Introduction and Specification

HiFiMAN is one of the few companies really pushing the envelope when it comes to planar magnetic headphones, and while doing so they also manage to have it trickle down into their more affordable headphones. The ANANDA and ANANDA-BT are brilliant examples of this. While the ANANDA-BT is a Bluetooth and USB-C planar magnetic headphone, the non-BT version is a regular wired headphone, which allows you to directly hook it up to your favorite source and headphone amplifier.

The ANANDA is currently priced at $699, which is a good $300 below the ANANDA-BT, so if you are looking for a headphone mostly to use around your desk, the ANANDA is a good choice. $300 would also get you a pretty decent desktop DAC/amp to pair it with.


Like other recently released high-end headphones from HiFiMAN, the ANANDA uses the new NsD driver. The general design is a mix of HiFiMAN's biggest ear cups and one of the more modern headbands in their lineup. While the ANANDA does not look as extravagant as the HE-1000 type headphones, it features most of the technology from its bigger brethren.

Specifications

• Frequency Response: 8–55 kHz
• Impedance: 25 ohm
• Sensitivity: 103 dB
• Weight: 399 g
• Socket: TRS 3.5 mm

HiFiMAN's recent planar magnetic headphones have all had close to 100 dB/mW sensitivity, and the ANANDA follows this trend. Weight is a little on the heavy side at 399 g.

The Package

The HiFiMAN ANANDA ships in a well-padded box. There is no portable carrying case included like we saw with the Bluetooth version, but the box itself is pretty good for storing the headphones when not in use.


The headband can adjust to pretty much any head size. It is very similar in terms of comfort to other headphones that are circumaural and have a suspended headband design.


The well-designed headband is coupled to some generously padded ear pads on the ANANDA. Despite missing a degree of freedom compared to the HiFiMAN HE-1000 design, this is never really a problem comfort-wise, mostly because of the big cups and pads.


Vented pads made out of good materials are part of what make the HiFiMAN headphones so comfortable to wear. During the summer heat you learn to appreciate the above average heat dissipation through these headphones. The pads are not super wicking, but they do a pretty good job controlling sweat build up underneath. The only headphone in our inventory to run even cooler on a hot day is the HiFiMAN Deva, which is exceptionally good in this regard.

These multi-material pads do not look as clean as the pure pleather ones, and they tend to bulge up near the seams, but are a step above in terms of comfort and sound quality.