[Napilopez]

just for some additional clarity. When you warm are you referring to the shape of the mids (e.g lift in midbass to low mids) or the amount of treble energy.

Hmm, maybe a bit of both? It's hard to say without frequency measurements specifically. The treble contributes to it, and maybe there might be a very slight midbass lift? But again, they are very linear overall.

Wish I'd heard the other hifimans to give a relative comparison, but looking at the graphs for the HE1000 V2, the linearity seems about right.

I know warm is a bit of a vague term, but I do think it's a useful one. For some more context, I think bright headphones can often be annoying with bad recordings. The Arya have the detail to reveal bad recordings, but I don't think they become unlistenable with some poor modern recordings because the treble energy isn't so in your face.
They do as well with poorly mixed modern recordings as they do with audiophile Staples.

But also don't want to exaggerate their warmth. I just think they're easy to listen to, and the bass surprised me the first time I heard them. They move quite a bit of air.

 

[SilverEars]

I figure but i have seen people use it multiple ways

It's true, I've read warm being described various ways. It can mean meaty or notes having a bit of thickness or male vocals sounding more weighted. I have read people use warm for upper-mids bumped up a bit (this may just be minor cases). Or others the FR being tilted downward from the bass (bass rising as you go low). You can also have warm, but in a muddy sense with upper-bass bleed to the mids. This is the warmth we all don't want.

In a more feel sense, I think of warmth like air. You get engulfed with warmth when air is thick. I find this is the reason why audiophiles make a parallel between hearing and temperature warmth. You get engulfed with that low-end warmth resonating in the air.

In another sense the temperature gets cooler as you move up the frequencies, just like how it's done visually with color hue.

 

[Napilopez]

More words/phrases I'd associate with the Arya, in no particular order:

Expansive, warmish neutral, powerful, oodles of detail, super textured bass, transparent.

They're kind of confusing too, because I want to call them laid back, but they also summon lots of power and energy when needed.

Point is, they're good, and every bit worth the price IMO, given the headphones I'm familiar with. No nonsense in terms of build or design. Just good sound.

Btw, haven't talked much about driving them, but as with some other planars, they can get pretty loud out of portable sources, but they sound much better out of good sources. Radsone's ES100, for example, can get them to volume pretty easily, but bass becomes distorted in a way I've never seen from the ES100 before(although I haven't tried the balanced output). Sound fantastic out of my iDSD Micro BL though.

 

[Mkoll]

I'd love to hear some comparisons between Arya and Ananda. Ananda has received quite positive reviews overall and is substantially lower in price than Arya. I'm wondering if Arya is worth the difference and how...

I'd also love to hear comparisons of the Arya with the MrSpeakers Ether 2.

 

[Napilopez]

I'd love to hear some comparisons between Arya and Ananda. Ananda has received quite positive reviews overall and is substantially lower in price than Arya. I'm wondering if Arya is worth the difference and how...

I'd also love to hear comparisons of the Arya with the MrSpeakers Ether 2.

I'll try to swing by somewhere that carries the Ananda and ether 2 sometime, but probably won't be able to soon. Ananda also has the benefit of being easier to drive, I believe.

Considering the Arya doesn't have any fancy build materials or accessories - a single cable, no case, basic cardboard packaging - I'd imagine the premium is in sound alone. Of course, as with all things in this price bracket, I imagine diminishing returns are strong.

I do think hifiman's constant releases and huge portfolio are problematic though - give your products some room to breathe and time to shine!

The Arya are as good as anything I've heard at this price point, if not better, so I hope hifiman doesn't end up supplanting them with another sub-$2000 headphone in 6 months.

The other headphone I'm currently enjoying very much for about the same price is Denon's D9200. Very different - one is closed, to start - but imo similar levels of resolution. But at least with the Denon, one doesn't have to worry something will outdo it anytime soon...

 

[Skycyclepilot]

I'll try to swing by somewhere that carries the Ananda and ether 2 sometime, but probably won't be able to soon. Ananda also has the benefit of being easier to drive, I believe.

Considering the Arya doesn't have any fancy build materials or accessories - a single cable, no case, basic cardboard packaging - I'd imagine the premium is in sound alone. Of course, as with all things in this price bracket, I imagine diminishing returns are strong.

I do think hifiman's constant releases and huge portfolio are problematic though - give your products some room to breathe and time to shine!

The Arya are as good as anything I've heard at this price point, if not better, so I hope hifiman doesn't end up supplanting them with another sub-$2000 headphone in 6 months.

The other headphone I'm currently enjoying very much for about the same price is Denon's D9200. Very different - one is closed, to start - but imo similar levels of resolution. But at least with the Denon, one doesn't have to worry something will outdo it anytime soon...

A +1 from me for comparing the Arya to the Ananda. I just bought the Ananda, and am already thinking about trading up to the Arya...

 

[vlach]

Do we know when the Arya is coming out?

 

[negura]

In the UK it's in stock already. I asked a dealer recently.

 

[Skycyclepilot]

Do we know when the Arya is coming out?

I asked HifiMan that a week or so ago. They said it should be at the end of this month.

 

[vlach]

I asked HifiMan that a week or so ago. They said it should be at the end of this month.

Good, thanks.

 

[Skycyclepilot]

Good, thanks.

You're welcome. I just hope they show up by then.

 

[thecrow]

http://majorhifi.com/hifiman-arya-review/

 

[Skycyclepilot]

http://majorhifi.com/hifiman-arya-review/

I read that review. It was so over-the-top that I began to wonder if it is just a paid advertisement, disguising as a review. Anyone else get that feeling?

I actually ordered a pair of the Arya headphones from HiFi Heaven. I would still love for others to compare them to the Anandas.

If anyone finds other reviews, please link them here.

 

[Napilopez]

His reviews are normally pretty positive but I actually thought it was pretty fair - he makes comparisons to other products and notes where they are stronger. I agree with his overall sound impressions though, not having heard most of the headphones he compares to.

 

[negura]

I don't think it was over the top. If you know some of the other gear he compares with and read between the lines, it sounds like some sort of variation of old HEK, at a lower price. If an underamped HE6 (let alone a properly amped one) is slightly better in technicalities, that's quite meh imo. The only plus side seems to be getting some sort of older HEK at a more decent price.