Meze 109 Pro vs. Hifiman Arya Organic:Which Open-Back Headphones for Build, Comfort, and Sound

[PurpleCobra]

Alright, audiophiles!

I'm torn between the Meze 109 Pro and the Hifiman Arya Organic for my next open-back adventure.

Let's put the price aside for a moment, I'm more curious about how these two stack up on build quality, comfort, and, of course, sound!

Which would you pick and why? Other recommendations?

I plan to pair my chosen headphones with a Woo Audio WA7 Gen2 tube amp.

Any thoughts or insights would be awesome!

 

[geek707]

Planar vs. dynamic. Have you experimented with that?
Hifiman has a very nice Black Friday sale going on.
How sensitive are you to weight? The 109 is very comfortable, and a couple of oz lighter than the Hifiman.

 

[dunring]

The Arya Stealth are my favorite Hifiman and had them all except the too bright he1000 and Susvara after seeing distortion measurements. My daily driver is the Edition XS because 200 beans on sale at AliExpress was too good to pass up. The Arya has the best build quality, and the ski style headband is really comfortable. It distributes the weight really well.
Just buy direct from them or an authorized dealer so they are covered by warranty. Theres fly by nights on AliExpress that aren't covered.

 

[PurpleCobra]

Planar vs. dynamic. Have you experimented with that?
Hifiman has a very nice Black Friday sale going on.
How sensitive are you to weight? The 109 is very comfortable, and a couple of oz lighter than the Hifiman.

I've primarily experienced dynamic drivers in my headphones, but I've heard a lot of positive things about the HIFIMAN sound.
I’m just wondering how the quality and durability

 

[PurpleCobra]

The Arya Stealth are my favorite Hifiman and had them all except the too bright he1000 and Susvara after seeing distortion measurements. My daily driver is the Edition XS because 200 beans on sale at AliExpress was too good to pass up. The Arya has the best build quality, and the ski style headband is really comfortable. It distributes the weight really well.
Just buy direct from them or an authorized dealer so they are covered by warranty. Theres fly by nights on AliExpress that aren't covered.

Oh wow, thanks for the advice. How reliable has Hifiman been for you, any QC issues? I know Meze 109 are easy to maintenance which is another plus. I wish I had a music store near by to test them out.

 

[csch92]

try them both if you can by your self.
i would call the 109 a baby edition XS in a good way. also the comfort is miles better

 

[PurpleCobra]

try them both if you can by your self.
i would call the 109 a baby edition XS in a good way. also the comfort is miles better

I wish I had the chance to test them myself, but unfortunately, there’s no audio store near me. If the 109s are the "baby edition," XD. Would you say the Arya Organics blow them away in comparison?

 

[csch92]

it depends. some say the 109 pro sound as good as 1000+ headphones but some dislike them. but i can say i really really enjoy them. that's the great thing about the hobby, everyone has different tastes for Audio. and if you want to save some cash and you want a Headphone that last you many years just go for the 109. hifiman are simply known for a "bad" quality control.

 

[Blindranger]

I have the 109 and the Arya Stealth. The Arya is my first HFM and planar headphone so I don’t have an extensive knowledge base, that said my Aryas get more ear time than my 109s. I think the biggest difference between them is how sensitive the 109s are, even on the lowest gain settings I barely turn my big amps passed 8-9 o’clock. That said the synergy between my 109 and Mojo2 is epic. The Arya has stronger technical abilities but the 109 is more fun. Honestly if I was forced to keep only one I’m not sure which would make the cut.

 

[PurpleCobra]

I have the 109 and the Arya Stealth. The Arya is my first HFM and planar headphone so I don’t have an extensive knowledge base, that said my Aryas get more ear time than my 109s. I think the biggest difference between them is how sensitive the 109s are, even on the lowest gain settings I barely turn my big amps passed 8-9 o’clock. That said the synergy between my 109 and Mojo2 is epic. The Arya has stronger technical abilities but the 109 is more fun. Honestly if I was forced to keep only one I’m not sure which would make the cut.

Thank you for the comment. It’s a tough call, comparing build, quality and longevity would you say 109 are better choice? Have you experience any QC issues with your Aryas? Do you find the 109’s to be more comfortable. I appreciate the feedback. Unfortunately I have to buy blind.

 

[Blindranger]

The 109s are the most comfortable headphones I have ever owned but the Aryas aren’t bad at all. I’d say the build quality is better on the 109s for sure. Based on the Hifiman QC issues I’ve heard about I bought mine on Amazon to streamline the return process but mine have been flawless.

 

[ryder78]

This thread got me interested although I'm primarily looking at the higher range Hifiman models particularly the Arya Unveiled, HE1000 Stealth and HE1000 SE. As everyone knows, sound quality is the predominant factor although looks and build quality are equally important for some or most people. I prefer the looks of the Arya Unveiled to all other Hifiman designs including all costlier HE1000 variants.

The Meze 109 Pro looks great to me, and if it sounds close to the Arya Organic or perhaps the Arya Unveiled or HE1000, the choice is clear. Nevertheless, I read some comments on Reddit that most prefer the sound quality of the Arya to the 109 Pro. I'm not sure which version of the Arya though, Stealth or Organic.

 

[JamieOS]

I can't speak in regards to the Arya Organic, but I've had Arya V2s and V3 (Stealth) and have 109 Pros. As far as comfort, both are really good, the 109s being the most comfortable headphone I've ever tried (even better than my old Meze Elites). Build quality, Meze all the way. Much more premium feeling and they are better for spare parts and repair. My 109s had a slight knock coming from the headband and Meze arranged a courier to collect them and deliver them again after repairing them, all for free. 2 of the 3 Hifimans I've ever owned had QC issues, but I bought them off Amazon so I just returned them. As for the sound, both are fantastic. The Aryas are a little more Analytical sounding and the Mezes are more fun sounding. If my job was to sit down and analyze music and critique it, Aryas have a bit of an edge. If my job was to sit down, listen to music and just enjoy it and bop my head along to it, 109 Pros.

One note on the sound that was really important for me. Planars are known for having excellent bass extension. The Aryas definitely do, but the bass doesn't sort of thump as hard. The 109 Pros have exceptional extension for a dynamic driver, but they have a really nice weight to the bass too that dynamics are great at.

 

[csch92]

The bass is really great on the 109 for being an open back + its warmer sound helps alot in the bass region. I had rhe sundara before the 109 and the sundara started to sound cold which i didn't like anymore

 

[geek707]

The 109 is a very comfortable, dynamic headphone. I feel it's more comfortable than Sennheiser 800 or 800s for example. Very nice looking to.
I have no experience with the Arya. I do prefer the planar sound, and use Audeze headphones, which are heavy, BTW.
You have mentioned listening to the Meze, buy the Arya and make sure of the return policy, try them and go from there.