[Shockadelica]

I've just pulled the trigger on a pair of the Arya Stealths, and so am in the hunt for a suitable carry case (would've been nice if they came with one already of course!).

Has anyone had experience of the official HiFiMan case (as linked below)? Any good, or better, similarly priced options out there?

https://store.hifiman.com/index.php/headphone-travel-case.html

Note: I ideally want to be purchasing any item from within the UK, to avoid any horrendous shipping costs.

Anyone have any thoughts on my query above?

 

[Shamburg]

The RME ADI 2 DAC looks perfect. Thanks!

 

[kRed]

Can't get over how beautiful these are.

 

[haasaaroni]

Anyone have any thoughts on my query above?

Yes! I recently tried out the Hifiman clamshell case. I found it perfectly adequate for the Arya. It’s nothing like a seahorse case or anything like that, but I felt like it would be perfectly fine for travel.

Unfortunately it doesn’t fit the Arya with my ZMF co-pilot pad attached, so I ended up returning it.

 

[Shockadelica]

Yes! I recently tried out the Hifiman clamshell case. I found it perfectly adequate for the Arya. It’s nothing like a seahorse case or anything like that, but I felt like it would be perfectly fine for travel.

Unfortunately it doesn’t fit the Arya with my ZMF co-pilot pad attached, so I ended up returning it.

Thanks for the response!

The case would be used for occasional travel purposes, so sounds like it will cover my requirements!

 

[InquisitiveLogic]

They need pink noise for at least ~35 - 50 hours to even start to open up - just listening to music will take a lot longer. I suggest pink noise (overnights) to speed along the process so that results can be heard much quicker. Most of the people who have said: "Absolutely not!!!", have made rash judgements because they haven't given them any time to play in. Hell, when I first got my sets of both the V2 and Stealth (and Ananda). I was underwhelmed because of some of the exact same things you posted - the exact same reasons. This has been done many times.....give them time and pink noise if you can't wait....

The absolutely not is not in reference to the Arya V3, but to the R70x. What I meant was, R70x are absolutely not better than the Arya V3.
In my previous comment I had said that R70x have a better stereo lateral spread of soundstage compared to the Arya V3, but some how that statement came up as me saying that R70x are overall better than the Arya V3. So.

Do yourself a favor....give them time to open up. I suggest some pink noise overnights for at least ~50 - 70 hours - Link to a freeware/donation-ware burn in app: https://download.cnet.com/BurninwaveGenerator/3000-2169_4-10711592.html

Right now they're still "tight" from the factory - they will play in and expand in all directions. There's also the matter with your chain. Did you mention the Atom? IMO (and many others), chip type amps aren't the best match with the Aryas. They don't really reproduce staging in all directions (expecially depth) and neither do they have the best timbre with the Aryas. It's why many owners have invested in discrete Class A and Class AB amps instead of IC-based or THX type amps - the discretes are really excellent spatially in comparison and tend to sound more natural as a whole. Burn/play in and discretes will be your friends with the Arya. System matching counts a great deal at this revealing level, IMO.....

I dont know man. I have never experienced burn ins. I believe - Hardware burn in - NO. Brain burn in - YES. But then again I will not contest or debate with any user who says its there. Its kind of a shady area to be frank. There is no scientific evidence to corroborate the results. Because if something is perceptible then it should also be measurable. But thats not the case here. But then again I dont think I am credible enough or in a position to refute such theories especially because when the manufacturer themselves say in the headphone manuals and in real also - Burn the sets! (Hifiman and DCA both do.)
But yeah I usually listen to sets for a few weeks before deciding and forming an opinion.

Regards the amps, I am yet to foray into this domain of the rabbit hole. Started this hobby about 7 months back and hence currently just testing different headphones to find my kind of sound. For the basic fact here, that the headphones themselves will make the biggest difference in sound perceptible rather than different DACs and AMPS combo. Hence the Atom+ DAC/AMP combo has been serving me well till now, but yes I might get me a good Amp some time soon.

 

[kRed]

Hence the Atom+ DAC/AMP combo has been serving me well till now, but yes I might get me a good Amp some time soon.

I have the big brother of your Amp, and I can assure you that it does not get the best out of the Arya.
With the R70x it is pretty fine, as that’s an headphone that does not scale nearly as much as the Arya SE.

On the Atom you ain’t getting the stage and the bass impact the Arya can give you.

Amps and dacs does not make a bad headphone sound good, but they can definitely limit an headphone with a performance floor while they may be ok on an headphone with some performance ceiling.

My TYGR sounds almost the same from the apple dongle than it does on the K9. Which costs like 100x the apple dongle. That’s an headphone with a very low performance ceiling and floor. Sounds at its best almost on everything but won’t scale.

My Sundara sounds awful on the apple dongle and it sings on the K9. That’s an headphone with an high performance floor, as it scales a lot.
You have no idea how many people talks bad about underpowered headphones..

 

[InquisitiveLogic]

I have the big brother of your Amp, and I can assure you that it does not get the best out of the Arya.
With the R70x it is pretty fine, as that’s an headphone that does not scale nearly as much as the Arya SE.

On the Atom you ain’t getting the stage and the bass impact the Arya can give you.

Amps and dacs does not make a bad headphone sound good, but they can definitely limit an headphone with a performance floor while they may be ok on an headphone with some performance ceiling.

My TYGR sounds almost the same from the apple dongle than it does on the K9. Which costs like 100x the apple dongle. That’s an headphone with a very low performance ceiling and floor. Sounds at its best almost on everything but won’t scale.

My Sundara sounds awful on the apple dongle and it sings on the K9. That’s an headphone with an high performance floor, as it scales a lot.
You have no idea how many people talks bad about underpowered headphones..

Thats a valid logical point and I am well aware of it. The scaling part as to how good headphones perform better with better amps (that is certainly upto a limit and not necessarily that a 1000 bucks or a few 1000 bucks amp will make the headphone sound better).

But let me also tell you what scaled more - my budget! Lol... Frankly I had no idea why this hobby was mentioned as one deep rabbit hole and I innocently started with a thought that I just need a decent enough headphone for the purpose of headphone listening. And never even could imagine emptying a 1000 bucks from my pockets for a headphone. And here am I right now with a few mid-fi headphones and a $2000 one in hand and thinking of buying another $2000 one

Hence waiting a bit to pull the trigger on the AMP.

Do you have any idea about the Topping A90D? Has been mentioned quite often recently as being a very capable amp for most headphones and especially for the Arya and HE1000 range. Will it go well with the Atom+ DAC?

 

[cgb3]

So, I’ve given the Arya SEs a try and, while they sound fantastic, I prefer the v2 sound. It’s the further back in the audience and wider soundstage, along with a treble presentation that is a touch warmer. I know this question has been asked before, but for those that prefer the v2 sound over the SE on the Arya, anyone have any input on HEKv2 vs HEKse? I know the obvious answer is HEKv2, but I haven’t heard any of the HE1000 versions, and probably can’t, so I’d be curious on anyone’s opinions. Thanks

Auditioned the two. My choice is the same (why I have v2), for mostly the same reason. Mostly, and I won't debate the sound, or the economics, but getting a v2 direct from HiFiMan last Christmas for ~$1k was nice.

 

[mformoriarty]

I am completely impressed with the V3. The HFM setting on my Zen Can HFM, which is basically an xbass tuned for Hifiman, adds bass that feels so airy and full. Feels like I'm standing in front of a speaker/subwoofer feeling the air move around. I had the itch to upgrade this amp over a week ago, definitely not upgrading anytime soon. That HFM/xbass setting is totally necessary now for me. The HFM setting wasn't as good on the Sundaras but it still offered and improvement.

 

[yeboyi]

Anyone here heard egg shaped DCA headphones ? I wonder how they sound compared to Hifiman's egg shape characteristically. Especially curious about Expanse. Tuning is clearly different so i'm more interested in presentation, technicalities what not.

 

[bgtip]

... instead of IC-based or THX type amps - the discretes are really excellent spatially in comparison and tend to sound more natural as a whole. Burn/play in and discretes will be your friends with the Arya. System matching counts a great deal at this revealing level, IMO.....

Is the new Topping A90D one of those discrete amp? I'm thinking to buy one, and I'm curious how it pairs with Arya SE?

 

[kRed]

Do you have any idea about the Topping A90D? Has been mentioned quite often recently as being a very capable amp for most headphones and especially for the Arya and HE1000 range. Will it go well with the Atom+ DAC?

I’ve not heard the 90D, but in general I don’t like the measure-chasing gear. I've had one of their highly praised amp and returned it. Probably is the way I hear things (I hear up to 17000Hz it seems) or the music I play on it... who knows? I don't like sterile/dry gear.

I love the Arya on my K9 Pro, more than the EF400, as it enhances the soundstage and creates this wall-of-sound effect that is just so sweet to me.

About the wallet, my friend, I feel you. When I started in 2018 a friend of mine loaned the HD660S to me, I treated that can as it was the holy grail... it felt so expensive and crazy.
There just something special in this hobby: the fact it is almost at its stone age and we still don't understand most of the way it works... it's something unique.

 

[SwedishBass]

I am completely impressed with the V3. The HFM setting on my Zen Can HFM, which is basically an xbass tuned for Hifiman, adds bass that feels so airy and full. Feels like I'm standing in front of a speaker/subwoofer feeling the air move around. I had the itch to upgrade this amp over a week ago, definitely not upgrading anytime soon. That HFM/xbass setting is totally necessary now for me. The HFM setting wasn't as good on the Sundaras but it still offered and improvement.

Love the bass boost on my Zen DAC V2, and I usually don’t like such functions. It adds just the right amount of low end to poorly mixed music with thin bass. Adds some extra “woof” to gaming and movies as well.

 

[hgb1652]

Did anyone get to compare Arya stealth with HE1000 V2? Amazon is having a huge discount on the V2 currently, but I am not sure if it's worth the extra $700 compared to the stealth.