SIVGA SV021

This hobby is an escapist's dream. Escape from daily routine and distress that's causing you via something as sincere and everlasting as listening to music. I believe that the power of music is still not fully understood since it works in mysterious ways. Allow it to do its magic on you and let your worries dissolve in melody.

Having had the possibility to try so many different sets in a relatively short time I felt obliged to go ahead and express my gratitude by trying to help some lost souls out there, just as I was when I first stumbled upon this weird hobby about wired earphones – so yesteryear! … I thought. Possibilities are seemingly endless and only by getting to meet the right people did I manage to jump onboard the train heading the 'right' direction without getting off-track thousands of times along the way. Make sure to understand the helping person's preferences and you too can find your footing and hit the ground running in no time.


Quick Intermezzo About Me

I won't bore you for too long with personal trivia, however my quick & short background resume goes as follows. Currently I am 27 years old and more in awe of sheer power of music by the day. I have always been moved by music just that slight bit more than average, I'd say. My spending started with a roughly 200€ Bose bluetooth speaker back in my first grade of highschool. What an extraterrestrial thing that was in early 2010s. And it keeps on playing to this day – a true testament of quality. Also sounded fantastic back then, nowadays … yeah, not so much. Lots of BT speakers, TWS, car audio speakers, IEMs, etc., later bring me to this day when I truly consider myself an audiophile. What brings me the most joy beside listening to music is singing, so I am currently participating in a choir and challenging myself with solo vocal covers (check the links in my signature to hear my projects). Unsure where all this leads, but the journey itself is marvelous and life is nothing but a journey.

My preference lies somewhere in the neutral camp with just an ever so slight tilt towards warmth, but I try to keep an open mind and truly appreciate any outliers that dare do it differently and succeed. Our ears vary, so do our brain and tastes. I am an advocate for respectful discourse, especially in topics that don't even have many objective undeniable truths. Audio is one of those.

My most listened genres are, in no particular order: jazz, singer/songwriter, slow-paced electronica, ambient, rock, metal, blues, trance, techno & pop.


Disclaimer: I have received the Sivga Robin SV021 directly from Sivga themselves. While I understand your concern about honesty, even if I wanted to shill this to the moon and back, I am way too mindful of others' money to overly hype stuff that does not deserve it, so there's that.

Feel free to check out their official site here: https://www.sivgaaudio.com/product_d?id=11
For the ones that wish to try this set: https://www.amazon.com/SIVGA-SV021-Over-Ear-Headphone-Rosewood/dp/B097DKVDZC


How My Reviews Are Structured

Since this is my first headphone review, it will require a slightly modified approach.

I will start off by mentioning the packaging, accessories, design & comfort, then continue by placing the showcased item in my special trademarked graphs & graphics (since these are all made primarily with IEMs in mind, I will describe why I placed it as I did underneath each graphic), give it a score on certain qualities, and describe the main sound categories to reach the final star score. Those that are seriously considering a dynamic closed-back headphone at a very reasonable price, please do not hesitate to ask for any specifics you want me to answer via private messaging.

I have left the Robin to burn-in for 100+ hours and listened to songs of varied genres to better convey what one can expect from it. As sources I have been using my FiiO BTR7, Venture Electronics Megatron, iBasso DX180, and Venture Electronics RA2B-FE + Prime DAC (in short, called the 'VE Stack'). Certainly no lack of power and quite a different taste on all. Listening was (mostly) done at a volume ranging between 75-85dB. I am using the stock cable.

Here is the quick and rough description of how I understand various star ratings:

Do not even think about it
It has too many drawbacks and gets demolished by competition
This item has the potential but feels a bit too bland and has multiple issues
Wonderful item with rare and mostly subjective drawbacks
Eargasmic performance with all the aspects covered at an incredibly high level

Keep in mind these ratings are certainly affected by the item's price in the overall assessment too. Sometimes that will result in slightly higher score than based solely on my scoring of bass, mids, and treble, while other times it results in a slight penalty if I deem the item a tad overpriced.

In layman's terms - anything rated below 4 stars overall does not get a space in my regular rotation and is either stored and revisited some time later again just to see if my thoughts have changed, or it gets gifted.

I am still catching my stride on how to describe the sound aspects in a clearer way. It is a slow but enjoyable learning curve. I am attempting to make my reviews as ballast-free as possible. The playful yet useful graphics were the step in the right direction, I feel. Capturing the essence of sound characteristics in a less wordy way is next on the list. We all have our own busy schedules and I understand reading a review for 15+ minutes is in (nearly) no-one's interest.


Let's Get Going!

Packaging, Accessories, Design & Comfort

Unboxing is quickly dealt with and you're free to enjoy your new headphones! These come in a normally sized box which hides the headphones inside a simple bag and not much else. Sadly, these do not come with the great case that came with the Luan, but that's not too big a deal considering these are literally half the price. The headphones, a cable + the 3.5 to 6.35 adapter. No real complaints at this price point, but if you were hoping for a jaw-dropping unboxing, this isn't it and you should rethink your expectations.





These are a dream to wear (about as comfortable as the Luan (on the second pic below) which has better and larger pads to distribute its weight and dissipate heat better) with what feels like completely weightless cups and a well designed headband. At 275g, and equipped with their great headband and plush-feeling earpads (although clearly pleather and some warmth might accumulate in warmer months) allow for a fit-and-forget feel. Earpads, while not the deepest, widest, nor tallest, should fit most ears. I must say that the lower weight is also slightly at the cost of lower build quality than the Luan, but still very acceptable and they do not feel like they want to fall apart.




I'll leave the design for you to decide, but in person these are truly sexy with their wooden and lacquered cups, nice tone of beige for the pads and headband, and a cool non-glossy silver construction, so overall a very understated and classy look that could easily pass as a much more expensive item.


Graphics, Graphs & Scores

To better represent where they fit in, I am adding the Sivga Luan, their open-backed offering, alongside.





These will lean very warm and soothing and be a step below the Luan in technicalities. Even more so than the open-backed bigger brother, the Sivga Luan.


Six Basic Traits

Comfort is mildly better on the Luan which has larger and plusher pads as well as the fact it is open-backed and breathes better. Isolation is obviously right on the contrary. Bass, while bigger and more impressive on the Robin, is better textured on the Luan, midrange is more cohesive and precise on the Luan, treble is livelier, but a bit more sibilant too. Cohesion is better on the Luan. All these differences were somewhat expected and not too large considering the relative price difference. These fit two different use cases.

Magic Balance Boards


Quarter Circle Playground

Laidback and pretty sophisticated unless the song depends on ultimate detail retrieval and crisper treble.


Overall scoring ended up looking just okay due to Robin's tuning and closed-back nature which is bound to bring positives and negatives. A departure from what I maybe expected, knowing how wildly daring and unique their Sivga Nightingale IEM I have reviewed recently is. No real complaints, though, this is an all-rounder headphone to go with their crazy flagship IEM or any of their open-backed HPs.

Sound Descriptions

The obvious categories will be subcategorized into a few important aspects. It is impossible to just proclaim the bass as great or not, there are levels to this hobby and since you're reading this review, you've obviously fallen deeper into this rabbit hole than many.



Bass
(some songs I used: Soldier of fortune by Deep Purple, Summer by Emeli Sande, I'm in Love by Ayo, House of the Rising sun by alt-J&Tuka, Infinity by DJ Pastis&DJ Ninu&Wasi Distorsion, Kuwait by Mazde, Drum solo by Manu Katche, Hislerim by Serhat Durmus&Zerrin, Animamundi by The spy from Cairo)

Quantity vs quality: It feels quite bassy overall, but that is due to the closed-back nature and the low midrange dip centered around 500hz. The quality is good considering the price, but don't go in expecting scalpel-like precision or ultimate refinement.

Rumble: It can get low, but it's not moving as much air and staying as composed as someone who's into subbass-rich music might prefer.

Attack: The note edges are rounded and won't feel too snappy. It's a calm sort of bass that is always there, but not calling for attention.

Decay: Smooth and appreciably natural, but again lacking a bit in amusement. It's never troublesome, just not marvelous.

Boominess: I went into it expecting it to be boomy because of slight boominess of the open-backed bigger brother I had tried before, the Luan, and thankfully I was wrong. This is boom-free.

Bloatedness: Just slight. But it might feel that way due to those first overtones being so attenuated right in that dip which the graph shows well.


Mids
(some songs I used: Creep by Haley Reinhart, Rosita by Coleman Hawkins&Ben Webster, Vidda by Ole Edvard Antonsen, Long after you are gone by Chris Jones, Writing's on the wall by Tom Ball, Dream on by Morgan James, Lonely island by Amble, Exhale the ash by Ulcerate, Free bird by Lynyrd Skynyrd, Eyes don't lie by Tones and I, All about you by Sophie Zelmani)

Timbre: Getting this right is crucial in overall acceptance of any set. Always a sensitive topic. Timbre is not an easy one to unfold and pack into these little forms we call words. We also have a different understanding of 'correct timbre'. Hearing the instruments in multiple settings and played by different artists is a must to really get familiar with their intricacies. The bassier instruments can be just a bit strange due to tuning choice of low mids, but certainly not awfully so. Brass could be more incisive, but I know that's always a double-edged sword cause it can quickly turn into a shoutfest with what is surely a lower-end driver considering the price.

Forwardness: A healthy medium. They are neither buried far behind the rest of the spectrum, nor do they feel forward in either placement or amplitude-wise. What then makes this a good listen is that they're never overshadowed or feeling subdued.

Clarity: Not spectacular, but decent enough for a closed-back headphone in this price range and especially decent enough for the musicality and chilled listen this provides. I would not be choosing these to do any deep dive analysis of any orchestra.

Vocals: They lack the ultimate detail to catch every breath, lip smack, saliva build up, … Every vocalist is just a tad smoothened out, whether it be a soothing baritone, a soaring soprano, or a screaming metalhead. Very similar to Luan.

Note weight: I'm most sensitive to how the piano is played back. Hearing a grand piano live you can tell just how much body each note carries and how rich it is in under- and overtones. Note weight is one of those risky topics and it quickly segregates the field in two camps, those that prefer a thicker, rounder note weight and hence a more analog approach, and those preferring all-BA sets (in IEM language) because those usually have a quicker, less hefty character and a more digital sound. Mind, those are very very severe simplifications of this layered, 50-shade-of grey topic just to carry my point across. This is often where headphones do better than IEMs. Why? Because physics. It's a combination of having larger drivers moving more air and the effect of pinna which is absent on IEMs. In a nutshell, this is why the Robin is definitely grander in note weight and their physicality than IEMs and fuller even than the open-back headphones.


Treble
(some songs I used: Vidda by Ole Edvard Antonsen, Want by The cure, All about you by Sophie Zelmani, Morning bird by Sade, Animali in Marcia by Gianluigi Trovesi, Ain't no love in the city by Robert Haglund, Barbados by Arne Domnerus, Oh Dear by Sophie Zelmani, Liberty by Kerenza Peacock&Timothy Ridout&Hum Watkins, Shivers by Ed Sheeran)

Crispness/sharpness: A mix of multiple qualities hidden all the way from upper mids high up into treble. There is no straight-cut rule to tackling this and having it fit all ears and preferences. Despite the graph showing quite a bit of energy up in high mids and treble, these are never bright-sounding or in any way crisp nor sharp. If you prefer the more risky sound where some songs, like Shivers from Ed Sheeran, sound right on the edge of comfort, these are not for you.

Sibilance: Well handled. Even the worst of offenders in modern pop, again like Shivers by Ed Sheeran, get by without any painfully sibilant moments. This area is skillfully attenuated despite not really looking that way on graph. That is also part of the reason why it feels calmer in its presentation of instruments that make use of this area.

Naturalness: It lacks some finesse to truly feel natural with brass, strings, hihats, cymbals. Those become a bit wetter sounding than I find natural and lack the spice and zinginess.

Air: Not happening. Treble is veering far to the shy side. Also, I have yet to hear a headphone or earbud do this area well, or okay even. So those of you searching for that treble shimmer which has an almost undescribable, magical effect in some scenarios, look elsewhere.


Extra

Fun factor: This is a longterm enjoyable listen, not one that wows immediately by having any incredible standout strengths. So yes, fun, but for when you want something comfortable to lay back with and shuffle through your playlist.

Q: What kind of source to pair it with?
A: Do not add any warmth, so I would say neutral to neutral-bright is what would suit the Robin the most.

Q: What genres are its strength/weakness?
A: It does fine with most, but this won't be the most dynamic and quick sounding headphone, so perhaps avoiding the 'extremes' such as metal or classical is the way to go.


Summing Up The Sivga Robin SV021

This was a pleasant surprise, yet I am unsure why. I have tried quite a few Sivga products before - all were very much worth their price and hugely competitive in their segments. Despite that, I was worried that enclosing their house sound which is usually low-midrange-rich, would result in an overly thick listen and thus be well out of my preference or neutrality for that matter. Thankfully, they are well aware of what they're doing and these manage to impress with their warmth yet decent all-aroundedness.

Thanks for reading and stay wonderful.

SIVGA ROBIN (SV021) REVIEW: Beauty Made Fun​

PRICE: $150 (PHP. 7,000.00)​

PROS:​

• Amazing build quality and aesthetics
• Very comfortable fitting
• Fun, versatile sound
• Good imaging and gaming performance
• Surprisingly wide for closed back headphones
• Good bass punch and impact
• Good detail retrieval
• Very easy to drive

CONS:​

• Slightly unusual timbre
• Can get harsh on sibilant prone tracks
• Bass lacks nuance
• Mids is recessed and occasionally distant sounding

WHO THIS SET IS FOR:​

• People who want a premium looking headphone without the premium price
• People who want a very comfortable closed back headphone
• People looking for a fun, all-rounder and casual pair of headphones
• People looking for a pair of headphones for gaming
• People who want a pair of headphones with good details under $200

WHO THIS SET ISN’T FOR:​

• People looking for a neutral sounding headphone
• People looking for a more open sounding headphone
• Treble sensitive people
• People who want a more nuanced listening experience
• People who want a deeper reaching bass

GENRES:​

• Pop
• Rock
• HipHop
• R&B
• Soul

SHORT REVIEW:​

For my first pair of headphones, the Robin impressed me with its superb build quality, comfort and fun sound. Having been an in-ear enthusiast for most of my audiophile life, the immersiveness of headphones still cannot be beat. However, I can also acknowledge the flaws of the Robin like the recessed midrange, slightly boomy bass and occasionally sibilant treble. However, this kind of sound is perfect for casual listening thanks to its versatile and fun but quirky tuning. RECOMMENDED WITH CAVEATS!

FULL REVIEW​

There are usually two sides to buying headphones from people who have a little bit of money; it either looks good or sounds good. Most casual listeners end up on the former as most of them usually don’t care much for sound as long as it works. Audiophiles like you and me would fall on the latter as most of us don’t even care about how our headphones look.

But what if I told you that you could get both? And only for $150? Well, you wouldn’t believe me of course! But let me introduce you to the Sivga Robin and how this wood-fi set from 2021 is still a very compelling choice for those who are looking for an attractive and well-rounded set that has one trick up its sleeve that makes me feel compelled to suggest this to specific individuals.

DISCLAIMER:
The Robin was sent in exchange for my honest thoughts by Sivga. Rest assured, all my thoughts and opinions are my own and I was not compensated in any way to say anything about the product.

SIV-GOT THE PHONES!​

Sivga is a brand that those who have been in the hobby for a while should be very familiar with. They’re a professional hifi brand known for providing some of the most premium looking and feeling headphones without the premium price tag. You have sets like the Phoenix, the Luan and their planar P-II. They also have a subbrand called Sendy which focuses more on planar magnetic headphones which contrasts the dynamic-focused Sivga.

The SV021, also known as the Robin, is a set released back in 2021 to high acclaim. A set under $200 with some of the most premium feeling and looking build and a well-rounded sound was not something you could find back then. But how does it compare now almost 4 years later? Let’s start with the unboxing.

UNBOXING​

There’s not a lot to talk about the unboxing besides the very clean and linear unboxing process and inclusions. You get the rather large, textured box with the Robin’s illustration on one side and the words “Crafted with Craftsman Spirit” on the other along with specifications and contact details.

Here are the full list of inclusions:

• Sivga Robin Headphones
• Cloth Pouch
• 2.5mm to 3.5mm cable
• 3.5mm to 6.35mm adaptor

I honestly don’t have a lot to complain about the accessories, despite knowing in-ears provide much more than this. The carrying pouch is more to protect it from scratches than protecting it in any other way and the inclusions of a thick jack (6.35mm) adaptor is a nice inclusion for those who use it on home studios or music production studios.

INTERNALS, BUILD & FIT​

Starting with the internals, the Robin uses a self-developed 50mm dynamic driver by Sivga themselves. This goes to show their confidence in their products to be able to source their own drivers from their own manufacturing. This also allows for more versatility in the construction, tuning and overall quality of the product when the brand itself makes the drivers.



The driver itself is made from an ultra thin diaphragm made of polycarbonate and fiber material and a 3mm thick high performance magnet. It also features a coil made of special copper clad aluminum wire. They claim these all ensure that the Robin produces a high dynamic performance that is transparent and bright with high sensitivity to be driven out of lower powered devices. Highlighting good dynamic performance with high sensitivity is honestly one of the most important features for a pair of headphones to have as it allows them to sound great even through laptop or smartphone AMPs.



As for the design and construction, the Robin features dark wooden cups with a smooth matte finish and the SIVGA logo engraved into the cups.



You can also find the two 2.5mm inputs on the bottom of each cup.



The cups itself are made five axis CNC carving with multiple processes to reach the exquisite look. And I’d argue that exquisite is an understatement for this price range as this thing feels considerably more expensive than how much it really costs. If you’ve seen or felt the Meze 99 classics, this feels just as premium as that for nearly half the price.



This is all topped off with some of the most comfy leather earpads ever, a sturdy aluminum band and a protein leather headband.



Comfort wise, the Robin was one that I had low expectations when I first unboxed it. One of the most important things for a pair of headphones for me is for the cups to swivel. When the earcups don’t swivel, it usually causes discomfort due to one side of the cup putting more pressure than the other and causing unnecessary imbalance in the seal.



But my goodness, the cups on these essentially make up for the lack of swivel as it’s so thick yet so plush that any discomfort from the lack of swivel is completely negated.



The cups are so deep that I never experience my pinna feeling any pressure from touching the driver inside of the cup. This could often be found only with the use of aftermarket earcups, but this experience comes stock with the Robin. The lack of pressure from under the ears is also welcomed as I dislike it when headphones clamp under your ears.



While not using my favorite style of headbands (which is the tension-style headband), the Robin’s headband is comfortable and supports the top of my head without any discomfort even in long listening sessions.



Due to being closed back, the isolation of the Robin is expectedly good. It’s not as good as some closed back headphones with active noise cancellation that I’ve tested, but they’re good enough to block most background noises. You’ll still be able to hear loud sounds and air hitting the headphones themselves, but they’re minimized to the point where you probably won’t even hear it if you’re listening to music.



As for the cable itself. it’s a thin and lightweight cable that does the job just right. It’s long enough for my desk and for use when walking around my house, but I wouldn’t say it’s a heavy duty cable. It’s also a little tangle prone and feels cheap overall. I’d personally opt for an aftermarket cable if I really wanted to get the most secure listening experience, but the stock cable is more than enough.

SOUND​

Sound Signature​

The Sivga Robin features a bright V-Shaped sound signature. It’s a very fun, energetic and well-rounded sound signature that fits most genres you throw it at, but more at an acceptable level rather than the optimal level. This has the benefit of making the Robin a set you can just pick up and listen to any time, anywhere without worrying about the perfect song or genre synergy. Timbre-wise, however, it’s definitely not the first in line I’d call to be “neutral”. There is a recess in the midrange that causes vocals to sound a little distant and the bass and treble energy colors the music in a way that you’ll just know this isn’t the most “accurate" sounding pair of headphones. But that’s not a bad thing, I’d argue! I’ll talk more about the intricacies of each section soon.

Drivability​

The Sivga Robin is a very easy to drive pair of headphones with an impedance of 32ohms and 105db of sensitivity. From my old dinky laptop to my topping DX1, the Robin sounded fantastic and I did not have any issues with power or sound. Using a better source will improve the sound, but not by a lot. The DX1 made the sound more dynamic and better separated, but you won’t lose much by using a less powerful or cheaper source.

Volume​

The Robin is a comfortable mid volume listening set. It does decently on both low and high listening volumes, but mid volume is where it shines. It combines the tight but thick sound in the low end with the sparkly and energetic treble without inducing harshness whatsoever. You do sacrifice on some low end tactility and top end details, but that’s a worthy sacrifice for the tonal balance of the Robin.

Bass​

I was certainly impressed with the bass performance of the Robin when I first heard it. Since I’m usually used to leaner or open back headphones, I found myself impressed with how enveloping the sound of the Robin was. It was thick, rich but surprisingly tight. I didn’t find it to sound loose or woofy and gave the overall sound a rich but mature presentation. Obviously, it’s far from neutral and it’s not even the bassiest pair of headphones I’ve ever tried. But I’d argue that the bass presentation of this is perfect for people who just want a fun but well-balanced bass that gets the job done without getting fussy over the track. My main gripe about it would be the smoother presentation which is mostly a me thing as I like tactile bass as well as the extension feeling like it could go deeper.

Mids​

This is where I feel a little bit more torn as the midrange of the Robin is a mixed bag. On one end, the vocal energy of this is very forward and gives both female vocals as well as air instruments a very energetic and in your face sound. It’s also surprisingly detailed for a pair of headphones in this price range and with this much bass. Unfortunately, the dip in the lower mids and the sudden rise to the upper mids mess up its tonality a little bit too much that I would not recommend these for people who want a clean midrange. Upper mids is definitely the focus on this set and if you like energetic sounding instruments and vocals, this is a great set to get.

Treble​

Depending on your listening levels, this is the part where the Robin truly shines or is something you’d drop instantly. The treble of the Robin is sparkly, detailed and very well extended. I was genuinely surprised with how detailed the Robin was despite its warmth and I became addicted to listening to jazz instrumentals with this set. However, jacking the volume too high or listening to poorly mixed tracks will rear is fangs as the sibilance starts to show up and starts to sound harsh on poorly mixed tracks. This isn’t a major turn of for me as I do like brighter leaning headphones, but I also cannot deny that this is a little bit too much for most people. The benefit of this is the solid detail retrieval of the Robin and the excellent extension that make it stand out from all the headphones I’ve tried under $200.

Technicalities​

I was quite impressed with the technical performance of the Robin for a closed back headphone with this kind of tuning. Despite having a lot of bass and treble, the separation and imaging of this is very impressive. Even in more complex tracks, it’s able to separate the small details from instruments, vocals and even ambience. Stage is less impressive, but still great for a pair of closed back headphones. Dynamics could be improved, but resolving ability and detail retrieval is very impressive for the price.

REAL WORLD USAGE​

Arguably the biggest selling point of the Robin is the superb comfort that it provides for real world usage. Like I’ve mentioned in the comfort section, the Robin’s lack of cup swivel is negated by the extremely soft earpad cushion that is unlike anything I’ve tried before. And while it’s not the lightest on the ear, it’s definitely the most comfortable with a good amount of clamp. This is something I took issue with when I was using the Philips SHP9500 where its comfort was great but the stability was not. The Robin does not have such issues and maintains good stability over even erratic movements.

But the best use case for the Robin, which I had 0 expectations that it’d be good at, is gaming.

Gaming​

Playing both competitive and immersive games showed why headphones are still a completely different beast to in-ears. The level of wideness and immersion while still being able to pinpoint all the important elements and sound cues is insanely good on the Robin and is one of the best I’ve heard in this price range. This could be due to the emphasized low end providing the necessary thickness on some scenarios while still sounding clean all-throughout. But whatever it is, I was genuinely impressed with the gaming performance of the Sivga Robin. So much so that I completely ditched my in-ears that caused the occlusion effect and discomfort over long gaming periods in place of the Robin’s that I ended up going for hours without any problems. Well, except for one.

Heat and Sweat​

If you live in a humid country like the Philippines, you’re probably aware of the pain of wearing headphones during summer. And if you’re not running on AC 24/7, you know the suffering even more as you either have the stinkiest pair of headphones, or you never even get to use them. Unfortunately, due to the leather material of the pads and closed back nature of the headphones, you need to expect sweat dripping from your head when using the Robin during peak summer days.

COMPARISONS​

As I’m rather new to “reviewing” headphones, I’d like to compare the headphones that I’ve spent the most time with rather than the ones that “make sense” to compare. This also brings the interesting conversation of openback and closed back headphones and their differences.

vs Samson SR850​

The cheapest pair of headphones in my collection (and the very first “hifi” gear I’ve ever owned), the SR850 is a considerably brighter but more neutral set between the two. However, the Sivga Robins exhibits the fundamental differences of a cheaper driver compared to a higher quality driver as the overall presentation is more refined, cleaner and more technical on the Robin, despite having worse tonality. Expectedly, stage is much wider on the SR850 and somehow sound better separated than the Robin, but the Robin has a cleaner way of presenting instruments, albeit in a less natural way.

Ergonomically speaking, the SR850 is 3 steps down from the Sivga Robin as the former has a very cheap feeling build quality that speaks true of its price. The Robin improves upon everything from the quality of the pads and headbands all the way to the comfort which exhibits a massive difference.

vs Philips SHP9500​

One of the most famous budget headphones in the market, the SHP9500 excels at being one of the best “gaming” headphones thanks to its very wide stage and pinpoint imaging. However, music listening is a little lackluster due to the lack subbass extension and exaggerated treble. The Robin on paper may seem brighter and harsher, but the midbass contrasts the energy in the treble enough to make the Robin a more musical listening experience than the SHP9500. One of the biggest complaints about the SHP9500 is the lackluster resolution despite the wide stage. This is where the Robin’s superior and more refined driver shines as the resolving ability is considerably better than the SHP9500. This is to be expected, however, as the price difference is almost half. Tuning might still be more “normal” on the SHP9500, though.


I will admit that the SHP9500 does sit on my head more comfortably, but the Robin’s pads are so comfy that I forget that the cups don’t swivel on the later. The build and construction on the Robin is expectedly better than the almost full plastic and cheap feeling SHP9500.

vs Audio Technica ATH AVA500​

Telling a similar story to the previous sets, the AVA500 has a more open, cleaner sounding and more “neutral” tuned listening experience compared to the Robin, but the Robin is a considerably more fun listening experience thanks to its more emphasized bass and more energetic treble. Timbre, once again, is expectedly better on the AVA500 compared to the Robin, but the Robin is more lively sounding overall. Technically speaking, the AVA has cleaner sounding separation but the Robin has better details, resolving ability and a more pinpoint imaging.

Just like the previous sets, the AVA500’s build quality pales in comparison to the Robin. Unlike the SHP9500, the Robin is also insanely more comfortable than the AVA500 which is odd considering the AVA is the one made for professional use between the two sets.

Compared to Open Backs Summary​

Despite the seemingly obvious conclusion that open backs will always sound wider and close back headphones sound more claustrophobic, the Robin proved itself rather competent in the stage and imaging department. One of the things to note is that the price difference between all the sets is rather steep with most, if not, all my open backs being priced under $100 and the Robin at $149. I’ve tried enough high end headphones to know that those budget open back headphones aren’t exactly breaking any records when it comes to technicalities. But the fact that they were at least able to compete in some levels in terms of sound goes to show that the fundamental differences between open back and closed back headphones can give the impression of a “better’ sounding headphone overall. But nothing beats the fun, engagement and impact of a closed back headphone!

CONCLUSION​

Who said good looking headphones can’t be good and be affordable? Sivga proved themselves in 2021 to be capable of creating a pair of wooden headphones with superb comfort and a fun sound that can still keep up in 2024. It’s a fun sounding pair of headphones perfect for casual listening that has made my music listening experience enjoyable with all the factors combined.

But I also understand that the Robin isn’t a perfect pair of headphones. The tuning is largely the reason for this as it’s an aggressive v-shaped sound signature that dips the midrange and can be a bit too much on both ends. This makes it a fundamentally casual and fun sounding headphone rather than the conventionally neutral “audiophile” headphones. I don’t think this is a bad thing, however, as the beauty of the current headphone market is that the market isn’t as big as in-ears and tuning is still largely varied depending on the brand. Companies have their distinct house sounds or have completely varied tuning on each of their sets entirely. That’s where I appreciate the existence of the Robin as proof that a fun sound can exist even without flaunting that you followed a specific target closely.

In the end, the Robin is something that most casual listeners would enjoy. Big bass, energetic treble and a solid build for just $150 is a solid value for people looking for that kind of headphone. It makes me wonder how the SV023 evolves from the SV021!

Thank you so much for reading my review on the Sivga Robin. If you would like to order one, consider using the non-affiliated link below: https://www.sivgaaudio.com/product_d?id=11

Let's start by saying the Robin is not only built solid but it's beautiful as well. A fine example of a wooden headphone.
Inside the simple box you get the headphones, a cable of matching color, an adapter and carrying pouch.

Comfort wise, the pads are plush and fit ones ears well, there is decent isolation but mild sound leakage at high but not recommended volumes. I could wear these all day depending on how hot it is outside.

Sound:
Starting down low the Bass is well represented with good depth and some thickness, still it maintains control and in my opinion is some pleasantly smooth sub-bass, the mid-bass slam is speedy, warm, and impactful. Much fun here for bass lovers.
Moving to the mids, the midrange presents well placed and vocals particularly male are lush and pleasant. as with most V-shaped headphones there is recession in the lower mids.
The highs are energetic with nice air and sparkle on top, details are good, and the treble doesn't get overwhelming.
Stage, etc: The Sivga robin has a nice wide soundstage. there is very good separation and accuracy, this makes it great for movies or games.

Afterthoughts:
The Sivga Robin is a good quality set of headphones for the price, and they have good looks with an enjoyable signature that is great for various types of music and media. I like them very much.