[bagwell359]

I’d take another look at HFM’s QC issues—I think they’ve really stepped this up in the past year, at least at these price points.

I myself have not had any issues - I'm just going off what others have said over the past 7 years or so. I think the headbands of the HE-6 SE v2 and XS for instance are poor, but they work.

 

[bagwell359]

I own Arya v2 (not the stealth version) and I love it. I was thinking about upgrading it to either HEK stealth or HEKse. What I'm looking for is a higher level of technical performance, but with a relatively similar sound signature to Arya v2.

Which one of the two would be tuned closer to Arya v2? (Or which one would sound like a higher level Arya v2?).

Both are a good step forward IMO. The Arya Organic is supposed to be a nice can with smoother treble and a more realistic (smaller) soundstage. I have not heard it. I have heard all the other Arya's, and at $1399 the HEK Stealth really is a big upgrade.

About 10 days ago I said the HEK Stealth was a 1st round KO over the Ananda Stealth, and a 4th round TKO over the Arya Stealth. The HEK Stealth also pushed my long held HE-500 and HE-6 SE v1 (although the SE has better bass impact/texture than all the HEK's under 60 Hz IMO) deep into the shadows. I also like the HEK Stealth more than any of the prior HEK's and HEX's for that matter. If you can afford the $1-2k market than the HEK Stealth rules over everything I know. If as some expect the Susvara is price cut to the $3k range, owners wanting the new flagship will jettison the Susvara and maybe in less than 6 months you can find used Susvara around $1.7-2k which would be a challenge. The DCA E2 (used), and various Audeze products do not compare at $1399.

The HEK Stealth is destined to be a classic.

 

[srkbear]

Both are a good step forward IMO. The Arya Organic is supposed to be a nice can with smoother treble and a more realistic (smaller) soundstage. I have not heard it. I have heard all the other Arya's, and at $1399 the HEK Stealth really is a big upgrade.

About 10 days ago I said the HEK Stealth was a 1st round KO over the Ananda Stealth, and a 4th round TKO over the Arya Stealth. The HEK Stealth also pushed my long held HE-500 and HE-6 SE v1 (although the SE has better bass impact/texture than all the HEK's under 60 Hz IMO) deep into the shadows. I also like the HEK Stealth more than any of the prior HEK's and HEX's for that matter. If you can afford the $1-2k market than the HEK Stealth rules over everything I know. If as some expect the Susvara is price cut to the $3k range, owners wanting the new flagship will jettison the Susvara and maybe in less than 6 months you can find used Susvara around $1.7-2k which would be a challenge. The DCA E2 (used), and various Audeze products do not compare at $1399.

The HEK Stealth is destined to be a classic.

I agree and isn’t it so weird how little they marketed it? I couldn’t even figure out what it was called for a couple of months!

 

[rwelles]

I agree and isn’t it so weird how little they marketed it? I couldn’t even figure out what it was called for a couple of months!

It's not just the magnets. Their marketing plan was also very stealth!

 

[srkbear]

It's not just the magnets. Their marketing plan was also very stealth!

Ba dum chik…

 

[dbull12]

Are there any headphones in the current Hifiman lineup that could be recommended as a 'baby' version of the HE1000 V2, namely with non-sibilant treble while retaining good separation, soundstage, and timbre? It seems most of the Anandas and Aryas have more treble energy (probably a bit too much for me) than the HE1000 V2s, or are there any worth looking into? I'm not super familiar with all of Hifiman's offerings these days and find their naming conventions confusing with all the V2, Stealth, SE, etc.

 

[borkenarrou]

Are there any headphones in the current Hifiman lineup that could be recommended as a 'baby' version of the HE1000 V2, namely with non-sibilant treble while retaining good separation, soundstage, and timbre? It seems most of the Anandas and Aryas have more treble energy (probably a bit too much for me) than the HE1000 V2s, or are there any worth looking into? I'm not super familiar with all of Hifiman's offerings these days and find their naming conventions confusing with all the V2, Stealth, SE, etc.

I am not sure there is, but you can always pair with a warm amp like Violectirc V222 / V280 / V281, but I highly suggest to try it first (if possible) before pulling the trigger.

 

[imdabesss]

Are there any headphones in the current Hifiman lineup that could be recommended as a 'baby' version of the HE1000 V2, namely with non-sibilant treble while retaining good separation, soundstage, and timbre? It seems most of the Anandas and Aryas have more treble energy (probably a bit too much for me) than the HE1000 V2s, or are there any worth looking into? I'm not super familiar with all of Hifiman's offerings these days and find their naming conventions confusing with all the V2, Stealth, SE, etc.

Before buying the 1000v2 OGs last week, I bought the Edition XS a few months ago to buy as a baby version after demoing the he1000v2. They're similar in soundstage and treble and seperation, with the 1000v2 being a bit better, obviously.

The XS might actually have a bigger soundstage, but he1000v2 is just a more technical headphone.

 

[yeboyi]

Are there any headphones in the current Hifiman lineup that could be recommended as a 'baby' version of the HE1000 V2, namely with non-sibilant treble while retaining good separation, soundstage, and timbre? It seems most of the Anandas and Aryas have more treble energy (probably a bit too much for me) than the HE1000 V2s, or are there any worth looking into? I'm not super familiar with all of Hifiman's offerings these days and find their naming conventions confusing with all the V2, Stealth, SE, etc.

Edition XS might do it. It has a lot of treble but it's gentle. In comparison, i'd say Arya Stealth has less treble but it's treble attack you more. XS also has wider soundstage. Haven't heard HEKv2.

 

[gelade4000]

received my refurbished he1000 stealth. all I can say is wow...
I was mostly in the iem game going all the way to u12t, mest, monarch mkii...and so on. and monarch mkiii will arrive tmr lol. will see how that goes.
for full sized I have been using hd600 for the longest time. 5+ years. briefing had some other pairs in between but they didn't stay.
this he1000 stealth experience reminds me of the first time I listened to good audio equipments. Like the first time hearing hd650 10+ years ago with previous experience being random earbuds. Or the first time hearing kef ls50 coming from vizio soundbar.

My uber short description of HE1000 Stealth sound: concentrated yet free flowing of emotion in a grand scale.

gonna leave out detailed stuff and comparison for later if I ever feel like it. For now back to world of music

 

[bagwell359]

Are there any headphones in the current Hifiman lineup that could be recommended as a 'baby' version of the HE1000 V2, namely with non-sibilant treble while retaining good separation, soundstage, and timbre? It seems most of the Anandas and Aryas have more treble energy (probably a bit too much for me) than the HE1000 V2s, or are there any worth looking into? I'm not super familiar with all of Hifiman's offerings these days and find their naming conventions confusing with all the V2, Stealth, SE, etc.

The Ananada Stealth is a nice step over the earlier versions. Could you try a parametric or fixed freq EQ?

 

[dleblanc343]

Cross-post from the Arya Thread.

The Organic is great!

The resolution and dynamics for its price are impressive. They are quite bright, definitely more so than HEKv2 Stealth.

Bass goes deep and sub bass kick is fantastic, but overall bass is a bit less full than HEK Stealth which has more midbass oomph and sustained + texture.

Those who favor a very fast laser-like speed and hyper transparency will love Organic, but those wanting a bit more of an organic sound will prefer HEKV2 Stealth — go figure, hah!

Midrange on the Organic is the star of the show for me, followed by its very nice sense of impact and decent weight in the bass. The highs are reminiscent of the HE1000se of which it borrows design elements. Making the Arya Organic very bright in some cases, for better or for worse depends on mastering of the music and upstream gear synergy.

If Susvara is a 9.7/10, HEKv2 Stealth is a 9.4 and Organic a 9.1.

HE1000v2 Stealth is in my mind the best headphone money can but under 2K, and would be my personal choice over Organic for a small premium.

 

[srkbear]

Are there any headphones in the current Hifiman lineup that could be recommended as a 'baby' version of the HE1000 V2, namely with non-sibilant treble while retaining good separation, soundstage, and timbre? It seems most of the Anandas and Aryas have more treble energy (probably a bit too much for me) than the HE1000 V2s, or are there any worth looking into? I'm not super familiar with all of Hifiman's offerings these days and find their naming conventions confusing with all the V2, Stealth, SE, etc.

I too would recommend the Edition XS as this “baby” version of the original HEKV2 you’re looking for. The Arya Organic is probably close to this description as well. The V2 is lacking the Stealth magnet, and that addition really opens up the highs (hence the HEKse being criticized for being “too bright”.

If you’re looking for a more smooth, linear tuning like the V2 has, I used to keep the Arya Stealth for that purpose, because its tuning was far smoother than the HEKse without any fatigue at all to my ears. I’ve since favored the HEK Stealth as a great compromise between both extremes, but it’s still on the bright side in ways the Arya Stealth isn’t. I don’t know what HFM did to tame the highs with the Arya Stealth, but they definitely did. The Arya Organic also has the Stealth magnet like its predecessor, but the smoother highs are balanced even further this time with a potentiated bass response.

The Edition XS is a Stealth magnet option with equally agreeable treble and versatility in its tuning. When I first bought the Edition XS its sound quality truly knocked me out—it’s so punchy, fun and detailed, with very smooth highs and an astounding soundstage—it doesn’t have the leather accents and its ear pieces don’t swivel like the higher priced options, but its fit is so seamless that it really doesn’t matter. I think you’d prefer it far and away over the Ananda Nano, which has a lot more bass this time but is definitely a bright headphone. For the last 2 and a half years I’ve maintained that the Edition XS is the best headphone you can buy for under a grand. That estimation still stands in my view, and I listen to it all the time as my portable, take-anywhere option.

But if you really like the V2 (tons of folks do), it’s still available at a substantially reduced price. The Arya Stealth is also available now for under a grand. I always encourage folks to audition a couple through Amazon and return the one that doesn’t meet their expectations—HFM has no restocking fees. And one thing I’ve definitely learned through this process is that the right headphone will speak to you almost immediately—if you have to squint your eyes to decide whether you like it, it should probably go back. Best of luck!

 

[jkteddy77]

Arya Stealth / HE1000 Stealth / HE1000SE
Currently using Ananda - really enjoying these.
WaNt to experience something new thats what this is all about.
Need some direction on the above as i'm not able to listen to them all together and memory isn’t my favourite way to make a choice.

1: In terms of sibilance which would be the most hot? What order.
2: Which is the most mid forward?
3: What category you place each headphone under: Cold Neutral Warm
4: Which do you have and what amplifier do you recommend?

Thanks

Throwing my 2 cents, Ananda is my favorite Tuning, I liked it more than Arya V2.
HE-1000 V2 is the closest warm headphone and I like it. It has the wide Soundstage of an Arya tho.
If the forward and intimate mids are what get you tho, the HE1000 Stealth is your go-to, it just has a bit more treble and tightness than the Smooth Ananda

And Honestly, don't let those ananda's go as a fun can, They're so effortless and comforting to me even many tiers above them.

 

[srkbear]

Throwing my 2 cents, Ananda is my favorite Tuning, I liked it more than Arya V2.
HE-1000 V2 is the closest warm headphone and I like it. It has the wide Soundstage of an Arya tho.
If the forward and intimate mids are what get you tho, the HE1000 Stealth is your go-to, it just has a bit more treble and tightness than the Smooth Ananda

And Honestly, don't let those ananda's go as a fun can, They're so effortless and comforting to me even many tiers above them.

I bought the Ananda Nano a few weeks ago because I had found its previous iterations significantly lacking in bass for the rock genres I prefer. Rtings.com has great details on measurements and FRCs for the limited number of Hifiman cans they’ve reviewed, and the prior Ananda versions were considerably more rolled off in the low end compared to other HFM options (including the Edition XS). I haven’t seen reliable FRCs on the Nano but its improved bass presence is quite audible.

Howver, after listening to it for awhile, I still prefer the Edition XS for $150 less. The Nano looks nice and its new tuning makes the Ananda a welcome addition to their lineup, but it still remains on the bright side in a way that I find fatiguing after awhile, which is not my experience with the XS.

For those looking for a flagship sound on a budget, the XS is fairly bare bones in its design, but it’s still extraordinarily comfortable, and it sounds like it costs a hell of a lot more. Given its accessible price, I’ve given it as a gift a number of times, and I doubt I’ll ever part ways with mine—it’s my flagship-sounding portable that I’m comfortable throwing in my bag and taking everywhere! I use it with my iFi xDSD Gryphon as a travel setup that allows me to take an approximation of my desktop setup on the road.