HIFIMAN Arya - Arya Stealth - Arya Organic :: Impressions Thread

[Kevintj604]

It was too much you're right. but you have to admit that it had a wider stage than every other headphone.

Although it was probably a little bit unnatural.

I think it was probably fine for people that listen to classical or strings where you don't get very very high frequencies that are painful that much.

I never said it doesn't stage well. It's arguably got the widest soundstage out of every headphone ever made. It's just not for me.

I index heavily for sub bass, timbre, note weight & musicality and its horrible in all those categories. Nothing sounds real on it.

If I owned one i'd use it for gaming and that's about it.

 

[Tachyon88]

I'm not interested in fixing a manufacturers mistakes. I shouldn't have to EQ in order for a headphone to be useable. There's no other hobby where someone would have to alter a stock product in order to use it.

I'd rather have a collection of headphones that synergize with different source chains but aren't tied to an EQ profile.

I've never met someone who doesn't think the treble energy is too much on an HD800S.

What you call "mistakes" are simply trade offs to physical devices. There is no getting around it, unless you use EQ. HT sounds amazing out of HD800's and its still the same headphone with better bass and smooth none peaky treble. Many HP track close to the HT anyways. When you EQ them all with the same FR they still sound like their unique characteristics of each particular headphone. In other words HT EQ'd arya and HD800's still sound different to each other, there is no getting around that. My roster all have their unique attributes.

You're attempting to do what I am doing, but at a hardware level with even more variables.

Either way, because of EQ, HD800's is probably my favorite HP and nothing else is like it IMO.

 

[Tada]

There's no other hobby where someone would have to alter a stock product in order to use it.

This is definitely not true. I have many other hobbies, like golf and cars/motorcycles, for example. For golf, I always adjust shafts, club heads, weight balance, etc and try to fit the golf club to match my swing. Same thing for cars and motorcycles. I often change the brake pads if I want more stopping power or want less brake dust on my wheels. I will change the suspension if I feel the ride is too uncomfortable.

I shouldn't have to EQ in order for a headphone to be useable.

Likewise, while any headphone is 'usable' in stock form, enjoying it is another issue entirely. I just accept that there is no product that will match my preference 100% out of the box, and I am willing to alter the sound (pads, source, EQ) or comfort (pads, headband, cables) to my liking. As for altering the sound, EQ is the cheapest and most effective. If a headphone had 90% of the characteristics of what I like, and the only part that I disliked was that it had lean bass for example, it would be a no-brainer for me to add a bass shelf with EQ and forget about purchasing a 'warmer' $2,000 amp that could negatively alter the 90% of what I like already. Other folks may have different approaches but EQ is a tool that will save you a lot of money.

 

[Kevintj604]

What you call "mistakes" are simply trade offs to physical devices. There is no getting around it, unless you use EQ. HT sounds amazing out of HD800's and its still the same headphone with better bass and smooth none peaky treble. Many HP track close to the HT anyways. When you EQ them all with the same FR they still sound like their unique characteristics of each particular headphone. In other words HT EQ'd arya and HD800's still sound different to each other, there is no getting around that. My roster all have their unique attributes.

You're attempting to do what I am doing, but at a hardware level with even more variables.

Either way, because of EQ, HD800's is probably my favorite HP and nothing else is like it IMO.

To each their own I guess. No amount of EQ is going to fix that treble peak. No EQ profile will also fix the complete lack of sub bass either. That’s a limitation of the HD800 driver and has nothing to do with EQ.

I need a lot more sub bass for a headphone to complete what I would call a full spectrum of sound and the HD800 is completely void of that frequency range. It’s anemic in sub bass and one of the worst headphones in its price range for that attribute. I’ve tried it on tubes and tried it with a much higher price point source chain and it’s absolutely not my thing.

All good for people who enjoy that type of sound but it’s truly one of the last headphones that I’d want to add to my personal collection. Way too many caveats but I respect what it does well in the current marketplace.

 

[jjazzy]

To each their own I guess. No amount of EQ is going to fix that treble peak. No EQ profile will also fix the complete lack of sub bass either. That’s a limitation of the HD800 driver and has nothing to do with EQ.

I need a lot more sub bass for a headphone to complete what I would call a full spectrum of sound and the HD800 is completely void of that frequency range. It’s anemic in sub bass and one of the worst headphones in its price range for that attribute. I’ve tried it on tubes and tried it with a much higher price point source chain and it’s absolutely not my thing.

All good for people who enjoy that type of sound but it’s truly one of the last headphones that I’d want to add to my personal collection. Way too many caveats but I respect what it does well in the current marketplace.

I don’t like it either, but for example if you only like specific classical, I would understand the choice of a hd800. In that case it is a extreme well performer.

For me it is the opposite like headphones from audeze, I hate the (for me personally) pushy bass they deliver, others love it for the type of music they listen to. I know some will disagree here (it is subjective, music is)

I have to come to understand that the type of music you listen to mostly, Is just as a important decision, as the type of equipment.

 

[davehutch]

I seem to have stumbled into the Sennheiser HD800 thread by mistake?!

 

[jjazzy]

I seem to have stumbled into the Sennheiser HD800 thread by mistake?!

 

[tradyblix]

I never said it doesn't stage well.

I know. Nobody did. I said HD800 has a better stage in general. Stop being so reactionary to everything man. take it easy. Life's short.

Don't blame manufacturers just because you're too lazy to EQ or buy a product that suits you.

Speaking of which. I decided to cancel my HE1000 stealth order. I like Arya so much, I'm going all the way. Joining the HE1000se club. See you guys there.

 

[sahmen]

To each their own I guess. No amount of EQ is going to fix that treble peak. No EQ profile will also fix the complete lack of sub bass either. That’s a limitation of the HD800 driver and has nothing to do with EQ.

I wouldn't jump to such "hard" conclusions so quickly though, about the HD800. Ever since I installed Mitch Barnett's convolution filterset for the HD800 in Roon's DSP, those pesky treble peaks have been whisper quiet (or even gone "bye bye" completely!), and although I cannot speak to what you're calling "the complete lack of subbass," I hear enough bass on the HD800 to match the bass requirements of the types of music I typically listen to (Jazz, acoustic music, classical, some blues/rock, and various kinds of "world music") without necessarily claiming to be a bass-head. If interested, you can take advantage of his "free trial" offer to test the filterset for yourself without buying it. The experience might surprise you.

 

[sahmen]

I'm planning to trade my Arya stealth for HE1000SE too. What's the difference between them? What's make you think that you're going to miss the Arya stealth?

Well, I really liked the Arya Stealth for what it could do for me when using it on a relatively modest rig (Schiit Bifrost 2/64 +Singxer SA-1) in my study. It used to hit all the right notes in the entire frequency spectrum for hours and hours of fatigue-free listening pleasure without ever giving me the impression that anything was missing anywhere in the music. Ironically, it always took a move to my other rig (Sonnet Pasithea/Niimbus US4/Susvara) to bring back any awareness of the limitations of the Arya Stealth rig, but the comparison wasn't fair either, given the huge difference in price tags, when going from one rig to the other.

Now that the He1000se is here, it is giving me similar impressions about the limitations of the Arya Stealth, even when it takes the place of the Arya Stealth on the Bifrost 2/64 + Singxer SA-1 rig. It is showing me in real time how wrong I was for considering the Arya Stealth to be an adequate replacement for it (the He-1000se), and entertaining that illusion for over one and a half years. Well the Arya Stealth simply wasn't, which is why I am glad to have the He 1000SE back.

The neatest trick of the Arya Stealth might lie in its ability to conceal its own limitations (aah! Stealth indeed!)--the limitations that only become manifest when one compares it directly with other more accomplished performers--such as, say, a Sus or an He-1000se. Those limitations were never apparent to me whenever I was in a one-on-one engagement with the Arya Stealth. I could enjoy hours and hours of musical nirvana with the Stealth as long as I did not compare its performance with those of other cans, and the Stealth was very good at making such comparisons feel unnecessary. That is probably what I shall miss most about the Stealth, this ability to hide and keep its own limitations out of sight. On the other hand, now that I have the He1000se to remind me of those limitations of the Arya Stealth, I feel doing without the Stealth would be more tolerable.

 

[szore]

This is definitely not true. I have many other hobbies, like golf and cars/motorcycles, for example. For golf, I always adjust shafts, club heads, weight balance, etc and try to fit the golf club to match my swing. Same thing for cars and motorcycles. I often change the brake pads if I want more stopping power or want less brake dust on my wheels. I will change the suspension if I feel the ride is too uncomfortable.



Likewise, while any headphone is 'usable' in stock form, enjoying it is another issue entirely. I just accept that there is no product that will match my preference 100% out of the box, and I am willing to alter the sound (pads, source, EQ) or comfort (pads, headband, cables) to my liking. As for altering the sound, EQ is the cheapest and most effective. If a headphone had 90% of the characteristics of what I like, and the only part that I disliked was that it had lean bass for example, it would be a no-brainer for me to add a bass shelf with EQ and forget about purchasing a 'warmer' $2,000 amp that could negatively alter the 90% of what I like already. Other folks may have different approaches but EQ is a tool that will save you a lot of money.

EQ ruins the sound fidelity tho. For me it is unusable.

 

[Kevintj604]

Anyone else surprised why the main reviewers haven’t received the Arya Organic yet. I can’t find any graphs of it either. I can understand if it was in pre-release or something but it’s been out for close to a month now and nobody on YouTube has reviewed it yet.

 

[Kevintj604]

I know. Nobody did. I said HD800 has a better stage in general. Stop being so reactionary to everything man. take it easy. Life's short.

Don't blame manufacturers just because you're too lazy to EQ or buy a product that suits you.

Speaking of which. I decided to cancel my HE1000 stealth order. I like Arya so much, I'm going all the way. Joining the HE1000se club. See you guys there.

I’m not being reactionary to anything. Maybe you read what I said in that way but it certainly wasn’t implied.

And I’m not too lazy to EQ either I just don’t think it should be a requirement to use a product. I’d say the same thing about the Audeze LCDXC or the HE1000SE. Both are way too bright for me and require EQ. Regardless of what I think if you enjoy the HD800 or another headphone good for you. For me I just need a bit less treble energy and I’ve got a lot in my collection that suits my preferences perfectly.

 

[SemiAudiophile]

Well, I really liked the Arya Stealth for what it could do for me when using it on a relatively modest rig (Schiit Bifrost 2/64 +Singxer SA-1) in my study. It used to hit all the right notes in the entire frequency spectrum for hours and hours of fatigue-free listening pleasure without ever giving me the impression that anything was missing anywhere in the music. Ironically, it always took a move to my other rig (Sonnet Pasithea/Niimbus US4/Susvara) to bring back any awareness of the limitations of the Arya Stealth rig, but the comparison wasn't fair either, given the huge difference in price tags, when going from one rig to the other.

Now that the He1000se is here, it is giving me similar impressions about the limitations of the Arya Stealth, even when it takes the place of the Arya Stealth on the Bifrost 2/64 + Singxer SA-1 rig. It is showing me in real time how wrong I was for considering the Arya Stealth to be an adequate replacement for it (the He-1000se), and entertaining that illusion for over one and a half years. Well the Arya Stealth simply wasn't, which is why I am glad to have the He 1000SE back.

The neatest trick of the Arya Stealth might lie in its ability to conceal its own limitations (aah! Stealth indeed!)--the limitations that only become manifest when one compares it directly with other more accomplished performers--such as, say, a Sus or an He-1000se. Those limitations were never apparent to me whenever I was in a one-on-one engagement with the Arya Stealth. I could enjoy hours and hours of musical nirvana with the Stealth as long as I did not compare its performance with those of other cans, and the Stealth was very good at making such comparisons feel unnecessary. That is probably what I shall miss most about the Stealth, this ability to hide and keep its own limitations out of sight. On the other hand, now that I have the He1000se to remind me of those limitations of the Arya Stealth, I feel doing without the Stealth would be more tolerable.

Very well said.

I think I still enjoy pop/electronic more on Arya due to its more forgiving nature. Arya could be endgame for most people... HEKSE is a whole nother beast.

 

[tradyblix]

I’m not being reactionary to anything. Maybe you read what I said in that way but it certainly wasn’t implied.

And I’m not too lazy to EQ either I just don’t think it should be a requirement to use a product. I’d say the same thing about the Audeze LCDXC or the HE1000SE. Both are way too bright for me and require EQ. Regardless of what I think if you enjoy the HD800 or another headphone good for you. For me I just need a bit less treble energy and I’ve got a lot in my collection that suits my preferences perfectly.

Fair enough. I don't agree with you about manufacturers having to tailor things to YOUR preferences tho. Your tone is just argumentative or perhaps a better word would be grumpy. Go out, get some sunlight and be glad you're wealthy enough to have a hobby like this. Give a 20 dollar bill to a homeless guy on the street that looks down and out.

I'm interested to see how unforgivingly bright HE1000se is compared to Arya. I mean, Passion for Sound said that the HE1000 stealth was brighter (I think he said more aggressive several times, not a word you want to hear used with headphones) than both HE1000se and Arya Stealth. sooo... that's a bit scary. I know the original HE1000 had a reputation for being bright, and honestly, bright headphones (Utopia comes to mind) seem to have been traditionally popular on Head-fi and in the community in general.

We'll see. Tazzy is a warm and laid back amp so I'll find out. Hugo2 is neither so I'll definitely find out there lol.

The neatest trick of the Arya Stealth might lie in its ability to conceal its own limitations

Yeah I can see that. It's real pleasurable to listen to. If I wasn't an obsessive I'd be happy with it forever probably.

The thing is an incredible steal at $999 currently.