HIFIMAN launched its new planar magnetic headphone, the Ananda, which was available on demo. The Ananda is a high efficiency design, which can be driven by most smartphones.
Also on demo was a new digital audio player and several of HIFIMAN's other headphones, including the flagship Shangri-La electrostaic system, the Shangri-La Jr. , and the HE 1000 V2 planar magnetic.
© Wayne Butcher
These guys (Hifiman) are on fire ! They’ll dominate the headphone market as Sennheiser, Beyer, Koss -the old guard, once did.
I quickly auditioned HFM’s ‘Susvara’ (?) can recently (approx. $500. CA$) . Noting excellent build quality (metal ‘frame’), sound quality however had distracting LF “bloom” and a rather ‘tipsy’ (ramped-up) HF emphasis. I suspect this may be ‘break-in’ related, noting 150 (or so) hours before my personal 400i’s settled. Naturally, the SQ experienced may very well have been source/amp related/ influenced.
In any case, Hifiman’s continual increasing high-sensitivity designs coupled to excellent fit/comfort and several models of outstanding sound quality as the company evolves has demonstrated an impressive trajectory that may leave competitor’s far behind.
(Exceptions may include Stax and long-loved and excellent models from other leading headphone makers.)
All-in-all, ‘Hifiman’ represents a solid line of headphones; build quality, performance and price..
pj