High End Headphone Comparison | HD800S vs Arya 

You are so rich to buy a headphone like this one lucky you I hope you are going to spend a good time with it especially it is excellent for gaming

I also got the 800s. It’s amazing for gaming and movies. I pair it with a Sennheiser hdvd 800 amp/dac.

@@matrixz6 hdvd overpriced as hell!

I am getting mine next year so anticipation is fucking so much

@@Key.Fantasy i totally agree with you . I would never spend more than 150 on a headphone for gaming but for music i would easily spend 500 for it. Now i have 6xx and emu teak for music M50 for gaming And looking for either lcd2 or ananda as my end game

In an open world game what you prefer?

With the right amp and headphone cable, the 800S isn't at all clinical, lean, or fatiguing.

@@juanignacio8476 open world games I'd prefer Aryas as IMO it's more relaxing (Witcher, Skyrim, Fallout, CP77). For FPS games I prefer HD800S - soundstage is more natural IMO compared to the Aryas that have quite a tall stage.

Would you say that the 800s is still good for a metal head? I’m into metalcore, nu metal, groove metal, prog, djent...stuff like that. I actually listen to just about every genre of music, but not sure which of these two headphones would be best for accuracy, imaging, wide soundstage, and flexibility with eq. It’s a really hard choice. The 800s seems like the better choice if clarity and details are what you’re after with that wide soundscape, but falls apart with a lot of genres. What’s worse is a lot of people seem divisive on the 800s, and you either fall in love with them or hate them. It’s 50/50. That’s a lot of money to put forth for not working for a majority of different types of music. Trying to decide between these and the Arya’s for my endgame to pair with my hd58x’s, which does my type of music perfectly anyways

@Greg Lockard it is a hard decision at this point. I believe it may be best to audition the headphones in person if you can. The HD800s may be a bit unforgiving for some genres and I'm not too familiar with those you've mentioned unfortunately. And yes the Senns may be a worthy reference headphone, but that doesn't necessarily make it a pleasurable listen for certain genres. So yeah, my advice is to audition pairs that you're interested in if you can, come back every week if you need to.

Yeah i want this too

Highly interested in that comparison too ;)

me too

He did say he prefer Arya in his Arya review.

Yes pls!! Im already looking for some high end planars

Did you get it and like it ?

did you tried to compare it to another headphones???

@@davidmason8212 Not directly. They're better than some oldschool headphones I used to own, but I'd like to get a DT1990 Pro someday which should be an interesting match.

@@PixelPipes i tried the dt 1990 once and i liked it but i am thinking in eather the ed xx or used lcd2f that's i asked you if you compare the ed xx

@@davidmason8212 I haven't heard the LCD2s but you honestly can't go wrong with the HEXX. They have a really balanced and engaging sound, refined and extremely versatile. They're also very non-fatiguing and you could listen for many hours. I reviewed them on Drop under 'Reputator'. Just make sure you give them a good amp (quality, not so much power), and 60-100 hours to sound their best.

@@PixelPipes i have got liquid spark amp but i think 4xx and ed xx have the same tonality that's why I am thinking about the lcd2

منجد محد يحس فينا💔

With the right amp and headphone cable, the 800S doesn't shrink the size of the instruments at all.

Yeah their bass is soft hitting, it's not as fast and tight as even sone cheaper headphones.

FRANKII Completely agree! I think Arya does bass almost perfectly. It reminds me of a nice speakers and tastefully tuned sub.

Klay Moon elex for the music and HD800S and tube amp for gaming

Elex sounds amazing … until they suddenly stop working. Had two pairs die, each within a year of getting them. Fortunately Drop is good about replacing refunding.

Hey man, I have the Arya and the cup depth isn't good ... Your ears will definitely touch the lining on the inside ... Buuuuutttt it doesn't feel as intrusive as other headphones do. My opinion.... Completely worth it ... They are the best headphones ... Absolutely astonishing in sound

Mikyle Naidoo thanks for the reply! Yea I suspected it wasn’t very deep judging by the images. I’m in Los Angeles and haven’t found a place to demo any hifi man.

Tube the HD800S. Arya seems dead in comparaison.

3 defective pairs ? $1600 headphone ? That shit unacceptable.

I would imagine you bought from Amazon right? They just repackage pairs that were sent back

@@bernamej Tube recommendation?

@@Koaki913 Just go with the Monolith Liquid Platinum, chose good tubes and of course, good dac. HD800S still the king.

Johnson Adekunle which one is better please tell. I have the Arya. Im thinking to buy lcd x or clear

Can u tell how the clear sounds compared arya

The Clear is exceptional, though I don't own the Lcd X and haven't heard it. I own the Lcd 2 classic instead and it's quite good as well. The Clear pairing with the Questyle dac/amp is spectacular. It seems as if they were meant for each other. Arya is a little bit brighter than the Clear but the soundstage on that thing is immense. You can't go wrong with the Clear sir.

Thanks brother

why not the lcdx ?

@@davidmason8212/videos Just want to try a new brand, never tried the Hifimans. But yes, LCD-X is the other option to go to. Looking for used anyway, so whichever I can find, really.

@@davidmason8212 the X is as detailed as the Arya, but the X doesn’t have any of the soundstage and scale of the Arya

@@shadouxg7150 And it weights 785 gram This weight is extremely bad for the neck

Arya is very easy to drive.

I think you can in Headphone Bar in Vancouver

You just haven't listened to the 800S through the right amp and headphone cable if you think it sounds like "a studio pop recording-like soundstage". The problem isn't the 800S; it's your components.

LorenzoNW. Maybe, my front end DAC is Auralic Vega, and the amp being Eddie Current Balancing Act with KR Audio PX4 power tubes. I have heard the HD800 with other amps too like Woo Audio WA5, Chord Dave and Cayin HA300. Great headphone in imaging, but I still prefer the Arya overall in the presentation and tonal balance.

@@zeissiez I have the Cary 300SEI integrated amplifier with Synergistic Research Orange Fuse, Grayhill selector switch, two Bybee IQSEs, 1 Ken Rad Black Glass 6sn7 (preamp tube), 2 NOS BRIMAR Made In England 6sn7 (driver tubes), 2 Genalex Golden Lion 300B (power tubes). And I’m about to have the amp upgraded by Stuart Jones (President of Chapman Audio) with silver bypass caps and other improvement. Headphone cable is the ToneKraft Version 2 by Audio Envy. There’s a night and day difference between the ToneKraft and stock cable - far more musically and emotionally engaging. Version 3 is coming out in a couple months and it’s expected to have an even greater “analogue sound” without a false sense of coloration. I'll be one of the first in line for it.

LorenzoNW. Wow impressive! I bet the HD800s sound otherworldly in that setup

@@zeissiez It does but it was expensive getting there and took a long time to save up for it. Good power conditioning is also critical to achieve that otherworldly sound. I have a High Fidelity Cables M-0.5, a Furutech Rhodium NCF wall outlet and cover plate, and an Audience Adept Response aR2p-T4 power conditioner. The aR2p-T4 is expensive but what it does is magic! The headphone I would love to hear someday is the Final Audio Pro D8000. But it will be a while before I can afford something that expensive.

everyone want that

Israel are these both your headphones lol? Thanks for always sending in stuff for Josh to review, community appreciates it.

@@dRnRcR Thanks! Lol! Only the Arya is mine. However, the HD800S is worthy enough and will be added to my collection at some point this year.

@@IsraelCruzJr Arya is on my list. I have the older HD800 and I love them. Pushing them thru a tube amp made them insane.

@Mike O'Horny There are better ways to get your point across, you know. The HD800S is a great set of headphones, and so are other German engineered headphones like the DT1990 by Beyerdynamics. At the end of the day, everyone has their own listening preference. If you like the HD800S, that's great! Doesn't mean you should trash other people for liking something more than you. How does your attitude help the hobby? We're all in this together, chill out, enjoy the music, and respect the hobby.

@@ItsVab Thanks! "An answer, when mild, turns away rage."

DACs don't really matter for headphone pairing. I run the Arya with the SP200 and it works really well. I tried them with a RebelAmp too but that makes them feel a little more slugish. Not sure what you did/bought in your 11 months since you wrote that comment but you might want to get the SMSL SH-9, the Topping A50s or even the Topping A90 instead because the volume control of the SP200 sucks.

You are a good man.

Yes, please! And with Empyrean!

HD 600 is a good starting HP. Juuuust wait til you have a chance to try others, RIP wallet.

Gaming is amazing, feels like hacking

what amp are you using and what kind of music do you listen to? Finding it soooo hard to make a decision and I can't try before I buy which sucks

@@jamesboxall9211 My amp is the Topping A90. It has a balanced and natural sound. In combination wit the RME ADI-2 DAC FS it is the endgame. You can also only use the RME, because of its preamp/dac solution. It has clarity, power and endless tools to drive the Arya or any other headphone. ;)

@@jamesboxall9211 I listen to Rock, Classic, Jazz, Electro, House and Hip Hop. The Arya represents all of them perfectly.

How do u like them after the honeymoon period? Is your brain adapted to them so they don’t excite as much anymore?

@@Cooliewhistles They still sound phenomenal. In addition, you need another 120 hours of break-in time, which I have not yet reached. You don't like the Arya?

Aqua Marine aquamarine Sir I cannot thank you enough for your in-depth reply and I am Humbled you took the time no matter how late it is😜 Your opinion I value and although I’m a Hifi addict collecting And restoring Speakers and amplifiers my other passion is headphones which have gave me a lot of pleasure.Ironically even though I have a Lot of Full Size headphones in my fold I have lately been adding a lot of So called Chifi IEM’s to my collection also with some surprising Results. If Truth be known I do love my LCD-2C Classics But even those don’t compare to my trusty Sennheiser HD600 through my Dark Voice Tube amplifier with Upgraded Tubes,They Sound Unbelievable And the Audeze can’t touch them. As for my Music Choices I’m 56yrs old and Still into Steely Dan,James Taylor,Doobie Brothers and Old School R,N,B like George Benson,Luther Vandross. Classical music I have not really found myself attached to although some Classical music I find hauntingly beautiful. I have also recently found I like to listen to Hans Zimmer and his Soundtracks to Inception and Interstellar.Through Headphones Both Are Stunning Sound wise. Your LCD-X opinion I totally appreciate and I understand your views,I have also considered the Focal Range as maybe an option for my next Purchase as well as the Sendy Aiva but the Headphone world seems to be gaining traction at a huge Pace as far as New Brands Taking on the established brands. Thank you Sir. Neil.👍

I think Josh has said before he doesn't really review DACs (though sometimes he mentions which one he's using for testing). Another youtuber reviewed the Topping D90 (single AK4499) yesterday and said it's on another level compared to anything else Topping or SMSL makes. So the D90 is probably the best out of the Chinese products. I'm probably picking one up. If you want more features and a better build/support the RME adi-2 dac is great and just got updated (now is using dual AK4493). If you want top of the line performance money no object the Matrix Audio X-Sabre Pro.

@@snowrang3r657 I have the SMSL M500...do you think D90 is an upgrade worth selling the M500 cheap and buying the D90 by putting in $400++?

Shoaib Ahmed that’s a tough call. M500 is nothing to sneeze at. however soundnews (the RU-vidr I mentioned earlier) liked the D90 > DX7pro > SMSL M500. You should go check out the video if you haven’t. Yes his opinions are subjective but I think that has a role to play as well not just measurements of test tones. For me since I don’t have anything crazy it’s easier to say I’ll just save up a bit longer and get the D90.

I love my 800S. With the right amp and headphone cable, it can sound very musically and emotionally engaging. If your still using the stock cable, order the ToneKraft version 3 by Audio Envy when it becomes available in a couple months. It will take your 800S to a whole new level!

@@LorenzoNW Great! What amp would you recommend then? I am using the THX 789 and using the stock cable balanced. Do cables make that much of a difference I wonder...how much $$$ for the cable you recommended? Thanks

What did you choose?

My Tin P1 was the my greatest waste of money as now in my daily audio gear. I bought it as an early bird for on the road, but found out it couldn't be driven by my LG Quad-DAC. Last it's so uncomfortable that I just don't want to use it. Even @ home or hotel.

Glad it's not just me that's bothered by this! All headphones have finite detail. Although technically correct, it's not a compliment to describe a headphone's detail as 'finite'. It would be a compliment to describe a headphone's detail as 'infinite'. Finite literally means it's limited.

LOL. Your avatar had me wiping my screen, when it wouldn't come off I was worried that I permanently damaged it somehow. Then I laughed and scrolled my screen, suspicions confirmed: it's your damn avatar. Was that the intent?

@@VeniVizzleVici haha yes that was the intent but it didn't think it would actually work 🤔🤣

Pretty sure he meant finite here. He was talking about an abstract sound field and was describing the HD800s as having 'finite' sound characteristics within the sound field, that unlike the Arya's they aren't so massive sounding that it seems like they go on forever. They are 'finite', the Arya's, comparatively, are 'infinite'

@@Weifs nah he uses that word in all of his videos and it's always as a way to describe "fine" detail

I upgraded from the SB ZXR to a Woo Audio Wa7tp for my HD 800 and it's now much less bright and has an even more spacious soundstage now for gaming. Maybe a tube amp might fix up the harshness of your HD 800Ss too? The SB X7 is bright by nature. Josh has mentioned that the HD 800(S) has a wider soundstage than the Arya for gaming but why not own both? They'd definitely compliment each other :)

If you find the 800S to be murder on your ears, it's because you don't have the right amp and headphone cable. With the right ones, the 800S is emotionally and musically engaging - pure magic! With the wrong amp and headphone cable, it can sound clinical, lifeless, and fatiguing. No EQ needed.

@@LorenzoNW what amp do you drive yours with?

@@ilokiwi Cary 300SEI integrated amplifier with Synergistic Research Orange Fuse, Grayhill selector switch, one Bybee IQSE, 1 NOS HYTRON Made in USA 6sn7 with Mapleshade Halo (preamp tube), 2 NOS Sylvania Bad Boy (driver tubes), 2 Genalex Golden Lion 300B (power tubes). All contacts cleaned with 99% isopropyl alcohol and treated with Mad Scientist Audio's Graphene Contact Enhancer. Upgrades by Stuart Jones (President of Chapman Audio Systems) include DH Labs RCA sockets, Cardas binding posts, Furutech IEC Inlet, Clarity capacitors, Duelund Silver Bypass capacitors. The amp sits on a Star Sound Technologies Sistrum Platform coupled to APCD-5 coupling discs. The amp actually exceeds the capabilities of the the 800S but it still sounds absolutely gorgeous. The ToneKraft headphone cable by Audio Envy helps too. And to get great sound, power conditioning is essential. I have an Audience Adept Response aR2p-T4 plugged into a Furutech NCF duplex wall outlet with carbon fiber frame. Eventually, I'd like to buy the ZMF Vérité open back but I have other priorities at the moment.

@@LorenzoNW Cables don't affect sound quality, bozo.

@@jayninja2747 I have the stock cable and a ToneKraft cable by Audio Envy. Sounds like two completely different headphones. With the stock cable, my 800S is unlistenable after hearing how good it can sound with the ToneKraft. No doubt it's just snake oil and the placebo effect. But I'm one happy bozo.

It's awesome... HD800/S soundstage can fool your brain thinking the singer and band is in front of you... For videogame and movie OST it's spectacular... Just ensure to use powerful amp...

Get the ZMF Auteur

2 watts minimum I'd say, but as much power as you reasonably afford. Disregard the online power calculators, it's made for dynamic cans. Planars need good CURRENT vs voltage. I say this as an Arya owner. They also benefit from an amp with character...thx amps and chip amps don't do it justice, IMO.

is the arya still functioning?

No idea, sold both, too bright.

have you found a better headphone in this pricerange?

T A Just my 2 cents... I have Arya with THX 789 and a Bottlehead SEX tube amp. I prefer 789 when I want absolute accuracy and detail, but the SEX is ever so slightly “warmer” which is a more enjoyable combo 90% of the time.

italiansurprise I appreciate it, I was thinking about a tube amp myself because it’s supposedly to widen the soundstage some. I don’t know a lot about tube amps tho so I’ll probably go with the 789

most likely

HD800s, the imaging/Soundstage is insane for FPS.

he talked about it in the original review for the HD800s : ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-QOdN2vTKD7A.html around the 6:14 mark if you're on mobile.

And not just the 800's either. I own the 598's, 6XX's and 700's from Sennheiser and they all were noticeably improved with a good EQ tune.

If the 800S sounds boring, you never heard it with the right amp and headphone cable.

Throw in the lcd X and you have the most interesting combination of all the Headphones im interested in.

I'd pick the empyrean because it looks nicer

Smsl sp200 is epic ... I paired it with my Arya ... A match made in heaven ... So much juice in it it's crazy , and very very detailed ... Insanely black background

@@mikylenaidoo1779 hah sounds good man, I figured it would be a good match up for multiple high end headphones, looking forward to getting one then!

Which one is better though? I already have the 789. I'm gonna be pissed if I could have gotten the SMSL SP 200 for $120 cheaper and its the superior amp lol

@@davidmadison6071 I ended getting the SP200 for my HD 800s. From what I understand performance wise it's about equivalent to a 789, but the SP200 does have its issues like static at higher volumes. But for my unit this only occurred at higher volumes that are unsafe to listen at anyways so doesn't matter to me. SP200 also lacks a middle gain option and low gain on it is already pretty high Advantages of the SP200 is that it has a much much smaller footprint, saving a lot of desk space and that mattered a lot to me. Also it doesn't use a power brick, has its power supply built within, saving space cable management wise which was also appreciated

It’s very critical to match the 800S with the right components. With the right components, you get details, nuance, AND an emotionally engaging experience. With the wrong components, it can sound lifeless and clinical. I wouldn’t even think about plugging the 800S into a solid-state amp or using their stock cable. MY SYSTEM: Cary 300SEI integrated amplifier with Synergistic Research Orange Fuse, Grayhill selector switch, two Bybee IQSEs, 1 Ken Rad Black Glass 6sn7 (preamp tube), 2 NOS BRIMAR Made In England 6sn7 (driver tubes), 2 Genalex Golden Lion 300B (power tubes). And I’m about to have the amp upgraded by Stuart Jones (President of Chapman Audio) with silver bypass caps and other improvement. ToneKraft Version 2 headphone cable by Audio Envy. There’s a night and day difference between the ToneKraft and stock cable - far more musically and emotionally engaging. Version 3 is coming out in a couple months and it’s expected to have an even greater “analogue sound” without a false sense of coloration. I'll be one of the first in line for it.

Try dt1990

Maybe the HD700

Its "Redial" - Ballpoint, Cushy & Damma Beatz - Redial

btw you can always ask your google assistant for it. Thats how I know.

@@wadimek116 Thanks!

The Marantz SR 5013 is a nice AV receiver but a poor match for the 800S, which ideally should be paired with a good tube amp and after market cable.

The M11 Pro is definitely not enough, not even with the balanced output.

Have you checked out the Woo Audio WA8 Eclipse Headphone Amplifier / DAC? Also, order the ToneKraft headphone cable Version 3 by Audio Envy when it comes out in a couple months.

no, but it is still good. SMSL SP200, thx789 those kind of amps can get HD800s detailed enough , but also make hd800s dry. HD800s is much easier to drive than the hd800. but you still want a more full sounding amp than the sp200. Hugo 2 with hd660s is a good match. even 650 or 6xx will get benefit from a desktop amp like the THX789.

I'm not familiar with the SMSL SP200 but I own the 800S and I can't imagine listening to in on a SS amp or with the stock cable.

Overall Listening - Ananda Soundstage - HD800S Value for Money - Sundara

Here in India, Arya is less expensive than HD800S by about 10%.