Big thank you to John @ Apos Audio for the Edition XS loaner, Patron “Hawk” for the Ananda loaner (as well as Audio Advice back when they carried it), Mark over at HIFIMAN for the Arya, and Audio Advice again for the original Edition X demoed in 2017.
Coming Soon:
- Arya Organic
- Ananda Nano
I was not paid directly by any of these companies/people; I’m just giving my thoughts and impressions of each.
Greetings mate and Welcome aboard!
Stuart Charles here, HomeStudioBasics.com helping YOU make sound decisions leading to a beautiful audio experience that will make you fall in love with music (NOT gear) all over again, so…
This article will house all current and future impressions of the Ananda, Arya (Stealth Magnets version), Edition X, and Edition XS (Stealth Magnets), but will also include any future iterations/versions of this lineup – similar to my Sennheiser 58X/600 series, AKG 600/700 series, and HIFIMAN 400 series guides.
So bookmark, share, and check often as HIFIMAN loves to make revisions.
Today we’ll cover all 4 headphones and discuss build, comfort, sound, amplification needs, genre pairing, balanced listening, value, and more.
By the end of this article, you should know exactly which one is most worth a purchase and why.
With that, let’s dive in!
Build & Comfort
The original Edition X.
That headphone utilized the weird Ostrich-looking headband shape and donned their somewhat cumbersome adjustments and small plasticky sliders.
By the time the Ananda came out in 2018, they completely revamped the design.
You may also remember that the Sundara from 2018 shared this updated look as well.
No longer did the Ananda’s cups rotate as they did with the original Edition X, but the headband was now rounded off, the sliders were longer and made of metal this time, and the product itself seemed a lot more durable.
Some other notable changes included the suede headband padding (vs. the cheap-ish feeling faux leather on the Edition X) as well as the bale structure which also seemed more robust.
Arya
With the Arya, they did a complete 180 and went backward – again utilizing their original design.
The cups are fully rotational again and the headphone looks to be a carbon copy of the 1st gen Edition X – albeit with a darker color scheme.
You’ll also notice they contort in some strange and interesting ways; something you may or may not care about.
But wait, there’s more.
In 2019-2020 a completely new design was introduced in the first generation DEVA which has carried over to the newer 400se and Edition XS – one that utilizes DUMMY THICC everything and by most accounts represents a more streamlined appearance.
The adjustment blocks are thicker, and the headband padding is thicker, but by and large, all 4 of these headphones function in very similar ways.
To recap:
- Edition X – Fully rotating and folding cups (up and down) Ostrich headband, dual 3.5mm terminations into each earcup. Old design.
- Ananda – No rotation but the cups can fold up and down, rounded headband, dual 3.5mm terminations into each earcup. Design revision #1.
- Arya – Fully rotating cups, Ostrich headband, dual 3.5mm terminations into each earcup. Old design again.
- Edition XS – Slight rotation in and out, rounded Dummy Thicc headband, dual 3.5mm terminations into each earcup, DUMMY THICC. Design revision #2.
What hasn’t changed across all 4 of these is the window grille aesthetic which, depending on who you are, may be cool or ugly.
The only difference is that the Arya opts for the dark look vs. the silver on the other 3.
HIFIMAN claims this design greatly reduces sonic reflections for clearer sound – but we’ll get into that in a bit.
At a glance:
- Edition X (2016) – Metal w/ high-grade plastic, Pleather/Velour earcup padding. Note that the Edition X V2 swapped out velour for polyester which became a mainstay in future iterations.
- Ananda – All metal construction, Pleather/Polyester earcup padding.
- Arya – Metal w/high-grade plastic, Pleather/Polyester earcup padding.
- Edition XS – Metal w/high grade plastic, Pleather/Polyester earcup padding.
In case you were wondering, HIFIMAN claims that the switch from Velour to Polyester (the part that rests on the sides of your head) increases sound transparency.
Again, we’ll touch on that in a jiffy.
Comfort
You’ll find it to be around the same on all of these, and definitely above average with some caveats.
Let’s discuss them.
First off,
for planar magnetic headphones that are on the heavier side, all 4 of these feel pretty darn good on your head.
You may look at the headband pad of the Edition X, Ananda, and Arya, and think, “Wow, seems a bit sparse.”
Well, yes and no.
The headphones actually don’t dig into the top of your head much at all, and the clamping force on the sides is nearly perfect.
So by and large, it doesn’t really matter all that much. The pad is just there as a brace if you will.
With the Edition XS,
you’re getting a bit more headband padding though I honestly don’t find any of them more or less comfortable than the others in this respect.
One thing to keep in mind is that the cup may dig a little into that ridge behind the back of your ear, or it may not.
Even despite it being a minor nitpick, I’ve experienced it personally and know folks who have as well.
Other than that, comfort here is mostly exemplary and you’ll be able to wear them for long listening sessions with minimal adjustments.
The cups nicely contour to the shape of a typical ear, and there’s plenty of room in there for even the biggest of auricles.
In other words,
if you have ears the size of Texas, you’re in luck!
HIFIMAN definitely does not discriminate here.
Lastly keep in mind that the Ananda, for me, clamps a bit harder than both the Arya and Edition XS.
Something to consider.
Sound
- Playlist: Here!
- Source(s): Spotify, Tidal, FLAC, PS4
The burning question is this:
Do all of these sound the same?
Well, yes and no.
The original Edition X was super smooth and laid back, but lacked a bit of detail and the resolution wasn’t quite where it should be for the price.
I actually didn’t recommend it back in 2017 because I thought it was a bit overpriced for what you were getting.
In other words, the treble lacked zip and sparkle and the mid-range followed that HIFIMAN house signature, but overall the headphones lacked a certain energy.
Ananda vs. Edition XS
This may be my imagination, but in going back and forth extensively, I feel like the Ananda is slightly crisper and livelier than the Edition XS.
The Ananda is also more efficient at 103dB and a bit easier to drive than the Edition XS (92dB).
This could definitely have something to do with it as well.
I did my best to recalibrate the volume to match when going back and forth – essentially keeping it at one specific spot for the Ananda (around 10 o’clock), and then moving it up to around 12 before listening to the XS.
It’s also interesting to note that even despite the Ananda being somewhat livelier, I also think it’s just a tad more sibilant/essy which has always been a running theme.
The Edition XS seems to be a bit smoother and more fluid, while the Ananda is a tad rough around the edges.
Again,
could be my imagination.
Bold Claim #1
The overall sound of these headphones can be described as open, crisp, airy, and detailed.
Companies love to make bold claims based on design choices, but I think HIFIMAN’s make sense here.
In other words,
their claim of “The Window shade grill greatly reduces sonic reflections”, makes sense when you think about the sound signature and how it plays.
It’s very clear and unobstructed. Sounds have room to breathe and exist in an open space and certainly, that coincides with the claim.
But are the window shade grilles the actual reason for that?
From my perspective, it’s a bit harder to say, but I do think the planar driver itself has a lot to do with it as well.
Bold Claim #2
“The more breathable Polyester increases sound transparency.”
This sounds a bit more like market speak to me, but they’ve stuck with the same cup material for a number of years now so take that for what it’s worth.
I won’t personally say it makes much of a difference, but I could be wrong.
Bass extension and thump are more or less about the same, but what’s interesting is that I felt like the Ananda hit a bit harder on Damu The Fudgemunk’s “Colorful Storms.”
After coming to this conclusion and comparing RTINGs’ graphs, it would seem that the opposite is true:
It’s the Ananda that’s a bit more rolled off.
Still,
as mentioned previously, these bass responses are extremely similar, and across 20Hz – 100, the discrepancies in each are maybe 1 or 2 dB at most.
On Boards of Canada’s “Nothing is Real”, as well as Uyama Hiroto’s “81 Autumn” the difference is clearer and I can hear a bit more bass impact with the XS, even though taken as a whole, the Ananda still seems more energetic and brighter.
If there’s any roll-off below 100Hz on each, it’s only at max around 5dB.
This ensures you’re getting plenty of slam and impact – just one reason of many why I love this lineup so much.
EQ
HIFIMAN headphones generally respond to EQ quite well, so if you want to bring up the sub-bass, +5dB at 20Hz, around +4 at 30, +3 at 40, etc. seems about right.
You get the idea. Just play around with it.
This will essentially result in a flat-line bass which is ideal in the majority of instances, but do keep in mind the majority of relevant information and clean impact resides around 60-90Hz per my experience mixing and EQing hip-hop.
Resolution, Timbre, & Overall Clarity
Resolution, timbre, and micro detail on both are very similar here; perhaps about the same.
That is to say that the hallmark qualities of this line are there in spades – instruments have excellent decay and release which is one thing that really sets these apart from the 400 series.
That’s not to say that 400 series headphones are bad in those respects – just that they are a bit outclassed.
Recap/Main Takeaway:
Though the headphones are very similarly tuned, the Edition XS is smoother and more fluid, less brash, and not sibilant at all.
The Ananda, while excellent sounding, has a touch of overly bright and is a bit rougher around the edges.
In other words, the Ananda is a tad more “in your face” if that makes sense.
Arya vs. Edition XS vs. Ananda
You may have already guessed it when taking into account my Arya review, but the Ananda is slightly more brash/sibilant while the Arya stays a bit more in line.
The Edition XS is certainly the smoothest out of these 3, and overall sounds the least sibilant – in fact, it’s pretty much not at all in comparison to the others.
It’s no surprise that the Edition XS in large part mimics the overall sound portrait of the original Edition X – only this time the signature is less dull and priced correctly.
Can you believe that the original Edition X went for upwards of $1,200?!
Bass & Mid-Range
Again, you’ll find the bass on the Arya to closely match that of the Ananda and Edition XS.
Some slight roll-off but by and large hits deep and has plenty of nice impact.
I would be remiss if I didn’t talk a bit about the mid-range – somewhat of a touchy subject in all HIFIMAN offerings, but also not a complete dealbreaker.
You’ll find that slight roll-off after 1kHz to sometimes render music a tad too laid back, but the saving grace is that it comes back up at 3kHz – giving female vocals and instruments some much-needed energy and zest.
At the end of the day,
the mid-range can sometimes bother me but still sounds mostly correct outside of roughly 2kHz.
One of the main differences between this lineup vs. say, the 400 series is that there’s a larger peak around 3k which kind of makes up for the dip more than it does with a 400se.
The other difference is that there’s less roll-off below 100Hz on these headphones vs. a 400se.
It’s not night and day, but still fairly significant to the tune of a roughly 5-7dB decline in the 400se vs. basically zero roll-off in an Arya Stealth.
Interestingly enough, the Ananda’s bass does roll off by about 5dB below 40Hz, but this is completely fine as we can’t hear frequencies that low anyway.
To recap:
- Original Edition X – Somewhat dulled sound, not as refined or lush, certainly overpriced in 2016-2017.
- Ananda – Very open, clean, and crisp, but definitely the most sibilant/essy out of these 4. The original asking price of roughly $1000 was pushing it, but $600-700 seemed about right for what you were getting. It’s since dropped to around $360 which is an incredibly good price and a somewhat easy purchase.
- Arya – Slightly less brash/sibilant than the Ananda, very much overpriced in 2021-2022 at roughly $1600. That said, it has also come down to around $600-$650 and is a much better offer now.
- Edition XS – Seems to find that perfect balance and less sibilant than both the Ananda/Arya. Perfectly priced now and the most accessible at around $269 (All prices are subject to change).
Amplification & Genre
As touched on in the sound section, the Edition XS seems to be the hardest to drive and requires the most juice:
At a glance:
- Edition X – 25 Ohm, 103dB, not very hard to drive, can be used with a mobile phone.
- Ananda – 27 Ohm, 103dB, not very hard to drive, can be used with a mobile phone.
- Arya – 32 Ohm, 94dB Sensitivity, harder to drive than the Ananda and Edition X. Will take a smidgen more juice but don’t freak out about it.
- Edition XS – 18 Ohm, 92dB, Similar to the Arya.
If you were curious George,
I used the iFi xDSD Gryphon, FiiO’s K9 Pro, the iFi Zen paired with an xDuoo MT-604, as well as Universal Audio’s Volt 2.
If I had to suggest a good pair, keep it simple and snag an ATOM Amp + ATOM DAC for your desktop and maybe a FiiO BTR5 if you want to listen portable but also have the option for 2.5mm balanced.
If you’re looking for a balanced desktop solution, the Zen is great and you can pair it with an MT-604 (or something similar) as I did.
Balanced impressions
Well, I’ve been doing quite a lot of listening this way and though it may be my imagination and/or a placebo, I do think balanced is going to result in a slightly cleaner presentation with a tad better resolution and detail.
Timbre also seems to have improved somewhat.
Again, this may be all in my head so take it for what it’s worth.
Outside of those subtle differences, listening balanced isn’t really a grand revelation, but in my opinion the difference is certainly audible.
If anything,
it’s a lot more convenient because you’re always going to have more juice at your disposal.
Genre
These excel with pretty much everything due to their open nature, above average Soundstage, and excellent placement and separation of sounds – yet another reason why I highly value this lineup and believe it to be an excellent step up from Mid-Fi.
So whatever you listen to will sound pretty rad on these: Rock, Metal, Pop, Indie, Rap, Hip-Hop, Jazz, Classical, Ambient, Folk, it doesn’t matter.
With that said,
the burning question is of overall value.
Which of these is most worth a purchase?
Final Verdict
I did not recommend the original Edition X or the Arya; both of which I felt were overpriced when they first came out and in the years that followed at $1,200 and $1,600 respectively.
The Arya Stealth’s current price of $600-$650 is certainly a lot more reasonable, but I personally still don’t feel it sounds $300-$400 better than an Ananda or Edition XS.
Does it sound a little better? Sure. Resolution gets a slight boost, and timbre is a tad better, but please don’t go into it thinking it’s going to change your life because you’ll be massively disappointed.
So my recommendations are still the Edition XS if you prefer a darker, more subdued treble, and an Ananda if you like a brighter, crisper, airier sound.
For all of HIFIMAN’s past mistakes,
I have always felt like they truly care about improving their product line.
I say that with many years of experience demoing their headphones dating back to 2017.
The Edition XS to me represents another leap forward for them, both in terms of value, build, and sound quality.
I think they have done an incredible job over the years of fine-tuning their sound but also realizing that perhaps they were a bit overzealous in pricing some of their earlier models.
Both the 400se and XS represent what I believe to be the end result of a years-long maturation process. Throw in the Ananda as well at its heavily discounted price vs. what it went for in 2019.
In other words,
the value and price you’re paying perfectly match what you’re getting, and both the XS and Ananda represent an incredible step up from mid-fi that won’t burn a hole in your pocket.
As for the Arya Organic and Ananda Nano? They’re coming soon to this article so stay tuned!
Video Shootout
Please keep in mind when this video was recorded in relation to current pricing.
Well, that’s about it for today my friend! I hope you’ve enjoyed this HIFIMAN Edition X vs. Ananda vs. Arya vs. Edition XS Comparison/Shootout 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!!
If you love what I do here and want to support the blog and channel in a more personal way, check me out on Patreon and discover all the value I have to offer you.
Which of these sounds like the best deal and most ideal sound? I would love to hear from you. Until next time…
All the best and God bless,
-Stu
16 comments
Very interesting read. Honestly none of them seem like a nice upgrade or interesting step up from my modded HE400SE. Thye’re just so expensive for such little improvements in sound, and almost no improvements on build quality. Why can’t AKG or Sennheiser do something crazy good with excelent build quality at the price of the Edition XS to compete with hifiman? I feel like if you want to enter high-fi hifiman is the go to brand and their build quality doesn’t deserve it in my opinion but the market around 500€ just sucks.
Ethan,
Thanks for the comment!
You make a great point. In fact, I’m going to do a deep dive with the XS vs. 400se and see if I believe it’s truly worth it. I still say yes now because I’ve always loved the more open nature of the Ananda and the XS just picks up where that left off but at a better price point and improved build.
That said, the SE is so dirt cheap which is what makes that jump kind of jarring in a way. It’s still $400 more so I can see where you’re coming from. This is kind of almost a blessing and a curse.
Years back, mid-fi was a lot more expensive and you’d have to drop a considerable amount. For instance, I paid $330 for a made in Ireland HD600 in 2016, but times have changed quite a bit.
Their build has improved tremendously from the early days, so I have to give them some credit. I’ve had no issues with anything since 2019, and I’ve demoed quite a number of their headphones since then.
And as for your question, it is a good one. I feel like AKG hasn’t really done diddly in quite a number of years, and Sennheiser too for that matter. There really isn’t anything in that step-up from mid-fi category for those 2 companies, and it’s something I really haven’t thought much about.
Wow, I just read this today and I so much feel the same way. The HE400se non stealth (a popular reviewer named R**** said the stealth magnets tend to be just a tad brighter than the non stealth ones on most hifiman HPs but not at all something to write home about) go for around $60-$70 in the Philippines from China and I have a modded one as well. I love it so much that although I am looking at the XS for an upgrade (the XS can be bought here from China for $380). But I have a fear that they may underwhelm me or may not be much of an upgrade from the HE400se which I really love. I think the next step would be to audition rather than just buy blindly but unfortunately we don’t have any stores that sell high end HPs in my city.
Wow, $380? I say drop everything and buy it. That’s a crazy good price when you consider that the Ananda once retailed for $1000 a few years ago around 2019. And no no, you will find it a pretty significant upgrade because of how much more open it is. Instrument separation, timbre, and resolution are all better than a 400se for sure.
Great article! I purchased the Edition XS and loved the sound but unfortunately I had to return them because the constant squeak the earpads made against my glasses when I moved my head. I also wasn’t a fan of the super loose feel. I have a big head but still always felt like they might slip off when I leaned forward. I don’t think they would and this feeling would have probably gone away after getting use to the less clamp force if I would have kept them.
With that it would come down to the Ananda or Arya. Not a fan sibilance and upper end harshness so a little nervous about the Ananda’s so can you please clarify;
Are the Ananda’s referenced the newer Stealth model?
With the Arya Stealth now selling for $1,299 vs $1,600 ($1,099 Open Box) does that change any of your perspective. It’s still a lot of money. I can pay it but not sure I want or need to, to get good headphones
Lastly are there any other sub $1,000 headphones that compete with the Edition XS sound for the money?
Thanks and keep up the great work!
Paul,
So sorry to hear that! Great comment though; you reminded me I need to mention that in this article as well as the official one when it gets published. I too have experienced some slidey-widey issues and it should be noted. I also have a big head, only mine is an “Apple-Ass head” so lovingly referred to by a friend/coworker back in the day lol. xD
In any event, most of the newer updated build iterations have this slight issue including the DEVA, DEVA Pro, 400se, and Edition XS. Something I can deal with but certainly should be kept in mind.
Yup. This typically happens with these types of products. Everyone hypes them up at their outrageous price, but they nearly always come down. This is why you should read my blog; I’m always going to give you the 411 right up front. I never recommended the Arya at $1600 (how ridiculous) and I still don’t think it’s worth $1000 even at that heavily discounted price.
Trust me, if you buy the Arya, you’re burning money. I’ve gone back and forth between these 3 for quite a while and there’s absolutely nothing that would warrant the price jump of $500-700+.
As for your question, that’s tough! If you read Ethan’s comment, that is another dilemma that I hadn’t thought much about as he mentioned neither AKG or Sennheiser really has a good competing headphone as a step up from the 600/700 and 58X/600 series respectively.
In short, not really unless you want to go the Audeze route (those below $1000). I personally could never own one of those due to their weight, and you may also take issue with the severely rolled-off treble area. Now, I personally really enjoy the sound of Audeze headphones, but I realize that it’s not everyone’s cup of tea.
I’ve also tried a couple of other potential alternatives including the GL2000 from Gold Planar and G200 from HarmonicDyne, (both obvious competitors to HIFIMAN at that price range) but I don’t think either of those is quite worthy though they certainly both have their strong points.
As for if the Ananda I have is the stealth, I don’t think it is but I’d have to ask Hawk. It does clamp a bit tighter with minimal movement, but yeah, the treble is a bit hissier.
I’ve read all the articles and comments, but I haven’t found it. Is switching from akg k702 to hifiman edition xs or ananda stealth a big breakthrough in sound quality. Here I am thinking and deciding whether to buy any of them?
Hey there. I answered your question on the Ananda review.
Ah, Mr. Stuart. You’ll never know how frequent I came here! I still remember reading your review on the HE400S back in late 2020 as I am looking for my next pair of high quality headphones. Believe it or not, I still remember how you define the HE400S back then: Fast (the S stands for Speed haha!), analytical, cold. Never I thought it’s truer. After the plastic hinge decided to retire early, my once thought endgame headphone that served me for a year became my next legacy.
Then I settled on the Sundara for just that: Hifiman house signature that I love; it’s spot on on how you explain it, and its full metal construction. Coincidentally, again, it died on the same date the HE400S died. Wow. A year. The driver got poked.
Then I came to your site again to read the Ananda review. Believe me or not, it is now my endgame headphones. Utopia-esque without the dystopian price. (get it? haha)
Then I read on your K5 Pro review and agreed on one: AMP/DACs don’t make much of a difference, but they can both enhance and ruin how a sound signature is produced from the headphones. The funny thing, the K5 has been working for 2 years now and is still powerful and musical as always.
With that being said, I want to thank you so much for getting me out of the rabbit hole. With the Ananda as my final headphones, the only thing I need is a better Amp/DAC combo, and I am looking at either the K7 or any ES9038PRO platform.
I can imagine how it will sound with such combos! And the staple 9038PRO signature! 😀
Don’t stop, Mr. Stuart! Let the naysayer do their part: haters gonna hate! Enjoy music, appreciate your hardware!
😀
Amir,
I believe the S stands for “Sandwich.” LOL. Just kidding.
Yikes. I’m so sorry to hear about the drivers malfunctioning. How did they get poked?
Haha! Love the humour. Yeah, the Ananda, while it doesn’t have as good of resolution as the Utopia, is still an excellent performer and about as close as you’re going to get to that without blowing all of your hard earned money and having to work the street corners to make ends meet. xD
If the Utopia was around $1000-2000 I would strongly consider buying it. As of now, Focal does NOT like to bring prices down unless it’s the horrendous Elegia which was $900 at launch if you can believe that. It’s now around $399 which is still overpriced.
I think you’ll find the K5 Pro is going to last you a lifetime. I still haven’t had a single issue with any FiiO product (and I have a lot of them). Outside of having to factory reset a BTR3K once because it was being finicky (which is pretty standard), it’s been smooth sailing. I genuinely love their products and use both the K5 Pro/K7 pretty much daily. I’ve had the K5 since 2019 and it’s a real workhorse.
But yeah, K7 would be great for you if you plan to run balanced with the Ananda. For that you’d just get a balanced 4.4mm cable. I say go for it.
Let me know what you think!
-Stu
Hey Stu,
I’ve digested (well not literally 😄) both the written article and YouTube video encapsulating the HiFiMan comparison…. As I previously alluded to, I pretty much daily use a black screen Sennheiser HD600 and 650 (when I’m in the mood) currently. I’ve noticed the price drop on each headphone (excluding the OG Edition X) plus the Sundara. Admittedly, I’ve used and/or owned previously the HiFiMan HE400SE, HE400I, and HE400S… to which I really liked the sound signatures in general though reliability/QC I was very mixed/conflicted.
Point being, factoring in my general preference for more “neutral to slightly neutral warm” signatures; which of the HiFiMans (including Sundara) would you point me towards/suggest? Presently, I’ve seen Sundaras fetch for roughly $280ish (sometimes lower or higher). Anandas are $360 if not a bit less, Edition XS are comparable if not slightly cheaper, and Arya Stealths are more pricey (around $650ish). I’m not pulling the trigger as of yet plus if anything I’d like whichever one I decide on to complement my current setup and not possible feeding into mindless upgrading 😄
Anyway, I wanted to share my thoughts.
Kind regards,
Jesse
Jesse,
Great to hear from you as always! Sorry for the delay.
Yeah, a lot of their headphones have come down in price which is awesome. I always said the Arya was never worth $1600 and now it’s come down a LOT. Yes, part of this is that the Arya Organic is out, but it’s still not worth the original asking price and I’m glad they realize that. I have an Arya Stealth here and Arya Organic/Ananda Nano coming soon.
As far as the Ananda and Edition XS, they’re basically giving those away now too lol. When you consider the Ananda originally retailed at $1000, it’s a pretty easy purchase nowadays.
If you prefer a brighter sound, I’d go with an Ananda, a bit more subdued treble, try the Edition XS. I personally prefer the Ananda, but YMMV.
I would never purchase a Sundara in this current climate. In 2018, sure. But it’s still pretty overpriced considering the XS/Ananda are available for around the same price or cheaper. Those headphones are also superior in my opinion. I never understood the Sundara hype to be honest. It sounds no better than a 400se and dons almost the same FR. This is what annoys me about the hobby, but I’m not going to rant (for now lol).
TL;DR:
Do NOT buy a Sundara under any circumstance.
XS/Ananda is a great upgrade from mid-fi and always worth it imo.
Decide whether you want brighter or a bit darker. Brighter = Ananda. Darker = XS.
Yes, no mindless upgrading for you my friend. LOL.
Keep me posted man!
-Stu
Thanks for the feedback and suggestions Stu. I’ll aim to get my hands on one of the HiFiMans and see which is a keeper. I’ve noticed that Ananda “non stealth” versions are less in demand primarily due to the Stealth magnet and Nano versions. I’ve heard that the Stealth magnet versions (at least in HiFiMan models that implement it) boost the upper treble range etc. YMMV of course. I like treble detail though when it’s over sharpened and forward… yeah it’s not a fun time 😄 Though I haven’t heard the Sundara; my understanding is that it’s considered “mid fi” in the realm of planar magnetic headphones. Which I get to a point though the 400SE exists for considerably cheaper plus the Ananda and Edition XS aren’t stupendously more pricey nowadays. If the Arya (I’d lean more towards the V2 non stealth) was around $500ish perhaps lower I may consider it as well.
Yeah man to be honest, I’d have to go back and see if the Stealth versions are actually better. Per my experience, I want to say yes, slightly, but I tend to think people blow it way out of proportion in terms of thinking it will change their life or something.. Treble is a strange animal. I too prefer sparkle but not sibilance. There’s a fine line there and it needs to be handled correctly. For instance, I think the Ananda is more of a “bright/sparkley” treble (can be ever so slightly essy with certain recordings) while something like a Grado is just sibilance and hiss to me regardless of the track.
Yes, Sundara is mid-fi and nothing more. The problem is that people try to put it on a pedestal but to me it’s just overpriced mid-fi and that’s it. It was maaaybe worth $349 in 2018, but not now. You said it came down in price? That should have happened years ago. It’s nice to be continuously proven right about these things and yes, I’m tooting my own horn… LOUDLY. I may actually do a video on this because pretty much every product I told people not to buy because it was not worth the money has dropped significantly over the last few years.
Hey Stu,
Just to give a more current update on the recent Hifiman Ananda Stealth purchase I mentioned; I noticed certain intricacies. Detail retrieval, imaging, micro and macro detail, among other “audio” word salad 😄 comes to mind. It’s a clear upgrade from an HD600/650 or other “mid-fi” plus the costs for the upgrade wasn’t backbreaking. Is it top of the line or endgame…. Maybe though it’s subjective plus YMMV. The Aryas likely are a bit of an upgrade though a worthwhile one I’m not sold on personally.
Another thing I noticed is that the impedance and sensitivity specs have somewhat changed on the Ananda Stealth. Some speculation is the driver is closer to the one in the Edition XS though I can’t confirm that for sure. The Edition XS is enticing to put it mildly…. The headband design I’m less enthused about. Though I don’t remember the HE400SE’s headband being grating or unbearable; I wasn’t a big fan of it either. On a related note, the Sundara seems to be set at around $280 which isn’t horrid. Though the 400SE is considerably cheaper, Edition XS (depending on factors) are roughly $270, Ananda Stealth is $350-360ish, and Ananda Nano currently is $419…. Anyway, I wanted to revise some of my feedback.
Talk soon
Kind regards,
Jesse
Hey Jesse!
Nice to hear from you again. I have an email draft ready to send but got sidetracked lol.
In any event, yeah all of those things you mention concerning the Ananda are spot on! I think it’s as close to end game as is realistic for most people actually. Beyond an Ananda, yes, you will get somewhat better resolution, but of course diminishing returns kicks in almost immediately. And the Arya does indeed provide better resolution, timbre, etc. although at its original price of $1599 it wasn’t worth it. Now at $600-$650? It’s a bit closer but I still don’t think it’s worth $300-$400 more than an Ananda. Just my personal opinion.
I just received the Arya Organic and Ananda Nano! It will be interesting to see if the Organic is worth $1,200 as the obvious “replacement” in their premium line. I’m pretty sure it’s not going to be, but hey, at least they dropped the price by a few hundred. I think HIFIMAN is one of the best at evaluating their prices and adjusting accordingly.
Yeah, the Sundara finally came down in price too which is nice. I also said it wasn’t worth $349 for many years and told people not to buy it. In 2018? Fine, but not now. The current price is better, but still not worth $280 when you can just get a 400se at $109. It’s wild to think the original 400i was $449 back when I first heard it in 2017.
And yeah, prices have changed quite a bit and I’m currently going back and editing some articles to reflect. Right now it’s never been easier for new folks to get a taste of hi-fi as they’re basically giving the XS and Ananda away; especially considering what the latter went for in 2019.
Talk soon,
-Stu