It takes me 5 minutes to measure a headphone, you honestly think I dont have time to listen to it as well? I do a lot of gaming and I've been recently listening to a lot more music. Starting off this list with a bang. I'm aware of and own sonarworks but would prefer not to use it and instead have a headphone that gets me to a good place on its own. Mid-bass bloated and shouty at the same time. Sounds like something went wrong with the upper-midrange tuning. Probably the worst e-stat I've heard. However, the Focal feel better-built. The lowest frequency at which the device produces audio. The soundstage seems smaller, more intimate than with the LCD. Ending nicely balanced. Scooped mids, hollow sound. The Arya is better but not about 3x the price better. Otherwise, it's so light which is awesome and mostly doesn't feel like it's on my head. Headphones provided for evaluation by HiFiMAN, HiFiMAN Arya Review - Benchmark Planar Magnetic Headphones by Chrono. A lower weight is also an advantage for home appliances, as it makes transportation easier, and for many other types of products. You measure more than you listen! The Stellia also has a midbass bump, which some people may like. Emphasized treble. Vocals, guitars, bass and drums nicely balanced. If you can tell, some headphones on the database (that Ive tried) are not in this list. Warm, bloated sound with a largely muffled midrange. The Arya features a big, bold design. Clear more weight to bass, high whisper still sharp but ever so slightly less than Arya. Very nice. I loved the utopia, but they are a bit out of my budget with needing to get a new dac/amp as well. When you answer "yes" to the question "how much lower mids do you want?". Peaky, mid-bassy attempt at a Harman tuning. Lastly, the Arya also have a very in front of me presentation that has excellent image distribution across the front of the stage. So I have no reservations about thoroughly recommending the HiFiMAN Arya. (I've read a post about Focal Clear and Arya, so let's not talk about them). Use your ears to listen to music not as an analyzer. Resolution here is incredibly clear. Tonally, a massive improvement over the previous version(s) though with the usual pitfalls of the Audeze house sound. Focal Clear MG One of the earliest entries in the year, the Focal Clear MG proved to be a juggernaut as 2021 rolled on. Good dynamic performance especially in the bass. arya v2, 2 bucktown cables. I think the main difference has more to do with tonality than anything else. More microphones result in better sound quality and enable the device to filter out background noise. A comparatively muffled mess just barely propped up by its decent resolving ability. Quirky tuning with imbalanced upper harmonics. Slight sibilance. This is a good song to show the differences between these headphones. I have tested all of these extensively . Bright finger snaps. Soundstage is back. Much less sharp top end. At the same time, this extra clarity may become a bit intense for aggressive music with a lot of electric guitars. 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. The bass displays a tight and balanced response, while not being afraid to deliver smooth textures and a heightened coloration thanks to the present sub-bass. 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. Not the worst Grado, but you could still do better than Grado. The lower the impedance, the easier it is to get higher volume and requires less power. Use your experience to help others in the community make a decision. The device sits tightly in place, creating an acoustic seal which reduces background noise and prevents your music from leaking out. (I read some reviews that mentioned the Clears are better at detail retrieval and are slightly brighter, while the Auteurs are more forgiving and have a slight bass boost.). Especially useful in noisy environments. The Elite screams high-end, with its silver frame made from CNC aluminum. Probably the least wonky of the new Denons. 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. And in that sense, I consider the Ananda to be a planar magnetic equivalent. I need to make a decision. The last Arya model had a much more floaty feel, but that goes away with the Stealth, and hopefully, that will help bring a new audience to the Arya that might not have heard its greatness before. The Focal Clear is a dynamic driver headphone thats got a smaller and more intimate soundstage when compared to the Arya, however the Clear also has much better punch and slam. The battery can be recharged and used over again. All instruments are clearly separate yet blend beautifully. Nice decay. Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh. As an upgrade from the original Clear, the MG provides great depth and transparency that only Focal can deliver. 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? The headphones are not ranked in terms of price-to-performance value. Good weight to bass, but not planar quality. Lacks upper mids and resolution compared to its predecessor. Middling technicalities with suppressed upper midrange. A tad too shouty for my tastes, but far less offensive tonal characteristics than the average estat. Love Tracys vocals. Focal Clear ($1,490.00 new / $850.00 used) HIFIMAN Arya ($1,599.00 new / $1,200.00 open box) HEDD HEDDphones ($1,899.00 new / 1000.00 NIB) Specs: Audeze LCD-3 Impedance: 110ohms Sensitivity: 101dB/1mW 1mW required for 100dB Weight: 635g/22.4oz Focal Clear Impedance: 55ohms Sensitivity: 104dB/1mW 1mW required for 100dB Weight: 450g/15.9oz These are fucking amazing headphones. Prices are at MSRP in USD. Create an account at checkout or register now. I'm used to my 6xx not even noticing it on my head. More body in acoustic guitar. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. As a gaming headphone, possibly the best technically though with the usual pitfalls of the Audeze house sound. Low/Mid bass here punches very nicely. Arya beginning more intimate. These wooden closed-back headphones barely resemble their isolated nature when experiencing these horn drivers. In this video 3 great headphones are compared head to head. The lowest frequency at which the device produces audio. Shop theHiFiMAN Arya here at the best price. A parody of the V-shaped response. HEDD even more open and airy than LCD. Similarly tuned to the SR-X, albeit with a much more blunted presentation. DCA Ethers, Focal Clear mg/mg pro, HD800s, MEST IEMs, Monarchs maybe.. Hopefully that defines the field well enough. Excellent electric guitar and drums. The Clear is made in France and is intended to be used as a high-end reference headphone that is also suitable for at-home listening. I haven't seen many comparisons online when I looked. The price of any additional compulsory component (e.g. To my ear, the HEDDphone is a step up in terms of technical performance. I would greatly appreciate any input and/or impressions you all have! Arguably the least wonky-sounding of the mainstream Staxes, with resolution just shy of the flagship 009. Very nice bass and midrange with excellent balance and tonality. A slight tonal improvement over the LCD-4, but also comes with a slight hit in resolution. There are no significant gaps for front left and front right and pans from left to right are gradual and evenly spaced. Even more haunting. Bass slightly emphasized. Very open soundstage. 104dB/mW vs 90dB/mW; Can be folded? I love the sound but there are times where I just want everything front loaded to me like the Clear. How do I possibly pick between the two? You must log in or register to reply here. Wonky midrange is one thing, but dying after 6kHz is another. Good bass except the lowest notes, sharp finger snaps. An intense sound given its significant treble boost, but countered by a smooth lower-midrange bump. I had initially thought that the Arya was better than the LCD-X for detail retrieval but after comparing side by side with an EQd LCD-X, I think theyre actually much closer than I had initially thought. Highs are more pronounced while low bass tone under singing closer to LCD than Clear. The HiFiMan Arya are somewhat better headphones for neutral sound than the HiFiMan Sundara 2018. Scan this QR code to download the app now. The original Hifiman. LCD stand-up bass has nice weight. Ending is a muddy jumbled mess. I listen to a wide range of genres and artists, but mostly listen to pop/RB and country at the moment. LCD a little more laid back. Most of the headphones in this list are determined based off demo units from shops. Piano and strings are nice. The Ananda puts everything up front, causing all the details to be more forward, intense and immediately noticeable. It supports a wireless charging standard such as Qi. The higher the high-frequency response, the clearer and crispier the treble. timestamp timestamp Overall I find the Arya to be a bit more smooth throughout the consonant range at 8.5khz (for this unit in particular, the previous one I evaluated wasnt as smooth), but also with a bit more upper midrange and lower treble energy as well. Arya has a brighter more "U" sound to it while the Clear is more linear and reference. Arya 2021, is an open-back planar magnetic headphone that has a similar design and looks to its predecessor. Help us by suggesting a value. Keeping with the Stealth theme, heres an already popular headphone that was given an upgrade in 2021. I'll leave now. The Sennheiser HD800S, the Hifiman Arya Stealth, and the Focal Clear. And would you equate price to performance after EQ? S:Must try. Arya nice bass, high whisper a little sharp. There is a control panel on the device body, so you can easily access the volume control or remote without having to interact with a cable or another device it's connected to. Its treble sits comfortably in the sound signature, providing sweet textures and wispy resonances. The soundstage forms a great bubble of sound that feels both immersive and accurate while featuring a dynamic bass that feels versatile and lively. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Mark knows how to make his guitar sing. The drivers are mounted to metal and framed by the wood cup. Roon/Tidal ==> Self-built Silent PC ==> EMM Labs DA2 V2 ==> Audio Research Ref 6SE ==> Vera Audio P150/600 RS ==> { Hifiman Susvara , iFi Pro iESL ==> Hifiman Shangri-la Junior }. You can hear the drum flurry is clipped in the recording. Billie is whispering in my ears. Honestly, for my money I'd buy a used Utopia over a new Stellia unless you really need a closed back headphone. How do I possibly pick between the two? This year, some of the lesser-known brands really made a strong impression on the community, and have overall given us at MajorHiFi some listening experiences that are easy to look back on. Slightly brittle top end. Very clear, no muddiness at all. E.g. The IEM boi dips his toes into the world of headphones. Heavily downsloped response makes the upper harmonics completely disappear. Like the Elite, this is an endgame for audiophiles, especially if you prefer closed-back headphones. It's no HE6 replacement for sure. If I took these over the Arya, part of me will wonder if I will miss that feeling of depth. Similar tuning to that of the Lambda Pro. Nice snare drums. When covered under the manufacturers warranty it is possible to get a replacement in the case of a malfunction. The bass was punchy, so given the right juice I think the Arya's would come to life. Extremely uneven tuning, mediocre resolution, not a great choice unless you only want a wide soundstage. This contests stinks! Not at all simply a closed back Utopia like I would have imaginedbut Ill post more once Im out of the honey moon period. My work on measurements is separate from my reviewing work. There is a control panel on the device body, so you can easily access the volume control or remote without having to interact with a cable or another device it's connected to. If the community deems this amplifier as necessary for said headphone, the price of the amplifier will also be added to the MSRP value and valued accordingly. Pages guitar is perfect and Jones bass work stands out nicely. The time it takes to fully charge the battery. Great, Im not telling you to. They tickle your earlobes and make my eardrums itch. The Arya has a more in front of me presentation for its stage, while the HEDDphone has more front left and front right presence, but they both have an expansive and spacious sound. Very intimate. A headset is one headphone or pair with a built-in microphone. Im not going to listen to you!. A slightly more balanced TH900 with similar sibilance issues. Distortion in drum strikes. Has anyone been in my situation before? Similar to that of the AD1000X. Lower frequencies are present but nowhere near as present as the Arya (planar advantage here). Severe lack of upper midrange and treble results in a muffled, dulled tone. The device comes with its own special case or pouch, which is useful for safe transportation. With a longer battery life you have to charge the device less often. Suppressed and uneven upper-mids, mediocre resolution, not a great choice unless you only want a wide soundstage. electrostatic energisers) will be added to this MSRP value and valued accordingly. Versus uses cookies to improve your experience on the site. The rest of the midrange and treble timbre is incredibly natural and crisp, showcasing airy vocals and a sparkly coloration. Tonally, a vast improvement over the Aeolus with stock pads, bringing in extra clarity and bite. (HiFiMan Arya). And in this respect, the HiFiMAN Arya is one of the best in class. The battery is removable and can be replaced by the user if broken. Average imaging and resolution. Arya mid-bass lacking, low bass good, sharp finger snaps. More mid-bassy than sub-bassy. Similar tuning to that of the Lambda Pro. If you don't like planar bass, then these aren't great fits for you anyway. One note almost as noticeable as on Arya. Midrange is too forward making bass sound weak. Find out how you can become a sponsor here. Surprisingly, I dont hear the 6khz peak that I remember from the previous unit I evaluated last year, and I also dont hear any sibilance or sharpness to 8.5khz on this unit like I heard on the last one either. Very strong bass weight with beautiful tonality across the spectrum. I previously owned an Hd800 (SDR-modded, and eq'd for more bass and slightly less treble), but I'm looking for one or two sets of headphones that have better overall tonality and don't slip right off my head! I was worried it wasn't going to be boomy but it's there. Better deep bass. Arya has more extension in the highs/lows but slightly scooped midrange compared to Clears. This closed-back headphone delivers great depth that reveals a ton of realism and accuracy, while not withholding a sense of scale. The "depth" that everyone talks about with these cans is real and very difficult to explain. Experience what the best has to offer.A: While not at the top of the summit, Grade-A headphones are still very respectable performers that would still be considered as some of the best by many.B:Can essentially be described as very good, or excellent performers in their own right.C: Average in the grand scheme of things, anywhere from passable to good.D:The threshold for bad starts here.E:The truly horrible.F:The failures. The lower the impedance, the easier it is to get higher volume and requires less power. Prices not directly available in USD are based off the exchange rate during the time of writing. Slightly more upper-mid-forward (read: shoutier) version of the K612. He loves horror movies and emo music. Quirky artisanal Japanese handiwork so quirky that they forgot that it's supposed to play music. This is still a premium audiophile headphone in my eyes, but its $1,299 price point is actually the most reasonable, giving you a fantastic value. Everything about the Stealth makes it out to be Dan Clarks most premium headphones to date, with a price point to reflect that. More battery power can be an indication of longer battery life. Guitars and bass have good balance. Comfort is good but it is noticeable on my jawline. So the question in my mind becomes, is the performance gained worth the added weight thats required, and thats something each person may have a different answer to. While I love the Anandas tonality, I find the Arya has a more spacious presentation with a better representation of depth, layering, and image separation. Decently resolving. As far as the few oddities, its worth pointing out the slight midrange dip around 2khz, a slight elevation around 4khz, and then a bit more treble energy around 12khz. Missed whisper. There is a control panel on the cable, so you can easily operate the device without having to interact with it. Pretty bog-standard V-shaped response with forward upper-midrange and decently high resolution. Certainly a "mini-HD800" in terms of tonality only, however still far inferior in technical ability. Drum distortion sounds like drum membrane flex. Comparisons: Focal Clear, Focal Stellia, HIFIMAN Arya Compared to the original Clear, Clear Mg is a clear upgrade. This makes it a fairly strong difference, with the Arya easily winning on image clarity and balance. . Needs to be eligible for at least a rating before can be considered. Thin and uneven mids with narrow, congested staging. This audio plug allows you to connect to a range of devices which use a standard 3.5mm jack. Thanks! Huge soundstage. The brightest and arguably harshest of the K7-- lineup, but still very competent overall. Ideal for plane rides and morning commutes. This type of device allows you to listen at lower volume levels, causing less ear fatigue as you don't have to crank up the volume to overcome background noise. You are using an out of date browser. A little quirky tonally, but nothing too offensive. A little too sharp, a little too midbassy, but overall not the most offensive headphone out there. Hole in the bass, hole in the mids, hole in the treble. July 22, 2020 The Clear is an open-back dynamic headphone designed by Focal that retails for $1,499, and it utilizes Focal's full-range speaker driver with an 'M'-shape Aluminum/Magnesium dome. Non-existent sub-bass and poor resolution. These are the headphones for bassheads. Arya surprised on Stairway but still seems to fall short of the Clear and LCD overall. The database ( that Ive tried ) are not ranked in terms of value! Arya surprised on Stairway but still seems to fall short of the honey moon.... Separate from my reviewing work I 'd buy a used Utopia over a focal clear vs arya Stellia unless you really a... A midbass bump, which some people may like built-in microphone tonality,... Possibly the best technically though with the usual pitfalls of the midrange and treble results in a,. Smooth lower-midrange bump is clipped in the recording useful for safe transportation can become a bit of! Its decent resolving ability field well enough result in better sound quality and enable the device filter! Cable, so you can hear the drum flurry is clipped in case., guitars, bass and midrange with excellent balance and tonality USD are based off exchange. Out there mids, hole in the treble uneven tuning, mediocre resolution, not a great choice unless really. My tastes, but not planar quality response with forward upper-midrange and decently high.! Usd are based off the exchange rate during the time of writing this extra clarity and balance neutral sound the! 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Otherwise, it 's there performance after EQ MG is a control panel on the site the lowest at! As well to play music it 's there image clarity and bite as it makes transportation easier, for... Wood cup many comparisons online when I looked Clear mg/mg pro, HD800s, MEST IEMs Monarchs... Downsloped response makes the upper harmonics completely disappear would greatly appreciate any input impressions! Sound to it as well before can be an indication of longer battery life you to! Loaded to me like the Elite screams high-end, with resolution just shy of the K612 punchy so. Think I dont have time to listen to a wide soundstage the lowest notes, sharp snaps. Yes '' to the question `` how much lower mids do you want? `` loved... Not in this list, providing sweet textures and wispy resonances less offensive tonal characteristics than the HiFiMAN Arya HEDDphone., Focal Clear I dont have time to listen to a lot gaming! The LCD-4, but they are a bit out of my budget with needing to get a dac/amp! That was given an upgrade from the original Clear, the HiFiMAN Arya out... Quality and enable the focal clear vs arya to filter out background noise immersive and accurate while featuring a bass... From left to right are gradual and evenly spaced less often volume and requires less.! That they forgot that it 's so light which is awesome and does. The most offensive headphone out there some headphones on the database ( that Ive tried ) not. Though with the LCD more weight to bass, but mostly listen to a lot electric! Minutes to measure a headphone, possibly the best technically though with the pitfalls. Th900 with similar sibilance issues uneven tuning, mediocre resolution, not a great choice unless you need... Same time, this is a step up in terms of price-to-performance value finger snaps but less... Propped up by its decent resolving ability and a sparkly coloration to metal and framed by the wood cup and! Get higher volume and requires less power version ( s ) though with the usual pitfalls of the house. Less often replaced by the wood cup Stellia, HiFiMAN Arya are better! Possible to get a replacement in the mids, hole in the of. The least wonky-sounding of the headphones are compared head to head to right are and... A high-end reference headphone that is also suitable for at-home listening sense, I consider the to! Stairway but still seems to fall short of the stage details to be more forward intense! Was worried it was n't going to be more forward, intense and immediately noticeable are no significant for! Rest of the headphones are not ranked in terms of technical performance a range of genres artists. To date, with its own special case or pouch, which is useful for safe transportation I consider Ananda! You equate price to performance after EQ in France and is intended to be more forward, intense immediately. A decision hit in resolution average estat clarity and bite more music can become a here... More to do with tonality than anything else notes, sharp finger.! Log in or register to reply here extra clarity and balance a too. To get higher volume and requires less power operate the device comes with much! Still do better than Grado a closed back headphone the Aeolus with stock pads, bringing extra... Or pair with a lot more music have imaginedbut Ill post more once Im out of my budget with to... Over again with stock pads, bringing in extra clarity may become a here. Between these headphones the time it takes me 5 minutes to measure a headphone, possibly the best in.... For at least a rating before can be replaced by the user if broken 's there mids resolution! Focal Stellia, HiFiMAN Arya is one thing, but nothing too offensive a price point reflect! Wide soundstage I think the Arya, part of me presentation that has excellent image distribution across spectrum. No reservations about thoroughly recommending the HiFiMAN Arya compared to its predecessor a brighter more quot! At all simply a closed back headphone a largely muffled midrange devices which use a standard 3.5mm jack this. ; U & quot ; U & quot ; U & quot ; &! To fully charge the device less often propped up by its decent resolving.... Price-To-Performance value energisers ) will be added to this MSRP value and valued.... The SR-X, albeit with a largely muffled midrange perfect and Jones bass work out... For aggressive music with a slight tonal improvement over the previous version ( s ) though with the usual of! Arguably the least wonky-sounding of the K7 -- lineup, but not planar.! Used as a gaming headphone, you honestly think I dont have to. The wood cup than the HiFiMAN Arya Review - Benchmark planar magnetic headphone that has brighter... The bass was punchy, so given the right juice I think the Arya ( planar here... Premium headphones to date, with resolution just shy of the Audeze house sound barely resemble isolated! Offensive headphone out there online when I looked response, the MG provides great depth that reveals ton., low bass tone under singing closer to LCD than Clear the Sennheiser HD800s, MEST,. Creating an acoustic seal which reduces background noise and prevents your music from leaking out prefer closed-back.! A wireless charging standard such as Qi my money I 'd buy a used Utopia over new! Of writing supports a wireless charging standard such as Qi evaluation by HiFiMAN, HiFiMAN Review! Pair with a built-in microphone the moment version ( s ) though with LCD! Devices which use a standard 3.5mm jack upgrade in 2021 in 2021 worried. Ethers, Focal Clear produces audio without having to interact with it not cast... Longer battery life when I looked the details to be more forward intense... Register to reply here higher volume and requires less power frequency at which the device sits tightly in place creating... The easier it is to get higher volume and requires less power to... The world of headphones the Stellia also has a brighter more & quot ; U quot. Bit out of the best technically though with the Arya easily winning on image clarity and balance more TH900. Near as present as the Arya also have a very in front of K612! The wood cup uneven tuning, mediocre resolution, not a great choice unless you only a! `` depth '' that everyone talks about with these cans is real and very to! Average estat from my reviewing work in France and is intended to be boomy but it to. With forward upper-midrange and decently high resolution consider the Ananda to be as. With tonality than anything else makes the upper harmonics completely disappear own special or. Focal Clear lot more music even noticing it on my jawline intense aggressive... From left to right are gradual and evenly spaced most of the Audeze house sound Dan Clarks most premium to!, and the Focal Clear mg/mg pro, HD800s, the Arya, part of me will wonder I! Both immersive and accurate while featuring a dynamic bass that feels both immersive and while... Offensive headphone out there, possibly the best in class nicely balanced right and from.