@MRHifiReviews - just mobile now, but I don’t have anything really difficult to drive (also a Hifiman 400s, a few closed backs like MSR7.)
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I think with my experience volume levels are not that loud in order to protect my hearing but when increasing from regular gain to high gain the headphones sound better, especially the AEON2C’s with the additional power. Just my 2 cents.
You’re probably good with what you have then!
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I agree with you AFO and AFC they need a lot more current to sound better, with my current amp to get there it needs to be on a higher gain setting
Here is a table for the needs for powering the Ananda.
| Device | Voltage | Output Impendence |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone 7 Plus with Lighting Adapter | .43 V @16 Ohms | 0.37 Ohms |
| iPad Headphone Adapter | .89 V@16 Ohms | 1.6 Ohms |
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That’s a cool chart! I love the science behind audio, I don’t have a ton experience with it, but enjoy learning more about it on this forum.
I did read the Aeon2C do require even more power than the original AEON’s. What do you use to drive your Ananda’s?
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Hi everyone !
I’ve had the chance to try out these (spoiler: wonderful) headphones in the past 2-2.5 weeks and this is all thanks to the HEADPHONE Community Preview Program. I highly encourage people to participate and try to grow this forum even bigger ! People on here love to help and share their experiences with others, so don’t ever feel shy to share some impressions or reviews.
Anyway, I will start off with some disclaimers, so you guys know where I am coming from. The music I listen to tends to be quite vast, but it mostly revolves around metal, rock, instrumental and soundtracks. Here is a non-exhaustive list of the bands I used to gather my thoughts : Dream Theater, Haken, Jinjer, Opeth, Tool, Gojira, Killswitch Engage, Lamb of God, Breaking Benjamin, Chevelle,
Soen, Karnivool, Andy Timmons, Marco Sfoli, Anup Sastry, Intervals, Plini, Animals as Leaders, Hans Zimmer and Ramin Djawadi. By the way, my library consists of my own 16bit 44.1 KHz FLAC files and I also use streaming services (Tidal Masters and Spotify).
Now, I guess it’s time to talk a bit about the sound ! Starting from the top end (highs) and then going down the frequency spectrum :
- Treble is well extended, you can hear cymbals quite clearly. It can sound a bit hot at times, but it is fairly good otherwise (never really sibilant).
- Upper mid / lower treble range also seems a bit boosted. Female vocals are a bit more forward than what I’d like, but could be great if that’s what you want.
- Mid range has a good amount of details. Instruments don’t sound congested and have a pretty good timbre to them. Pianos sound quite realistic. Guitars have good speed, but lack a bit of texture, body and “crunch”.
- Soundstage is decent, probably better than average.
- Bass is quite good. Drums have better impact than usual for a planar. It does not sound better than most dynamic drivers, but it’s better than a lot of the other options in the price range ! Quantity is nowhere near where I’d want it for my usual genres (metal with lots of drum, rock), but it will be perfect for someone seeking a more neutral and accurate response. It is very fast, so it does not sound “sloppy” with tracks that require precision in that spectrum.
- Sub bass is a bit “weak”, not very
present. You can barely hear it on some tracks (does not go all that low in the frequency spectrum).
As far as power requirement goes, it is quite low ! It sounds great out of something like the JDS Labs Atom and even something more portable like the Sony WM1A or ES100.
Comfort wise, the headband design is a bit questionnable. The clamp force can be too much for some (including me) and there definitely are some pressure points around the jaw bones. The headphones themselves are quite light, so you can wear them for hours (if the other issues do not bother you). The fact that the earcups don’t swivle can be annoying, because you can’t place the headphones EXACTLY the way you’d want to (you just gotta stick to what Hifiman wants you to use). Since the earcups are so huge, it wasn’t that big of an issue, but still worth mentioning. The earpads themselves are quite pleasant (a bit stiff, but still a nice material and feels good on the skin).
For packaging, I’d say the headphones come in a nice box, but the presentation could be a bit better for the price (compartment for the cable would’ve been cool). The cable that comes in the box is probably one of the worst stock cable I’ve ever used though. It tangles really easily and does not have a good feel and texture to it. Would recommend getting another one (that’s shorter too!) as soon as possible.
To conclude, would I recommend the Hifiman Ananda for the price ? Yes, but I would try to demo it first (comfort might be an issue). It’s a great value, especially when on sale. It has a nice neutral presentation and fast planar bass. Some genres go better with that (acoustic music, vocals heavy tracks), but overall it is be a good all-rounder. Other options to consider would be the Focal Elex (goes for the same kind of signature, but is a bit more dynamic sounding) or the Fostex X00 Ebony. Still, I feel like it has a lot more positives than negatives and it can compete with more expensive models (Arya comes to mind) very well !
Thanks for reading everyone ! Feel free to ask questions 
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I would like to ask questions?
So, question? What defines these questions?
*sorry 
post 
But, seriously, would you take these over say the Focals?
Also, great review! I like the style of it!
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Great review! The one thing I would say as an owner of these though I definitely think they sound very different from the Elear/Elex. I used to own both and I would say to me the Ananda’s are better for sound All the way around with the exception of the bass, but once again that is always very personal. Have you listened to the Aeon2C yet for Metal?
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Lol, thanks for the reply Darth! I think I would pick these over the Focals, sure. The fact that the Elex is available only on Drop means it’s quite hard to get here in Canada. It’s been quite a while since I’ve heard the Elex, but I think I prefer the Ananda overall.
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Hi, thanks for the reply! As I said to Darth in my other reply, it’s been a while since I’ve last heard the Elex, so take my opinion with a grain of salt. I still think the Elex is more dynamic than the Ananda and that the bass impact is more present on the Focal.
I have not heard the Aeon2C yet, but if it’s anything like the Aeon C, I’m pretty sure I won’t like it. I used to own the Aeon C a few years ago and really wasn’t impressed with the overall presentation (too flat and neutral for my tastes) and bass impact. Would like to demo it though!
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Completely different then the AEONC, demo it see what you think! For me it’s my favorite headphone I have so far to listen to metal on.
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Really interesting! I’ll definitely try to get my hands on a pair if I can then! Thanks for the recc
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Metal isn’t my first Genre of choice but I definitely have enjoyed some albums and tracks that I wouldn’t have listened to on my other headphones after getting the Aeon2C, they do need quite a bit of current though to really get them to sound right.
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Thank you sir, much appreciated 
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The Ananda’s continue to impress me and continue to punch above their price range. Being quarantined after a state lockdown and listening to the Ananda’s along with my ZMF Aeolus and 6XX quite a bit the last week I am so impressed with the sound quality of the Anandas for the price range. They definitely to my ears sound great with solid-state or Tube Hybrid amps. I have run them through the LYR 3/Bifrost, SMSLTHXSP200/D90 and the MTCH/D90 and they just sound great from all 3 sources. Definitely a bit brighter/drier from the THX setup but still awesome. They sound so open and effortless in their sound when paired with a Tube Hybrid. They are very detailed and their tonality for my ears is so damn good. I really like bouncing between these 3 headphones. I am also using a balanced XLR cable @ProfFalkin made right now with the MCTH which are awesome cables! I will be giving some more impressions and photos of those cables soon.
I have been addicted to listening to the new Weekend album, his electronic production with his silky voice and the Fuc$ing bass just mind-boggling. Don’t sleep on that album.
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