Introduction
HeyGears is founded in June 2015 in Guangzhou China. It is a technology company that deals with wearable devices. In addition, they produce wireless earbuds and iem. Recently, I come across the HeyGears Anora. At first sight, I am curious by the design of it as it does not look like your ordinary iem. Next, I am very interested to hear this and provide my own opinion on the Anora to the community. I would like to thank Lend Me Ur Ears for this review unit and I will give a fair judgement on it. As of now, the Anora is available in 3 colours – Black, Rose Gold and White and you can purchase it through http://www.lendmeurears.com/heygears-anora-3d-printed-balanced-armature-earphones-black/ .
Black, Rose Gold & White Respectively
Specifications
Unboxing & Accessories
The Anora comes in a standard black box with a transparent plastic on top where you can see the iem. Inside the box, you will get the Anora iem with Size M silicon eartips fitted on it, 1 cleaning kit, 2 pairs of eartips (Size S & Size L) and 1 paper envelope that contains 1 warranty card and 1 user manual.
This is quite standard for an iem packaging but I do expect a case or storage pouch at the very least so I can keep the iem. The accessories are just minimal to sum it up.
IEM Build & Design
The Anora that I will be reviewing is in black colour. I assume that the build & design will be the same for the other colours too. The Anora’s housing is 3D printed with a gold AR logo on its faceplate. The material is medical quality silica gel which is flexible and stretch resistant. This might explain its extremely light weight. Each earbud housing only weighs 1.4 grams and due to the open structure, it is tested to be able to absorb impacts. I really like the design aesthetics of it. The gloss black design is very nice visually. Next, on each housing, there is a small logo to differentiate left and right. In addition, there is strain relief on each housing too. The most important part is still the fitting. HeyGears actually established a database of a few thousand pairs of ears which is used for analysis to create a form that can have best fitting in any ear. Personally, the Anora fits snugly into my ear and I feel very comfortable using it. However, this is quite subjective though as we have different ears, hence different fittings. The nozzle is straight and I am able to put my SpinFit tips. I tried a variety of tips from Acoustune to JVC and they fit well with it. The nozzle has no metal mesh but it used a form of soft protective mesh instead.
Cable Build & Design
The cable is pretty standard in my opinion. From the strain relief on each housing, the wire conductors joined up at the y-splitter. The y-splitter is matte black with strain relief on each end. On the right wire conductor, you have a standard microphone control. Anora is MFI (Made for iPod, Made for iPhone, and Made for iPad) certified. Moving down to the extreme end of the cable, you have a 3.5mm gold plated jack with a matte black housing. It has strain relief too.
Sound Analysis
Lows
The Anora has decent sub-bass extension. It does not go very deep. There is slight rumble though. The mid-bass does not have a slam. Each bass note is presented in a conservative way. There is not much body and authority to it. Instead, I find the bass smooth and controlled. I feel that the decay is average. It does not have the punch and kick for those who favour hard-hitting bass. I would say this will appeal to those who just like a smooth bass that has no extra bite. In terms of quantity, I feel it is rather appropriate and the bass definition is average.
Mids
The midrange is quite linear I must say. The lower mids has a decent amount of body but I would say it needs a bit more body for male vocals to sound better. There is a nice quantity of upper mids to make the midrange sound more forward and detailed. Female vocals sound sweet as such. Its micro details is reasonable for a single balanced armature driver. The layering is average. It does not sound analytical or lively. It is just very conservative and controlled. In my opinion, the detail retrieval is excellent for a single balanced armature driver. There is a good balance.
Highs
The treble has a good extension to it and there is no sibilance or harshness. However, there is a slight grain to it. The highs is quite articulate in its presentation. You would not get the type of refinement and definition from a higher priced iem. I just find the Anora performing its highs to its price point. There is a slight airiness that enhances the sweetness of female vocals especially. To sum it up, the treble is smooth and easy to listen. However, it is still engaging to the listener despite being dark.
Soundstage
You would expect the Anora to have a wide stage since it has an open design. It has a nice width to its stage and the depth is average. Personally, the width aids in the overall presentation of the sound. I am satisfied with it considering its price point.
Comparisons
I use the Ibasso DX200 to compare the iems.
HeyGears Anora vs Fidue A65
The Anora sub-bass extension does not go as deep as the A65. The A65 bass definition is more crisp. The control on both is around the same. A65’s has a quicker bass decay due to the bass note on the Anora being heavier. The mid-bass of A65 has more slam and hits with more authority. Overall, the bass extension and definition of A65 is better but Anora is more smooth and conservative. The lower mids on both are approximately the same. The upper mids of A65 is more forward, thus, it makes A65 more energetic and lively in comparison to the darker sounding Anora. The detail retrieval is around the same on both. There is more sparkle and air on the A65. In terms of soundstage, Anora has more depth while A65 has more width. I feel due to the darker nature of the Anora, it is suited for jazz and classical music while the A65 suits pop songs. Overall, both are very competent iems at their price point and it is up to your personal preference.
HeyGears Anora vs Westone UM Pro 10
The Anora has similar sub-bass extension as the UM Pro 10. There is more rumble to the Anora. The bass definition on both is on the same level. The mid-bass of Pro 10 has slightly more slam than the Anora. On the aspect of bass decay, UM Pro 10 has a slight edge. It makes the Anora seems sluggish but it is not the case since Anora’ bass note is heavier. The UM Pro 10 has more lower mids and male vocals shine in comparison. The upper mids on the Anora is more forward and coupled with the extra airiness over the UM Pro 10, the Anora does female vocals justice. Anora has a slight grain. Both lacks the sparkle. The treble extension on Anora is presented effortlessly while I feel the UM Pro 10 have some difficulty on it. For the width of soundstage, the Anora edges out UM Pro 10 completely while for depth, they are pretty close. Instrument positioning is better on the Anora.
HeyGears Anora vs Final Audio Heaven 2
The Heaven 2 has less sub-bass extension than the Anora. Anora extends more and provides a much smoother bass. The control of bass on both is around the same. I would say that the quantity is more on the Anora. The mid-bass of Heaven 2 has more slam and the overall dynamics improve. The bass decay of Heaven 2 is quicker than the Anora. Lower mids on the Anora are thinner than the Heaven 2. Upper mids of the Heaven 2 is more forward than the Anora. Heaven 2 presents it with a more organic feel and details. There is more crisp. Heaven 2 treble is more extended with more air and sparkle. The Anora is unable to keep up with it. The Anora has more width than the Heaven 2 while the Heaven 2 excels in its depth.
Conclusion
I feel that the HeyGears Anora is an excellent choice at its price point. With its aesthetically pleasing design and smooth sound signature, I would say it is a good iem for a long listening session. The dark nature of it just gives a soothing listen. The detail retrieval at the midrange is just on point to allow vocals to be presented nicely to the listener. The Anora is a good iem for those who wish to have a dark and smooth sound signature.
HeyGears is founded in June 2015 in Guangzhou China. It is a technology company that deals with wearable devices. In addition, they produce wireless earbuds and iem. Recently, I come across the HeyGears Anora. At first sight, I am curious by the design of it as it does not look like your ordinary iem. Next, I am very interested to hear this and provide my own opinion on the Anora to the community. I would like to thank Lend Me Ur Ears for this review unit and I will give a fair judgement on it. As of now, the Anora is available in 3 colours – Black, Rose Gold and White and you can purchase it through http://www.lendmeurears.com/heygears-anora-3d-printed-balanced-armature-earphones-black/ .
Black, Rose Gold & White Respectively
Specifications
- Driver: Single Knowles Balanced Armature
- Impedance: 46Ω
- Frequency Response: 20-20000HZ
- Sensitivity: 108.5DB
Unboxing & Accessories
The Anora comes in a standard black box with a transparent plastic on top where you can see the iem. Inside the box, you will get the Anora iem with Size M silicon eartips fitted on it, 1 cleaning kit, 2 pairs of eartips (Size S & Size L) and 1 paper envelope that contains 1 warranty card and 1 user manual.
This is quite standard for an iem packaging but I do expect a case or storage pouch at the very least so I can keep the iem. The accessories are just minimal to sum it up.
IEM Build & Design
The Anora that I will be reviewing is in black colour. I assume that the build & design will be the same for the other colours too. The Anora’s housing is 3D printed with a gold AR logo on its faceplate. The material is medical quality silica gel which is flexible and stretch resistant. This might explain its extremely light weight. Each earbud housing only weighs 1.4 grams and due to the open structure, it is tested to be able to absorb impacts. I really like the design aesthetics of it. The gloss black design is very nice visually. Next, on each housing, there is a small logo to differentiate left and right. In addition, there is strain relief on each housing too. The most important part is still the fitting. HeyGears actually established a database of a few thousand pairs of ears which is used for analysis to create a form that can have best fitting in any ear. Personally, the Anora fits snugly into my ear and I feel very comfortable using it. However, this is quite subjective though as we have different ears, hence different fittings. The nozzle is straight and I am able to put my SpinFit tips. I tried a variety of tips from Acoustune to JVC and they fit well with it. The nozzle has no metal mesh but it used a form of soft protective mesh instead.
Cable Build & Design
The cable is pretty standard in my opinion. From the strain relief on each housing, the wire conductors joined up at the y-splitter. The y-splitter is matte black with strain relief on each end. On the right wire conductor, you have a standard microphone control. Anora is MFI (Made for iPod, Made for iPhone, and Made for iPad) certified. Moving down to the extreme end of the cable, you have a 3.5mm gold plated jack with a matte black housing. It has strain relief too.
Sound Analysis
Lows
The Anora has decent sub-bass extension. It does not go very deep. There is slight rumble though. The mid-bass does not have a slam. Each bass note is presented in a conservative way. There is not much body and authority to it. Instead, I find the bass smooth and controlled. I feel that the decay is average. It does not have the punch and kick for those who favour hard-hitting bass. I would say this will appeal to those who just like a smooth bass that has no extra bite. In terms of quantity, I feel it is rather appropriate and the bass definition is average.
Mids
The midrange is quite linear I must say. The lower mids has a decent amount of body but I would say it needs a bit more body for male vocals to sound better. There is a nice quantity of upper mids to make the midrange sound more forward and detailed. Female vocals sound sweet as such. Its micro details is reasonable for a single balanced armature driver. The layering is average. It does not sound analytical or lively. It is just very conservative and controlled. In my opinion, the detail retrieval is excellent for a single balanced armature driver. There is a good balance.
Highs
The treble has a good extension to it and there is no sibilance or harshness. However, there is a slight grain to it. The highs is quite articulate in its presentation. You would not get the type of refinement and definition from a higher priced iem. I just find the Anora performing its highs to its price point. There is a slight airiness that enhances the sweetness of female vocals especially. To sum it up, the treble is smooth and easy to listen. However, it is still engaging to the listener despite being dark.
Soundstage
You would expect the Anora to have a wide stage since it has an open design. It has a nice width to its stage and the depth is average. Personally, the width aids in the overall presentation of the sound. I am satisfied with it considering its price point.
Comparisons
I use the Ibasso DX200 to compare the iems.
HeyGears Anora vs Fidue A65
The Anora sub-bass extension does not go as deep as the A65. The A65 bass definition is more crisp. The control on both is around the same. A65’s has a quicker bass decay due to the bass note on the Anora being heavier. The mid-bass of A65 has more slam and hits with more authority. Overall, the bass extension and definition of A65 is better but Anora is more smooth and conservative. The lower mids on both are approximately the same. The upper mids of A65 is more forward, thus, it makes A65 more energetic and lively in comparison to the darker sounding Anora. The detail retrieval is around the same on both. There is more sparkle and air on the A65. In terms of soundstage, Anora has more depth while A65 has more width. I feel due to the darker nature of the Anora, it is suited for jazz and classical music while the A65 suits pop songs. Overall, both are very competent iems at their price point and it is up to your personal preference.
HeyGears Anora vs Westone UM Pro 10
The Anora has similar sub-bass extension as the UM Pro 10. There is more rumble to the Anora. The bass definition on both is on the same level. The mid-bass of Pro 10 has slightly more slam than the Anora. On the aspect of bass decay, UM Pro 10 has a slight edge. It makes the Anora seems sluggish but it is not the case since Anora’ bass note is heavier. The UM Pro 10 has more lower mids and male vocals shine in comparison. The upper mids on the Anora is more forward and coupled with the extra airiness over the UM Pro 10, the Anora does female vocals justice. Anora has a slight grain. Both lacks the sparkle. The treble extension on Anora is presented effortlessly while I feel the UM Pro 10 have some difficulty on it. For the width of soundstage, the Anora edges out UM Pro 10 completely while for depth, they are pretty close. Instrument positioning is better on the Anora.
HeyGears Anora vs Final Audio Heaven 2
The Heaven 2 has less sub-bass extension than the Anora. Anora extends more and provides a much smoother bass. The control of bass on both is around the same. I would say that the quantity is more on the Anora. The mid-bass of Heaven 2 has more slam and the overall dynamics improve. The bass decay of Heaven 2 is quicker than the Anora. Lower mids on the Anora are thinner than the Heaven 2. Upper mids of the Heaven 2 is more forward than the Anora. Heaven 2 presents it with a more organic feel and details. There is more crisp. Heaven 2 treble is more extended with more air and sparkle. The Anora is unable to keep up with it. The Anora has more width than the Heaven 2 while the Heaven 2 excels in its depth.
Conclusion
I feel that the HeyGears Anora is an excellent choice at its price point. With its aesthetically pleasing design and smooth sound signature, I would say it is a good iem for a long listening session. The dark nature of it just gives a soothing listen. The detail retrieval at the midrange is just on point to allow vocals to be presented nicely to the listener. The Anora is a good iem for those who wish to have a dark and smooth sound signature.