Ah the HiFiMAN QC lottery strikes again by the sounds of it
![Big Grin :D :D](/styles/default/xenforo/vbSmilies/Normal/biggrin.gif)
- It could also be shipping antics. My outer box came with the entire corner crumpled in so must have been chucked about. The inner box is direct from China as still had the import stickers on it, and inside that box if is the retail headphones box.
I've been lucky so far, My Nano have been perfect, and now the Arya Stealth too.
Good news:
- The feel is nicer than the Nano even though material quality is the same. The rounded cup yokes are the best part and the swivel rotation of the head is nice.
- The headband strap is very nice, it's actually leathery and soft padded now vs the cardboard stiffness of the stock Ananda suspension strap.
- The headband clamping force and skull pressure is excellent. There are no hotspots that I can feel, it's just perfect. They should bin off all other headband styles and use this. No modding needed.
- Arya feels smaller in the hands and on the head because the tokes and headband design is more well thought out. It doesn't wobble on the head like the Nano does as a result of this.
- The adjustment on the headband is very tactile and satisfying to use, much better than the old style adjustments
- The black on black theme looks cool, the outer grille fabric is more transparent than the black on the Ananda Nano:
- The soundstage is slightly brought closer than on the Nano which is wider. More intimate and vocals are more natural with better timbre. Dare I say the timbre is on level with my modded HD650s even.
- Stereo imaging is better refined over the Nano. background instruments that are placed in specific positions sound naturally in those locations and are clearer too but vocals 100% take priority which seems to work well in the songs I've listened to so far.
- Bass is still really good, but it's subtly less punchy than on the Nano, it rumbles when needed but the Nano's bass "feel" is greater, though not by a huge amount. The Nano suits gaming more with this in mind I'd say although not games on the Arya yet.
- The headband adjuster does scrape along the rail causing marks:
- The box is much nicer than the brown box that comes with the Ananda Nano and other HiFiMANs:
Bad news:
- Have to find a buyer for my Nano
![RedFace :o :o](/styles/default/xenforo/vbSmilies/Normal/redface.gif)
To be fair should not be too hard as I've done all the legwork anyway with the headband mod and suspension strap options included.
- Have to buy a headphone case to store the Arya in as they don't come with a case like the Nano does....
- The Arya didn't come with the foam headphone stand as shown in the reviews and unboxings, seems packaging inside has been updated so is now a silky lined foam interior where the headphones slip into and that's it. No stand, no case:
- The cable is 6.35mm on the amp end, useless, can't find an adapter in the box to convert to 3.5mm too. Not an issue as I'm using a 4.4mm balanced cable anyway.
- The stock pads are exactly the same as the Nano pads, also the same as the pads on the £6000 Susvara. Why do HiFiMAN choose to use such crap pads?! They're even the same pads (just not round) as on the Sundara.
Overall it feels like a solid refinement over the already great qualities of the Ananda Nano. I used only the Voarmaks memory foam velour pads between both as don't like the stock pads.
I don't think the Arya Stealth sounds £500+ better than the Nano if we look at the steady price it has been retailing at since September 2021, I wouldn't even upgrade if it was £800 if I had the Nano, but at £510? Absolutely a good upgrade, and if I can sell my nano for £400 or more, then absolutely ideal given I bought them new for £447 and they currently sell for £476. Looking at eBay the average used set goes for £400 buy it now, and mine are better than stock and are issue-free.