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New headphones - Hifiman Arya Stealth Magnet

Brian Hall

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I noticed Amazon had these on sale for $649 and wanted to see how they compared to my Sennheiser HD800S

First set I received last Friday had no sound on the right side. Ordered another set and returned the bad ones. I received another set today and these work great.

I'm impressed and think I have a new favorite set of headphones. Better bass than the HD800S. Soundstage not quite as wide, but close. Everything I have listened to sounds perfect.

Just as easy to drive as the HD800S.

Clamping pressure is just right. Halfway between the HD650 (too much) and the HD800S (too little). Very comfortable and they don't feel heavy at all.

The cable that comes with them sucks. Too stiff. Ordered a better one that will be here Wednesday.
 
Hope you are liking your Hifiman Arya, Brian. What replacement cable did you order?

I have ordered the same headphone through Amazon, for 659 euros, and it should arrive tomorrow. My excitement is going through the roof.
Actually, I also have the Sennheiser HD800S and I think it is an incredible headphone. The immersive soundstage and clarity works great with gaming and various type of music. I would love to have a tad more bass in songs like Money For Nothing from Dire Straits. But, with Animals from Martin Garrix, I would say there is just enough amount of bass for me to enjoy the song. It might be mine taste and not a flaw of HD800S. I wonder if the Arya is going to fill in that gap. The Arya is not a replacement though, the HD800S is a keeper.

I have ordered the Hifiman Arya Stealth Magnet due to its jack of all trades, master of none capabilities and I also want to try a Planar headphone.
The stock cable is too short, I need 3 meters since I prefer to lay down on the couch listening to Classical, Jazz and Americana music.
 
Hope you are liking your Hifiman Arya, Brian. What replacement cable did you order?

I have ordered the same headphone through Amazon, for 659 euros, and it should arrive tomorrow. My excitement is going through the roof.
Actually, I also have the Sennheiser HD800S and I think it is an incredible headphone. The immersive soundstage and clarity works great with gaming and various type of music. I would love to have a tad more bass in songs like Money For Nothing from Dire Straits. But, with Animals from Martin Garrix, I would say there is just enough amount of bass for me to enjoy the song. It might be mine taste and not a flaw of HD800S. I wonder if the Arya is going to fill in that gap. The Arya is not a replacement though, the HD800S is a keeper.

I have ordered the Hifiman Arya Stealth Magnet due to its jack of all trades, master of none capabilities and I also want to try a Planar headphone.
The stock cable is too short, I need 3 meters since I prefer to lay down on the couch listening to Classical, Jazz and Americana music.
Really can't understate how much you would benefit from trying EQ with your headphones. Especially if you are just looking to tweak the bass levels

 
Really can't understate how much you would benefit from trying EQ with your headphones. Especially if you are just looking to tweak the bass levels

For sure, yes. The only thing I would want is indeed a little more bass. However, I am a -keep the tuning as intended- kind of guy.
I started the head-fi journey with the Sennheiser HD560S. I do have used Oratory1990 settings on my RME ADI-2 (FS) on this headphone as I didn't like the stock sound. It did sound great with EQ. Now it is paired with the Chord Mojo 2 while traveling for work. I stay in hotels 2-3 days a week.

With the HD800S though, I immediately fell in love with its sonic capabilities and refused to alter its stock sound.
It is paired with the RME ADI-2 (FS), no EQ. The only adjustment I did was changing the filter from SD Sharp to Sharp as I liked the wider soundstage (SD sharp felt narrow). If the Arya is as good as many people claim it is, it might replace the HD560S as my travel headphone and for EDM and modern Pop while at home.
 
Hope you are liking your Hifiman Arya, Brian. What replacement cable did you order?

I have ordered the same headphone through Amazon, for 659 euros, and it should arrive tomorrow. My excitement is going through the roof.
Actually, I also have the Sennheiser HD800S and I think it is an incredible headphone. The immersive soundstage and clarity works great with gaming and various type of music. I would love to have a tad more bass in songs like Money For Nothing from Dire Straits. But, with Animals from Martin Garrix, I would say there is just enough amount of bass for me to enjoy the song. It might be mine taste and not a flaw of HD800S. I wonder if the Arya is going to fill in that gap. The Arya is not a replacement though, the HD800S is a keeper.

I have ordered the Hifiman Arya Stealth Magnet due to its jack of all trades, master of none capabilities and I also want to try a Planar headphone.
The stock cable is too short, I need 3 meters since I prefer to lay down on the couch listening to Classical, Jazz and Americana music.

I ordered this cable to use at my desk.

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I noticed Amazon had these on sale for $649 and wanted to see how they compared to my Sennheiser HD800S

First set I received last Friday had no sound on the right side. Ordered another set and returned the bad ones. I received another set today and these work great.

I'm impressed and think I have a new favorite set of headphones. Better bass than the HD800S. Soundstage not quite as wide, but close. Everything I have listened to sounds perfect.

Just as easy to drive as the HD800S.

Clamping pressure is just right. Halfway between the HD650 (too much) and the HD800S (too little). Very comfortable and they don't feel heavy at all.

The cable that comes with them sucks. Too stiff. Ordered a better one that will be here Wednesday.
Hello You can tell me,

I have many headphones and the only one I can stand in comfort is the HD800S

Can you tell me if the Arya is as comfortable?

Doesn't it keep your ears too warm?

because the 800S lets you breathe well! the Arya too??
 
Hello You can tell me,

I have many headphones and the only one I can stand in comfort is the HD800S

Can you tell me if the Arya is as comfortable?

Doesn't it keep your ears too warm?

because the 800S lets you breathe well! the Arya too??

The Arya is very slightly tighter than the hd800s, but still very comfortable. I wish the hd800s was the same tightness as the Arya.
 
For sure, yes. The only thing I would want is indeed a little more bass. However, I am a -keep the tuning as intended- kind of guy.
Just curious (and not trolling/telling you what to do!) but if there was a button on the side of the headphones which toggled between the current tuning and one with a "tad more bass", would you press it? It seems to me that the lack of sufficient bass on a lot of headphones (the HD600S, in my case) is an opinionated design decision on behalf of the manufacturer, rather than their attempt to match an arguable more "accurate" curve. I couldn't tell you why they do this. Maybe I'm just used to headphones (such as the HD660S) which sound absolutely terrible without EQ!
 
The Arya is very slightly tighter than the hd800s, but still very comfortable. I wish the hd800s was the same tightness as the Arya.
Thank you and a new feeling of warmth?

it's the most critical for me, which made me sell all my headphones except the 800S

The Arya doesn't give the feeling of warmth in the ears? because it is a little tighter as you say
 
Thank you and a new feeling of warmth?

it's the most critical for me, which made me sell all my headphones except the 800S

The Arya doesn't give the feeling of warmth in the ears? because it is a little tighter as you say

No, they feel like the HD800S.
 
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