HIFIMAN - Ananda Unveiled

So, there is a lot to unpack here. 1. AirPods Pro are actually great sounding earbuds, so you’re starting from a good place. 2. You’re right to move away from the APMs and XM4/5, although you may enjoy the Apple sound. Bang for the buck, it’s good about tech, though, not sound. 3. You can do a LOT with just wired headphones, if you’re OK with that. Not all of them need amps. A great example is the Grado sr325x: great sound, easy to drive. There are plenty of others in the wired world worth considering. If you prefer bass, for example, the Meze 99 Classic or 99 Noir would be good. For something more neutral, the HifiMan Ananda. All of these work great with just a $9 Apple dongle. And even if you DO need an amp, something like an iFi Go Link Max would fulfill any needs you have with modern headphones, so a Sennheiser 6xx + one of those would get you where you want. 4. If you’re dead set on wireless, check out the Sennheiser Momentum 4, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra (which often sells for under $400), and the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2 or S2e. (The S3 comes in at over $400.) All of these have decidedly different sound, and it will depend on what you like. Given your experience with the AirPods, the Sennheiser is probably your best bet. 5. Finally, for $350, you can find an incredible IEM, which might get you exactly where you want: the best sound for the money. But “best” is very relative here, since physics starts to play into the overall picture. Best of luck!

I'm with you, OP. My Anandas are my favorite pair of everything I own; I should upgrade to the Arya

I started using hifiman Ananda, I love them

Ananda hands down up destroys everything up to 1000$

The 770s are a good all round headphone but a little janky in the lows. I use them for tracking and sound design and the bulk of my producing. Plus they are super light and comfy. I also have the Slate VSX which are great for mixing on, you can pick a room for a good mix critical listening perspective. You can also quickly compare other devices. They now also test your ears and hearing to give you a personalised eq. Everyone's ears and hearing are different so this helps. The VSX also give an accurate Harman Curve. They are quite light but not as comfy as the 770s My favourite for low end mixing are the Hifiman Anandas, a 6db 100 hz EQ boost will give you great low end which the planars can handle plus you get a good open sound field with them being open backed. They are quite heavy and big though but for planars not too bad. If I recommend just one pair Id say the VSX as you can use them in many different ways, not as punchy or broad in the lows as the Anandas but they do a good job with the lows regardless.

Same here. (V3,$399) They don't see as much use but they were my first pair of headphones/IEMs in 8 years. A little over 2 years old and they are still magical every time I pull them out.

The usual recommendations for open headphones that can do competitive gaming are: $: Sennheiser 560s, the new ATH R50x, and maybe the upcoming ATH R30x in April $$: Sennheiser 490 Pro, ATH R70x (and new R70xa), Aune AR5000, Meze AER105, Hifiman Ananda $$$: Sennheiser HD800s I own the 560s and Ananda, and have tried the R70x, AER105 and AR5000. They're all great and how much you like them will depend on your ears preferences. Took me a while to understand, but it's like buying good shoes; everyone has a different fit and preference. Personally, the R70x and AR5000 were fantastic but I was looking for something with a bit more vocals. The AER105 were bass cannons to me, so if you like bass they're a bassy option. I haven't tried the rest so I cannot speak for them, but if you have any questions for the ones I've tried feel free to poke.

Get an Ananda or Arya. Hifiman is tops in price for performance in that range. You may need to deal with their customer service (although I never have). And go for the older models, which have steeper discounts.

Despite the issues, Hifiman. I know, I have read so many posts over the years about their qc issues. I have owned several different over ears from them, on the lower end of the price spectrum. And have not had any issues with them. That said, I haven't had any issues with any of the headphones I've owned. Maybe I'm just ridiculously careful? The first set I bought from Hifiman was the 400i. And I still enjoy the sound offered for the price. I have the Ananda and the Sundara. No problems. Kind of prefer the Sundara, but enjoy the comfort of the Ananda.

Super detail heavy, did give them a quick try. pretty cool though. are aryas similar? i think xv is probably better from hifiman lineup for me