HIFIMAN Arya Stealth vs HIFIMAN Arya Unveiled
The HIFIMAN Arya Unveiled scores 0.4 higher; the HIFIMAN Arya Stealth costs $540 less. The reviews favour the Arya Stealth on bass, and the Arya Unveiled on driver technology.
By Jakub Charkiewicz · Published · Updated
On score and price HIFIMAN Arya Unveiled The Arya Unveiled is 0.4 ahead on score: four steps, more than the $540 the Arya Stealth saves can buy back under the rule. The reviews favour the Arya Stealth over the Arya Unveiled on bass, which is its case.
When to choose the Arya Stealth over the Arya UnveiledThe short version
The HIFIMAN Arya Stealth scores 8.7/10 (Highly Recommended) and the HIFIMAN Arya Unveiled 9.1/10 (Highly Recommended). At $759 against $1,299, the Arya Stealth saves you $540 over the Arya Unveiled. On bass, the Arya Stealth's review lists "Bass extends to 20Hz, fast and transparent" where the Arya Unveiled's lists "Less mid-bass bloom than Arya Organic - bass-heads may want more". On driver technology the reviews favour the Arya Unveiled over the Arya Stealth: "Grill-less design eliminates micro-reflections off protective metal". Weighing score against price, the published pick rule chooses the Arya Unveiled over the Arya Stealth; who should take the Arya Stealth instead is set out below.
HIFIMAN Arya Stealth
Higher score
HIFIMAN Arya Unveiled
In the reviewer's words
The Arya Unveiled review mentions the Arya Stealth in passing, verbatim below.
Vocals are pushed slightly forward and have a lush, organic density to them that reminds me more of the HE1000se than the Arya Stealth.
Which one to buy
On score and price the pick rule chooses the Arya Unveiled, unless its bass would be a dealbreaker; then the Arya Stealth.
| At a glance | HIFIMAN Arya Stealth | HIFIMAN Arya Unveiled |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 8.7/10, Highly Recommended | 9.1/10, Highly Recommended |
| Price | $759 | $1,299 |
| Sound, against the other | wider-staged | closer to neutral |
| The better buy for | bass | driver technology |
| Not the one for | driver technology | bass |
HIFIMAN Arya Stealth
Choose it instead if:
- The Arya Stealth's bass matters more to you than the Arya Unveiled's driver technology.
- Keeping $540 matters more to you than the Arya Unveiled's four-step lead over the Arya Stealth, 9.1 against 8.7.
- You want the Arya Stealth's wider-staged sound; the Arya Unveiled sits closer to neutral there.
Not ideal if:
- You need the Arya Unveiled's driver technology more than the Arya Stealth's bass.
- The Arya Unveiled's 9.1 against the Arya Stealth's 8.7 is worth $540 more to you.
HIFIMAN Arya Unveiled
Picked on score and price. Choose it if:
- The Arya Unveiled's driver technology matters more to you than the Arya Stealth's bass.
- You would pay $540 over the Arya Stealth for the Arya Unveiled's 9.1 against 8.7 on the rubric.
Not ideal if:
- You need the Arya Stealth's bass more than the Arya Unveiled's driver technology.
- Every dollar counts: the Arya Stealth costs $540 less than the Arya Unveiled.
What matters most to you?
| What matters | HIFIMAN Arya Stealth | HIFIMAN Arya Unveiled |
|---|---|---|
| Sound | 9.1 | 9.1 |
| Technical performance | 8.7 | 9.5 |
| Build & comfort | 8.6 | 9.3 |
| System fit | 8.7 | 8.7 |
| Value | 8.2 | 8.6 |
The widest gap is technical performance: 8.7 for the Arya Stealth against 9.5 for the Arya Unveiled. Each column comes from its own review's pros and cons, 14 for the Arya Stealth and 14 for the Arya Unveiled, and recombines to its headline score, 8.7 and 9.1. How a score is built
Where they differ
Three topics the Arya Stealth and Arya Unveiled reviews both discuss, the most decisive first.
Only the Arya Unveiled
Bass
The Arya Stealth review lists one strength here, the Arya Unveiled review one flaw.
- Arya Stealth, strength: "Bass extends to 20Hz, fast and transparent"
- Arya Unveiled, flaw: "Less mid-bass bloom than Arya Organic"
Soundstage and imaging
The Arya Stealth review lists two strengths and one flaw here and the Arya Unveiled review one strength, with no clear edge.
- Arya Stealth, strength: "Unbeatable, accurate, near-3D imaging"
- Arya Unveiled, strength: "Holographic imaging with dead-silent background"
Driver technology
The Arya Unveiled review lists three strengths and one flaw here, the Arya Stealth review one strength.
- Arya Unveiled, strength: "Grill-less design eliminates micro-reflections off protective metal"
- Arya Stealth, strength: "Stealth Magnets + nanometer-thickness diaphragm + Window Shade Grills"
Only the Arya Stealth review discusses tonal balance (one strength, one flaw), detail (one flaw), and mids (one flaw); only the Arya Unveiled review discusses treble (one strength) and amp matching (one flaw).
What they have in common
The Arya Stealth and the Arya Unveiled are both open-back planar magnetic headphones from HIFIMAN, and both have Stealth Magnets, a nanometer-thickness diaphragm, and a suspension-strap headband. The Arya Stealth and Arya Unveiled reviews both praise comfort and cabling, and both fault build.
Sound signature, overlaid
On stage size the Arya Stealth sounds wide-staged where the Arya Unveiled sits near neutral. The Arya Stealth and the Arya Unveiled both sound analytical. Neither the Arya Stealth nor the Arya Unveiled leans either way on bass weight. On tonal balance and energy this reading takes no side and defers to the Arya Unveiled review's own comparison with the Arya Stealth, quoted above.
On paper
The Arya Stealth ranks #8 and the Arya Unveiled #3 of the 30 headphones reviewed here; on value the Arya Stealth and the Arya Unveiled both rate Steep. To reach 110 dB peaks the Arya Stealth needs about 40 mW and the Arya Unveiled about 40 mW, which puts both in reach of most dongle DACs. The Arya Stealth and Arya Unveiled spec sheets match on driver (Planar magnetic) and frequency response (8 Hz - 65 kHz).
The Arya Stealth and Arya Unveiled figures come from HIFIMAN's official site.
| Spec | HIFIMAN Arya Stealth | HIFIMAN Arya Unveiled |
|---|---|---|
| Impedance | 32 Ω | 27 Ω |
| Sensitivity | 94 dB/mW | 94 dB |
Only the Arya Stealth review records connector, not the Arya Unveiled review.
How these verdicts were reached
The Arya Stealth review was published on Jul 25, 2024 and the Arya Unveiled review on Mar 16, 2026, nearly two years later, on one reference chain and rubric. The Arya Unveiled review mentions the Arya Stealth in passing, quoted above. The Arya Stealth and Arya Unveiled reviews were both last checked on Sep 19, 2026.
Questions about the Arya Stealth and Arya Unveiled
What is the difference between the HIFIMAN Arya Stealth and the HIFIMAN Arya Unveiled?
The HIFIMAN Arya Unveiled edges the Arya Stealth where it is measured, 9.1 to 8.7. In the reviews' own lines, bass goes to the Arya Stealth and driver technology to the Arya Unveiled. On voicing the Arya Stealth is the wider-staged of the two; the Arya Unveiled does not lean far on that axis.
Which should you buy, the HIFIMAN Arya Stealth or the HIFIMAN Arya Unveiled?
On score and price, the Arya Unveiled: its 9.1 against the Arya Stealth's 8.7 is four steps, a lead the published pick rule keeps even at $540 more.
Which has the better bass, the Arya Stealth or the Arya Unveiled?
The Arya Stealth: its review lists one strength on bass, the Arya Unveiled review one flaw.
How does the engineering differ between the Arya Stealth and the Arya Unveiled?
The Arya Unveiled, narrowly: its review lists three strengths and one flaw on driver technology, the Arya Stealth review one strength.
Is the Arya Unveiled worth $540 more than the Arya Stealth?
On the pick rule, yes: the Arya Unveiled's 0.4 lead over the Arya Stealth is four steps, more than the rule trades for $540. In the reviews' own lines, it buys the Arya Unveiled's driver technology and treble over the Arya Stealth.
Where they rank
In Best Open-Back Headphones the Arya Unveiled ranks #3 and the Arya Stealth #9; in Best Planar Magnetic Headphones the Arya Unveiled ranks #3 and the Arya Stealth #7; only the Arya Unveiled makes Best Reference-Grade Audio Gear (#5).
Arya Unveiled #3 Arya Stealth #9 14 picks
Best Planar Magnetic Headphones
Arya Unveiled #3 Arya Stealth #7 11 picks
Best Reference-Grade Audio Gear
Arya Unveiled #5 Arya Stealth not listed 10 picks