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Hifiman Ananda Review (headphone)

SlowCar

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I suspect either the main headband or possibly one of the yoke stems is a little deformed/bent.
I highly suspect plastic part on headband (adjustment mechanism) but i can't be sure for 100%.

I'm starting to suspect trolling so I think this will be my last comment on this.
No trolling in any way. If You have access to Ananda please try do what You have adviced me - than maybe You will see what it is all about.
@MayaTlab has described it perfectly (with great drawings).
 

solderdude

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The free space between the cup and the yoke (drawn in red)

.
clearance.jpg
 
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GaryH

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Please post a video showing exactly what happens when you try to do as I described in my previous post starting with the positioning in the photo of this post.
 

solderdude

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@solderdude it measures the same

So not the cups nor the yokes.
Must be the headband. It may have been bent a little.
Either return it when it bothers you, learn to live with it or bend the headband (metal part only) a little each time till the cups 'hang' in the middle at the same height. (at your own risk).
 

GaryH

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At this rate, I think I am ready to send him mine just to make this stop :oops:
Or easier, you could just post another photo of your pair with the headband and yokes shifted to one side as in this post, to confirm my suspicion that there's absolutely nothing wrong with his pair ;)
 

SlowCar

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@Rayman30 pm with address sent. I am waiting for tracking.

I have just started repair procedure at dealer.
 

odyo

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Hifiman.... This brand is absolutely horrible. Just after my warranty ended, headphone literally fall apart and today the right driver is died. Huge loss for me where i live. It's years of saving. What Hifiman do is absolutely scammy and disrespectful.
 

BlackTalon

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sorry to hear that. Contact them anyway. Mine are going strong and have had zero issues, which seems much more typical.
 

odyo

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sorry to hear that. Contact them anyway. Mine are going strong and have had zero issues, which seems much more typical.
Customer service showed a middle finger. I have to pay more than Edition XS price to get a replacement. I wouldn't say your experience is typical. It's way too common issue with Hifimans. In case of Ananda, it's $700 product and cost near $1k with shipping and taxes. Has only 1 year warranty and has a very poor build, design and reliability. Barely 1.5 years of use and my $1k is gone. And the $1k is incredible amount of money in my country. Average wage(monthly) is like $300 and you can barely live with that let alone saving. No other headphone died on me and no other headphone degraded as much as Ananda in span of 1.5 years. And the severity of this problem shows that it's either a planned obsolescence or fault with the design/fabrication. It's not a customer fault.
 

BlackTalon

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I have not read much about Ananda failures, so this is news to me. Mine were an open box sale, and netted out to ~$550. They looked completely untouched when I opened the box. I have looked them over and struggled to see the poor build/ poor design -- can you please be more specific about the failures you have encountered? Any photos so I know what to look for?
 

GaryH

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haha, well I can at least send you some more pics if you need, when I get around to it.
Please post them on this thread if you do, so we can all see this 'mystery' solved.
 
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GaryH

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In case of Ananda, it's $700 product and cost near $1k with shipping and taxes. Has only 1 year warranty and has a very poor build, design and reliability. Barely 1.5 years of use and my $1k is gone. And the $1k is incredible amount of money in my country. Average wage(monthly) is like $300 and you can barely live with that let alone saving.
Perhaps you now understand why I asked this question.
 

LoyK

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Hifiman.... This brand is absolutely horrible. Just after my warranty ended, headphone literally fall apart and today the right driver is died. Huge loss for me where i live. It's years of saving. What Hifiman do is absolutely scammy and disrespectful.

Did you check if this is a maybe a simple problem with the connection/soldering to the driver?
I would remove the pad like described in the manual and maybe bring it to a local electrician (if you have no clue).
 

Robbo99999

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Customer service showed a middle finger. I have to pay more than Edition XS price to get a replacement. I wouldn't say your experience is typical. It's way too common issue with Hifimans. In case of Ananda, it's $700 product and cost near $1k with shipping and taxes. Has only 1 year warranty and has a very poor build, design and reliability. Barely 1.5 years of use and my $1k is gone. And the $1k is incredible amount of money in my country. Average wage(monthly) is like $300 and you can barely live with that let alone saving. No other headphone died on me and no other headphone degraded as much as Ananda in span of 1.5 years. And the severity of this problem shows that it's either a planned obsolescence or fault with the design/fabrication. It's not a customer fault.
Man, that sucks, really sorry to hear that, especially given your comparisons you made to the average wage in your country. If I was you (and given the monetary comparisons you made) I'd stay away from $700 headphones, maybe try the Senn HD560s, it's my favourite headphone - good soundstage, stock frequency response is quite close to Harman and easy to fix with EQ (Oratory EQ), and low distortion headphone too, £169 in my country the UK, so would be a lot less money than your Anandas.
 

odyo

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Perhaps you now understand why I asked this question.
I still don't understand what is your point in both topics. What are you trying to tell really ?
I have not read much about Ananda failures, so this is news to me. Mine were an open box sale, and netted out to ~$550. They looked completely untouched when I opened the box. I have looked them over and struggled to see the poor build/ poor design -- can you please be more specific about the failures you have encountered? Any photos so I know what to look for?
I may do a post about all the problems backed by pictures when i don't feel lazy. English is not my native language so i don't feel confident describing the problems. Overall the design and materials are pretty bad. How it's all combined (fabrication process) very poor. Reliability of headband, earpad, drivers etc all bad. It's ridiculous. If you have experience with Sennheiser, Beyerdynamic and even newbie Focal you will understand better. Hifiman feels like built in basement with underpaid slaves with the goal of cutting cost to the extremes, cheaping out and having planned obsolescence to sell you spare parts with premium price or make you buy a new headphone. I get it, this hobby is for the rich people but still, not ethical.
Did you check if this is a maybe a simple problem with the connection/soldering to the driver?
I would remove the pad like described in the manual and maybe bring it to a local electrician (if you have no clue).
I doubt it but i'll investigate it for sure.
Man, that sucks, really sorry to hear that, especially given your comparisons you made to the average wage in your country. If I was you (and given the monetary comparisons you made) I'd stay away from $700 headphones, maybe try the Senn HD560s, it's my favourite headphone - good soundstage, stock frequency response is quite close to Harman and easy to fix with EQ (Oratory EQ), and low distortion headphone too, £169 in my country the UK, so would be a lot less money than your Anandas.
I will go back to my trusty DT 770. Economy is f'ed right now so i don't think i will be able to buy anything soon. Ananda is 2x more expensive right now lol. I paid 6400, it's 12800 right now despite staying at the same $700 price. Things weren't this bad. I get into bitcoin to save up slowly but it dropped this month pretty bad. Unlucky month.
 
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