Introduction

Lately, there have been a handful of headphone reviews amid what seems to be a never-ending train of new in-ear monitor releases and reviews, which was partly addressed in my recent review of the HIFIMAN HE400se. In addition to the newly calibrated headphones measurement rig, not as many headphones are launching since IEMs simply cost way less to improve upon and iterate. Particularly the advent of manufacturing in China has resulted in several new brands in the audio space, most of which exclusively offer IEMs. This has not stopped others from going down the full-size headphone route, though. Dongguan Sivga Electronic Technology Co., Ltd., established in 2016, is one such entity that has managed to make a name for itself in recent years even outside of China. It has two brands in its portfolio—Sivga Audio and Sendy Audio—and we are introducing the Sivga Audio brand to TechPowerUp today.


Sivga Audio, which I shall henceforth refer to as Sivga owing to how much more often that is used, sent two headphones for review, which are arguably its two most popular models. One happens to be an open-back set I am going to examine at a later date, and the other is the newer release named the Robin or SV201 (or both). It comes in two different finishes: the lighter color with glossy wooden ear cups shown in the thumbnail for this review and tamer darker finish more marketed for the international audience. I have the latter here, and these are closed-back headphones using a single dynamic driver per channel. This review will thus be representative of both versions of the Robin (SV201), and thanks to Sivga for providing a review sample to TechPowerUp.

Specifications

Packaging and Accessories

The Sivga Robin is aimed at a more value-oriented market, and I am thus not going in expecting a premium unboxing experience. The product box is thick cardboard that comes in a plastic seal, and predominantly black in color. On the front is the Sivga logo and the product name, with a large, simplistic render of the headphones to use the same packaging for both headphone finishes. More of this clean and minimalist packaging continues on the back, with the monochrome design allowing for product specifications, contact information, certification labels, and a marketing tagline. This is clearly a Chinese brand, and the product is made in China by a brand aiming to remove the association of poor quality from Chinese products.


Sivga is using a two-piece packaging with the lid lifting off the box from the sides, and we now get a closer look at the internals. There is no foam lining on the lid's inner surface; however, Sivga ensures the headphones are protected inside a thick foam piece with machined cutouts to snugly fit the contents. There is a larger one for the headphones, with the gap where your head would normally be occupied by another that has the various accessories included with the product. No manual or warranty card to be found as Sivga is going fairly barebones to cut down on extraneous costs.


The headphones do not come inside a carry case of any sort thus, so stowing these away isn't as conveniently done as with other such headphones we have seen recently. There is instead a soft hemp pouch in white with the Sivga logo in black on the front, and drawstrings close it with the headphones and cable inside. It is stitched neatly and does keep the headphones clean for when you want to place it inside for storage or transportation. It does not add any protection as with a hard case, so you may want to consider aftermarket hard cases with pluckable foam, such as the Lykus 3310 that fits the entire box insert nicely with some room on the side for cables. There are third-party alternatives from the likes of Dekoni, including its own hard case in collaboration with SKB we will take a look at in a future article. Of course, the average end user will likely just want to have the headphones on a headphone stand, readily available to listen to when needed. The cable comes separately packed in a plastic zip-lock bag, so that is where we will start on the next page.