[grape ape]

So they came in the mail and I've been listening for a couple hours now. When I get a new pair of headphones the first thing I put on is Scott Walker's Tilt. It's immediate how resolving these headphones are. I've been listening to this album for 25 years though 3 pair of Grado's, HD650's, K701 and K702's, Shure 535's, and Hifiman HE560's.



By the Time Bouncer See Bouncer comes on I'm noticing crazy things like the flutter of air from a person moving in front of the microphone. There's a pulsating bass drum that slowly fades up. I've thought all these years that the drum doesn't start until about 30 seconds in but it's low in the background from about 3 seconds in. There's also what sounds like, an unusual electric zapping sound or a fly/mosquito buzzing by your ear in the beginning from, perhaps, a sped up electric bass guitar. The track is meant to portray a steady build of anxiety releasing into catharsis and those touches strengthen the track. You can't hear some of this in the youtube version but are present on the CD. I'm blown away by this, utterly shocked.

I'm not saying these are the end all be all of headphones. I listened to some Pavement, Weezer, Modest Mouse, Flaming Lips, and Dinosaur Jr and like a lot of ultra resolving headphones they lack the ability to produce that muddy wall of sound that can make rock yummy. I was hoping they might work since people in the thread talked about their forward presentation but alas they aren't any more good than my hifiman's at this task. I'll stick to my Grado's for that.

The question on everybody's lips is "do they look good on my nightmare headphone stand?" stay tuned and keep your eyes pealed to find out.

 

[539465]

what is the cheapest version of this headphone u can buy?

 

[X1787X]

The Avia is fantastic and I believe it is worth the hype. It was so good that I think I might have to sell my HD800 that I've had for 3 years and just get these instead, it pretty much broke my heart in a good way

Wow is it actually better than the HD800? that's incredible! I've heard great things about the aiva treble

 

[CoryGillmore]

So an interesting experiment, I let a budding audiophile from my work borrow most of the headphones I own. The only headphoine experience he has is with his first pair of good headphones, which are Audio Technica ES990, which is an on ear portable closed back. He's owned these about a month now.

He borrowed and spent time with my: Sony MDR-Z7, MDR-Z7M2, Beyerdynamic DT880 250ohm, SendyAudio Aiva and Audeze LCD2C. When he first borrowed the Aiva I still had my Brainwavz Hybrid XL pads installed on them and he was less than impressed with the experience. But then I switched back to the stock perforated pads and he preferred the Aiva to every other headphone I own, by far!

I have to say I personally won't be using the Brainwavz XL pads with the Aiva anymore either, I don't know what the hell I was thinking, ugh. I guess I had just grown used to the XL pads sound on the Aiva but when I switched them back to stock perf it was a whole new world.

I love my LCD2C and closed back Sonys but the airy treble of the Aiva is something no other headphone I own can replicate. It really is special. The Aiva may measure like ass on paper but it still sounds great! Squiggly lines on paper are not a substitue for ears!

 

[grape ape]

Memory foam is far more dampening than regular foam. I made some grado pads out of memory foam and killed the treble. I want some rounded velour pads.

 

[MusicTeck]

Hope you all had a great weekend! Just a reminder that today is the last day of our Valentine's Day sale

Check it out here: https://shop.musicteck.com/collections/holiday-sale

 

[mjpsmith]

I wish you had the extension upgrade cable that sells for $240.00 on sale. With that said, if you consider making them available for $50.00 less or $190.00 in total, I will check back at 9 PM EST today and check again. If you do put them on sale after 9 PM EST, you can put them in a cart and I will pay in the morning after I return from my cardiologist's appointment.

These headphones are truly amazing!

All the best,
Michael

 

[doors97426]

i have a pair on the way and need to know something, does the 3.5 pigtail adaptor convert the balance cable to work on the Shanling M6 pro 3.5 output jack

 

[KH Photo]

i have a pair on the way and need to know something, does the 3.5 pigtail adaptor convert the balance cable to work on the Shanling M6 pro 3.5 output jack

It should convert it to work on any 3.5mm output. I can't see why not.

 

[silent-circuit]

It should convert it to work on any 3.5mm output. I can't see why not.

Yes, it converts balanced to single-ended 3.5. Also, hi from another Charleston person!

 

[KH Photo]

Yes, it converts balanced to single-ended 3.5. Also, hi from another Charleston person!

Woohoo! Nice to see another Charleston audio geek in here. Haha. Cheers!

 

[doors97426]

has anyone bought the

SendyAudio Asura Pigtail Adapter (7N-OCC) 4 pin XLR male to 4.4mmBAL female​

adapter and used on the Schiit Magnius , don't know if this wiil work and I'm wondering if it will the Magnius manual says this Plug in your fancy-pants balanced headphones here, using a 4-pin male XLR plug conforming to the K1000 output jack wiring specification. Ensure no pins are shorted to each other or tied to ground, or bad things can happen. any help would be great. I want to use my Sendy Avia Phones on this balanced output

 

[mjpsmith]

I can't answer your question, but the SendyAudio Asura's are great. Everyone I know is blown away by the sound from the sub-bass to the highest highs! I bought the open-box and saved over $300.00. In addition, I purchased the upgrade cable set for $240 which changed the sound so much better. Great headphones at a fantastic price. Try them and you will be happy for a long time.

 

[Aibo]

I got Aiva two weeks ago and avoided reading other's impressions so I can do a clean-slate review. Now I finally released it and went on a reading spree. Man, these are so polarizing.

For myself, I liked them quite a bit even though these are clearly not linear sounding headphones. However, this kind of V-shaped tuning where there is no upper midrange aggression does sound really nice with many tracks. Highs are emphasized and do create some added sparkle and air, but it's high enough not to cause any aggression in the midrange. Midrange itself is depleted and laid-back but still very pleasant.

Anyway, to my ears, these sound warm and juicy in the bass (not that resolving), laid back with mids, and sparkly up top. In general, there's a sort of laid-back but airy presentation that makes them specific and unique sounding. I guess this might be the reason for such polarizing opinions. But when it comes to looks and build I don't think anybody would have anything to complain about - they deserve their "Black Beauty" name in my opinion.

If you want to listen to me rambling about them in detail and comparing them to few other headphones, I just released a full video review:

 

[hmscott]

When I first listened to my SendyAudio "Black Beauty" Aiva's it was a mixture of joy, and confusion for me too - they were my first Planar headphones, after many decades of exclusively listening through Dynamic Headphones.

I think many people give up too soon on the Aiva's, and perhaps other Planars, because of this need for cognitive normalizing - getting used to the sound of Planar headphones takes time.

After many months of listening with the Aiva's - my first Planar headphone, I bought the Hifiman Ananda and HE6SE V2, and then for months I've listened to Hifiman Planars, and Sennheiser's HD660s exclusively.

Until recently, when I dug out the SendyAudio Aiva's and happily discovered that the Aiva's now sound - Normal - my mind's eye view of the Aiva's sound has become one with the Planar sound and my initial joy mixed with confusion at the Aiva's Planar sound is completely gone - replaced by nothing but Joyful listening.

The Aiva's sound "Normal" to me. And, so much better than my first listen. It took the better part of a year of listening to Planers for that to happen, I am very pleased with the Aiva's now, more so than when I first listened to them.
My Aiva's have gone from a "Curiosity" to Crystal Clear "Normal" sound, and I am so happy I have them.

I'm still using the original Aiva "Black Beauty" stock pads (I have a spare pair too) along with the 2.5mm to 4.4mm + 4.4mm to 4-pin Adapter - all stock. My Hifiman Planars have new GUICraftsman Silver or OCC Copper 4-pin or 4.4mm cables, but they use 3.5mm cup connectors while the Aiva's use 2.5mm... I don't really feel the need to buy new cables for the Aiva's, SendyAudio made stuff is disappearing - so I might pick up some backups:
https://shop.musicteck.com/collections/sendyaudio

There are some 2.5mm headphone cables I could try...
Would HD700 cables work on the Aiva's?
https://hifigo.com/products/6n-silv...lr-2-5mm-4-4mm-balance?variant=31091076857905
https://hifigo.com/products/6n-occ-...lr-2-5mm-4-4mm-balance?variant=31090792202289