[Kevintj604]

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.

Not interested in responding to your first point. I think Lachlan got the HE1000V2 and HE1000V3 Stealth mixed up. The Stealth has much more 12K and you can see that on the measurements. I've owned both and the HE1000V3 Stealth is way too bright for me. I A/B'd the HE1000V2, HE1000V3 and HE1000SE side by side and the HE1000V2 is definitely the warmest of the batch and for my preferences is the best out of the HE1000 line-up.

While the HE1000V2 is the warmest the HE1000 SE has a noticeable bump in resolution and clarity. It's also got more sub bass presence and greater note weight. I can see why some people prefer it over the rest of the lineup. For me the HE1000 SE just had too much treble energy and was super aggressive on certain genres. I don't think the bump in price is worth the extra 10-20% jump in resolving capabilities especially when the HE1000V2 is priced where it is currently.

 

[tradyblix]

Pretty much all headphones people say have the "highest resolution" are also called "bright". If a headphone isn't "bright" then it usually isn't "resolving" either. I think I see a pattern here.

I think Lachlan got the HE1000V2 and HE1000V3 Stealth mixed up. The Stealth has much more 12K and you can see that on the measurements. I've owned both and the HE1000V3 Stealth is way too bright for me.

That's exactly what he said in his video tho. That it's the brightest.

I'll find out. I can always return, trade or sell it if you're right and I don't like it.

Not worried about price. That (HE1000se) used to be a 3500 dollar headphone until recently. I've paid more for headphones I liked less.

I heard the sale is only through this weekend (father's day) tho.

 

[Kevintj604]

Pretty much all headphones people say have the "highest resolution" are also called "bright". If a headphone isn't "bright" then it usually isn't "resolving" either. I think I see a pattern here.

I'll find out. I can always return, trade or sell it if you're right and I don't like it

Susvara isn't bright at all and is arguably the world's most resolving headphone. Same pattern for all of the following:

Final Audio D8000Pro
Audeze LCD4
Audeze LCD5
ZMF Caldera
Abyss Diana V2

I can go on but to be honest I can't think of too many top performers that are considered bright. You might love the HE1000SE if you're into EQ. Just needs the treble subdued and it's a solid headphone.

 

[tradyblix]

I can't comment on Susvara (or the others in your list, except LCD4, which was never a big detail headphone AFAICR). I Never heard it (or them) and Susvara is not on my radar because of it's absurd 6,000 MSRP. Most of the headphones I've had (Utopia, HE1000se apparently, HD800s) that people said were detail monsters, were all bright. (even Arya Stealth can be getting towards bright-ish sometimes, although to me it's more neutral most of the time. I don't have fatigue issues with it on my rig).

I never said there wasn't one, single, summit-fi headphone that didn't meet that pattern, only that in general it's a pattern. Certainly it was a pattern with the headphones that we were talking about leading up to my comment about it. Now, you've apparently heard or owned every single high end headphone in existence and know them intimately, so who could compete with that ? Okay then, so it's only headphones that I bought that are bright I guess. I stand corrected.

You seem fixated on winning arguments with multiple people by one-upping them and going super far off topic. (this is the Arya thread)... you've been argumentatively talking about HD800s, Susvara, HE1000se, Random other headphones you own, Manufacturers that don't cater exactly to your tastes, people that EQ are idiots, "I'm going to tell you what you should like" and bonking people on the head with your "I win, I know better, I know everything, I've heard everything" comments, for the last 2 days straight. Nobody wants to hear that. Especially not in the lowly Arya thread. Maybe that stuff plays well in the Summit-Fi snob threads. I suggest you can it. No pun intended.

I can go on

We know. That's okay.

 

[Kevintj604]

I can't comment on Susvara (or the others in your list, except LCD4, which was never a big detail headphone AFAICR). I Never heard it (or them) and Susvara is not on my radar because of it's absurd 6,000 MSRP. Most of the headphones I've had (Utopia, HE1000se apparently, HD800s) that people said were detail monsters, were all bright. I never said there wasn't one, single, summit-fi headphone that didn't meet that pattern, only that in general it's a pattern. You've apparently heard or owned every single high end headphone in existence and know them intimately, so who could compete with that ? Okay then, so it's only headphones that I bought that are bright I guess. I stand corrected.

You seem fixated on winning arguments with multiple people by one-upping them and going super far off topic. (this is the Arya thread)... you've been argumentatively talking about HD800s, Susvara, HE1000se, Random other headphones you own, Manufacturers that don't cater exactly to your tastes, people that EQ are idiots, "I'm going to tell you what you should like" and bonking people on the head with your "I win, I know better, I know everything, I've heard everything" comments, for the last 2 days straight. Nobody wants to hear that. Especially not in the lowly Arya thread. Maybe that stuff plays well in the Summit-Fi snob threads. I suggest you can it. No pun intended.



We know. That's okay.

Wow. That’s a wild story. I’m not trying to win any “arguments”. Who’s arguing here?

If your definition of arguing is people not agreeing with everything you say I don’t know how you navigate though the world. I’ve also never called anyone an idiot or knocked EQ at all. I’ve simply said I don’t do it and shouldn’t have to for a headphone to sound pleasant. I made a few comments about the HD800 being too bright for my tastes but never said it was a bad headphone. If you read back what I’ve said none of what you’re accusing me of has actually occurred.

Who are you quoting with statements like this? "I win, I know better, I know everything, I've heard everything"
Are you quoting the fictional version of me in your head because I've never said any of those things.

I’ve never said what you should like either. I have no idea how you’ve gathered this impression to build a story in your head of a conversation that hasn’t happened.

 

[Kevintj604]

Nice to hear Jude’s take on the Arya Organic. I’m hoping we see some measurements soon.

 

[Tachyon88]

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.

What ? Eq does fix the treble peaks and gives the HD800's thunderous bass, if it didn't then there is no point of EQ. Its a great driver and that is why it can take EQ well.

 

[Kevintj604]

What ? Eq does fix the treble peaks and gives the HD800's thunderous bass, if it didn't then there is no point of EQ. Its a great driver and that is why it can take EQ well.

I’m glad that you’ve found an EQ profile that you like. I’ve personally never heard it sound the way that my preferences lean but that’s just my opinion.

 

[Tachyon88]

I’m glad that you’ve found an EQ profile that you like. I’ve personally never heard it sound the way that my preferences lean but that’s just my opinion.

If anyone from any HP hears a treble peak they don't like, EQ will solve it. I'm just saying that regardless of what you end up preferring, EQ does solve peaks and anemic bass. For me, I've noticed that any treble peak in certain areas on certain HP above HT has the potential of being spiky. HD800's and TH900 stabbed my ears with stock FR, Arya didn't.

 

[Kevintj604]

If anyone from any HP hears a treble peak they don't like, EQ will solve it. I'm just saying that regardless of what you end up preferring, EQ does solve peaks and anemic bass. For me, I've noticed that any treble peak in certain areas on certain HP above HT has the potential of being spiky. HD800's and TH900 stabbed my ears with stock FR, Arya didn't.

Fair enough. I haven’t heard any of the Fostex lineup so I can’t speak on that but for me the Arya is just on the cusp for stock tonality being too bright. The Arya tows that line extremely well and I think it’s one of the nicest bright leaning stock tunings out of the HiFiMan lineup. With no EQ I think the current lineup from warmest to brightest looks like this:

HE1000V2
Susvara
Arya Stealth
HE1000V3 Stealth
HE1000 SE

 

[Thetaburn]

Fair enough. I haven’t heard any of the Fostex lineup so I can’t speak on that but for me the Arya is just on the cusp for stock tonality being too bright. The Arya tows that line extremely well and I think it’s one of the nicest bright leaning stock tunings out of the HiFiMan lineup. With no EQ I think the current lineup from warmest to brightest looks like this:

HE1000V2
Susvara
Arya Stealth
HE1000V3 Stealth
HE1000 SE

What headphones in your collection are warmer than the He1000v2?

The He1000v2 is already on the edge of being too bright for my personal taste.

 

[Kevintj604]

What headphones in your collection are warmer than the He1000v2?

The He1000v2 is already on the edge of being too bright for my personal taste.

Almost all of my collection is on the warm side as I’m quite treble sensitive. I’d say the Arya would be my brightest, Diana V2, then HE1000V2.

D8000 is a highly technical listen but on the more “consumer” tuned side. Phenomenal bass and just enough resolution to be one of my favorite High End tiered headphones.

Diana V2 is the warmest in the Diana series and a super enjoyable listen. It can be a bit unforgiving for bad recordings as it’s crazy resolving.

The rest are quite a bit warmer with my Eikon being the darkest.

 

[MixMasterMan]

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.

You have a fundamental misunderstanding of the purpose of EQ. EQ is used to tailor to taste. All music you listen to is EQ'd when its mastered, and MEANT to be EQ'd after it's mastered. Professionally mastered music, is EQ'd to be as flat as possible to be compatible with multiple playback systems. It's up to the end user to decide how it should sound, and EQ is the tool to get there. I ALWAYS EQ. Album to Album, Song to Song. Everything flat, sounds like dull and lifeless to me. Everything can be tweaked with EQ for a more enjoyable listening experience. Also, everyone hears things differently and will prefer a different frequency response curve. Is it a manufacturing mistake when a mastering engineer flattens out a mix with EQ, when the mix already sounded as the artist intended before it got to the engineer? - You and every listener that is dead set against EQ, are missing out. EQ is your friend. If you think that EVERY headphone should sound perfect for EVERY user right out of the box, and should only be sonically adjusted by source chain synergy (which only slightly changes sonic characteristics compared with EQ), it's over your head. EQ is fun and is an essential component of music enjoyment.

 

[Kevintj604]

You have a fundamental misunderstanding of the purpose of EQ. EQ is used to tailor to taste. All music you listen to is EQ'd when its mastered, and MEANT to be EQ'd after it's mastered. Professionally mastered music, is EQ'd to be as flat as possible to be compatible with multiple playback systems. It's up to the end user to decide how it should sound, and EQ is the tool to get there. I ALWAYS EQ. Album to Album, Song to Song. Everything flat, sounds like dull and lifeless to me. Everything can be tweaked with EQ for a more enjoyable listening experience. Also, everyone hears things differently and will prefer a different frequency response curve. Is it a manufacturing mistake when a mastering engineer flattens out a mix with EQ, when the mix already sounded as the artist intended before it got to the engineer? - You and every listener that is dead set against EQ, are missing out. EQ is your friend. If you think that EVERY headphone should sound perfect for EVERY user right out of the box, and should only be sonically adjusted by source chain synergy (which only slightly changes sonic characteristics compared with EQ), it's over your head. EQ is fun and is an essential component of music enjoyment.

I’m not criticizing those who chose to EQ their headphones. I personally would rather listen to headphones that match my preferences so I can do more of what the headphones are supposed to do. Provide an escape through the listening experience to enhance my life through music.

I’m sure you make a lot of points that work for you and I’d love it if I had the time, energy and focus enough to buy measurement equipment and EQ software to dial in headphones that require it. But to be totally honest I’ve owned over 30 full size headphones in the past five years and have had countless amazing experiences with headphones that sound incredible stock.

For my use case and preferences I’ll just keep on building a collection of equipment that matches what I’m looking for and discard the rest.

 

[duas2noites]

For everyone that might be interested in the Arya Organic, our review is now live:

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/hifiman-arya-organic.26551/reviews#review-31016

I'm searching for a headphone for pc gaming and music, just saw your review about arya organic, you wrote that arya organic is insane for gaming, I'm thinking about buying it, could you please give me some more feedback about organic for gaming?

Thankyou.