[Tano]

I would only use them in Bluetooth LDAC mode as have other HP’s for wired.
You compared to Sony with LDAC?
Are they heavier on one side with the BT connector?
What is battery life like?
How is sound leakage?

If you are planning to use the Devas in a loud enviroment I'd sugest you to get the sonys or similar. If you want something to use at home, get the Devas.
-The sound on LDAC is clearly superior in the Devas, as I told you before. The Sonys are too bassy, making the overall sound muddy in my opinion. That doesnt mean that they sound bad by any mean, they are quite good for an noise cancelling closed back bluetooth headphones.
-They Don't feel heavier in the left side, where the BT connector is located. I think The bluemini weights like 20 grams or so. Overall the Devas feels really light and comfortable.
-Battery life depends of the volume level. I usually get like 6 hours of playback, but the charging time is 45 min , which is really low. Anyways you cant compare that with sonys battery Life, which gets you near 30 hours.
-Sound leakage is really high on the Devas because they are open back.

 

[Soundizer]

If you are planning to use the Devas in a loud enviroment I'd sugest you to get the sonys or similar. If you want something to use at home, get the Devas.
-The sound on LDAC is clearly superior in the Devas, as I told you before. The Sonys are too bassy and have exaggerated bass, making the overall sound muddy in my opinion. That doesnt mean that they sound bad by any mean, they are quite good for an noise cancelling closed back bluetooth headphones.
-They Don't feel heavier in the left side, where the BT connector is located. I think The bluemini weights like 20 grams or so. Overall the Devas feels really light ans comfortable.
-Battery life depends of the volume level. I usually get like 6 hours of playback, but the charging time is 45 min , which is really low. Anyways you cant compare that with sonys battery Life, which gets you near 30 hours.
-Sound leakage is really high on the Devas because they are open back.

Many thanks. Most appreciated.

 

[griga]

Hi all. After using my Deva’s for past 5 months I was thinking about getting some dynamic headphones to complement the planars. I have decided to try Sennheiser 660s and compare them to Deva’s. I mostly listen to jazz from Amazon Music HD using the Chord Mojo.

Plus points for 660s:
Build is much better quality. They look they would last long time before physically breaking.
Fit was very comfortable and secure. I could move around and they didn’t move at all.

Minus:
Highs are nowhere to Deva’s crispy sound.
Much smaller sound stage. Sound is in your head not around your head.
With lots of instruments playing at the same time it sounds muffled.

So I was a bit disappointed with Senn 660s since I haven’t found any good reasons to keep them. Sending them back to Amazon.

My question: what should I try if I want to step up from Deva’s? Would Ananda’s be noticeable improvement?

 

[Ichos]

The HD660S offer better instrument accuracy and pinpoint placement plus they are way more refined and decay better , at least for my ears.
They are not better but they are more polished.
But as you understand we all hear differently so if you don't like them you should return them.
So the Ananda are a clear step up in technical performance because they are more refined and image better but be careful because the tonality is somewhat different and you may not be of your taste.
They are a little bit more cold sounding with an emphasis at the 3-5kHz region that you may find annoying.
A return policy would be nice.

 

[Tano]

Hi all. After using my Deva’s for past 5 months I was thinking about getting some dynamic headphones to complement the planars. I have decided to try Sennheiser 660s and compare them to Deva’s. I mostly listen to jazz from Amazon Music HD using the Chord Mojo.

Plus points for 660s:
Build is much better quality. They look they would last long time before physically breaking.
Fit was very comfortable and secure. I could move around and they didn’t move at all.

Minus:
Highs are nowhere to Deva’s crispy sound.
Much smaller sound stage. Sound is in your head not around your head.
With lots of instruments playing at the same time it sounds muffled.

So I was a bit disappointed with Senn 660s since I haven’t found any good reasons to keep them. Sending them back to Amazon.

My question: what should I try if I want to step up from Deva’s? Would Ananda’s be noticeable improvement?

Had a similar experience myself. I've been using my Sennheisers HD 650 for years, and, althought they are great headphones, I felt I was going a step ahead when I heard my fist planars in a friends house. I think my ears are just better suited for them. I hardly use the 650s nowadays, I even use more the Philips SHP9500 when I switch to dynamics.

I think that the Anandas might be a bit of a step up, I tried the them at a local store, and they were great and definitely better sounding than the Devas, but Im not sure If they are worth double + the price. I recently got the Verum 1 and they were great for the price and a different, warm and thicker sounding pair of cans, that are a perfect complement to my Devas.

I recommend you doing what Ichos suggested, get the Anandas or similar with a good returning policy just in case you don't like them.

 

[Soundizer]

I don’t understand why this headphone is being compared as a wired headphone. Spend a little more and you can get the Sundara. I see the relevant comparison against other Bluetooth headphones = Sony WH1000XM4, Sennhieser Moment 3, Bose 700, Audiotechnica M50X.

 

[Tano]

I don’t understand why this headphone is being compared as a wired headphone. Spend a little more and you can get the Sundara. I see the relevant comparison against other Bluetooth headphones = Sony WH1000XM4, Sennhieser Moment 3, Bose 700, Audiotechnica M50X.

Its being compared because it is a Wired headphone with the added bluetooth extra. You can also get it without the bluemini for 80 dollars less or so. I dont think they are in the same category as the headphones that you are saying, because they are really different headphones with different purposes. Those are closed back focused on noise cancelling, suited especially for outdoors. I really enjoyed them, specially the sonys and the momentum 3, but the sound quality is far below the Devas.
So I think its more fair to compare the Devas with other open back planar magnetics.

 

[Ichos]

I don’t understand why this headphone is being compared as a wired headphone. Spend a little more and you can get the Sundara. I see the relevant comparison against other Bluetooth headphones = Sony WH1000XM4, Sennhieser Moment 3, Bose 700, Audiotechnica M50X.

Because it is an excellent wired headphone.
Not far behind from the Sundara in technical ability and with a slight different more pleasing tonality that many people may prefer.
It is one of my favorites.

 

[itsderpxd]

Looking for a replacement cable, and hifiman is charging $65 shipped on their website, which is about 25% of the cost I paid for these headphones. Do I have any better options?

Unfortunately my stock cable that came with my Hifiman Deva's is breaking (my fault) and I'm looking for a replacement. For reference, I have a Magni OG amp connected to an apple USB-C dac.

Looking on Hifiman's website they don't sell the sleeved cable that came with the Deva's. (stock cable)[https://imgur.com/2ATUwLL]

Instead on their website, it looks like the cable is a TRRS tip to TRS cable, with the TRRS side input into headphones and the TRS inputting into the amp. [cable in hifiman store](https://store.hifiman.com/index.php/deva-stock-cable.html).

Researching into this it seems I need to be cognizant of whether my amp is able to output a balanced signal over 3.5 TRRS, which I'm unsure of. [source](https://www.head-fi.org/threads/3-5mm-and-2-5mm-trrs-balanced-cable-questions.869527/)

I was about to pull the trigger on the Monoprice onyx TRRS cable for <$10, but the second point about balanced signals has me hesitant.

Do I have any better options?

 

[Tano]

Looking for a replacement cable, and hifiman is charging $65 shipped on their website, which is about 25% of the cost I paid for these headphones. Do I have any better options?

Unfortunately my stock cable that came with my Hifiman Deva's is breaking (my fault) and I'm looking for a replacement. For reference, I have a Magni OG amp connected to an apple USB-C dac.

Looking on Hifiman's website they don't sell the sleeved cable that came with the Deva's. (stock cable)[https://imgur.com/2ATUwLL]

Instead on their website, it looks like the cable is a TRRS tip to TRS cable, with the TRRS side input into headphones and the TRS inputting into the amp. [cable in hifiman store](https://store.hifiman.com/index.php/deva-stock-cable.html).

Researching into this it seems I need to be cognizant of whether my amp is able to output a balanced signal over 3.5 TRRS, which I'm unsure of. [source](https://www.head-fi.org/threads/3-5mm-and-2-5mm-trrs-balanced-cable-questions.869527/)

I was about to pull the trigger on the Monoprice onyx TRRS cable for <$10, but the second point about balanced signals has me hesitant.

Do I have any better options?

Hi, I just bought this cable in AliExpress for my Devas (https://a.aliexpress.com/_B07hXW).
I got the 2,5 balanced but you can customize it. It looks very good for the price. Will share my thought as soon as i get it.

 

[Queen6]

Have a look on AliExpress there will be a plethora of cables. I picked up a 3.5 balanced to 4.4 balanced for say around $30 and that's a silver/copper 8 braid mix (sorry cant link as was off Taobao)

One of the Sony HP has the same configuration MDR-1AM2 (3.5 balanced to 4.4 balanced), equally if you search AliExpress for your connection requirements you should get a good number of hits at a fair price. On my set of Deva the included cable's are a very soft with a flexible silicon sheath, not the stiff nylon braid, which looks and feels nicer, yet functions worse.

Q-6

 

[Birdland]

I'm not for sure I'd want to put silver with the Devas. Copper would likely have a more complimentary sound signature.

 

[Queen6]

I'm not for sure I'd want to put silver with the Devas. Copper would likely have a more complimentary sound signature.

It's a 50/50 mix, played back mostly on an R2R2000 (4.4) so the sound signature remains. Out of interest I'll give the original cable a spin this weekend versus the 50/50 3rd party.

Q-6

 

[Birdland]

I would love to hear your thoughts! I'm always looking to upgrade cabling, although that can be an expensive habit. The cables on my big rig are worth more than the equipment, but you can surely hear the difference.

 

[Queen6]

TBH I'd put the $$$$ into the gear more than the cabling as that will bring you the biggest dividend's. Cables can and do make a difference, however the mark up is on such items is obscene. Your best option is always to do some solid groundwork and source directly from the manufacturer. Good example Sony's MUC-M12SB1 is currently $237 which is a very fair price, direct from the OEM $55...

Difference being one comes in a Sony consumer branded box, with cable ties, right angle bends for IEM's and a clip. The other comes in a plain white box with no accessories, yet remains to be Sony branded product with part number.

My background is multifield engineering (high tech in heavy engineering realms) A guy I know is an acoustics engineer who also designs drivers & Delta Sigma DAC's. Trust me on one and only one point let your ears tell the difference. Never be swayed by the sales and marketing or the other guy. Lot of good in audio and a lot of BS with superlatives layered upon superlatives to push the price.

Sometimes it's just down the quality of the termination with cables needing a good positive connection, that the cheaper (included in the box) can lack at times.

Q-6