comfort between HD800S and LCD-X. A decent Utopia alternative for thinner wallets. Just beautiful. The bass is clear and not overblown, providing a distinct pool of frequencies that really come alive. The device is designed in a way that allows sound to go out through the back of the ear cups, which usually have vents or perforations. It has the same suspension headband design, large tear-shape ear cups, and an all-black color scheme. Basically a darker planar HD6X0, with equally closed-in staging and lacking the final resolving edge. If we class everything here as "upper mid tier" or whatever you want to bracket them as, do you have much experience of the lower tiers price wise? Vocals, guitars, bass and drums nicely balanced. The IEM boi dips his toes into the world of headphones. The DAPs I have tested are the Hidis AP80 Pro-X, Hiby R3 Saber, Hiby New R6, Fiio M11 Pro, Sony ZX-507, and the highest tier the AK 2000T. When I first got to hear the Meze Elite I knew it was going to be special. One of the few Stax electrets out there. Focal Clear MG vs HiFiMan Arya. I cant believe the sound stage. Excellent headphone, especially for a Closed-Back. The soundstage seems smaller, more intimate than with the LCD. Middling technicalities with suppressed upper midrange. An interesting oldschool planar, vastly outpaced by today's market. Extremely nasally vocals and lacks weight in the mids. Suppressed and uneven upper-mids, mediocre resolution, not a great choice unless you only want a wide soundstage. https://www.dropbox.com/s/i1hujciatpwxocb/Audeze LCD-3.pdf, https://www.dropbox.com/s/hqb9zjsvc2nu5zc/Focal Clear.pdf, https://www.dropbox.com/s/nu2bf4le1k87n5v/Hifiman Arya.pdf, https://www.dropbox.com/s/jaj88yzof3pgoly/HEDD Heddphone.pdf. HEDD beautiful clear airy treble. When covered under the manufacturers warranty it is possible to get a replacement in the case of a malfunction. The device sits tightly in place, creating an acoustic seal which reduces background noise and prevents your music from leaking out. Basically this takes the Harman over-ear 2018 target but ignores the bass shelf (and other features below 900hz). For anyone looking for a flagship headphone under $2000, the Arya should probably be near the top of that list. High treble-to-midrange contrast makes things sound shrill and borderline-sibilant. If it's not on the list, it doesn't exist, Crinacles Headphone Ranking List: Public Release. Very nice balance at beginning. The cups themselves are huge, making use of the egg-shaped design that higher end HiFiMAN headphones are known for, and this also means that theres lots of space inside the pads for your ears. Thoroughly enjoyable headphones but they dont disappear like the others. The price of any additional compulsory component (e.g. Highs are more pronounced while low bass tone under singing closer to LCD than Clear. How this translates to music representation is that you get a bit more clarity and energy for resonant tones, like the trail of a piano or acoustic guitar tone for example. This could instead be represented with a traditional diffuse field target, but I dont think anyone actually wants their headphones to sound like that, so Im omitting that one for now. The HiFiMan Arya are somewhat better headphones for neutral sound than the HiFiMan Sundara 2018. But with that said, the Aryas layering, depth, and image separation capabilities make it stand out a bit in this regard, along with a tonality thats more optimal for image clarity and detail presentation. Shouty and thin-sounding, though surprisingly competent imaging ability. Good tuning but unfortunately weird pad shape that makes it hard to get the proper bass response. Treble daggers applied directly into ear. A lower weight is also an advantage for home appliances, as it makes transportation easier, and for many other types of products. One note seems more noticeable but not as much as on Arya. Mark knows how to make his guitar sing. Ever so slight brightness approaching sibilance. Nice snare drums. Archived post. Fit, isolation, durability, build quality etc. Stealth drivers have made a significant impact this year, with the Dan Clark Stealth starting this trend. Clear bass has slightly more weight. LCD nice weight to rolling thunder. Create an account at checkout or register now. Mostly neutral, slight bass lift, highly resolving and natural both in tone and timbre. Focal Clear Mg The HiFiMan Arya are better headphones for neutral sound than the Focal Clear Mg. The open-back models from Focal are always a triumph, but the Clear has always possessed a unique character. More battery power can be an indication of longer battery life. Slight sibilance. Mostly neutral/flat tuning with an ever-so-slight tilt towards warmth. Nice bass weight. Mids are LUSH. Natalies vocals are nicely balanced with instruments. The usual "Foster biodyna dynamics" are at play here, with a somewhat fatiguing treble spike. I need help picking between the two and wanted to ask anyone who has heard both what your decision making process is like when comparing dynamic headphones to planar like this? The higher the high-frequency response, the clearer and crispier the treble. Even better. These two headphones seem to have decent soundstage as well as great imaging, also capable for music But I want to know the difference between the two. Bass slightly emphasized. Theyve also found a way to make these headphones incredibly lightweight too, as wearing them for long hours feels like a breeze. Midrange is too forward making bass sound weak. The device's battery life (when in use) as given by the manufacturer. Piano and strings are nice. This may be due to the elongated cup shape that causes the pads to not fully seal around the head - since they protrude down towards the jaw - and in general I dont find any of HiFiMANs egg-shaped headphones to have much for punch and slam either. Nothing comes close anywhere near this (admittedly high) price point. Devices with a higher sound pressure level are generally louder when supplied with any given audio source. : Worth the price (MSRP) Only those with a grade of C or above are considered for their first star. Discontinued models are not eligible.: Redefines the price bracket: Worth the Blind Needs to be eligible for at least a rating before can be considered. Discontinued models may still be considered. Classic Audeze combo of solid resolution with a confusing lack of upper midrange. While not as sturdy feeling as the Audeze LCD-X, the HiFiMAN Arya feels reasonably well-built. HEDD less bass weight than others. The pads look like toilet plungers. The device sits tightly in place, creating an acoustic seal which reduces background noise and prevents your music from leaking out. Clean, open sound reminsicent of the HD800, with a bit of midbass bloat and upper midrange shoutiness. I'm used to my 6xx not even noticing it on my head. The HiFiMan have a planar magnetic transducer, which some users may prefer, can deliver bass and treble more consistently, and can reproduce a bit more low-bass. But when speaking with Dr. Fang Bian earlier this year he assured me that while the curve may have changed ever so slightly, the general sound should be the same. These stealth magnets allow signals to pass through the planar driver without creating any significant noise or interference, and thats what makes these headphones extraordinarily clean in their response. Kind of a "nothing headphone"; not the worst thing in the world but no praises either. In the past Ive called the Arya the planar equivalent to the Sennheiser HD800s, and I think thats still true. A slightly more balanced version of the old DT770. The drivers are mounted to metal and framed by the wood cup. Nice rim shots. 104dB/mW vs 90dB/mW; Can be folded? A Very nice, balanced review that fully mirrors my impressions. More air/reverb in voice. 3-way shootout; Focal Clear vs Hifiman Arya vs Focal Stellia. Nice tonality. Local to Denver Tech Center (80237). One of the original Lambda models, and arguably the best tuned of the Lambda-styled Staxes. Ideal for plane rides and morning commutes. a first number of 6 denotes that it is completely dustproof, and a second number of 7 denotes that the device can withstand full immersion in water. But, the important thing to note about the HiFiMAN Arya is that it uses magnets on both sides of the diaphragm. The construction comments are accurate; built quality pales in comparison to, say, my Focal Clear MG Professional headphones. That also includes the E & F ranks. Similarly tuned to the SR-X, albeit with a much more blunted presentation. Most of the headphones in this list are determined based off demo units from shops. The device is designed in a way that allows sound to go out through the back of the ear cups, which usually have vents or perforations. Bonhams drums a little nasty. a first number of 6 denotes that it is completely dustproof, and a second number of 7 denotes that the device can withstand full immersion in water. Foldable devices are easier to transport and take up less storage space. Typical cheaply-made headphone that's all bass with zero technical ability. But the LCD-X wins on punch and slam, so I think it really depends on what youre looking for. Dull finger snaps. A planar that comes unnervingly close estat speed, but not quite. The Utopia has an extra helping of clarity and soundstage realism to my ear. The HEDDphones and their clear airy treble shine on this acoustic song. The headphone that the elites love to hate isn't that bad. My work on measurements is separate from my reviewing work. The lower the low-frequency response, the stronger and juicier the bass. Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh. Sounds as if the ANC is trying to cancel out its own sound. The typical mainstream V-shape response with middling technicalities. Headphones and Headphone Amplifier Reviews Headphone & IEM Reviews & Discussions Hifiman Arya Review (headphone) amirm Nov 4, 2021 Rate this headphone: 1. In fact, this new 3rd version offers a significantly different experience according to my ears, and it makes the Arya a different headphone altogether. It takes me 5 minutes to measure a headphone, you honestly think I dont have time to listen to it as well? As a gaming headphone, possibly the best technically though with the usual pitfalls of the Audeze house sound. Sonically identical between 404 and 404LE. Lots of bass bloat, way too thick-sounding and lacking definition. Add to that an agreeable tonality and frequency response, and this is probably the headphone that I would personally choose at this price. The tonality for both is fairly similar, with the Arya having a bit more energy in the lower treble, and then also a bit more in the air region above 12khz. Feels like an attempt at Harman but ultimately missing the mark in the midrange tuning. When comparing it to the Ananda for example, the Ananda almost sounds a bit muddied and run together by contrast, even though its also an excellent headphone. A classic example of a highly resolving yet wonky sounding headphone. Nice thunder. How do I possibly pick between the two? 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