I owned the XS and now own the Nano. This comparison is coming from memory. The XS is a bit less hyped in the treble but sounds a bit thin and dull in comparison. The Nano is both brighter and warmer (A bit of a contradiction). More filled in lower mids and the bass is cleaner but the treble is hotter. Soundstage is a bit bigger on the XS but the Nano Images better. The Nano has a lot more detail and resolution as well. Comfort wise I find the Nano 100 times more comfortable but I have read that is subjective.
@@chrisasmith75 I've owned the Edition XS and the reason I got rid of it was simply due to the headband. I've no small head by far, wear L/XL caps, but even on smallest the earcups didn't align properly. But I loved the sound. So I'm looking at the Nano and very interested. I'm just worried about that headband.
Nice job on the graph presentation! Combined with the verbal description it was (almost) perfect (comp'd graphs should be shown as well if only as supplementary information)
That is what I want to know... I have the Stealth and I love it, and from what I have heard from others the treble is noticably more intense and I heard a few people sent them back due to that. Sounds like they moved away from the layed back Ananda Stealth.
Good question. He veered from suggesting that the Nano's treble was somewhat less harsh than its predecessor's to going on about its treble so much I'm hopelessly confused.
As a person that rarely spends money on expensive things and overthinks decisions, this has me reaaally thinking about the Ananda Stealth I just ordered (the Ananda Nano won't be shipping in Europe until July). Anybody has some idea of how they compare?
I have the stealth version, it's the jeb Bush of headphones - low energy and laid back. The Nano is the Trump version. High energy and somewhat fatiguing on the high end. But its not a flaw. In this review, DMS sounds low energy like jeb bush. But when reviewing the inferior sennheiser HD560s, he's all Trump like. Makes you think the superior ananda suk comepare to a lowly sennheiser. Now that you can get anandas for less than $600 on a regilar basis. Its an unbeatable deal. My $1000 IEM don't even have the kind of details close to the Ananda. Once you own an ananda stealth or Nano, you'll never think much about wether the hifiman XS or arya or anything else is really worth your time or money. Its simply an awesome all around super duper detail headphone you can enjoy for a long time. Plus, it feels luxurious and high quality on your head.
Absolutely agree. It compliments my Focal Clear OG. Im still amazed the Nano gives me more detail than the Clear 🤯. But the Focal Clear is less fatiguing and I can listen for hours and hours. But every time I go back to the Nano, that clarity, soundstage, the amazing imaging and speed. It's addictive 😁👍
@@S.G54321 Well..In terms of details,sound seperation and other technical aspects -NANO is for sure a very good..But..I can only use them with eq where i cut a good amount of db in highs. I understand the idea to boost the high frequencies for emphasize the details,but i think it has been done not in a smart way. For example Sundara - there's plenty of details ..But it doesn't sound so harsh and sizzle in highs. I mean..this trick with high freq emphasis should be done in a more smart way but not like a default tuning.
Super wish reviews talked about movie watching as well. Movies with headphones is such an amazing experience compared to some home soundbar and speaker systems. If a movie is character driven, slow, headphones create a much more intimate experience with the story and characters. Even some movies with a lot of action and spectacle can benefit from headphones. Like Avenger Infinity War and the fight with thanos. Often the fights are 1v1 so the detail in that spectacle just feels better.
good headphones can move you into the same room with actor, it can be real out of your head sound, sometimes I can turn my head and watch if it was real sound or from movie :)
From Bloom Audio's review of the Ananda Nano: "In terms of sound, the original Ananda is brighter than the Ananda Nano, with notably less bass. The timbre isn’t as natural, and there’s more tendency for tinniness in the treble. Edition XS is the hottest in the treble, but has very strong bass extension, extending deeper in the bass than the original Ananda. XS lacks Ananda’s warmth though and can feel a little cold or hollow, particularly in comparison to the more natural, full Ananda Nano."
While the clamp force experienced with headphones is mostly due to their physical structure, there is a subtle force exerted by the passive magnetism of the drivers. Normally this poses no problem at all but in the unlikely event of Earth taking a direct hit from a solar flare, these passive magnets might be instantly turned into super-powered electromagnets with a skull crushing force. This makes IEMs a safer choice because they would come together in the middle ear and could be pulled back out by the cables.
Arya has a brighter sound sig. Arya Organic is very bright, siblant at times, but after EQ it sounds way better than Ananda imo purely because of the big soundstage and detail retrieval. But at that price, you'd expect it to perform well regardless.
Thanks for yet another great review! Are Warwick headphones made in Ireland? I had thought they were made in the UK. Otherwise my guess would have been a sequel to the Aperio. Now I will have to sleuth out who makes headphones in Ireland.
The ananda nano with a Harman 2018 eq is one of the best things I’ve heard. Cleanest, deepest, and punchiest bass frequencies. I think the Ananda nano is superior to the 109 Pro. The 109 pro is too metallic and sibilant. Sounds like it’s scratching my brain. Ananda Nano has treble detail without being harsh/fatiguing.
I may be wrong but what I’ve gathered from my experience is planar allows the headphone to be more open well because they are spaced out magnets and I believe there is a higher ceiling for details and slam though, a dynamic might have more bass in quantity, and in the least I’m pretty sure all planars are low impedance if that matters.
@@MothMales Thats a good amount of it. Resolve describes Planars as having a more "plucked" quality which I actually think describes the feeling well. The sound on a planar sounds more abrupt, clean, resolute, stocato, etc which gives the impression of a very engaging and clean, modern listen even on older tracks. Dynamics represent sound very similar to how speakers would, which yeah is usually leaving room for more punchy bass, but things sound more fused together rather than the cleaner sound of a planar (generally, there are exceptions to this of course, like with some Audeze headphones) The whole impedence and spl thing is honestly something most listeners shouldnt really pay much mind to unless there is an abnormal amount of power needed like a Susvara. Ive used 20ohm planar headphones that take a lot of power to drive well just like a 300ohm headphone would, and not all high ohm headphones are extremely hard to drive either. Really, unless youre at like the end-game of this hobby spending near $1k on headphones (which is fine), Id just be focused on having a solid $200 amp/dac setup and calling it a day on any headphones. Its better you budget for that first when starting out vs. buying a headphone thats $200 more expensive (which as many will tell you, often times isnt always a straight "upgrade")
More detail, more realistic presence and space instead of cramped in your head. Faster speed without "blur". Dynamics have potential for more "punch" but the upper end Hifimans are surprisingly good for punch, among planars, and hold their own. The slightly bright aspect does fill out their punch with a bit of that "impact" and here we're talking about those slight treble bites and crashes that usually accompany the bass drums and percussion. "Snap" fills out the "punch" I guess is what I'm saying. Hmmm, planars have better bass extension, that's a big one for electronic. Yeah. A for bass extension, B for punch. Dynamics are more like A for punch and B for bass extension.
Cost more than your car + made in Ireland? New Sennheiser? HE 1? Also, how does the Nano do as far as tactility of sound? My main issue with Planars is their overall softness. I perceive them as less engaging and musical than relatively less target adherent/detailed Dynamic Drivers, for that reason
@@dangerzone007 The only pairing I wasn't keen on was with R2R DACs. I found the Hifiman ef400 a little too dry. Even with cheaper stacks like the atom, the Arya's perform really well. You should be fine with the BTR7👍🏻
@@nativeenglish2u I just saw a review of the fiio k9pro ESS. It was a rave review so sure it would do better than my little BTR7. I mostly listen to music walking around the flat so I will try it and see what happens.
@@dangerzone007 it's the best thing I've ever heard. Such a smooth and balanced sound but with plenty of detail. I'm so happy with it. Dare I say I have my ultimate system 🤐
I use an M15 with my Edition XS and had to EQ the bass. It sounds good, but it still needs more "oomf" (even at max volume on my PC). I'm going to try a Chord Mojo 2 next.
Careful. You'll reveal a bit of buzzing in the driver at higher bass volumes. And you'll never be able to unhear it and it will bother you for forever and you'll end up returning your XS's No matter how much you like them. Don't ask me how I know 😅
@@smolzillamakes Pretty sure I only heard a buzz when I put the M15 in high gain and start to turn the volume way up. I listen to a lot of rock and metal, so my music doesn't have much "air" between the notes to hear it anyway.
@@SpirallingOut M15 doesn't have a lot of power into low impedance, buzzing at high volume can be because its clipping. This is an issue with the amp, not the headphone. The same headphone shouldn't buzz on a source with enough power, mine certainly doesn't. I have the M15 and can get distortion on it with the Edition XS which is moderately hard to drive... no distortion on a desktop amp (Topping A90, Fiio K7, Fiio K5 Pro). Unless you really need the portability you can get a better desktop amp for much less money than the Mojo2, Fiio K7 at $199 would be a better bet for a full size planar.
@@blorg8206 At the moment money's tight. I find it cheaper & more convenient to just use the one portable all-in-one amp/DAC like the M15 for both portable and home listening. I also like the small footprint. I could afford to try the K7 but I have considered getting a dedicated desktop stack at some point - Geshelli Archel 3 Pro & J2. Would that be better than a K7?
He's delaying the review because it's going to be a big one. Aryas are heavy hitters at their price point. As in, best value at their price period. Word on the street is these Organics are surprisingly good.
I just received my ananda nano today : the bass is much better, at high volumes they rattle because of the bass. The bass quality is spot-on, it sounds so efortless! The details are much better, the soundstage is much much more bigger, better imaging, but the treble at 6-8k is about 5-6 dB too much for me so I will try to see if I adapt to it if not I will EQ it down. On the Sundara I didn't had to use any EQ at all, will see if i have to use here. And the vocals on the Ananda nano have been pushed to the front which is better for me, the timbre is very close to the Sennheiser. They are also easier to drive than the Sundara
ok thanks for sharing..i had sundara(sold becouse fatiguing) and now i have he 400se and edition xs..the edition xs are the hardest to drive..with the fiio k9 in balanced .. high gain around 11 o clock.. but is shoking how the edition xs completely demolish both in every reguard@@NarciisJr
also the speed is much more improved over the sundara. Gary Moore-still got the blues sounds like 1.25x speed on ananda nano compared to sundara@@TheMaurob1979
That is not a suspension strap. E.g. K612 Pro, K701, K702, K1000, Q701, Modern Retro, Fidelio X2, HD681 EVO, and Rognir use a suspension strap. The strap on Ananda literally does not suspend.
Between these and Moondrop Venus what should i choose?, i really like the build and design of the Venus and at the moment im rocking the ifi zen stack with Seinheiser HD700's and im thinking of updating to one of these 2 headphones
Defs the Hifiman Ananda Nano. If you have eq, they can really hit hard. And the price to performance is insane. They scale with better gear, for me it was either a Focal Clear OG/MG, Meze 109 Pro, Audeze LCD-X 2021/M500, Senn HD800s. I walked out with the Hifiman Ananda Nano. They have the most detail out of all the headphones mentioned. They are the fastest sounding. They slam nicely. Imaging is insane, easily on par with M500, HD800s, soundstage is less than HD800s but bigger than the rest. It's just insane how good the technicalities are for so low of a price. Easily just for sound alone I'd pay double or a bit more than double. Source synergy matters big time though. Nothing bright, something leaning towards warm or if you can, tubes tubes tubes. Tubes make a massive world of difference. They widen the soundstage, add more depth and improve imaging. Add more oomph into the low end, make mids lusher and more life like. Smoothen the treble while keeping detail. Ananda Nano and a nice hybrid amp or solid state amp with a tube pre amp is planar endgame. Yes there is the Arya Organic. But it's not $700 better. Maybe $50 - $100 better in sound. Then comes slightly better build and all that. The Ananda Nano is potential endgame. If you have tubes. Go for it. But if you can eq, a slight low shelf from 120hz of 3db and then a slight highshelf at 3.8khz of -2db really makes them a fun and extremely engaging listen. Absolutely love the Nano
Hifiman. Great pairing for Sennheiser. I can switch back and forth between Hifiman and Senn and got all my bases covered. My Beyers are lonely now, don't need 'em at all.
I really like my Sen’s 650’s…I’m looking for the next step up ….🤔 Great review….the treble may be the issue ….but this looks very interesting. Thanks for the review….I’ll keep an eye for the organic! Take care ☕️🍕🥓🔥👍
Good planars are a great pairing with the 650's. You'll enjoy the diversity of sound signature. You got a neutral warm/dark, sounds perfect to go for neutral bright with hyper-detail. I don't have Organics but I got the v3 Aryas and wow oh wow, if Organic is as good or better, you're going to love it. A big step up, I promise.
@@PartyMusic775 Thanks for the advice…however my 60th birthday came and went in the meantime 🥳 I went with the LCDX 2021 Creators Package 📦..added a Schiit Lokius and a new amplifier..in essence I rebuilt my headphone stack.
Yes and no. Detail, speed and raw resolution. Yes, the Ananda Nano is high up there with the HD800s and Arya. It has a crazy amount of detail. At times it surpasses the HD800s. When it comes to soundstaging, the HD800s and Arya are still larger. But the Nano is no slouch and puts a strong fight. It's still a large soundstage. Tuning is in between the HD800s and Arya. Basically imagine if the HD800s and Arya had a child. That's the Ananda Nano. It has more slam, detail than HD800s but a little less than Arya. Less soundstage than HD800s and Arya but imaging that's on par. Tuning that's inbetween HD800s and Arya. Bass slam and extension that's on par with Arya and better than HD800s. Build is good, but Arya and HD800s have a slight edge. When it comes to sound and price performance though. That's where it really shines. The Ananda Nano does some things better than the HD800s and Arya..... I'd choose the Nano over the HD800s. But compared to the Arya? Maybe. I could go for an Arya. Or take the Ananda Nano and upgrade my gear? Honestly, I'd do the Nano and upgrade my gear. The last 10% - 5% you are missing is that slight edge on detail, slightly better soundstage and a slightly better tuning. With some eq on the Ananda Nano, you can get a better tuning than Arya Organic. Ok now the Arya Organic is 8% - 5% better. Is that worth $700 more to you?
If these have smoother treble ... I CANT IMAGINE HOW PAINFUL THE ARYA WAS. The peak at 3khz is what killed it for me. I'm having a very hard time adjusting because of it. It either makes the records sound great o it destroys them conpletely. Not to mention due to the harsh peak in the 3khz, some tracks sound VERY anemic/lacking thickness. Again I hear the word "faster"... What's "faster bass"????
@@elasmojones turns out "faster" means more definition. If the driver is able to move faster, the definition of the sound wave is supposed to be more true to analog sound wave. I had a debate with another audiophile channel about this. The headphone diaphragm can't move any faster than it already does. If it goes up to 27khz that's as fast as it will ever be. The only difference in sound at the end of the day is the frequency response of the headphone. Something these audiophile never even consider as a strong point for audiophile headphones.
@@shul5684 thanks for the explanation. I suppose most of the dynamics (which I have) have a similar speed, so its not something I've heard with my ears.
@@elasmojones exactly. Physical speed of the driver is pretty much the same on all of them. The only difference between them would be the volume you can get on those frequencies(bass,lowmids,highmids,treble). The most obvious example is the bass or the treble. Having said that there are some headphones which are capable of reaching over 20khz and go lower than 20hz(this is the human hearing range) however using that "they are faster" phrase does little to NOTHING on "explaining" how you are hearing the sound.
Depends. It's an extremely hard choice. The Clear OG has more dynamic punch and slam. Also it's a little warmer and less fatiguing. But damn, the Ananda Nano is mind blowing with its separation, imaging, detail and speed. Kawir and Havukruunu is simply insane good on the Ananda Nano. But if you are pairing it with the Fiio K7 maybe the Clear OG is a better choice. But don't sleep on the Ananda Nano. They are freaking insane, but can be amp picky especially with brighter sources. I jump between the Clear OG and Ananda Nano depending on mood. But the Nano gives me the biggest smile with metal 🤘🔥🤙. It brings metal to life and you feel that speed and drive in the guitars and drums.
@@S.G54321 I now own both :). I definitely prefer the clears because the nanos are really bright. The Nanos have insane imaging and separation though. On the fence if I am going to keep them.
Made in Ireland and costs more than his car. And he already reviewed the HE1. So it's something else from Sennheiser and it's super pricey that almost none of us can afford. How unexciting.
They really should update their budget lines headband too. These ones on the Nano here suck balls, and the ones on the Edition XS is too loose clamp wise and they creak.
Is that driver the same size as the Shangri La Sr? I know that is electrostatic but that sounds like they got the magnetic drivers of the Ananda down to the same size of an electrostatic driver?
@@enjoshi-godrez8775 It sounds like they got the magnetic driver of this new Ananda to the same thinness of the electrostatic Shangri La. My b I wasn’t clear enough there
@@enjoshi-godrez8775 That’s crazy though if you think about it. Never knew that about the Audeze’s either. So many companies misuse “nano” as a marketing gimmick I thought that was a gimmick! Thanks dude
yes! 600 usd with sundara headband ! that if you wear it a dozen times the logo starts to fade !!!!!!! and I had to change the leather band after about two months because it tore!!!! nothing to complaint about the sound (sundara) very very happy.
hello, nice review! im pretty much at the start of this hobby and im undecided, if anyone can help me here, very much appreciated! looking for a headphone at home for fun listening - currently unsure about edition xs, ananda nano and arya organic - also need amp dac - budget around max 1300euros but the lower the better^ to my preferences; i listen to edm,techno,trance,hype trailers.. i prefer wide soundstage, good bass (subbass) and dynamics/punch.. vocals arent important, maybe clarity but i dont like them beeing forward/in your face,. esp would like some depth in the music for trance - i have focal elegia rn, i like the dynamics and bass but the soundstage is pretty bad imo - i hate when the music just is up your head instead of very wide infront of you/on sides aswell.. i had problems with dt990 treble and have small tinnitus problems- listening for a few hours shouldnt make my ears hurt xd..- is it possible to eq that a bit and be fine? or is hifiman a generally bad idea because of brightness/treble design? for previous ananda/edition xs owners; do you think the ananda nano presented here fit my prefered type of listening/music better/worse? why? very curious if the arya organic might also be better for me, but since you mentioned this is best for edm, maybe the arya is better for detail/classic music and a more neutral sound? is the arya organic review coming in the next days/weeks? so excited! :) very open for feedback/help in this situation, can also reach out to me on reddit DSThresh if anyone's reading this and has some knowledge/time;) thankyou!!
Hifiman, while "slightly bright" isn't a sharp kind of bright, and they also respond to EQ a lot better than other headphones. Planars aren't going to be as punchy as Focal dynamics because those are kings of punch. But Aryas have considerable punch, very acceptable and enjoyable, maybe competitive to Elegia (but not Clear.) Arya Stealth have sound stage, good bass punch, and the treble brightness has a softer sweet presentation that doesn't hurt me at all. You can get a ridiculously good deal on the now. It's going to outperform every headphone you asked about except the Arya Organics -- which I haven't heard but probably are even better bass and sound stage, from what reviewers have said. Based on your preferences that's what I recommend. You ask what Arya is better for and it's not like you think. They are an all-rounder "good at absolutely everything" kind of headphone. With that said, if 1300EUR is your limit, every little bit you save for a better amp is going to be important. Ananda Nano plus good better amp is probably better than Aryas with cheap dac/amp. In my opinion.
@@DMS3TV I love them! It's just that if you're referring to the waveform type used in an oscillator, a sine wave is not a "gritty" one, as it generally has no remarkable harmonics outside of its fundamental tone
I got 2nd gen Arya - pre Stealth and I am not getting any more chinese gear unless there is nothing else that do the job. The problem with China, aside the politics and economics, is that they never focus on a thing and make it to not be outdated for years or decades, like HD600, Qtest or WA22. I got mine 2 years ago and they are already 3 generations old and it is a small change every time, and they can’t justify existing at the same time on the market like HD650 or HD660. I will give away my arya and since this is a hobby not a necesity, I decided to focus only on cool gear that even if they will eventually go out of production, will still have their mark in audio history and that means cutting out china products..
@@gmansmiley2984 yeah its those clowns who go upgrade every 2 years and barely get any notice difference lol. i bought the Anada nano and i love those.
@@dangerzone007 okey thanks, but why do ppl destroy dt990's because of treble?^^ shouldnt they keep the headphone and eq the treble? does having to tame treble with eq destroy the entire headphone tuning this way?
@@OblivionIce Bass pitch and definition is better with the Audeze but Ananda gives you enough you don't think anything is missing, same with trebles; Ananda seems brighter because mids are just slightly recessed, LCD-X is fuller there so trebles seem less pronounced but everythings all there. They both feel 'fast' as far as snare drum/percussion stuff goes
@@OblivionIce Yeah Id suggest listening to an Audeze (preferebly the LCD X open) and a pair of Anandas, Aryas, Edition XS. They just sound very different, neither brand outright replaces the other, and not everyone likes the Audeze pillow ear pad clamp (I do, but I get why some dont).
It’s so fast the song finishes playing in half the time.
😅
😂😂😂😂
Also I wonder if the Arya Organic is even faster at like 3x speed. 😂
😂😂😂😂😂
I really think that a comparison with the Edition XS was needed here. A $200 gap between the two would be an interesting topic.
I owned the XS and now own the Nano. This comparison is coming from memory. The XS is a bit less hyped in the treble but sounds a bit thin and dull in comparison. The Nano is both brighter and warmer (A bit of a contradiction). More filled in lower mids and the bass is cleaner but the treble is hotter. Soundstage is a bit bigger on the XS but the Nano Images better. The Nano has a lot more detail and resolution as well. Comfort wise I find the Nano 100 times more comfortable but I have read that is subjective.
@@chrisasmith75 Your comment is very helpful.
@@chrisasmith75 I've owned the Edition XS and the reason I got rid of it was simply due to the headband. I've no small head by far, wear L/XL caps, but even on smallest the earcups didn't align properly. But I loved the sound. So I'm looking at the Nano and very interested. I'm just worried about that headband.
Pumped for the Arya organic review!!
yep thats the real question
Did you buy the HE-1?
Those are made in Germany ;)
@@hartyewh1 for sure :D
@@hartyewh1 They shifted the manufacturing to Ireland, iirc.
@@Ishpreetb264 Even for the HE-1? I'd be surprised, but could be.
@@hartyewh1 Yes, they did change it even for the HE 1.
8:30 It has to be the HE - 1 as their manufacturing was shifted to Ireland after Sennheiser's aquisition.
I was thinking the same thing...
Could be a Delorean, they were made in Belfast
Would you place the Nano above the XS? Also, did they fix the harmonic distortion?
th-cam.com/video/i22GHlvJepw/w-d-xo.html
He never answers. But other reviewers say this is better.
HE-1
of course, most people have no clue what car you have
those Anandas cost more than my previous car :D
stellar vid as usual mate!
cheers
Nice job on the graph presentation! Combined with the verbal description it was (almost) perfect (comp'd graphs should be shown as well if only as supplementary information)
How does this compare to the previous Ananda Stealth? Is it worth the upgrade?
That is what I want to know... I have the Stealth and I love it, and from what I have heard from others the treble is noticably more intense and I heard a few people sent them back due to that. Sounds like they moved away from the layed back Ananda Stealth.
Good question. He veered from suggesting that the Nano's treble was somewhat less harsh than its predecessor's to going on about its treble so much I'm hopelessly confused.
As a person that rarely spends money on expensive things and overthinks decisions, this has me reaaally thinking about the Ananda Stealth I just ordered (the Ananda Nano won't be shipping in Europe until July). Anybody has some idea of how they compare?
Hifiman has to review their naming. Arya organic :😅 I always think you can put these headphones in your garden and grow a new one
Or you can cook them with rice 😆
I have the stealth version, it's the jeb Bush of headphones - low energy and laid back.
The Nano is the Trump version. High energy and somewhat fatiguing on the high end. But its not a flaw.
In this review, DMS sounds low energy like jeb bush. But when reviewing the inferior sennheiser HD560s, he's all Trump like. Makes you think the superior ananda suk comepare to a lowly sennheiser.
Now that you can get anandas for less than $600 on a regilar basis. Its an unbeatable deal. My $1000 IEM don't even have the kind of details close to the Ananda.
Once you own an ananda stealth or Nano, you'll never think much about wether the hifiman XS or arya or anything else is really worth your time or money. Its simply an awesome all around super duper detail headphone you can enjoy for a long time. Plus, it feels luxurious and high quality on your head.
Absolutely agree. It compliments my Focal Clear OG. Im still amazed the Nano gives me more detail than the Clear 🤯. But the Focal Clear is less fatiguing and I can listen for hours and hours. But every time I go back to the Nano, that clarity, soundstage, the amazing imaging and speed. It's addictive 😁👍
@@S.G54321 Well..In terms of details,sound seperation and other technical aspects -NANO is for sure a very good..But..I can only use them with eq where i cut a good amount of db in highs. I understand the idea to boost the high frequencies for emphasize the details,but i think it has been done not in a smart way. For example Sundara - there's plenty of details ..But it doesn't sound so harsh and sizzle in highs. I mean..this trick with high freq emphasis should be done in a more smart way but not like a default tuning.
Super wish reviews talked about movie watching as well.
Movies with headphones is such an amazing experience compared to some home soundbar and speaker systems.
If a movie is character driven, slow, headphones create a much more intimate experience with the story and characters.
Even some movies with a lot of action and spectacle can benefit from headphones. Like Avenger Infinity War and the fight with thanos. Often the fights are 1v1 so the detail in that spectacle just feels better.
good headphones can move you into the same room with actor, it can be real out of your head sound, sometimes I can turn my head and watch if it was real sound or from movie :)
I watch Dune on my phone s second time just so I could easily use my IEMs to listen to it. It was incredible.
been using headphone for movie and anime for the past 10 years, its is an experience
As far as resolution what electrostatic matches it or still better ??
HE-1 tested and filmed in Munich High End with GoldenSound.
How does it compare to the Ananda Stealth?
Thanks for the review. Headphone made in Ireland? Cost more than your Car? Is it Sennheiser. Is HE-1 made in Ireland?
damn i think this is the perfect headphone for me
First.
Edit: DANGIT! I'm not!
Joshua Valour
@@metal571 Joshua Valour
ranking list needs an update sir
waiting for Arya Organic review
I think I'm going to wait until at least a few months.
Let public beta test the reliability of the new diaphragm.
Or just don’t buy chi-fi turds at all
Please review the Hifiman Audivina soon as you can.
How does it compare to Edition XS from which I found no reason to upgrade to the old Ananda?
From Bloom Audio's review of the Ananda Nano: "In terms of sound, the original Ananda is brighter than the Ananda Nano, with notably less bass. The timbre isn’t as natural, and there’s more tendency for tinniness in the treble. Edition XS is the hottest in the treble, but has very strong bass extension, extending deeper in the bass than the original Ananda. XS lacks Ananda’s warmth though and can feel a little cold or hollow, particularly in comparison to the more natural, full Ananda Nano."
Oooooh sounds like an upgrade to the XS for sure. @@TheRealPotoroo
This was a great video especially explaining the curve!! Helped a tone.
I hope DMS drive's a cheap junker that way this can give me hope at the HD 800's successor being the secret headphone.
Awesome thanks, and they look beautiful
How does this stack up to the Arya Organic?
what's the music playing on the video man?
While the clamp force experienced with headphones is mostly due to their physical structure, there is a subtle force exerted by the passive magnetism of the drivers. Normally this poses no problem at all but in the unlikely event of Earth taking a direct hit from a solar flare, these passive magnets might be instantly turned into super-powered electromagnets with a skull crushing force. This makes IEMs a safer choice because they would come together in the middle ear and could be pulled back out by the cables.
I want some of whatever you're using...
@@bernardoandrade88 Right now it is the Dunu Zen Pro EIMs. Very powerful magnets in those👍🏻
You better remove this before the writers of the next Final Destination movie steal it from you.
@@bernardoandrade88 his pic is of a mushroom, so...
@@chungang7037 it’s actually a left side TWS earbud that happens to somewhat resemble a mushroom.
will it benefit with a balanced cable? or will it kill its bass due to its so low impedance? thanks
DMS Thanks Much !.......
I don't know why I love the OG Ananda even against the Arya... I wonder if this is better
Arya has a brighter sound sig. Arya Organic is very bright, siblant at times, but after EQ it sounds way better than Ananda imo purely because of the big soundstage and detail retrieval. But at that price, you'd expect it to perform well regardless.
Douglas
Thanks for yet another great review!
Are Warwick headphones made in Ireland? I had thought they were made in the UK. Otherwise my guess would have been a sequel to the Aperio. Now I will have to sleuth out who makes headphones in Ireland.
Looks like it might be some sort of Sennheiser, as others guessed before me.
The ananda nano with a Harman 2018 eq is one of the best things I’ve heard. Cleanest, deepest, and punchiest bass frequencies. I think the Ananda nano is superior to the 109 Pro. The 109 pro is too metallic and sibilant. Sounds like it’s scratching my brain. Ananda Nano has treble detail without being harsh/fatiguing.
what are the upsides of going planar with ananda nano over something dynamic like 109 or other options? for electronic music specifically
I may be wrong but what I’ve gathered from my experience is planar allows the headphone to be more open well because they are spaced out magnets and I believe there is a higher ceiling for details and slam though, a dynamic might have more bass in quantity, and in the least I’m pretty sure all planars are low impedance if that matters.
@@MothMales Thats a good amount of it. Resolve describes Planars as having a more "plucked" quality which I actually think describes the feeling well. The sound on a planar sounds more abrupt, clean, resolute, stocato, etc which gives the impression of a very engaging and clean, modern listen even on older tracks. Dynamics represent sound very similar to how speakers would, which yeah is usually leaving room for more punchy bass, but things sound more fused together rather than the cleaner sound of a planar (generally, there are exceptions to this of course, like with some Audeze headphones)
The whole impedence and spl thing is honestly something most listeners shouldnt really pay much mind to unless there is an abnormal amount of power needed like a Susvara. Ive used 20ohm planar headphones that take a lot of power to drive well just like a 300ohm headphone would, and not all high ohm headphones are extremely hard to drive either. Really, unless youre at like the end-game of this hobby spending near $1k on headphones (which is fine), Id just be focused on having a solid $200 amp/dac setup and calling it a day on any headphones. Its better you budget for that first when starting out vs. buying a headphone thats $200 more expensive (which as many will tell you, often times isnt always a straight "upgrade")
More detail, more realistic presence and space instead of cramped in your head. Faster speed without "blur". Dynamics have potential for more "punch" but the upper end Hifimans are surprisingly good for punch, among planars, and hold their own. The slightly bright aspect does fill out their punch with a bit of that "impact" and here we're talking about those slight treble bites and crashes that usually accompany the bass drums and percussion. "Snap" fills out the "punch" I guess is what I'm saying.
Hmmm, planars have better bass extension, that's a big one for electronic. Yeah. A for bass extension, B for punch. Dynamics are more like A for punch and B for bass extension.
Cost more than your car + made in Ireland? New Sennheiser? HE 1?
Also, how does the Nano do as far as tactility of sound? My main issue with Planars is their overall softness. I perceive them as less engaging and musical than relatively less target adherent/detailed Dynamic Drivers, for that reason
Thats a hifiman problem. Audeze are very dynamic across their entire FR, they've just been too warm sounding up until the lcd5 to appreciate.
@@enjoshi-godrez8775 interesting
Lol, i've took a picture with you in Munich, near the booth with THAT headphones, but will not spill your little secret =D
Will the headphones show match Apos sale prices. Arya Stealth for $999 dollars looks like a good deal.
I have the Arya stealth paired with a Fiio K9 pro ESS. It's perfect! You should definitely try them
@@nativeenglish2u I have a BTR7 so hopefully that would work equally as well.
@@dangerzone007 The only pairing I wasn't keen on was with R2R DACs. I found the Hifiman ef400 a little too dry. Even with cheaper stacks like the atom, the Arya's perform really well. You should be fine with the BTR7👍🏻
@@nativeenglish2u I just saw a review of the fiio k9pro ESS. It was a rave review so sure it would do better than my little BTR7. I mostly listen to music walking around the flat so I will try it and see what happens.
@@dangerzone007 it's the best thing I've ever heard. Such a smooth and balanced sound but with plenty of detail. I'm so happy with it. Dare I say I have my ultimate system 🤐
I use an M15 with my Edition XS and had to EQ the bass. It sounds good, but it still needs more "oomf" (even at max volume on my PC). I'm going to try a Chord Mojo 2 next.
Careful. You'll reveal a bit of buzzing in the driver at higher bass volumes. And you'll never be able to unhear it and it will bother you for forever and you'll end up returning your XS's No matter how much you like them. Don't ask me how I know 😅
@@smolzillamakes Pretty sure I only heard a buzz when I put the M15 in high gain and start to turn the volume way up. I listen to a lot of rock and metal, so my music doesn't have much "air" between the notes to hear it anyway.
@@SpirallingOut M15 doesn't have a lot of power into low impedance, buzzing at high volume can be because its clipping. This is an issue with the amp, not the headphone. The same headphone shouldn't buzz on a source with enough power, mine certainly doesn't. I have the M15 and can get distortion on it with the Edition XS which is moderately hard to drive... no distortion on a desktop amp (Topping A90, Fiio K7, Fiio K5 Pro). Unless you really need the portability you can get a better desktop amp for much less money than the Mojo2, Fiio K7 at $199 would be a better bet for a full size planar.
@@blorg8206 At the moment money's tight. I find it cheaper & more convenient to just use the one portable all-in-one amp/DAC like the M15 for both portable and home listening. I also like the small footprint. I could afford to try the K7 but I have considered getting a dedicated desktop stack at some point - Geshelli Archel 3 Pro & J2. Would that be better than a K7?
@@blorg8206 Just picked up Koss/Drop KSC75X (60Ω). Highly moddable and should be high enough impedance for the M15, yes?
Looking forward to see your impression about the Arya Organic😉
The review will go like "it sounds very organic".
He's delaying the review because it's going to be a big one. Aryas are heavy hitters at their price point. As in, best value at their price period. Word on the street is these Organics are surprisingly good.
If someone has sundara and ananda nano.. I ll be happy to hear the differences..
I just received my ananda nano today : the bass is much better, at high volumes they rattle because of the bass. The bass quality is spot-on, it sounds so efortless! The details are much better, the soundstage is much much more bigger, better imaging, but the treble at 6-8k is about 5-6 dB too much for me so I will try to see if I adapt to it if not I will EQ it down. On the Sundara I didn't had to use any EQ at all, will see if i have to use here. And the vocals on the Ananda nano have been pushed to the front which is better for me, the timbre is very close to the Sennheiser. They are also easier to drive than the Sundara
ok thanks for sharing..i had sundara(sold becouse fatiguing) and now i have he 400se and edition xs..the edition xs are the hardest to drive..with the fiio k9 in balanced .. high gain around 11 o clock.. but is shoking how the edition xs completely demolish both in every reguard@@NarciisJr
also the speed is much more improved over the sundara.
Gary Moore-still got the blues sounds like 1.25x speed on ananda nano compared to sundara@@TheMaurob1979
That is not a suspension strap. E.g. K612 Pro, K701, K702, K1000, Q701, Modern Retro, Fidelio X2, HD681 EVO, and Rognir use a suspension strap. The strap on Ananda literally does not suspend.
Between these and Moondrop Venus what should i choose?, i really like the build and design of the Venus and at the moment im rocking the ifi zen stack with Seinheiser HD700's and im thinking of updating to one of these 2 headphones
Defs the Hifiman Ananda Nano. If you have eq, they can really hit hard. And the price to performance is insane. They scale with better gear, for me it was either a Focal Clear OG/MG, Meze 109 Pro, Audeze LCD-X 2021/M500, Senn HD800s. I walked out with the Hifiman Ananda Nano. They have the most detail out of all the headphones mentioned. They are the fastest sounding. They slam nicely. Imaging is insane, easily on par with M500, HD800s, soundstage is less than HD800s but bigger than the rest. It's just insane how good the technicalities are for so low of a price. Easily just for sound alone I'd pay double or a bit more than double. Source synergy matters big time though. Nothing bright, something leaning towards warm or if you can, tubes tubes tubes. Tubes make a massive world of difference. They widen the soundstage, add more depth and improve imaging. Add more oomph into the low end, make mids lusher and more life like. Smoothen the treble while keeping detail. Ananda Nano and a nice hybrid amp or solid state amp with a tube pre amp is planar endgame. Yes there is the Arya Organic. But it's not $700 better. Maybe $50 - $100 better in sound. Then comes slightly better build and all that. The Ananda Nano is potential endgame. If you have tubes. Go for it. But if you can eq, a slight low shelf from 120hz of 3db and then a slight highshelf at 3.8khz of -2db really makes them a fun and extremely engaging listen. Absolutely love the Nano
Hifiman. Great pairing for Sennheiser. I can switch back and forth between Hifiman and Senn and got all my bases covered. My Beyers are lonely now, don't need 'em at all.
I really like my Sen’s 650’s…I’m looking for the next step up ….🤔
Great review….the treble may be the issue ….but this looks very interesting.
Thanks for the review….I’ll keep an eye for the organic!
Take care ☕️🍕🥓🔥👍
Good planars are a great pairing with the 650's. You'll enjoy the diversity of sound signature. You got a neutral warm/dark, sounds perfect to go for neutral bright with hyper-detail.
I don't have Organics but I got the v3 Aryas and wow oh wow, if Organic is as good or better, you're going to love it. A big step up, I promise.
@@PartyMusic775 Thanks for the advice…however my 60th birthday came and went in the meantime 🥳
I went with the LCDX 2021 Creators Package 📦..added a Schiit Lokius and a new amplifier..in essence I rebuilt my headphone stack.
Still rocking my Sen’s 650’s and the HiFiman 400i 2020..I’m good tho this look interesting 🤔.
Great review.
Take care 👍🍕☕️
what do you think of the 400i ? I want to replace my focal listen pro
@@willseal582 For the money , they’re a good deal ..as for me I run my 650’s more than the HiFiman..but I’m slowly changing that over the summer 😉
@@carminedesanto6746 Thanks for the answer, I'm little bit against the 650's for the bass respons which I have heard it's too gentle
HE560v4, thank me later. And you will.
Is HIFIMAN doing iterations every year now? Or does it just seem that way for some models.
Can you purchase the Arya headband and switch out?
Sennheiser Orpheus coming next?
I add a little treble shelf to my Utopias 2022 as I think they are rolled off.
This headphone could be up my valley.
Hifiman was way too treble happy with this
ananda nano is on par with hd800s in technical and hd800s is on par with arya so you mean ananda nano is on par with arya?
Yes and no. Detail, speed and raw resolution. Yes, the Ananda Nano is high up there with the HD800s and Arya. It has a crazy amount of detail. At times it surpasses the HD800s. When it comes to soundstaging, the HD800s and Arya are still larger. But the Nano is no slouch and puts a strong fight. It's still a large soundstage. Tuning is in between the HD800s and Arya. Basically imagine if the HD800s and Arya had a child. That's the Ananda Nano. It has more slam, detail than HD800s but a little less than Arya. Less soundstage than HD800s and Arya but imaging that's on par. Tuning that's inbetween HD800s and Arya. Bass slam and extension that's on par with Arya and better than HD800s. Build is good, but Arya and HD800s have a slight edge. When it comes to sound and price performance though. That's where it really shines. The Ananda Nano does some things better than the HD800s and Arya..... I'd choose the Nano over the HD800s. But compared to the Arya? Maybe. I could go for an Arya. Or take the Ananda Nano and upgrade my gear? Honestly, I'd do the Nano and upgrade my gear. The last 10% - 5% you are missing is that slight edge on detail, slightly better soundstage and a slightly better tuning. With some eq on the Ananda Nano, you can get a better tuning than Arya Organic. Ok now the Arya Organic is 8% - 5% better. Is that worth $700 more to you?
Is the housing really plastic? I heard different from another review site.
I'm going to have to guess the HE-1 only because I know sennheiser does (or did?) some of their manufacturing there. Big if true.
If these have smoother treble ... I CANT IMAGINE HOW PAINFUL THE ARYA WAS. The peak at 3khz is what killed it for me. I'm having a very hard time adjusting because of it. It either makes the records sound great o it destroys them conpletely. Not to mention due to the harsh peak in the 3khz, some tracks sound VERY anemic/lacking thickness.
Again I hear the word "faster"... What's "faster bass"????
I've always wondered that myself. Someone should make a video explaining this "fast" concept
@@elasmojones turns out "faster" means more definition. If the driver is able to move faster, the definition of the sound wave is supposed to be more true to analog sound wave. I had a debate with another audiophile channel about this. The headphone diaphragm can't move any faster than it already does. If it goes up to 27khz that's as fast as it will ever be. The only difference in sound at the end of the day is the frequency response of the headphone. Something these audiophile never even consider as a strong point for audiophile headphones.
@@shul5684 thanks for the explanation. I suppose most of the dynamics (which I have) have a similar speed, so its not something I've heard with my ears.
@@elasmojones exactly. Physical speed of the driver is pretty much the same on all of them. The only difference between them would be the volume you can get on those frequencies(bass,lowmids,highmids,treble). The most obvious example is the bass or the treble. Having said that there are some headphones which are capable of reaching over 20khz and go lower than 20hz(this is the human hearing range) however using that "they are faster" phrase does little to NOTHING on "explaining" how you are hearing the sound.
Im dissapointed. I thought they made an iem that looks like an ananda.
This or the Focal Clear OG for Metal with a fiio k7?
Depends. It's an extremely hard choice. The Clear OG has more dynamic punch and slam. Also it's a little warmer and less fatiguing. But damn, the Ananda Nano is mind blowing with its separation, imaging, detail and speed. Kawir and Havukruunu is simply insane good on the Ananda Nano. But if you are pairing it with the Fiio K7 maybe the Clear OG is a better choice. But don't sleep on the Ananda Nano. They are freaking insane, but can be amp picky especially with brighter sources. I jump between the Clear OG and Ananda Nano depending on mood. But the Nano gives me the biggest smile with metal 🤘🔥🤙. It brings metal to life and you feel that speed and drive in the guitars and drums.
@@S.G54321 I now own both :). I definitely prefer the clears because the nanos are really bright. The Nanos have insane imaging and separation though. On the fence if I am going to keep them.
Tengo el Schiit Vali 2,++ si lo recomiendan para el hifiman nano??
I guarantee they did silver on this and the special silver Sundara so you can't see rhe scratching from the headband design... Still looks cool though
Soundstage vs the arya stealth?
the maximum i payed for a headphone is 450€ the beyer dt 1770 pro, but the ananda nano looks really good... (;
still waiting on your google sheets website replacement Douglas
The treble elevation is seriously not at an ok level for most people.
Made in Ireland and costs more than his car. And he already reviewed the HE1. So it's something else from Sennheiser and it's super pricey that almost none of us can afford. How unexciting.
How's the quality control?
In terms of quality control, we have no quality control.
bad
wish i could upgrade my og ananda to the better version
I don t get the fixation of Hifiman with tremble in all its models.Why they don't make an upgrade to Sundara?
They really should update their budget lines headband too. These ones on the Nano here suck balls, and the ones on the Edition XS is too loose clamp wise and they creak.
Yeah it is weird, it feels like they don't want to mess with products that probably sell the most.
Does it sound nano
waiting for Arya Organic
Orpheus I guess??? HE-1???
Planars should never be paired with otl amps. If you want to go the tube route go for transformer coupled amps..
That is correct
Why not show and explain the raw graph and target briefly and then switch over to compensated?
I bet their youtube analytics show that people skipped those sections with graphs, or he cares less about them then he wants to let on.
“Time constraints editing this week because I’m prepping another huge video”
-D
Is that driver the same size as the Shangri La Sr? I know that is electrostatic but that sounds like they got the magnetic drivers of the Ananda down to the same size of an electrostatic driver?
What do you mean magnets? The shangri-la has no magnets. Lol.
@@enjoshi-godrez8775
It sounds like they got the magnetic driver of this new Ananda to the same thinness of the electrostatic Shangri La. My b I wasn’t clear enough there
@@sephondranzeryou mean the driver itself? Because we call that a diaphragm, not a magnet driver.
@@sephondranzerit probably is. The shangri-la is around 2μm. Though audezes flagships are 4 times thinner than that.
@@enjoshi-godrez8775
That’s crazy though if you think about it. Never knew that about the Audeze’s either. So many companies misuse “nano” as a marketing gimmick I thought that was a gimmick! Thanks dude
yes! 600 usd with sundara headband ! that if you wear it a dozen times the logo starts to fade !!!!!!! and I had to change the leather band after about two months because it tore!!!! nothing to complaint about the sound (sundara) very very happy.
hello, nice review! im pretty much at the start of this hobby and im undecided, if anyone can help me here, very much appreciated!
looking for a headphone at home for fun listening - currently unsure about edition xs, ananda nano and arya organic - also need amp dac - budget around max 1300euros but the lower the better^
to my preferences; i listen to edm,techno,trance,hype trailers.. i prefer wide soundstage, good bass (subbass) and dynamics/punch.. vocals arent important, maybe clarity but i dont like them beeing forward/in your face,. esp would like some depth in the music for trance - i have focal elegia rn, i like the dynamics and bass but the soundstage is pretty bad imo - i hate when the music just is up your head instead of very wide infront of you/on sides aswell.. i had problems with dt990 treble and have small tinnitus problems- listening for a few hours shouldnt make my ears hurt xd..- is it possible to eq that a bit and be fine? or is hifiman a generally bad idea because of brightness/treble design? for previous ananda/edition xs owners; do you think the ananda nano presented here fit my prefered type of listening/music better/worse? why?
very curious if the arya organic might also be better for me, but since you mentioned this is best for edm, maybe the arya is better for detail/classic music and a more neutral sound? is the arya organic review coming in the next days/weeks? so excited! :)
very open for feedback/help in this situation, can also reach out to me on reddit DSThresh if anyone's reading this and has some knowledge/time;) thankyou!!
Hifiman, while "slightly bright" isn't a sharp kind of bright, and they also respond to EQ a lot better than other headphones.
Planars aren't going to be as punchy as Focal dynamics because those are kings of punch. But Aryas have considerable punch, very acceptable and enjoyable, maybe competitive to Elegia (but not Clear.)
Arya Stealth have sound stage, good bass punch, and the treble brightness has a softer sweet presentation that doesn't hurt me at all. You can get a ridiculously good deal on the now. It's going to outperform every headphone you asked about except the Arya Organics -- which I haven't heard but probably are even better bass and sound stage, from what reviewers have said. Based on your preferences that's what I recommend.
You ask what Arya is better for and it's not like you think. They are an all-rounder "good at absolutely everything" kind of headphone.
With that said, if 1300EUR is your limit, every little bit you save for a better amp is going to be important. Ananda Nano plus good better amp is probably better than Aryas with cheap dac/amp. In my opinion.
The Arya organic is nice but it has nothing vs the Arya bio, free range, non GMO, organic, grass fed.
Will you do a review on the Logitech G Pro X2 Wireless? It's another 250$ wireless gaming headset, so wanted to know how it performs
I got catfished by the thumbnail 😭
joshua valour
Is a shill
Voshua Jalour
Joshua Graham
Arya organic sooner than later
Still noob vs Edition XS?😮
4:28 "the grit...of a sine in a synth" nice try lol
Not a fan of analog synths?
@@DMS3TV I love them! It's just that if you're referring to the waveform type used in an oscillator, a sine wave is not a "gritty" one, as it generally has no remarkable harmonics outside of its fundamental tone
Ireland, Car 🤔 Sennheiser HE-1.
Too much treble peaks
I got 2nd gen Arya - pre Stealth and I am not getting any more chinese gear unless there is nothing else that do the job. The problem with China, aside the politics and economics, is that they never focus on a thing and make it to not be outdated for years or decades, like HD600, Qtest or WA22. I got mine 2 years ago and they are already 3 generations old and it is a small change every time, and they can’t justify existing at the same time on the market like HD650 or HD660. I will give away my arya and since this is a hobby not a necesity, I decided to focus only on cool gear that even if they will eventually go out of production, will still have their mark in audio history and that means cutting out china products..
Just dont buy.. just because you bought the anada that doesn't mean u Need to go upgrade every 2 years or so.. these headphones can past over 6 years.
I totally get your point and agree.
@@a2raya772 but rtx 4090 is out and I need to buy it and then buy rtx 5090 so don't feel left out
@@gmansmiley2984 yeah its those clowns who go upgrade every 2 years and barely get any notice difference lol. i bought the Anada nano and i love those.
first
They live from us and not answer a single question.. sad
If it has too much treble learn how to use EQ.
what happens when you eq the treble? since by that logic you could also ''just eq dt 990'' but reviewers say theyre bad..
@@ssolx5527 there a limits to how much bass boost you can give but EQing treble is not a problem.
@@dangerzone007 okey thanks, but why do ppl destroy dt990's because of treble?^^ shouldnt they keep the headphone and eq the treble? does having to tame treble with eq destroy the entire headphone tuning this way?
@@ssolx5527 generally narrow peaks are harder to remedy with EQ. If the whole treble area is boosted evenly it's a lot easier.
@@ssolx5527 can you know how to EQ you can get any headphone to sound a lot better. I'm tempted to get a DT 990 just to prove my point.
ok before this vid you were cool, now you act cool. thats not good. change that back! :)
How's the resonance? Why not just buy some Audeze headphones? Better construction. Made in America.
Who cares about 'built in America' lol. America is shite
Love my LCD-X but my Ananda are lighter and a bit more comfy...but Audeze sound stage is vaster
@@WalkinTheWay how's the detail between the two?
@@OblivionIce Bass pitch and definition is better with the Audeze but Ananda gives you enough you don't think anything is missing, same with trebles; Ananda seems brighter because mids are just slightly recessed, LCD-X is fuller there so trebles seem less pronounced but everythings all there. They both feel 'fast' as far as snare drum/percussion stuff goes
@@OblivionIce Yeah Id suggest listening to an Audeze (preferebly the LCD X open) and a pair of Anandas, Aryas, Edition XS. They just sound very different, neither brand outright replaces the other, and not everyone likes the Audeze pillow ear pad clamp (I do, but I get why some dont).
"play gnar"... I can't tell you how crazy it drives me that the headphone community has collectively decided to mispronounce planar... cringe