Non-fatiguing planar upgrade/complement: Arya Stealth vs Edition XV vs ROG Kithara

[billo8923]

Hi everyone,

I’d appreciate some advice before I buy something new. My current setup is:

- Sennheiser HD 550: I genuinely love these. They are extremely comfortable, open, natural, and easy to use for long sessions.
- AirPods Pro 3: surprisingly enjoyable for me, especially for ANC and a more punchy/fun sound. Most IEMs have bothered me in the past due to ear-canal pressure and fit, so I am not currently looking at IEMs.
- Creative Sound Blaster G8: used with PC and consoles for gaming and music.

My past headphone experience:

- HiFiMAN HE400se: I liked the planar sound, detail, openness, and bass extension, but I eventually sold them because comfort was not great for me.
- Monolith M1060C: I loved their sound and the large planar presentation, but they were simply too huge and heavy for long-term ownership.
- Sennheiser HD 620S: I liked the sound, but the clamp force and headband pressure hurt after about an hour.

I am not a very analytical listener. I want something enjoyable, slightly warm/full-bodied, with good bass extension and a non-fatiguing treble. I am interested in a large open-back planar experience, but I do not want to buy something that becomes uncomfortable or that I only admire technically without actually using.

The three options available to me are:

- HiFiMAN Arya Stealth: €436, new/open-box
- HiFiMAN Edition XV: €268, new
- ASUS ROG Kithara: €214, new

The Arya Stealth is the one that attracts me most for soundstage, detail, and the “serious planar” experience. However, I am worried it may be too bright or lean for my preferences, and it is the most expensive option.

The Edition XV appeals to me aesthetically and seems to be tuned warmer/smoother, with more note weight and less treble energy. My concern is that some listeners describe it as overly damped or less open/dynamic.
The ROG Kithara seems like an excellent value and would be useful for PC/console gaming because of its microphone and included cables. I understand it is closer to an Edition XS-type presentation: relatively neutral/clear, with good spatial performance, but perhaps less warm and refined than the XV.

Would any of these be a meaningful complement to the HD 550, rather than just another open-back headphone? Given my past which would you choose? Or is the sensible answer to keep the HD 550 and stop chasing novelty for now?

Thanks!

 

[IngMishael]

if you have the 550, why do you need a new headphone? @billo8923

SO yes stop chasing ghosts and enjoy your media with the HD550 and the Airpods

 

[Chagall]

Hi everyone,

I’d appreciate some advice before I buy something new. My current setup is:

- Sennheiser HD 550: I genuinely love these. They are extremely comfortable, open, natural, and easy to use for long sessions.
- AirPods Pro 3: surprisingly enjoyable for me, especially for ANC and a more punchy/fun sound. Most IEMs have bothered me in the past due to ear-canal pressure and fit, so I am not currently looking at IEMs.
- Creative Sound Blaster G8: used with PC and consoles for gaming and music.

My past headphone experience:

- HiFiMAN HE400se: I liked the planar sound, detail, openness, and bass extension, but I eventually sold them because comfort was not great for me.
- Monolith M1060C: I loved their sound and the large planar presentation, but they were simply too huge and heavy for long-term ownership.
- Sennheiser HD 620S: I liked the sound, but the clamp force and headband pressure hurt after about an hour.

I am not a very analytical listener. I want something enjoyable, slightly warm/full-bodied, with good bass extension and a non-fatiguing treble. I am interested in a large open-back planar experience, but I do not want to buy something that becomes uncomfortable or that I only admire technically without actually using.

The three options available to me are:

- HiFiMAN Arya Stealth: €436, new/open-box
- HiFiMAN Edition XV: €268, new
- ASUS ROG Kithara: €214, new

The Arya Stealth is the one that attracts me most for soundstage, detail, and the “serious planar” experience. However, I am worried it may be too bright or lean for my preferences, and it is the most expensive option.

The Edition XV appeals to me aesthetically and seems to be tuned warmer/smoother, with more note weight and less treble energy. My concern is that some listeners describe it as overly damped or less open/dynamic.
The ROG Kithara seems like an excellent value and would be useful for PC/console gaming because of its microphone and included cables. I understand it is closer to an Edition XS-type presentation: relatively neutral/clear, with good spatial performance, but perhaps less warm and refined than the XV.

Would any of these be a meaningful complement to the HD 550, rather than just another open-back headphone? Given my past which would you choose? Or is the sensible answer to keep the HD 550 and stop chasing novelty for now?

Thanks!

Hi, welcome to ASR!

If you use EQ, I would just go with whichever one fits your budget and is most comfortable on your head - unfortunately, that is something you really need to try for yourself.

A headphone's frequency response on a measurement rig doesn't translate perfectly to every individual listener, but out of the three you mentioned, the Edition XV seems to fit your stated preferences best: slightly warm/full-bodied, with good bass extension and non-fatiguing treble, and it's not the most expensive. With EQ, you can then fine-tune it further to suit your preferences if needed.

The point you made about soundstage with Arya, I think is largly the result of it's frequancy response - dip at 1800 Hz and big drivers. But soundstage perception varies quite a bit from person to person, so I wouldn't prioritize it over proper freaquancy response.

 

[billo8923]

if you have the 550, why do you need a new headphone? @billo8923

SO yes stop chasing ghosts and enjoy your media with the HD550 and the Airpods

you're not wrong, this is more curiosity than necessity and the HD550 already covers a lot.

 

[billo8923]

Hi, welcome to ASR!

If you use EQ, I would just go with whichever one fits your budget and is most comfortable on your head - unfortunately, that is something you really need to try for yourself.

A headphone's frequency response on a measurement rig doesn't translate perfectly to every individual listener, but out of the three you mentioned, the Edition XV seems to fit your stated preferences best: slightly warm/full-bodied, with good bass extension and non-fatiguing treble, and it's not the most expensive. With EQ, you can then fine-tune it further to suit your preferences if needed.

The point you made about soundstage with Arya, I think is largly the result of it's frequancy response - dip at 1800 Hz and big drivers. But soundstage perception varies quite a bit from person to person, so I wouldn't prioritize it over proper freaquancy response.

I don't plan to use EQ, so stock tuning matters a lot, which is exactly why the Edition XV appeals more to me on paper than the Arya. Comfort is what has burned me before, so I'll only buy somewhere I can audition or return.