[chrisnyc75]

I got the Arya a few weeks back after liking the Ananda but felt that the comfort was a bit off without swivel. Also since I have the Clears, I didn't feel like the Ananda was up to the same level.

Fairly quickly after I got it, it became my favourite headphone I've heard. I think it does every genre really well. I know the Focal Clear is more dynamic but I can't really hear the difference that often. With a touch of bass shelf, the Arya is amazing .For me the Arya was worth it over the Ananda that I sold. Now I'm struggling to decide should I still keep the Clears. They are much more intimate sound so they're not too similar.

Personally, I think it's worth having more than one headphone on hand for comparative sake. Over time our brain becomes accustomed to the same input over and over and we stop processing the details of that input. Refreshing your brain by subjecting it to a different sound signature & presentation periodically helps you remember what's so special about the headphones you love so much. Also, IMO, worth making one of those a dynamic and the other a planar magnetic for the difference in how they present sound.

 

[Iggnasty]

Personally, I think it's worth having more than one headphone on hand for comparative sake. Over time our brain becomes accustomed to the same input over and over and we stop processing the details of that input. Refreshing your brain by subjecting it to a different sound signature & presentation periodically helps you remember what's so special about the headphones you love so much. Also, IMO, worth making one of those a dynamic and the other a planar magnetic for the difference in how they present sound.

That’s why I have a pair of beats by Dr Dre

 

[T 1000]

That’s why I have a pair of beats by Dr Dre

I try to understand the different aspirations for ideal sound through listening in headphones.
What draws you to Arya?

 

[T 1000]

For me, it is closer to realism, according to how much money I can invest

 

[T 1000]

... but I also love electronics (and many of its sub-genres), so I also like technically capable headphones
I'm currently listening to; Arya, HD540RG, Fearless s8f and solaris SE, and they all meet my satisfaction. HE 560 and Fidelio X2 are out of use and waiting to be donated

 

[audiocroissant]

Depending on which review you’ve read anything’s possible. Every headphone on Head-Fi is warm/cold, easy to drive/hard to drive, comes with small/big soundstage and sounds horrendous/brilliant
I think it’s down to the individual tbh. What we’ve read beforehand about X and what we expect/what type of presentation we generally go for and so forth.
I see many folks talking about the Arya as a major step up with regards to both soundstage and detail compared to the Sundara and while I definitely agree that the bigger cups do emit a much bigger sound field, I merely hear the Arya as being the brighter of the two..not necessarily the more detailed can.
Truth be told, if one disagrees with the tonality/general sound of any of these headphones, my advice is to look elsewhere. They do sound awefully close to each other. The most significant difference is the form factor when you go from the round cups to the eggs.

Edith: Congested eh? I’ve seen a lot of different tags put on the Sundara..but never a congested one. I feel it’s the exact opposite - very open and layered like...well the Ananda and Arya

Are Sundara and Arya really that close to each other in sound quality? Find this hard to believe given the price difference and hope it is not true. I have Sundara (and LCD-X) and am thinking of getting Arya as another, hopefully different, listening option. The other headphones I am considering are Stax L300, Focal Clear and Heddphone. Any thoughts or advice?

 

[ThanatosVI]

Are Sundara and Arya really that close to each other in sound quality? Find this hard to believe given the price difference and hope it is not true. I have Sundara (and LCD-X) and am thinking of getting Arya as another, hopefully different, listening option. The other headphones I am considering are Stax L300, Focal Clear and Heddphone. Any thoughts or advice?

No, they share similar tonality but the Arya is better by a noteable margin.
So if you decide to get the Arya there is no reason to keep the Sundara imo.

I never heard the Heddphone or Stax but imo the Arya Was also significantly better than the Focal clear

 

[phthora]

... but I also love electronics (and many of its sub-genres), so I also like technically capable headphones
I'm currently listening to; Arya, HD540RG, Fearless s8f and solaris SE, and they all meet my satisfaction. HE 560 and Fidelio X2 are out of use and waiting to be donated

Can you tell me a bit more about how the Arya compares to the 560? The only thing keeping me from buying an Arya is that I own a 560 and they measure so similarly. I don't really want to sell my 560 or keep around a headphone that's redundant, so I'm kind of stuck in indecision here.

 

[T 1000]

Can you tell me a bit more about how the Arya compares to the 560? The only thing keeping me from buying an Arya is that I own a 560 and they measure so similarly. I don't really want to sell my 560 or keep around a headphone that's redundant, so I'm kind of stuck in indecision here.

I kept the HE 560 and sold the HD 700, but Arya is far in all directions.
If you like HE 560, you will be in love with Arya

 

[T 1000]

Can you tell me a bit more about how the Arya compares to the 560? The only thing keeping me from buying an Arya is that I own a 560 and they measure so similarly. I don't really want to sell my 560 or keep around a headphone that's redundant, so I'm kind of stuck in indecision here.

They share a clean tone, but the HE 560 is too small a stage and is brighter in character, while Arya in her large stage sets the instruments with a more realistic position and gives the orchestra or performer coherence.
Arya has more low frequency presences than HE560, and it might be best to hear them first before you definitely decide to buy

 

[phthora]

They share a clean tone, but the HE 560 is too small a stage and is brighter in character, while Arya in her large stage sets the instruments with a more realistic position and gives the orchestra or performer coherence.
Arya has more low frequency presences than HE560, and it might be best to hear them first before you definitely decide to buy

I auditioned the Ananda for about a week, and it was almost a buy. What held me back was that it lacked dynamic impact, even compared to my 560. The Ananda was a bit more resolving and had mostly a better tuning (my 560 won on sub-bass, especially with the pads swapped). I'm hoping that the Arya has at least the level of impact of the 560 and am certain it will have better resolution and soundstage. Now, it's just a matter of figuring out how much improvement there is and how much money I'm willing to spend to get that improvement.

 

[Daiyama]

Hi Folks, I now also joined the Arya club.

I am using my Squeezebox as source, SMSL SU-8 as DAC and the Gustard H16 as amp. Still need to wait for my balanced cable, but also single ended I enjoy these cans very much. Perfect for big orchestras. I will see how they perform with other genres. Probably not the rock type headphone.
But for this I have still my Clears.

 

[T 1000]

Hi Folks, I now also joined the Arya club.

I am using my Squeezebox as source, SMSL SU-8 as DAC and the Gustard H16 as amp. Still need to wait for my balanced cable, but also single ended I enjoy these cans very much. Perfect for big orchestras. I will see how they perform with other genres. Probably not the rock type headphone.
But for this I have still my Clears.

I'm just listening - The Doors- Riders on the Storm, a high-class trip vith Arya
I wish you a lot of quality music through them

 

[T 1000]

In fact, just while listening to certain songs of ambient relaxation, I wish they were a little softer tone
but with -Enya, they are magical, clear as church bell

 

[In1unison]

In fact, just while listening to certain songs of ambient relaxation, I wish they were a little softer tone
but with -Enya, they are magical

Is Enya your new amp?