Hifiman Ananda
Jun 11, 2021 at 3:42 PM Post #3,782 of 4,977
I sold Ananda and now they are very missing and I am thinking of buying them back.

I took some Focal Clear which are perhaps technically slightly superior, but they don't sound as good as the Ananda, with a bad and metallic timbre. And they are also more tiring.
 
Jun 11, 2021 at 3:48 PM Post #3,783 of 4,977
I sold Ananda and now they are very missing and I am thinking of buying them back.

I took some Focal Clear which are perhaps technically slightly superior, but they don't sound as good as the Ananda, with a bad and metallic timbre. And they are also more tiring.
Strange the Clear shouldn't sound metallic and is also very laidback. What you describe sounds like the Utopia.

Ananda is some kind of carefree headphone. Sounds right in every way and soundstage is perfect size. It's also the most coherent sounding headphone i know. Imaging and details are the things the better models improve on but i don't really need that as the Ananda is already quite good here. Only thing that sucks a bit is the bass extension.
 
Jun 11, 2021 at 3:55 PM Post #3,784 of 4,977
I have never listened to Utopia and I think I never will because I will not go on Focal headphones anymore.

On the Clear I have read a lot of user reports finding the metallic timbre, I hear it especially on more intimate / introspective music with vocals in the foreground and on older recordings.
 
Jun 11, 2021 at 6:29 PM Post #3,785 of 4,977
Strange the Clear shouldn't sound metallic and is also very laidback. What you describe sounds like the Utopia.
What if it's the fault of iFi micro iDSD Black Label?

I swear the Clears sound more beautiful, well tuned, musical and relaxed from my smartphone.

Unfortunately I don't have any other DACs here with me to make comparisons.
 
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Jun 11, 2021 at 8:10 PM Post #3,786 of 4,977
yfVtc2w.jpg


Finally got mine :)

Initial impressions: fairly bright, but not fatiguing. Soundstage and depth is huge as expected, but I find that it sounds a bit unnatural on certain songs. But only very few songs, so might be a recording issue. A bit of a peak somewhere in the highs, listening to Miles Davis sometimes gave me a fright. I feel this should get better with burn in. Vocals sound great, no shoutiness whatsoever. Bass is tight and extends pretty low.
This is a very early impression. I believe it will change after giving it some time.

Additional note: these headphones are huge. This is the first time in my life that I can actually see the headphones I'm wearing lol
 
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Jun 12, 2021 at 12:56 AM Post #3,787 of 4,977
yfVtc2w.jpg


Finally got mine :)

Initial impressions: fairly bright, but not fatiguing. Soundstage and depth is huge as expected, but I find that it sounds a bit unnatural on certain songs. But only very few songs, so might be a recording issue. A bit of a peak somewhere in the highs, listening to Miles Davis sometimes gave me a fright. I feel this should get better with burn in. Vocals sound great, no shoutiness whatsoever. Bass is tight and extends pretty low.
This is a very early impression. I believe it will change after giving it some time.

Additional note: these headphones are huge. This is the first time in my life that I can actually see the headphones I'm wearing lol
Just take it away from the DV for God sake 😫😫😫
 
Jun 12, 2021 at 1:02 AM Post #3,788 of 4,977
I can say that I picked the Ananda after testing cans all the way from LCD -2C LCD-X HD800S Aeon Flow 2 & ERA-1
It was a clear pick over all the above mentioned sound-wise and over the Arya only value wise
 
Jun 12, 2021 at 2:08 AM Post #3,790 of 4,977
You'll be happy to hear that it's not connected to the DV 😅

I just don't have enough desk space to impose social distancing between the two.

The DV is only for my HD600.
I love the DV though with dynamic cans (Focal Elear for me) and it shines as a preamp while the Ananda shows its true colors with the Cavalli CTH, can't praise it enough
 
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Jun 12, 2021 at 6:40 PM Post #3,791 of 4,977
Does anyone know if the Arya headband can be used for the Anandas?
The mounting positions look very similar and it has swiveling cups which I would like to have. The cup sizes are pretty close based on measurements I've been able to find.
Hopefully someone has some experience with this. I'm almost ready to buy the band just to try it. Customer service would not give me an answer about actual dimensions so out of luck there.
I guess I'm not 100% sure if this is the same band either.

https://store.hifiman.com/index.php/the-newly-enhanced-comfort-headband.html
 
Jun 13, 2021 at 2:21 AM Post #3,792 of 4,977
Does somebody also have a problem with the Anandas peak? Depending on the recording cymbals, soprano saxophones (like Jan Garbarek) etc sometimes seem to scream into my ear, for it seems there is a resonance created in the room between the drivers and my ears. And sometimes it is really annoying! I was hoping that this was a thing disappearing during burn in. But it is not. Especially with my FIIO X5. A little less with my Chord Poly/Mojo but sometimes still there. I am think about selling my Anandas because of this because it causes headache.
 
Jun 13, 2021 at 3:49 AM Post #3,793 of 4,977
Does somebody also have a problem with the Anandas peak? Depending on the recording cymbals, soprano saxophones (like Jan Garbarek) etc sometimes seem to scream into my ear, for it seems there is a resonance created in the room between the drivers and my ears. And sometimes it is really annoying! I was hoping that this was a thing disappearing during burn in. But it is not. Especially with my FIIO X5. A little less with my Chord Poly/Mojo but sometimes still there. I am think about selling my Anandas because of this because it causes headache.
Oh I'm getting the same problem. I was thinking it will go away after burn in, but it sems that yours is still there.

I'm sort of looking at hybrid tube amps that might smoothen these peaks, hopefully it will work out.
 
Jun 13, 2021 at 4:06 AM Post #3,794 of 4,977
Does somebody also have a problem with the Anandas peak? Depending on the recording cymbals, soprano saxophones (like Jan Garbarek) etc sometimes seem to scream into my ear, for it seems there is a resonance created in the room between the drivers and my ears. And sometimes it is really annoying! I was hoping that this was a thing disappearing during burn in. But it is not. Especially with my FIIO X5. A little less with my Chord Poly/Mojo but sometimes still there. I am think about selling my Anandas because of this because it causes headache.
Yes, there’s a pike somewhere in treble. In my case, exaggerates sibilance and makes some female vocals a bit shouty after a certain volume level. Regarding burn-in, my experience after six months of daily use (400-500 hours) is no change in sound, just a littje brain adaptation. But this pesky sibilance issue is still there, just the same from day one. Don’t get me wrong: Anandas sound great, airy, big soundstage, lot of nuances, spot on bass for classical and acoustic music, etc. I’m thinking of EQing them.
 

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