HiFiMAN ANANDA-NANO Open-Back Stealth Magnets Planar Hi-Fi Headphones for Audiophiles, Home and Studio, Silver

Product Information

It’s not just about quantity: the quality of the bass is also very good. Planar drivers are fast, and the Nano diaphragm is especially so. The bass here is fast, with clear starts and stops, and high resolution. There’s plenty of detail and texture, so you can dig into all it has to offer no matter what you’re listening to. Impactful, detailed, and well-done. HIFIMAN, a leading manufacturer of high-end audio products, today announced two new headphones: the Arya Organic and the Ananda Nano. Both are the third iterations of popular HIFIMAN planar magnetic headphones, promising improved detail and frequency response. Like the Sundara, the loss of the swivel joint may put some people off as it does lose a little flexibility of its predecessor. The offshoot, however, is a much stronger metal gimbal and pivot system that is less likely to break. In particular, the individual gimbal screws going into the baffle of the cups look much stronger than the one-piece system of the older Edition X V2. There’s a touch of warmth to the low mids, and Ananda Nano provides the most natural timbre of any version of the Ananda to date. While there’s strong instrumental balance, vocals can feel slightly overshadowed in the midrange –particularly male vocals in the baritone range. Resolution-wise, the Nano Diaphragm delivers an impeccable performance, and it also really pushes the Ananda Nano up a notch when it comes to speed. Detailed, fast transients are the result, which leads to the fact that even power metal is reproduced effortlessly and controlled.

Sonically speaking, the Ananda BT are identical to their wired counterpart. I can hear no differences at all, which is quite an achievement! Now, this is also due to the Ananda being a design that’s quite easy to drive compared to most other planar headphones, so it was relatively easy to create the right amplification stage.

Design

Let’s get the easy part out of the way: the Ananda Nano comes with a decent carrying case. Not a common move to see from the company, especially in this price range. Hopefully, this is a sign of HiFiMAN putting a little more consideration into their accessory game in future products. The planar magnetic design is really different from traditional dynamic drivers, and where we have the magnets on one side, and the ear on the other side, with dynamic designs, we have two huge magnets on each side of the diaphragm with planar magnetic designs. It is named planar because the magnets are aligned in the same plane as the diaphragm, and this will result in a much larger moving surface for the driver. The voice coil, or the conductor layer that moves the driver is also aligned with the diaphragm in the same plane, and this means that the force that moves the driver is aligned with uniformity, increasing the surface where the force is distributed heavily. This results in a much lower phase distortion, improved spatial information, and better instrument separation than most dynamic drivers. It’s no secret that HiFiMAN usually makes some pretty comfy headphones. I think that it’s unlikely that very many are going to be too disappointed by what they find in this department, regardless of which pair they going with – unless you simply find the Nano’s clamp force too biting. Technical Design

The Ananda Nano now features the Stealth Magnet, originally designed for the Susvara. This innovative magnet design allows soundwaves to pass through without causing interference, ensuring a pristine and uninterrupted audio experience. Advanced Magnet Design The Arya Organic features a new wood earcup design built to produce a richer, more detailed sound. It also features HIFIMAN’s Stealth Magnet technology, designed to reduce wave diffraction turbulence and improve the accuracy of the sonic output. Though linked to the original Ananda in name, the Nano is the result of such massive and welcome adjustments and improvements that it strikes me as more of a super-powered mutant grandchild of the original. It’s snappier, punchier, faster and tighter. Though some people may say it sounds more sterile than the original Ananda with some of its new tuning adjustments, I think the benefits are obvious. Low mids seem to find greater attenuation, giving more presence to mid bass and high mids. This gives a strict and stark distinction between mid range and low end, and in a way brings extra clarity to the low mids precisely because of their attenuation. Prominent treble extension brings some snappy, zappy lift and revealing pronunciation to the overall balance that I was missing on the Ananda V1.

Final Thoughts

However, this is the first time I have seen a very specific measurement in the marketing. Previous products, even up to the Susvara stated nano grade, the Ananda is more specific at 1-2 microns. Hifiman claim this is 80% more efficient than previous designs but as to which one it is not 100% clear so I will presume the previous Edition X V2 at this stage. The Ananda Nano exhibits a slight dip in the low-mids. But for the most part, it is tastefully compensated by the presence of the warm bass, creating a balanced overall sound. However, the separation in the lower mids could benefit from a touch more clarity. Moving into the mids to upper-mid range, there is an abundance of snap in percussion and rhythm instruments, providing excellent definition and momentum. Instruments like electric guitars have an edgy and crispy quality, finely delineated and nuanced. Female vocals, in particular, sit slightly forward, establishing an intimate and engaging presence. And while the level of detail is top-notch, the sound signature seems to be most defined by its smoothness rather than texture. Highs These face masks may not stop the COVID-19 virus from being transmitted to you through this face mask, or (obviously) via the myriad of other ways that the virus can be transmitted.

Input: This provides enhanced connectivity and compatibility with a wide range of aftermarket cables. It’s virtually impossible not to have heard of Hifiman. This bold audio company, led by Dr. Fang Bian, was established in 2005. Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of using many of the company’s remarkable products, such as the HM801, HM901s, HE-560, and HE-6. These devices were all legendary in their own right, setting gold standards in their respective eras. I still vividly recall the first time I heard the liquid, sweet sound of the HM801, which evoked a flood of memories. Time truly does fly. I just wonder if Hifiman will be tempted to go down the 4.4mm balanced route with their optional cables. Given this is a headphone that prides itself on sensitivity from portable sources a 4.4mm balanced cable option might actually be very useful and interesting to try out. The Ananda Nano builds upon the success of Hifiman’s original Ananda model, which has gained huge popularity for its evenly balanced, natural sound signature and incredibly good value for money. But with the release of the Ananda Nano, you can expect some significant changes with respect to tuning and performance. Will the new Ananda Nano continue to be the best mid-level planar headphone on the market? What’s in the Box? High sensitivity that allows use with virtually any smartphone or portable audio device. Low distortion and amazing sound quality.

The Ananda BT are somewhat heavier than the wired version, as they weigh 460 g (vs 399 g). Although this difference is not extremely large, I can clearly feel the difference on my head. The Ananda BT are still quite comfortable, but they’re not as comfortable as the Ananda.

We listened to more songs than those named in this playlist, but those are excellent for identifying a sonic signature. I recommend trying most of the songs from this playlist, especially if you’re searching for new music! The playlists are different for Spotify, Tidal and Youtube, and based on the songs I enjoy and are available on each! The earpads are the usual from HiFiMAN: memory foam encased in a mix of nylon and synthetic leather materials. They're breathable, and about as comfortable as always. The Ananda Nano is not hard to drive, i am using it with the Earmen’s ST-AMP with 1.8w from 4.4 headphone out, the Ananda Nano sounds like it is being driven to its optimum performance The microphone is more than decent: your voice is heard quite loud and clear on the other side, though it’s best used in silent environments. The trebles are energetic and absolutely finely resolved. Although it seems tangy, you have to listen very loud for this to become a problem. And I mean really loud! With my usual listening volume and a bit above, I get an ingeniously playing transparent sound that never drifts into sibilance.

HIFIMAN Ananda Nano vs iBasso SR3 (599 USD vs 599 USD) – Starting with the driving power needed to drive both, Ananda Nano is much easier to drive, while SR3 needs quite a bit more power to be driven well. The design makes both comfortable, but SR3 has a looser fit that you feel much less while you’re wearing it, Ananda Nano sitting tighter on your head with more clamping force. This also means that Ananda Nano will stay more secure depending on what you’re doing, SR3 being easier to lose if you’re walking or moving around a lot. The sound is really different, with SR3 being a much gentler, softer sounding headphone that is also natural. By comparison, Ananda Nano sounds considerably more transparent, more detailed, brighter, more open and more resolute. It is clear that Ananda Nano has more impact and sounds more vivid and more dynamic, while SR3 is more relaxed and quiet in general. They are so different, that you either want to feel like a live concert on steroids like Ananda Nano, or you want an easy and low key relaxing night with SR3. The weight is still the same at 399g which is fairly light for a full-sized planar headphone but not quite Ether 2 290g class which is the lightest full-size planar on the market as far as I am aware. I am impressed that Hifiman did keep the weight the same as the Edition X V2 because the new headband system seems a lot stronger and more durable than before. In addition, like the Arya, the Stealth Magnets originally designed for the SUSVARA are part of the ANANDA NANO. This design is recognized for enabling soundwaves to pass through the magnets without causing interference. The advanced magnet design is acoustically transparent, dramatically reducing turbulence that degrades the integrity of the sound waves. The reduced distortion yields pure sonic output that is accurate and full range. Fans of the Arya often ask for a next-gen model that with an even ‘fuller sound signature,’ which translates to greater detail and overall frequency response,” said Dr. Fang Bian, President, and CEO, HIFIMAN Electronics. “Arya Organic is our response, with a soundstage and sonic output that will satisfy the most demanding audiophiles and music lovers.” I have to pair them almost every time with my s21, since I cant just turn them on. Plus, when paired, they often only connect for “calls”, not for “audio”. Also, with LDAC disabled (have to manually turn it on), which also is crap (you can actually hear the difference in sound).