[HiFiGuy528]

Moved.....

 

[jaco61]

I would like to join the Ananda-loaner tour if it is still going on.
Location: Europe, Austria / Vienna
Plse send pm for further details, thank you!

 

[NiTROAUDiO]

My name is Nathan Germain. 27 from Athens, GA. I review tech products and would love to review the Anadas . I have bought the hifiman 400s 400i and sibdaeas just to re view and would love to be able to review the more higher end hifiman products.

 

[sennfan83261]

A few initial impressions while I have the loaner Ananda unit with me for the next two weeks,

Packaging/Build Quality: The cans come in a nice sturdy box (leatherette?) befitting their price point. I am bit disappointed that there wasn't a balanced cable, but these cans are really efficient at 25 Ohms and 103dB/mW (more on that later). As for the cans themselves, the metal gimbals and the metal headband are sturdy and do the job. Like others stated elsewhere, I thought I was going to be concerned with the lack of swivel from the newest Hifiman headband, but the cans ended up fitting my head just fine due to the stock angled hybrid pads. The weight and the clamp force are just about perfect in my book.

The ratcheting adjustment system for the loaner unit was a little hit or miss from me. For example, the right side slides up and down fairly straightforwardly with the required amount of force for adjustment being just about right. The left side, however, was more difficult to slide due to the larger amount of force (far more than the right side) needed for adjustment. I don't know if this issue is simply isolated to the loaner unit, but it is rather annoying. Lastly, as reported elsewhere, the paint of the inner sides of the arms of the earcups are stripped from previous adjustments.

Sound: One word popped in my mind when I first listened to these cans through my Schitt stack at work: neutrality. My opinion didn't change when I listened to these cans at home (SDAC-B > THX AAA 789). As a testament to their efficiency, my volume knobs are about 10 o'clock on low gain (Magni 3) and 8 o'clock on higher gain (Magni 3; THX AAA 789 - second gain). Having just listened to the AKG K501 and its concert hall soundstage before the Ananda arrived, the soundstage of the Ananda was less wide in comparison upon initial listen and the sound didn't swirl around my head as much as they did in the AKG K501 (Shoji Yamashiro's "Kaneda" from Akira [Symphony Suite] - VDR-1532). Still, I am enjoying the Ananda so far and it has many things going for it over more specialist cans like the AKG K501. I'll elaborate more in my full review later.

 

[wormsdriver]

I'm still interested in hearing the Ananda. I live in South Texas, USA.

 

[sennfan83261]

First off, I have to give thanks to Hifiman for setting up this loaner tour for the Ananda. The only thing Hifiman requested of me, and of every other loanee, was an honest impression/review of this can. Please, see post #109 for my initial impressions.

Packaging/Build Quality: After two weeks with the can, I do not have much more to add to what I stated earlier. I did forget to write how upon arrival the left earcup's input jack has a noticeably looser fitting than the right earcup after being through many different hands. This can lead to some static during playback if one gently swivels the left 3.5mm jack about for a bit. Left alone, thankfully I didn't notice any static in the left earcup during playback. My opinion of the sturdiness of the metal headband or the comfort of its swivel-less design has not changed all that much. There was a period of time where I wished that the cans did swivel about as I had to spend a little bit of extra time to find the right fit and comfort. Thankfully, the pads are soft and plush, and any comfort niggles fell by the wayside.

As for the included Neutrik-terminated 1/4" TRS cable, to be slightly charitable, I must say that I do not rate it too highly. Intertwined silver and copper wire strands are visible through the transparent tubing with the tubing itself looking like it came from a hospital. Overall, the tubing is a bit stiff and is prone to flopping and twisting about. I saw elsewhere that it appears to be prone to kinks, but that hasn't happened to the one provided with the loaner unit. External microphonics appear to be on the negligible side since I did not notice much of any while using the stock cable for most of the loan period. Bottomline, they do the job despite being unwieldy to handle.

Sound: My opinion hasn't changed much from my initial impressions, namely I feel that the sound signature is satisfingly neutral.

Equipment:
Work: FLAC > Musicbee > Modi 3 > Magni 3
Home: FLAC > Musicbee > SDAC-B > THX AAA 789*
*I didn't find much difference when running the Ananda balanced (Gain 1) or single-ended (Gain 2) on the THX AAA 789.

Bass

The planar bass of the Ananda is tight exhibiting little to no bloom and extends fairly low. While not as low as Hifiman's HE-500 and Audeze's LCD-2 rev. 1 (LCD2.1) (nor as texturized as the latter), the bass of the Ananda certainly extends far lower than the rolled-off bass of Sennheiser's HD6XX and AKG's K501. Still, the Ananda certainly does not exhibit the slam of the HE-500 and the LCD2.1, as Ananda's presentation is a bit softer than the latter two.

Mids

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.

Treble

Probably my favorite part of the Ananda. The treble appears to be well-extended with a bit of air surrounding the instruments, not as much air as provided by the AKG K501 though. Thankfully, the Ananda avoids the nastiness of a 7k peak, which to my ears permits its treble to extend quite nicely without experiencing any overbearing sibilance. With respect to timbre, pianos can sound a bit hot with the Ananda. Detail retrieval definitely is better on the Ananda than on any other can that I own, sometimes to its own detriment (see below).

Soundstage

The soundstage is wider than the HD6XX but less so than the HE-500 and AKG K501. The Ananda's soundstage is definitely taller than the HE-500's. However, I have an issue when it comes to soundstage depth with regards to how "compressed" certain orchestral tracks, particularly older recordings, can sound. For example, in the opening measures of the third movement (Presto) of Beethoven's 7th Symphony conducted by Karajan (recorded in 1962), it seems that the strings and timpani are smushed together into a blob. My AKG K501 separates things out a little better in this regard, but it isn't a night and day difference with this old recording. Since the Ananda seems to push detail to the fore, it sometimes sounds like instruments in the mix for older or poorer recordings are pushed closer towards the ear thereby reducing any sense of soundstage depth. Still, I prefer the Ananda for classical music far more than the HD6XX, HE-500, and the LCD2.1. The Ananda, however, cannot unseat my can of choice for classical music: AKG K501 with its concert hall soundstage.

Overall

To me, the Ananda is a well-balanced headphone that can be the only one a person needs, as it handles most genres well. Despite it being more resolving than any headphone that I currently own (HE-6 coming in shortly however), the Ananda has a musical sound signature that isn't sterile or dry as other more technical cans. At $850, I believe it is a fair price for a highly efficient can that still sounds good on modest setups.

 

[geoffalter11]

Hifiman Ananda Final Impressions:

First, I would like to thank Hifiman for the opportunity to spend a couple months with The Ananda. They are a beautiful pair of headphones, one in which I will seriously consider purchasing in 2020.

System Used to Demo The Ananda:
iMac running Roon Labs
Vinshine Reference R2R DAC
Schiit Wyrd
Headamp Gilmore Lite Mk2


Packaging/Build:
The packaging is classic Hifiman and reminded me of the first time I opened my HE400I and HE560 Box years ago. Although not quite as nice as the old HE560 box, it is a step up from the packaging of the Sundara. When you open the box you are greeted by a satin covered foam inlay with the beautiful headphones comfortably inside. The headband has a normal curve to fit most head shapes and sizes. It is a comfortable leather band, but not as flexible as past bands I have felt on Hifiman Headphones. Honestly, this is of no consequence to me and had no bearing on my overall impressions of the finished product. The swivel system is much improved from past Hifiman headphones in this price range, and the angled Ultra Pads are a step up from the Edition X I demoed at Canjam years ago. They are great and I could wear The Ananda's for hours with no neck or head pain.

Cable:
The standard cable is an OFC Copper Cable measuring 1.5 meters in length with a 1/8" right angle with a 1/4" connector. It also came with a 6ft 1/4" termination and is fitted with 3.5MM TRS jacks into each ear pad. Gone are the 2.5mm Mono jacks of the Edition X. I can't speak to whether this is a good or bad thing. I found the cable to have super low microphonics and found no need to switch out for a designer aftermarket cable. You could probably eek out a couple more percent of detail with a Pure Silver Cable from ZMF, Moon Audio, etc, but I think for what you get at $999 the cable is just fine.

Overall Sound Impressions:
The Ananda is a mostly neutral, musical headphone with a slightly warm underbelly. Bass is clean, and fast with a fairly linear flat mid-bass. I hear a bit of low end warmth with a slight emphasis around 1K. Midrange is laid back and vocals feel slightly elevated providing the right amount of energy for an emotive experience. Treble is also quite nuanced with an emphasis from about 7K up to 10K which gives instrumentation like Cymbals, Timbals and Acoustic Guitars a really clean and clear sound. They just sound right to my ears.

Detail/Soundstage:
I am hearing a lot of sound coming in clear from left to right. I don't get a huge soundstage from top to bottom, but it is a good size and overall the soundstage is fairly open and clear. I have no trouble picking out instrument placement and because of the driver's inherent speed, detail is better than the Edition X V2. I love the detail the Ananda is extracting from my music. I always use Cassandra Wilson's "Right Here Right Now" when listening to a new pair of headphones. There is a moment in the end of her last chorus where she breaths deeply and it is super tough to pick out. The Ananda captured it and I could feel the intent in her voice that conveyed the exact emotion of the song. The Ananda is not the most detailed headphone with the largest soundstage, but I could happily live with it as a daily driver. The sound quality is closer to reference than past iterations for Hifiman at this price point.

Bass:
The quality of the bass is superb. Albeit a bit south of neutral with a slight roll off at 200HZ. From there it remains quite linear and fast. I prefer this type of bass response, as I find it to be more realistic to what music sounds like. To my ears the quantity of bass is on the light side, however that doesn't take away from any of my enjoyment or sense of low end scale or scope. It is super clean, defined and linear with a very nuanced transition into the lower mids.

Mids:
I find the mids to be relaxed and extremely open sounding. When I listen to a live version of the song "Tube" from the Phish show at Dick's, the song opens up like a flower into the jam and the Ananda's midrange puts me right in from of the soundboard. I can hear all 4 musicians in their exact place and space. Trey's vocals are slightly emphasized but still on the neutral side of things. The general timbre of the midrange is leaner than other headphones in this price bracket, but still musical with excellent clarity and harmonics. The Midrange is my favorite part of the Ananda, whereas the Treble was my favorite part of The Sundara. My favorite headphone in my stable is the Quad ERA-1. I enjoy the Midrange of the Quad a bit more as I find it to still have the same amount of detail as The Ananda without the leaner presentation. To my ears, The Quad wins here, but The Ananda is a super capable and enjoyable listen. I could happily live with either.

Treble:
In a word, SMOOTH. I feel like Dr. Fang has figured out how to properly transition from the Upper Mids to Lower Treble on all of their current headphone offerings. He is particularly skilled at creating a reference level of treble detail and quality in his lower end models. The Sundara was near perfect for a headphone at that price range, and Ananda is equally adept. There is a 7-10K emphasis, which leads to absolutely no veil, with a slightly bright sound. However, there is no harshness or lack of detail. I simply love the Treble as I do in all Hifiman headphones.

Efficiency and Matchability:
The Ananda is an extremely efficient headphone. I was able to get plenty of volume out of my iPad and my LG V30+. However, I found a significant step up in sound quality when pairing The Ananda to an AMP and DAC. I used the Ananda with my iQube V5 for a bit as well and found the sound quality to be similar to my desktop system. Because of it's super efficient transducer, The Ananda needs very little power to sound its best. In terms of matchability, I did not test it with tubes, so I cannot speak to how it meshes. However, I used it through 3 different AMPs and found the sound quality to be superb through all 3. If I had to choose, I preferred it out of my Head Amp Gilmore.

Lasting Impressions:
Thank you, Hifiman for allowing me the opportunity to provide my thoughts about The Ananda. It is a beautifully built, comfortable and musical headphone. The sound is detailed and mature. I will miss it on my desk as it is not only a great sounding headphone, but also a piece that looks fantastic and sparks conversation. For $999, The Ananda represents a fantastic price to performance value. If you are in the market for a headphone at $1000 or less, it is certainly a headphone to demo.

 

[NiTROAUDiO]

First Impressions:

I just received these wonderful headphones today in the mail for review and these are my first initial impression upon opening the cans. With built up anticipation and high degree of standards and hope these are what they are hyped to sound like; I opened the box to the Anandas and pulled them out. The box is fairly nice in presentation. The same silky interior that my sundaras had to keep the cans protected, but it also had a nice exterior with a flip up top that revealed the cans. Not to shabby, for a higher end headphone unboxing . The headphones are built fairly well, better than other Hifiman Headphones I have owned previously. They feel good in the hands, not to heavy, not to light. They are a decent clamping force, it's not as tight as I'd prefer but it's also not going to just fall off like my Monolith M1060 like to do. I plugged in the cans to give my initial listening review before my full length written essay, and they are very full in all the broad frequencies, they are very punchy in the low end with a quick decay, no muddiness, just crisp and clear vocals and fairly warm. My initial impression not this unit is a good one. I will be providing a full review of these in the coming weeks after the Thanksgiving holidays.

 

[Ichos]

The Ananda's left home and it is time to provide my full impressions.
Due to various circumstances I was fortunate enough to keep them for more than two months so they became my daily driver.

The gear used for listening was a Fiio M9 and X5III for portable use.
Desktop gear included Schiit Lyr 3 multibit , Violectric V280 , Cambridge Audio 851C , Musical Fidelity MX Dac and LX2 amp.
Cables were the stock single ended.

Some session photos.

Overall tonality is good and balanced.
This is a quite neutral tuning without annoying dips or peaks except one around 8khz which is quite audible.

Bass extends to sub bass territory it is very clean and articulate and doesn't bleed to midbass.
There is good layering and detail but it is lacking body and slam there is no weight to it.
Bowings and plucking notes can be very easily heard and are very well defined.
Despite this headphone being an open one overall bass response is very good suitable for all genres of music but of course not a basshead one.
Midbass is very natural with a slight warmness and a little bit muddy.

Mid response is great very tastefully done and lifelike.
Instruments and vocals sound just right without anything being over emphasized or laid back.
It is crystal clear and very accurate but still a slight lack of body can be heard.

Treble response regarding tonality is excellent without harshness or listening fatigue expect the peak around 8khz which can sound a little annoying or exhibit some sibilance with certain tracks.
Instruments sound right and even but decay is very fast.
This has a negative effect on high pitched percussion instruments and the leading edges of some notes so things start to sound a little bit artificial.

Soundstage is good not overly wide but with very precise instrument placement and separation with a plenty of air between individual instruments and groups of them.
The headphone can very easily handle complex symphonic music without a hint of congestion and can communicate very good the recording venue.
Detail retrieval is very good and satisfying but not overly done so you can concentrate on the music it self.

The overall presentation of the Ananda is ethereal and on the lean side.
There is a lack of macro dynamics and slam.
This combined with the very fast decay , speed and lack of body makes the headphone sound a little bit artificial and mechanical not so enveloping and 3d sounding.

Efficiency is very good and can be very easily enjoyed from decent portable devices but it scales very well so quality of source is very important and of great benefit.

Comfort is great due to the large ear pads and the even distribution of the weight.
Build quality is not on par with the price tag.
It feels cheap , there is cracking noise heard all the time when you touch them and when you adjust the height.
Cables are bad quality , fragile , they bend and crack at the outside very easily.
This is something that Hifiman must work on it and improve.

Overall the Ananda is a great headphone especially regarding overall tonality.
It has a great bass response , natural presentation , airy and wide soundstage and great technical ability.
It's sound signature will fit many needs and tastes and should be on the sort list of everyone looking for a reference - critical listening headphone around the 1K region.

 

[froes]

They reached me last weekend.

First Impression

What a big box in leather and silk! What a pity, no portable box. Because I already knew it I was not surprised about the size of the cans. The bigger the better!
The headband construction is a bit different to other Hifiman's, but looks really better.
The cables are looking a bit strange, remembering me to water cooler pipes of a computer, while the cables itself seems to be very thin. But cables and jack have a small influence comparing to the cans itself.
Why are there two cables, both supporting 6,35 mm jack and no balanced cable?
Although the Ananda is not really lightweighted wearing them is no pain, but a pleasure. The pads with their material mix make them very comfortably as the wide headband.

Round One - simple test with all music that came in mind

Playing various kinds of music with various digital resolutions, the Ananda reproduces all with details and sounds at the full frequency range. The overall tuning seems well balanced.
One of my personal hardness checks is Lorde's "Royals". This song has a very dry deep bass and base drums laying beneeth a synth and female voices.
The bass must be dry but punchy, while the synth must play clear as the female voices. A lot of headphone I listened to let the bass reverberate or beeing barely audible.
The Ananda plays it as I think it should sound.
All music I listened to is a pure pleasure. A day should have more than 100 hours to have the time to listen to music!

Comparisons with my other cans will follow.

 

[Ichos]

Nice impressions.

Please correct the word "poor" with "pure" !!!

 

[froes]

Thanks. What a mistake, was no Freudian slip.

 

[393699]

I would really like to be included in this tour if possible. I was a member of the Sundara tour, and I was not a fan of that headphone. I have heard great things about the Ananda though, and have been told that I will have a much more favorable impression if I try them.

 

[Asspirin]

Also interested in this tour

Country: Germany
City: Reutlingen

I have already participated in the Ananda BT Tour (review here) and now I'm very curious what its wired sibling can do

 

[jaco61]

I am Interested a lot in the Ananda Tour!

Location: Austria / Vienna

Best regards