Again in 2024, Hifiman revealed their flagship Susvara Unveiled: a redesign of an already in style mannequin that uncovered the drivers on either side. This type gained a variety of consideration and reward, and so Hifiman continued to show their well-known headphones into Unveiled fashions. We received the HE1000 Unveiled and the Arya Unveiled, and now we’re wanting on the Ananda Unveiled. That is probably the most inexpensive Unveiled mannequin so far, retailing at $549 and echoing the Ananda’s comparable affordability. How does this mannequin stack up in opposition to the opposite Unveileds? Does it reside as much as the usual of the unique Ananda? Our evaluation of the Ananda Unveiled will reply these questions and extra.
The Ananda Unveiled retains issues easy by simply together with the fundamental equipment:
- Ananda UNVEILED Headphones
- Magnetic Veils
- Twin 3.5mm cable
- 6.35mm adapter
The Hifiman Ananda Unveiled carries traits that Hifiman customers will likely be very accustomed to. The Ananda type is honored on this new rendition, with an identical ergonomic form and suspended headband type. The Ananda Unveiled is simply 60% of the thickness of the unique Ananda, and the lighter weight is nice for prolonged listening classes. They ditch the grilles on the perimeters for uncovered drivers. When the headphone isn’t in use, the black magnetic veils clip on for straightforward storage and mud safety.
The construct high quality exhibits an awesome mix of what the Unveiled sequence has completed and the simplicity of the Ananda. The uncovered drivers make the Ananda Unveiled a bit extra delicate than your common headphone, however there’s nonetheless a sturdiness that tells you this headphone was constructed to final. The earcups have a 360-degree swivel functionality on the center hinges to relaxation flush in opposition to your head. Nevertheless, they do not have a variety of motion to lie flat on a desk just like the HE1000 Unveiled or Arya Unveiled does.
One other nice characteristic of the Hifiman Ananda Unveiled is the removable cable. The inventory cable terminates in 3.5mm with a 6.35mm adapter, however this cable is simple to swap out to your comfort. The twin 3.5mm ports make it straightforward to seek out alternative cables that combine easily into your setup. The Ananda Unveiled does require a little bit of energy, so having an honest amplifier to make use of with the headphones will provide you with the perfect listening expertise.
Throughout my very own listening, I used amplifiers such because the FiiO QX13, the Chord MOJO2, and the iFi GO Hyperlink with the Ananda Unveiled. I discovered that the extra highly effective amplifiers labored finest with this headphone, and that smaller, moveable ones wouldn’t give the headphone sufficient energy to get the total sound potential.
SOUNDSTAGE & IMAGING
The Hifiman Ananda Unveiled is an extremely large headphone. It is a attribute that’s constant within the unveiled lineup, the place every part will get pushed to the max within the horizontal discipline. Together with this large stereo discipline comes a variety of vertical area that go means above your head. The depth within the sound signature is missing, so as a substitute of a 3D picture, you get one thing that’s extra two-dimensional in width and top. You may have a really frontal picture that expands outwards and upwards, although it creates a wall of sound in entrance of you.
The imaging on the Ananda Unveiled additionally is kind of distinctive. Putting devices within the stereo discipline is simple and opens up distinctive separation between devices. There’s nonetheless a pleasant cohesive circulation to all the weather, however you continue to get separation between all these completely different textures for analytical listening.
The signature is properly balanced throughout the frequency vary, although upon a primary hear there was fairly a little bit of treble peakiness that was too sharp for my liking. Not a variety of headphones require a burn-in, however the Ananda Unveiled do carry out higher after they have been operating for a bit. A few hours with numerous music tones the treble down and offers slightly extra heat to the decrease frequencies. This made the Ananda Unveiled slightly extra balanced, and the pure timbres and tones of devices created a resolving signature.
BASS FREQUENCIES
With a variety of open-back headphones, the bass frequencies are typically misplaced or take a significant backseat within the signature. The Ananda Unveiled falls into this entice, the place the bass isn’t probably the most highly effective vary within the signature. Nevertheless, this does not imply that you simply lose it fully; as a substitute, the bass will get a pleasing heat and punchiness that drives tracks ahead. It does not come to the entrance and take over in a observe, nevertheless it does lay a pleasant basis to offer good stability by means of the entire signature.
The bass will get a great quantity of element within the Ananda Unveiled. It does not lean on being washed out or muddy, due to the uncovered driver exhibiting off some extremely pristine element. Bass guitars received a noticeable treble carry, and kick drums had a decent punchiness that was nice for arduous rock. Sub-bass tactile drive wasn’t fairly there, however you continue to received some rumble to make these frequencies impactful.
MIDRANGE FREQUENCIES
The midrange is the place the Ananda Unveiled actually shines. The midrange is probably the most ahead on this headphone’s signature, exhibiting off the spectacular consideration to element and readability amongst the completely different devices. The distinct separation of the varied textural components was clear and direct in entrance of the already frontal sound signature. The coloration on the Ananda Unveiled is paying homage to that of the HE1000 Unveiled, the place it took a brighter tonality to all of the frequencies on this vary to spice up the extent of readability.
One wonderful thing about this midrange is the analytical nature. The transparency in these frequencies exhibits how the Ananda Unveiled might simply grow to be a reference headphone for some, particularly given its large soundstage and glorious imaging. The sound replica is pure and exhibits pure and trustworthy timbres, so you understand you may get an awesome combine out of any style.
TREBLE FREQUENCIES
The Ananda Unveiled’s treble response threw me off my rhythm. With the extraordinary readability and highly effective coloration of the signature as a complete, it was straightforward for the treble to observe go well with and create a really overwhelming and sharp prime finish. After I was first listening, the treble jumped out instantly, and I needed to combat by means of some tremendous vibrant transients to listen to the remainder of the signature. Nevertheless, this was the case solely after they have been listened to proper out of the field. After a while with an honest amplifier, the Ananda Unveiled had a little bit of time to heat up and burn in, so you possibly can hear the remainder of what it needed to provide.
After some burn-in time, the Ananda Unveiled’s treble balanced out with the bass to create a well-rounded signature. The vary does not tackle the identical recessed high quality because the bass, however as a substitute travels upwards within the signature to create a really ethereal prime finish. You may have a variety of coloration and element from the devices, and vocals get an additional shine after they attain these increased peaks. I actually loved orchestral works on the Ananda Unveiled due to the imaging, and I discovered I loved them much more as soon as the headphones had time to burn in.
Hifiman has a few completely different headphones beneath the title “Ananda”:
- Ananda Stealth ($289)
- Ananda Nano ($359)
- Ananda BT-R2R ($549)
- Ananda Unveiled ($549)
They retail at numerous costs, with the Ananda Unveiled coming in on the prime finish at $549. The query on everybody’s thoughts is that this: Is the Ananda Unveiled actually value double the value of the unique Ananda?
To shortly examine, the Ananda Stealth begins as probably the most inexpensive headphone on our record. It has a decently large soundstage, although the imaging isn’t fairly correct. The element is nice with good cohesive circulation between the ranges, and while you transfer as much as the Ananda Nano, there’s extra distinct separation between the devices. The sound expands outward barely extra, so you may place issues with higher accuracy. The coloration general balanced sound signature stays according to slight enhancements in dynamics from Stealth to Nano.
While you put the Ananda Unveiled subsequent to those, you may see how the sound signature and response change slightly dramatically. The sound is pushed outwards, and the soundstage turns into a lot deeper with intense layering. Transient particulars soar out slightly extra within the Ananda Unveiled than they did on the opposite fashions. You should utilize this as a extra correct software to your reference listening.
The Hifiman Ananda Unveiled has actually earned its place on the audiophile desk. With transparency and pinpoint element accuracy, this headphone doubles as an entertaining listening expertise and a software for the analytical listener. Hifiman customers could be happy so as to add this to their lineup, and the finances audiophile will definitely like the value tag of simply $549 for an revolutionary piece of tech. It lets you spend some finances discovering a great amplifier to pair with it, so you understand you may be in for an awesome listening expertise.
Giving this headphone time and endurance will can help you take pleasure in it to its full potential. A bit of burn-in and time to discover a good amplifier will get you to an awesome listening expertise for beneath $1000. I extremely recommend listening to the Ananda Unveiled for your self to determine if the sound profile is the following addition to your lineup.
The Hifiman Ananda Unveiled is offered at Audio46.
