NEW! SENDY AUDIO AIVA Impressions?
Jul 30, 2021 at 9:45 PM Post #692 of 714
Sendy sendied me an Aiva to review.



To be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect with the set. In pictures, the build looked a bit fragile, and while I hadn't heard it before recently, I've been aware of some of the rise and fall of the Aiva's hype. Seems once people figured out there are other headphones using the same driver, the $600 Aiva lost some good will. (I personally do not care one bit that the driver may be available in cheaper headphones, but also I spend most of my time with IEMs where shared OEM drivers is a very. normal. thing.)

But listening to it and ignoring the chatter, I think it's a pretty standout headphone. Though perhaps not for everyone.

The build is great, honestly more solid than I expected, with -- as far as I can tell -- zero plastic pieces externally. Comfort is great. Aesthetically... I think it's a bit incoherent. Some bits, like the headband and Sendy logo, feel modern and angular, while others, like the wood ear cups and fish scale pattern, feel a bit antiquey. The cable is decent, though the wood hardware pieces are kinda hokey.

The sound I'm much more into. It's a lean, airy, and leans strongly into the "analytical" over "musical" tonal balance. The treble character is addicting, with really snappy and defined transient edges. I'm no stranger to the "detail" illusion, where listening to familiar music on new headphones reveals sounds you never noticed before. Typically, if I go back to a familiar set I can hear those "new" sounds, they're just less emphasized on different sets. But the Aiva is the first set that made me hear something that... I actually cannot pick out on other sets.

For those curious, it's in this song:

When the music changes ~25 seconds is when the periodic sound starts appearing, sounds almost like a ticking grandfather clock. On some sets, I can hear some of these events -- but on the Aiva, they're clear as day and about twice as common. Really surprising sensation.
 
Aug 4, 2021 at 4:38 AM Post #693 of 714
I couldn't sleep and I was looking for a headphone to use and I realized I haven't listened to the Aiva in quite a while so I gave it a go and I must say it still sounds as good as I remember. The treble is what has really stood out to me as it has a good amount of detail with some nice sparkle to it. The overall detail retrieval is very good as well and it's just a nice sounding headphone and I think it can hold it's own with others I have around it's price range.
 
Aug 22, 2021 at 11:06 AM Post #694 of 714
Anybody got a Sendy Aiva they want to part with? Owned these a while ago, and kinda regret selling them on. Not looking to buy, but I'd love to trade my Hifiman HE-5 for a pair.
 
Sep 12, 2021 at 11:31 PM Post #698 of 714
Anybody got a Sendy Aiva they want to part with? Owned these a while ago, and kinda regret selling them on. Not looking to buy, but I'd love to trade my Hifiman HE-5 for a pair.

I think I am about ready and interested. On Tuesday, I will receive a pair of the Peacock and I don’t think I will need to own both as I already have too many headphones.
 
Sep 13, 2021 at 12:17 PM Post #699 of 714
I think I am about ready and interested. On Tuesday, I will receive a pair of the Peacock and I don’t think I will need to own both as I already have too many headphones.

Do keep me posted! Just shoot me a message if/when you're ready to trade.
 
Oct 17, 2021 at 1:44 PM Post #701 of 714
I think I am about ready and interested. On Tuesday, I will receive a pair of the Peacock and I don’t think I will need to own both as I already have too many headphones.
Well how you liking that Peacock? I think it's gorgeous. Very much curious about an Aiva fans impression of the Peacock.
 
Dec 11, 2021 at 3:14 AM Post #702 of 714
Hey guys! Here is my review of Sendy Audio Aiva planar magnetic headphone. Many here might know - Sendy Audio is the premium sub-brand of Sivga, who themselves have Aiva's look-a-like planar magnetic headphone P-II under their own brand name, which I had reviewed a few months back. Check it out to know what I think of Aiva and how it compares to P-II and other headphones like Sundara 2020, Focal Elex and iBasso SR2. Let me know if you have any questions for me. Cheers!

Sendy Audio Aiva
Sendy Audio Aiva 1.jpg
Sendy Audio Aiva 3.jpg
Sendy Audio Aiva 2.jpg
 
Feb 5, 2022 at 7:15 PM Post #703 of 714
Just ordered a pair of OB on Amazon, should be here in a couple of weeks. Looking forward to see if they're really as good a value as I've been reading...
 
Feb 5, 2022 at 7:42 PM Post #704 of 714
Just ordered a pair of OB on Amazon, should be here in a couple of weeks. Looking forward to see if they're really as good a value as I've been reading...
Make sure you burn them in tho, they can sound veiled until then
 
Feb 5, 2022 at 8:21 PM Post #705 of 714
This is probably a dumb question, but will the 4.4mm balanced cable work in a non-balanced amp? Specifically, I have a Woo Audio WA6-SE Gen 2. Do I need to go buy a different cable, or will the one that comes with them work?
 

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