[Rakyan]

Now thinking about the Ananda Nano, im just very curious as i never had a hifiman heaphone. For gaming and movies could it be better than the FT5? What u guys thinking?

 

[voltdamage]

Now thinking about the Ananda Nano, im just very curious as i never had a hifiman heaphone. For gaming and movies could it be better than the FT5? What u guys thinking?

I'm actually also interested in how they compare to the ft5, one thing I notice in the DT900 x pro are the 10khz sharpness and pronanced sibilance in some songs, so I normally put Hifiman products aside, is the treble sharp and sibilant?

 

[Rakyan]

I'm actually also interested in how they compare to the ft5, one thing I notice in the DT900 x pro are the 10khz sharpness and pronanced sibilance in some songs, so I normally put Hifiman products aside, is the treble sharp and sibilant?

Since my last post, i ordered the Ananda Nano from Thoman, it arrives this week. Be ready for my comparsion! (about saturday, sunday)

 

[Rakyan]

Since my last post, i ordered the Ananda Nano from Thoman, it arrives this week. Be ready for my comparsion! (about saturday, sunday)

Listening the Ananda Nano what i got today, guys its very good. I would say its an upgrade to an FT5. With the fiio K7 + tripowin granvia full copper cable its not even too bright, actually very well balanced. A little bit zizzy in the 8-10KHz segment, but its not a dealbreaker, under that its just perfectly balanced. The sound is much bigger, better separated, more life-like, i hear things what i barely or not at all with the FT5. (or at least didnt realize if i hear or not, but clearly hear with the Nano) So first impressions like that.

 

[voltdamage]

Listening the Ananda Nano what i got today, guys its very good. I would say its an upgrade to an FT5. With the fiio K7 + tripowin granvia full copper cable its not even too bright, actually very well balanced. A little bit zizzy in the 8-10KHz segment, but its not a dealbreaker, under that its just perfectly balanced. The sound is much bigger, better separated, more life-like, i hear things what i barely or not at all with the FT5. (or at least didnt realize if i hear or not, but clearly hear with the Nano) So first impressions like that.

Nice!

Let's see what you find out, but still on the fence since my main reasons to change from DT900 are the clamp force and the treble
I dont like to buy stuff and then return back but let's see.

How they compare in terms of clamp force, and when you say life-like you mean more musical ? I was guessing they would be more technical (sound stange, detail, etc..) but less musical and more fatiguing.

Another thing I also I'm looking for is the bass, the physical rumble and impact (pretty much all open back suffer from this), I would appreciate if you could tell me about that comparison.

 

[Rakyan]

Nice!

Let's see what you find out, but still on the fence since my main reasons to change from DT900 are the clamp force and the treble
I dont like to buy stuff and then return back but let's see.

How they compare in terms of clamp force, and when you say life-like you mean more musical ? I was guessing they would be more technical (sound stange, detail, etc..) but less musical and more fatiguing.

Another thing I also I'm looking for is the bass, the physical rumble and impact (pretty much all open back suffer from this), I would appreciate if you could tell me about that comparison.

Clamp force could be a problem for some, and as it is very big, it pushes your jaw/face too not just around your ears. Actually ears in a blank space, as the earpads cover the whole area. But again, maybe clamp force will be less as time goes, so its just the first impression. Life-like i mean, the images are bigger, so the intruments or vocals are more life-like sized than u can hear from a smaller driver. Further strengthens this feeling the thing, that the resolution is bigger and the soundstage too. Its like a movie on a 65" tv is more believable than on a smaller screen, i could say. Bass is balanced, its not too much, not too thin, totally natural i would say. Its quantity more than lets say the HD600 bass, it has more body to it, but not necessarily punchier, just more and faster. Tomorrow i will have more time for listening so if u have any question i will try to answer.
EDIT: last remark for today, as the earpads are huge, its sensitive a little bit for positioning. Like I heard vocals a little bit from the left side because the left pad was just a tad more forward on my head than the right side. Hmmm take it with a grain of salt as its more of a slight impression than a fact, i cant even make it happen intentionally if i move the HP a little. Maybe its just in my head...

 

[voltdamage]

Clamp force could be a problem for some, and as it is very big, it pushes your jaw/face too not just around your ears. Actually ears in a blank space, as the earpads cover the whole area. But again, maybe clamp force will be less as time goes, so its just the first impression. Life-like i mean, the images are bigger, so the intruments or vocals are more life-like sized than u can hear from a smaller driver. Further strengthens this feeling the thing, that the resolution is bigger and the soundstage too. Its like a movie on a 65" tv is more believable than on a smaller screen, i could say. Bass is balanced, its not too much, not too thin, totally natural i would say. Its quantity more than lets say the HD600 bass, it has more body to it, but not necessarily punchier, just more and faster. Tomorrow i will have more time for listening so if u have any question i will try to answer.
EDIT: last remark for today, as the earpads are huge, its sensitive a little bit for positioning. Like I heard vocals a little bit from the left side because the left pad was just a tad more forward on my head than the right side. Hmmm take it with a grain of salt as its more of a slight impression than a fact, i cant even make it happen intentionally if i move the HP a little. Maybe its just in my head...

Thanks !
My main concern is the treble and clamp force.
Best bass quantity and quality, I like a lot of genres rock, metal, rap but also ear a lot of edm

 

[Rakyan]

Thanks !
My main concern is the treble and clamp force.
Best bass quantity and quality, I like a lot of genres rock, metal, rap but also ear a lot of edm

Okey, i made another 2 hour A/B listening between the Nano and FT5. I have a lot to say.
First of all: what i said before that i "maybe" perceive especially female vocals a tad from the left. I didnt hear that way in the FT5 so i made a little test: i went into the windows sound mixer and if i increase the volume in the right channel just about "2" unit (its a 0-100 scale) than i hear females exactly front of me just in line with my nose. First i tought my right hearing is just a little bit weaker so that is why the inbalance happens, but than the FT5 is totally balanced in a 50-50 setting. If i use the same 50-left/52-right volume settings with the FT5, i absolutely hear everything a little bit from the right. So its not my hearing, i think the Nano has a tiny bit inbalance, so its a defect in the unit as i see now.

In the sound aspect, yap the Nano is just bigger, more 3D, its more around u. Positioning is better, u can pinpoint instruments and voices better. First i had a tought that this is why i hear center voices a little bit from the left, cuz its so accurate that i just dont used to it. Its not like a lets say 30 cm middle section as with the FT5 (where u hear the center singer) but like a 15 instead, narrower, more pinpoint. So i could imageine if somebody actually has real problems with hearing, even with a totally perfect unit, can hear singers a little bit from the left or right, it is that accurate. Its has better resolution, its clearer, bass is the same amount but clearer with less bloat, the FT5 is warmer and more veiled, albeit dont forget that i use the FT5 with the unfamous suede pads. Suedes are warmer, more middle focused, more veiled, more like a HD650 sounding pads than the other pleather set. So the whole comparsion applies to that.

 

[voltdamage]

Okey, i made another 2 hour A/B listening between the Nano and FT5. I have a lot to say.
First of all: what i said before that i "maybe" perceive especially female vocals a tad from the left. I didnt hear that way in the FT5 so i made a little test: i went into the windows sound mixer and if i increase the volume in the right channel just about "2" unit (its a 0-100 scale) than i hear females exactly front of me just in line with my nose. First i tought my right hearing is just a little bit weaker so that is why the inbalance happens, but than the FT5 is totally balanced in a 50-50 setting. If i use the same 50-left/52-right volume settings with the FT5, i absolutely hear everything a little bit from the right. So its not my hearing, i think the Nano has a tiny bit inbalance, so its a defect in the unit as i see now.

In the sound aspect, yap the Nano is just bigger, more 3D, its more around u. Positioning is better, u can pinpoint instruments and voices better. First i had a tought that this is why i hear center voices a little bit from the left, cuz its so accurate that i just dont used to it. Its not like a lets say 30 cm middle section as with the FT5 (where u hear the center singer) but like a 15 instead, narrower, more pinpoint. So i could imageine if somebody actually has real problems with hearing, even with a totally perfect unit, can hear singers a little bit from the left or right, it is that accurate. Its has better resolution, its clearer, bass is the same amount but clearer with less bloat, the FT5 is warmer and more veiled, albeit dont forget that i use the FT5 with the unfamous suede pads. Suedes are warmer, more middle focused, more veiled, more like a HD650 sounding pads than the other pleather set. So the whole comparsion applies to that.

Hum thanks, that’s a shame it seems like a defect unit.

Your experience is align to what I have been seeing around Reddit and videos, FT5 comes across more bloated because of the bass curve, even with EQ people say they are not better technically.

I’m expecting less details from ft5 anyway, but could you for example try to EQ both to oratory curve and compare ?

Particularly if the Nano has sibilance or harsh highs.

 

[Rakyan]

Hum thanks, that’s a shame it seems like a defect unit.

Your experience is align to what I have been seeing around Reddit and videos, FT5 comes across more bloated because of the bass curve, even with EQ people say they are not better technically.

I’m expecting less details from ft5 anyway, but could you for example try to EQ both to oratory curve and compare ?

Particularly if the Nano has sibilance or harsh highs.

Sorry im not familiar with EQ, only did once with equalizer apo a few months ago. The Nano already packed for a return. I dont think the Nano needs EQ at all, with a neutral/little bit warm amp + quality full copper cable it should be great. I think many who says its harsh and sibilant using it from a bad source with the factory cable, which is not good and can augment the metalness on the highs. After all its all subjective, its pretty balanced for me with my setup, i hear some edginess for sure but it complements the whole sound and makes it more airy. Its more sibilant than something like the HD600 of course, but more resolving and much more technical too so its not as evident as it seems for the first sight.

 

[Bonddam]

I’m loving this headphone and for me I have no complaints as a bass head. Very enjoyable holographic sound. I never became the more common audiophile and stayed at a commercial consumer. Possibly it’s my amps work perfectly with them. Directly from my OPPO bdp-83 into the Dragon is awesome.

Sound wise no complaints I do love the Empyrean 1 and 2 but the later way more. My headphone for my perfection there aren’t any but Austrian Audio Composer is my go to for critical listening. The Fiio is my all day never get bored. Suede pads is my favorite but found the leather ver enjoyable.

 

[Bonddam]

What I discovered take low priced units for people who can love what their money buys and compare them to 1266. So these do produce that fun sound and beefy bass. It doesn’t have its sound signature so no it’s not a 1266. With the Dragon I became a big fan of the V8 OTL(Wells Audio) running any headphone in the 90db/milliwatt range. I like this headphone better than Moon Drops first Planar headphones. I haven’t heard their two latest creations but the Fiio stands as my winner.
This picture does not show fiio but here is v8 otl. I’m on the road so I took my 2 Well Audio amps and Gruve lvl 2 DAC.

Difference between the Dragon and V8 is the v8 is more romantic while the Dragon stays neutral. Which flavor you more desire. Dragon just has more power from its high current output for planar but than still play IEMs with less chance of hiss. Need to hear one to believe me.

 

[voltdamage]

What I discovered take low priced units for people who can love what their money buys and compare them to 1266. So these do produce that fun sound and beefy bass. It doesn’t have its sound signature so no it’s not a 1266. With the Dragon I became a big fan of the V8 OTL(Wells Audio) running any headphone in the 90db/milliwatt range. I like this headphone better than Moon Drops first Planar headphones. I haven’t heard their two latest creations but the Fiio stands as my winner.
This picture does not show fiio but here is v8 otl. I’m on the road so I took my 2 Well Audio amps and Gruve lvl 2 DAC.

Difference between the Dragon and V8 is the v8 is more romantic while the Dragon stays neutral. Which flavor you more desire. Dragon just has more power from its high current output for planar but than still play IEMs with less chance of hiss. Need to hear one to believe me.

How does Fiio ft5 compare to empyrean 2 ?

 

[Bonddam]

How does Fiio ft5 compare to empyrean 2 ?

Depends if you can sacrifice 3k for better experience but $450 for damn good headphones like FT5 I’d go ft5 for cost. Both are fun the Empryean 2 sets the sound further from your ear so it’s more holographic. Also now the Empyrean 2 resolves better. It’s a laid back tuning. Hands down Empyrean 2 It’s a rich and clear sounding. I can’t complain about ft5 Though. Treble and mid’s sound awesome. Bass is hits deep and sounds thick. I’d pick the ft5 over the first Empyrean. The ft5 sounds clear and the first Empyrean bass killed the upper end clarity.