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Chinese / Asian Brand Info Thread (On or Over Ear Headphones)
Apr 28, 2018 at 12:03 PM Post #3,511 of 7,153
  1. Hello all,

    Wondering if i could get a quick recommendation on a pair of headphones.

    I'm looking to upgrade or lateral move at least from my current favs the LyxPro-Has 30/Marantz MPH-2/Akai 50x.

    Looking for closed back.

    So far I'm thinking either

    SIVGA sv006
    MSUR N650

    Trying to spend under $150

    Thanks guys
 
Apr 28, 2018 at 12:42 PM Post #3,512 of 7,153
Strife622 said:
  1. Hello all,

    Wondering if i could get a quick recommendation on a pair of headphones.

    I'm looking to upgrade or lateral move at least from my current favs the LyxPro-Has 30/Marantz MPH-2/Akai 50x.

    Looking for closed back.

    So far I'm thinking either

    SIVGA sv006
    MSUR N650

    Trying to spend under $150

    Thanks guys
Click to expand...

Well, with some hesitation, I can recommend a rather strange pair of headphones that I doubt are Chinese in origin: Blue Lola

https://www.bluedesigns.com/products/lola/

(you can probably find them used for ~$150).

I listened to a borrowed pair the other night and was quite impressed with the sound:
  • more than sufficient bass (quantity, impact)
  • top-to-bottom evenness of frequencies...no real hot spots or big dips
  • maybe slightly warm, but these aren't particular colored headphones
  • lots of information in mids/upper mids, but no (or very little) brightness, glare, grain, etc.
  • and better soundstaging than you'd expect, looking at them
As I usually do with closed back HPs, I started with blues, studio pop, reggae @medium loud volume. But as time went on, I found myself turning them down to medium volume (everything still sounded great...maybe even a little better). And later, I did something that rarely happens w/budget HPs--but on classical music and low-to-medium volume and just enjoyed the sound.

They sound really good. True, you're never unaware of these things when they're on your head, and the earpads are on the small size (my large ears just barely fit inside). But if good sound matters, you should try these.
 
Apr 28, 2018 at 1:00 PM Post #3,514 of 7,153
Just wanted to give my take on the variant model Sivga phones that have been mentioned in this thread. I've bought several headphones/iem based on recommendations in this thread and others. With all the slight variations of Sivga models, it was very hard to pindown which model I would give a try. I impulsively bought the Sivga SV003(119$) and the Meze 99 Neo(199$). My expectation bias was in full effect assuming that the Neo would sound better, fit my sound preferences, and provide more comfort. OOTB the Sv003 sounded more balanced, better vocals,easier to drive from dap, and provided comfort that the Neo didn't provide as well. A month and a half later my initial impressions still remain the same. The Sv003 gets the majority of my time for these reasons.

I was curious why the variant Sivga models like the SV002 and SV006(Walnut) were cheaper at 89.99 although the specs were similar if not identical. So I purchased those 2 models from Amazon to see what the differences were. The comfort of the SV006(Walnut) was decent but the sound came off as somewhat boomy in comparison to the SV003. The SV002 looks almost identical to the SV003(both have same pads) except the SV003 has "Sivga" inscribed on the cups. The feel of the Sv003 cups felt more solid to the touch(SV002 felt plastic). Soundwise the SV002 seemed brighter and lacked that certain clarity of the SV003. By the way, the earpads on the SV003/Sv002 remind me of the Brainwavz sheepskin earpads and are both extremely comfortable. All the heaphones mentioned sounded good, but the SV003 seemed to fit my preferences the best on all fronts. The SV003 certainly won't be my last headphone or iem, but it has certainly delayed my impulsiveness for buying out of curiosity.

What's frustrating is I almost didn't buy the SV003 because it was harder to find than the other models and was more expensive at 119$. It looked the best that's why I bought it. Some of the pictures from these models don't match what you see displayed and even the pictures on the box don't match what you get. If you're starting out purchasing, definitely do your research. Now that I look on Amazon, it seems that the SV003 is priced at 89.99 now.

https://www.amazon.com/SIVGA-Headphones-Closed-Back-Headset-Rosewood/dp/B077JMHT49/
SV003(Black with Sivga inscribed)

20180305_191506_HDR.jpg 20180305_192347_HDR.jpg
 
Apr 28, 2018 at 1:13 PM Post #3,516 of 7,153
Strife622 said:
Wow, thanks for the great input Pharmaboy. I will for sure check them out. How do you like them in comparison to the above headphones? That is if you've heard them.
Click to expand...

Well, I owned a LyxPro HAS-30 (gave to a friend) & 2 pairs of Marantz MPH-2s (kept one, gave the other to my brother). I really like this design--it's a clear winner in the sound quality-per-cost sweepstakes.

The overall tonality of the MPH-2s vs Blue Lola is pretty similar (good bass; above average soundstaging; not bright). But there are differences:
  • Bass: MPH-2s have a lot of bass, but it's less controlled/more elevated than Lola's bass (but still pleasing to this bass hound). The quality of the bass is somewhat different, w/Lola's being more controlled, less decay, hitting a little harder, more accurate timbral repro of bass instruments
  • Midrange: The mids of the MPH-2s are OK, about average. Mids of Lola are better--more detail, more information. Both are free of sharpness/peakiness, and both midranges are question listenable...it's really a question of degree
  • Treble: I'm no expert on treble (too treble-averse for that). But I hear real differences in treble here. The MPH-2s have a somewhat pulled-down, veiled upper treble; and some treble seems slightly distorted or muffled in some way (going from memory here). It's a pleasing sound, overall, but not terribly accurate. By contrast, Lola's treble seems flat, extended, and accurate...to the point that I really didn't give it a second thought.
  • Soundstaging: Both headphones come up big here, maybe w/MPH-2's pulling ahead by a nose. Both soundstage rather well for a closed-back design.
You have to keep relative cost vs value in mind here. I've heard other closed designs (far more expensive) that sound better in all respects than either of these headphones. But the gap between inexpensive-but-good vs expensive-&-damn-good is somewhat smaller w/the Lola, which has better "technicalities" than the MPH-2, probably due to more care expended in driver-matching, earcup construction & resonance damping, etc.

Closing thought on the Marantz MPH-2: I've been impressed enough by this headphone's stock sound to wonder just how good the driver could be. Another Head-Fi'er on this string is very experienced modding inexpensive Chinese headphones; we agree the quality of this design is worth exploring via mods. He's doing a LOT of work, many different steps/tactics, to turn a near-identical clone (Akai Professional Project 50x w/LyxPro HAS-30 pads) into a fully open, resonance-damped & tuned headphone. When I receive that from him, I'll compare it to my stock Marantz MPH-2s using the same cable--then will publish results in a review on HF (more to follow).
 
Apr 28, 2018 at 1:35 PM Post #3,517 of 7,153
Pharmaboy said:
Well, I owned a LyxPro HAS-30 (gave to a friend) & 2 pairs of Marantz MPH-2s (kept one, gave the other to my brother). I really like this design--it's a clear winner in the sound quality-per-cost sweepstakes.

The overall tonality of the MPH-2s vs Blue Lola is pretty similar (good bass; above average soundstaging; not bright). But there are differences:
  • Bass: MPH-2s have a lot of bass, but it's less controlled/more elevated than Lola's bass (but still pleasing to this bass hound). The quality of the bass is somewhat different, w/Lola's being more controlled, less decay, hitting a little harder, more accurate timbral repro of bass instruments
  • Midrange: The mids of the MPH-2s are OK, about average. Mids of Lola are better--more detail, more information. Both are free of sharpness/peakiness, and both midranges are question listenable...it's really a question of degree
  • Treble: I'm no expert on treble (too treble-averse for that). But I hear real differences in treble here. The MPH-2s have a somewhat pulled-down, veiled upper treble; and some treble seems slightly distorted or muffled in some way (going from memory here). It's a pleasing sound, overall, but not terribly accurate. By contrast, Lola's treble seems flat, extended, and accurate...to the point that I really didn't give it a second thought.
  • Soundstaging: Both headphones come up big here, maybe w/MPH-2's pulling ahead by a nose. Both soundstage rather well for a closed-back design.
You have to keep relative cost vs value in mind here. I've heard other closed designs (far more expensive) that sound better in all respects than either of these headphones. But the gap between inexpensive-but-good vs expensive-&-damn-good is somewhat smaller w/the Lola, which has better "technicalities" than the MPH-2, probably due to more care expended in driver-matching, earcup construction & resonance damping, etc.

Closing thought on the Marantz MPH-2: I've been impressed enough by this headphone's stock sound to wonder just how good the driver could be. Another Head-Fi'er on this string is very experienced modding inexpensive Chinese headphones; we agree the quality of this design is worth exploring via mods. He's doing a LOT of work, many different steps/tactics, to turn a near-identical clone (Akai Professional Project 50x w/LyxPro HAS-30 pads) into a fully open, resonance-damped & tuned headphone. When I receive that from him, I'll compare it to my stock Marantz MPH-2s using the same cable--then will publish results in a review on HF (more to follow).
Click to expand...


Ah awesome, I really do LOVE my LyxPro. So it's great to hear how they compare to some others. I've looked and looked but I really couldn't find much on comparisons for them. Now to order some lola's!! Thanks again guys, really appreciate it.
 
Apr 28, 2018 at 2:48 PM Post #3,518 of 7,153
Strife622 said:
Ah awesome, I really do LOVE my LyxPro. So it's great to hear how they compare to some others. I've looked and looked but I really couldn't find much on comparisons for them. Now to order some lola's!! Thanks again guys, really appreciate it.
Click to expand...

You might want to do the one thing I never did w/the Lola's & research them (didn't bother since they're a loaner). I have no idea what other people think of them, whether there are other models, the usual stuff...

And while I'm thinking of it (and so this won't seem like a Lola PR campaign)--my favorite headphone in this "step-up" $$ range ($200-$300) is still the Fidelio X2s. The long-time model I own was recently replaced by a nearly identical "X2HD" model that costs more and is said to be somewhat brighter (that's bad). But sometimes good quality used ones or NIB ones can be found for $150 or so.
  • The X2s are open, something I really like these days. But not everyone can use open headphones due to work or family considerations...
 
Apr 28, 2018 at 2:50 PM Post #3,519 of 7,153
Apr 28, 2018 at 3:10 PM Post #3,521 of 7,153
YCHANGE said:
Just wanted to give my take on the variant model Sivga phones that have been mentioned in this thread. I've bought several headphones/iem based on recommendations in this thread and others. With all the slight variations of Sivga models, it was very hard to pindown which model I would give a try. I impulsively bought the Sivga SV003(119$) and the Meze 99 Neo(199$). My expectation bias was in full effect assuming that the Neo would sound better, fit my sound preferences, and provide more comfort. OOTB the Sv003 sounded more balanced, better vocals,easier to drive from dap, and provided comfort that the Neo didn't provide as well. A month and a half later my initial impressions still remain the same. The Sv003 gets the majority of my time for these reasons.

I was curious why the variant Sivga models like the SV002 and SV006(Walnut) were cheaper at 89.99 although the specs were similar if not identical. So I purchased those 2 models from Amazon to see what the differences were. The comfort of the SV006(Walnut) was decent but the sound came off as somewhat boomy in comparison to the SV003. The SV002 looks almost identical to the SV003(both have same pads) except the SV003 has "Sivga" inscribed on the cups. The feel of the Sv003 cups felt more solid to the touch(SV002 felt plastic). Soundwise the SV002 seemed brighter and lacked that certain clarity of the SV003. By the way, the earpads on the SV003/Sv002 remind me of the Brainwavz sheepskin earpads and are both extremely comfortable. All the heaphones mentioned sounded good, but the SV003 seemed to fit my preferences the best on all fronts. The SV003 certainly won't be my last headphone or iem, but it has certainly delayed my impulsiveness for buying out of curiosity.

What's frustrating is I almost didn't buy the SV003 because it was harder to find than the other models and was more expensive at 119$. It looked the best that's why I bought it. Some of the pictures from these models don't match what you see displayed and even the pictures on the box don't match what you get. If you're starting out purchasing, definitely do your research. Now that I look on Amazon, it seems that the SV003 is priced at 89.99 now.

https://www.amazon.com/SIVGA-Headphones-Closed-Back-Headset-Rosewood/dp/B077JMHT49/
SV003(Black with Sivga inscribed)

Click to expand...



damn, now im confused coz, from what i know the sv003 is the same as the bosshifi b7s right? but another headfier humblepie says the opposite.


Humblepie said:
Got the B7S in today. Sounds like the B7 just closed. B7I thought were decent sounding, although there are better headphones out there. I think most people don't like the B7 headphone however. Those that don't like the B7 I doubt will like the B7S. I think the B7 sounds just a tad better. Despite barely being open, it sounds much more open compared to these. Sound is very narrow with these. Dimensions are about the same too so comfort isn't all that great.
Click to expand...



also I saw on the sivga's webpage that they got some planar magnetic headphones. have anyone tried them?

http://www.sivgaaudio.com/us/planar-magnetic-headphones.html
 
Last edited:
Apr 28, 2018 at 3:26 PM Post #3,522 of 7,153
Apr 28, 2018 at 5:27 PM Post #3,523 of 7,153
Pharmaboy said:
great catch! never heard of them. I can't find any mention of them anywhere. maybe not a real F.S. product...?
Click to expand...
The bottom model looks like a rebranded Monoprice M1060.
 
Apr 28, 2018 at 5:29 PM Post #3,524 of 7,153
If possible, I want to get better sound from my A&K Sp1000. I use Nobunaga Lab's balanced 2.5 mm cable with my Sony MDR-1a as I like the bass/treble balance. Does anyone have an upgrade recommendation to my headphone with similar bass/treble balance as MDR-1a? I've tried Sennheiser but the bass is just lacking for me.
I am not interested in "in ear" headphones.
 
Apr 28, 2018 at 6:23 PM Post #3,525 of 7,153
larry piencenaves said:
damn, now im confused coz, from what i know the sv003 is the same as the bosshifi b7s right? but another headfier humblepie says the opposite.
Click to expand...
They might have different drivers. Bosshifi uses beryllium coated drivers on their headphones but atleast sivga sv007 has a different type of driver. Five layer composite diaphgram or something. Maybe sv003 does too. Would be helpfull If we had pictures of the drivers. @Humblepie @YCHANGE would be great if you could take pictures of the drivers? If you don't want to open The headphones just the front view might help.
 
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