HIFIMAN Arya Organic

TONALITY: 8.2/10
TECHNICALITIES: 9/10
TIMBRE: 8/10
SOUNDSTAGE: 9.5/10
IMAGING: 9/10
MUSICALITY (subjective): 8/10
CONSTRUCTION: 8.8/10
ACCESSORIES: 7.5/10
SOUND VALUE: 8.2/10

INTRO

Hifiman don’t need a lenghty introduction. It’s an audio company founded in 2005 by Fang Bian, then named Hifiman in 2007. Their first planar headphones was the HE5 launched in 2009, then they evolve alot and create a wide variety of headphones, yet they seem to favor planar open back above dynamic driver or closed back headphones.
In the past i’ve review a good amount of their Headphones which include the He1000 V3, Ananda, Deva, Sundara and Audivina to name a few. I always had a sweet spot for the Sundara musicality, the best Hifiman planar in term of high sound value in my opinion.

Today I will review their higher end headphones, the Arya Organic.

Priced 1300$ (but often on sale like all Hifiman headphones), the Arya Organic is a full size open-back planar Headphones with ultra thin diaphragm using latest nanometer thickness technology as well as latest stealth magnet design find in other flagship headphones like the HE1000 V3 I review lately.




In term of sound promise, it's just underline it should deliver ''stunning value''. So let see what 1K$ planar can deliver in both musical and technical side of sound spectrum.



CONSTRUCTION ACCESSORIES

The construction of these is sumptuous and mostly made of metal and wood with few plastic parts. It’s quite gigantic but you barely feel them on your head and the clamping force is very smooth.
What caught the eye is certainly the oversized cups which you will be familiar with since it's extremely similar to He1000 but with darker wood and metal parts painted in black.

Those cups are made of CNC milled metal with a smooth hand polished finish. The grill is made of metal too and it's a thick one, not a light aluminum prompt to vibration that could create unwanted distortion (like the Grado grill).
There is a filter mesh to avoid any dust entering this grill too.
Then we have the piece of thick wood, it’s very eye appealing and pleasant to touch when we position the cups.



Then we have the real leather headband with a metal holder with an angular shape i’m not the biggest fan in term of aesthetic but it’s responsible for clamping force which is light and I hope it will not loosen more since we can’t headbang or move our head down too fast with HE1000 Stealth, their a risk the headphones fall. Anyway, these headphones are thanked for sedentary use since they're fully open back and leak alot, I mean ALOT of sound. The Arya aren’t suggested to use in common space unless you want your wife or colleague to know by heart all the songs you listen to.
Now these weigh half a kilogram, as said, I can wear these for hours and hours without feeling any discomfort nor neck fatigue. The leather head band is hard to even feel (unless you're bald I guess). It's the most comfortable headphones I own but certainly not something I will use in a coffee shop or workplace. Let's say the comfort upgrade is sky high compared to the Sundara I own that has a harder clamping force, smaller cup and can swivel left right like the Arya.

Under those big cups you have a 3.5mm jack, it permits easy upgrade of the cables. It is made of metal and I like the bump that permits fast blind finding of the jacks so you can plug the cable easily even when wearing the headphones.




The packaging is extremely minimalist and well, eco friendly since the box is recyclable and even the protective foam has second life as a Headphones stand made of foam. I respect this for sure, yet I don't think it honors the elegant beauty of Arya. The nice carrying case included with the way cheaper Ananda Nano is something I feel would have been more appropriate with a flagship headphones of this price range. Then we have one 5 foot long cable with 6.35mm termination. It’s a basic cable that doesn't do justice to Arya quality, nowadays most dac-amp come in 4.4mm balanced and less and less source use 6.35mm output All in all, while the construction of Headphones is great, I find accessories a bit underwhelming in quality. I could have said I don’t care as a reviewer, but I put myself in the shoes of a consumer that pays 1300$ for those, in that regard the packaging experience isn’t impressive. You don’t feel like a spoiled consumer.


SOUND IMPRESSIONS


(sound impressions based on Hifiman EF600 and Xduoo XD05plus pairing)

The overall tonality of Arya can be summarized as bright U shape with notable sub bass boost, energetic upper mids and presence clarity and loudness lift that continue up past 10kHz with vivid and airy treble extension. We have a mix of fun and analytical tuning that feel vast in spatiality, near concert hall like and one of sparkliest planar treble.
The wide bass resonance slam head room participates in the multi-layered macro dynamic that is both immersive and physically striking.

If you were scare open back can’t pack a dense and immense slam that is both concentrate in air pressure impact and rumbly in it’s release with an euphonic twist, don’t be because it’s U shape musicality has plenty of it, in fact, the first thing that hit me in both literal and figurative sense is how it pack a punch and a smile to my face.

If it was a V shaped tuned planar, it would be warmer and muddier than what we get here, which is clear open musical bliss with effortless imaging performance and a speedy attack speed that permit an holographic articulation of rich soundscape.

More entry level planar headphones can feel flat or rigidly 2 dimensional in their spatial representation, while the Arya have a dynamic center stage and stretched stereo rendering that can remind 5.1 surround audio. These are magnified in both instrument presence size and separation space with a treble sharpness and brilliance that underline upper highs air.
You feel small in a vast galaxy of sound with the Arya and it’s easy to get lost in its musicality for hours.

So let’s begin with this grand bass presentation which takes all the advantage of planar speed prowess with a loose sub bass release full of energy in slam and wide resonance in attack release that doesn’t bleed on the mids due to full open back design that avoid trapping soundwave rebound and distortion and permit whole bass response to have it’s own space layer in back of crisp mid range.
The rumble of Arya is near cinematic and benefits logically movies watching, action packed movies will be able to rattle your head with infra bass excitement when the boom is hitting and it will dig deep without boxy feeling, quite the opposite.
This is a speedy but not hard mid bass punchy or thumpy bass, it’s all about the ‘’oomph’’ and sub dominate euphonic slam here, while the mids are clean the bass part is warm and a bit hazy-euphonic in extension, densify by air vibration that can add sense of grunt to electric bass or loudness to double bass release which isn’t lean.
While it’s not a basshead headphones, I think it's the bassiest planar I've heard yet, more so than Audivina, HE1000 and Sundara even of 2 later are warmer and don’t lack mid bass punch.
So, it’s a bass that is more physical than technical and clinical even if very speedy and well controlled. It shares similarity to balanced armature low end projection which is wide and boomy, but Arya goes less distorted and thin, when hitting you have a wall of impactful low end while when it extends it lacks a bit of flexibility only dynamic drivers seem to achieve properly.
Bass line attack lead isn’t very crisp in edge, you don’t see the finger picking here being magnified in HD clarity, but you do feel the energy, and fine detail of texture are shown in a subtle way, avoiding unpleasant texture grain spike creating timbre anharmonic imbalance. Since sub bass is more boosted than mid bass it’s easy to track bassist in the track and its bass line will not go muddy or hard to find even in complex busy track, i can’t say the same for acoustic kick drum which lack a bit of proper definition and dynamic and can get over shadow by bass line.
We have a notch of natural warmth sliding into lower mids too, this explains the warmish rendering of kick drum as well as more mellow dynamic compared to digital kick that is more juiced up.
The cello sound great with Arya, it can’t be confused with violin which is a sign of low end fullness, presence is wide, well textured, transparent and dense with air, it can grunt when needed and don’t sound too thin, compressed or dry at all.In fact, cello might be my favorite sounding instrument thru the Arya.

Keywords: Fast slam with wide rumble and headroom. Excellent control though most the most elastic bass for slower response. Good note weight and punch authority without important warmth or resonance bleed.

The mid range sounds very open without feeling recessed, this is quite a magical experience in its own right since the Arya achieves a truly balanced U shape signature that doesn't scoop lower mids too much which would affect the substance of tone negatively.
The timbre is very natural for a planar and not too thin, it’s not super warm and thick yet achieves an energetic lushness that avoids upper mids aggression, shouting and sibilance.
Instrument and vocal has a wide and full bodied presence, each sound layer has their own space to blossom fully and don’t mix together.
Saxophone sounds incredible with those, it’s dense and colorful in timbre with beautiful texture subtleties and excellent attack lead and release energy, dynamism of blowing technique is highly appreciable too.
The piano too is natural in restitution, with well felt note impact and weight and long natural resonance that is clean unless bass slam occurs and blur a bit the background blackness.
Sure, to get full mids you need to drive the Arya properly and source will inflict on overall flavor, here it’s based on EF600 pairing which is on the warm side. A more clinical source will tend to make mids even more open and airy, yet a notch thinner and even more transparent in timbre.
So don’t expect as forwards, lush and thick mids as the HE1000 V3, expect clean crisp one with just a hint of natural warmth to get full harmonic restitution, female vocal here don’t feel nasally, plasticky or substance less, nor too boosted in texture grain and info which will be risky for sibilance. It captivates your attention and represents the main part of the show without forcing it on the listener due to plenty of space to appreciate all parts of the music experience.

Keywords: fowards presence, transparent yet not dry or overly thin timbre, controlled upper mids intensity that had brightness without shoutyness, vast and wide center stage.

The treble is another highlight of the Arya, it extends far away above 10kHz and offers plenty of air, brilliance and sparkle in an effortless way. Planar driver are famous for their speedy transient response, which mean it can deliver near infinite full sound info without going muddy in macro dynamic, percussions isn’t just about the spike of attack lead here, it’s the full round presence of each cymbals stroke and crash we get without excited splashing or scooped snap that would bypass the natural release.
The attack is both speedy and controlled, the top is clean and open with plenty of space for percussions or higher pitch sound and instruments to express their singular dynamic and presence.
Fans of acoustic guitar would be well serve with the Arya, it has both the fundamental density of attack sustain, the sharp textured attack lead and much needed sparkly release with extend in they air naturally, this make the instrument a notch more forwarded in soundscape as well as brighter and clearer to appreciate, it’s not thin and all metallic sparkle we get, the Arya is too refined in treble response for rough, too excited or too damped treble rendering.
The violin isn’t as enjoyable to my ears, the attack lead lacks a bit of texture for proper readability which make Hilary Hann speedy playing hard to properly cut in tempo. Yet, timbre isn’t too thin or too boosted in texture grain, it’s just a bit too polished in attack bite for this very specific instrument, with wind instrument this doesn’t happen nor with piano, so bowed instrument isn’t as authoritative and agile in attack (with the exception of cello).

Keywords: sparkly, airy and speedy. effortless micro details and texture richness. full not thin treble. lot of air around percussions and acoustic guitar.

The soundstage is main highlight of the Arya wich offer massive headroom that feel like listening to a sound system surrounding you in circular way where wideness, tallness and deepness are all impressive extension yet don't feel too abnormally anamorphic like being in a too big concert hall sitted far away from center stage. Here the balance with different stage layers is very well done, you feel in middle of the concert hall with both center stage and extra stereo speakers to avoid a clinical or too static rendering of music.

This mean imaging too is great, the instrument has plenty of space between them and transparency of layering permit accurate positioning of everything but kick drum when bass line occur loudly.


SIDE NOTES

The Arya has low sensitivity and like all planar they benefit from proper amping. It doesn't mean they can't play loud with a DAP, yet they will sound congested and boxy, lacking proper macro dynamic livelyness, bass density and extension as well as proper headroom openess. A minimum of 1W@32ohm is suggested, but 2W is even safer.

Source wise, cleaner is the source and greater will be release high resolution potential of Arya. Yet, warm source like Hifiman EF600 can make mid range lusher and more pleasant for those sensitive to extra upper mids brightness.

Then, the Arya are very big and depending of your head type, it can be complicate to get proper seal. Any gap will inflict on bass impact so you need to find most closed fit. Positioning of ear cup is of prime important with Arya to project spatiality properly.

Then i urge you to upgrade for a better cable, i've try it with different cable and stock one isn't doing justice in term of crispness and macro dynamic articulation.






COMPARISONS




VS Hifiman Ananda Nano (500$)

Nano is brighter and more W shaped to energetic neutral in balance compared to more U shape, open and laid back musicality of Arya.

The bass is more rolled off in sub bass and not as dense and deep in rumble, bass line can get lost in the mix more easily and Nano has greater focus on mid bass punch which is less warm and more hard punch. Kick drum is brighter and rounder and more dynamic with Nano too.

Mids are brighter and notch shoutier, it has more upper mids energy and vocal and instrument presence is more compressed, less wide in layer than lusher sounding Arya which has more natural and warm timbre, more open center stage so instrument don’t mix together as closely, vocal are less intense in energy too and smoother, piano note as more weight and male vocal sound fuller, less boosted in brightness of presence and texture.

The treble is sharper, more spiky and snappy-sparkly with the more analytical Nano, percussions are thinner and more boosted in metallic texture than more balanced and rounded treble of Arya which offer fuller restitution of percussions in a less sharpened way. This underlines the W shape balance of Nano where intensity of dynamic is found in mid bass, upper mids and upper treble in a more aggressive way than more laid back and relaxed musicality of Arya.

The soundstage is notably wider and taller with Arya, Nano just can’t compete in terms of holographic openness here.

As for imaging, even if Nano is brighter and more in line with monitor like rendering it lacks space between instrument and sound layer too are more compressed, so it’s harder to track and position instruments than more spacious Arya.

All in all, while technical performance greatness is mostly about spatiality with the Arya, the tonal balance is notably better, smoother, less spiky and more pleasant in terms of timbre naturalness. Simply put: I don't find Nano musicals while I do with Arya.

VS HIFIMAN HE1000 V3

The Arya are brighter, crisper and more U shaped in overall balance. HE1K is warmer, more mid centric and smoother-thicker in balance. Arya sounds more technical and less colored.

The bass boom is faster and cleaner but is thinner, more resonance and less creamy with Arya, their less mid bass body and weight than HE1K, kick drums are less rounded but bass lines are clearer and more agile. HE1K slips and thickens the lower mid range more too.

The mids are leaner, slightly more recessed, brighter and more transparent with Arya, it sound more open and offer edgier definition of instrument. HE1K is lusher, offers wider, more forward vocal and mid range instrument presence, this presence is more creamy, less prompt to sibilance or texture dryness. Timbre is more natural and smooth. Piano and overall instrument have heavier not weight and more tactile body. Arya mids are more resolved and airy, let's stick together with lower harmonic warmth.

Treble is quite similar, but Arya has a cleaner airier presentation which permits more precise tracking of percussions, we have a hint more brilliance and sparkle but slightly thinner thighs. Lower treble is more boosted and extra texture info than more buttery HE1K. Sense of speed is magnified with Arya as well.

Spatiality is notably wider and taller with HE1K but not as deep and clean as Arya, which isn’t as intimate in holographic headroom. With HE1K you're in the middle of the music scene, sometimes very near instruments or vocals while for Arya you are not far from the stage, like in the second row with clean vision.

Imaging is superior-edgier-crisper with the Arya, when vocals occur with HE1K it can affect readability of the whole scene due to extra focus of the mid range. Monitoring is easier and more accurate with Arya due to cleaner separation and edgier definition of them.

All in all, if you are timbre and tone lover and favor mid range instrument and vocal fullness and wideness as well as note weight and smooth balance, the HE1000 Stealth is the one to choose, if your more into high fidelity clarity and effortlessly analytical sound, the Arya Organic is an easy suggestion. Personally, the HE1K trigger way more emotional response and musical immersivity to me and warmer tonality make it more versatile, while Arya shine with instrumental music mostly and less so with vocal, but even that will depend since the presence from upper mids is quite forwarded, just not as softened and a bit more substantialize in lower mids and fundamental harmonic.

VS HIFIMAN AUDIVINA

The Arya are notably bassier and more U shaped in balance, they are brighter too and more open and sparkly sounding than linear smoother more reference sounding Audivina.

The sub bass is more boosted, it offers a bigger and wider slam which is warmer too than the more defined mid bass of Audivina. Audivina sub bass seem roll off compared to more rumbly Arya, it doesn’t attract attention too and stay in the back while for bassy music the Arya can be borderline basshead from a purist point of view. Arya bass is more resonant and prompt to warm the mids, it’s less textured and not as fast in control, not as tight. Bass lines of Audivina are less edgy and dominant, more natural in tone and better separated from the kick drum.
Mids are brighter and more open, it’s more excited and boosted in upper mids which make the dynamic less lean than Audivina but less well balanced too, more prompt to slight shortness-sibilance so vocal are way smoother, fuller and more natural with the Audivina even if less boosted in presence brightness. Male vocals are more natural and less recessed and thin with Audivina too.

Audivina has more lower mids and overall mid range fullness, presence is wider and less compressed as well as less recessed when big bass occurs. Timbre and tone of all instruments feel more realist and life-like too with Audivina, free of low or highs coloring.

Its evident mids are more recessed and thin with Arya when we play acoustic music with real instruments, center stage take second stage more when low and highs take the lead than Audivina less U shaped balance.
Then like it’s name promise, the highs are more open and airy with the Arya, it’s more sparkly and brilliant too so acoustic guitar have more edge to attack as well as crisp sustain release, Arya percussions are more upfront and can dominate mids like the bass, it’s thinner but clearer in presence, more boosted in micro details, it add more attack bite to all instrument too which confirm the Audivina isn’t analytical monitor headphones, but a fine final mixing one. Audivine is more balanced and has leaner treble, fuller and less thin, acoustic guitar has greater lower harmonic presence too, yet I wonder why it feels less extended in highs, perhaps to focus more on mid range.

The Soundstage is intensely wider, taller and deeper with Arya, it feels a bit hollow compared to more intimate and focused spatiality of Audivina.
Imaging is great with both but more realistic with the Audivina especially for the whole mid range which have less tamed center stage dynamic, Arya favors some instruments over others, either low or high pitch one so for proper monitoring the Audivina is clearly the one to choose.

All in all, i find technicalities of both in same league apart the soundstage size which is more about acoustic implementation and open back design of the Arya, for tonal balance the Audivina are better balanced as well as less fatiguing for long listening at medium to high volume, i prefer vocal tone too, while i wish the bass dig as deep as the Arya but not in as boomy way.

CONCLUSION



The Hifiman Arya Organic is not only one of most elegant looking planar Headphones but one of most spacious and immersive sounding of them all too.
The vast and holographic musicality it deliver can make you get lost for hours and hours in a rich soundscape with wide and energy bass, fowards and transparent mids and a speedy treble that can deliver fastest percussions with talented bravado.

What is fascinating about this headphones, is that unlike something like the Sennheiser HD820 that open spatiality by puting center stage backward and making mids sound thin and dry, the Arya put you in center of grand scene without making mids too flat and recessed, nor too compromise in timbre fullness too.

Sure, the Arya aren't as lush and mid centric as the HE1000 V3, but it achieve a near headbanging musicality within an overall mature balance that is near analytical due to sharp treble response that make resolution very high and well carved bass that avoid bleed and keep the mid range and soundstage clean and crisp.

Simply put, my 2 fav headphones are now the Arya Organic and HE1000 V3, which complement each other like Queen and King.

Highly recommended (and keep an eyes on deal, under 1$ these are no brainer imo)

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PS: I want to thanks Hifiman for sending me this review sample as well as for their patience since this review was long due. As always, i have no direct affiliation and Hifiman will discover this review at same time as anybody else.

You can order the Arya Organic for 1150$ (sale) here: https://store.hifiman.com/index.php/arya-organic.html

A bit more than 2 years ago the Arya Stealth appeared, paving the way for the Arya’s future as a departure from the old sound that in its second revision culminated into the Arya V2.


A big, bold, dynamically relaxed sound underwent a haircut and a different strength training into a tighter, closer, dynamically more explosive and frontal sound. Naturally, the Arya V2 always had its fans and kept them, no matter the revision. The bigger, deeper stage, the overall lushness in contrast, the bold bass that growled from a bottomless pit. A unique package. Of course Hifiman reads forums and impressions and they must have had an idea to fuse some of the old traits with those of the Stealth and throw that potion of magic onto a pile of Arya skeletons and from that cloud of smoke, glitter and dust thus emerged: The Arya Organic.


Now is it just a best of both worlds? Not really. It’s not a direct blend, it’s not splitting the booty as in being an Arya v2 with stealth qualities. Instead, it’s a fresh and unique take on the Arya sound mixing stealth qualities like explosiveness, dynamics, better resolve, finer wave guiding, sharper imaging with an even denser force per square inch and opening up a bigger, deeper stage, almost in the fashion of the grandfather.


Now that I spoiled the review, you are very welcome to read further on the details as the Arya Organic doesn’t just take what’s there but expands on a few key areas and ascends above previous iterations:

General sound impressions​

The Arya Organic falls a bit into the “slightly v shaped but otherwise” rather neutral side of headphones, as in a pronounced bass shelf and a more prominent treble than in any Arya ever before, albeit also here in a more even progression or shelf not in a sore thumb way of a peak. The mids aren’t buried or take a sad, forgotten backseat. They are clear as a winter’s day and night and have reference grade transparency imbued into them.


The tuning is deliberate, to make for an exciting listen, a headphone to feel the presence of the music in pure euphony.


Extension is absolutely superb with a bottomless pit that grabs you where you know where and can set a footprint with heft, tactility, slam and a satisfying amount of punch.


Extension up top is very well handled, allowing for a lot of air to set the stage and let objects breathe. Trails and reverbs are fading out spectacularly on this model. There’s no blunting happening or a strong boundary barrier preventing you from almost touching the stars.


Driver control, start/stop as usual from the modern Hifiman is exceptional but not zip-tight, strung up and overtly dry. There’s more fading out happening here than on the stealth, this headphone is denser and richer at the same time.


The Bass is presented in an elevated manner, more of a shelf than a bump in the midrange or down below, giving the sound a powerful, bold, slammy and dynamic character. Also contributing to the organic character that gives this headphones its name. There’s zero bleeding into the lower mids or any masking going on that could make the sound muddy or veiled. This hasn’t been a problem for Hifiman’s planar offerings in general, though. Still good to be reminded that they don’t play around. Bass quality, resolving and separating bass lines is an effortless job for the Organic. The already dynamic and forceful character of the Arya Stealth gets a change of character:


It’s no longer waiting for a call to slam and dunk. It always does it now, leading to an even more energetic presentation, just bigger and bolder.


Genres like electronic music and its thousand subgenres strongly profit from this tuning and so do Hip-hop and Metal.


The midrange and vocal range are as we are used from the previous iterations, very open, transparent, revealing in the usual Hifiman fashion. Acoustic instruments don’t blend over or appear in a grey ground on a normalized sound level. They are alive, dynamic, palpable, there to reach out for and almost touch. If there’s anywhere where the Arya line never disappoints, it’s the midrange, the most important range of the music where all the good stuff happens.


Acoustic instruments are easily separated in the mix, not blended or homogenized at all if two of the same play.


The treble is coming at us with a shelf more than any soring peaks. The Organic definitely is a lit up headphone that manages to reveal all dark corners of the venue reaching very well extended into the grand stage. A good amount of air and illumination with a notable incisiveness makes define its lively character. A good pairing is still advised, so make sure your source is clean, well defined and has no treble quirks.


An amp with a slight romantic touch and an iron grip of control makes for a good pairing with these for sure.

Comparison with the Arya Stealth. Or: Here we go again.​

The Organic has a few surprises and doesn’t just come with a new look and fresh frequency response and calls it a day. Like the Ananda Nano it sports a new driver/magnet constellation that improves the density of force applied per square inch and you can feel it both in pressure and the tactility of transients as well in tightening of the overall sound. It adds more physicality and weight and especially more volume in the bass region, yet still very well controlled and not overpowering.


Again. The Organic is a headphone that adds a good form of presence to its general live character. We can only speculate from here on, but it seems Hifiman is more and more infusing its high resolve, delicacy, highly transparent windows into the music with more and more physicality. Certainly very welcome for the friends of the old times.


The Organic has the tendency to move you with its euphonic traits, yet at the same time never let you relax - I can only be very positive about it. The Stealth is less moved here and more frontal in a way that it doesn’t have the Organic’s versatility. It’s more antithetic to the Arya V2 being generally tighter, more aggressive and in your face. The Organic strikes with romanticism and makes your toes tap right from the start.


Staging and imaging of the Organic go hugely towards the V2 with delivering a big, grand and deep soundstage and within that being more physical, tactile and alive. This is one of those special surprises that will definitely catch everyone with a smile.


Composure: As in my Nano review my definition of composure in the control and tightness of the overall sound when the music takes you into more complex, busier passages.


The ideal goal is effortlessness. Being able to flex the tension of the driver and yet render finer nuances and delicacies without breaking a sweat. When it gets wooly, it’s disappointing and hindering the flow of the music. Where the Stealth was already very good, the Organic goes even further and lets you hear a bee’s nest while drummers, guitarists and pianos try to “out-impress” each other. It’s that good.

In conclusion:​

The Organic is the most complete of all Aryas, bringing back some of the good traits of the Arya V2 and fuse them with the Stealth qualities and then outdo itself with specialties like its staging and imaging, the bass response and those hints of euphony that move and touch you.

The Arya is one of the most famous HIFIMAN headphones and the first step towards the company's higher-end models. The Arya was first introduced back in 2018 and since then underwent two revisions, the V2 around 2020 and recently was equipped with the stealth magnets to become the Arya Stealth.

The Arya Organic uses the stealth magnets system but its diaphragm is thinner than the one found in the Arya Stealth.

Non Audio stuff

The Arya Organic is identical looking to the Stealth version except for the outside perimeter of the ear-cups that has a wood looking finish instead of plain black. A color pattern that is definitely more “organic” looking than the total black of the Stealth version.

The headphone is crafted using a combination of steel and high-quality plastic, striking a perfect balance between durability and lightweight design.

The suspension system, grills, and yokes are constructed from sturdy metal, while the ear cups are made from durable plastic. Both the metallic and plastic components surpass the Ananda in terms of quality. The metal is thinner and boasts a superior finish, contributing to an overall better construction.

During use, there are no annoying cracking noises to disrupt your audio experience. The height adjustment feature is effortless, and the suspended headband is made from synthetic leather with additional cushioning on the inner side for enhanced comfort. This part of the headband looks a little fragile and prone to tear and wear.

The Arya's build quality is exceptional, however there is still plenty of room for improvement in order to match competitive headphones in terms of craftsmanship and materials.

The Arya Stealth offers exceptional comfort with its spacious and adjustable ear cups, providing ample room for larger ears. The hybrid cushioned ear pads are not only soft to the touch but also allow for excellent breathability, ensuring a comfortable experience even after extended use.

Additionally, the headband effectively distributes the weight evenly across the head, eliminating any pressure points. The clamping force of the headphones is perfectly balanced, ensuring stability and a snug fit without causing any discomfort.

It's worth noting that the ear cups are quite large, and individuals with smaller heads may find the Arya to be too big, even at the lowest height setting.

Unfortunately no updates over the Arya Stealth regarding the quality of the included cable. It is a 1.5m long, entry level detachable cable with a dual 3.5mm interface and a 6.35mm plug, made from single crystalline copper with a cotton outer sheathing. At this price point a higher quality cable with a balanced plug and an adapter should definitely have been included.

There are no accessories included except a foam headphone stand. Strange enough considering that the much more inexpensive HIFIMAN Ananda Nano comes with a nice carrying case.



Audio stuff

Rated at 16Ω/94dB, the HIFIMAN Arya Organic is pretty easy to drive, even from portable sources as long as they can provide ample current at 16Ω loads without clipping.

Some portable USB DACs might run out of juice but the heavyweight champions, like the Cayin RU-7 and the iFi Go bar can do very well. The HIFIMAN Arya Organic is also DAP friendly, the FiiO M15S is an excellent match for them while they scale incredibly well with desktop gear like the HIFIMAN EF400 or the Goldenwave Serenade.

Have you ever wished for an Arya with more bass and a slightly warmer sound signature? If yes, you are lucky because it seems that HIFIMAN has been listening to user feedback and decided to make their dreams come true by making the Arya Organic.

The HIFIMAN Arya Organic is essentially the Arya Stealth with a more “organic” sound signature by adding a bit more bass and attenuating the presence region. Don't think about anything huge though, the tuning differences between the two headphones are really subtle but still enough to make the Arya Organic sound a bit warmer and more musical.

The Arya Organic has marginally better sub-bass extension than the Arya Stealth and just a touch more emphasized bass but the tuning is very linear and neutral without a single trace of mid-bass boosting or unwanted coloration. So the Arya Organic has a low-end that is more present and intense, however it still retains the same high quality characteristics and great tonal accuracy of the Stealth version.

The bass of the Arya Organic is fast, crystal clear, tight and controlled with excellent definition and layering while it sounds more dynamic and impactful than in the Arya Stealth. Furthermore it is less dry and lean with a weightier, fuller and more “organic” texture. A very successful tuning that makes the Arya Organic the perfect headphone for critical listening and at the same time considerably more enjoyable and fun during casual moments.

The mid-range is linear, neutral and essentially the same tuning with the Arya Stealth but comparatively, it has more fluidity and a sweeter, more musical tone. This is a very refined and transparent headphone with plenty of harmonic resolution, excellent definition of the finest micro details and a very realistic timbre. The upper mid-range has the typical HIFIMAN boost which favors higher pitched vocals and certain instrumental overtones. Nothing edgy though, the Organic version is slightly less rough, more refined and pleasant sounding than the Stealth and safer with lesser quality material.

The lower treble is smoother and more forgiving than the Stealth but still this is a bright headphone with an upper treble peak, exceptional luminosity and plenty of energy, however it is slightly less sharp and aggressive sounding than Stealth. The timbre is more realistic although not devoid of some artificiality in the highest notes. This is something that gets quite noticeable while listening to high pitched stringed and vented instruments or the upper top register of the harpsichord and the piano with a sound that is slightly dry, thin and metallic.

The overall timbre is improved over the Stealth, the notes feel weightier, the sound is more homogeneous and coherent, the overall feeling is that of a more natural sounding headphone that is more refined and resolving. Thus said, the Arya Stealth is a bit more transparent and technically competent with a crystalline, monitor-like character.

The Arya Stealth is famous for its soundstaging capabilities and one of the few headphones that can rival, or even better the Sennheiser HD800S. The Organic continues on the same path with a grand and holographic presentation, deep layering and excellent imaging with plenty of space around every individual performer. One notable difference between the Organic and the Stealth is that the presentation is now a bit less wide and more intimate as the listener is positioned a couple of rows closer to the stage but without compromising in focus and ambience information.

Conclusion

The Arya Organic is quite an achievement for HIFIMAN since they have managed to make an improved version of their most popular headphone which costs less than the launch price of its predecessor.

And I dare say that this is an improved version over the Stealth because it has a more balanced tuning with added bass, it is slightly warmer and musical, it resolves better, has extra refinement and presents the music in a more realistic and sophisticated manner.

In the end, this is one of the best value “high-end” headphones in the market, a cost effective way to taste great sound, especially if you favor transparency, definition and clarity with a slightly bright sound signature that doesn't forget about bass.

The review sample was kindly provided free of charge.

A More comprehensive review is available in my website.

MatAudiophiles​

HIFIMAN ARIA ORGANIC​

HIFIMAN ARIA ORGANIC
INSTAGRAM: LINK

Prelude:
Is an additional insert in the name in the form of the word „organic” and a slight change in style the only changes from the legendary Aria model that the latest version of these headphones brings? These are definitely not the only changes introduced by the latest version of the legendary Aria model from hifiman. Priced at USD 1,299, the new Aria has something to be proud of. After reviewing the Deva pro, edition xs, sundara and other hifiman models, I am happy to check out the next models. Hifiman is an innovative manufacturer that consistently strives to become a leader in the audio market.



Unboxing:
Standard packaging for hifiman is the same as for any other model, classic ecological cardboard. Inside you will find the headphones themselves and a one and a half meter long braided cable with a large jack. The filling inside can be used as a foam stand, which is a very good idea on the manufacturer’s part. It may not be much, but it is enough. I ran out of cases to store our headphones.

Sound:
Bass:The low tones are musical and elastic, and their slightly warmed tone perfectly complements the overall sound. With the EF600, the dynamics of the low tones revealed the enormous technical possibilities offered by the latest aria. Compared to the edition XS, the bass is more natural, linear and much more developed. The low tones have a lot of air and look great with contemporary music, which further enhances the excellent musical experience. The bass is elastic and really fast, showing all the benefits of planar headphones and their full potential. However, these are open headphones, but they have no problems with either the quality or the quantity of low tones, presenting a very high and good level.

Diameter:Mid tones are clear and natural, the amount of information is large and the overall character definitely makes for an entertaining and colorful presentation. The amount of midrange is just right and the vocals are extremely clear. The resolution is excellent and the whole thing is impressive with the amount of detail and information these headphones convey. The midtones are also very extended and have a lot of space and separation, which is especially noticeable on more demanding songs. It can enchant you with its musical and sweet vocals, but also pamper you with beautiful details in the background and excellent resolution. The midrange is very good, full of life and information. The instruments are perfectly positioned and placed in the space, which makes a very good impression; despite the intimate presentation, I didn’t miss anything.

Treble:The biggest change between the classic aria and the organic version can be noticed and even heard in the high tones, where it is much softer. This is an aria that does not attack with high tones, but they are very neutral and extend well to the sides, making the whole thing very resolving. The amount of information is huge and the headphones themselves impress with their natural and very realistic presentation. I like the fact that the musicality of the aria did not harm its tuning and the organic aria is not tiring when listening for a long time, which is very important. The high tones are not subdued or excessively muted, they are a natural image of high frequencies, allowing you to listen to music for many hours without feeling any discomfort.

Comparisons:

HIFIMAN Aria organic (1299USD) VS HIFIMAN EDITION XS (449USD)
Aria is a more expensive headphone and costs almost three times as much, which is true in many respects, although the xs edition is a great headphone, it does not match the resolution and detail of the latest version of Aria. Edition



HIFIMAN Aria organic (1299USD) VS HIFIMAN sundara (299USD)

Sundara is almost a legend when it comes to value for money, these are warmer, slightly bassier headphones. While the Aria Organic is a more mature headphone with more panache and much more holography. It all depends on the budget, because although it is undoubtedly worth it, you still need to add USD 1000 to Aria organic.
Is the Aria Organic a demanding headphone?
Although it may seem otherwise, the new aria is a demanding pair of earmuffs. Both in terms of current and DAC. They really gain a lot from better sources, and although they sounded very good with the xduoo xd05plus, with the EF600 they surprised me with an even more amazing musical, but still linear and even presentation.



Summary:
The new aria is not exactly a revolution, but rather a very well-thought-out revolution that improves all the shortcomings of its predecessor. Too aggressive treble has been fixed and the entire headphone is now made of metal. The comfort and scene they offer are excellent. It is an intimate, but very three-dimensional presentation with a resolving and detailed message. Personally, I think that aria organic likes current very much and scales great with better sources such as xduoo xd05 plus or hifiman ef600 on the R2r system. Aria is a great headphone, but the latest Aria Organic is more musical and smoother, which ensures calmer and more forgiving listening.

HiFiMAN Arya Organic​

HiFiMan Arya Organic is the latest version of the widely appreciated Arya. It uses all of the best technologies HiFiMAN has to offer, and it actually comes at a reduced price of $1299.

​

Introduction to the HiFiMAN Arya Organic Review​

There are some companies, that you really had to live under a rock not to know them. This makes this part of our reviews a bit repeatable, as it's hard to write the same thing over and over again. Guess if HiFiMan belongs to this group.

Yes, it does…

They make tons of great headphones at various price tags. From Shangri-La - an electrostatic headphone that was made to show that they can make Sennheiser’s Orpheus but better, through a bit more casual, but still ridiculous in terms of drive requirement Susvara, to a touch of high-end in a budget-friendly price - HE400se. In between there are even more headphones, but I don’t have enough time to write about them all. For all of you newcomers, let’s highlight the most important thing about the company HiFiMAN - the technology.

HiFiMAN is known for its relentless pursuit of technological innovation, consistently introducing groundbreaking advancements in the world of audio. The company's commitment to research and development has resulted in numerous patents and industry-first technologies that have set new benchmarks in the audio quality of headphones. One of HiFiMAN's most significant contributions to the industry is its development of planar magnetic headphones. Driven by a passion for superior audio reproduction, HiFiMAN revolutionized the headphone market by popularizing planar magnetic driver technology. Furthermore, HiFiMAN has continuously refined its technology, introducing advancements such as improved diaphragm materials, advanced magnet structures, and many more. These innovations have resulted in headphones that offer exceptional detail retrieval, speed, and clarity.

I would like to write something more about the name because for example, SE in the previous Arya edition stands for Stealth Edition due to stealth magnets used in the drivers. Unfortunately Organic doesn’t mean that the magnets are made of organic material, it also doesn’t stand for the membrane material, because it’s the same as the one used in HE1000se. To be honest we can only guess what it stands for. My shot is, it’s because of the wooden veneer on the earcups. Or actually the altered tuning...who knows.

Actually, the first time that I’ve seen the Arya Organic in person was at the High-End Munich show in May 2023. HiFiMAN generated significant anticipation for this product by teasing it a few days before the show, which immediately sparked a tremendous amount of excitement within the audio community.

The demand for information regarding the sound quality of the new Arya was so immense that audio groups on Facebook were quickly inundated with inquiries. In response to your eagerness for an evaluation of the Arya Organic, we have pushed our limits to present this review to you as soon as possible. To the best of my knowledge, this marks the very first comprehensive written review of the Arya Organic available. So, sit back, grab a drink, and let’s go.

Packaging​

HiFiMAN Arya Organic comes in the same box as most of their latest products - simple cardboard with subtle branding (I received a pre-production headphone with a box that featured no branding at all, but the final products will have a box with the branding known from e.g. HE-R9). What's most important, the box secures the headphones well during transportation, so even if your delivery man is as brutal as Homelander, you don’t have to worry about the contents of the package, at least until he will use his laser eyes.

Inside the package you will find a cable - finally a decent one, it’s soft and flexible. It doesn’t feel premium at all, but when compared to the previous one that was added to all HiFiMAN headphones, It’s not even close, the new one is just amazing. Additionally, there are some papers inside and a stand. The stand is very basic, made of polystyrene-ish material, and when plugged, the cable bends a bit too much near the connectors, but it does the job while storing the headphone in a vertical position.

I actually appreciate this a lot. Including a stand for your headphones is a tradition long, long gone, and somehow we are always short on stands. So, while the included one is basic, it's better than no stand at all, and this is just great.

Shortly speaking, the package doesn’t contain anything fancy, you spent money somewhere else, but everything included is just fine.

Design, Build and Comfort​

The Arya SE is (for me), one of the sexiest-looking headphones - all black, elegant, and stealthy (ba dum tsss). Arya Organic follows the design language of its predecessors, but now it comes with wooden veneer rings on ear cups that provide a bit more organic look (I think it’s a moment to drink some water because my jokes will be as dry as the wine I’m drinking when writing this review).

Build quality is good, even though the veneer is placed on ear cups that are made of plastic the headphone feels really solid and well-made. It’s not a level of Meze products, there are some minor flaws like the scratch on the inside of the headband that is made by an adjusting mechanism, but overall the build quality can’t be rated separately from the comfort, because these features depend on each other, so let’s move to the comfort and then I will sum it up.

The comfort is just perfect, the headphone weighs 440 grams which isn’t light, but it’s ain’t heavy at all. The suspension strap makes the weight distribution superb. The hybrid ear pads provide the perfect balance between good sound thanks to the leather material on the outside and the comfort of the velour on the part that touches the head. Additionally, the clamping force is just perfect, not too strong so I can keep the headphone for hours on my head without feeling any discomfort, but also not too firm so I can move my head and I don’t feel the headphone will fall during faster movement.

Before people will go crazy about the wood veneer on such an expensive pair of headphones - chill. There are companies that used real wooden rings on their headphones in the past, and guess what...they tend to break, like a lot. Also, real wood increases weight, and this would have been everything that HiFiMAN doesn't stand for. A lot can be said about HiFiMAN's past regarding their build quality and materials used, but they always put comfort as their top priority.

Because of that, the wooden veneer looks good and "woody", lol, while not adding any weight, and you guess it...it won't break, literally never. You don't have to moisturize it, you don't have to worry about the humidity level. So yeah, when it comes to the whole discussion about the veneer-gate, we're both hands on HiFiMAN's side on this one.

Overall HiFiMAN Arya Organic is a well-built headphone that is pleasant to keep on the head for hours and additionally, it looks pretty good. The company pretty much mastered the perfect blend of sturdy build quality and incapable comfort, and the Arya Organic is basically as good as it gets in this regard. This is by no means the most luxurious pair you'll ever feel, but it might just be the most comfortable one, and this is what really matters.

Tech​

Now let’s dive into technologies that HiFiMAN has implemented into the Arya Organic, including its nanometer-thick diaphragm, stealth magnets, and window shade design. HiFiMAN is THE company to go to if you want the absolute cutting-edge technology in your planar magnetic headphones.

The nanometer-thick diaphragm is incredibly lightweight, allowing for faster response times and reduced distortion. It excels in accurately reproducing even the most delicate details, unveiling subtleties that may go unnoticed with traditional diaphragms. The result is a heightened level of transparency and detail retrieval.

In addition to its sonic advantages, the nanometer-thick diaphragm of Arya Organic exhibits excellent internal damping properties. This characteristic minimizes resonance and unwanted vibrations, leading to cleaner sound reproduction and enhanced audio accuracy. The diaphragm's ability to maintain structural integrity even under challenging conditions ensures longevity and consistent performance.

The stealth magnet design utilizes powerful neodymium magnets arranged in an array to achieve exceptional magnetic flux density. By precisely positioning the magnets, Hifiman engineers have created a uniform magnetic field, which contributes to improved driver control and reduced distortion. Furthermore, the stealth magnets employed in Arya Organic enhance the overall efficiency of energy transfer within the headphone's drivers. This optimized energy transfer results in improved transient response and enhanced audio dynamics.

The HiFiMAN Arya Organic also features an innovative window shade design that further enhances its acoustic performance. This design element involves the use of strategically placed grilles on the ear cups, resembling a window shade, to control the interaction between the drivers and the surrounding air. The window shade design effectively addresses one of the common challenges faced by open-back headphones—the interaction between the drivers and the external environment. It enables precise management of the air movement, preventing unwanted reflections and resonances that can degrade the overall sound quality.

Yes, you can read all of this on HiFiMAN's website, but hey, now you don't have to, you've got it all here. Now, since we've got all the essentials settled, let's get right into what's really important - the sound. Buckle up.

Sound of HiFiMAN Arya Organic​

All the previous versions of Arya have been massive hits. This is definitely one of the most popular high-end headphones on the market, with a vast fanbase. However, the Arya SE is definitely not for everyone, mainly due to its hot treble presentation, which might be simply too much for you. To be honest, it is a bit too forward sounding for me, and I actually get tired after listening to it for longer periods of time.

The Organic part in the name of the new Arya seems to suggest that it'll sound more "organic" than the Arya SE, and...that's exactly how things are in some ways. TLR - The Arya Organic has all the pros of the SE, but without cons.

The Bass is very fast, aggressive, and hard-hitting. Its character affects the overall sound signature. If you’re a bass-head, then you should definitely avoid this headphone, but if you’re looking for one that reproduces the bass in a neutral but pleasant way as well, then you should definitely give them a try. The quality of the lowest frequencies impresses me, nonetheless, it’s not thick or physical, but the bolt-fast attack sounds like it’s just made for very technical electronic music. Anyway, I wish the raves I’m visiting had sound reinforcement that sounds like the HiFiMAN Arya Organic. For example the punch of the bass in Distance of the Modern Hearts by Kamp! is extremely fast, but I wish it was more physical like in Audeze LCD-X. You can't have everything, can you?
Actually, HiFiMAN got us used to that type of bass presentation. It was (almost) never about the amount of body and thickness to it, but rather about the sheer speed and clarity, and the Arya Organic definitely focuses on those. If you like your bass like your supercars - fast, agile, and firm, this is a great choice for you.



The midrange of the HiFiMAN headphone exhibits a consistent and balanced performance. It maintains linearity and neutrality, delivering an impressive level of detail and texture. The Arya Organic does not emphasize warmth or thickness in this range, as it prioritizes a flat and precise presentation. However, its exceptional staging capabilities create an intimate and captivating experience, with the midrange being particularly prominent and forward. A friend of mine told me after listening to them for a moment that he was afraid that the airiness of the sound will be a problem while listening to the vocals-based music, but after the first song, he was shocked at how airy and intimate at the same time the midrange can be.

The vocals are remarkably clear, precise, and pushed forward in the mix. Due to the linearity in the midrange, or some can even say lack of the lower midrange, Arya Organic is not the best pick for male vocals, but it shines when it comes to female voices, offering an airy and forward presentation that many listeners appreciate. However, it's worth noting that the Arya Organic may not be everyone's preferred option for vocals. However, if you're a fan of neutral presentation, then go for them. To be honest, I hoped that the “Organic” in the name would relate to the sound, but unfortunately, there are many richer and more organic-sounding headphones, while Arya Organic is still quite sterile.

Now let’s dive into the treble. That’s a very impressive part, it’s very fast, detailed, and sparkly, but not as bright as the one known from the predecessors - Arya SE, or even brighter Arya OG, but still, it’s one of the most detailed headphones I’ve ever listened to. On the other hand the treble is even more relaxed than in previous versions of Arya, so it’s not that harsh or fatiguing. Even poorly mastered songs, when played with this headphone sound, maybe I wouldn’t use the word “good” but “acceptable” is more appropriate.

Overall the top end of the audible frequencies is very fast, detailed, and well-textured, but HiFiMan took another step to make Arya less extreme and more pleasant to listen to even for many hours. Most importantly, they didn't do it for the price of the texture and detail retrieval, as the Organic retained all of the qualities of its predecessor. They simply retuned it slightly to appear to a wider audience, because of its more safe treble delivery, which was a very good idea actually. While I couldn't really spend an entire evening with the Arya SE, I don't have this problem with the Arya Organic. This is a job well-done, HiFiMAN.

And the final part of the sound description is the soundstage, the Arya OG was called the planar version of the Sennheiser HD800 due to its soundstage. With Arya SE HiFiMAN dropped this legacy, the soundstage became smaller and less spacious. And now came out Arya Organic with a bit more airy soundstage, but it’s still placed somewhere in between the first revision of Arya and the one with Stealth Magnets. What’s worth mentioning is the positioning of the sound sources, which is extraordinary. Some time ago I used the Audeze LCD-X as my primary gaming headphone and it did the job great, but with the Arya Organic, the positioning of sound sources is on a completely different level. While playing Hunt: Showdown I can easily say from which direction my opponent is approaching. And when someone kills me I usually perfectly know from where the shot was taken, so the only issue that stops me from being a better player is my aim, but unfortunately I can’t blame the audio gear. Or can I? Naah, I need to rely on Paweł to carry me every single time...tough life.

Comparisons​

HiFiMAN Arya SE



I was mentioning the predecessor a few times in the review and I think many of you are really interested in this comparison. Moreover, I would like to answer one very important question - is it worth changing from Arya Stealth Edition to Arya Organic, or maybe the older ones are better?
Let’s start with the price, the new headphone is cheaper, Arya SE costs $1599, while the price tag of the Organic edition is $200 lower, for me it sounds like a deal. I think the new model will definitely be more popular in the primary market. But how about the users who have already bought the Arya SE?
You need to answer this question yourself, but I will try to help you with my comparison.
The build quality is pretty similar, the only difference between these two is that the plastic ear cup cover of the Stealth has an anthracite color, while the Organic has a glossy black with wooden veneer on the side. The Headband, the shape of the ear cups, and even the grille are exactly the same, the weight difference isn’t noticeable as well, Arya Organic is 10 grams lighter.

In terms of driving capacities, the HiFiMAN Arya Organic features an impedance of 16 ohms (it’s even lower than many of IEMs), while the impedance of the Stealth edition is about 32 ohms. This means the new Arya is way easier to drive, but due to characteristics of the planar magnetic drivers it’s still pretty hard and you need some juice to hear the proper sound of them. So if you have some trouble with driving Arya SE on your setup you should definitely give a try to Organic.
And now the sound comparison, and first things first, let’s begin the comparison with the bass. Both headphones produce hard-hitting and ultimately fast bass, but the one reproduced by the Organic edition goes a bit lower so the sub-bass impact is a bit better, but it’s still a very planar-sounding bass, you shouldn’t expect the impact and physicality like of the one produced by dynamic drivers.

The midrange is extremely similar, the only difference is just how some vocals are reproduced in space, some are slightly further, but some are closer to the listener. It’s very hard to tell which one sounds better, they are just minimally different, but I think no one will tell that the midrange is a dealbreaker for any headphone.
And here comes the treble - a place with the biggest differences between the two headphones. In my Felix Audio Euforia Evo review, I wrote that it’s the first device paired with Arya V3 that made the treble of the HiFiMAN not causing my ears to bleed. The treble of Arya Organic is also very detailed and crispy, so fans of the Arya sound will be satisfied, but it isn’t as extremal as the one known from the Stealth. The new Arya doesn’t require that level of synergy between the source and headphones. Even with my daily setup - Topping A90 and SMSL SU9 it’s pleasant to listen to. For example, listening Just Like Honey by The Jesus and Mary Chain with this setup and Arya SE made my ears exhausted after like a minute, while Arya Organic is just slightly smoother so no detail is lost, but at the same time I can sit with the headphone for hours and I don’t feel any tiredness.

Finally, the soundstage, which is also very similar, both headphones have brilliant positioning, but if you expect that with Arya Organic HiFiMAN came back to the spaciousness of the Arya OG, then you will be disappointed, there is a bit more space than in Arya V3 SE, but it’s still far from the first edition. Or am I a bit too harsh here...the Organic IS after all more spacious and vast sounding, and the Arya SE isn't really condensed to begin with. Having that in mind, I need to appreciate that change and call the soundstage of the new revision a clear upgrade over its predecessor.
Shortly speaking, if you are tired of the harshness of HiFiMAN Arya V3 Stealth Magnet Edition, or at least you’re tired of the length of the name of your headphone, then you should definitely update to Arya Organic. But if you’re fine with the treble then you probably won’t spot any difference surplus, then you can only look for a good deal for Arya Organic and try to highball your "old" Arya V3.


Drop + Sennheiser HD8XX (stickers mod)



Drop + Sennheiser HD8XX, despite the hype before release, didn’t steal the market due to the promised sound of HD800s, but with better bass didn’t match with the delivered signature, which was dull and unnatural. But with a simple mod, I’ve found on Reddit, it’s possible to “fix” their signature and make it sound nearly as good as Sennheiser HD800s, so for $1100 with 2 hours and minimal manual skills it was a steal.

But let’s start with build quality and comfort. Both headphones provide similar comfort, Arya Organic has a bit more comfortable headband, while HD8XX has bigger ear cups so there is more air to let the ears “breathe”. The build quality of Sennheiser headphone is a bit better, you can feel that it was a flagship model a couple of years ago, but the Lemo connectors - ok it’s ridiculously expensive and feels very premium, but no one else uses it in their headphones, so it’s nearly impossible to find replacement cable. HiFiMAN Arya Organic features “normal” 3.5mm jacks on each earcup, so I could easily find a better cable in my closet and I don’t experience a heart attack each time I’m unplugging the cable because I feel I could break the socket.

Ok, that’s enough bullying HD8XX due to its design, let’s move to the sound comparison, and let’s start with the bass. HD8XX produces way more bass than Arya Organic, but it’s way slower and lacks dynamics. It’s hard to find a genre where the bass reproduced by Chinese headphones won’t easily outperform the German one.
The midrange, is also more dynamic, with a better texture and overall it sounds like HiFiMan Arya Stealth was a way more expensive headphone than the HD8XX. There's just more there, it sounds more lively, precise yet natural and pleasant. After all, planar-magnetic headphones are known for those perks, and the Arya Organic is a clear winner in this category as well.

Finally, the treble, which is also a bit suppressed when compared with Arya. While listening to music with the HD8XX, I hear a lot of sounds, and its sound is pretty decent. With a decent OTL headphone amplifier, like e.g. Feliks Euforia Evo, the HD8XX sounds really good, but at the same moment Arya Organic elevates the listening experience to a completely different level, you can discover something new even in songs you thought you knew really well. Again, a much more technically impressive sound coming out of the Arya Organic beats the HD8XX.

I would write something more in this comparison, but I feel I can offend some people who are fans of modded HD8XX/HD800s, so I will stop here to summarize it with one sentence.

If you're a fan of Sennheiser then you can pick HD8XX and mod it, but if you’re looking for great, high-end headphones, then there is no reason to even consider it over the superb HiFiMan Arya Organic. It's not even a contest in my book.

HiFiMAN Arya Organic review - summary​

In this summary, I want to consider a couple of options. If you’re looking for a headphone under $1500 then Arya Organic should definitely be one of your main points of interest. It’s a very comfortable headphone with great resolution, dynamics, and soundstage. Due to low impedance, it’s also a very versatile one, you can plug it into a DAP and it will be able to show a lot, but when connected to a proper AMP it can shine. In my opinion, it’s one of the best picks in this budget.

Another option is if you’re considering buying the Arya SE, and you’re not a fan of razors in your ears, then there is no reason in spending an additional $300, just go for Arya Organic without any doubt.

And the last, the hardest one, if you’re already an owner of Arya SE. If you’ll be able to sell your old Arya at a good price, so you won’t make an extra payment when updating to the Organic version, then go for it - you will get lower driving requirements and a more pleasant sound for free, but if you would have to pay extra couple hundred dollars, then I think it’s not worth it, just stick to Arya SE and wait till next upgrade, because we all know it will happen sooner or later.

The Arya Organic is a strong contender for the "Product Of The Year" award as of now, and it is going to be hugely successful, I'm sure about that. We said it a few times in the past, but they really give us all the reason in the world to do so, so here it is: Good job HiFiMAN.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Big thanks to HiFiMAN for providing us with the Arya Organic for this review. I wasn’t paid or asked to say anything good or bad about this product, all of the above is just my personal, unbiased opinion.