Short answer: the HIFIMAN Arya Stealth, if you are buying new. The HIFIMAN Arya ranks higher than the Audeze LCD-X (#94 vs #287 of 429 over-ear headphones) but is discontinued; its replacement, the HIFIMAN Arya Stealth, is rated 4.1/5 at $599 and is still sold new.
Why pick the Audeze LCD-X: Lower mids sit within about 0.5 dB of target, keeping voices and guitars natural. Watch for: Presence sits about 7.2 dB low with a 10.9 dB dip near 3.6 kHz, so vocals and instruments lose some bite.
The HIFIMAN Arya is the better-sounding pick. A spacious, detailed open planar that scores 82 with a 2.35 dB spread, with accurate lower mids and slightly bright treble for clarity. The catch: Discontinued and replaced by the HIFIMAN Arya Stealth.
Buy the HIFIMAN Arya Stealth, the replacement for the discontinued HIFIMAN Arya; it is rated higher for sound quality than the Audeze LCD-X.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Headphones rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Audeze LCD-X | HIFIMAN Arya | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,199.00 | Discontinued |
| Ranked | #287 of 429 in Over-Ear Headphones | #94 of 429 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Back | Open | Open |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Planar magnetic | Planar |
| Drivers | 1 x 106mm planar magnetic | 1 x planar magnetic |
| Impedance | 20 ohms | 35 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 103 dB/mW | - |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 50kHz | 8Hz - 65kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (612 g) | 0.9 lbs (404 g) |
| Harman Preference Score | 62 (median of 7 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 82 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.96 dB standard deviation | 2.35 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.94 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | +0.18 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 34 Hz (-6.3 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-5.3 dB at 30 Hz) |
Related Headphone Comparisons
How HIFIMAN Arya compares with other leading options:
- HIFIMAN Arya vs Sennheiser HD 800
- Focal Clear vs HIFIMAN Arya
- HIFIMAN Arya vs ZMF Caldera
- Audeze LCD-X vs HIFIMAN Ananda
- Final Audio D8000 Pro Edition vs Audeze CRBN
Prices on this page were last checked October 13, 2026 at 3:17 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Headphones In Full
Audeze LCD-X: $1,199.00 Amazon $1,199.00 eBay
Pros: Lower mids sit within about 0.5 dB of target, keeping voices and guitars natural. It uses 1 x 106mm planar magnetic with an easy 20 ohm load.
Cons: Presence sits about 7.2 dB low with a 10.9 dB dip near 3.6 kHz, so vocals and instruments lose some bite. Sub-bass is 6.3 dB short at 30 Hz, so deep bass lacks rumble. A Harman score of 62 places it in the lower part of the over-ear rankings.
Full Audeze LCD-X review and specifications →
| Released | 2013 (13 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Open |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.96 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Planar magnetic |
| Drivers | 1 x 106mm planar magnetic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 50kHz |
| Harman Preference Score | 62 (median of 7 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 20 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 103 dB/mW |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 34 Hz (-6.3 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.94 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (612 g) |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
HIFIMAN Arya Discontinued eBay
Newer model: the HIFIMAN Arya Stealth, ranked higher, rated 4.1/5, released Sep 2021. See every HIFIMAN Arya generation.
Pros: A spacious, detailed open planar that scores 82 with a 2.35 dB spread, with accurate lower mids and slightly bright treble for clarity.
Cons: Discontinued and replaced by the HIFIMAN Arya Stealth. Sub-bass falls about 5.3 dB short at 30 Hz, and a 9 dB dip near 9.6 kHz makes the treble uneven. It benefits from a capable amp. See headphone amps and DACs with enough power to drive it.
Full HIFIMAN Arya review and specifications →
| Released | 2018 (8 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Open |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.35 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Planar |
| Drivers | 1 x planar magnetic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 8Hz - 65kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 82 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 35 ohms |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-5.3 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | +0.18 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs (404 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -5.0 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +5.2 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 1,729 Hz | +5.0 dB | 1.47 |
| Peak | 183 Hz | -1.9 dB | 0.36 |
| Peak | 2,814 Hz | -2.9 dB | 2.64 |
| Peak | 4,688 Hz | -3.3 dB | 4.56 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -1.6 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 486 Hz | -1.4 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 567 Hz | +1.2 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 6,505 Hz | -1.5 dB | 5.97 |
| Peak | 5,750 Hz | +1.4 dB | 6.00 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons