HP Battle! Arya vs LCD-X vs HD800S vs Aeolus
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- Опубликовано: 11 июл 2024
- Reference tracks: midfiguy.com/mfgs-reference-t...
Equipment List:
some affiliate links below
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Headphones used:
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- HiFiMan Arya: apos.audio/products/hifiman-a...
- Audeze LCD-X: amzn.to/2TPQmms
- Sennheiser HD800S: amzn.to/36HPUvD
- ZMF Aeolus: www.zmfheadphones.com/zmf-ori...
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Amps used:
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- S.M.S.L. SP200: amzn.to/3cfEUab
- Violectric V280: tinyurl.com/y8bgr4s2
- Cayin HA-6A: tinyurl.com/y7w8onr7
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DAC:
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- RME ADI-2: amzn.to/2yPb4vu
BIG thanks to the viewer who mentioned I needed to diffuse my light better as well as show equipment on a white background. Made a huge difference.
Audeze travel case:
www.audeze.com/products/lcd-t...
ZMF OFC cable for $100
www.zmfheadphones.com/zmf-cab...
Audeze OCC cable for $150
www.audeze.com/collections/ac...
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Intro music: www.bensound.com 
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Terrible intro woke up whole house !!!!!!!!!! signing out
Me too. Deleted my account and YT. Don't ask how I'm posting now.
Good cut, it was entertaining. :)
hahaha that intro and this comment both got me good!
😆
You are a fantastic reviewer, I really hope your channel grows! You kept your details and reviews succinct and clean. Well done
Such an awesome review! comparing each can on different types of amps and different genre! very thorough and extremely informative! Thanks a lot!!!
I owned all three of these headphones and my opinions match what you have to say on everything! I think you are reviewing the production versions of them.. this is what this community needs!
You're doing a terrific job! You deserve way more subscribers! It will be fun to watch your channel grow!
Thank you for actually talking about genres of music. Too many reviewers never mention what they are listening to when such and such headphone sounded great.
Great stuff. This is exactly the type of reviews and comparison I enjoy. I like how you mentioned the other competitors, even though you've yet to hear them. New subscriber. Can't wait to watch the evolution of your channel.
Nicely done MidFi Guy! finally a review that doesn't ooze financial interest and fear of the competition. Regular guy, enjoying his hi fi. Thanks for taking the time to share your personal experience and down to earth comparisons
Very nice review. I liked how you broke down each HP for the type of music. Very informative and you did a great job. Add in the differences between the amps and one of the best I have seen. Araya is on the short list just worried about build quality and driver failure.
thank you for the review, an eye-opener
awesome review , Thank you for saving my time :D
Thanks for the review! Really helped me.
Honestly never seen a review like that, keep it up👏🏽
Nice review. I look forward to seeing more of your content. Normally I wouldn't bother looking at a 30:00 review, but I'm glad I gave this one a chance.
Another great video. Arya is my favorite too. I also own HD800s as well out of these 4 headphones but I don’t have tube amp yet. I am trying to get my hands on a Glen OTL but so far so luck. Really looking forward to the Aries and WA22 review videos.
Great, detailed comparison. Subbed!
Absolutely amazing review!
Thanks for the reviews of these headphones. Now I really want to try out the Arya's.
Amazing review. One of the best I’ve seen put together. Will have to now follow and watch all your things going forward.
Awesome comparative-revew I really enjoy it.
On point review. I have the Aeolus which you’ve described as good as anyone can get. I also have a LCD2C that lends itself to many of the trait descriptions, of the LCD X, that you’ve shared in this video. I’ve watched several reviewers of headphones...you’ve mastered quality over quantity...making it purposeful to those considering a purchase. Well done.
Most entertaining reviewer out there period: great production as well! 👌🎼✨🎧
Just followed u on Instagram too! Loving these reviews, as well as the quirky humor lolz. Will have to give that THX amp a try. Thx4the recommendations!
Mabuhay! Thanks for the informative review. You’ve sold me on the Arya since I was considering the lcd-x and 800s as well. Great work!
Hi Kabayan! Thanks for this video. Just what I need to decide on which to get.
Awesome video. I like your format!
Excellent review! Subbed! I have the Arya's as well and love them. My HD800s's are on the way, can't wait.
How do they compare?
Great job. Enjoyed the video!
Thank you for the “detailed “useful reference track list. Great feature to provide. Lighting environment very much improved.
Happy Arya owner here - Fantastic review. Loved the preference by music genre bit at the end, great idea!
Arya owner here too and very happy. The plastic on the Arya rally bothered me at first but I’ve had zero issues.
Btw I have to ask… Are you a Trail of Dead fan?
Yep, most certainly! The plastic is one of the few downsides of the headphone for me, in its price range I would expect something more premium. My yokes also squeak slightly when I wiggle the headphone on my head and the headband looks kinda ridiculous when worn, imagine a pair of bunny ears on top...
They are all very interesting. Thanks for the review.
Really solid review! I own Anandas and have demo'd the 800s and LCD-X / 2, and I agree with your statement on the aryas with audeze bass. Hifiman sound with audeze bass I believe would be the perfect sound to me. Also, Id love an LCD-2 but the weight is a dealbreaker, so I use Nightowl carbons as a somewhat similar sound that I can enjoy for long periods :). Amazingly detailed review, you have my subscription and I believe you may be one of my favorite current audio reviewers along with Josh Valour!
Haha thank you for the kind words! I'll never be as sexy as Josh Valour but I will try to get a makeover as soon as this pandemic let's up!
Very nice comparison video! Although now I am looking at 1 more headphone than I was when I began...
Also really nice that you highlight how they are glasses on since that is a really important aspect that I rarely see anyone mention in any of the reviews of TOTL headphones.
Thank you! Will keep note of that in the future
Great review! Very detailed and informative. Also, my opinion on those cans line up very close to yours. Nice job.
Many thanks for the kind words!
This is the best review. Tired of other channels beating off over 7k bump minutia. Subbed
Awesome video, subbed!.
Great video subscribed!
great review loaded with content!
I own both the Arya and LCD-X bought the X to listen to rock and metal exactly how you explained. Couldn’t agree more, feel like I have perfect options across genres
Such a great review. Especially impressed as you take nearly all similarly priced headphones into you final words and compared 4 headphones at once. Also liked that you gave a one word summary for each headphone. Great. Please keep it up. Greetings and subscribed!
Would like to see the RME ADI 2 been taken into the considerations, as you have one.
Great review!
Great review.
Great review!! Seriously..👍👍👍
Excellent! Thank you!
Crushed this review
Amazing review. Hope you review rhe HE1000, utopia and Susvara someday soon
great review
Great reviews!
The Arya has been on my radar for about a month now. I just recently took delivery of a DT 1990 Pro, but really want a great planar to complete the fleet. Looks like I'm settling on the Arya.
No one asked: but an update! I got the Arya’s 2 months ago. Long story short; I don’t care to buy any other headphones. The Arya’s have completely won me over.
@@kugelschreiber5678 how is it compared to your previous dt1990? I just sold my dt 1990 and looking for a new pair. I'm considering the he1000 v2 or the new arya stealth magnet version
@@tunausfed It's much, MUCH better than the dt1990's - for my personal taste at least. I still kept the beyers since they're dynamics, and fantastic ones at that. If you're not into REALLY wide sound, then neither the Arya's nor the he1000 v2's would suffice for you. In that case, I'd go with the focals.
I have the v2 Arya's, and from what I hear in the community/reviewes, the v2's are the way to go. Never demo'ed the he1000's, but I do hear great things about them.
Nice comparo & review! My first view on this channel - Ill be seeing more of you for sure. I like how you want to describe the headphones but you don't go over the top with terms that (may feel accurate to you) are hard to get across and sometimes become audiophile obnoxious. On the other hand, maybe I did miss some other descriptions of sound characteristics that would make the comparison much useful for people, just a little Resolve Reviews style maybe? No points taken though - you be unique to yourself. The one other thing that I like is that you have taken time to reply and engage "freely" with the audience. In time your channel will grow and it will be harder to keep tabs across multiple videos, but long term if you could keep up this same level of interaction going on - it really makes it appreciative for the people who come here, and can be one of the highest value additions that your channel has for everybody. A little less content maybe much better than investing time with your community. I think that is something almost everyone can learn from @metal571. If you grow, you can always monetize and prioritize responses to paid viewership when things become unmanageable. Keep up the good work. 👍✌️
Fantastic review, as a person who owns both the X and ADI.
I really enjoyed your review. I'm looking into buying the Arya, So your thoughts were really helpful !!! Good luck going forward 🙂
Did you buy this yet?
Wow. Just saw one of your comments on Reddit where you shamelessly plugged your channel haha (even left a reply on it). Very nice seeing another Filipino getting into this hobby of headphones. I'm a Filipino living in Australia, and although i'm only 19yrs old, i've really been invested in this hobby. Like you, i inherited the passion for audio gear from my dad. Great analysis on these headphones. Having heard all of them, the Aryas are definitely my pick. Just a week ago, I was trying to decide between the Aryas and Focal Clear. Both were very good, but I ended up going for the Focals, because I preferred their mid-range and bass performance better. Can't really go wrong with any of the headphones you featured in this video, except for maybe the HD800s. Very amp dependant and a bit too bright for my liking. The soundstage is very good tho. Keep up the great work, earned yourself a subscriber! :)
Hoy!! Glad me shameless plugging worked! Haha. Thanks for subscribing dude. And I agree with your comments 👍👍
Focal has better bass extension than the aryas?
G'day from Sydney Australia. Nice review. My LCD-X's are on a slow boat from 'murica (no stock locally in Oz till...???), I also bought the microphone from the GX, for - occasional (10%?) - double duty gaming, mainly for the lolz.
I appreciate the presenter's attention to detail and thorough analysis.
I just got the LCD-X'S, and I definitely enjoy metal and rock out of them. I find that most audiophile-grade headphones just don't bring a lot to the genre, that alone makes the X's worth it to me. Everything else sounds good, and some other genres sound great. But hitting my Metal needs is something I have missed in my journey in audio.
The really technical prog tracks are definitely stand outs on the X's. I really love Karnivool's Sound Awake album on them. Especially since that album is packed with bass guitar.
I got the LCD-2 for the same reason. I spend a day at an audio shop listening back an forth every headphone they had. The only two that were enjoyable for me were some Focal (think Elear) and a bit ahead but a lot heavier the LCD-2. Most Headphones sound aweful for Rock and Metal.
I agree with you, I've got the LCD-X 2021 and have listened to the Arya Stealth and the HD800s. I would say the soundstage of the Arya and HD800s were really impressive, but it's more like a party trick for me than something that I would enjoy all the time, they sound too "airy" for my liking and definitely lacks the body and slam the LCD-X provides, even for someone who listens to a lot of classical and jazz, it makes a huge difference especially for music with cello and those pizzicato double bass.
Not even going to talk about the sound of guitars for metal and rock, it's just head and shoulders above Arya and HD800s.
Thanks for this comment. !! It's so hard to get a good read on this. I have an aeolous as well and I think that fits metal pretty well. Just not as resolving but definitely hits hard. I want to listen to a band like obscura on it.
Loved the new office look setup! Great lighting and a big step up from the “home “ look from previous videos! How about cheap camera sliders to get those closeup brolls?
Thank you! I was researching camera sliders but is there a device that will help you achieve a smooth look moving vertically as well?
@@MidFiGuy Absolutely.
Most of the sliders mount on tripods and you can mount them vertically as well.
You might need two ball-heads for the setup if your current tripod ball-head doesn't allows 90 Degree/vertical tilt.
I found this on amazon which is a manual slider:
preview.tinyurl.com/y9py6cay
The ball-head I trust is: preview.tinyurl.com/ybygh496 (You can upgrade to a beefier one, Sirui is a reputed brand)
.
If you are buying a motorized slider like below; just make sure you stay below the payload capacity or buy on with high payload.
preview.tinyurl.com/yd43frp9
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Other than sliders, there would be two ways to achieve vertical move:
1. Using a gimbal -this will not produce smooth results if you are not used to gimbals.
2. Using a camera Jib - you will run into focusing issue with this.
Both of these options have some learning curve so i would just use a slider.
.
If you want to get a vertical camera tilt move, then you can use a good video fluid head.
Hope this helps.
@@itsabodh Dude you are amazing! I didn't know the ball head option existed! So that's how they get those angles while sliding 👍👍 I'm going to give my wife some wine and ask if we can up the MFG production budget lol.
Funny thing is I thought our little Canon handycam was good quality but then I tested out her Pixel 3 and it blew the Canon away. I struggle to justify the cost for a DSLR/mirrorless w/ lenses but I know the quality will be even better.
Appreciate the insight and thanks again!
Hey is there any chance there will be a verum 1 review? Also I absolutely love this format where you’re comparing headphones in a price range. Sundara vs Verum 1s and whatever else in the 500 dollar price range would be a very interesting video.
C'mon man...2 weeks? ...it felt so effortless like you've done it in in one go :P
I've spent like 8 days for my Topping L30 review (also on top of regular 9-5 job) ...it takes a lot of effort, a lot of respect for ppl releasing few vids a week.
Great job btw you should continue doing it!!!
Awesome video ...!
I use an ifi amp for my LCD2 to bring out that sub bass. I love this combo, but yes I yearn for a bit more detail sometimes. The DAC can make a good leap there still for me.
Hi, great video, very useful to decide which to get. Regarding the Violectric, at which level of gain were you using it with the Arya and HD800S? Thanks!
I love mine 800s with RME ADI-2 DAC :D
Pretty nice review! Can the Audeze LCD-X 2021 change the final verdict? I heard the upgrade is very good.
👍 Great video!
This channel should have WAY more subscribers. Love the content across the board. The comparisons you do in particular are very comprehensive and actually helpful in making a purchasing decision.
i use an hd 800 (non s) for all my music. from hard hitting german underground techno over cool jazz and rachmaninov all the way to hardcore punk and deathcore. i just love its sound signature, especially the soundstage makes it a versatile tool imo.
I know this might be blasphemy..... but which pairing would you prefer for movies and gaming? Loved this review! There aren't many out there that compare these 4, and actually walk through the differences with different amps and different kinds of music.
"Like the smash button" ahaha... nice comparison though. The Arya is definitely rocking this price-point, its entry definitely shook the waters a little!
HD 800s with a Tube amp and a Schiit Lokius Tone Control/EQ is the way to go. Very versatile and great all around headphone. Great Gaming and Movie headphone too
Owner of Hifiman Arya and Focal Clear. Have dozen others though these two I prefer the most
If you had a choice between the 2 which one would you choose?
@@robertrichards9565 I've made my choice. It's Arya
How is the bass between arya and Ananda?
@@ChrisKeyman never tried Ananda
@@io_metre just got my Arya. Loving them but have thought about getting a complementary pair; would you say the OG Clear is a good choice or the LCD-X?
How does the 6XX compare to the Aeolus in technicalities?
Great video, loving the channel and how you deliver content. It's pretty entertaining
Great question! The Aeolus is more dynamic and detailed than the HDXX but there's something special about the mids and just overall refinement of its presentation.
If I could only choose one it would be the Aeolus, but since the HD6XX is only $200 it's hard not to recommend getting both!
I code for a living too and I’m looking to one of these. Which one would you rock during long, late night coding sessions?
My understanding is that the Hifiman premium package comes with two sets of cables. One 1/4 inch and one 1/8 inch. The extra cable is the bulk of the added expense.
hi MIDfi guy, great video and very informative. Just curious have you heard of focal clear and your thoughts?
I auditioned the Clear when buying the Aryas and thought they were nice. Really noticeable bass, I almost want to say boomy, but I wish I had them longer to form a better opinion. In the end the Aryas bested them for clarity and dyanamics.
I just order LCD-X and I see the also made Arya available. If I have LCD-X do I need Arya, or the difference is small and I better get something else? Also, you do describe the headphones completely different then other reviewers. For example Zeos find Auteur more calm and relaxing then Aeouls, while Joshua found Arya to be more warm then LCD-X.
Great intro XD
hahaha I am laughing at your intro! Your review is very detailed! I love it!
Maybe you get a better seal with the HD800 upon wearing them the right way. The cable-connectors should face backwards.
Good catch
Good catch indeed but I wrote my notes when I was wearing them the correct way. I swear!
I want the bass of the X, the lightness of the Arya, clarity of the 800s, and the look/comfort of ZMF.
GL! One can only wish.
Susvara??? From what I've heard They are light, extremely detailed, Great dynamics, and have wooden accents to them
Then get the Meze Empyrean.
@@JordansTake35 that doesn’t have a better clarity than the hd800s. Not even close.
Excellent video. Very clear. I have lcd2.2, lcd2 and lcd2c. I would like to buy lcdx but i am not sure because i have an sendy aiva and a friend told me that both sound very similar. But i never have listen lcdx. Do you know if is it very different to lcd2 fazor?
I'm not sure as I personally haven't listened to those headphones. I have heard great things about the Sendy though. Art you happy with it?
@@MidFiGuy yes. It has amazing details in mids and highs. It is clear and clean like my hd800 in mids and highs:. For me the sendy is the bass of lcd2 (gain and timbre), mids are a combination of lcd2 timbre and details of hd800 (maybe 90% details of hd800) and highs are maybe the 90% of the hd800 even cold timbre buuuuuut..... Soundstage is narrow!!! In the 3 directions the soundstage of aiva is like mid fi headphones. Or Maybe like beyerdynamic t5p 2nd
I listened to the LCD-2C & LCD-X two days for 6 hours per day. I must say they are both similar but: If you prefer just listening, the LCD-2C have more stage but are less precise sound. LCD-X is very precise sound but the stage is barely zero. (LCD-2C are listening headphones and LCD-X are studio reference headphones. If you dont use it for that purpose you wont be happy with the LCD-X) I think the LCD-2 (without C) sounds weird and different from the other two.
Thanks
Have I gone too far relaxed with the signature by pairing the lcd-x with a solid state/r2r combo (denafrips ares 2 and arcam rhead)? I also have a dsp (hifiberry dac+dsp) before the dac to add warm eq which was for my previous hd660s setup…
Great review. I've got the Arya and 800S. Have to tried the 800S with Sonarworks Headphone Edition? They sound amazing! Any EQ recommendation for Arya or 800S or the 6XX? Thanks
Thanks and great question! My buddy is pushing for me to try the auto EQ options as well. He's saying there's a setup built into Roon that changes the EQ based on your headphone. Have you tried that?
Nice review. Just make sure you don't wear the HD800 in reverse. And I should say, among those, only the Sennheiser doesn't look atrocious on the head. The rest of them just look like crazy-person headphones LOL.
where can I find the little rack to the left of the frame? I like it :-]
Have you tried the Arya V2? If so, how do you think it compares to the V1?
Thank you. I've been wanting to upgrade to some "end game" headphones. I'm coming from using Sony-MDR7506/Sennheiser HD280/GSP-600. And most recently my first open headset the HD58X. And OMG I really liked the open headset. So since i liked Sennheisser I was looking at possibly getting the HD800S. With that being the max I would spend. But after checking out several other review videos I'm heavily leaning towards the LCD-X.
For using the headset with my computer and our iphone at home, should I consider a DAC/AMP for it? I've never used one with a headset.
The LCD-X is very efficient for a planar and will sound okay out of your phone. That being said, you are spending quite a bit on high quality cans.. you should throw in a bit extra and get a Schiit heresy/JDS atom at least as you will definitely hear an improvement out of even those. (Amps are not only about power, they change presentation and can open up cans quite a lot) If you like a slightly warm, spacious sound, the Asgard 3 is a top notch amp for $200 SE and drives my LCDs perfectly for my ears. It also drives my Aeolus beautifully.
Notice I didn't mention dacs. Dacs do matter but are the last thing to upgrade when budgeting as the changes are very small compared to the cost. I tend to lean toward R-2R dacs as I'm a sucker for musicality and lifelike spatial separation over sharp detail.
did you consider the dekoni pads on the lcd-x significantly change the sound?
You're fun! 😁
can you post a link for the wooden rack and the clock behind you on the left?
Ooh. An RME DAC FS in the background
Thanks a lot for the breakdown! I'm looking to move on from my old Hifiman HE-500 and I was wondering between the LCD, the Arya, and Aeolus. I've tried the LCDs and they're def too heavy but I want that bass for rap and electronic music. The Arya seems like a better version of the HE-500 I got now, but I'm worried they'll sound too lean, and the Aeolus seems like it'll be a bit too relaxed and thick sounding for me (I've heard the Verite and if I had serious money, that'd be my pick!). Still can't make up my mind (leaning Arya), but this was helpful.
You didnt use EQ for the LCD-X ? I cant listen to a song without it but I love them with EQ
I love them without EQ :) Same as HEXv2 and M1060C.
Got my lcd-x a few days ago. I think I'm gonna sell most of my headphones(have 5 sub500 ones). These are that good.
Quality comparisons +10
I want to meet and learn from you in person!
I love the HD800S!
Did you notice any difference in sound with the Arya after break in?
Hey man, do you have a Patreon? Also, I know you said you prefer the Arya to the Ether 2 but if you still want to review the Ether 2 and compare all 3 pad options, hit me up. I actually sold my Arya and replaced them with the Ether 2 but it was more due to comfort than sound. That said, the Ether 2 with the perforated or suede pads might surprise you.
If you see this, do you think the LCD-X would be the best for edm music?