Closer Examination

The charging/carry case for TWS earphones is a critical component of the overall user experience and we see HIFIMAN has also made it a talking point. It's an 18-sided polygonal case which is far from practical in being bulky (72 x 42 x 50 mm and 84 g) and not easily fitting in a pocket. I suppose you could use it as a DnD die in an emergency though! This version differs slightly in aesthetics depending on whether you go for the Svanar Wireless LE or Svanar Wireless Jr, both of which are cut-down versions of the Svanar Wireless we have here—this version has a black surface with silver latch, for example. On the back is the expected Type-C port for wired charging as well as a "hard key" which is a plastic push button with the truncated HIFIMAN logo underneath that lights up when used to reset the IEMs to factory settings as described in the manual. The case opens up like an oyster revealing two compartments for the Svanar Wireless earphones as well as an indicator light in the middle which helps visualize their battery status as well as of the case itself. The case has a 3.7 V/800 mAh (2.97 Wh) battery inside but HIFIMAN does not provide the battery capacity for the IEMs. Instead we only know that the case gives up to three extra charge cycles before running out of battery. This is about average for TWS IEMs these days so, given the relatively large battery capacity in the case, it only makes sense that the IEMs themselves have a relatively large battery inside too (>100 mAh each, if the math holds up). I will say one advantage of the larger case is there is enough room inside for the earphones to charge even with size L ear tips installed, which is not so common with typical TWS cases.


The earphones themselves are also an attention grabber. The exterior surface is a shiny silver, at least on the most expensive version we have here, and the inside is a carbon fiber weave. The overall form factor is similar to those using a stem and thus we see openings at the bottom where microphones are housed for communication, with more microphones in the main body for ANC. These are also bulky at 32.2 x 20.4 x 29.1 mm and ~8 g each side so expect to see them jut out your ears. The design inside is taken from the Svanar wired set with the molded curves based of a swan's back and ultimately being quite ergonomic. There is a touch sensor on the outside which you can identify by the rhombus shape up top with the truncated HIFIMAN logo at the bottom. The carbon fiber section is gently curved and extends down to a nozzle insert which is not angled aggressively while also being about average at 5.4 mm thick. It's long enough to fit into the ear canals well enough for the average user and has a lip on the end to help keep the ear tips in place when installed. There is also a metal mesh filter on the nozzle to prevent contaminants from entering the acoustic chambers.


Seen above are the various ear tips which come with the HIFIMAN Svanar in size M installed on the set for added visual context. Notice how some have a wider bore than others and some are longer than others. Do try the various sizes and option to see what works best for you and note also that your ears may be asymmetrical in that you may need different size ear tips to get the best seal in both ears. Tip-rolling is also recommended in case you do not get a decent seal with the stock tips.

Pairing and Customization

Pairing the HIFIMAN Svanar Wireless is simple given they turn on in pairing mode the first time you open the case and take them out. The manual also walks you through the pairing process in case you need to do so with another device given there is no mention of multi-point connectivity here although you can connect these in mono or stereo mode. I had no problem getting my phone/laptop to detect the earphones and, by default, these connect using the SBC Bluetooth codec unless you manually turn on LDAC. Here too, depending on your device, you may want to see what data transfer rate works best when it comes to sound quality and connection stability. I understand some people have been struggling to get a stable LDAC 990 kbps transmission back and forth but I had no issues with my Samsung S23, for context. You may want to drop down to 660 kbps if there are any problems, which is still superior to the alternative codecs supported here. Alternatively, iOS users may want to also consider the less expensive Svanar Wireless LE which doesn't have LDAC support and has black plastic instead of the carbon fiber section but retains the rest of the feature set.


To no surprise, there is no HIFIMAN mobile app for the Svanar Wireless or its less expensive brethren. I was surprised there is ANC and touch controls in the first place given how HIFIMAN has traditionally prioritized sound over everything else, even if that meant just not caring about what the market may want. The good news is the touch controls make a lot of sense and actually work as promised! I wish there was volume control too but media playback and track skipping is quite useful to have and there are specific calls and smart assistant controls too. Between these and allowing the user to toggle between the operating modes, the Svanar Wireless is a good step in the right direction compared to, say, the TWS800 we saw before. The pairing/charging indicator lights also help add to the user experience but I will want to see more customization available next time at the earliest—especially given the competition has had all this figured out years ago.