Greetings mate and Welcome aboard!
Stuart Charles here, HomeStudioBasics.com helping YOU make sound decisions, so…
HIFIMAN has come a long way since the days of incessant QC issues and pricing concerns, but the sound of their headphones has never come into question; at least as far as I’m concerned.
For many years I recommended the Ananda, then the Ananda Stealth as a fantastic upgrade from mid-fi. But what about the Nano version? What’s changed?
Let’s take a look at yet another revision and find out if it’s worth a purchase. My main concern today for you will be price to performance and overall value, so strap on and let’s dig in.
By the end of this article, you’ll know if the Ananda is for you, and if it’s not, I’ll steer you in the direction of something that is.
Deal?
Cool.
Let’s roll.
What is it?
For those who may be brand-spankin’ new to this wonderful hobby (tongue firmly planted in cheek), HIFIMAN’s Ananda Nano is an open back, planar magnetic headphone boasting a Nanometer Thiccness Diaphragm which HIFIMAN says contributes to a “Massive Sonic Upgrade.”
We’ll get into that in a bit, but let’s dive into build first.
Build
The Ananda Nano mimics the original but this time is adorned in mostly silver vs. the all-black profile of its predecessors.
It’s based on HIFIMAN’s 2018 revision first seen in the Sundara: the cups can fold down flat but don’t rotate at all and the overall design received a massive durability upgrade. In other words, they’re mostly built like a tank and the metal is incredibly solid.
Despite the rigidity of the design, it’s still fairly easy to get a good fit on your head and the headphones are very robust at a whopping 414g. That may seem very heavy, but HIFIMAN’s always done a fantastic job of somehow managing the weight and evenly distributing it throughout the entirety of the unit. More on comfort in a bit.
The memory foam/polyester combo makes a return and has become HIFIMAN’s default pad combination for many years; replacing the original velour seen in some of the earliest models.
Moreover, the headband adjustment pieces are incredibly solid and the rounded-off headband shape represents another subtle difference between the Ananda’s design vs. the deformed Ostrich look of the Arya variants.
The same flimsy, thin headband pad is present, but the suede-feeling material it’s made from is a little different than the Arya’s vinyl-ish, soft plastic feel. Neither pad feels demonstrably “better” on my head, so I wouldn’t get too caught up in the materials used here as the headphones do a pretty good job of not digging into the top of your melon.
HIFIMAN, as usual, opts for dual 3.5mm connections coming from the bottom of each ear cup and terminating in a single, 90° angled 3.5mm jack at the business end. Also included is a snap-on 1/4″ adapter.
Comfort
Comfort is mostly phenomenal.
The cups mimic the shape and contours of the human ear, they’re plenty deep enough, and they also clamp nicely on the sides of your head.
Moreover, they don’t dig into to top of your skull either and feel rather excellent over extended listening sessions.
It does feel like you’re sometimes wearing a football helmet, but the sound more than makes up for you looking like a complete nerd.
Speaking of, how does the Ananda Nano sound?
Sound
- DAC(s) Used: FiiO K19, K11, Universal Audio Volt 2, JDS ATOM 2.
- Playlist: Here and Here!
- Source(s): FLAC, Spotify, Prime, Max, PS4
- Games: Coming Soon.
If you’re new to audiophile-grade headphones, the Ananda Nano is going to be quite a revelation.
Part of the reason lies in its planar magnets which are evenly distributed around the diaphragm and much more uniform. This undoubtedly results in lower distortion, better resolution and transient response, more air, and a general sense of greater openness, spatial cues, and separation between sounds.
All of these things come together like the Beatles and contribute to a more realistic sound, and while you won’t feel like “you’re there,” the in-person effect can manifest subtly for a few seconds until your brain becomes acclimated to the stimulus.
So be very wary of people saying it feels like you’re listening to a live show; not just with an Ananda, but any headphones, really. That’s just not the case, but you can achieve small morsels of it.
The Soundstage, while certainly above average, isn’t as wide or deep as something like a K702, but it’s still very good. As a producer who’s mixed and also listened to countless tracks, a lot of these phenomena depend entirely on the track and how it was recorded, mixed, and mastered.
Please keep that in mind before listening.
Bass
As with all “above mid-fi” HIFMAN offerings, the bass is mostly a flat line although the Ananda variants have always had a slight bit of roll-off below 50Hz or so.
The Nano is no different. This variety of low-end is robust and plentiful without sounding bloated or cheap in the all-important mud regions of roughly 200-300Hz. HIFIMAN instead opts for neutrality (or a slight cut) and it pays dividends.
Bass is going to hit nicely in the crucial regions of 60-90Hz, but if you need a bit of extra weight, you can always EQ it up a bit. Use your discretion on how much. This is the area to EQ if you want that wet, juicy, saturated slam baby yeah.
One perk of HIFIMAN tuning their headphones in such a way is that they respond well to EQ. You could even boost the sub-bass a bit more if you want, but it’s unnecessary as anything below 40Hz is largely not discernable to the human ear.
The mids are also done well, and the gradual dip after 1kHz that a lot of 400 series models suffer from isn’t quite as noticeable here due to the improved resolution and openness of the design. In other words, there’s still a decline, but it’s not quite as sharp or drastic.
While those headphones can sound sleepy, dull, and a bit claustrophobic at times, the Ananda mostly avoids these issues and is therefore an excellent upgrade from the mid-fi doldrums.
If there’s one thing HIFIMAN knows better than almost everyone else, it’s how to correctly tune a headphone (for the most part). This, combined with their planar drivers and nano thicc diaphragm results in the exemplary resolution and timbre we’ve all come to know and love.
The Nano is no different as it continues the long-standing tradition of excellent overall sound and superior tuning.
Treble
Despite all that, the treble of Ananda variants has always been somewhat of a minor nitpick, as they opt for a bit of sparkle and brightness at the top which can and will border on sibilance. Still, a lot of this also depends on the track, and for the most part, I can live with it.
If you need to, a slight reduction at around 8kHz will do just fine, pig.
Despite that, they mostly cut 9-10kHz in favor of boosting the areas after 10k which is a much better way of handling treble.
Overall, the Nano sounds excellent with nearly any genre, but you’ll really start to wet yourself with well-recorded modern music in the vein of polished-sounding Pop, Indie, Hip-Hop, EDM, and generally anything with more bass emphasis.
“Bounce” by Emotional Oranges, or DRAMA’s “I Do” are both prime examples of songs that should get you up and dancing in your underwear (or better yet, naked as I do). Just try not to soil yourself.
The bass pumps wonderfully without the bloat, vocals are present and accounted for, instruments are tonally accurate, and the treble is nice and crispy while for the most part avoiding the hiss that some tracks can undoubtedly suffer from.
I’ve always felt the Ananda is one of the best at toeing the line of “overly sibilant” vs. “way too dark,” and the Nano is another example of them mostly getting it right. I’d classify it as bright-neutral which is just about the perfect way to construct the high end IMHO.
Overall, the Ananda in all its glory can simply be described as skiing down a mountain in January while sipping a Lipton Brisk Iced Tea and chewing Winerfresh gum.
As far as amplification is concerned, the Ananda will do well with anything ranging from a FiiO K19, Universal Audio Volt 2, JDS ATOM 2, FiiO K7, K11, etc.
With an Impedance of 14Ω and Sensitivity of 94dB, it’s inefficient but still not all that hard to drive.
As for a “massive sonic upgrade?”
I wouldn’t call it massive, but sure, it’s probably a little better sounding than a Stealth. I experienced this same sort of thing with the Arya Organic and Arya Stealth FWIW, but that discrepancy is much larger in terms of the Organic clearly sounding superior. The difference between the Ananda Stealth and Nano just isn’t different enough for me to get all up in arms about, and they both happen to be priced very similarly (Subject to change).
Final Verdict
It’s no secret that I’ve recommended Ananda the world over since it first came out. Yes, I loved the sound so much and thought it was such a fantastic upgrade from mid-fi, that I did recommend it at its original $1000 asking price in 2019.
EEEEEEWHAAAAAAAAAAAAA?!?!?!?!
That’s right you read that correctly. It was love at first hearing and I’m not ashamed in the slightest as it’s been (and remains) one of my main recommendations since it first came out.
Fortunately for you, they’re basically giving it away now at only $400 for the Nano and roughly $360 for the Ananda Stealth (Prices subject to change). So it would BEHOOVE you to go on ahead and snag a pair while you fist pump at checkout in your soiled undies.
Which pair, you ask?
Well, I’m not going to complain about 2 Jacksons, so just get the Nano. As always, I will update this article if prices change.
HIFIMAN Ananda Nano
In The Box
HIFIMAN Ananda Nano
Carrying Case
3.5mm Cable
Specifications
- Frequency Response: 5Hz-55kHz
- Sensitivity: 94dB
- Impedance: 14Ω
- Weight: 419.6g
Well, that’s about it for today my friend! I hope you’ve enjoyed this HIFIMAN Ananda Nano Review and came away with some valuable insight.
Questions? Comments? Requests? Did I miss the mark on something? Please let me know down below or Contact me!!
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Is the Ananda Nano worth the price? Do you trust me? I would love to hear from you. Just keep it civil. Until next time…
All the best and God bless,
-Stu
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2 comments
Hey Stu,
I looked through the article regarding your impressions of the Ananda Nano and it didn’t disappoint 😄 Being that I have a Ananda Stealth V3 in good working order plus spent ample time with them; I’m curious whether the Nano would refine/improve on their quirks. Namely, the notated recession in the 1-2K range on the Stealth and slight overemphasis around 3.5K. Which is done subjectively speaking to compensate. The relative (subjective based on recording quality and other factors) essyness in the treble though it’s not overly bothersome vs notable as well. Realistically, there’s not much else tuning quirk wise etc that I feel needs improvement in the Stealth. Price wise, the Nano is slotted pretty well compared to the Stealth though the Stealth is far from chopped liver 😀 Though not completely relevant, the Arya Stealth and Organic models though great in their own right I’m not swayed if the extra costs vs performance improvements warrant the purchase. More headphones to consider I suppose 🤨 Keep up the good work Stu.
Talk soon,
Jesse
Jesse,
As always, thank you so much for stopping by! And thank you for the vote of confidence; I certainly had fun writing this one. xD
As for your questions, it’s a bit tough because on one hand, I know the sound of the Ananda well and it doesn’t, on the whole, sound much different from a Nano. The Nano may have ever so slightly better resolution, but it’s hard to say and could just be the brightness playing tricks. The treble can still border on that slight bit of essiness, but as you allude to, it’s minor and still largely depends on the track.
The mids, to me, don’t sound sleepy here as they do with the 400 series models, and they actually don’t sound all that scooped at all really. But there’s still going to be that emphasis at 3-3.5, they’re still a bright presentation overall, and you’re still going to experience some bite (occasionally to frequently) depending on the track. It all depends on the source but yes they lean bright. You could always buy one and just return it if you don’t think it’s an upgrade from the Stealth. Just a thought.
I have listened to the Ananda countless times over the years. It’s one of those things that gets imprinted in your brain for all the right reasons, as I can still vividly remember my very first experience with it; exactly where I was, what I was doing, the weather, the season, the specific track and how it made me feel, it’s crazy. It really leaves an impression like few other headphones are capable of. I may write about this experience soon actually.
I agree; I think it’s priced almost exactly where it should be and, as mentioned in the article, I can’t really complain about $40 (Stealth vs. Nano slightly more $). The Ananda to me has always represented the biggest leap in quality from mid-fi, but it’s also now priced like a mid-fi headphone which should honestly make anyone new reading this just buy it immediately. This was not the case many years ago and prices of gear were much different. At that time, the HD600 was priced like an Ananda is today ($300-$400 or thereabouts), and the Ananda of the past (around 2019) was priced at $1000 which seems crazy to think about. At under $400 now it’s incredibly accessible to nearly everyone who wants to get into the hobby (which is a whole separate can of worms as you know) xD.
Oh no, the Arya Organic/Stealth are rather relevant here because, to me, the Organic is vastly superior which kind of astonished me actually. Now, is that worth $1,200? or $979 which it just dropped to again? Meehhh. I actually just had a discussion with a guy about this on the Arya Organic Review. Yes, the Organic is actually a lot better sounding than an Arya Stealth; at least to my ears.
But we both agreed that there’s no real reason to buy one when you can get an HE1000 at around the same price and have what he says, is the best sound he’s heard in 20 years being in the hobby. The other one he mentioned is of course the Focal Utopia which is what made his words hold a lot of weight with me. The Utopia for me is also easily the best I’ve heard in my own journey and I’m now tempted to try and hear an HE1000 because I just can’t help myself lol. Knowing how I value gear, it could become one of those main recommendations if you want that type of sound but don’t want to pay Utopia prices for it.
So yeah, Organic isn’t going to be worth that price but it does sound excellent regardless for anyone else reading this.
Wow that was long.. heh.
Talk soon man!
-Stu