in all, as always with Hifiman its the sound and only the sound that should be your priority because in that regard they can impress while construction, accessories and packaging wise it's far from mind blowing. It's kept to minimum both in quantity and quality. But overall, the construction doesn't worry me that much even if my Sundara headband plastic holder part broke after 3 years, I remember it was perhaps my fault since i try to test well...leather headband durability by pushing it a little too hard.
The Arya are not portable headphones, so for in home use I don't think damage can easily happen, just don't play too much with headband scrolling is my advice. Oh, and don't be afraid to upgrade the cable, it worth it!



SOUND IMPRESSIONS


(i've gone a bit crazy with the Arya and pair it with all amps and dac-amps that offer 500mW and more power output)

It come along way since my last headphones review for Hifiman, but it sure isn't the first and I hope last one I will review. I have own the HE400i 2020, Deva, Ananda BT and my favorite of the bunch: the legendary Sundara which I still adore and listen to weekly.

So the very first thing that come to my mind when I listen to the Arya was: wow, its a better Ananda with more bass, crisper resolution and even bigger soundstage!

In other word: a more bassy, immersive and technically capable Ananda for about 2 times the price.

Here, the law of lower sound benefit return does hit the wallet, but not in an abusive way due to the true end game technical performance and beautiful gently U shape tonal balance without too recessed mids the Arya offer.

The Arya push the open-back design to it's paroxysm and the size of ear cup sure is a sign it want to go over the top in term of headroom openess. And it did gloriously. I still remember how my brother react when he give a listen to the Arya for the first time, its eye widen as if it wanna tell me it's ears widen too! Then he yeal (people tend to yeal when they listen to headphones) that he feel like in a super big room with speakers surrounding him from every side....after this, he was a bit troubled by this ''revelation'' due to the fact he listen mostly to IEMs....so I give him the HE400i as a consolation prize.

But I do have similar reaction to the Arya spatiality, which is even more evident with acoustic music like chamber classical, worldmusic, jazz or any well recored instrumental music, than pop or overcompressed and sampled modern recording that don't have lot of loudness amplitude diversity for the instrument to blossom naturally in soundscape...feed the Arya with best music in the world, and it will amaze you by translating the true nature of accurate spatiality, bigger than what normal headphones should be able to achieve.

So, U shape tonality? Or more like a balanced W shape with extra sub bass, extra instrument presence and extra upper treble crispness and air. We can say it's a treble centric Headphones too since it's what hook the attention mostly. The Arya want to boost sens of spatial openess, imaging accuracy and clean clarity first and foremost, it's not a mid centric headphones, nor a basshead one at all.

Their a sens of musical vivacity that is highly engaging and I would not say it's a very smooth sounding headphones, yet it's not harsh, nor sibilant or trebly, just not something I would suggest to those seeking a warm or dark sounding headphones. These are really for big headroom lover, those who want to be able to position precisely instrument in a vast and open spatiality. But let dig deeper in the sound now.

Let's begin with what the Planar headphones and earphones struggle the most with: BASS.
Unlike dynamic driver, planar rarely offer flexible attack sustain and release, and rarely offer a thick and deep bass extension. In that regard, even if a big upgrade from Ananda bass extension wise and presence, it's not perfect and surely explain why their zero basshead Planar headphones that exist i'm aware off, at least open back way. And U shape way.
But I write this and don't feel the bass is lacking, it isn't lean nor dead neutral, we have extra slam weight and even boom when needed, in fact, the Arya are most bassy-impactful Hifiman Headphones i've try and it take me by surprise, the slam can make vibrate the ear cup at high volume, it's that dynamic in impact with a fast open resonance to this boom. This add engagement to bassy track from IDM to Soul and R&B, it's more physical impact and fast rumble than properly define, extended or textured one. It have this planar urgency to it, so we can have well layered hit and rumble but in a slightly warm way in term of definition edge, I can't perceive the lead of this impact properly, nor the end of it's extension, but the boom do have enough texture and richness and doesn't swallow mid range at all, which is brighter in presence.
The bass is surprisingly well layered even if not perfectly define in presence, it have weight and density to it but doesn't distract you since it's not dominant. This is a big upgrade over the bass less Ananda.

PROS: Fast slam, great layering, well balanced, wide sustain-release
CONS: not natural rumble and extension, not perfectly define, warm kick drum presence

The Arya aren't mid centric at all even if the presentation of mid range instrument is vast, clean, crisp and highly transparent. It's not sounding compressed, nor too distant due to good upper mids presence boost, and we even have a hint of lower mid range warmth and extra note weight.
It's a very exotic sounding mid range, gently bright and very highly resolved. Each instrument singularity is sharply define. I was expecting to be underwhelmed by female vocal, but it isn't the case and avoid sounding thin due to this lower mid range presence that add harmonic fullness to those vocal, which are more upfront and widely open in presence than male vocal which are a bit warmer and leaner.
Yet, its for those that favor bright textured and transparent presence of their instrument and vocal above a colored tone that have low harmonic fuller cover and a hint boosted with warmth, these aren't lush or euphonically natural sounding mid range, it's a bit thin and dry in timbre though realist and not ruin with overly boosted or softed texture. Personally, i prefer a hint of warmth like the Sundara offer, to the cost of offering darker resolution, but this isn't the goal of Arya which is rather technical sounding in it's musicality.
I can see this as high fidelity presentation that permit a greater appreciation of instrument resolution, texture details and accurate spatial positioning.
Your not sit at same table of your favorite singer with the Arya, but in a grand hall with a spot light on it's presence, which is fully extract in spatial cue.
It does mean that your pulled away of dynamic physicality of mid range, but as said, female vocal presence and higher pitch instrument are more fowards, it's just a little imprevisible when this proximity will occur. So no, i would not suggest the Arya for vocal lover only, in that regard even the Grado GS1000 are more appropriate, but not the Sennheiser HD820 which have some similarity but even more distant female vocal.

PROS: Great resolution and transparency, edgy definition, excellent imaging, beautiful female vocal with wide presence, open and spacious presentation
CONS: slightly thin timbre, not very heavy note weight, less dynamic than bass and treble


The treble is the star of the show with the Arya. It's effortless in detailing, open and airy in snap and decay, it have this appealing brilliance and sparkle to it too. The highs are out of your head, adding airyness to spatiality and extra dimension in sharpened sound layering.
Fans of acoustic guitar are in for alot of joy and wow effect with the Arya, since you will hear every subtilities of string pulling texture, natural brilliance and long sustain decay , the instrument presence will be perfectly define and extracted, not mixing with percussions or feeling blunted in edge.
This is a treble that magnify both sens of instrument presence and transparency, it add crispness to resolution and extend far away pass 10khz.
Delicate, yet never too relaxed, the highs add a sens of dynamic lightness too, that benefit woodwind instrument holographic layering. In fact, this is near analytical treble, but that doesn't feel forced or in your face.
Both instrument presence and shinny details are magnify here, the violin stroke have abrasive immidacy, the guitars, harp and clavichord long decay and sparkle, the saxophone gain more in texture and transparency than density and overall instrument don't have extra low harmonic boost. This mean violin aren't lush nor inflited with tone density, so, a hint dry and thin in that regard but extremely agile in well articulate attack control and clealy resolved in presence. Yet, i'm more impress by plucked instrument, including pizzicato of those crisp violin.
Again, micro details lover are in for mind blown. But some might find it distracting too, when it come to percussions or high pitch plucked instrument it might feel too fowards and more focus than mid range, making piano and some vocalist more recessed and lean in dynamic.
So I would not say the Arya are perfectly balanced in that regard, and this is why I perceive the tonal balance as a unique U shape to neutral with slight lower bass boost.

PROS: Fast snappy attack, extended-sparkly-brilliant-airy, generous in micro details, sharp but not harsh, clean and clear, add sens of air and openess, captivate the listener
CONS: a bit thin, softed in texture bite so not perfect for electric guitar or violin attack lead, might be distracting for some listener (too treble centric)



The Soundstage is certainly the main highlight of the Arya, it's plain gigantic which doesn't mean you are placed too far away from center stage, in fact, you have the head in the middle of a hall, not at last back seat. So, it's very tall, wide and deep, certainly taller than any headphones have ever try. Multiply by 2 the headroom of Sennheiser HD820 and you can have an idea of what to expect. It's really a wow effect inducter since sound info come from every side of spatial cue with an holographic, airy and lively presentation.

Then the imaging is top notch too, completing treble-soundstage-imaging highlight trio. The excellent resolution and transparency as well as fast controlled attack sure all benefit spatial cue property. I would not say it's monitor like accurate in term of placement because bass and percussions will be put a little more fowards and have magnify stereo separation but even center stage is vast, with sharp static instrument placement that permit easy instrument separation. Still, center stage isn't as

Technical performance are quite excellent with the Arya, which is to be expected at this price range but not always achieve.
The resolution is very sharp and effortless with an insane level of transparency that permit infinite layering of instrument, whatever the amount you have in mid and high range, when it come to lower range instrument like bass line, contrabass, cello or even kick drum, definition is a bit more affected by lower harmonic resonance warmth but still keep a god layering that will benefit bass line presence.

The treble extend very far too, a sign of planar driver superiority. I often feel planar sound a bit dry due to lack of brilliance inherent to 15khz treble section but not the Arya wich deliver brilliance and shimmer of metalic instrument like harp gloriously.

As well, if they dig lot of micro details due to this treble prowess, this mean they are revealing of bad recording and even noise floor of your DAC-AMP, so like any kilobuck headphones, they deserve a great source and will scale up with it. I don't think they need crazy amount of power, 1W and above seem enough, but pushed gain that struggle to deliver stable current will be detrimental to the Arya, for example, while I enjoy timbre fullness and heavy warm bass of the Xduoo XD05plus, it will go too warm and euphonic at high gain and then feel a bit underpower yet cleaner at mid gain.

Another aspect of good driver performance is low distortion when playing with EQ or in this case, boosting bass, it doesn't distort more with bass gain of Xduoo XD05 and go litteral bass head with bigger than life resonant boom, which is fun! Well layered, Fast rumbly boom in immense soundstage sure can be enjoyable with bassy music, especially electronic without vocal. I mean, it can even handle ''Dj camo bro'' track from Skeemask like a champ....insane.

I guess we can underline driver speed too, sure planar is know to be speedy but i find it excited and a bit lacking in attack control sometime, it's not the case with Arya, even the bass boom is fast in sustain-release. It's just not the most edgy attack i would say, especially bass and mid range we have this slight planar warmth around the definition, which can be in fact highly appealing.


SIDE NOTES

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.
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…
These are the kind of headphones that reveal everything about your DAC and amplifier, so the perfect match would be a clean but dynamic sounding one. But not a lean or cold dac-amp, since Arya enjoy a bit of extra mid range density, fullness and focus to complement its marvelous treble bravado.
In that regard, the best pairing would have been with SMSL SU9 DAC+ SMSL SH9 amplifier if....it has a bass and overall dynamic boost.
This pairing show how clean, crisp and detailed can go the Arya but affect the bass heft and this sens of lively airyness.
I have try the Arya on this DAC-AMP duo above as well as Xduoo XD05plus, Nobsound Q5pro, bunch of DAC+ JDS Atom, and even some powerful DAP like Hiby RS6 and Tempotec V6.
For vocal and mid range my fav pairing was with Xduoo TA10, and it was unexpected to some degree, since it's not the most dynamic sounding DAC-AMP, but the hybrid tube amping and smooth AK4490 dac seem to do marvel with the Arya, oh, and well, the 2W of single ended output.
It seem that the dynamic of hybrid tube amping fit perfectly the planar one, which is very hard to explain but....let say, it's organic and fast but soft in attack sustain-release, it's an airy dynamic, not exactly light, but sure not chunky and muddy. I ask on Headphones Audio group if they love pure tube amp with the Arya and it wasn't the case at all, most people stating its too noisy and well, since I say Arya reveal the soul of your DAC-AMP, I think it's better to stick to smooth but dynamic sounding Solid State amplifier with a slightly mid centric DAC to give an extra density and naturalness to mid range presence that is pristine with the Arya but not the warmest or thickest.

With the Xduoo TA10, Arya become softer in edge, so a bit less sharp in attack which mean not as spiky in treble too, its better rounded as a whole and keep the open and transparent sound layering. Unlike with Xduoo XD05plus that have an excited and sometime too screamy dynamic heft, the TA10 pairing is immersive, holographic and calmer too, with extra focus on mid range that seem more stretched in vocal layers, more envelopping and with this slight. Treble is a bit less sparkly, but less thin and cold than with SMSL SH9 THX amp that offer a too lean dynamic and tend to trigger all our attention on details and air. The bass is perhaps only trade off i wish to avoid, in the sens it seem a bit foggy in roundness and the slam is even more mellow than XD05plus, but not as dry and lean as SH9. All in all, i can listen for hours and hours to this Arya+TA10 pairing, its very cozzy and holographic with the lusher smoother more intimate vocal of them all.

COMPARISONS



VS HIFIMAN SUNDARA

So firstly, it seem Sundara are harder to drive which is surprising! Then, those 2 are near polar opposite tonality wise, its evident Sundara is warmer and less crisp and open sounding, as well as more mid centric with darket treble. The Arya feel more U shape and have deeper bass response where sub bass slam harder and cleaner way, so it's a cleaner bass response but a bit thinner in mid bass where the Sundara have more mid bass and lower mid range warmth that benefit overall mids fullness.

Those mids are more upfront and intimate with ther Sundara, timbre is thicker, less dry and more natural to my ears for vocal and woodwind instrument mostly, which feel less distant but not as cleanly resolve and brightly define as the Arya which have more upper mids energy.
Yes, U shape is the Arya, while Sundara is a warmer and darker W shape with sound layers that are less well separate as well as less transparent. Macro resolution is thickned as a whole with Sundara, while it have more recessed hall like center stage and greater treble extension with the Arya.

And this treble is of higher quality too with the Arya, which is even more evident is fast complex busy track where the Sundara can go gently muddy but Arya keep its fast pace, snappy attack and vast openess. Acoustic guitar as well as clavichord have more sparkly and natural decay and faster attack lead with the Arya, the highs are more airy with greater separation. Highs are a bit thicker with Sundara but not as brilliant and well define, so a bit blurry we can say but smoother and less prompt to treble fatigue at high volume level.

The soundstage is insanely more gigantic with the Arya, notably taller, wider and especially deeper. It feel cleaner in background too. The Arya are hall like while Sundara put you in middle of the music so your a part of it and less of a spectator at concert hall.

Which mean the imaging is intensely superior with the Arya too, both in instrument separation space which is cleaner and wider but the layering too have more space for deep separation, which mean transparency is superior as well as treble extension as noted.

All in all, it's a bit unfair fight due to price gap, but their no doubt the Arya offer far superior technical performance from attack control, to macro clarity and micro detailing, to treble extension and imaging and soundstage....but it doesn't mean I find the tonality better balanced due to more recessed mid range the Sundara have a more cohesive musicality to my ears, even if less clear and accurate...but thats utterly subjective unlike the technical performance.

VS SENNHEISER HD820

Ok, this isn't direct comparison since i had them for about 2 months as a loan lately, but my memory is very fresh about them....and not for a good reason since I really dislike those headphones.

So, again the Arya feel a bit more U shape and even bassier, sub bass boom way, but what hit the most is how more open the spatiality is, i mean, the HD820 is among the best for closed back in that regard but Arya might be best in open back which just can't compare out of your head sounstage wise.
Then, the HD820 sound more neutral bright, so perhaps better balanced for proper high fidelity monitor like listening from what I remember.
The bass is more mid bass focus, more textured but less impactful and rumbly with the HD820, i remember I was impress by kick drum definition and texture, which isn't exactly the case with the Arya but then kick is chunkier and more punchy and their come the mids I really dislike with the HD820.…
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.

Treble wise, the HD820 is less airy and vividly sparkly than the Arya, its leaner and dryer again.

As said, soundstage is notably wider, taller and about the same deepness wise. Imaging might be superior with the HD820 in term of plain accuracy since the treble is leaner and less spiky.

Here i would say the Arya is marginaly superior in term of technical performance but notably more fun, immersive, dynamic, lively and open sounding. The HD820 was a cold shower for me at the time, so they might be more neutral in term of tonality. Oh, and craftmanship wise, Sennheiser is superior even if mostly made of plastic, they are way lighter and more comfortable than the Arya.


CONCLUSION



The Hifiman Arya are exceptional planar headphones that offer an oversized spatial experience with top-notch imaging, transparency and clarity.
Unlike some headphones that try to boost spatiality, the Arya doesn't put you far away from your favorite singer or instrument, as well, it an headphones that is transparent to source and amplifier used, so you can achieve the perfect musicality that please you while keeping its open and vast headroom presentation.

Sure, 1300$ is quite expensive for an Headphones and the sound benefit return is notably lower than Ananda which is the little brother of Arya, but with Hifiman price drop and sale price are very very common, so the MSRP is very flexible and those are easy to find new for half the price and i'm confident to say that for 1000$, these are great end game sound value.

For me the Arya are the Planar answer to Sennheiser HD800 or HD820, it offer an even more open and out of your head spatiality and better dynamic and sound layering for way less money. I do prefer the slightly warmer and less dry timbre too over HD820 as well as how the bass hit in a more weighty way. Only con would be that Arya are harder to drive properly and have not as good craftmanship even if HD820 is near all plastic built.

Since I wasn't the biggest fan of Ananda BT, I wasn't sure to love the Arya that much but once paired with the right DAC-AMP like the Xduoo TA10, I was in for a vast, immersive, holographic and effortlessly transparent musicality that I can get lost in for hours and hours.

Highly Recommended!!









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PS: I want to thanks Hifiman for sending this review sample out of the blue. I was expecting getting the Edition XS but will not complaint getting the Arya since XS might be very similar to Ananda ive review before...
Nonetheless, even if i'm gratefull to have the chance to test and review such high end planar Headphones, it doesn't inflict on my critical listening impressions, which are subjective and stubbornly independent minded.

You can buy the Arya Stealth Edition for 1000$ (sale) at official Hifiman store here:https://store.hifiman.com/index.php/arya.html

For more diversify and honest audio products review, give a look to my blog No Borders Audiophile

The review sample was kindly provided free of charge in exchange for my honest and subjective evaluation.
I only covered import fees and tax.
The current price is $1599 and you can buy it directly from the HiFiMan online store.

Arya Stealth edition

Arya is one of the most known HiFiMan headphones, strategically positioned between the Ananda and the TOTL models of the company.
The version reviewed here is the third one, the Arya is revised now with the new Stealth magnet system by HiFiMan without any further increase in the selling price.



Stealth Magnets

Unlike the sound waves created by a conventional magnet, the special shape of Stealth Magnets enables the waves to pass through the magnets without generating interference.
HIFIMAN’s advanced magnet design is acoustically transparent, dramatically reducing wave diffraction turbulence that degrades the integrity of the sound waves. The reduced distortion yields pure sonic output that is accurate and full-range.
HiFiMan has been actively revising current models of their catalogue with the Stealth magnet system, like the HE400SE and the Ananda.



Technical highlights

Arya features the Nanometer Thickness Diaphragm, a breakthrough core technology developed by HIFIMAN and the first of its kind in a headphone application. Working with this advanced material is extremely challenging yet the successful incorporation of this film as the Arya’s planar driver is the cornerstone of its remarkable sound.
The new Stealth edition is more efficient than its predecessor

There is also the Patented “Window Shade” System, created to meet the need for driver protection and an optimized open-back design together with the asymmetrical ear cups that follow the natural shape of the human ear.



Design and build quality

The Arya with the characteristic oval shaped ear cups, the window grills, the suspension headband and the total black color is the definition of the classic HiFiMan headphone and by far my most favorite one.

The Arya is made from a combination of steel and high quality plastic which leads to a nice compromise between sturdiness and being lightweight, as it weighs only 430g, pretty good for a big planar magnetic headphone.
The suspension system, the grills and the yokes are made from metal while the ear cups are made from plastic.
Both the metallic and plastic parts are of higher quality than the Ananda, the metal is thinner and better finished while the overall construction is much better.
There is no cracking noise during use, the height can be easily adjusted while the headband is made from synthetic leather with an extra cushioning in the inner part for increased comfort.
Real leather would be a more premium material for a flagship headphone and while the overall build quality is very good, still there is something to be missed when compared to similarly priced, more luxurious headphones like the Focal Clear Mg.
Anyway, the only vulnerable point seems to be the material in the inner part of the headband that is thin and prone to tearing due to the friction with the head.



Wearing comfort

The Arya Stealth is super comfortable thanks to the huge and swiveling ear cups, that are roomy enough to accommodate larger ears while the hybrid cushioned ear pads are soft to the touch with excellent breathability.
The ears stay cool even after a couple of hours of use while the headband is doing an excellent job into equally distributing the weight all over the head.
There are no pressure points on top of the head while the clamping force is just right in order to keep the headphone stable and well fitted without causing any discomfort.
The only downside is that the ear cups are really big and some users with smaller heads might find the Arya too large for their face even at the lowest setting of the available height.



Cable and accessories

The Arya comes with a user replaceable cable system featuring two 3.5mm mono sockets, one at each ear cup, so it is compatible with balanced cables.
The included cable is a 1.5m long, single crystalline copper cable with cotton reinforcement, ending in a 6.35mm plug.
The cable, despite being of better quality than the notoriously bad cable of the Ananda, it still is cheap and mediocre, not worthy of a flagship.
HiFiMan should have included two cables of higher quality, one single ended and one balanced or at least one balanced cable with a single ended adapter.
Don't look for accessories, you are not going to find anything, no carrying case, not even a 6.35mm to 3.5mm adapter.
Well, at least you can store the Arya into the cardboard box but again the lack of accessories and the mediocre cable are pretty unacceptable at this price point.



Patience is a virtue

HiFiMan suggested that I should burn the headphone for at least 150 hours prior to listening tests and thus I did.
I usually don't progress the burning process but this time I was asked to do and I have to report that the treble really settled down, smoothened and sounded less bright/etched after the suggested time of use, so new owners should be patient and do not rush into early conclusions.

Associated gear

The Arya is quite easy to drive and it doesn't need powerful headphone amplifiers, most flagship DAPs and portable DAC/amp combos should do the job.
Thus said, it scales incredibly well so don't expect to hear what is capable of with entry level gear.
A high quality source is a prerequisite and I have used no less than the FiiO M17, Cayin N8ii, Flux Labs FCN-10 and FiiO K9 Pro ESS while more portable DAPs like the iBasso DX240 and FiiO M11 Plus ESS, yielded very satisfying results.



Sound impressions

The Arya is the epitome of a well balanced and neutral sounding headphone without really exaggerating any part of the frequency spectrum while the overall transparency is at the highest possible level, so source matching is quite critical.
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.
Yes, it is definitely a revealing headphone but in a polite manner, it is not clinical or strident.
On the contrary, Arya plays music with a great sense of realism, a touch of warmth and deep emotional expression that guarantees great communication between the listener and his favorite tunes.
The tonal timbre is mostly natural and the Arya can easily convey all the harmonic wealth and the diversity of the multicolored overtones.
It is a headphone truly enjoyable with most kinds of music but it is with classical and acoustic material where it really excels and should be considered as one of the top performers of the market.
Texture is delicate, almost ethereal, the Arya is more lean than visceral, the presentation is mostly about precisely defined, detailed and finely sculptured images rather than the full bodied and muscular reconstruction of the music.
Ethereal doesn't mean shy though, the Arya can hit hard and is fully convincing when it comes to producing thundering bass and largely contrasted dynamic swings but then you shouldn't expect a full bodied and shuttering sound experience like that of the Focal Clear Mg.



Bass tuning is reference flat with great sub bass extension and exemplary transition into the mids.
Graphs might suggest otherwise but the Arya never had any problem faithfully and convincingly reproducing the lowest electronic bass tunes.
Fast and dancing with great ebb and flow, super tight and controlled with extremely low distortion, the bass on the Arya has some of the best technicalities ever heard from a headphone, a truly remarkable performance.
Definition, layering and clarity are phenomenal while words like masking, mid bass bloat and muddiness are completely unknown to the Arya, you can clearly hear every single instrument and the faintest of the notes no matter how busy the bass line is.
Listening to the following rarities, two concertos for low pitched wind instruments, the Contrabassoon and the Tuba, is just an amazing experience.



The mid range is neutrally flat, clearly expressed and finely articulated, harmonized with the rest of the frequencies, it is not forward sounding nor recessed, just ideally balanced.
Instruments and voices are reproduced with an earth-like quality, almost organic, there is an increased sense of musicality combined with great lucidity, you can hear behind the lines, this is a highly convincing and atmospheric musical experience.
All types of voices, from baritone to high soprano, are projected with the same intensity, the interplay between them is magnificent as in the famous operatic quartet "Bella figlia dell'amore" from Verdi's Rigoletto.



The Arya is youthfully fresh, alive, sparkling and agile, with excellent treble extension but still smooth and well behaved.
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.
High pitched instruments are decaying a touch faster than the ideal and are heard with a somewhat thinner texture but still in tune, expressive and tonally correct.

Detail retrieval is stellar, the Arya is highly resolving yet not analytical, you can hear everything but in a relaxed and not suppressing way, it is not tiring, the details are not forced into your face, they stay part of the whole musical experience, humbly fulfilling their part into communicating the music in a realistic manner.



The soundstage is wide open and spacious with excellent depth layering, reconstructing a holographic and large scale presentation with great sense of the ambience.
But what really sets the Arya apart and ahead of the competition is the masterclass imaging.
With a laser sharp positioning both in the horizontal and the vertical axis, every single instrument is proportionally occupying its well predefined position no matter if you are listening to a solo performer or a large scale symphonic work.
If you have been thinking till now that the Sennheiser HD800S was the imaging champion then you should definitely listen to the Arya and you might change your mind.
A great example of what the Arya can do, is listening to choral works like the passions of J.S Bach.



The competition is pretty tough at this price point but the Arya Stealth can hold on its own.

Vs the HD800S

The Arya should be considered as the HiFiMan alternative to the Sennheiser HD800S. (Drop HD8XX illustrated in the photo)
They are more alike than different since both are quite ethereal and transparent but the HD800S is slightly more visceral, a touch warmer and slightly more forward on the mids.
On the other hand the Arya has better sub - bass extension and you might find it as more convincing regarding the tonal accuracy of the higher pitched instruments.
The HD800S soundstage is more diffuse and wide whereas the Arya is more solid but with sharper imaging.
Two great headphones of equal status, the planar magnetic versus the dynamic you will be surprised to find out how similar and different sounding are at the same time, a really tough choice to make.



Vs the Focal Clear Mg

The Focal Clear Mg is another beast at the same price range but this time the sound signature differences from the Arya are quite pronounced.
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.
Much warmer with a forward midrange and a recessed, safe treble tuning, the Clear Mg is thicker, smoother and darker sounding with slower note decay and a more laid back and relaxed approach, some might even call it more musical and organic.
Soundstage is more intimate, positioning the listener closer to the performers rather than attending the concert from the gallery as you do with the Arya.
The Clear Mg soundstage is open and well defined but it can't compete with the Arya when it comes to imaging, layering, size and overall holography while although the name would suggest otherwise the Arya is more clear and crystalline sounding than the Clear Mg with lower bass distortion.
Two excellent but different sounding headphones, well deserving the flagship status.



Vs the Ananda

These two are close relatives, the house sound is definitely the same but the Arya is offering a much better sense of realism with more natural timbre, less artificial texture, finer articulation and enhanced clarity.
Sub-bass is more extended on the Arya, it has greater physical impact than the Ananda which is also thinner sounding than the Arya with slightly sharper and brighter overtones.
The imaging is much superior on the Arya which also offers a grander soundstage with better sense of holography.
In the end, the Arya is easily the better headphone and should be considered as the natural upgrade over the Ananda.



In the end

The HiFiMan Arya - Stealth edition - is an amazing sounding headphone with a flagship level performance.
Whether you are going to like the neutral tuning and the ethereal character is something purely subjective and personal but irrelevant to the actual sound quality of the Arya which is nearly perfect.
We are in the realm where there is no right or wrong, tonal accuracy, timbre and technicalities are guaranteed and the only thing you have to do is to decide if the specific headphone character suits your needs or not.
The Arya Stealth is undeniably one of the best sounding flagship headphones on the market and it is a real shame for HiFiMan that they haven't bundled it with a cable and some accessories worthy of its status.

Test playlist


Copyright - Petros Laskis 2022.

Hifiman Arya SE is the newest version of this vastly popular high-end headphone. It now uses Stealth Magnets and it still comes at $1599.

Introduction​

For everybody that is into high-end headphone audio, the Hifiman Arya needs no introduction. It’s been one of their best-selling products for years now, offering one of the best values in its price range.
While it has been changed a couple of times in the past, in 2021 Hifiman released an official, new version of the Arya, called Arya SE. The SE stands for Stealth Edition, thanks to…Stealth Magnets being used of course. Since they had been adding this technology to all of their products for the past few months, it was just a matter of time till it comes to the crowd-favorite Arya. Apart from this change, there’s not much that has changed, if anything actually. The Stealth Magnets though are not a minor change, since it’s such a great and innovative technology that helps deliver the best sound quality possible. What’s most important – the price hasn’t changed, and the Arya SE still comes at $1599. Kudos for that.

Packaging​

Having reviewed many Hifiman products I tend to not know what to write in this paragraph more and more. Well…it’s a Hifiman unboxing experience, standard box, nothing fancy or luxurious. The packaging is good, aesthetic, and secure, sporting stealthy and elegant graphics.
What’s inside then….well, once again, nothing extraordinary. Apart from the headphones, you’re getting a cable, some paperology, and that’s basically it. I really like this approach, as Hifiman tends to keep the prices of their products to a very reasonable level, and not adding any flashy accessories surely helps that.
The included cable is again, standard for Hifiman. It’s not bad, it’s not great either. It’s just a black, braided cable that feels right and durable, same old story. I won’t bother adding anything else than that, because there’s nothing more to say about it. Get an aftermarket cable if you’d like, it’ll improve the sound and ergonomics of the Arya by some margin.

Design, Build and Comfort​

Here things start to be very interesting. I’ll start by saying that the Arya has always been one of my favorite headphones on the market when it comes to its design. The all-black design makes it look elegant, stealthy, and really sexy. Its main competitors, which are the Audeze LCD-X and the HEDDphone are also all black (well, the jokes in the HEDDphone are silver, but the rest is black) which looks to be a trend in the sub $2000 market. No surprise here though, as the all-black design is both safe and incredibly appealing.

The build quality is really good. Even though the earcups are made of plastic, the whole headphone feels solid and really well-made. As usual with high-end Hifiman products, I have to point out one, very important thing. I can’t rate the build quality and comfort separately, since one is dependant on the other. Having in mind that the Arya SE is significantly lighter and more comfortable than the Audeze LCD-X, and WAY more comfortable than the HEDDphone, I can’t do anything else as rating the build quality superb. It’s just an engineering approach to the design, where functionality and comfort are most important, and that’s how it should be.
Speaking of comfort, the Arya SE weights 430g, which is right in the middle of being light and heavy. Its whole design though, especially the suspension strap headband design makes it a joy to use. The weight distribution is spot-on, the earpads are plush and pleasant to the touch, which makes it a headphone that you’ll be able to use for the whole day without breaking a sweat.

The headband regulation that is present in the Arya is the same as with their flagship Susvara and their $3500 HE1000se (oh it’s not the last time I’m going to mention these in this review for sure!). I got to admit, that it is my favorite type of regulation ever. While not as elegant and interesting as in the Empyrean/Elite or D8000Pro by FInal, it just works perfectly…it’s clicky, it ain’t going nowhere unless you’d want it. The scale is also really good, making the Arya suitable for people with basically all head shapes and sizes. Hifiman hasn’t changed it for years now in their flagship open-back game and it’s definitely a good choice. If something works perfectly, why bother? Stay with it Hifiman for the next years to come.

Tech​

As I mentioned before, the biggest change to the original Arya stands in using the Stealth Magnets. In my Deva Pro review, I stated why it is a bigger deal than it might look like, so I’ll copy it here as well:

Stealth Magnets are what sets the tone for the current generation of HiFiMan cans. They came up with a new shape, that makes it easier for sound to pass through it. Conventional, rectangular in cross-section magnets create a resonance between them. That resonance will color the sound in an unwanted manner. Having the edges trimmed at a 45-degree angle strongly reduces the resonance, allowing air (and sound) to move freely. Being all technical it goes like this: moving air changes its volume as it encounters the flared magnets. The changing volume also changes the speed. Less speed means a flatter Q of the resonance. How it’s possible that nobody else does it if it’s so simple? Well, it’s not easy to make magnets in that shape that are repeatable and have very good parameters suitable for planar headphones. So you either pay a ton of money for them, or you order a train of those at a bit less outrageous price. Then you put them in every product you have. Now we have them in both HiEnd Susvara, in basic HE-400SE, and everywhere in between, except the Ananda.

It’s a brilliant technology and I love that Hifiman is adding it to all of their headphones, and the Arya is no exception. It helps the drivers in reproducing micro details and it improves an overall sense of spaciousness.



Apart from adding the Stealth Magnets, the drivers also seem to be different than in the previous versions of Arya. They now have that green tilt that is present in the HE1000se, it looks…identical. I don’t think that these are the same drivers, but I don’t have proof that they’re not.
The Arya SE is rated at 32Ω and 94dB, and thanks to that it’s not difficult to drive, which is a welcome change to the previous versions. The original Arya was known for its inefficiency, meaning that you really needed a powerful amplifier to get them to sing. While it’s not a big deal in 2021, since we got so many powerful amplifiers on a budget, it still is problematic, especially if you plan to use your headphones with portable devices.


Well, you don’t have that problem anymore. The Arya SE runs from almost everything, as something like the Atom + by JDSLabs or basic Topping amplifiers are more than capable of driving them. Also, they do work well with my iBasso DX220, which was not possible with the OG Arya.

Sound​

The original Arya has been and still is one of the crowd-pleasers, having fans all over the market. Many describe it as the ultimate planar for those who are not willing to spend multi-thousand dollars for a pair of headphones. While it was still rather expensive, the amount of high-end value we were given fully justified that cost.

Having all this in mind, it’s not an easy task ahead of the Arya SE – to improve on something that is widely regarded so good that you won’t ever have to upgrade it. Luckily, Hifiman is not about making meaningless updates of their products just to sell more units every year. In the TECH paragraph I stated how big of a deal the Stealth Magnets are, and now having them in the Arya means that it should be better than ever…right?

Unfortunately, I don’t have the OG Arya on my hand, and I haven’t heard them for a while now, so this is going to be a standard review of the Arya SE, not a comparison between the two versions. I’ll be comparing them to other high-end cans though, so you’ll get an idea.

The bass starts a theme of the overall signature of the sound – it’s aggressive and incredibly fun. The Arya SE is a hard-hitting, extremely fast, and forward-sounding headphone, and it all starts in the bass delivery.
The low frequencies are not heavy, thick, or huge, they do sound right in the middle. It’s the bass quality that impresses, with its fast decay and lightning-fast attack. The Arya SE is made for electronic music and this type of bass reproduction only confirms that.
The whole bass response is rather linear and very clean, but it sounds like a planar bass – don’t expect a final word in impact and physicality. Compared to the LCD-X 2021 it’s not as thick and moist, while it’s also not as technically and physically impressive as the Susvara or the HE1000se.

The midrange is pretty regular for a Hifiman headphone – it’s linear, neutral, and very detailed. Don’t expect any added warmth or body to it, as the Arya SE is flat and precise. With their staging capabilities though, it sounds very intimate and right in your face, being one of the most forward-sounding midranges I’ve heard in a long while.
The vocals sound extremely crisp, precise, and right in front of you. While it might not be the perfect headphone for male vocals, because of a lack of lower-midrange added warmth, female voices sound very airy and forward, which is a good thing. I wouldn’t call the Arya SE a vocals master anyway, as it might sound too sterile and forward for some (well, I’m one of that people apparently). The master of vocals is the Susvara for me and compared to the Arya SE, the Susvara sounds more organic, richer, fuller, and straight-up more natural and pleasing. Also, the LCD-X is also more natural and full-bodied sounding in this regard.



Let’s get into the treble. I think that this is the best thing about the new Arya SE. The treble response is absurdly fast, clean, and detailed, getting really close to HE1000se level, which is one of the most detailed headphones on the planet.
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.
The overall sound of the treble is almost as fast as it gets, with details for life. Cymbals and female vocals sound natural and very precise, but not overdone. I’m also happy to report that I tried many bad mastered albums on the Arya SE and it was a pleasant experience. If you’ve been thinking about getting the Arya for a while and you were afraid of that infamous hot treble, the Arya SE could be your savior.

Now into the soundstage. I remember the original Arya as a very spacious and open-sounding headphone. When I listened to the Arya SE for the first time I was actually quite surprised, as it is an intimate and close-sounding headphone. The imaging and separation are both brilliant but don’t expect a huge soundstage around your head. It somehow reminds me of the LCD-X 2021, as both headphones don’t offer acres of space around you, but rather a small and precise staging.
It has its pros and cons though, as for electronic music it actually works great, offering a more focused, forward, and “fun” sound than a headphone with a huge soundstage, for example, the Susvara.



Overall, the new Arya SE is a highly technical headphone with lots of details and a great insight into the recording. While not as relaxed nor lush as something like the new LCD-X 2021 or the Susvara, it offers an incredible value when it comes to a technically impressive planar under $2000.

Comparisons​

Hifiman HE1000se


I’ll start by saying that the Arya SE is in many regards a “baby 1000se”. Both headphones offer incredible detail retrieval and highly technical presentation, but there are also some differences.
First of all, the 1000se hits harder in the bass region, it is more full-bodied and natural sounding, also because its bigger soundstage. While the Arya SE is a supercar pulling you right into the middle of the musical spectacle, the 1000se is more refined and slightly more relaxed sounding (not to say that it is a relaxed sounding headphone to begin with).
Unfortunately, you can’t just buy the Arya SE and expect the level of the 1000se for half the price – the latter is a superior sounding headphone in every aspect, being a natural improvement over the new addition to Hifiman’s lineup.

Hifiman Susvara



These two also share some similarities, but there are more differences than in the previous comparison.
Comparing the two, the Susvara comes as more natural, smoother, and more engaging of the two, while also having superior technicalities. It’s what you should expect though, as we’re comparing the Arya SE to one of the best (if not THE best) headphones in the current market, and also one of the best headphones ever made.
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.
It grabs you by your clothes and puts you right in the middle of a party, while the Susvara gives you a glass of good quality whisky and makes you kick back and enjoy every single note in music.
What’s also very important is that getting the right system for the Susvara would cost a lot, while the Arya SE is not as demanding, both in terms of raw power and the overall quality of the rest of the components.

Audeze LCD-X 2021



This one is really interesting. The Hifiman Arya SE is slightly more detailed and forward sounding, while the LCD-X 2021 comes as more full-bodied and warmer. While the 2021 version is not as dark sounding as their previous models, the new X is still a rather thick and musical sounding headphone. The Arya SE on the other hand is more forward and focused sounding, giving you a slightly better insight into the material.
When it comes to the sound signature, the Arya SE is leaner and quicker in the bass, more neutral in midrange and the upper-mid to treble transition is more pronounced. It is more intense sounding in every regard, with the LCD-X 2021 being more relaxed and romantic.
The staging is quite similar between the two, with both giving you a rather small and intimate staging performance with a focus on imaging.

HEDDphone

The HEDDphone is probably my favorite headphone in the $2000 market, but it has a major problem – the weight. If it was around 500g, It would definitely be one of my most used pairs for the past years, as its sound is striking and very interesting.
Both the HEDDphone and the Arya SE are highly technical, but the tuning is where they do vary a lot. The HEDDphone is definitely less clear and focused sounding, giving us a more airy and thick sound.
Putting the Arya right after the HEDDphone gives us a feeling that a slight voal has just been removed. The lower-midrange in the HEDDphone might come as slightly veiled and dull for some, but honestly…I really like it, it gives male vocal that magic and warmth that I crave.
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.
Choosing between these two is all about your preferences – if you prefer razor-sharp, slightly bright-sounding headphones, then the Arya SE is your choice. The HEDDphone however will suit you more if you like somewhat thicker and more unique sounding headphones, of course, if you can stand the weight.

Summary​

A legend is reborn. The new Hifiman Arya SE is an outstanding headphone with a focus on technicalities. It offers a class-leading detail retrieval and resolution while being extremely forward and fun sounding. Pair it with superb ergonomics and that ultra-sexy, all-black design and we’re getting a headphone to beat in the $2000 market.
Recommended.
Gear used during this review for the sake of comparison and as an accompanying equipment:

• Headphones – Hifiman Susvara, Final D8000 Pro, Audeze LCD-X 2021, Hifiman Deva, Hifiman Ananda, Hifiman HE1000se, Meze Elite
• Sources– Topping D90se + A90, Ferrum OOR, EarMen Tradutto, Musician Aquarius, Musician Pegasus, JDSLabs Atom DAC+/AMP+, Cayin N3Pro, Pro-Ject Debut Carbon PRO + iFi Zen Phono, xDuoo TA-26