HiFiMan Arya Stealth Review - Planar Excellence

[@jessechui]

The steak analogy at 13:10 - it’s one of the best analogies I’ve heard in the many headphone and audio equipment reviews I’ve read and listened to. Thanks for the helpful and thorough review!

[@RemitheDreamfox]

The way you explained it was very different than everyone else I've seen so far. Thank you for the great review :D

[@Sim-Stig]

I cannot thank you enough for sharing upgraded pads. I too love these headphones, but the comfort is horrendous. I appreciate the recommendation. Keep up the great videos!

[@fastguitars4380]

The mystery is......HOW did Fang's engineers dial into the ARYA V3 a warmer, fuller, tone, that also offers more clarity than the previous Arya's. ????? Even the V3's Treble is evolved into a beautiful clarity that isn't etched . The reality is, this gear sounds like no other Hifiman that has come from the HE1000 linage. Its really really good.

[@GadgetryTech]

The stealth magnet tech is no joke. They seem to keep refining it with each iteration.

[@fastguitars4380]

@@GadgetryTech I've owned every headphone that costs more then $299 and not more then $6000. Ive owned or own all the HD1000s, and that SE you like, is very good. Sounds much different then the ARYA V3. So, after owning all the Flagships, ....all of them, i went back in time and bought the Stealth again, as i had traded "up" for the Meze Liric, which was a mistake., as the Liric is great but it has too much bass... Its just a bit too much...... But, i had to know. I had to know how all headphones sound, including the FLAG--ships and i have owned them all, or still do. The Arya V3, is a very fine headphone. It's worth its price., absolutely.

[@GadgetryTech]

@@fastguitars4380 it’s always nice to hear a first hand perspective with that kind of experience. I definitely stand by with what I said in that if you could only have one Hifi headphone, the Arya v3 has to be one of the best you can get. Especially for the price.

[@musicxxa6678]

@@fastguitars4380 What do you think about v2?

[@AliArghavan]

I tried all Dekoni earpads. Unfortunately all of them killed too much of the eargain (upper-mid - treble). So none of them was as good as the stock pads to my ears

[@GadgetryTech]

Pretty great then if you really enjoy the stock pads! Everyone has a different preference on what's perfect for them, so it's good to have options.

[@crate718]

today I ordered He 400i from amazon. it will my first plainer headphone i am so excited

[@GadgetryTech]

That’s an amazing headphone! You’ll be blown away!

[@crate718]

@@GadgetryTech they are amazing and extremely power hungry. I got it on high gain 80% up. On the sound blaster G6 They are just as amazing as hd 560s n dt 900 pro x in imaging. I think I bought them used by accident. The top of the headset kinda looks your headset in a smaller scale

[@michaelhunyadi5087]

Ordered the Arya 5 days ago. This is going to be a long couple weeks.

[@raywilliams866]

They're now $899, or $759 refurbished. Would you recommend buying a pair of refurbished headphones directly from the Hifiman store?

[@kona328WH]

In the UK they're 510GBP!

[@dtz1000]

​@@kona328WH Still overpriced compared to Aune AR5000 which is a step up from Arya Stealth imo.

[@paulgross682]

One of the best reviews on Arya SE I have seen. I placed my order but now looking for a good pairing for a portable or transportable DAC/Amp. Do you have a recommendation? Mojo 2, IFI Gryphon or other good pairing?

[@GadgetryTech]

Sorry I didn't respond right away! Not sure if it's too late but I thought I'd chime in just in case. Mojo 2 on the upper end is great pairing. On the more affordable side, the Qudelix-5K is a great option to at least try out. The EQ options on it may really get your Arya dialed in just right! amzn.to/3SnEZOa

[@colingordon0986]

@@GadgetryTechEF 400 would prob be a good desktop paring

[@criptocolorlightstech5292]

joe whats up do these headphones sound better then the hd800s and audeze lcd gx for call of duty?

[@G-O-A-M]

used the Arya Stealth with just the Ifi zen dac, worked good. But bought the Ifi Zen Can Signature HFM extra because i am really sensitive against "s"-vocals and the HFM-Filter helps a lot with it. Really great headphone!

[@GadgetryTech]

I have the Ifi Zen Sig HFM coming as well! Can't wait to see how it compares!

[@Naesun1]

Thinking about getting it a chance, now days, they cost 650$ for the money i think they are great now!

[@jonRock]

I just bought it for $650. I'm hoping I like it. Definitely the most I've ever spent on headphones, and I was looking for a good all-rounder with a better soundstage than the Sundara (the headphone I currently use).

[@jonRock]

@@Naesun1 Just an update. These are endgame for me. They are exactly what I was hoping for, except maybe the comfort. But I'll live with it for this sound quality.

[@phalanxtairoi]

great review picked one up for a 1k the pads take a while to seal around my head tho so looking for replacement pads have u tried all the dekoni ones for the arya? and if so how do they sound?

[@acfzzzzz]

Will you try the organic version? I'm wondering if the organic is worth over the stealth

[@GadgetryTech]

Yup! Review coming soon

[@semtexxl4023]

You can actually exchange the headband from HE1000se to Aryas to make them even better looking. I planning to do so and can't wait to give them a ton of music to play. The “Honeymoon” period with your new headphone is seriously the most thrilling part of the hobby. And from experience only the best can do this trick even after you have them for years. From experience I can vouch the Focal Clear OG, now preparing to Aryas and I have no doubt HD800S will be on my list someday. All 3 are just super good....

[@BigEightiesNewWave]

After Blue Oyster Cult in the 70s and gaming , tests say my hearing in left ear rolls off at about 4700Hz the right is better. T F S and H starting words I hear wrong sometimes.

[@amadismusic_SWORDFISH]

"If everything sounds great but you're concerned about the comfort" but changing the pads will not only change the comfort but the sound as well, and dramatically. So now you could get comfortable but everything does not sound great anymore and as an additional news you just spent 80 bocks gone in the wind. But of course that wouldn't happen to anyone so it's not worth mentioning

[@joshuasterling2144]

Hey quick question. When you open up a new pair of HFM headphones do they handle volume out of the box? My XS's sounded horrible for the first five to ten hours. Every time a bigger bass note hit I would get flutter and buzzing out of the driver. Over time they seemed to energize themselves and now they never break character. I just was wondering if that was a common experience. I have read other people's reviews with similar experiences. They are my favorite headphone now, especially with a nice EQ.

[@GadgetryTech]

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you Josh. These are such large planar drivers that I couldn't push them to that kind of level without the risk of damaging my ears. I did use them for hours on end before really trying to be critical with my listening experience, and I still use them to this day!

[@Ezees23]

It's called: burn-in - and it's got less to do with "brain burn in" as some claim - this is more physical. All HFM's upper models take a while for the drivers to loosen up from their factory-tight conditions. As they play and slightly loosen up they start to texture and "bloom" in the bass, mids gets much more layered and textured, and the treble gets substantially smoother while still imaging like a smooth razor. It can be goosebump inducing if given time.....

[@MertLDN]

Would you say these are the best open back headphones for competitive gaming? I know you love the VZRs but I just can’t wear closed backs as I need to hear my my surroundings in case someone’s calling my name or something

[@GadgetryTech]

This is all assuming you don't need a microphone because you're commenting on the Arya Stealth. Under $300, get the Sennheiser 560S or Beyerdynamic TYGR 300R. Closer to $1k, Meze 109 Pro. $2k ish, the Sennheiser 800S is my top pick, followed by the Arya Stealth. Nothing beyond that is even wort considering for gaming at that point.

[@tamach3ck1]

i dont think meze 109pro is thgat good for gayming,it has very unnatural tonality @@GadgetryTech

[@JagsP95]

0 issues in overwatch, warzone, apex and valorant. They are more than good enough to convey audio cues and the comfort is insane.​@@tamach3ck1

[@skerrus]

Do you or anyone have a dac/amp recommendation for the Arya?

[@jorisconte9180]

Tomorrow comes my Arya to my RME ADI-2 DAC Amp - check that! Can be really great. The best for the Money.

[@AaronTuemler]

@@jorisconte9180 How was your pairing of the RME with the Arya Stealth?

[@jorisconte9180]

@@AaronTuemler, hoi Aaron. 6.3 Jack. There‘s no 4.4 or XLR-Pentacon. But that does not matter. This Dac Amp has plenty of Power (1,5W) and is absolute Noise-free in every Port. And the EQ - just Woww. Brings so much more to the Headphones…

[@Ezees23]

@@jorisconte9180 You should also try a discrete Class A amp and use the RME as the DAC only. Discrete Class A amps and Aryas are a special match, IMO. I have a Gustard H20 w/ upgraded Sparkos and Burson discrete opamps. Class A goodness for the win - no EQ needed......

[@Ezees23]

Midrange DAC from SMSL, Topping, etc - but with a discrete Class A or Class AB amp (Singxer SA-1, Gustard H16, Schiit Jotunheim, Flux FA-10/FA-12, etc). Stay away from IC based amps like the A90 or THX '789 - they don't do the Aryas justice, IMO. Amps matter more than the DAC for the Aryas (past a certain DAC performance threshold, that is - say ~$400).....

[@byversus8227]

what is the right setup for these?

[@mrmrgaming]

I have the LCD-2f from 2016, and they are great, but we always want better. Are these a step up when compared?

[@aco2518]

I actually found the clam to be on the loose end of headphones I've had oddly

[@thomasguillaume5184]

Hey guys, what remplacement cable would you recommend me for the Arya Stealth with a FiiO M11 Plus ess ? Under $200 aud please

[@GadgetryTech]

If you are looking for balanced I’ve been using these on them and they’ve been working pretty well so far. You can always return them if you don’t like them: amzn.to/3R1cbKD

[@thomasguillaume5184]

@@GadgetryTech Awesome, thanks for your time and your reply. They look alright but I would rather prefer a 4.4mm instead of the XLR. Any suggestion ? Is it worth it spending a couples of hundreds for a headphone cable ? Can a average person, non audio specialist, hear the difference ?

[@GadgetryTech]

Honestly I haven't used any other cable outside of my XLR based on what I typically connect it to! I feel I need to research and purchase a 4.4mm set though because I have the iFi Zen Signature HFM edition and I really want to stretch its legs! Let me know if you decide on a particular wire and I'll try to do the same. On the note of price, I'll be honest and say I think more of that cost/gain is placebo and not real fidelity improvements. Going from unbalanced to balanced, sure that can help. But I think the main goal for me when shopping cables is the looks, durability, and feel (even length!). It can be difficult for even a "trained audiophile ear" to hear any difference from swapping cables. Hope that helps, and best of luck!

[@thomasguillaume5184]

@@GadgetryTech Legend. That was a prompt and honest reply, thank again for that man. I made a call out on some other channels to help my case, once I will find the right balanced cable in 4.4 I'll let you know. Cheers bro!

[@Lancelade]

did the fiio M11 plus ess have enough power for your arya stealth ?

[@mregygamer9587]

For gaming specialy rpg open world games and some fps is Arya good at it in terms of soundstage and imaging I am thinking of hd800s too is there a big difference between them ?

[@GadgetryTech]

Sound stage is slightly better on 800S. It's more open sounding, but partly due to the frequency response. The Arya has a better bottom end, so if you want the bass to keep up with the highs, the Arya Stealth is a little better for that.

[@pslsaravanan1338]

Hi sir..I am using Hifiman Edition XS connected with Hifiman balanced cable to the stack of Ifi zen one signature and ifi zen can signature HFM both interconnected with ifi balanced cable. Source of music is Apple iPad and Apple Music connected to the Dac with usb cable. Edition XS sounds amazingly good with this set up at 0db gain. Now can you pls let me know whether for me upgrading to Arya stealth with the same set up will make me feel ‘wow‘ over Edition XS and make an end game purchase of audiophile headphones ?!!! 😊...Your review is amazing and very matured in the way you put out the contents sir... I saw in your replies that you got ifi Dac/ Amp to listen to....so you reply will be the best for me 😊 I do have Fiio M11 plus ess portable player, which also makes the Edition XS to sound as good as ifi stack ... I should even say that the sound stage is better with the Fiio player with a bit lack in detailing compared to ifi stack in driving my XS. Your reply means a lot to me sir. Thank you 😊

[@dtz1000]

I have these and i also have the Aune AR5000. The Arya Stealth is good but the AR5000 is better.

[@afterlifx]

What is it better at? Can you elaborate a bit? Or do you just want to say that you like more the Aune.

[@tonysoprano3138]

Are you for real?

[@BigEightiesNewWave]

I wonder if he could review a hearing aid that looks like an earbud so people might think it's an earbud.

[@chrisasmith75]

This or the Focal Clear OG for my only headphone?

[@SR-gb2te]

Focal clear with mojo 2

[@dtz1000]

I have both and the Arya Stealth is better than the Focal Clear but they do sound very different so you may prefer the Clears. The Aune AR5000 is cheaper and better than both of these though.

[@chrisasmith75]

​@@dtz1000The ar5000 looks incredible.

[@chrisasmith75]

​@dtz1000 Sold my clears for the Arya Stealth. Wish me much. I was never a huge fan of the clears though.

[@Azarios]

​@@chrisasmith75​How do you like the Arya Stealth so far? And did you also get to listen to the AR5000's?

[@itsabodh]

Regardless of price, which one would you get HEKSE or Arya stealth? I am ready to EQ the HEKSE

[@GadgetryTech]

Hey so I thought about this one for a while. Regardless of price, I would still use the HE1000se. If I am listening to music with my top end amp/DAC setup, the HE1000se just brings detail retrieval to another level. The Arya is certainly incredible, but if someone said I could only have one, I'd still run with the HE1KSE.

[@itsabodh]

@@GadgetryTech thanks for the help bud! I agree HEKse is amazing even the Susvara can’t resolve as much. Sadly I bought a open box Susvara and i will stick with it for a while.

[@blejzerosamigos6115]

Nice review, 👍 thanks

[@Ezees23]

I haven't even watched Joe's video presentation - but whatever he says about the Arya Stealth is abso-freaking-lutely true - in my best Marine Corps non-vulgar language. First I bought the he4xx, then Sundara, then Ananda, then the Arya v2 - and I traded the v2 in for the Stealth. Each one was a significant jump up in performance and sound quality. After buying the Ananda, burning it in, and listening to it - I finally got a small shade of what a high-end HP sounded like, but it was just a hint. When I bought the Arya v2, performed a ~100 hour burn in, and powered it properly (they're hard to drive and demand a better than average discrete Class A amp for the best bass and timbre) - it was like the Sun came out for the first time. What the Ananda merely hinted at, the Arya fleshed out and gave levels and layers to. Now with the Stealth being easier to drive, being more dynamic out of the box, with better imaging and layering, and plus better, more natural timbre - I think I'm done for awhile, LOL. Keep in mind that their brand-new, fresh out of the box SQ/presentation may be too lean and bright at first - but after some time of "active" burn-in with either pink noise or bass heavy music, they settle in rather nicely and "bloom" (say about ~75hrs at the least). They're excellent with most genres and if you have a suitable dedicated "discrete" Class A or Class AB amp (I use a Gustard H20) it doesn't need EQ at all. OTOH, if you primarily listen to '80's rock or heavy metal, you still may need a slight bass shelf - those two genres aren't really the Arya's "better" genres (they're still passable though, even through those genres' massive compression artifacts) - but they're game for nearly all others without modification. Hi-Rez music isn't a must, but badly recorded music will not be flowered over very much at all. It'll give you what it gets - garbage in = garbage out. Now, on to the video, LOL. Happy listening folks......

[@peterandersson6762]

My arya stealth is a dream🤘

[@0xVeniVidiVici]

I just picked these up last week! And also the Schiit Hel 2E.

[@GadgetryTech]

How've they been treating you?

[@0xVeniVidiVici]

@@GadgetryTech They've been great! I've been happy with both.

[@BigEightiesNewWave]

$1600 ouch ! I will be waiting awhile then for settlements to hit.😂

[@brianmiller3121]

These cans are on sale for $760 right now on Hifiman

[@exalfisti]

Do you know If they also can sende from an Eu Warehouse to Germany? I would buy them immediately...If Hifiman ist sending from US i have to pay custom...

[@kona328WH]

500 GBP right now

[@darrenpitchford1261]

$650 USD new on Amazon right now.

[@gld3gld3]

Got mine for 600 new 😊