@blisshifi Thanks again for thoughts — very interesting and helpful. I auditioned the Audeze maybe LCD-2? about five years ago and found them a little too laid back in the treble for my tastes (and they were heavy), which eventually led me to Hifiman. Never got to hear Meze ‘phones but definitely will at some point.
Cable upgrade
Looking for recommendations for a better cable (not balanced) for my Hifiman Arya Stealths to replace the stock cable that I never used and can’t even find. I’m looking for neutral sound with good tonality and open soundstage and want to stay under $200. For reference I’m using a balanced LavriCable Master silver cable with my other amp that I really like but looking for something a bit cheaper here. Thanks!
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@soix Yeah the weight is what more than anything took me away from Audeze. They open up with much better aftermarket cables, but the LCD-2 is dark, no question about it, whereas the LCD-3 and LCD-4 were respectively much better. Meze is super comfortable, moreso than Hifiman in my opinion. Going up the line, I'm most impressed by the 109 Pro, the Empyrean II, and the Elite. Despite the price differences between the Elite and Empyrean, I like them almost equally for different reasons. The Empyrean is a bit more linear with great presence. The Elite are a bit more refined. Coming from Hifiman, the Empyrean II would be my suggestion for you to try at some point. Let me know what cable you end up with for your Arya Stealth. |
@blisshifi Will do. Reason I’m looking is I have an LTA MZ2 (with upgraded LPS) I’ve been using as a preamp but want to use for my Stealths but can’t find the damn stock cable. Thinking it’ll be a step up from the Singxer SA-1 I’m using now and may add some heft/weight to the mids/bass as well. We’ll see. And yes, the Empyrean II looks like it’d be in my sonic wheelhouse and look forward to trying them sometime soon. |
Maybe look at Headphonia cable reviews here |
I know you said to limit cost at $200. As @blisshifi stated the Arya Stealth can sound tipped up and requires a cable with a very balanced frequency response. I recommend listening to WyWires Red, one of the most balanced, detailed, dynamic cables I have owned. Images are dense and staging wide. True to timbre. Read pro reviews as well. Construction is robust and kink resistant. I owned HP cables twice the price that were feeble by comparison falling apart in just over a year and needing repair. I have a Red three years almost daily use and it looks new. Go to www.wires.com. Alex, the designer and president is sincere and down to earth. Only issue, it’s $349. If you can increase the spend, well worth it. |
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