I see some debates on whether the stealth magnet version is superior here, I'm just going to post the review I just wrote for them:
TL-DR- Yes they are better, but they are still Aryas. Some people may prefer the old versions, but technically the new one is indeed better. I know it because they reveal some of my mixing mistakes that I previously couldn't hear.
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I have been using the OG Arya since 2019 before the pandemic started. As a professional musician, the start of the pandemic meant no more work as a performer. Luckily, I have been working as an audio engineer on the side, and in 2020 saw a huge surge in the demand for my services. The Aryas quickly became a close companion and helped shape many of my best audio works.
After the release of the stealth magnet version this year, I quickly opted for the new version. As soon as I put them on I thought of an analogy- Gandalf the Grey is now Gandalf the White. Still very much the same Gandalf we love, but more powerful, and all-business.
A bit about me- I have been an audiophile since my high school years, having bought my first pair of serious headphones (the humble AKG K240s) after skimping on lunch $$ for a whole semester. In the decade and a half that ensued, I have gone through at least 20 pairs of headphones, if not more. I now work as the founder and director of an early music (baroque) ensemble based in China; I also work as an audio engineer specializing in early music and chamber music in the Netherlands as well China.
A Vivaldi aria performed by my ensemble
I first came in contact with Hifiman through a pair of HE-400i in 2017 and quickly sold my prized Sony SA-5000 after a short comparison. I was hugely surprised that the humble little thing was so balanced in many aspects that I had no regret selling the SA-5000, which truly did shine, but only in a few areas. Needless to say, the Arya was a huge upgrade from the HE-400i in every possible way, and by far the most worthy headphones I have ever had the pleasure to possess- until the new, upgraded version.
Build and comfort
I have no complaints with the build quality, really. They look like headphones Darth Vader would use. The ear cups are deeper and firmer than the OG Arya, which to me is an improvement. I have ears that stick out quite and bit, and these new ear cups prevent them from touching anything. The clamping force is a tad stronger than the first iteration of the Arya, which I also like. Sometimes I would like to move my head around after a few hours at the computer, and it’s nice to know your headphones won’t likely fall off. My only complaint is that the headband is the same plasticy material as the HE-400i. It’s still very comfortable, just not as flashy as the leather headbands on the HE-1000 series. Again, I haven’t paid $3000+ for them either, and I appreciate the trickling down of HE-1000se technology at no increase in cost.
Sound- comparing to other headphones
A lot of Hifiman headphones seem to share a trait, to which the Arya is no exception. Many musician friends would comment on their noise isolating abilities after trying them, and be surprised when I tell them that open headphones do not isolate any noise whatsoever. I would attribute this phenomenon to the vast amount of information delivered by these headphones that immediately occupy the attention of the listener, creating a false sense of noise isolation. The same phenomenon is also true for other models such as the Ananda BT, Deva, and a few Stax systems I have had.
The sound of the stealth magnet version of the Arya can be described as something in between the old Arya and the HE-1000se. This would make sense because the specs of the new Arya has impedance reduced a few Ohms, and sensitivity raised a few dbs (Original Arya 91db, new Arya 94db, HE-1000se 96db). Other than what’s visible on paper, it is clear the magnet size has been slimmed down (hence the “stealth magnet”). Now the green tint of the driver is visible through the space between the magnets, which is kind of cool to look at. I am quite positive this does something positive to the sound- have you tried cupping your hand over open headphones? I guarantee you will not like that sound.
The new Arya inherited many of the traits of the original Arya- the vastness and tallness of the soundstage; the infinite and borderless X, Y and Z-axis; the true-to-life reproduction of instrumental and vocal timbres. The presentation of detail is very likeable; it is not braggy like some of the high-end dynamic headphones from the last decade, but rather presented with a bit of humility, which I consider very classy. The FR has a small dip at 2khz, which to me is a smart design- some headphones such as many of the Stax’s I have auditioned tend to sound shouty on certain instruments and voice types, e.g. a soprano.
It differs from the original Arya in small but meaningful ways- the stealth magnet version is much easier to drive. My old Aryas was never driven to satisfaction from Hifiman’s own HM1000 and 901R’s 4.4mm balanced outputs. The new Aryas sound quite happy with these sources; the bass is certainly fuller, and they never sound congested even while listening to large orchestras. The timbre of the old Arya is mostly retained. I would say they are a touch more transparent too.
The original Arya when compared to the HE-1000se was like an introverted version of his extroverted brother. They were much harder to drive, and sounded a bit distant compared to the “in your face” sensation the HE-1000se could sometimes evoke. The new iteration of the Arya brought it a step closer in the direction of the HE-1000se, while retaining most of the timbre characteristics of the original Arya. It's a tad warmer and more enthusiastic, but not quite like the HE-1000se.
Comparing it to a few Stax systems reveals one big weakness in the tuning of the Stax- they just haven’t done the frequency response right. While Stax systems can sound very smooth and open, there are too many dips and bumps in the FR for me to trust them with any critical tasks. They also tend to get very shouty with sopranos and violins. With the Aryas, I know if something doesn’t sound right, it’s because I haven’t mixed it right.
Unfortunately, I haven’t spent serious time with any version of the Sennheiser HD-800 to comment on how they would compare.
Sound- as a tool for mixing/mastering
Many audio engineers swear by using speakers for mixing and mastering, and I partially agree- unless the problem of HRTF is resolved, headphones will not give you the truest stereo. However, while I use monitors to check imaging and phase, I do most of my mixing on the Arya. Perhaps it would be interesting to know that the Chinese version of Arya often comes with an “audio engineer” designation, which makes perfect sense. In terms of tonal balance, spatial information, and their ultra-sensitive response to EQ, they are very reliable headphones for audio engineers. While you may not want to depend solely on headphones for your final mix and master, they will do 90% of the job, especially while on the move, when bringing a pair of monitors just isn’t an option. With the Aryas I can check the reverb tails, apply EQ, compression, etc with full confidence, and make cuts and edits knowing that if I can’t hear edit-hiccups on the Aryas, no one else can hear them. The other big advantage is the ability to discern subtle differences between microphones and preamps, differences that would definitely be lost on a similarly priced speaker system. As you may know, those subtle differences tend to add up in a recording, and skimping details here and there quickly reduces the overall quality of a recording to unacceptable levels. The closest experience I had that resembled Aryas is a pair of ATC active monitors.
Moving onto the new Aryas- since I did most of my work on the original Aryas, I went through my finished work from this year on the new stealth magnet version. And oh boy, they immediately exposed some of the mistakes I didn’t realize I had made while mixing. I’m not sure whether it’s the new Aryas being more detailed, easier to drive, or both.
Élisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre - Sonata D minor Presto
This was one of my better audio works. Now I realize while the violin was captured great, the harpsichord and viola da gamba could use a bit more detail, and perhaps overall a bit more bass.
The OG Arya definitely could not be driven to satisfaction from headphone jacks of most audio interfaces- it is a shame because the average audio engineer is not the target customer for high-end headphone amps, and the old Arya really needed one to shine. The new version largely solved this problem, and I would be happy to see more audio engineers embracing them as a pair of very reliable workhorse headphones. After all, in today’s world, much of all music is played through headphones. It wouldn’t hurt to have more quality content produced by headphones, for headphones. Here's an all-time favorite of mine, produced by Chesky Records/Steve Guttenberg.
Amber Rubarth - Novocaine
