Bravo Six, Going STEALTH - HiFiMAN Arya Stealth V3 vs V2 Comparison

--- Featured: ---
- Arya Stealth (FREE APOS CABLE): apos.audio/products/hifiman-a...
- Arya Stealth (Open-Box, use SPECIAL99 code for $99 off): store.hifiman.com/index.php/a...
- Arya V2: store.hifiman.com/index.php/a...
- Apos Flow Cable XLR (for Arya, Sundara, Ananda, etc): apos.audio/products/apos-flow...
- Flow Cable Pentaconn: apos.audio/products/apos-flow...
- Flow Cable 1/4 inch Single-Ended: apos.audio/products/apos-flow...
Yes I know, a lot of links haha. Well I had just about given up hope for the Arya line but lo and behold, in comes the Stealth! I hope this video helps your purchasing decision. Thanks for tuning in!
Don't forget to check out the Patreon:
- Patreon: www.patreon.com/user?u=31412837
** I am an Apos Audio Associate, as well as an Amazon Associate. Clicking on these links and buying from them helps the channel out. Thanks! **
--- Top 5 Headphones of All-Time! ---
* Sennheiser HD600/6XX (Neutrality Benchmark, My Reference; My Favorite HP of All-Time)*
- (HD600 2019 Revision) Amazon: amzn.to/2IUuUtN
- (HD600 Original Version) Amazon: amzn.to/36YJrgv
- (HD6XX) Drop: drop.com/buy/massdrop-sennhei...
* Sennheiser HD800/s (High-End Detail, GRANDNESS)*
- HD800s (Amazon): amzn.to/2USV02V
- HD800 (eBay): www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from...
** HiFiMAN Sundara (HD600 - HD800 Love-Child) **
- (2020 Newest Revision) Apos Audio: apos.audio/products/hifiman-s...
** AudioTechnica M40X (The only closed-back I actually like, but actually a great deal) **
- Amazon: amzn.to/35QilsD
** AKG K7XX (Multimedia Comfort Kings) **
- eBay: www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from...
- Lucid Dreaming by | e s c p | escp-music.bandcamp.com
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[@nuckinfut7]

Regardless of flare, you do the best job reviewing headphones for the regular consumer. Not too complicated, concise, easy descriptions. Thank you

[@thunderstar254]

Tyvm for the excellent comparison review! Very informative and helpful 🙂

[@WillieBloom]

Thanks for this review! It helped me a lot! I too have the THX AAA 789 and the IFI Signature DAC/amp. I own the Ananda but I want to kick to the next level with the famous and super popular Arya. Your review touched on all the important questions and aspects of the headphones. Great stuff. Huge thumbs up!

[@soulfulfool]

dont know IFI amps but THX is not good imo for Arya, pure class A amps is the way or good quality tube amps (also class A), I own Arya V2 its lovely but you need to calm her down with a proper amp 👍

[@mensrea1251]

Great comparison. I think you did something like this for the v1 vs v2 as well. There's a lot of curiosity out there about the differences among the Aryas, but surprisingly few reviewers have bothered to do an in-depth analysis as you have. Valor did one when the stealth first came out, doing a comparison between v1 and stealth.

[@Sunnshineforever]

Great review..something interesting in this video is super binaural effect as it sounds like water dripping from a window-sill approx 4 feet in front of me slightly off to the left..that's so cool..

[@timothyfreeseha4056]

Yes. I'll echo the comment made below. Great presentation. Interesting points. Entertaining. You do a great job

[@PioloAskal2009]

Great review! Hope you do one for the Ananda Stealth as well. They say it refines the Ananda and makes it closer to the Arya.

[@chuckolatte600]

Oh wow. That'd be great!

[@MyNameJim]

Can we see a V1 vs V3 comparison? Wondering if it’s worth scoring a lower priced older version over a higher priced stealth version

[@adriankarlstad8273]

wait, at the end, you are comparing how they sound different with different single-ended cables? I get that running them balanced may alter the sound in some cases, but i cant understand how one single-ended cable should sound different than another single-ended cable...

[@nick62876]

the arya v2 is a little bright in th treble region, a simple pad change for th dekoni elite hybrid pads makes a massive difference . thse pads tone down the treble and makes thm so sweet .

[@KennyChiam]

@chuckolatte Thanks for comparing both of the Aryas. I have the V3 Stealth edition. and I love it! Im glad i got the V3. I am anticipating your next comparison of the Arya V3 and the Arya Organic? haha. Thanks again !

[@chuckolatte600]

Nice! I may in the near future!

[@nick62876]

How far do you think the Arya' v2 will scale as for quality/price of amp and DAC ? Great review thank you for taking the time to help us folk

[@chuckolatte600]

I see the Arya reaching their peak with some serious gobs of power. Someone recommended a class A discrete amplifier, while I've been recommending the iFi Signature with the Arya

[@DasSigma660]

My arya stealth looks different from yours. Mines looks more like the v2 (thinner grill). but when I shine a flash light through them I see the 3 rings on the magnet, green tint, and similar shaped magnets on both inside and outside of the driver. So It looks like I got the new stealth drivers in the old v2 chassis, or maybe they just gave me the wrong grills. hopefully there's no sound difference.

[@allenrachal]

There definitely is. I bought the stealth and the first time they sent them they looked like the one in the video. They had a more open airy sound to it because the mesh they used is more open and see thru than the V2 look. Things sounded more surround and taller for sure. My first pair had issues so I was sent the second ones which looks like the V2 but I can see the thinner magnets thru the mesh but barely because the mesh is not as see through. The second pair sounds more forward and engaging. I think it has better punch and dynamics because of it. But I think I liked the airy open sound better tbh. The second pair doesn't sound bright and detailed as the first pair did at least to my ears. It sounds more congested and hard to hear highs.

[@DasSigma660]

@allenrachal thanks for that. I ended up returning mine. I got them on Amazon, and I just thought I that was sold a fake or an irregular version. I'm going to get the arya organic next directly from hifiman when I get the money.

[@CJDilag]

I have the v2 and pair it with the iDSD Signature. Tried the stealth and did notice some refinements especially with detail retrieval and resolution but still prefer the v2.

[@soulfulfool]

I bought V2 open box for 1000$ cant wait to get them, got great balanced cable for them so I hope they will deliver big time

[@diana73654]

same here

[@soulfulfool]

@@diana73654 love them, not even interested in stealth version

[@nick62876]

@@diana73654 try the dekoni elite pads life changing for the v2s

[@Kryoxys]

I recently received these. The shipping box said Arya V2 but the inside box containing the product said "Stealth Magnet Design". They have the V2 grills instead of the wider/thicker V3 grills but the magnet inside is actually the stealth magnet design. They are still askew and it has the 3 rings on the right driver. I wonder if they had manufacture issues with the V3 grills and went back to the V2 design. Sadly, mine are going back since the left diaphragm makes a loud noise when handling them or moving certain ways. The right does not have this issue.

[@chuckolatte600]

Oof, I'm sorry to hear that. Thankfully my Arya Stealth have been beautiful performers since day one

[@Kryoxys]

@@chuckolatte600 HIFIMAN replaced my headphones without question with a new pair. The new pair also had the V2 grills but you can see it's the V3 stealth magnet. They confirmed that the newer ones have a different window shade (grill) than early releases. Aesthetically the grill and the speakers now line up as well. Very happy with them so far.

[@sirturtlewm5633]

I can vouch to this, my newly arrived Arya stealth (Although I didn't buy from HiFiMan directly) does have V2 small grills instead of large grills. The magnet inside is definitely stealth with green hue coating, tilted arrangement from the grill lines and 3 green ring on the top right of the right driver. It is a little bid unfortunate since I personally think that the thicker grill from early batch of stealth looks better than V2 grill aesthetically speaking.

[@pr3t]

I want one!

[@olegneftianikov6267]

I like all models of HIFIMAN headphobes.Tell me please:whish model has more bass and punch for listening to heavy rock music ? Or better Focal Clean MG ?. Thank Y

[@chuckolatte600]

Out of the two the Focals might have the slightly stronger slam but the Arya Stealth will offer deeper bass

[@marcob.7801]

Totally agree about cable changes! I've had the V2 for close to 3 years now and I am convinced there are differences in the entire chain and I believe the MOST change came from a Fog City Cable, balanced XLR (which uses 22 awg Mogami copper as opposed to Periapt's 24 gauge {not sure if they use Mogami}). I used in conjunction with a Violectric V281 HP amplifier. Comparing the differences after multiple A/B listens of my music source which were primarily CD's (played on an Oppo BDP 105 D with Sabre Dac 32),... that I know by "rote,"... the Fog City Vs. the Periapt was MOST impressive. I am NOT a cable believer guy. I was just seeking a little more bass from the V2's and my experience told me from guitar amps and multiple living room setups that the thicker the cable (stick w/ oxygen free copper NOT silver which imparts more "brightness"), usually the more of what appears (at least psycho-acoustically to me) to be an increase in the 15/10/5hz and so on,...up to mid bass regions! Actually, I know this is supposed to be pure hogwash, as is burning in of tubes and headphones, etc. but, I have experienced this "improvement of performance" too many times NOT to be a believer in same! With the Fog City Cables (made by a guy named Patrick in San Francisco who happens to be a most obliging and informed fellow, BTW)...there is a most perceptible difference across the entire audible spectrum! They are approximately twice the cost of the Periapt's (which I used to swear by after seeing Z's & Joshua's YT videos) but, I honestly believe you get more than twice the performance AND take delivery in half the time with the Fog City. I got an 11.5 foot with a 45 degree XLR connector to alleviate strain as I let my cable hang down from my Violectric which is across from my comfy leather listening chair! Try checking them out Chuckolatte!

[@jasonmelo9379]

There's no possible way the bass can be different because of the shape of the magnets. The wavelengths are simply too large to be affected by them.

[@felix6815]

which headphone would be the best of both also for gaming?

[@chuckolatte600]

I'd say the V2 might be a tad better for gaming because it has the slightly wider soundstage. However, neither of these would be my primary pick for playing games...

[@felix6815]

​@@chuckolatte600 thanks for the response, currently i own the sennheiser hd800s, the arya v2 would be a improve or are they on par?

[@GSwiftty]

@@felix6815 for gaming HD800S is the best u will ever get. Aryas are not that great for gaming that is. Got both.

[@Mr.Manson]

Bro I used to play as a kid with $30 headphones and did more than good. I wouldn't worry about it that much.

[@allenrachal]

I've got a K7XX, harmonicdyne Poseidon, He560 v4 and Arya stealth. At this point, just pick a headphone cuz they are all great for listening for footsteps.

[@josha8715]

yeah i knew i was getting a good deal getting the v2 half off!

[@Ezees23]

That NeoMusica cable is too thin and doesn't have the meaty bass as some other aftermarket cables like Hart, Periapt, and other. I have the Neo (but don't use it anymore), and it's made every HP sound more lean in the bass. Plus, the Stealths need time to burn/play in - about ~75 hours at least. IMO of course and YMMV.....

[@chuckolatte600]

Yeah not a huge fan of the neomusica either. I use it with my custom XLR BAL cable. And I've been using the Stealth for more than 75 hours now lol, 100% worth every penny

[@David-fo6oy]

My grandma had a Sony Walkman with a small set of headphones, you know the kind, with the foam on them and the thin metal yoke. She left them to me in her will. I wired up those set of phones to run balanced. I plugged them into me Burson soloist and guess what? They sounded like shit. Literally, like shit coming out of a dogs ass on a cold February morning just after a light snow. Then I thought, why did I do all that wiring, when I have a fine set of v2 Aryas. They don’t sound like shit coming out of a dogs ass. Amen.

[@josha8715]

the v3 lost a large amount of soundstage and imaging according to other reviews. like i said im glad to have v2

[@Ezees23]

No, not at all. Those impressions came from people who did first impressions fresh out of the box. After about ~75 hours the V2 and Stealths have virtually the same stage size - except the Stealths have better imaging and timbre out of the box compared to the V2.

[@G-O-A-M]

too bad, i really liked the review until the "the cable makes a difference"-part. A cable should not change the sound

[@killerra]

Man lost me at that part lmao, I thought he was the chosen one

[@chuckolatte600]

@@killerra You're right...it absolutely should NOT change the sound. Too bad it does...

[@HansProbs]

yup, when every reviewer out there can hear differences in cables…you know its real. its just like a better antenna for your tv, picks up more frequencies for better or worse

[@soulfulfool]

biggest difference you can easily hear is from amp, cables can help amp to push that glorious energy and thats most definitely worth the money

[@mensrea1251]

What's the point of sounding like a petulant teenager? If you don't believe in cables, then just say so and provide reasons. It's almost always the pseudo experts who've read a third each of a half dozen articles who end up being the most vocal about a subject they're not even remotely qualified to opine on. Just stick with ASR and be content among your brainwashed next of kin.