HIFIMAN Arya - Arya Stealth - Arya Organic :: Impressions Thread
May 31, 2019 at 8:49 PM Post #991 of 11,822
For those who upgraded from the HEX V2 to the Arya, did you think it was worth it or are you missing the lush sound of the HEX?
 
May 31, 2019 at 10:36 PM Post #993 of 11,822
If funds aren’t of any issue, the Arya is totally worth it. It’s hard to go back to the HEX for me personally because I found it too muddy. The Arya’s detail and clarity are too good.

Yeah I generally love the sound of the HEX, but I am started to get bothered by it's lack of resolution. I think this was a known gripe about the HEX,( being too smooth and toned down, but then they seemed to slightly overdo it with an annoying treble peak on the Ananda. Hoping the Arya is somewhere in between tonally plus I know it has more resolution.
 
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Jun 1, 2019 at 11:44 AM Post #994 of 11,822
Yeah I generally love the sound of the HEX, but I am started to get bothered by it's lack of resolution. I think this was a known gripe about the HEX,( being too smooth and toned down, but then they seemed to slightly overdo it with an annoying treble peak on the Ananda. Hoping the Arya is somewhere in between tonally plus I know it has more resolution.
Hey I just had a comment on this after reading what you wrote about the hex and the Ananda. I agree with the resolution and the sometimes too smooth character of the hex, and I also can understand what you mean about that Peak with the Ananda I actually owned that headphone before deciding to go with the Arya instead. I actually really did enjoy the Ananda minus that Peak that we get a little too much with certain music and also the lack of adjustability or movability with the ear cups and or headband. Now when I received the hifiman Arya I was pleasantly surprised that it no longer had that fatiguing inconstant Peak with those genres, and as well for me the ability to adjust ear cups and band made these the most comfortable headphones I've owned. Now the Arya is more spacious then the Ananda with a more mature and even treble response( it can be delicate and refined or intricate and layered when needed with any stabbing your eardrums). It also digs deeper in the low end and doesn't roll off as soon as the Ananda it has a very nice bass extension with an accurate tone and weight that I hear, and finally the mid-range is down maybe a couple decibels in comparison to the Ananda which was definitely more mid forward but the ariya's mids are lovely(very balanced with other frequencies). I hope this helps I'm actually currently writing a review I'm both the hifiman sundara and Arya
 
Jun 1, 2019 at 12:13 PM Post #995 of 11,822
Hey I just had a comment on this after reading what you wrote about the hex and the Ananda. I agree with the resolution and the sometimes too smooth character of the hex, and I also can understand what you mean about that Peak with the Ananda I actually owned that headphone before deciding to go with the Arya instead. I actually really did enjoy the Ananda minus that Peak that we get a little too much with certain music and also the lack of adjustability or movability with the ear cups and or headband. Now when I received the hifiman Arya I was pleasantly surprised that it no longer had that fatiguing inconstant Peak with those genres, and as well for me the ability to adjust ear cups and band made these the most comfortable headphones I've owned. Now the Arya is more spacious then the Ananda with a more mature and even treble response( it can be delicate and refined or intricate and layered when needed with any stabbing your eardrums). It also digs deeper in the low end and doesn't roll off as soon as the Ananda it has a very nice bass extension with an accurate tone and weight that I hear, and finally the mid-range is down maybe a couple decibels in comparison to the Ananda which was definitely more mid forward but the ariya's mids are lovely(very balanced with other frequencies). I hope this helps I'm actually currently writing a review I'm both the hifiman sundara and Arya
What are the genres in which this annoying Ananda peak manifests itself?
 
Jun 1, 2019 at 1:02 PM Post #996 of 11,822
What are the genres in which this annoying Ananda peak manifests itself?

I should correct myself in saying that what I really should of stated was particular recordings. Now, granted I didn't have the audio fatigue or issues with the upper midrange/lower treble that some had but on certain tracks it was not as enjoyable. I preferred my less expensive and less capable headphones. Some that I can recall from memory were things such as: poorer or older masterings of recordings, and lower quality files such as mp3. Genres such as but limited to: electronica, metal, violin and guitar solo that played in upper registries on mediocre files and tracks for example. Now this isn't all mp3 or violin or metal to say, because there some tracks or albums that I listened to that sounded beautiful. But there is definitely too much upper mid to lower treble and some tracks due to poorer quality or notes played you'll hear that sss when it should not be there(at least I did, aside from that I loved the ananda for what it did very well)
 
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Jun 10, 2019 at 2:01 AM Post #998 of 11,822
Can anyone recommend a 4 pin XLR cable for the Arya?
 
Jun 10, 2019 at 9:21 AM Post #999 of 11,822
Just placed my order on Arya from chinese site taobao. I have a pair of HD800S which will be sold in near future. I like the HD800S especially when EQ-ed but they still sound a tad thin for majority of my music listening (modern songs). Excellent on jazz/classical songs, a bit 'meh' on others. Not too forgiving on some songs.
LCD2C that i had previously, i like the bass extension and quality but everything else is not up to my taste (too dark).
Hopefully my search for 'do-it-all' headphones ends with Arya. Detailed but not too sharp in the highs and have a bit of warm presence. And based from others feedback and reviews, this might be it (finger crossed :D )
 
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Jun 10, 2019 at 11:16 AM Post #1,000 of 11,822
Just placed my order on Arya from chinese site taobao. I have a pair of HD800S which will be sold in near future. I like the HD800S especially when EQ-ed but they still sound a tad thin for majority of my music listening (modern songs). Excellent on jazz/classical songs, a bit 'meh' on others. Not too forgiving on some songs.
LCD2C that i had previously, i like the bass extension and quality but everything else is not up to my taste (too dark).
Hopefully my search for 'do-it-all' headphones ends with Arya. Detailed but not too sharp in the highs and have a bit of warm presence. And based from others feedback and reviews, this might be it (finger crossed :D )

That’s interesting. I’m the exact opposite. I liked the Arya a lot, except for the sharpness. I actually find the 800S to be more forgiving than the Arya. The 800S only bothers me on some songs. The Arya sharpness was present on all songs. It’s not terrible, though, but because it’s always there, it was a dealbreaker.

But if there were an Arya V2 with smoother upper mids and treble, I’d be all over it.
 
Jun 10, 2019 at 11:31 AM Post #1,001 of 11,822
That’s interesting. I’m the exact opposite. I liked the Arya a lot, except for the sharpness. I actually find the 800S to be more forgiving than the Arya. The 800S only bothers me on some songs. The Arya sharpness was present on all songs. It’s not terrible, though, but because it’s always there, it was a dealbreaker.

But if there were an Arya V2 with smoother upper mids and treble, I’d be all over it.
the highs on hd800s doesnt really bother me at all actually. for the record, im fine with Fostex TH900, sendy aiva, stax L300 (i owned n sold them. these 3 r 'brighter' than HD800S, if my memory serves me well). in fact, some modern genre songs like EDM sounds better with more presence in the highs. its just the thin overall presentation of the sound that makes them not so suitable with modern songs (to my ears, at least). that and probably the lack of bass quantity and impact.
 
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Jun 10, 2019 at 11:57 AM Post #1,002 of 11,822
The Arya sharpness was present on all songs. It’s not terrible, though, but because it’s always there, it was a dealbreaker.

I didn't find Arya fatiguing, rather i found it natural and finally without roll off on the top.


But if there were an Arya V2 with smoother upper mids and treble, I’d be all over it

Maybe you'd go with HE-1000 V2 :wink:
 
Jun 10, 2019 at 12:03 PM Post #1,003 of 11,822
That’s interesting. I’m the exact opposite. I liked the Arya a lot, except for the sharpness. I actually find the 800S to be more forgiving than the Arya. The 800S only bothers me on some songs. The Arya sharpness was present on all songs. It’s not terrible, though, but because it’s always there, it was a dealbreaker.

But if there were an Arya V2 with smoother upper mids and treble, I’d be all over it.
Sharpness with the Arya?
What amp are you using?
I don't find the Arya to be sharp at all.
The Focal Clear they replaced.... Now they were sharp to me.
 
Jun 10, 2019 at 12:14 PM Post #1,005 of 11,822
Can anyone recommend a 4 pin XLR cable for the Arya?
In order of price:

Periapt - $65 (12-14 days build time)
Arctic Cable - $80 (12-14 days build time)
LQI Cables - $150 (shipped almost immediately)

Someone here recommended a Dyson Audio pure silver cable which costs about the same as LQI but I have no personal experience with it.
 

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