Hifiman Deva Bluetooth Headphones

Product Information

Yes, the new Bluetooth module for the Deva Pro uses an R2R architecture for improved sonic quality and very impressive, low energy consumption. Just look at this graph: There is a Type-C port at the bottom that can either charge the module or allows connecting to a computer to act as a DAC-amp. The solitary button can be used to power on or off via long-press, whereas a short-press disconnects the Deva Pro from the current device. A double press takes it into pairing mode. The Bluemini R2R module connects via a 3.mm TRRS connector. Hifiman’s Bluemini controls essentially mirror that of the Ananda BT but are organized in a slightly better manner.

HiFiMAN Deva review: less wires, more fun - Soundphile Review

The battery life is rated at 8 hours, although I only got about 6.5 hours connecting via the LDAC codec. This is not as good as most mainstream BT headphones, but, keep in mind, that those headphones do not use planar magnetic drivers. It still got that lush, pleasant, and very natural tone to the vocals, but now with added resolution and detail, which don’t sound forced at all. It’s an upgrade that is coherent, organic, and just about perfect. First of all, the Ananda has an upper hand when it comes to staging. The soundstage is wider, deeper, and more accurate, mainly because of the imaging. However, this is the biggest selling point for the Ananda when it comes to this comparison. Other than staging, these two sound pretty close when it comes to technical performance, with a slight edge for the Ananda. The tone, however, is more musical and fuller on the Deva Pro, with their slightly boosted treble response and smoother mids. The bass feels more impactful on the Deva Pro, though the Ananda has better control. The vocals are easily projected in front of you, the imaging of every single instrument is spot-on, they don’t get lost or compressed. With very complicated music it sounds not AS accurate and spacious as many headphones on the market, but considering the price and once again, the wireless aspect, the Deva Pro plays in its own league, while all the other kids can just sit and watch. First of all – the Deva Pro is not tuned as the rest of Hifiman’s lineup, just like the original Deva. It’s slightly warmer, more delicate, and lush than the Sundara, Ananda, Arya, and so on. The tuning is actually quite similar to the OG Deva, but…Stealth Magnets and R2R dongle, oh my, what difference do those make. Let’s dive into it.However, we are not just comparing sound, there are so many other things that fit into the equation. Where the HE400se are a simple set of headphones, the Deva Pro comes bundled with the Bluemini R2R. This opens up a whole new world of possibilities, giving them not only the possibility of being used as a bluetooth headphone (along with a mic for calls), they can also be used via USB, all while featuring a Himalaya R2R architecture DAC. Conversion duties are done via the HIMALAYA R2R resistor-based chipset in NOS mode. Decoding is from aptX, aptX HD right up to LDAC 24BIT/96kHz with support for AAC and SBC. What I really don’t like is how my unit manages low-battery situations: it just turns off with no warning at all. One moment you’re listening to music, the next it’s silent and you’re left to wonder what’s happened. One time it happened to me that the device turned off, so I turned it on again and at that point the device gave me a “low battery, please charge” warning… only to shut down immediately after.

HiFiMan Headphones UK | London Showroom - Audio Sanctuary HiFiMan Headphones UK | London Showroom - Audio Sanctuary

The two cables include a 1.2m 3-pole 3.5mm TRRS to 3.5mm TRS analog cable and a single 1.2m USB-A to USB-C cable for charging the Bluemini and digital audio connections, much the same as the Ananda BT option. Bluemini, Qudelix 5k, xDuoo Poke II, iBasso DC06, iBasso DX170, xDuoo XP2pro, xDuoo mu601, mt602, ta-01B. Connection proved very stable without disconnections and a good working distance even inside the house. The original Deva was one of the most open sounding headphones in the market but the Pro takes it even higher further improving the performance.

Although the silver colour would induce one in thinking that the headphones are made of metal, the only parts actually made of metal are the gimbals and the grille covers: the earcups and the silver bit on the headband are made of plastic. Unfortunately, the upper-midrange is quite intense. There is no noticeable frequency dip between 2-5kHz, resulting in a very up-front midrange. Such tuning also hampers soundstage depth and microdynamics. The Bluemini Bluetooth module offers a vast array of codecs on top of its Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity: in fact it offers SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD and LDAC– more than enough to satisfy even the most demanding audiophiles. It’s not the exact same as having a wired connection, but I would argue that it’s the closest you can get to that.

HiFiMAN DEVA Pro | Headphone Reviews and Discussion - Head-Fi.org HiFiMAN DEVA Pro | Headphone Reviews and Discussion - Head-Fi.org

And just because a headphone is wireless doesn’t mean it “HAS TO BE for commuting &/or strenuous physical activity”! Having around the house headphones that are wireless is MASSIVELY convenient, and ESPECIALLY so when they have 2x device simultaneous Bluetooth multipoint support like the Deva Pro’s do here! For this level though, it’s perfectly fine, and whilst the mix of plastics, synthetic leather, and aluminum might not be of true high-end quality, visually it looks the business with its classic circumaural styling. The earpads have a perforated cloth material on the front with a solid pleather surround. The headband is foam-padded as well and I find the padding adequate. At the bottom, there are two 3.5mm TRRS ports. The HE400se have solid build quality. As far as soundstage and imaging, it is as good as the majority of Hifiman planars. Ok, it is quite a bit behind something like the Arya (especially if we are talking V2) but it is easily on par with something like the HE400se. Launched towards the tail end of 2021, the ‘new’ Deva Pro is a bit of a spin on the original Deva from early 2020. The Deva, in turn, was the second evolution of the company’s initial foray into wireless headphones, the first being the rather more expensive Ananda BT.

Sound Impressions

The Hifiman Deva Pro was sent over by Hifiman for the purpose of this review, I received no monetary compensation nor was I influenced in any way to produce this review. Then let’s consider frequency response: “The 990kbps setting works as advertised. The codec transmits audio right up to 47kHz before slowly rolling off, granting it Hi-Res status. The 660kbps mode rolls off incredibly steeply at 30kHz, making it an odd middle ground between CD and Hi-Res—but that’s more than enough for most people. Both codecs roll-off at 21.5kHz when in CD mode, which is pretty much bang on the money.” Bass starts rising from 30Hz and becomes noticeable around 40Hz. Bass response is pretty much flat. In BT mode there is more emphasis near the sub-bass it seems, though the bass sounds rolled-off after 35Hz in all three modes (Bluetooth, USB, and wired). The HE400se have a mostly neutral tonality with a bright tilt in the upper-mid and upper-treble regions.

HiFiMAN Deva Pro (Wired) Planar Magnetic Headphone HiFiMAN Deva Pro (Wired) Planar Magnetic Headphone

HiFiMAN is using their tried-and-tested planar magnetic drivers on the Deva Pro, though they made the driver even more efficient this time. The most notable changes in their latest driver revision are the stealth magnet assembly and the neo-supernano diaphragm. Holy dogs**t take, Batman! O___O But there’s a reason you are LITERALLY the ONLY person on the planet with it… Aka, either you got a bad pair of cans (which is totally possible w/ HiFiMan’s, tbf) or much more likely IMO, you’re just an absolutely freaking crap judge of headphones. With solid & thus rigid metal grills otoh? It’s basically impossible to damage the driver with external pressure on the grill unless you apply EXTREME force. The BT module has also changed from the previous Qualcomm CSR8675 receiver to a more modern 8-hour capable Qualcomm QCC5124 chipset. Impressive things don’t end here though, as there’s one more thing that seems almost unreal (at least it seemed a while ago), and is probably the biggest deal about the Deva Pro – the new Bluemini R2R.I do not see why the Deva should not be a popular choice at this price point for both audiophiles and wireless audio lovers. There is a lot going for it beyond the affordable price point.