[MidFiMoney]

@MidFiMoney how would you say the Arya and Elex are similar and different from each other?


And assuming you believe in burn in, does the Arya change a lot in the process? And if yes, in what ways?

Thanks.

If you enjoy the sound signature of the Elex, I think you will love the Arya. Sonically, the Arya is several steps ahead in every way imaginable. The Elex is an exellent balanced open-back worth every penny IMO. However, the Arya is simply taller, wider, deeper, faster, better layered, better seperated, more resolving, WAY MORE engaging, more comfortable. It's just better, better, better. The Elex only gets the nod in build quality. I only keep the Elex around because I know how awesome it is when I'm NOT comparing it to the Arya. Otherwise, I would've sold them a long time ago because they collect a lot dust these days.

I can't really give an opinion on burn-in. The only headphones/IEMs that I've ever heard a real difference in after burning them in is the CA Vega.

 

[ls13coco]

If you enjoy the sound signature of the Elex, I think you will love the Arya. Sonically, the Arya is several steps ahead in every way imaginable. The Elex is an exellent balanced open-back worth every penny IMO. However, the Arya is simply taller, wider, deeper, faster, better layered, better seperated, more resolving, WAY MORE engaging, more comfortable. It's just better, better, better. The Elex only gets the nod in build quality. I only keep the Elex around because I know how awesome it is when I'm NOT comparing it to the Arya. Otherwise, I would've sold them a long time ago because they collect a lot dust these days.

I can't really give an opinion on burn-in. The only headphones/IEMs that I've ever heard a real difference in after burning them in is the CA Vega.

How would you say the dynamics is compared between the Arya and Elex?

I'm dead set on the Arya, and Empyrean. But I don't have many dynamic HP's so I was intending on also buying an Elex eventually, but mostly for its "incredible dynamics".
So, here I am, hoping you can convince me to save some money.

 

[MidFiMoney]

How would you say the dynamics is compared between the Arya and Elex?

I'm dead set on the Arya, and Empyrean. But I don't have many dynamic HP's so I was intending on also buying an Elex eventually, but mostly for its "incredible dynamics".
So, here I am, hoping you can convince me to save some money.

Good News! You can save your money. To my ears the dynamic range is at least on par if not superior to the Elex. I’m leaning towards superior but that could psychological as the overall presentation is simply better on the Arya.

 

[Tsukuyomi]

I've tried the Utopia, Stellia, Clear(pro, its just a paint job, no hardware difference.), Elear and Elegia.
I've also tried the Hifiman Arya at the same time and place with same source.
So lets get this out of the way first,

1) Arya > Elex (its just a MD variant of the elear using clear drivers from what ive been told.)
2) Two different types of headphones, one is planar and one is a DD. In this hobby, its better to have one of each kind so that you can enjoy a little bit of everything.
3) Arya is a better long term investment than a MD sold Elear thats been tweaked.
4) I found Arya sound separation(detail) much much better than any of Focals headphones. the Utopias/Stellia weren't as good as the Arya, but they were extremely close. they just have a different signature to them that Focal is famous for. (mids)

When it comes down to it, everyone can tell you what you should/shouldn't do, but if you have to take anything away, i'd say A + B them if possible before putting money down, this isnt a cheap hobby and your taste is different from many others here.

 

[ExplodingFist]

It's pretty decent surprisingly, but you need an aftermarket if you want to go balanced.
Anyone got recommendation for Arya balanced cable?

I ended up making my own for really cheap, but outside of a higher volume output (double) from a proper balanced amp, I didn't notice a quality difference when volume matching. So unless you have something like a 789 where its nice to have the extra wattage, it's really not needed.

 

[bidn]

How would you say the dynamics is compared between the Arya and Elex?

I'm dead set on the Arya, and Empyrean. But I don't have many dynamic HP's so I was intending on also buying an Elex eventually, but mostly for its "incredible dynamics".
So, here I am, hoping you can convince me to save some money.

Hi ls13coco,

For information, there are people like me who don't have the same experience as the other ones who answered you, probalby because I listen to different kinds of music (much metal) and a very low volume.

I own the Elear, and for me it is faster but above all much more dynamic than the Arya. This is so obvious to me when listening to metal.
The Arya are the best for me for listening to ambient music (esp. dark ambient) with their huge soundstage and deep bass.

Moving to genres which mix ambient with rock ("post-rock") or with metal ("post -metal"): the Arya is still excellent re. the huge and very relaxing, soothing sonic "landscapes", combined with its bass, but I miss the speed and dynamic impact of drum attacks when these are present, compared to Focal's of AKG's headphones. (Compared to the HE6se, I enjoy the Arya more for post-rock, but for post-metal I tend to prefer the HE6se).

And when I move to metal, then the Arya is still very detailed and enjoyable, but for me this is too soft for metal, great for listening to metal while willing to cool down before going to bed, but I miss the aggressive and overwhelming mix of dynamics and speed metal music produces, I mean if I want metal to sound like what I expect from metal, then I will prefer the Elear (ideally the Utopia) to the Arya.

Nethertheless I find the Arya to be excellent headphones, real worth buying, but I would not recommend them as the first choice for listening to metal (unless for listening to metal in a relaxed manner).
Much depends on the music genres one is seeking to listen to, it is better to indicate them.

Have a nice evening,
bidn

 

[devilboy]

Hi ls13coco,

For information, there are people like me who don't have the same experience as the other ones who answered you, probalby because I listen to different kinds of music (much metal) and a very low volume.

I own the Elear, and for me it is faster but above all much more dynamic than the Arya. This is so obvious to me when listening to metal.
The Arya are the best for me for listening to ambient music (esp. dark ambient) with their huge soundstage and deep bass.

Moving to genres which mix ambient with rock ("post-rock") or with metal ("post -metal"): the Arya is still excellent re. the huge and very relaxing, soothing sonic "landscapes", combined with its bass, but I miss the speed and dynamic impact of drum attacks when these are present, compared to Focal's of AKG's headphones. (Compared to the HE6se, I enjoy the Arya more for post-rock, but for post-metal I tend to prefer the HE6se).

And when I move to metal, then the Arya is still very detailed and enjoyable, but for me this is too soft for metal, great for listening to metal while willing to cool down before going to bed, but I miss the aggressive and overwhelming mix of dynamics and speed metal music produces, I mean if I want metal to sound like what I expect from metal, then I will prefer the Elear (ideally the Utopia) to the Arya.

Nethertheless I find the Arya to be excellent headphones, real worth buying, but I would not recommend them as the first choice for listening to metal (unless for listening to metal in a relaxed manner).
Much depends on the music genres one is seeking to listen to, it is better to indicate them.

Have a nice evening,
bidn

My God.
I had the Clears for a while and while I agree, Focal make some very dynamic headphones, I can't imagine listening to metal on them. The Clear was so bright and harsh compared to my Arya that listening to metal was out of the question for me. But hey to each his own.

 

[Karister]

I agree with @bidn and @devilboy

All opinions come from personal preferences. I listen to 80's pop (Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Joe Cocker, etc) plus jazz and I like softness and laid back signature of Arya. I dislike V-shaped HPs. I have compared to Elear and Clear. Both Focals had much more bass presence and more aggressive treble. Too much for me. While Arya is less bass heavy, I would say that sub bass is much nicer as it is not overwhelmed by higher bass areas. I have also tried Audeze LCD-2 Classic. It was softer and warmer than Arya but, again, bass was much too much for me. Extremely bassy. MrSpeakes Ether, on the other hand, was too gentle, and bass light. Arya is somewhat between. In general I tend to prefer planar sound with Arya being a sweet spot in tonality. But this is very subjective and I know a guy who says that LCD2C is not bass heavy. Honestly, I compare buying HPs to buying a car. You need to test it.

 

[doboo57]

My God.
I had the Clears for a while and while I agree, Focal make some very dynamic headphones, I can't imagine listening to metal on them. The Clear was so bright and harsh compared to my Arya that listening to metal was out of the question for me. But hey to each his own.

From my experience with the Arya, Clear and Elear, Arya is the smoother and the more even of the three to my ears. It defintely doesn't have the sharpness of the Clear and the Elear (especially in the midrange). The Elear is less sharp and analytic than the Clear though. I'm not a metal listener, but yeah, with the Clear it could be sharp and quite fatiguing, especially with bad recorded stuff... For someone who likes metal and wanting some more bite and punch than with the Arya, the Elear might be the way to go. It got a darker tone and more (sometimes too much for my taste) mid bass vs the Clear.

Just my 2 cents...

 

[arijitroy2]

So got the Arya yesterday, initial impressions using RME ADI2 are very good. Makes my Aeon Flow Closed sound compressed very close so they are up for sale now!

After listening to Arya for an hour and then immediately listening to my U12T wasn't the best thing to do! I think Arya might have spoilt them for me (I hope not).

 

[jsmiller58]

Anyone ever compare the Arya to the ZMF Verite open?

 

[Newk Yuler]

I posted about Arya earlier in this thread with a largely useless early review. Figured I should do a followup since finishing the setup and saying I would come back after I got my stuff together. So here's my simple and still pretty useless followup review. I honestly have pretty much no experience comparing them with other better-than-decent headphones to know the difference. (They kick a$$ all over HE4XX.) I purchased them based on a lot of reading and believing I would appreciate and prefer planars after owning Magnepans. I spent more hoping to nail it on the first try. FWIW I agree with most of the positive statements in this thread and consider Arya to be endgame cans for the foreseeable future. To put it in a nutshell: +1, very nice, blah-blah-blah. Very satisfied/happy. Although I still have to just presume they sound like $1600 headphones.



Kit: Hifiman Arya on a balanced cable made by Amplifier Surgery (heavy silver plated OFC conductors) connected to a Soekris 1541 DAC/amp. I leave it running 24/7.

Brief notes: The headband clips are weak, ears can get a little warm, would not expose to rough use. (Treat with care, respect.)

Amplifier Surgery makes nice cables at mid-premium prices. Their prices have risen significantly in recent years which lowers their price to value ratio. I've acquired 2 headphone cables from them. They were slow to fill the orders (everything is made to order, can take as much as a month) and both cables had to be sent back to be remade because they were made wrong. I wouldn't expect every order they fill to be wrong on the first build. FWIW I'm reasonably certain it's a one man operation and the quality of the products is worth the trouble. If you choose them for a headphone cable that uses 3.5mm tip-sleeve plugs on the headphone (like Arya) be sure to specify the size and tip-sleeve or they'll send tip-sleeve-sleeve (that didn't work properly with Arya). They do it that way to provide a sleeve of isolation between the conductors on the plug. It makes sense unless it doesn't work.

 

[deafenears]

How do the Arya's compare to the HE6SE, currently on sale?

 

[Karister]

How do the Arya's compare to the HE6SE, currently on sale?

I auditioned both on the same day in audio store and they were very similar. I prefered Arya which had slightly softer and less present bass and slightly less aggressive treble. Differences were very subtle. Arya comfort was much better though. I auditioned burned in Arya while not sure about HE6SE.

 

[ruXx]

I have a xonar essence ST soundcard.

Would that be good enough to drive these headphones?

https://www.asus.com/us/Sound-Cards/Xonar_Essence_ST/specifications/

I think its using this amplifier: