[Stewardess2]

His reviews are normally pretty positive but I actually thought it was pretty fair - he makes comparisons to other products and notes where they are stronger. I agree with his overall sound impressions though, not having heard most of the headphones he compares to.

That's what reviewers are paid for, to make reviews that use vaguely positive expressions so that everyone can agree on them.

The reason I only read the comparison part of reviews

 

[Skycyclepilot]

I don't think it was over the top. If you know some of the other gear he compares with and read between the lines, it sounds like some sort of variation of old HEK, at a lower price. If an underamped HE6 (let alone a properly amped one) is slightly better in technicalities, that's quite meh imo. The only plus side seems to be getting some sort of older HEK at a more decent price.

Everything I've been able to find on the Arya says the drivers are based on the HE1000-V2 - not the older HE1000? Sounds to me like the Arya is an HE1000-V2 at a more decent price.

 

[negura]

This is Hifiman. HEK and HEK V2 are now old, as HE1000SE is out. And the driver hasn't changed in between the older ones afaik.

 

[chimney189]

This is the only higher-end Hifiman headphone that I've been interested in.
I hope someone can make a comparison between it and the Sennheiser HD 800S.

 

[Inspek2orgadget]

Recently purchased the Aryas. Will hopefully be receiving them soon. Will post impressions of them once they arrive. Current headphones are 1990 Pros and LCD2C's.

 

[MFHRaptor]

Recently purchased the Aryas. Will hopefully be receiving them soon. Will post impressions of them once they arrive. Current headphones are 1990 Pros and LCD2C's.

I need to differentiate a subtle difference in Arya's presentation of music: Soundstage.

Although all those HiFiMan headphones bearing this iconic design with gigantic oval ear cups that has the same distance of its planar-magnetic driver from listeners' ears, there are minute but appreciable variations in presentation.
Edition X has this percieved wide, laid-back soundstage, where everything is pushed to the back of the stage, even vocals.
Ananda has a slightly "closed-in" - or you may call it intimate - feeling of the stage, in which the vocals take center stage, contrasting elements in the background.

How does the Arya compare to those two?
Which one of them is it closer to?
Most important of all, how does Arya compare to the

(answering this question might require some AB testing and fast-swapping between those HiFiMans, but I'd appreciate it if anyone can provide me with an answer)

 

[GarageBoy]

Seems the question is new Arya or used he1000v1/v2?

 

[cjeong]

Seemingly old he-1000v2 due to similar weight specs and tech specs.

 

[GodsInHisHeaven]

Just ordered a Hifiman Arya. Really looking forward to it.

 

[Inspek2orgadget]

Well my pair just arrived. Without having listened to them, they are comfortable. Easy to forget they are on my head. Clamp force is sufficient without being too tight.

Pads feel very comfortable as well. Outside of the pads are leather and the part of the pads that make contact with your head is polyester. Cups are humungous and they fully articulate 360 degrees.

They are real lookers too. Maybe I'm just a sucker for the black on black look.

Not a fan of the hifiman cable. Feels too "springy" in my opinion. I have ordered a new balanced cable in its stead.

 

[Skycyclepilot]

Just received my Arya headphones. Compared to the Anandas I had, here are my impressions... The matte black theme looks great. The headband is a considerable improvement. Overall, it feels much more upscale. It has the ability to swivel, where the Ananda headband did not. The head strap is softer. The adjustment mechanism has a much higher quality feel, with nice, precise clicks. The ear cushions are softer, and the part that touches the face is more comfortable. There is only one cable. It is typical HifiMan, with a woven black cover, and a 6.35 millimeter TRS end.

My initial sound impression is that there is a tad more low bass, and tests with a frequency generator seems to confirm this, especially in the 20 to 50 Hz range. The upper midrange and lower treble seems a bit less forward, and smoother that those same ranges were with the Ananda, which was almost too forward. Treble is silky, with no obvious, annoying peaks.

The "scratches" mentioned by some reviewers, on the backs of the magnet structures on the Anandas are present on both sides of both magnet structures on my Aryas. I'm wondering if this is normal??? I'd love to know if other owners see the same thing with their Arya headphones...

 

[Hifiearspeakers]

Just received my Arya headphones. Compared to the Anandas I had, here are my impressions... The matte black theme looks great. The headband is a considerable improvement. Overall, it feels much more upscale. It has the ability to swivel, where the Ananda headband did not. The head strap is softer. The adjustment mechanism has a much higher quality feel, with nice, precise clicks. The ear cushions are softer, and the part that touches the face is more comfortable. There is only one cable. It is typical HifiMan, with a woven black cover, and a 6.35 millimeter TRS end.

My initial sound impression is that there is a tad more low bass, and tests with a frequency generator seems to confirm this, especially in the 20 to 50 Hz range. The upper midrange and lower treble seems a bit less forward, and smoother that those same ranges were with the Ananda, which was almost too forward. Treble is silky, with no obvious, annoying peaks.

The "scratches" mentioned by some reviewers, on the backs of the magnet structures on the Anandas are present on both sides of both magnet structures on my Aryas. I'm wondering if this is normal??? I'd love to know if other owners see the same thing with their Arya headphones...

How does the soundstage compare to the Ananda?

 

[Skycyclepilot]

How does the soundstage compare to the Ananda?

Because of my age, 57, I can't hear anything above 10 KHz, so I have a hard time detecting sound staging. Everything sounds like it's inside my head. All in all the headphones sound a lot alike, except for the differences I mentioned above.

 

[kid vic]

Because of my age, 57, I can't hear anything above 10 KHz, so I have a hard time detecting sound staging. Everything sounds like it's inside my head. All in all the headphones sound a lot alike, except for the differences I mentioned above.

Interesting, can you give us a quick list of your favorite testing songs?

 

[Skycyclepilot]

Interesting, can you give us a quick list of your favorite testing songs?

Interesting, can you give us a quick list of your favorite testing songs?

Steely Dan - Hey Nineteen, Steve Winwood - Higher Love, Dire Straits - Sultans of Swing, Diana Krall - Just the Way You Are, excerpts from Mahler symphonies, Bach cello sonatas, etc...