[martel80]

Yeah, it me a while to figure this out

I get what you mean with ”as an analytical tool”. Right now I’m trying to create a good balance with the tubes in my amp.

Did you decide on an additional pair of headphones?

Not yet.

I mean, Im so impressed with the Nano that im shy on other people's opinions of other cans. I saw people comparing the MM-500 to the NDH30 and I own the NDH30 and they are really REALLY a sub product in comparison to the EQ'd Nanos. I'm ok comparing the HD650 and the NDH30 as I own both but when it comes to other cans I never heard, and they put them side by side, That really throw me off. So when I see people debating between the MM-500 and the LCD-X as a good mixing tool and the NDH30 get thrown in the lot, it just raise a red flag to me saying that those might probably be a huge disappointment.

I was thinking about a set of electrostatic but I read a lot of review saying that the bass is usually an issue on electrostatic so I'm puzzled really. I'm not sure what to look at.

I also had the HE1000se in mind but again, theres some people saying that the organic has better transient response then the HE1000se . I heard the organic and the nanos beat them on the transient translation side so again, another red flag for the HE1000se.

Im knind of lost at the moment to be honest. Not sure where to head at.

LCD-X seems to be a favourite, but so was the NDH30 and its a huge disapointment for me....so I dont know anymore to be honest.

 

[TheR0v3r]

Not yet.

I mean, Im so impressed with the Nano that im shy on other people's opinions of other cans. I saw people comparing the MM-500 to the NDH30 and I own the NDH30 and they are really REALLY a sub product in comparison to the EQ'd Nanos. I'm ok comparing the HD650 and the NDH30 as I own both but when it comes to other cans I never heard, and they put them side by side, That really throw me off. So when I see people debating between the MM-500 and the LCD-X as a good mixing tool and the NDH30 get thrown in the lot, it just raise a red flag to me saying that those might probably be a huge disappointment.

I was thinking about a set of electrostatic but I read a lot of review saying that the bass is usually an issue on electrostatic so I'm puzzled really. I'm not sure what to look at.

I also had the HE1000se in mind but again, theres some people saying that the organic has better transient response then the HE1000se . I heard the organic and the nanos beat them on the transient translation side so again, another red flag for the HE1000se.

Im knind of lost at the moment to be honest. Not sure where to head at.

LCD-X seems to be a favourite, but so was the NDH30 and its a huge disapointment for me....so I dont know anymore to be honest.

That’s so interesting, I’m looking at exactly the same headphones as you. And I really do understand what you mean with the confusion that occurs when you have a set of cans and then read other peoples opinions and you think ”what?”!

You know I like the MM-500 and the LCD-X, but consider the latter too heavy. In part because of my negative experience with the LCD-4... My thinking right now is that the MM-500 would be different and the HiFiman HE-1000 (in some version) or Arya instead would be more of what the Nano offers.

 

[martel80]

That’s so interesting, I’m looking at exactly the same headphones as you. And I really do understand what you mean with the confusion that occurs when you have a set of cans and then read other peoples opinions and you think ”what?”!

You know I like the MM-500 and the LCD-X, but consider the latter too heavy. In part because of my negative experience with the LCD-4... My thinking right now is that the MM-500 would be different and the HiFiman HE-1000 (in some version) or Arya instead would be more of what the Nano offers.

See that was also my thought process until I read that gearslutz thread where someone compared them to the NDH30 and said they were comparable. That freak the ish out of me.

Exactly what you said... the ''what?'' part !

 

[TheR0v3r]

See that was also my thought process until I read that gearslutz thread where someone compared them to the NDH30 and said they were comparable. That freak the ish out of me.

Exactly what you said... the ''what?'' part !

Later this month I hope to be able to audition the MM-500’s again and compare with the Nano’s (from memory). Let me know if there are any special track you use and I’ll try to write somekind of ”review”.

 

[sendler2112]

Cables. I just received these Youkamoo cables for my Ananda Nanos. They a very much more laid back compared to the really bright stock cables that came with the headphones. Some of this could be due to a different sound signature of the Aune S17 amp via its 4 pin XLR of these cables vs the single ended stock cables (I should have ordered both versions of the Youkamoos to try while I was at it). The feel and the look of the cable and connectors is impressive with the way that they just braid the conductors with no stiff outer jacket and the sound is very much more laid back. In direct AB I sometimes think they may be a bit too smooth at the top on rock drum kit but many people that find the Nanos to be on the bright side will consider these a big upgrade.

These would be a steal at $100. For $30, these cables are a must have for your reviewing collection.

https://www.amazon.com/Youkamoo-Bal...nes-Replacement/dp/B08LF36XD2?ref_=ast_sto_dp

Ships in 1-2 months for the single ended version?

https://www.amazon.com/Youkamoo-Com...eplacement/dp/B08VRZWMW1?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1

 

[martel80]

Later this month I hope to be able to audition the MM-500’s again and compare with the Nano’s (from memory). Let me know if there are any special track you use and I’ll try to write somekind of ”review”.

That would be very kind of you.

If I may, I usually use 3 critical tracks for different reference point.


https://tidal.com/browse/track/110958685

Chan Chan for Buena Vista Social Club is usually my first one to have a sense of balance as the double bass is really prominent but never over the mid lows and that's really quite something to achieve. The congas are usually another thing I listen to as they hit properly in the mid lows but are not over the top. So usually listening at low volume tells me if the cans are resolving enough to let them go through without being over the top.

https://tidal.com/browse/track/93177827

I usually use That Bob Marley track for gagging kick attacks and live scene realism. There's also a quite prominent hi hats and cymbals line which is usually coming across as harsh on over done cans with extreme highs. It helps me understand if it might be an unhealthy type of can (or studio monitors) and might damage my ears overtime.

https://tidal.com/browse/track/131333084

I use that Billie Eilish (with work from Hans Zimmer) to gage the intelligibility of it all. It was mixed on the dark side but every breath and ''esses'' where mixed to perfection which makes it very intimate. There's also a very very dense part in the end and if the whole mix collapse in the cans, it tells me how sensitive the cans are and how resolving they really are.


Here's a link to my reference playlist if you're into it.

https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/91ee6a50-1e35-41be-9207-e2c6d5f47ac7

Cant wait to hear your impressions.

 

[TheR0v3r]

That would be very kind of you.

If I may, I usually use 3 critical tracks for different reference point.


https://tidal.com/browse/track/110958685

Chan Chan for Buena Vista Social Club is usually my first one to have a sense of balance as the double bass is really prominent but never over the mid lows and that's really quite something to achieve. The congas are usually another thing I listen to as they hit properly in the mid lows but are not over the top. So usually listening at low volume tells me if the cans are resolving enough to let them go through without being over the top.

https://tidal.com/browse/track/93177827

I usually use That Bob Marley track for gagging kick attacks and live scene realism. There's also a quite prominent hi hats and cymbals line which is usually coming across as harsh on over done cans with extreme highs. It helps me understand if it might be an unhealthy type of can (or studio monitors) and might damage my ears overtime.

https://tidal.com/browse/track/131333084

I use that Billie Eilish (with work from Hans Zimmer) to gage the intelligibility of it all. It was mixed on the dark side but every breath and ''esses'' where mixed to perfection which makes it very intimate. There's also a very very dense part in the end and if the whole mix collapse in the cans, it tells me how sensitive the cans are and how resolving they really are.


Here's a link to my reference playlist if you're into it.

https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/91ee6a50-1e35-41be-9207-e2c6d5f47ac7

Cant wait to hear your impressions.

Excellent descriptions!

Please give me the track names, I only use Qobuz.

 

[martel80]

Excellent descriptions!

Please give me the track names, I only use Qobuz.

Sure thing !!

Buena vista social club - chan chan

Bob Marley - is this love

Billie eillish - no time to die

Again, thanks a lot !!!

 

[Xinlisupreme]

https://headfonics.com/hifiman-ananda-nano-review/

 

[martel80]

@TheR0v3r , im sorry , i am so focused on my struggle that i forgot to ask you where you’re at in your adventure. Were you able to get some information that made you think that you might have a winner in other models ? I know you mentioned the MM500 but did you look into other more “isoteric” models that caught your attention ?

 

[TheR0v3r]

@TheR0v3r , im sorry , i am so focused on my struggle that i forgot to ask you where you’re at in your adventure. Were you able to get some information that made you think that you might have a winner in other models ? I know you mentioned the MM500 but did you look into other more “isoteric” models that caught your attention ?

Listening to ”your” tracks as I write this - excellent choices and I understand your different uses cases for them

Let me start my answer to your question be stating that, in my opinion, the Hifiman Ananda Nano is a game changer. So it makes sense for me to explain my line of thinking as being before and after the Nano.

This is an updated list of the headphones I’ve auditioned (the ones I own/owned are in my signature):

• Audeze LCD-X 2021
• Audeze LCD-4
• Audeze LCD-5
• Audeze MM-500
• Focal Clear OG
• Focal Utopia OG
• Hifiman Ananda
• Hifiman Ananda Stealth
• Hifiman Ananda Nano
• Hifiman Arya
• Hifiman Arya Stealth
• Hifiman HE1000
• Hifiman HE1000SE
• Hifiman Sundara
• Hifiman Susvara
• Meze Elite
• Quad ERA-1
• Sennheiser HD 600
• Sennheiser HD 650
• Sennheiser HD 800 (modded)
• Sennheiser HD 800S
• Stax SR009
• Stax SR-X9000
• ZMF Verité Open

Before the introduction of the Nano it was pretty easy to do rank my favorites, just sort by price. Sure there were headphones that outperformed their price (especially if you were open to eq) but in general the logic held up. One thing that made things more difficult when trying to pick the right one was that they had different strengths. The outlier here was, and still is, the Hifiman Susvara which I consider the best headphone I’ve ever heard and very strong in many/most areas. So you either buy the Susvara or compromise

But along comes the Nano. All of the sudden there is a sub €1000 headphone which has the same profile as the Susvara: strong in many/most areas! Of course not with the performance of the Susvara but with the same profile, and being much easier to drive it makes those strengths far more accesible to those of us not running TOTL systems. I actually prefer the Nano to most of the other headphones I’ve heard because of its many strenghts in areas that are important to me!

For example, I ended up selling my Focal Utopia because I felt that the Nano wasn’t much of a compromise as a whole, especially with the eq profile I’ve shared (plus I got a great offer!). And I also started to feel that from an ownership perspective it didn’t make sense to own a headphone where parts, like a new headband, cost much more than the Nano…

Where does this leave me? I’ve become less inclined to think about new headphones and more interested in improving my system. Selling the Utopia was an opportunity to do just that. And the Nano lets me hear these changes so it isn’t a bottleneck yet (and maybe never will be).

The headphones that I’m still interested in are the Audeze MM-500 and the Hifiman HE1000’s (SE or Stealth). The thing that makes the MM-500 interesting, given Audeze’s share of the pro market, is that it would let me understand what the producer had in mind in production. With the Hifiman HE1000’s I’m just hoping/thinking that they might be a slightly better version of the Nano.

 

[Toriga]

Ananda nano can sound more harmon style of XS and Ananda with the right eq.
If you are interested i give you my conf...

 

[TheR0v3r]

In the lastest episode of ”The Headphone Show” they ranked alot of headphones incl the Nano:



Entertaining, I agree on some and not on others

 

[Toriga]

I tried for a month focal elegia, hifiman edition xs, hifiman ananda stealth magnets and from yesterday ananda nano and i chose ananda nano, sound much better of all.

 

[martel80]

In the lastest episode of ”The Headphone Show” they ranked alot of headphones incl the Nano:



Entertaining, I agree on some and not on others

Seems interesting but I couldn’t follow along and it’s impossible to read their list afterward unless you’re such a nerd that you know how all headphones look like.

I really found the raal ca-1a impression interesting.

I wonder which hifiman they put in the S category….