HIFIMAN Arya Organic Full-Size Over-Ear Open-Back Planar Magnetic Headphone with Stealth Magnets for Audiophiles, Home & Studio Listening

I paired these with a Fiio K9 AKM and I have to say if I had to pick one headphone setup and get rid of the rest, this would be it. Other headphones may slightly edge it out in certain categories but it excels in every use case: gaming, music, and movies.They have a slightly warm sound signature that I quite like that is further enhanced by the Fiio K9 AKM. The vocals on tracks are also quite clear and forward. Sound stage and imaging is awesome as well. Sometimes there can be slight sibilance depending on the genre or game being played, but that is easily balanced with EQ.I also love the look and over-all build quality. They wood trim and aluminum grills look great, the headband and earpads are very comfortable for long listening sessions.Here are a few comparisons to other headphones I own:HIFIMAN Mini Shangri-La:The Mini Shangri-La are by far more transparent with a quick and responsive feel, so I do prefer those when listening to vinyl or lossless music. However the bass and overall warm sound signature of the Arya Organic is more enjoyable to listen to in many cases depending on the track/genre. Also the build quality and comfort is way in favor of the Arya on this one. Additionally being an electrostatic headphone the Mini Shangri-La lack any kind of portability and are almost twice the price if you need the energizer.Focal ClearTrue to their name these have a very clear sound signature compared to the Arya Organic. Almost like a little brother of the Mini Shangri-La all the same comparisons apply. The bass and warmth make the Arya Organic more enjoyable in most cases. However the build quality of the Focal Clear is a bit better, with a sturdier metal construction and better feeling earpads.Focal BathysOK so these might ACTUALLY be my go to choice if I had to get rid of everything else, but that's only because they are very good headphones (especially in DAC mode) that are also portable with decent noise cancelling. However as far as overall sound signature and imaging it's not even close.So the winner is the Arya Organic with the Mini Shangri-La coming very close but losing because of how inconvenient they are to deal with. I think they are absolutely worth it if they're in your budget. So far the best headphone experience I've had all around until I try out Susvara, Utopia or some other crazy high-end set.

**6-Month Update: I have gradually moved to the Organics as my main daily-driver headphones, and am still absolutely in love with them. They are holding up well to constant use, but I do think I'll need some pad replacements after about a year. Mine haven't developed any creaks or issues...they still feel like brand new!A note about powering them: While they can be run by low-powered sources, I will say that they do benefit from more power. My office rig is a Topping A90D, and it's been a solid pairing. On the Class-A amplification of a Schitt Mjolnir 3, however, they sound even better. More fatness and grip on the low end, and even more of that speed and immediacy is on tap.Original Review:I have been in the head-fi space for many years now, and currently have several mid-to-high-end headphones in rotation. The Arya Organics are something special, and this type of performance doesn't come along at this price very often.Comfort: #1 for me is comfort. If a headphone isn't comfortable, it doesn't get picked often, and just doesn't get listened to as frequently. If I have to constantly fiddle with it to get it sitting right, it ruins immersion and is simply too distracting. These are some of the most comfortable headphones I have ever used. Less clamp than the Sennheiser 6 range (and those I find to be quite comfy), lighter than the Focal range, and with fewer hotspots. For long listening sessions and marathon gaming, I can confidently reach for the Organics knowing I'm going to be comfortable.Tuning: #2 for me is the tuning, and whether it agrees with how I hear. I was initially worried about these, as I'm very treble-sensitive. Harsh upper-midrange also bothers me, and the charts all show a rise between 6-7K and 8-9K. I am happy to report that (after a bit of burn-in) they don't irritate me at all. Something about how that 1-2K dip sets up the treble presentation somehow cools it down. The midrange and treble presents as detailed, open, airy, yet just under the 'too sharp' threshold for me. Lovely.Bass: #3. If the bass isn't good, I don't care about the rest. Maybe I'm a heathen, but if the bass doesn't move me, I just don't reach for the headphone as often. Luckily, Hifiman's decision to bring up the bass here is a welcome change, and scratches that particular itch in a delightful, impactful, detailed way. It's not just about the quantity, it's also about the texture and speed. The bass on the Organics is interesting in that it has impact, control and separation that I wasn't expecting. My experience with planar bass is that it's usually technically very good, but not quite as 'fun' as a dynamic driver. The Organics have some of the best planar bass I've ever heard, from long, sustained real instrumentation to demanding electronic music, this is simply excellent.Midrange: #4. Vocals, guitars, synth lines, everything that falls into the midrange category here is presented in a way that's a bit perplexing. The Organics can be SUPER close and intimate, yet also HUGELY wide and expansive here. Vocals especially seem to float and shimmer and occupy a space all their own. Again, the level of detail and texture here is mind-blowing. I have much more listening to do before I can write more here, but suffice it to say that the midrange here is interesting in all the right ways.Soundstage: #5 for me. If I don't care about soundstage, I'll just listen to IEM's. Over-ear headphones remain interesting for me because of the sense of space they can provide. The soundstage on the Organics is excellent. Width is as wide or wider than most, but what surprised me was the sense of front-to-back depth on offer here. The precise way the Organics image most likely at play here, and while my Senn HD800s can go wider, they do so at the expense of realism and note weight. The stage on the Arya's is amazing. How about for gaming? These are wallhack-level. 'Nuff said.Overall , this is the most compelling package at the price point, and perhaps quite a bit beyond that I've ever seen, and have quickly become my daily drivers. All-day comfort, exciting, just dynamic enough, detailed without shoving sound in your face, analytical while still being relaxed enough to get out of their own way. Hall of fame level headphones.