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HIFIMAN Ananda Over-Ear Full-Size Open-Back Planar Magnetic Headphones with Stealth Magnet, Comfortable Earpads, Detachable Cable for Home and Studio
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Return this item for free
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Purchase options and add-ons
Brand | HIFIMAN |
Model Name | Ananda |
Color | Black |
Form Factor | Over Ear |
Connectivity Technology | Wired |
About this item
- Acoustically Invisible Stealth Magnet: Unlike the sound waves created by a conventional magnet, the special shape of Stealth Magnets enables the waves to pass through the magnets without generating interference. HIFIMAN’s advanced magnet design is acoustically transparent, dramatically reducing wave diffraction turbulence that degrades the integrity of the sound waves. The reduced distortion yields pure sonic output that is accurate and full-range.
- NEO “supernano” Diaphragm (NsD)- “Hear what you have been missing”: The all new NsD is 80% thinner than previous designs resulting in a faster more detailed response while retaining lush musicality never before possible. At between 1 to 2 microns thick, the NsD diaphragm sets all be standards.
- High Sensitivity: High Sensitivity allows use with virtually any smartphone or portable audio device. Low distortion and amazing sound quality.
- ★Window Shade Grill Design greatly reduces sonic reflections for clearer sound;★ Asymmetrical Ear Cups follows the natural shape of the human ear;★ Hybrid Headband Design: ANANDA has a carefully designed weight dispersing strap allowing the headband to afford outstanding levels of long-term comfort. The sleek and sumptuous matte black finish is combined with a metal construction for maximum durability;★ Making Connections ANANDA comes with our updated 3.5mm headphone connectors.
- Efficient Planar Performance: ANANDA is the culmination of years of development, lightweight, ultra-fine planar drivers at their heart sing with unmatched agility and power sensitivity. Unparalleled Portable Audio Performance: ANANDA is the perfect companion for the portable devices, a sonic match made in heaven allowing you to experience sonic bliss wherever you may be.
Frequently bought together
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Product Description
About HIFIMAN
Founded by Dr. Fang Bian in 2007, HIFIMAN is widely regarded as one of the leading manufacturers of high performance headphones and portable audio products. HIFIMAN is especially known for its critically-acclaimed Planar-Magnetic headphones that feature state-of-the-art driver technology. The company also designs and manufactures world-class dynamic in-ear drivers which have also garnered awards and rave reviews.
Efficient Planar Performance
ANANDA is the culmination of years of development, lightweight, ultra-fine planar drivers at their heart sing with unmatched agility and power sensitivity.
- Acoustically Invisible Stealth Magnet
- High Sensitivity
- NEO “supernano” Diaphragm (NsD)
- Unparalleled Portable Audio Performance
- Window Shade Grill Design
- Asymmetrical Ear Cups
- Hybrid Headband Design
- Updated 3.5mm connectors
- Specifications:
- Frequency Response: 8 Hz – 55 kHz
- Sensitivity: 93 dB
- Impedance: 16 Ω
- Weight: 398g
Stealth Magnet Design
Unlike the sound waves created by a conventional magnet, the special shape of Stealth Magnets enables the waves to pass through the magnets without generating interference.
HIFIMAN’s advanced magnet design is acoustically transparent, dramatically reducing wave diffraction turbulence that degrades the integrity of the sound waves. The reduced distortion yields pure sonic output that is accurate and full-range.
HIFIMAN has advanced its manufaturing processes to create this all new planar driver at unheard of prices. HIFIMAN has again set a all new bar for performance/value ratio that the rest of the industry will have a very hard time following.
NEO “supernano” Diaphragm (NsD)
“Hear what you have been missing”
The all new NsD is 80% thinner than previous designs resulting in a faster more detailed response while retaining lush musicality never before possible. At between 1 to 2 microns thick, the NsD diaphragm sets all be standards.
High Sensitivity
High Sensitivity allows use with virtually any smartphone or portable audio device. Low distortion and amazing sound quality.
Unparalleled Portable Audio Performance
ANANDA is the perfect companion for the portable devices, a sonic match made in heaven allowing you to experience sonic bliss wherever you may be.
Form follows Function
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Window Shade Grill DesignWindow Shade Grill Design greatly reduces sonic reflections for clearer sound |
Asymmetrical Ear CupsAsymmetrical Ear Cups follows the natural shape of the human ear |
Hybrid Headband DesignANANDA has a carefully designed weight dispersing strap allowing the headband to afford outstanding levels of long-term comfort. The sleek and sumptuous matte black finish is combined with a metal construction for maximum durability. |
Making ConnectionsANANDA comes with our updated 3.5mm headphone connectors. This offers users the most robust headphone connector we have ever used giving both maximum survivability and enhanced longevity. |
Compare with similar items
This Item HIFIMAN Ananda Over-Ear Full-Size Open-Back Planar Magnetic Headphones with Stealth Magnet, Comfortable Earpads, Detachable Cable for Home and Studio | Recommendations | dummy | dummy | dummy | dummy | |
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Price | $399.00$399.00 | $529.00$529.00 | $449.99$449.99 | -35% $149.95$149.95 List: $229.25 | $149.00$149.00 | $1,299.00$1,299.00 |
Delivery | Get it as soon as Wednesday, Apr 3 | Get it as soon as Thursday, Apr 4 | Get it as soon as Wednesday, Apr 3 | Get it as soon as Wednesday, Apr 3 | Get it as soon as Wednesday, Apr 3 | Get it as soon as Wednesday, Apr 3 |
Customer Ratings | ||||||
Sound quality | 4.6 | 4.6 | — | 4.6 | 4.1 | 5.0 |
Comfort | 4.2 | 4.7 | — | 4.4 | 5.0 | 4.9 |
Quality of material | 4.0 | — | — | 3.8 | 4.5 | 4.6 |
For gaming | 3.4 | 4.7 | — | 4.4 | — | 4.6 |
Noise cancellation | — | 3.5 | — | 2.6 | 3.4 | — |
Sold By | HIFIMAN | Amazon.com | S-Waves Electronics | ARF Tech | HIFIMAN | HIFIMAN |
connectivity tech | Wired | Wired | Wired | Wired | Wired | Wired |
headphones form factor | Over Ear | Over Ear | Over Ear | Over Ear | Over Ear | Over Ear |
connector type | 3.5mm Jack | — | — | 1/4-inch, 3.5mm Jack | 6.35mm Jack, 3.5mm Jack | 3.5mm Jack |
headphones jack | 3.5 mm Jack | 6.35 mm Jack | 3.5 mm Jack | 3.5 mm Jack | 3.5 mm Jack | 3.5 mm Jack |
cable feature | Detachable | Retractable | Retractable | Detachable | Detachable | Detachable |
control type | Media Control | Media Control | — | control | — | Media Control |
What's in the box
Looking for specific info?
Product information
Product Dimensions | 16 x 14 x 10 inches |
---|---|
Item Weight | 14.1 ounces |
ASIN | B07DJ2ZBB3 |
Item model number | Ananda |
Customer Reviews |
4.2 out of 5 stars |
Best Sellers Rank | #53,740 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics) #1,675 in Over-Ear Headphones |
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
Date First Available | June 4, 2018 |
Department | unisex-adult |
Manufacturer | HIFIMAN Electronics |
Item Weight | 14.07 Ounces |
Units | 1.0 Count |
Number Of Items | 1 |
Warranty & Support
Feedback
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers like the detail, measurement and fit of the headphones. For example, they mention that it provides more clarity and detail retrieval, it does best with low-impedance, high-sensitivity headphones and that the ear cuffs are large and fit their big ears. They are also satisfied with sound quality. That said, opinions are mixed on appearance, comfort, quality, and value.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers like the sound quality of the headphones. They say it has a rich sound that brings out details in music. They also say the sound is wide and the drum sounds wide. Customers also say it's the best balance of tonality, clarity, dynamics, imaging, bass extension, and that it presents vocals in an intimate way. They mention the imaging is superb and the voices come across as open and well positioned. Overall, customers say the headphones are a step up in musical performance and a huge step up for comfort.
"...you're going to power this with your phone, yeah it will work and get fairly loud, but to really want to get all it capable of, plan on a descent..." Read more
"...The mids on the Ananda’s are smooth and exciting. Voices come across as open and well positioned, along with the proper distance between singers and..." Read more
"...a much wider soundstage, greater detail retrieval and overall the music sounded clearer, better, and more powerful compared to the other headphones..." Read more
"...The imaging is superb, it presents vocals in an intimate way similar to the HD 650, have a staging similar to(but not as wide as) the focal clear,..." Read more
Customers like the detail in the headphones. They say it provides more clarity and detail retrieval than other headphones. Customers also say that it provides enormous detail and staging in a very comfortable and easy to use design. They mention that the headphones pay attention to details in all frequencies throughout the musical spectrum and that the clarity is far and above what they had experienced before.
"...They have a far bigger soundstage and are much more crisp and detailed...." Read more
"...Headphones can be addictive, in the sense, they’ll immerse you with their life like rendition of whatever you’re asking their musical charms to..." Read more
"...Very detail sound & separation of the detailsBad: While I bought it here, NEW from Hifiman...." Read more
".../heavily layered songs such by The Prodigy by providing more clarity and detail retrieval and clear instrumentation to complex songs with a wide..." Read more
Customers are satisfied with the measurement of the headphones. They mention that it EQs extremely well, does best with low-impedance, high-sensitivity headphones, and is excellent. The music sounds clearer, better, and more powerful. They also appreciate the similar soundstage and imaging, and the similar overall performance. The frequency range is wide, and fidelity is high. The headphones deliver very well on the low end, and it does fine across the frequency response to accurately reproduce sound in timbre.
"...that can be corrected with EQ, and unlike the 6xx the Anandas EQ extremely well...." Read more
"...Everyone cherished them. They measured very well, base, and middle frequencies were well done, highs were ok … but, more importantly, everyone said..." Read more
"...but other than that, they had similar soundstage/imaging, similar overall performance, but I have my t50s modded to be bass cannons thanks to the..." Read more
"...They are accurate as in they don’t suffer from impedance spikes like traditional transducers, speakers etc. they remain steady and stunning...." Read more
Customers like the fit of the headphones. For example, they say the ear cuffs are large and fit their big ears. The headphones are adjustable for various head sizes and the ears fit inside so there is no pressure. They also say the sound is great and the headphones do an amazing job for something so compact.
"...n't have the widest stage but they have quite a tall one, and it is plenty wide as well but not as wide as the focal clear and not nearly as wide as..." Read more
"...The sound is just amazing. It’s huge, spacious, and very detailed. Nothing is left out, nothing is over emphasized. Just a really nice balance...." Read more
"...One other thing: the cups on the Ananda are so huge that positioning them properly on your head..." Read more
"...For my head, the Ananda sits well enough, I sometimes have to play with it, or lean them a bit forward to get comfortable...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the quality of the headphones. Some mention that they are great quality, extremely good headphones with amazing sound. However, others say that the build quality is atrocious, the cups are hollow plastic, and the housing is plastic.
"...number of selective tunes from a new streaming site, these Headphones can be addictive, in the sense, they’ll immerse you with their life like..." Read more
"These are the best things I have ever heard. And I have heard a LOT of headphones. A LOT...." Read more
"...they remain steady and stunning. Not too bright, not too muddy. They aren’t anything. Imagine a perfect signature, that’s what I say...." Read more
"...I live alone and don't care but it is a remarkable quality that I didn't understand until I had them...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the comfort of the headphones. Some mention that the cup size and material is comfortable for long-term use, and the pads are super soft. However, others say that they can't wear them comfortably, the headband adjuster is very tight after the fifth click, and there is a lot of clamping force for their head.
"...The 6xx are far more comfortable for long listening sessions...." Read more
"...It is a wonderful experience.These are also pretty comfortable...." Read more
"...first planar at an affordable price.($400) However it was heavy, uncomfortable, and difficult to drive...." Read more
"...it's really up to the person but for me it fits very well and is very comfortable...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the value of the headphones. Some mention that the price is well worth it, while others say that it's overpriced. They also mention that there are no balanced cables and that the build is subpar.
"...than the Edition XS, and it has to be said...they are spectacular at that price point...." Read more
"...For 180 bucks, they offer a great value proposition for a beautiful "U-shaped" sound signature...." Read more
"...because the quality of the headband is just a joke and an embarrassment for the price. For $700, I expect a comfortable and durable headband...." Read more
"...if you desire planar magnetic headphones at an extremely affordable price (can be had for $150 or less) and have a big modding community behind them..." Read more
Customers are mixed about the appearance of the headphones. Some mention they are stunning, vibrant, and detailed. Others say that they are not the most slick-looking or the most comfortable pair of headphones. They also mention that the fancy leather looking box is poorly designed and that the pads are mediocre and you can notice irregularities on the metal mesh design.
"...They have a far bigger soundstage and are much more crisp and detailed...." Read more
"...One ear cup even had two short hairs in it. See picsBad headband design. The headband deep scratches / damages itself under normal use!!..." Read more
"...not siblant, the bass is deep yet not overpowering, and the mids are gorgeously detailed and up close...." Read more
"...The cables are really bad - they are not the best looking cable, and also have problem in sound quality...." Read more
Reviews with images
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Top reviews
Top reviews from the United States
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These were originally $999, but dropped to $699 which still isn't cheap. But it does put them in reach of anyone wanting a hi-end headphone. The main caveat is to really get the most out of these, a dedicated headphone amp is a must. You're not going to plug these into your phone and experience what they have to offer. First off being open back planars, they leak a lot. So listening to them in a public without disturbing others will not work.
I've not had the chance to hear them through Audioquest Dragonfly Red or any other USB powered DAC/amps, so, as they say, you pays yer monies, and you takes yer chances.
You can return them, but for this quality, in my humble opinion, an amp upgrade would be the way to go.
One thing worth mentioning is the stock cables. One is a straight 1/4in. about 5ft. or 1.5 meters and the other is a right angle 3.5mm with a 1/4in. adapter. The connecters are high quality, however the outer jacket is very flexible to the point of being on the flimsy side. The nice part is they're comfortable so you don't feel like you're tied to the amp. The downside is they are on the delicate side so it's a good thing they aren't 3 meters. However it's easy to make a sharp bend or kink. Just something to be aware of. Being detachable it's easy to replace them with an aftermarket cable. Just remember their connectors are 3.55mm instead of 2.5 of earlier models.
That being said, I can't imagine anyone not loving these headphones unless you're really used to big buck items. For home use for sure, but properly driven, I can't see anyone returning a non-defective set.
Update: After 100 hours of 3 different brown noise tracks, they sound remarkable. There is a CD from Ayre Acoustics titled the "Irrational, but Efficacious System Enhancement Disc". This is not some tweek that everyone will forget in a year. My audio dealer gave me mine in 2002 and I still use it to this day. I think its $20. It will be the best 20 bucks you ever spend. Brown noise is "low-pass filtered to closely mimic the spectral distribution of music". This makes this ideal for breaking in anything that needs it, including cables. This disc also has some features I won't go into. Don't want to spoil... But I Digress.
These headphones blow away every one I've ever heard. Do they sound better than a $2000 Audez or Sennheiser HD800 S? Or any other big buck Focals or really big buck electrostatics? I've never heard them as everything I do is online especially since my audio shop shut down about 6 months ago. However it's reasonable to assume they do. $25,000 electrostatics with their own tube driven amp and DAC will be the best sounding headphones ever made. Man, the Sennheiser HE-1 is over $50,000. You have to give Sennheiser $10,000 down(not refundable) and they will build them for you.
The point I'm trying to make if there's another headphone under $1,000 that sounds better, I'd like to hear about it. And the price is down to $699. I've been an audiophile since 1979 so I know what I'm talking about.
If you've got the scratch, buy a pair. Break them in thoroughly. The Ayre disc is ideal. You won't be disappointed.
Since breaking this headphone has really come into it's own. I can't imagine any headphone costing less than $1000 sounding this good. Like I said if you're going to power this with your phone, yeah it will work and get fairly loud, but to really want to get all it capable of, plan on a descent headphones amplifier. You don't need a tube driven megabuck, but an amp/DAC that's close to what you paid for it.
To give you some background I am by no means a dedicated audiophile. Generally speaking I would not spend more than about $500 on any single piece of audio gear because it is my firm belief that beyond this price the law of diminishing returns really starts taking precedent. I've been listening to rock/metal and blues all my life and have been playing guitar and recording for 30+ years. FYI my $500 limit does not include guitar or recording equipment, only equipment purely for the purpose of LISTENING to music. My source gear includes a high end gaming PC and Schiit Modi/Magni stack connected via USB. Prior to purchasing the Ananda I had the 6xx for a few years and have really enjoyed them.
These are my initial impressions of the Ananda vs. the 6xx after roughly 5-6 hours of listening time:
Overall I find the Ananda to be much more "surgical" than the 6xx. They have a far bigger soundstage and are much more crisp and detailed. The 6xx are more intimate and a little warmer, particularly in the mid range, and I prefer the 6xx when it comes to vocals (and more specifically MALE vocals). For just about everything else though, the Ananda is superior. Just like the 6xx, the Ananda also lacks in the low frequencies, but that can be corrected with EQ, and unlike the 6xx the Anandas EQ extremely well. I found the 6xx to get a little muddy with too much low end boost, but not the Ananda. Despite the relatively neutral response of the Ananda, I do find them to be a little brighter than the 6xx which I don't like. But once again, that can be corrected with EQ. Due to the excellent soundstage and imaging of the Ananda when it comes to gaming and movies, there is simply no comparison to the HD6xx, they are far superior. Comfort is my biggest complaint so far with the Ananda. I have pressure points at my jaw and on the top of my head due to the combined effect of the clamping force, relatively stiff earpads, and the shear weight of them. The 6xx are far more comfortable for long listening sessions. One other thing: the cups on the Ananda are so huge that positioning them properly on your head (placing your ear in the correct location inside the cup) is actually very important and impacts the sound. That can take some adjusting early on to get them in the right place.
If you read that comparison above and are still wondering whether or not I prefer them to the 6xx, you aren't alone. I'm still on the fence about that and haven't come to a firm conclusion. But either way, they are sufficiently different from the 6xx (and most likely all other Sennheiser HD models) to justify owning them along side the Sennys. I wouldn't trade in my 6xx for them, but I am happy to own them and most likely will reach for them more often than the 6xx, perhaps just not for as long of a stretch. At $399 though, you can't go wrong. You'll most likely be happy with them and overall, I would consider them a marginal "upgrade" to the HD6xx/650.
Top reviews from other countries
While Ananda is an upgrade from the above mentioned Headphones it belongs to a slightly different category from the above mentioned ones as it is the most easiest to drive of all the above. This is a headphone for the ones that crave for a grand experience portably, Ananda is the first step in the world of planars which opens a world of grandness with its massive stage height from a portable device.
Cutting it short Ananda is pretty easier to drive at 103 db/mW, a mid-fi DAC with good driving power like ibasso DX-160 or Quloos QA 361and a mid-fi DAC Amp like Earmen TR-Amp can do good justice to it, however the benefits of a bigger amp cannot be ruled out. Ananda being advertised as being able to be driven a phone is like a joke but the good news is something like the Earmen TR-Amp can drive it well more so than the ibasso DX 160. With my experience with the three I would rate the experience with Earmen TR-Amp as the best followed by QA 361 and DX-160 in balanced.
Build
Solidly built with all metal and very comfortable even though the chassis is the same as the Sundara. The good news about Ananda's ear cups is the side wall material is of thicker variety and one can be rest assured it will have a longer life, on the contrary Sundara's side wall material is on the softer side and starts tearing up after an year of usage.
I had auditioned a friend's unit which has been in use for more than 2 years and was glad to see that it is very intact. A big thumps up for the build quality even on the looks front Ananda looks grand especially on the side profile with silver shaded grilles.
When I had a closer look at the driver units I could see that the 2020 version has a thicker cloth mesh to protect from outside dust and Hifiman claims that the QC is much better on the newer HPs and they have not received any single driver failure on the newer models in India, a bit reassuring.
The cable is a joke but at least it is on the softer side and is very much usable and does not have a mind of its own but Hifiman decides to give you two cables one with 3.5 termination and one with 6.3mm termination!! What about an XLR instead of 6.3mm! have they lost their mind?
Sound
So how does it sound? It’s like a big extension of HD 650 if I can say! The first thing that strikes you immediately is the height of the stage it is so huge given the size of the driver. It actually has the warmth of a HD650 with the speed of a planar. The one thing that puts me down with warm sounding DD HPs is the lack of speed and Ananda comes as a refresher here, it is a touch warmer than Sundara making it the most musical HP in Hifiman line up.
Ananda is a culmination from Hifiman Edition X and is more on the detailed side and I would say they had hit the bull's eye with tone in Ananda, no wonder these sell very well worldwide. It has enough bass to keep you engaged and punchy but if you are looking for pure slam, Sundara scores better but please note that Sundara is a bit harsh sounding than Ananda and needs to be Eq'd however with Ananda you just don't need Eq at all.
I don't listen to genres like R&B & Hip hop but with Jazz, Rock and Indian film music it plays hard. Rock especially is particularly refreshing as it has a good treble response along with the warmth and punchy bass.
I listen to 80s & 90s mostly, the golden (Raja) era of South Indian film music and would like my voices full and rounded and Ananda does full justice to that, honestly I would not expect any more from the voice front on this. It can fall back a smidgen on the mids when compared to the likes of Arya when it comes to emotion of mids but Arya is double the price and needs a desktop setup too, I would request not to come to a judgement with just a few tracks.
Some of my regular Jazz nos had the voice upfront and grand with TR-Amp itself and there is not a hint of shoutiness with such a small DAC/Amp. This is the biggest strength of the Ananda as mentioned above, you need not be tied to a desktop set up to experience a grand scale presentation however it scale well with a good desktop set up.
Treble response is sweet and is technically or I can say qualitatively far better than the likes of HE400i and Sundara which completes the package very well, those who upgrade from HPs like Sundara will immediately notice that the quality of the treble is on a much higher pedestal. It has higher resolution and is comparable to the high end category like Arya.
It is on the thinner side compared to the likes of HD800 which could be thicker and a bit harsh sounding. If you want me to pick up a HP between Ananda & HD800 my choice would be the Ananda. HD800 needs a better desktop chain and is very amp picky and needs a lot of additional investment to sound better unlike the Ananda which just shines with an entry level DAC amp like TR-Amp. Ananda beats HD800 in stage height and HD800 beats Ananda in stage width, I would say any HP for that matter. The scalability factor with high end amps could be higher on the HD800 but Ananda gives you an easy path to high end audio.
Conclusion
Overall it is an excellent package and I would highly recommend to anyone who is looking for an upgrade from Sundara or who is not happy with the Audeze line up in this price category.
Reviewed in India on November 22, 2020
While Ananda is an upgrade from the above mentioned Headphones it belongs to a slightly different category from the above mentioned ones as it is the most easiest to drive of all the above. This is a headphone for the ones that crave for a grand experience portably, Ananda is the first step in the world of planars which opens a world of grandness with its massive stage height from a portable device.
Cutting it short Ananda is pretty easier to drive at 103 db/mW, a mid-fi DAC with good driving power like ibasso DX-160 or Quloos QA 361and a mid-fi DAC Amp like Earmen TR-Amp can do good justice to it, however the benefits of a bigger amp cannot be ruled out. Ananda being advertised as being able to be driven a phone is like a joke but the good news is something like the Earmen TR-Amp can drive it well more so than the ibasso DX 160. With my experience with the three I would rate the experience with Earmen TR-Amp as the best followed by QA 361 and DX-160 in balanced.
Build
Solidly built with all metal and very comfortable even though the chassis is the same as the Sundara. The good news about Ananda's ear cups is the side wall material is of thicker variety and one can be rest assured it will have a longer life, on the contrary Sundara's side wall material is on the softer side and starts tearing up after an year of usage.
I had auditioned a friend's unit which has been in use for more than 2 years and was glad to see that it is very intact. A big thumps up for the build quality even on the looks front Ananda looks grand especially on the side profile with silver shaded grilles.
When I had a closer look at the driver units I could see that the 2020 version has a thicker cloth mesh to protect from outside dust and Hifiman claims that the QC is much better on the newer HPs and they have not received any single driver failure on the newer models in India, a bit reassuring.
The cable is a joke but at least it is on the softer side and is very much usable and does not have a mind of its own but Hifiman decides to give you two cables one with 3.5 termination and one with 6.3mm termination!! What about an XLR instead of 6.3mm! have they lost their mind?
Sound
So how does it sound? It’s like a big extension of HD 650 if I can say! The first thing that strikes you immediately is the height of the stage it is so huge given the size of the driver. It actually has the warmth of a HD650 with the speed of a planar. The one thing that puts me down with warm sounding DD HPs is the lack of speed and Ananda comes as a refresher here, it is a touch warmer than Sundara making it the most musical HP in Hifiman line up.
Ananda is a culmination from Hifiman Edition X and is more on the detailed side and I would say they had hit the bull's eye with tone in Ananda, no wonder these sell very well worldwide. It has enough bass to keep you engaged and punchy but if you are looking for pure slam, Sundara scores better but please note that Sundara is a bit harsh sounding than Ananda and needs to be Eq'd however with Ananda you just don't need Eq at all.
I don't listen to genres like R&B & Hip hop but with Jazz, Rock and Indian film music it plays hard. Rock especially is particularly refreshing as it has a good treble response along with the warmth and punchy bass.
I listen to 80s & 90s mostly, the golden (Raja) era of South Indian film music and would like my voices full and rounded and Ananda does full justice to that, honestly I would not expect any more from the voice front on this. It can fall back a smidgen on the mids when compared to the likes of Arya when it comes to emotion of mids but Arya is double the price and needs a desktop setup too, I would request not to come to a judgement with just a few tracks.
Some of my regular Jazz nos had the voice upfront and grand with TR-Amp itself and there is not a hint of shoutiness with such a small DAC/Amp. This is the biggest strength of the Ananda as mentioned above, you need not be tied to a desktop set up to experience a grand scale presentation however it scale well with a good desktop set up.
Treble response is sweet and is technically or I can say qualitatively far better than the likes of HE400i and Sundara which completes the package very well, those who upgrade from HPs like Sundara will immediately notice that the quality of the treble is on a much higher pedestal. It has higher resolution and is comparable to the high end category like Arya.
It is on the thinner side compared to the likes of HD800 which could be thicker and a bit harsh sounding. If you want me to pick up a HP between Ananda & HD800 my choice would be the Ananda. HD800 needs a better desktop chain and is very amp picky and needs a lot of additional investment to sound better unlike the Ananda which just shines with an entry level DAC amp like TR-Amp. Ananda beats HD800 in stage height and HD800 beats Ananda in stage width, I would say any HP for that matter. The scalability factor with high end amps could be higher on the HD800 but Ananda gives you an easy path to high end audio.
Conclusion
Overall it is an excellent package and I would highly recommend to anyone who is looking for an upgrade from Sundara or who is not happy with the Audeze line up in this price category.
Auch ein Hifiman war schon mal mit von der Partie konnte mich aber seinerzeit nicht so recht überzeugen, es handelte sich um einen Hifiman V1000 (V1). Trotz seiner Luftigkeit und Transparenz im Mittel-/ Hochtonbereich die stark an Elektrostaten erinnerte und einem gefälligen Bass war mir der Kopfhörer im Hochtonbereich insgesamt zu aggresiv abgestimmt und daher wurde er nach einiger Zeit doch recht stressig.
Fast noch schlimmer war aber die Tatsache das der Hörer mehr schlecht als recht verarbeitet war, ein Kritikpunkt den man bei Hifiman sehr oft hört und auch heute mitunter noch aktuell zu sein scheint. Beim damaligen Modell wackelte eine Buchse und die aufgeklebten Holzimitate (daran hat sich auch heute noch nicht geändert) und das "handgemachte" Finish war und ist in dieser Preisklasse fast schon ein Affront. All diese Kritikpunkte ließen mich neben dem klanglichen Aspekt den Hörer letztendlich wieder zurückgeben.
Nach nun einigen postiven Rezessionen bezüglich der Klangqualiät und auf der Suche nach einem offenen Kopfhörer der ein geschlossenes Modell von Focal ergänzen soll, habe ich nun dennoch wieder den Schritt zu einem Hifiman gewagt und wurde nicht Entäuscht.
Gut fangen wir bei der Verarbeitung an, - hier hae ich beim Ananda eigentloch wenig zu meckern, der Hörer hinterlässt einen insgesamt soliden Eindruck, alles sitzt fest, nichts wackelt. Das "Platikdesign" ist halt in dieser doch schon gehobenen Preisklasse nicht jedermanns Sache andere können das mitunter besser, wobei man hier einschränkend sagen muss der Bügel ist komplett aus Metall gefertigt.
Die Anprobe, - Der Hörer passt wunderbar zu meiner Kopfgrösse, Die grossen Ohrmuscheln gehen problemlos über meine Ohren, da klemmt nichts und sie liegen sauber an. Der Anpressdruck ist spührbar aber nicht unangenehm. Zur Anpassung noch, - hie und da hört man mitunter die Kritik das dies nicht für jeden gilt da die Einstellmöglichkeiten gegenüber en grösseren Brüdern etwas beschränkter sind, - ich habe hier Glück gehabt ;)
Zunächst zur Einspielzeit, - laut Hersteller braucht der Ananda hier wie alle Magnetostaten aus demselben Haus und im allgemeinen eine sehr lange Zeit um ihr Optimum zu erreichen, laut Betriebsanleitung ist diese erst nach gut 150 Betriebsstunden erreicht. Man sollte ihm also die Zeit gönnen bevor man ein abschliesendes Urteil über dessen Klangqualität fällt.
Nun aber endlich zum wichtigsten, - dem Klang. Zu Beginn fiel mir die tendenziell wärmere Abstimmung des Anandas auf die vor allem dem etwas fülligeren Bassbereich geschuldet ist, anfangs ist dieser noch etwas undifferenziert aber dies änderte sich im positiven Sinn mit zunehmender Einspielzeit, seine hohe Transparenz zeigt sich hingegen schon gleich zu Beginn. Gleichermasen wie er hier an Kontur gewinnt und immer aufgeräumter spielt wird er auch im Bass etwas schlanker wobei auch nie Knochentrocken, in letzter Konsequenz könnte er vieleicht ein Quäntchen mehr an Tiefbass vertragen.
Die Mitten und der Hochtonbereich, erinnern mich wie seinerzeit beim V1000 teils an Elektrostaten aufgrund ihrer hohen Transparenz, der Schnelligkeit und Luftigkeit. Der Ananda gehört tendeziell eher zu den etwas "helleren" Hörern, überschreitet aber nie die Grenze hin zum lästigen oder wird gar stressig bei längeren Hörsessions. Der Ananda spielt Geschlossen, seziert nicht sondern betrachtet das musikalische Geschehen als Ganzes.
Er reproduziert Instrumente dabei Farbenfroh und Homogen. Tief,- Mittel,- Hochton gehen bruchlos ineinander über und verschweigt aufgrund sener hohen Tansparenz keine noch so kleinen Details. Stimmen werden voluminös und mit viel Körper reproduziert und die räumliche Darstellung ist realistisch soweit man dies bei einem Kopfhörer überhaupt sagen kann, alles hat seinen Platz.
All diese genannten positiven Eigenschaften lassen sich allerdings nur ausreizen, - und dies ist einer der wenigen Nachteile bei so einem hochwertigen Gerät, wenn man hier noch in einen guten Kopfhörerverstärker investiert und entsprechendes Quellmaterial nutzt. Zudem, so mein subjektiver Einnruck, profitiert er von guten Kabeln, - die mitgelieferten zwei Strippen sind zwar durchaus in Ordnung aber da gibt es noch besseres.
Nebenbei noch, der KH lässt sich aufgrund seiner hohen Empfindlichkeit problemlos mit mobilen Geräten koppeln wobei man hier seine klanglichen Eigenschaften natürlich nicht annähernd ausreizt, ein entsprechdes Kabel ist im Lieferumfang dabei.
Wie kann man nun die klanglichen Eigenschaften insgesamt einordnen, kurz und Subjektiv für meinen Geschmack , - grandios.
Für mein persönliches Dafürhalten spielt der Ananda deutlich über seiner Preisklasse und kommt in dieser Beziehung seinen grossen Brüder, zb. dem HE 1000 V2 oder dem HE V1000SE schon so gefährlich nahe, das für mich die Anschaffung derer eigentlich schon fast überflüssig wäre. Es soll sogar Stimmen im Internet geben die den Ananda auf dieselbe Stufe dieser beiden Tophörer hiefen, ja sogar als besser empfinden.
In meinen Augen ist der Ananda in jedem Fall ein absoluter Preis-/ Leistungshammer und bekommt deshalb die volle Punktzahl.
Zum Schluss noch ein Wort zum Händler, - Die Lieferung war schnell und zuverlässig allerdings wurde der derzeit geltende Mehrwersteuervorteil anscheinend einbehalten.