[Dopaminer]

It's 11:40pm on sunday nght, and i just finished reading this entire thread.

Decided to try the Aryas, after owning OG HE-6 and HE-400s, HD800, and several others.

Trying to nail down one of these 'open box' $1299 sellers who will ship to where I live (Thailand).
Hifiman's north american distributor won't. Most US sellers won't. The only one I've found so far is 46 Audio.

The deals on Taobao look really good - includes a stand, case, and a choice of balanced cables. But I have never purchased from Taoboa and am hesitant...

Has anyone bought from 46 Audio? Does anyone have a lead on a non-US seller for the Arya?

TIA

 

[amele]

It's 11:40pm on sunday nght, and i just finished reading this entire thread.

Decided to try the Aryas, after owning OG HE-6 and HE-400s, HD800, and several others.

Trying to nail down one of these 'open box' $1299 sellers who will ship to where I live (Thailand).
Hifiman's north american distributor won't. Most US sellers won't. The only one I've found so far is 46 Audio.

The deals on Taobao look really good - includes a stand, case, and a choice of balanced cables. But I have never purchased from Taoboa and am hesitant...

Has anyone bought from 46 Audio? Does anyone have a lead on a non-US seller for the Arya?

TIA

I would buy from this seller
https://hifigo.com/
They shipping worldwide tax and duty paid
From them I would buy Arya next month
Im from EU Slovenia
my 2 c

 

[Dopaminer]

I would buy from this seller
https://hifigo.com/
They shipping worldwide tax and duty paid
From them I would buy Arya next month
Im from EU Slovenia
my 2 c

Thanks for that. They have the Sundara and Ananda discounted, but Arya is the full $1600usd.
I keep seeing the Arya for $1299, but the sellers just won't sell!

As an aside, that new HFM closed back planar is $5500usd?

 

[amele]

Thanks for that. They have the Sundara and Ananda discounted, but Arya is the full $1600usd.
I keep seeing the Arya for $1299, but the sellers just won't sell!

As an aside, that new HFM closed back planar is $5500usd?

for me in EU is the cheapest option to get Arya for 1599US in my case 1342 EU. Here in the eu they sell Arya for 1799eu

 

[In1unison]

Thanks for that. They have the Sundara and Ananda discounted, but Arya is the full $1600usd.
I keep seeing the Arya for $1299, but the sellers just won't sell!

As an aside, that new HFM closed back planar is $5500usd?

It is much cheaper than that

HiFiMan HE-R10 Planar goes for only 5499 USD

 

[dan3952]

I will definitely post my thoughts. I'm learning that I like the sound of planars most, especially for their soundstage, image separation, and treatment of lows. From what I've read and watched I feel Hifiman gets that right amongst the other planar headphone manufacturers. I'd personally bypass and Aeons and go Ayra.

Aryas were the second good pair of headphones I've had. They had seemed like the soundstage and imaging kings. I think you have to get something like HiFiMan HE-1000s, Sennheiser HD800s, or ZMF Verites to be able to top them in that area. Neither the Focal Clears (first good pair I've had) nor the Audeze LCD-3s ($1945 MSRP and the third good pair I've had) could provide the same sense of space.

Aeons I had tried in 2018, and they had sounded like, well, $800-$900 headphones. They didn't have resolution of some of the ones that were $1200 and up. Audezes were the dynamics and impact kings, as you might imagine when you look at what those weigh.

 

[In1unison]

Aryas were the second good pair of headphones I've had. They had seemed like the soundstage and imaging kings. I think you have to get something like HiFiMan HE-1000s, Sennheiser HD800s, or ZMF Verites to be able to top them in that area. Neither the Focal Clears (first good pair I've had) nor the Audeze LCD-3s ($1945 MSRP and the third good pair I've had) could provide the same sense of space.

Aeons I had tried in 2018, and they had sounded like, well, $800-$900 headphones. They didn't have resolution of some of the ones that were $1200 and up. Audezes were the dynamics and impact kings, as you might imagine when you look at what those weigh.

Arya is a great headphone with soundstage to die for and outstanding resolution throughout audio band. However, imaging is much better in LCD- XC for example. Maybe only due to closed design. Would be interesting for me to compare Arya with LCD-X.

 

[dan3952]

Arya is a great headphone with soundstage to die for and outstanding resolution throughout audio band. However, imaging is much better in LCD- XC for example. Maybe only due to closed design. Would be interesting for me to compare Arya with LCD-X.

In terms of being able to pick out individual instruments in the mix, and place them in physical space, I would say the Arya was better at that than the LCD-3 (which I just sold, and don't think is worth $1945 with the level of resolution those offer). At least I had paid far less for a used pair, and had sold them easily, since they're not making them right now. Upper midrange had seemed muffled to me with the LCD-3 and the LCD-X, and lacking resolution, even when using the Reveal plugin. They are dark headphones. If the LCD-XCs don't sound like that, I might look at the LCD-XC creator's edition at the $1299 price point, as I don't want to carry the Pelican case around, but would still rather have something that weighs under 500 g if I end up moving again.

I had liked the plain no frills HiFiMan packaging.

Currently have Shanling IEMs only, and those are quite something. I can't believe something that small can produce so much clean bass. Soundstage and imaging aren't as good as the Aryas.

 

[In1unison]

In terms of being able to pick out individual instruments in the mix, and place them in physical space, I would say the Arya was better at that than the LCD-3 (which I just sold, and don't think is worth $1945 with the level of resolution those offer). At least I had paid far less for a used pair, and had sold them easily, since they're not making them right now. Upper midrange had seemed muffled to me with the LCD-3 and the LCD-X, and lacking resolution, even when using the Reveal plugin. They are dark headphones. If the LCD-XCs don't sound like that, I might look at the LCD-XC creator's edition at the $1299 price point, as I don't want to carry the Pelican case around, but would still rather have something that weighs under 500 g if I end up moving again.

I had liked the plain no frills HiFiMan packaging.

Currently have Shanling IEMs only, and those are quite something. I can't believe something that small can produce so much clean bass. Soundstage and imaging aren't as good as the Aryas.

For many resolution is not the ultimate or even desired goal in search of good sound reproduction. I would never trade LCD-2 for Arya (I am lucky to have them both) but that doesn't mean one is absolutely better than the other. It just shows how different our tastes are.

 

[robetzel]

Those of you with Ananda/Arya and LCD-n/LCD-X - I'm trying to decide what benefits there would be going from Ananda to LCD-X. Does anyone own both and could give a simple plus/minus comparison?

 

[dan3952]

For many resolution is not the ultimate or even desired goal in search of good sound reproduction. I would never trade LCD-2 for Arya (I am lucky to have them both) but that doesn't mean one is absolutely better than the other. It just shows how different our tastes are.

Focals are all technical headphones, you may not like them, for that reason. Clears, were very resolving, but could sound brassy and fatiguing with percussion in particular (after all, they use aluminum drivers). It had seemed like the music was all about sharp edges, with those. They were rounded off somewhat with the Aryas, and even more so, on the Audezes. The LCD-3 would be the more enjoyable, warm, lush, non fatiguing listen, for some people, especially with classic rock or metal. I think the LCD-X was closer to the sound of the real mix. I had tried to return the Clears for the more dynamic LCD-Xs in 2018, but they wouldn't let me, as the both of them had promo open box prices, at the time. Due to room nodes, phase shift, and rising distortion below a certain frequency, I had heard notes that I didn't know were there, in going from my speakers to any of those headphones. No direct comparison below 140 Hz.

Timbre hadn't been super with Aryas I had, most noticeable with female vocals. There was a hollow, plastic quality that I hadn't liked. Those in term, had been an open box special, and I'm not sure if I had gotten a dud or not. I might try them again someday.

 

[In1unison]

Focals are all technical headphones, you may not like them, for that reason. Clears, were very resolving, but could sound brassy and fatiguing with percussion in particular (after all, they use aluminum drivers). It had seemed like the music was all about sharp edges, with those. They were rounded off somewhat with the Aryas, and even more so, on the Audezes. The LCD-3 would be the more enjoyable, warm, lush, non fatiguing listen, for some people, especially with classic rock or metal. I think the LCD-X was closer to the sound of the real mix. I had tried to return the Clears for the more dynamic LCD-Xs in 2018, but they wouldn't let me, as the both of them had promo open box prices, at the time. Due to room nodes, phase shift, and rising distortion below a certain frequency, I had heard notes that I didn't know were there, in going from my speakers to any of those headphones. No direct comparison below 140 Hz.

Timbre hadn't been super with Aryas I had, most noticeable with female vocals. There was a hollow, plastic quality that I hadn't liked. Those in term, had been an open box special, and I'm not sure if I had gotten a dud or not. I might try them again someday.

Regarding Arya and female vocals, you are spot on. No dud there and in that area no comparison with LCDs.

 

[Dopaminer]

Quick update: I reached out to Hifiman, explained my situation, and they are shipping me an Arya from the factory in China. Should be interesting!

 

[kion]

Quick update: I reached out to Hifiman, explained my situation, and they are shipping me an Arya from the factory in China. Should be interesting!

I bought Arya open-box from Hifiman online store during their Chinese new year sale, so "only" $1,244 after the double discounts, and I was pleasantly surprised by the quality. Honestly if someone told me it's brand new I would have believed.

P.S. their shipping/regional availability description is not always accurate - the website said the item is only available in the US/Canada, but I took the chance and placed my order from the UK and received it 2 weeks later (would have been 1 week if not for the Chinese new year).

 

[mwx1010]

I was wondering if anyone’s tried pairing Arya with the Pathos Aurium amp - it’s on the shortlist for upgrading my amp as I think a hybrid could be the way to go. Looks like it has enough power but I’m wondering if anyone has any impression of the sound.