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Stuart Charles here, HomeStudioBasics.com helping YOU make sound decisions, so…
Sivga was kind enough to reach out to me about potentially reviewing the P2 Pro, and since I had heard good things about their headphones, I was more than happy to oblige.
So what are my impressions?
Let’s dive in and find out.
First off, this was certainly one of the most memorable unboxing experiences I’ve ever had.
Everything about the product feels premium, from the minimalist-looking brown box to the beautiful and practical hard shell headphone case, to the headphones themselves.
The package contains the headphones, a 1.6mm audio cable, a 4.4mm – 3.5mm adapter, the headphone case, a cable bag, and a 1/4″ adapter.
Sivga’s logo appears on the cable bag and it’s a bit off-center; a small nitpick but should be noted.
After holding the headphones in my hand, I had extremely high hopes for these and was all but certain they’d sound amazing.
The audio cable is made of a 6N single crystalline copper wire. This ensures no signal loss during transmission, and I can confirm I’ve had no issues. It’s also the perfect length, feels fantastic, and comes with the aforementioned 4.4 – 3.5 adapter.
Given most Amp/DACS nowadays come with a 4.4mm headphone output, Sivga’s inclusion of this now almost ubiquitous connection is welcome.
Build
Build-wise, these headphones are nothing short of a dream. Coming in at 435g, they are heavy on paper but don’t necessarily feel that way on your head.
In other words, they’re designed marvelously, and not a single component is wasted. The natural solid walnut wood feels amazing to the touch, the headphone bales and overarching stainless steel frame are incredibly durable, and the cups rotate 90° front to back.
They also move about 45° downward dog which helps in getting a good fit on your melon head.
The headband adjustment looks to be of the hammock-style variety found in the K702 (and even sort of mimics the original Austrian bumps on the underside), but it’s not self-adjusting.
There’s a slide mechanism that can be a little labor-intensive to move, but again, extremely solid construction all around and excellent overall craftsmanship.
If you were wondering, simply slide the rectangular piece up and the connected pad on both sides moves up with it. Simple but effective design.
The not-too-shallow, not-too-deep pads are a high-protein leather/velvet fabric combo and conform quite nicely to your head.
R and L indicators appear on the inside of the cups as well as on the outside near the bale area.
All of this contributes to a very practical and comfortable headphone over extended listening sessions and I couldn’t be happier with the fitment, clamp, and overall seal.
Interestingly enough, the P2 is indeed a planar magnetic, containing very thin/light ultra nano composite planar diaphragms as the drivers, and the wood housing mentioned previously utilizes CNC machining.
If you were unaware, CNC machining is a manufacturing process where computer-controlled machines precisely cut, shape, and form materials into complex parts or components.
Using pre-programmed software, CNC machines can perform highly accurate and repeatable operations, such as milling, drilling, and turning, on materials like metal, plastic, and wood. This process is widely used in industries where precision and consistency are critical, such as aerospace, automotive, and electronics.
In any event, the double neodymium magnet structure of the P2 contains 108 acoustic holes, contributing to good airflow and a cloud design mesh. Sivga claims the Soundstage is wide, with a natural, detailed, and transparent overall response.
Do all these claims result in the classic planar sound that many of us have come to adore?
Let’s find out.
Sound
- Playlist: Here!
- Amp/DACS used: FiiO K11, Universal Audio Volt 2, FiiO K7, JDS ATOM 2.
- Source(s): Spotify, PS4, FLAC.
Unfortunately, this is where things start to get a bit dicey.
First, let’s discuss some positive aspects.
Because these are planars, they will, by default, have slightly better resolution than you may expect.
The Pharcyde’s “Splattitorum” is an excellent example of a song that sounds more revealing than I remember. You can hear a lot of subtle things going on and it makes for a pretty engaging listen.
The problem lies in the congested and boxed-in overall portrait. I actually wanted to like these and tried convincing myself that, because of all their other great qualities, they also sound great.
They simply don’t.
And, despite the pockets of impressive resolution, overall they don’t do the planar moniker justice at all.
To me, they sound too papery, artificial, and lacking openness and clarity.
Tonality is another fairly significant issue, as the timbre of music sounds kind of flat and lacks the realistic quality you expect from a planar.
Side by side with a K702 (one of my reference standards), there’s no comparison. The P2 is extremely veiled by contrast and sounds boxy and muddy.
Soundstage, despite Sivga claiming “open” is not open. It’s claustrophobic, closed off, and mostly in your head. For being an open headphone, this is also rather disappointing.
The treble also plays a pretty large role in some of these issues, as there’s no sparkle which contributes to a lack of energy and zest.
Overall, this is a super weird sound signature that doesn’t really play well with much of anything.
Well, I take that back. Last night I fired up some Uncharted 3 On Crushing mode out of the SoundBlaster X4 and had some fun killing bad guys. But I wouldn’t rely on these for competitive gaming, mixing/mastering, or general music listening.
Plus, I had the X4’s Super X-Fi button turned on which opens things up considerably
The bass, while a fairly flat line, still comes off as fake, needly, and overly warm. In other words, any perceived “punch” these have feels bloated and contrived.
This is, again, a huge downer considering the planar profile and supposed “open” sound as described by Sivga in their overview.
Natural, detailed, and transparent (per their claim) are, unfortunately, not exactly adjectives I’d use to describe these headphones overall.
All in all, purchasing these is not a sound decision and if you buy them, you’re lighting money on fire considering there are cheaper and better options out there.
For a superior, dirt-cheap planar that sounds incredible, try the HE400se. Heck, the dynamic driver K702 sounds lightyears better than this.
$450 for the sound of this headphone is an insult. Build and comfort? Both are perfect.
And I’m in no way trying to trash Sivga here. As a company, I think they have loads of potential based on workmanship alone and will be requesting more demo units in hopes of finding something excellent to recommend.
But the P2 Pro?
This ain’t it.
Sivga Audio P2 Pro
Price: Check Amazon!
Specifications
- Driver: 97*76mm Planar Magnetic
- Impedance: 32±15%Ω
- Frequency Response: 20Hz – 40kHz
- Sensitivity: 98dB±3dB
- Weight: 435g
Well, that’s about it for today my friend! I hope you’ve enjoyed this Sivga Audio P2 Pro Review and came away with some valuable insight.
Questions? Comments? Requests? Did I miss the mark on something? Please leave them down below or Contact me!!
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All the best and God bless,
-Stu