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HIFIMAN ANANDA Over-Ear Open-back Planar Magnetic Headphones, wired-Black

£9.9£99Clearance
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Before getting into my completely subjective findings, let’s take a look at the differences on paper of the three headphones. Sundara without EQ preference score 92 https://www.dropbox.com/s/o3fza1a4kmmy4vr/Hifiman Sundara (2020 revised earpads).pdf?dl=0 Driveability wise the Ananda is as promised: easy. The Ananda will sound different with every amplifier or source you try it with, but that doesn’t mean a simple DAP can’t drive it. What you do get from the bigger amps is the special sense of power and control and the better sound stage/spaciousness/ separation. They are slightly more dipped in 1-2k than the HE500 and HD6XX (by ~2dB according to InnerFidelity and solderdude's measurements) but are still enjoyable the same, as the Ananda's mids tends to veer closer to a softer, more neutral presentation. Once there, the transformation was dramatic. The headphone tonality was very nice now and sound super open and pleasing. Alas, after a few minutes of listening, I lost interest in wearing these headphones and focused once more on some grunginess. Mind you, it could just be imagined problem but the final outcome was unlike other headphones that I listen to that are nice. I usually won't stop until I have to do the review. Didn't happen here.

The Edition X V2 is the more playful headphone here thanks to more low end. It doesn't impact harder though, the Ananda is slightly less soft here, is tighter and better controlled. The build is very similar on all three models, at least as far as build quality. There are differences in headband and adjustment between the Ananda and the others but that is something that I class more as comfort related than build quality.Mids are clear and beautiful, although they might sits just ever slightly behind the bass and treble. Even though the Ananda is a warm headphone, the mids still come out very clear and clean. The original HIFIMAN Ananda was released a little over four years ago as of the date of this review, and that is nearly a lifetime in the fast-paced personal audio space. My colleague covered it here and was impressed with the comfort, sound signature, and how easy the Ananda was to drive, even off portable sources. Indeed, the Ananda drivers are regarded as some of the most efficient planar magnetic drivers ever made, to where HIFIMAN even made a Bluetooth version that comes with a removable boom mic to make for an excellent high-end headset too. I was expecting to see the updated stealth revision being for the Bluetooth model itself, given it generally makes for even more efficient drivers and yet HIFIMAN thought otherwise, as we enter autumn 2022 with the all new Ananda Stealth (wired). Thanks to HIFIMAN for providing a review sample to TechPowerUp! From Home Theater and HiFi's review of the HiFiMAN Ananda , first published on December 19th, 2018: The Highs have a nice airy and detailed presence, there is a good control from the lower to top frequencies and the treble comes off smooth and yet there is defiantly a gentle sparkle here. No spikes or harshness just details and wonderful separation.

What do these headphones excel at? Incredible micro detail, speed, and accurate full tones. The combination lends itself to critical listening without the music ever becoming too cold or sterile. Planar magnetic drivers, unlike the conical moving coil speakers found in most consumer headphones, are flat planes traced with conductive filaments, suspended between rows of powerful magnets. This design results in low distortion levels, a crisp presentation, and impressive clarity. They provide a sense of spaciousness and great clarity, which I’ve consistently observed in Hifiman’s offerings. Regardless of your audiophile preferences – whether you’re a basshead, a treblehead, or a reference lover – Hifiman’s headphones are bound to impress from the first listen. This unique blend of technicality and clarity is what drew me to planar headphones, not just for music, but also for movie watching.With 25 Ω impedance and a relatively high sensitivity of 103 dB, the Ananda are among the planar headphones that are easiest to drive. You need just 1 mW to bring them to 100 dB! That’s enough volume to be above the threshold that is considered safe and pleasant to listen to. If you really want to damage your hearing, with just 0.5 W you can get to 130 dB, which is guaranteed to make you permanently deaf in a matter of seconds. It’s also in stark contrast to other drive designs such as the HE6se v2, which require a whole lot of power. Hex V2 doesn't handle louder volumes as well as the Ananda though but don't expect Ananda to let you crank it up like a HE series oldschool Hifiman, which not only sustain much more power but are more dynamic as well and therefore also give you a better reason to crank it up. Ananda and Hex V2's compressed dynamics don't allow for the "startling effect" anyway. This startling effect describes the explosive power of the HE-6 to fire at you from total darkness, nothingness with a hail of supernovae. I'm exaggerating here but you might understand what I mean. With everything put together you get a sound that is thin in overall ambience, but yet every single note is full, clear, and with precise separation. Adding clean textured bass within an enveloping field, and you end up with a nice satisfying experience.

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