[Fegefeuer]

I doubt it's really relevant. Remember that the enhanced "vividness" of the Stealth thanks to better technicalities such as macrodynamics, slam/punch will naturally bring the experience closer to you. That's just (psycho)acoustics. On the other side you will be rewarded with better and sharper imaging within the space.

 

[PROblemdetected]

That seems like it's just enough power but personally I'd like to have a little more on tap. That's a great looking unit. I'd like to hear more about it

With some eq and -6.5db ok preamp it has enough power, but maybe a little more of room make the aryas feel more full. But i don't have any more to compare with.

About the dac/amp the only a serious fault is the high output impedance (22ohm on ba) The rest a hell of a equipment, powerfull, richness and holographic stage. The roon ready and the screen its something unique, u don't need the remote for turn it on/off just need the app to make that.

Maybe in the future I'll get a 4.4mm amp that gives me enough room for the headphones, but aryas sounds nice to me on them.

Btw, why hifiman don't let us to change the pads, what are u doing when u pads fails?

 

[haasaaroni]

Doesn't seem to be a unanimous consensus so far that the Stealth edition is indeed narrower/shallower in soundstage than the non-Stealth versions. So far, it's Josh Valour, and some of you guys saying that it's the case - but there's SoundNews, Passion For Sound, The Headphone Show (Andrew), The Honest Audiophile and Dobrescu George saying that either there's no significant difference, or in fact the Stealth version has more soundstage than the non-Stealth version...

Not sure who to believe...

Yeah soundstage can be quite subjective! Also Joshua Valour was comparing his Stealth version to a V1 Arya, which, from most accounts, had an even bigger soundstage than the V2. Personally I feel like the soundstage is more “realistic.” Things that are meant to be far away sound far away, but things closer in can sound more intimate as well, something I didn’t quite have with the V2, partially due to its “thinner” tuning.

 

[ezduzit2500]

With some eq and -6.5db ok preamp it has enough power, but maybe a little more of room make the aryas feel more full. But i don't have any more to compare with.

About the dac/amp the only a serious fault is the high output impedance (22ohm on ba) The rest a hell of a equipment, powerfull, richness and holographic stage. The roon ready and the screen its something unique, u don't need the remote for turn it on/off just need the app to make that.

Maybe in the future I'll get a 4.4mm amp that gives me enough room for the headphones, but aryas sounds nice to me on them.

Btw, why hifiman don't let us to change the pads, what are u doing when u pads fails?

Buy more from HFM or Ntrax from this thread.

 

[ezduzit2500]

Yeah soundstage can be quite subjective! Also Joshua Valour was comparing his Stealth version to a V1 Arya, which, from most accounts, had an even bigger soundstage than the V2. Personally I feel like the soundstage is more “realistic.” Things that are meant to be far away sound far away, but things closer in can sound more intimate as well, something I didn’t quite have with the V2, partially due to its “thinner” tuning.

I think the overall sound-staging also depends at least somewhat on the amp. My main amp is a class A job with discrete op amps. With the Sparkos 3602's installed they have just a bit more width and depth and more organic, but with the Burson vivids in they sound closer with sharper detail and a more direct/immediate presentation. Sparkos are like good analog playback, but Bursons are like a squeaky clean studio production.

 

[PROblemdetected]

Buy more from HFM or Ntrax from this thread.

Im more worried about the process to swap the pads. Any tutorials available?

 

[vsg28]

I'll drop this here for those interested: https://www.techpowerup.com/review/hifiman-arya-2021-stealth-magnets-version/

Im more worried about the process to swap the pads. Any tutorials available?

It's fairly easy tbh, and the booklet/user manual goes through it as well. Refer to page 3 of my review above for more about it.

 

[NtraX]

Im more worried about the process to swap the pads. Any tutorials available?

Is very easy, is snap on.

 

[Reputator]

Well after a highly protracted shipping process, the Arya Stealths are finally in the house.

Only just had my first listen, so I can't say too much yet, but.... Oh man I think the HEDDPhones are in trouble.

 

[Ficcion2]

Going through some pop/vocal classics. I mostly listen to jazz/orchestral/electronic but this album kicks ass with Arya V3. Absolute classic and the Arya tuning shine through

 

[Knee Deep In Epoxy]

@NtraX nice work on the pads! Looking forward to more impressions on the V2. what are your thoughts on the impact on soundstage (if any). Assuming the bass is better extended and the trebles tamed, is the soundstage (in any direction) compromised? How about other subjective impressions?

 

[haasaaroni]

Going through some pop/vocal classics. I mostly listen to jazz/orchestral/electronic but this album kicks ass with Arya V3. Absolute classic and the Arya tuning shine through

This is great! Just started playing some Neil Young, finding that "Heart of Gold" really shines on the V3 as well.

Edit: Oh!! And Nick Drake sounds pretty amazing on these too! I'm pleasantly surprised by how well the V3 sounds with vocal-centered music compared with the V2. The tonality is just that much more agreeable. Still not my first go-to with vocal music, but definitely an improvement over previous versions.

 

[Reputator]

Second night of listening to the Stealths. Holy crapparoni and cheese.

I'm gonna have a a full write-up comparing these to the HEDDPhones at some point, but if the HEDDs were a good deal at $1899, then these sound like $3,000 headphones. I'm not even kidding.

 

[haasaaroni]

Second night of listening to the Stealths. Holy crapparoni and cheese.

I'm gonna have a a full write-up comparing these to the HEDDPhones at some point, but if the HEDDs were a good deal at $1899, then these sound like $3,000 headphones. I'm not even kidding.

And a nice bonus that they're near half the weight as well

 

[NtraX]

@NtraX nice work on the pads! Looking forward to more impressions on the V2. what are your thoughts on the impact on soundstage (if any). Assuming the bass is better extended and the trebles tamed, is the soundstage (in any direction) compromised? How about other subjective impressions?

Hey man, thanks. So far other than the bass is thicker and smoother upper octave. Don't seems changes is soundstage. Maybe need more tracks to know. But definitely more natural tonally.