[MrHaelscheir]

Debating whether it's worth going from edition xs to Arya Stealth. Anyone have experience with both?

I can say that when I auditioned my Arya Stealth, I was surprised to find that the Edition XS sounded immediately off in tonality and imaging (the same happened with the Meze 109 Pro), and that was while I was at the time struggling to hear any significant advantages between the Arya Stealth, Sennheiser HD 800 S, Audeze MM-500, and Focus Clear Mg any my Jabra Elite 85h being driven over Bluetooth. Otherwise, I'd say the main improvements would be in headband comfort, build quality, and perhaps improved distortion performance, unless it really is the case that putting that large planar technology into a $500 package was indeed bound to make major performance concessions that could make it sound worse than a $200 to $300 dynamic headphone. At best, expect a cleaner sound, and maybe more controlled incisiveness.

 

[yeboyi]

Debating whether it's worth going from edition xs to Arya Stealth. Anyone have experience with both?

I did that upgrade and compared them side by side. Overall, Arya Stealth is tighter and faster sounding headphone with a bit smaller stage but better separation, detail and all that. Considering Arya Stealth's price drop i strongly recommend the upgrade however XS and Arya Stealth different headphones. XS has more spacious sound and light clamping force, Arya Stealth is more energetic and bold. More physical, less gentle. More immediate sound.

XS is fatter and looser in the lower frequencies and more gentle in the upper frequencies. Arya Stealth tighter, faster, bolder in lower frequencies and sharper, energetic in higher frequencies. XS has more upper treble and air. Arya Stealth is more precise, less echo and upper treble noise.

 

[SchwizzelKick66]

I did that upgrade and compared them side by side. Overall, Arya Stealth is tighter and faster sounding headphone with a bit smaller stage but better separation, detail and all that. Considering Arya Stealth's price drop i strongly recommend the upgrade however XS and Arya Stealth different headphones. XS has more spacious sound and light clamping force, Arya Stealth is more energetic and bold. More physical, less gentle. More immediate sound.

XS is fatter and looser in the lower frequencies and more gentle in the upper frequencies. Arya Stealth tighter, faster, bolder in lower frequencies and sharper, energetic in higher frequencies. XS has more upper treble and air. Arya Stealth is more precise, less echo and upper treble noise.

Hifiman is offering an upgrade/ trade-in of my Edition XS for the Arya Stealth for $595. Not sure if what sounds like incremental improvement is worth $595. I'm one of the weirdos that finds the Edition XS extremely comfortable. The Arya SE is more of a curiosity that is just gnawing at me lol. I've gone Sundara --> Edition XS --> Ananda SE and feel like I need to try the Arya to finish my journey.

Do you think its worth that trade in and price difference?

 

[JASTRONG]

Hifiman is offering an upgrade/ trade-in of my Edition XS for the Arya Stealth for $595. Not sure if what sounds like incremental improvement is worth $595. I'm one of the weirdos that finds the Edition XS extremely comfortable. The Arya SE is more of a curiosity that is just gnawing at me lol. I've gone Sundara --> Edition XS --> Ananda SE and feel like I need to try the Arya to finish my journey.

Do you think its worth that trade in and price difference?

Hah, I also thought I would “finish my journey” with the Arya Stealth. And yet, here I am, with the HE1000V2 added to my Wish List, just waiting to sell some excess gear to pull the trigger…

 

[hanumanbob]

I'd get the HE1000V2 Then move to explore another brand.

 

[JASTRONG]

I'd get the HE1000V2 Then move to explore another brand.

Yes - Focal Clear is another great, currently sub-$1k.

 

[hanumanbob]

OG not MG Excellent HP

 

[Lightspeed12]

Yes - Focal Clear is another great, currently sub-$1k.

Yes I have both the focal clear og & the he1000v2 (not stealth) they both are excellent. He1000v2 is my favourite headphone, I also have the arya stealth & would definitely go he1000v2 over it if I could only have one.

 

[the1andonly]

last time I was on this website Arya's were still going for $1000ish... I left with a pair of Ananda's when the XS came out now people are cross-shopping XS's with Arya's and they are going for $600 what madness happened that caused the price to plummet?

 

[Fegefeuer]

new breakthrough technology through successors

Ananda Oregano
Arya Varkana
HE-1001 - Tales of Magnetian Nights

 

[CheekerBreeker]

last time I was on this website Arya's were still going for $1000ish... I left with a pair of Ananda's when the XS came out now people are cross-shopping XS's with Arya's and they are going for $600 what madness happened that caused the price to plummet?

where can you get arya's for 600?
And they released new stuff, so im guessing theyre selling the remaining stock at a discount

 

[TooFrank]

new breakthrough technology through successors

Ananda Oregano
Arya Varkana
HE-1001 - Tales of Magnetian Nights

Lol - I'm still on the Arya v2 so much behind .....

 

[yeboyi]

Hifiman is offering an upgrade/ trade-in of my Edition XS for the Arya Stealth for $595. Not sure if what sounds like incremental improvement is worth $595. I'm one of the weirdos that finds the Edition XS extremely comfortable. The Arya SE is more of a curiosity that is just gnawing at me lol. I've gone Sundara --> Edition XS --> Ananda SE and feel like I need to try the Arya to finish my journey.

Do you think its worth that trade in and price difference?

Man it's hard to tell worth it or not. Only you can decide. What i can tell is Arya Stealth is great and the price is very good.

 

[SchwizzelKick66]

Ananda Oregano

Why was this not the name? It sounds perfect lol

 

[SchwizzelKick66]

Man it's hard to tell worth it or not. Only you can decide. What i can tell is Arya Stealth is great and the price is very good.

Yeah I don't know. I just listened to the XS most of the day and I really do love them. So easy to listen to and the light clamp feels great to me. I'm trying really hard to just be happy with them as my Hifiman "endgame".

Perhaps the Arya stealth will drop even more next year as well.