HIFIMAN ANANDA NANO

HIFIMAN ANANDA NANO​

HIFIMAN ANANDA NANO:
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PRELUDE:
Those of you who follow me and read my reviews probably know that there are brands that have become legendary. One of such manufacturers is undoubtedly HIFIMAN, whose philosophy and tuning have become a point of reference for many. While testing models of open headphones such as edition xs, sundara, HE400SE, or the slightly more expensive Arie organic, it was time to check out the latest version of one of the more popular models in the mid-price range, Ananda nano. So I invite you to read my review of open planar headphones with a nanometer diaphragm and stealth magnets currently costing USD 599.



Unboxing:
Classically for HIFIMAN, regardless of whether we spend 100 or 2000 USD, we receive practically the same packaging made of ecological material, but inside we will find some variety – instead of the classic foam stand, we have a hard and nice transport case for our headphones, identical to the one in Audivana model. Additionally, unfortunately, there is only one cable with classic 3.5mm plugs on the headphones side and the connector is quite long, so it is intended for stationary use. They are standard for virtually all hifiman headphones. Personally, I think this is a good move because standardizing the connectors on all models makes it easier to replace the cable. The stock cable is the same one found in other HIFIMAN headphones models. It’s not the worst, but it’s far from good, so I’d classify its quality as average and acceptable. However, the headphones themselves retained the form and design of the previous generation. Only the graphic design was changed to a bright one, similar to that of the he400se model. Although privately I prefer the color black, such a color refresh brings some variety to the home collection. The ear cups are large and the set includes hybrid pads.



Sound:
For testing, I used the HE600 DAC/AMP from HIFIMAN and a stock cable from an Audivan with an XLR plug. It is practically the same as the one in the ANANDA NANO box, only differing in its balanced design and XLR socket. As test material, I used high-resolution music from Tidal and Apple Music. So let’s move on to the sound itself:

BASS: Please remember that ANANDA NANO are open headphones, so the lower bands will not be as strong and precise as in the case of closed headphones and models such as Sundara closed back or Audivan. However, despite the open back, the bass is very technical, I didn’t miss it in any song, and its presence was felt and perfectly realized. Although it is rather a monitor sound, strongly focused on the technical layer, the bass quality is at a very high level. The bass is slightly above the midrange line because it is recessed, but this does not cause any discomfort or loss of quality in other bands. The amount of bass was always adequate to my expectations and well above the level expected in open headphones. The speed and tonal accuracy were truly phenomenal

Midrange: The midtones have been slightly moved, but this does not generate an artificial V-shaped effect, rather it slightly enlarges the soundstage, which impresses not only with its considerable width, but also with its excellent depth. Although it is not the width of the zanans from the XS edition, it makes the whole thing sound more realistic. Mid tones are strongly brightened and colder in presentation. The whole thing sounds very sterile and clean – these are definitely headphones that are closer to the analytical side than pure musicality. In return, they compensate us for a certain musical compromise with an excellent technical layer and beautiful and rich details. To put it simply, here is the classic HIFIMAN tuning known from previous, older editions of the headphones. I like this presentation, but remember to avoid pairing ANANADA NANO with excessively cold amplifiers. However, the midrange was not lacking in naturalness and very high resolution. The vocals were not only very engaging, but also colorful and authentic in sound.

Treble:The high tones represent a really high level, although they are also clearly enhanced at the edges of the band, which does not exceed the listenability limit. The entire presentation is very clear and allows us to break down the music we listen to. Despite the boost at the edge of the treble, it did not exceed the listenability limit and remained consistent with the tempo and overall sound. This brightening of the high tones allowed for an increase in the resolution and emotionality of the sound, which I personally liked very much and found it to be a much more interesting presentation than in the case of excessive softening of the upper bands.



Comparisons:


HIFIMAN ANANDA NANO ($599) VS HIFIMAN ARIA ORGANIC ($1299)
Comparing headphones is never easy, especially when we compare such extreme models, and I don’t just mean the price aspect. Aria orgaic is a charming, intimate headphone with much higher resolution and mature tuning. Aria organic is much closer to HE1000 V2 and therefore has an even higher technical layer. However, ANANDA NANO impresses with better bass, which is due to the greater extension of the band edges and a wider soundstage. Overall, is Aria Organic better? Of course it is, if you can afford to spend more and pay extra, then do it. Honestly, if you can, go ahead and invest in both pairs, because their tuning is completely different and allows both pairs to complement each other perfectly. Aria organic is supposed to impress with its speed and accurate hitting the point, and that’s exactly what it does, its natural sound is slightly different from the one we get in the more technical and cooler ANANDA NANO literature. So whether it is worth paying extra USD 700 for the Higher model depends on our expectations and the amplifier we have, because in my opinion the Aria Organic is a bit more difficult to drive.

HIFIMAN ANANDA NANO (599USD) VS HIFIMAN EDITION XS (380USD)
At the time of writing this review, the price of the Edition XS has dropped significantly. Personally, I had no problems with the ergonomics in the XS, but I know that many people prefer the body used in the Ananda NANO. Edition XS have a wider and less natural soundstage, while Ananda NANO has a brighter and more resolved tuning. Currently, EDITION XS is at a phenomenal price of under 400 USD, which is a great deal for me because these are one of the best, if not the best, headphones under 500 USD. However, ANANDA NANO has several significant advantages worth the extra 200USD. First of all, these are much more comfortable headphones and I can boldly say that they are the most comfortable ones I have ever used. Additionally, the technical layer and recovery of details in ANANDA NANO are at a level dedicated to headphones costing $1000, not $600. Brightened character of the sound with a boost at the edge of the bands.



Summary:
HIFIMAN ANANDA NANO is, in my opinion, the leader in the world of open headphones, perfectly filling the gap of up to USD 1000 in HIFIMAN’s portfolio. Personally, I consider this model to be extremely successful, and the comfort it offers is one of the best on the market. I will even go so far as to say that these are one of the best headphones under 1000USD! Excellent dynamics, technical layer and above-average details. All this is decorated with a beautiful, bright presentation with excellent bass and emphasized treble, which in general did not turn out to be an Achilles’ heel, but rather a great development of resolution. All this means that, at a price of USD 599, ANANDA NANO would be my first choice if I was looking for value for money. These are completely complete headphones and their strong points include extremely good reproduction of details, natural and still very technical sound and extremely good comfort… What’s not to like? I think that for people sensitive to high tones, ANANDA NANO may seem a bit harsh, but a lot depends on the amplifier or DAC system. These are not particularly difficult headphones to drive, but they scale very well and really like an additional boost of power, so I recommend something more powerful. HIFIMAN is one of those brands that you can’t help but talk about, because they constantly show that the leading position is hard work and they have no intention of giving up the throne. Keep it up. HIFIMAN is a great direction and worth following!

General/Build/Comfort/Packaging
I don’t think anybody needs any introduction for Hifiman, in case if you need, you may read about it here. Ananda Nano is using both the stealth magnets and also the nanometer thickness diaphragm that is based on their top of the line Susvara’s.
The Ananda Nano that I have with me today, shares some resemblance with its bigger brother, the Arya, the earcups in particular. The packaging of the Ananda Nano is similar to the HE-R9, HE400SE, and Edition XS that I have tested, with the exception that the Ananda Nano came with a storage case instead of a headphone stand. The cable remains the same across the models that I have tested. The build quality is pretty good overall, it's just that the earcup itself is quite huge and it might be an issue for people with smaller heads. For me personally, it fits just fine without the need to adjust the headband, the clamping force is also just nice, i wear glasses sometimes and i don’t have any issue with the fit or clamping force. Very comfortable throughout the listening session, the earpads are also soft and don't really cause my ears to feel warm nor hot even when I'm not listening in an air conditioned room.

Gears used for this review

• Earmen Tradutto DAC + Earmen CH-Amp
• Hiby R6 II DAP Mid/High Gain
• Earmen Colibri
• Hifiman Ananda Nano Stock cable and Earpads

Foreword
My review is solely based on what I hear via my equipment and I never consider my reviews to be objective in any way rather a subjective approach. Do take into consideration that everyone’s ear anatomy is not the same, so the psychoacoustics perception might be different as well, but i believe it will not stray too far

Sound Impression
Ananda Nano has a slight emphasis on the upper treble based on my listening impression, hence it has a very detailed sound and at the same time, contributes to a fairly large and airy soundstage. In terms of tonality, Ananda Nano is definitely on the brighter side, and in no way it is harsh. Let’s take a look at the break down below:



Bass

• Starting with the bass, it’s safe to say the bass has very good speed, very very fast and tight, and punchy as well, Slipknot’s People = crap!, especially during the intense drumming during the opening, Ananda Nano has no sweat in keeping up
• The sub bass has very good extension, although it doesn’t extend that deep, but considering it being an open backed, it is really impressive
• The bass response is not basshead kind of presentation, but to my ears, they are sufficient and will present themselves well when the track calls for it
• Bass has good texture overall and doesn’t sound thin
• The bass doesn’t bleed into the mids at all

Mids

• The mids are quite detailed and lush
• Vocal for both male and females has good enough textures
• Female vocal has a bit more energy compared to male
• Upper mids are generally safe to my ears and not shouty

Treble

• Treble response has plenty of energetic yet it is not harsh nor sibilant, but do bear in mind that everyone has got different level of tolerance for treble, to my ears, they are not harsh nor anywhere near sibilant
• Fast and snappy transient response
• Very good resolution
• Good detail retrieval, micro details can be picked up easily

Soundstage/Imaging

• Soundstage is very wide and has good depth and height perception
• Instruments can be picked up easily where it is coming from
• Excellent separation and layering
• Very good soundstage and imaging overall

Driveability

• The Ananda Nano is not hard to drive, i am using it with the Earmen’s ST-AMP with 1.8w from 4.4 headphone out, the Ananda Nano sounds like it is being driven to its optimum performance
• When i switch over to ST-Amp’s bigger brother, the CH-AMP, i am greeted with the Ananda Nano that has better control on the bass, and much more dynamics
• I would say it does scale with amplification as well as source

Final Thoughts
The Ananda Nano is definitely one of my favourite planar magnetic headphones that i have tested from Hifiman, and I'm really surprised by its capability in terms of the sonic performance as well as its technicalities. Not to mention that the price is highly competitive as well given what it has to offer. It doesn't require a beefy amp to sound good yet it does scale with better source and amplification, the only downside is that some might find the lower treble a little too forward which can then be perceived as bright on certain tracks, but other than that, at 599$, this is a highly recommended headphone from me!

*The Hifiman Ananda Nano 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.

If you are interested in getting a pair, head over to their official store to grab one now! It is currently available for 599$

Hifiman Ananda Nano - Non Affiliated

Hifiman's Ananda is one of the company's most popular models. The latest iteration, the Ananda Nano offers concentrated technology at a small price. For the first time, stealth magnets and a nanometer diaphragm are used for the price of 699€! Visually, the Ananda Nano resembles the HE-1000 series with its oval shape and silver color scheme.



The scope of delivery includes a soft case and a cable with a length of 3m with 3.5mm jack and a 6.35mm adapter. Too bad that no shorter cable for portable operation as well as balanced plug is included.

The workmanship is absolutely top. I still remember the first series of the HE-1000, where Hifiman still had to fight with processing problems in the finish. These problems have been put to rest in recent years. Absolutely valuable and fantastic finish! In addition, the Ananda Nano appears very robust. The use of the new Hifiman headband and the very soft large oval ear pads make for a very comfortable wear. This is one of the most comfortable headphones I have ever had on my head.




For the test, I run the Ananda Nano balanced to my large stationary system consisting of Topping D90SE and Niimbus US4, and portable to the terrific iBasso DX320 MAX Ti. The balanced cabling lifts the Ananda Nano up a league. The whole sound image gains in fullness and contour.



The Ananda Nano has an impedance of only 14 ohms, but due to the sensitivity of 94dB, it's not quite as easy to drive as one would expect. On the DX320 MAX TI, I use gain 3 and the 9 to 12 o'clock position. The Ananda Nano scales with the power it is given. On the Niimbus US4, the bass hits come in even harder and more controlled. However, these are not worlds apart between the DX320 MAX Ti and Niimbus US4. You have to compare very carefully to find the small but existing differences.

Does switching to the Nano Diaphragm really bring such a big sound boost? I can answer this question with a resounding yes. I already ended the comparison with a Sundara or HE-400SE after a short time. The Anando Nano is in a completely different class, and the two Hifiman entry-level models cannot compete in any discipline. Therefore, I used my Hifiman Susvara as a comparison.

The clear advantage of the Ananda Nano over the Susvara is that it can be driven portably very well. While the Susvara also works on the DX320 MAX Ti, it scales so much on the Niimbus US4 that you can hear it directly without effort and then there is no turning back. Tonally, the Ananda Nano plays on the brighter side with a high-energy presentation. The Susvara, on the other hand, plays more dignified and restrained. Of all 3 models Sundara, HE-400SE and Ananda Nano, the Ananda Nano offers the most natural reproduction. Here I have to pull out the Susvara to find that it plays even more earthy and has the absolute most natural sound of all my headphones. However, it's amazing how well the Ananda Nano holds its own, and for the price!

Resolution-wise, the Nano Diaphragm delivers an impeccable performance, and it also really pushes the Ananda Nano up a notch when it comes to speed. Detailed, fast transients are the result, which leads to the fact that even power metal is reproduced effortlessly and controlled.

The bass range reaches deep and offers a springy detached as well as tight punch. Quantity is about on par with the Susvara. The Ananda Nano has to admit defeat in quality, but it clearly outplays the smaller Hifiman models.

The openness and stage imaging really surprised me. It sounds so open, transparent and lively that you feel as if you were right in the middle of live concert recordings. The stage is very wide and deep with instrument separation that acts razor sharp. One of the strongest features of the Ananda Nano.

Voices and instruments are reproduced very naturally and the entire midrange is neither too full, which can sometimes be a problem when the bass range presses in here, nor too thin.

The trebles are energetic and absolutely finely resolved. Although it seems tangy, you have to listen very loud for this to become a problem. And I mean really loud! With my usual listening volume and a bit above, I get an ingeniously playing transparent sound that never drifts into sibilance.

With the Ananda Nano Hifiman is in my opinion unrivaled in the range up to 699€. I have yet to hear a pair of headphones in this price range that can hold a candle to the Ananda Nano. The gradual integration of technologies from Hifiman Susvara into the lower price ranges has really paid off and I can recommend everyone to listen to the Ananda Nano. I am now really curious what is still possible in the next higher price range, which is currently filled by the Arya Organic and the gap to the Hifiman Susvara will certainly become even smaller.