[franz12]

I think they have very different styles of sound. Audeze headphones make me feel I listen to speakers. Aggressive, manly, weighty sounds. My hek makes me feel I am at a live concert. Etherial and more articulate sounds.

 

[mixman]

My HEXV2 is arriving tomorrow. I went for this as after reading the thread I think the HEXV2 is the closest to my sound preference from HiFiMan offerings under $2000. I like my bass and I like a smooth and laid back sound. I can't wait to see how the HEXV2 compares to my very much liked LCD2C.
Also, even after reading the thread I keep wondering how much of an improvement the Arya is to the HEXV2 apart from more resolve and details?

Reading/watching a lot of reviews I have got the impression that the difference between HEXV2, HE1000, HE1000V2, Ananda and Arya is actually not that huge. A lot of reviewers prefers one to another regardless price.

Btw I can't find an existing HEXV2 thread, is there any?

Hifiman all have a familiar sound, but unlike Audeze they vary in tonality. I don’t think there is a such thing a bright LCD, well maybe the XC, but the Ananda for instance sounds very different tonally to an HEX V2. One might be called bright and the other is definitely warmer.

Sounds like the Arya is the way to go for me, especially since I already have the LCD-X. I don't really want to buy a slightly (if at all) improved version of that. What I would love is an improved version of either the HE560 or the EL-8 Ti. Arya seems to fit that bill.

Thanks for the info, everyone!

Hifiman and Audeze are definitely good brands to simultaneously own. Two different type of Planar sounds, they complement each other.

 

[vlach]

For me, the X is about 2 leagues above the HEX in terms of SQ, and 5 leagues above in terms of build quality.

How about reliability? I hear Audeze has an unusually high driver failure rate.

 

[phthora]

How about reliability? I hear Audeze has an unusually high driver failure rate.

You are mistaken.

 

[vlach]

You are mistaken.

Glad to be. Maybe that was a few years ago and the situation was rectified. Good.

 

[phthora]

Glad to be. Maybe that was a few years ago and the situation was rectified. Good.

About 5 or 6 years ago, honestly. But, it's one of those notions that persist, largely because forum content doesn't go away. Like all products, failure is possible. However, Audeze has an excellent and transferable warranty and services out of warranty headphones for a fair fee. I wouldn't worry about reliability at all.

I've had a much higher fail rate on HiFiMan products. My second 560 had a buzzy driver out of the box and my second 400i fell victim to Yokegate 2018 (cracked yoke after a few weeks). Yet, I am here drooling over the Arya because HiFiMan made good and provided excellent service in doing so.

 

[imran27]

You guys are killing me (my wallet, anyway)...

How would the Arya compare to the ZMF Eikon or MrSpeakers Ether C (I have the MD x MrSpeakers CX, but I figure almost no one has that so I use the C as reference instead)...?

Yes, I do realize I am asking for an open HP compare to two closed... . For giggles, what about a compare against the Elex or Sundara (the two opens that I have)

Haven't heard Ether C.

I've tried ZMF Eikon, easily the best closed back I've tried yet. That was the first headphone that made me smile.
The texture of Eikon's sound is so good it's worth all the money.

But comparing to Arya, I'd say Arya is more towards unforgiving neutral/boring side and Eikon is more on the natural and eargasmic side. Eikon's are accurate, very good imaging. But Arya is an open back planar, it cannot be beaten in terms of soundstage that easily.

Choosing between the two? Good luck. I can't give you an objective answer as to which one's better.

I'll say this though, if you wanted to buy both one after another, I'd say go for Eikon first. Maybe you won't feel the need for Arya.

Do note, Eikon is hard to drive. They NEED a good amount section.

 

[mixman]

I think Audeze has a bigger problem than reliability or than any problem Hifiman has. I know we have ragged on Hifiman quite a bit here, but their problem could be solved by the hiring of two of three key people such as a good marketing manager, business manager and a QC expert. Audeze on the other hand has an ergonomics problem. Love Audeze will soon have two of their HP's, but their hp's are just too heavy, not only that, have a high clamping force. I feel like I am putting on a tank helmet when wearing them. I talked to more people that have said they love their sound but cannot physically wear them. Supposedly, it's their magnets that are whats heavy and they need to continue the development of magnet technology, to keep the force the same while reducing the weight. Right now they only have a few LCD that are "lighter" but they are the more expensive models, out of reach of many buyers. To me this is a more fundamental problem than any of Hifiman's issues.

 

[Serge Bernamej]

My studies have shown that the physical weight of the headphone creates a subjective perception of weight in sound. For that reason, Audeze will never be light because it’s part of their sound signature.
Take the LCD3, make it 300 grams lighter, and you’ll wonder where the depth of the sound has gone.
Psychosomatoacoustics.

 

[phthora]

I think Audeze has a bigger problem than reliability or than any problem Hifiman has. I know we have ragged on Hifiman quite a bit here, but their problem could be solved by the hiring of two of three key people such as a good marketing manager, business manager and a QC expert. Audeze on the other hand has an ergonomics problem. Love Audeze will soon have two of their HP's, but their hp's are just too heavy, not only that, have a high clamping force. I feel like I am putting on a tank helmet when wearing them. I talked to more people that have said they love their sound but cannot physically wear them. Supposedly, it's their magnets that are whats heavy and they need to continue the development of magnet technology, to keep the force the same while reducing the weight. Right now they only have a few LCD that are "lighter" but they are the more expensive models, out of reach of many buyers. To me this is a more fundamental problem than any of Hifiman's issues.

At the moment, I'm on hour three with my LCD-X. I simply don't understand the complaint about heaviness, especially since they are only slightly heavier than Focal Clear or ZMF Auteur (about which there is significantly less bitching regarding the weight). I get it if they are too heavy for you personally, but it's ridiculous to suggest that their weight means they have some sort of design flaw or are unusable because of it. They sound amazing, they are built incredibly well, and I will gladly put up with a couple hundred extra grams for that. You may disagree, but that is entirely my point: it's subjective.

 

[franz12]

At the moment, I'm on hour three with my LCD-X. I simply don't understand the complaint about heaviness, especially since they are only slightly heavier than Focal Clear or ZMF Auteur (about which there is significantly less bitching regarding the weight). I get it if they are too heavy for you personally, but it's ridiculous to suggest that their weight means they have some sort of design flaw or are unusable because of it. They sound amazing, they are build incredibly well, and I will gladly put up with a couple hundred extra grams for that. You may disagree, but that is entirely my point: it's subjective.

I like the LCD sound, but it is heavy. That is a common complaint. Of course, ZMF can rival Audeze in terms of weight. I think the Auteur Blackwood is around 600g. The LCDs are about 600g-650g.
Focal Clear is 450g. My HEKSE is about 420g.
I can certainly feel that the HEKSE is much lighter on my head. The clamp force is also much lighter on the HEKSE.
I can wear the LCD around 2-3 hours, but it certainly makes me take it off at some point, because it is weighty. I do lift at a gym though,

 

[phthora]

I do lift at a gym though,

Me too. Maybe that's the trick? Honestly, I simply don't notice them after ten minutes. But that's me. I'm not trying to convince anyone they are universally comfortable, just that being too heavy for you does not equate a "fundamental problem" in design, just like when a pair of IEMs happens not to fit one person well it does not mean that the IEMs are somehow flawed. People are different.

Anyway, I'll leave it at that.

As you were, everybody.

 

[jsmiller58]

Haven't heard Ether C.

I've tried ZMF Eikon, easily the best closed back I've tried yet. That was the first headphone that made me smile.
The texture of Eikon's sound is so good it's worth all the money.

But comparing to Arya, I'd say Arya is more towards unforgiving neutral/boring side and Eikon is more on the natural and eargasmic side. Eikon's are accurate, very good imaging. But Arya is an open back planar, it cannot be beaten in terms of soundstage that easily.

Choosing between the two? Good luck. I can't give you an objective answer as to which one's better.

I'll say this though, if you wanted to buy both one after another, I'd say go for Eikon first. Maybe you won't feel the need for Arya.

Do note, Eikon is hard to drive. They NEED a good amount section.

I have the Eikon, so no need to choose between the Eikon and the Arya - just looking to get the Eikon a friend .

In effect really looking to see if there is a big enough difference, and how that difference manifests. I think that you have answered my question. I also have the Elex than I think some might call neutral/bright. I actually like that a lot, but maybe something in between the Elex and the Eikon might be the ideal for me. My musical tastes tent to run in the 80s rock, modern Country, a little classical, and some modern rock if that helps at all.

 

[franz12]

I have the Eikon, so no need to choose between the Eikon and the Arya - just looking to get the Eikon a friend .

In effect really looking to see if there is a big enough difference, and how that difference manifests. I think that you have answered my question. I also have the Elex than I think some might call neutral/bright. I actually like that a lot, but maybe something in between the Elex and the Eikon might be the ideal for me. My musical tastes tent to run in the 80s rock, modern Country, a little classical, and some modern rock if that helps at all.

I think Fang has a somewhat different approach than those two. Fang seems to pursue purity of sounds. He doesn't use damping material. And tries to minimize cup resonance by adopting a very open design. Focal headphones don't seem to use damping material as well, but they are not as open.
So Hifiman headphones leak sound most among others from my experience. When it comes to sound leakage, HE1000 >> Ether 2 >>>>>>>>> Utopia.
But the Utopia sounds a bit closed in. I always suspected that the Utopia is not completely free from cup resonance.

 

[mixman]

At the moment, I'm on hour three with my LCD-X. I simply don't understand the complaint about heaviness, especially since they are only slightly heavier than Focal Clear or ZMF Auteur (about which there is significantly less bitching regarding the weight). I get it if they are too heavy for you personally, but it's ridiculous to suggest that their weight means they have some sort of design flaw or are unusable because of it. They sound amazing, they are built incredibly well, and I will gladly put up with a couple hundred extra grams for that. You may disagree, but that is entirely my point: it's subjective.

Believe it or not it, I don’t have as big a problem with their weight as many others, but I recognize there is one. Hell I am acquiring more LCD’s. It’s pretty much every reviewers con about the LCD’s, the weight. Audeze even knows there is an issue, but unfortunately has not been able to tackle it on the lower priced LCD’s. What I am saying with all of this is that Hifiman’s problem with QC could be fixed easier than Audeze’s problem of weight, hence they have a more fundamental problem than Hifiman.