The HiFiMAN Arya has been a crowd-pleaser since it dropped back in 2019, now marching confidently into its fourth generation without missing a beat. The original Arya got an upgrade with the Stealth magnets—because who doesn’t want to sound stealthy? Then came the Arya Organic, wrapped in classy wood veneer and tuned for easier pairing, all while dropping the price from the original $1559 down to a much friendlier $1299. That price drop has been a huge part of its charm — delivering roughly 95% of flagship-level sound for about half the cost. It’s no wonder the Arya keeps popping up on every “best headphone” list for folks who want serious sound without selling a kidney.
Now, HiFiMAN’s taken things a step further with their new Unveiled series — four models that strip away anything between the driver and your ears for maximum, unfiltered audio goodness. I got my hands on all four, including the HiFiMAN Arya Unveiled, which is the most wallet-friendly of the bunch at $1449 (the other three start north of $2699). And here’s the kicker: we liked these so much, being Headphones Editor means I get to take a second bite at the apple with a second listen. Because clearly, one go just isn’t enough when it sounds this good.
The Arya Unveiled is basically the lovechild of the Arya Stealth’s housing (no fancy wood veneer like the Organic here) and the Arya Organic’s driver, with the rear of the ear cup ruthlessly cut away to expose the entire back of the driver. It’s like HiFiMAN took the best bits from every Arya iteration so far and mashed them together. But the real question is—did they actually pick the best parts, or just throw a parts bin mix together and call it a day?
Unboxing the Arya Unveiled: Fancy Packaging Meets Questionable Cable Choices
HiFiMAN deserves a nod for thinking beyond the usual “box that collects dust” with the Arya Unveiled packaging. The foam insert doubles as a headphone stand—yes, you can actually put it to use instead of tossing it aside—and then pop it back in for travel or storage. Inside the box, you get the headphones, magnetic back covers, four cloth bags (two for the covers, two for the headphones), and a single 5-foot cable.
The cable itself is HiFiMAN’s signature mono-crystalline cloth-wrapped design with gold-plated 3.5mm connectors on the headphone side, but then it ends in a 6.35mm plug for your source. Here’s the snag: the 6.35mm jack feels out of place on a headphone begging to be paired with portable devices and laptops—none of which come with a 6.35mm input.
What we really needed was either a 3.5mm cable with a 6.35mm adapter or, better yet, a second 3.5mm cable for portable use plus a longer 10-foot 6.35mm cable for home setups. As it stands, anyone hoping to use the Arya Unveiled on the go will want to hunt down an aftermarket cable. A missed tech detail that could have saved a lot of hassle.
The Arya Unveiled Design: Same Old Black, But Don’t Underestimate the Tech Underneath
If you’ve spent any quality time with HiFiMAN’s lineup or an Arya model before, the Arya Unveiled won’t shock you with radical design changes—it’s the familiar solid black look, borrowing the headband, suspension, pads, and cups from earlier Aryas like a well-rehearsed cover band. The headband sticks to solid leather, skipping the fancier perforated stuff found on pricier models, padded just enough to keep your skull from filing a complaint.
Pads pop off easily, and if you hate the hybrid velour/sheepskin combo they ship with, Dekoni’s got your back with solid sheepskin or velour replacements. The cups keep their signature egg shape—nose pointing down—housing the 3.5mm jacks like they own the place. This elongated design isn’t just for show; it lets HiFiMAN stuff in a larger rectangular driver, the same tech that powers their HE1000 and Ananda models, so yes, there’s serious gear inside that sleek black shell.
Here’s what’s fresh with the Arya Unveiled: magnetic covers that snap onto the outside of the cups. Since the driver’s rear is fully exposed—and thanks to those magnets, a total dust magnet—leaving it bare is a rookie mistake. These covers offer a no-brainer way to keep the delicate guts safe when the headphones aren’t on your head. Just remember to ditch them before you start listening, or you’ll be muffling your own sound.
Inside the cups, the Arya Unveiled packs all the upgrades HiFiMAN has perfected: stealth magnets, a nanometer-thin diaphragm, and a hybrid driver design that borrows from both dual-sided and single-sided philosophies. It clocks in with a nominal impedance of 27 ohms and a sensitivity rating of 94 dB—enough to keep your amp on its toes without needing a power plant.
Comfort & Fit: Light on Your Head—But Not If You Forget Those Magnetic Covers
At just over 14 ounces (413 grams), the Arya Unveiled is pretty light for a planar magnetic headphone, and the suspension headband does a decent job spreading the weight evenly. That is, until you slap on the magnetic covers—which nearly double the weight and make you instantly regret not ditching them before putting the headphones on.
Clamping force is a touch firmer than on the other Unveiled models I’ve tested, which means your glasses bows might get squeezed and your upper ear will feel the pinch. Same old headband design as before, so expect to do the usual trick of gently bending the metal to ease the pressure over time. The pads are soft foam wrapped in cloth, and they sit pretty comfortably—no complaints there.
Why “Unveiled”? Because Sacrificing Convenience for Sound is Apparently a Thing
If the idea of the rear of the driver being exposed, acting like a dust magnet, and needing protective covers sounds like a headache, you’re not alone. But HiFiMAN’s Unveiled line exists for one reason: sound quality above all else. Planar magnetic drivers need at least one side of the driver partially blocked to maintain the magnetic field around the diaphragm. Any obstruction between the driver and your ear risks sound waves bouncing around—getting reflected, deflected, or refracted—so some sounds might never reach you, or arrive out of sync.
So why rip off the rear cover? Because those waves shooting backward don’t just vanish into thin air. Obstacles behind the driver can cause reflections that bounce back toward the diaphragm, causing distortion. Imagine tossing a stone into a pond and watching ripples spread. Now throw a second stone nearby. The ripples don’t just pass through each other—they mess up the whole pattern. That’s what reflected sound waves do. By “unveiling” the driver’s back, HiFiMAN is trying to cut down those distortions, even if it means turning your headphones into a fragile, dust-attracting diva.
The Arya Unveiled spaces its magnets closer together on the rear surface, offering some protection to the delicate membrane while allowing a much wider gap inside the driver. That wider spacing inside means fewer sound waves meant for your ear get deflected by obstacles, which is a win for cleaner sound.
HiFiMAN’s stealth magnets on the rear act like wave guides, cleverly channeling sound waves through gaps instead of bouncing them right back at the diaphragm to cause distortion.
This design borrows traits from both dual-sided and single-sided planar setups and lets you see more of the diaphragm’s trace on the inside. Here’s where things get interesting: the trace on the Arya Unveiled is much tighter and cleaner than previous models, which often had wrinkles or crackles. This one’s impressively smooth and even—at least on this sample—giving the driver a more refined look and presumably better performance.
Listening Notes: Amp It Up — Arya Unveiled Demands Power and Delivers
For this listen, I ran the Arya Unveiled through several setups: the RME ADI-2 FS R BL, the Earmen Tradutto/CH-Amp combo, and the Drop/Xduoo TA-84 on my desktop, plus portable testing with the Cayin N6ii, FiiO M17, and Astell&Kern KANN Ultra. Since none of those portable players have a 6.35mm jack, I borrowed a HiFiMAN Crystalline Silver 3.5mm-to-3.5mm cable from another HiFiMAN headphone — figured it’s a better match than throwing in some random aftermarket mess.
With a nominal impedance of 27 ohms and a sensitivity of 94dB/mW, the Arya Unveiled sits right alongside the HE1000 Unveiled in terms of power needs. Translation: these cans want a decent amp to really sing. No weak sauce here — you’re going to need some juice to get the best out of them.
Bass: No Earth-Shattering Boom, But Plenty of Control
The sub-bass isn’t amped up here—so if you’re hunting for that chest-thumping bass slam, the Arya Unveiled might feel a bit underwhelming. But for most non-electronic genres, it nails the sub-bass with accuracy, no fake beef added. Once you pass the 35Hz mark, textures tighten up, and the bass gains definition, shedding the muddy rumble of those ultra-low frequencies.
As we move into mid-bass territory, the level stays measured—almost reference-like—with enough presence to be noticed when it matters, then politely fading into the background when it doesn’t.
Bonus points for tinkerers: the Arya Unveiled responds well to EQ. So if you want to crank up the low end and rattle your skull, go ahead. I’ll take a headphone that lets me tweak when I want over one that’s dumping too much bass 90% of the time.
Midrange: Clean, Neutral, and Brutally Honest
The shift from mid-bass to lower mids is smooth, no bleeding or awkward bumps here. The mids sit right alongside the bass on an even plane, giving the Arya Unveiled a near-neutral low end with solid weight and natural timbre. Lower vocals cut through the mix cleanly without feeling pushed or fake.
Guitars come through with a satisfying snarl and accurate timbre, boasting quick attack and decay that keep grit from turning into muddy mush. Strings have a lively energy but avoid harshness in the upper registers.
Higher vocals tread a fine line—if the recording is hot and sibilant, you’ll hear it loud and clear. The Arya Unveiled doesn’t sugarcoat anything. While it won’t turn a smooth recording into a sibilance nightmare, it won’t hide plosives or harsh passages either. Compared to earlier Arya models, this one plays the technical straight shooter—more truth, less forgiveness.
Treble: Just Enough Sparkle Without the Edge
The lower treble gets a gentle lift, giving higher voices a bit of extra energy and percussion the snap it needs to feel alive. Snares rattle nicely with quick decay, cymbals attack cleanly and ring out with a pleasant tone—never metallic or harsh. Even the hi-hats, which can sometimes sound like annoying clicks, keep a natural timbre here.
Treble extends well with plenty of air and sparkle on top, but it never crosses the line into harshness or overly bright territory. The Arya Unveiled edges closer to neutral than any previous model in the lineup, and the small tweaks it makes lean toward making music sound engaging rather than clinical.
Soundstage: Wide, Tall, and Fast Enough to Handle the Chaos
The Arya Unveiled delivers a soundstage with a bit more width than depth, but it still has solid height to create an immersive sense of space. For stage testing, I rely on The Cowboy Junkies – Trinity Sessions—that cathedral echo should feel distant and ethereal, and the Arya nails it without sounding flat or cramped.
Instrument placement is precise, with good separation and no weird gaps or smushing. Thanks to the planar driver’s quick response, even busy, fast tracks don’t turn into a jumbled mess. You can easily track movements around the stage, which makes the Arya not just a treat for music lovers, but a serious contender for high-end gaming headphones too.
The Bottom Line
I went in expecting the Arya Unveiled to be easier to drive than previous models—hence the baffling cable choice. The specs say it should be, but in reality, it demands a solid amplifier to truly shine. Honestly, I found it slightly tougher to drive than the Organic. The Astell&Kern KANN Ultra did well on portable duty, but seriously, HiFiMAN, just include a 3.5mm cable with a 6.35mm adapter already. Portable users will thank you.
I’ve always liked the Arya for striking a solid price/performance balance in HiFiMAN’s higher-end lineup. The Unveiled takes that foundation and sharpens it with a more linear sound and improved detail. The trade-offs? That weird cable setup limiting source options and the hassle of popping on the magnetic driver covers when you’re not using them.
Still, the HiFiMAN Arya Unveiled nails tonal accuracy, detail, and a full, balanced frequency response. All told, it’s the best Arya yet—if you can handle the quirks.
Pros:
- Near-neutral signature
- Great detail retrieval
- Comfortable fit
- Aftermarket pads available for original fit
- Clever headphone stand / case design
Cons:
- Needs a potent amplifier to reach full potential
- Odd cable choice limits source compatibility
- Requires extra care with exposed drivers and magnetic covers
Where to buy:
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