[Contrails]

Master 9 + Metrum Menuet (R2R NOS DAC) + AryaSE = match made in heaven.

If you are finding the Arya SE a bit bright or thin - I would highly recommend adding a R2R NOS DAC. They tend to have a slight treble roll off. I changed from a Topping D70S.

Now the Master 9. I have had WA22, WA6SE, LF339, V200 and currently Apex Peak + Volcano power supply. The Apex wipes the floor of all those other amps in every department except soundstage width. It's not as wide as the WA22. Now Master 9 goes up another notch. It is just as fast as the Apex with better resolution and a big soundstage. It is a pure class A amp. Treble is smooth and extends beautifully. Coupled with the R2R DAC which has a slight treble roll off - it provides a very non fatiguing sound. It's is still engaging but easy on the ears. It is a neutral amp with a touch of warmth. Bass hits hard but still well controlled. There is no boominess. Super black background. Highly recommended.

 

[BowWazoo]

The eagle has landed.

Was there already an A/B comparison?

(I hope that my HE-1000 will arrive this week)

 

[SemiAudiophile]

Was there already an A/B comparison?

(I hope that my HE-1000 will arrive this week)

Only spent about an hour with them last night. Had a new Sony Walkman that came in yesterday as well, so was trying to split time between them.

But so far they remind me a lot of the Arya V2. With maybe some slightly better technicalities. Very subtle, but I think I notice the stage being a little bit wider and the space between instruments appears to be more spaced out. Still very early and I'm sure I'll notice more things as I spend more time with them. But honestly if I did a blind A/B last night I wouldn't have been able to tell a difference. They are literally brothers.

I'll say that I think I enjoy the HEKV2 with the Burson 3XP more. While I prefer the Arya V2 with the EF400. HEKV2 seems to require about the same amount of power as Arya V2 but maybe scales more as you give it more power.

Fit is about the same, but I found the clamp on HEKV2 to be a little less tight. Aesthetics wise I still do prefer the Arya. Not a fan of the veneer even though the build quality is slightly better. Glad that mine was a later revision that was compatible with 3.5mm connectors. Didn't have to buy another aftermarket cable.

 

[haasaaroni]

Only spent about an hour with them last night. Had a new Sony Walkman that came in yesterday as well, so was trying to split time between them.

But so far they remind me a lot of the Arya V2. With maybe some slightly better technicalities. Very subtle, but I think I notice the stage being a little bit wider and the space between instruments appears to be more spaced out. Still very early and I'm sure I'll notice more things as I spend more time with them. But honestly if I did a blind A/B last night I wouldn't have been able to tell a difference. They are literally brothers.

I'll say that I think I enjoy the HEKV2 with the Burson 3XP more. While I prefer the Arya V2 with the EF400. HEKV2 seems to require about the same amount of power as Arya V2 but maybe scales more as you give it more power.

Fit is about the same, but I found the clamp on HEKV2 to be a little less tight. Aesthetics wise I still do prefer the Arya. Not a fan of the veneer even though the build quality is slightly better. Glad that mine was a later revision that was compatible with 3.5mm connectors. Didn't have to buy another aftermarket cable.

Sounds about right to me. I found the same thing with fit, the clamp being a little less was actually really welcome for me. Enjoy listening, let them burn in (your brain and/or the headphones), and keep us posted!

 

[BowWazoo]

And I just finished an hour with the HE4XX.
It's actually crazy what we're doing.
Those $200 cans sound pretty damn good...

 

[r343]

Some 200€ cans sound great, i like HD6XX a lot however OG HE400 was horror to listen, screechy treble with synthesized sounding vocals but OG HE500 remains one of my favorites and actually preferred it over Arya V1 with correct pads, mostly because V1 was somewhat bright/thin sound.

Surprising when A/B Arya SE and HD6XX, expected HD6XX totally overcome with timbre and vocals but new Arya has narrowed the gap in that area.

 

[haasaaroni]

Surprising when A/B Arya SE and HD6XX, expected HD6XX totally overcome with timbre and vocals but new Arya has narrowed the gap in that area.

There’s almost nothing like the HD6XX for vocal timbre. The HEKV2 I thought was pretty darn close though, even better on some songs. And other than that, the ZMF Auteur is the only other headphone I’ve owned that’s beat it on that front. And even though the Arya Stealth does vocal timbre better than other iterations, it’s still it’s weakest point IMO.

 

[cgb3]

Time for maintaining contacts

I'm curious. Gold is non-oxidizing. Why would one need to "de-oxidize" gold?

Is this a jest post?

 

[cgb3]

I took a look at Dekoni's graphs and I wouldn't wanna risk it.

Dekoni is a great company, great quality, and more comfy than normal pads, but they just radically change the sound too much. I like how the Arya's sound right now and wouldn't wanna **** with it too much.

You should try it tho, it's not that expensive.

Love my Dekoni fenestrated pads on my DK Aeon 2 opens, Hifiman Arya V2, and Senn HD 800S phones.

EQ can be adjusted to accommodate comfort.

 

[Andrew_WOT]

Love my Dekoni fenestrated pads on my DK Aeon 2 opens, Hifiman Arya V2, and Senn HD 800S phones.

Did you lose any bass on HD800S, graph on Dekoni site looks horrible for those?

 

[cgb3]

Did you lose any bass on HD800S, graph on Dekoni site looks horrible for those?

I use EQ. I suggest you stop looking at measurements, and start listening to phones.

I'm curious. Do you own either Senn., HD800s phones, or Dekoni pads for such?

 

[Andrew_WOT]

I use EQ. I suggest you stop looking at measurements, and start listening to phones.

I'm curious. Do you own either Senn., HD800s phones, or Dekoni pads for such?

It's quite harsh and derogative response.
So you compensate for lost bass with EQ, fortunately I do not use EQ and my HD800 (SDR) are on stock pads.

 

[BowWazoo]

I'm curious. Gold is non-oxidizing. Why would one need to "de-oxidize" gold?

Is this a jest post?

No, I'm serious.
Even if a gold-plated contact can not oxidize, in my opinion, some kind of sealing is a fine thing.
When I recently replaced the volume potentiometer of my amp., I sealed all the plug contacts of the amp with it.

 

[BowWazoo]

Not a fan of the veneer even though the build quality is slightly better.

I'm quite relaxed about the veneer.

We are talking about an all-aluminum case, which has been made prettier with a veneer. That's all.
I will rather enjoy the fact that the aluminum case, has better acoustic properties, than plastic.

When I think back to my mega expensive LCD 5, where the Audeze emblems were glued on crooked, were movable, and every time I tried to correct them, they returned to the original crooked position due to the properties of the adhesive. Or the squeaky joint, which I first had to treat with walnut oil. Or the wrong sanded carbon bail of the Empyrean.
Or the typical Utopia creaking...

 

[BowWazoo]

My new cable is ready