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Hifiman Ananda Review (headphone)

Doodski

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Trying to find DAC and Amplifier for Ananda.
Can someone help me with an advise, which to buy, not expensive but power up my Ananda on 100% ?
thanks.
What price range is not expensive?
 

Paul_d

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What price range is not expensive?
$300
But if you say, that I can hear advantages on $600 devices, I probably going for them...

Main question - where is a line that give me difference in sound that I can hear and where is start useless spent of money.
 

Jimbob54

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Trying to find DAC and Amplifier for Ananda.
Can someone help me with an advise, which to buy, not expensive but power up my Ananda on 100% ?
Its can be even combo, like EX5...

thanks.

What is your source (phone or pc or something else)?

Do you (or do you want to) use EQ?
 

Doodski

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$300
But if you say, that I can hear advantages on $600 devices, I probably going for them...

Main question - where is a line that give me difference in sound that I can hear and where is start useless spent of money.
The good news is the HiFi Man Ananda is pretty efficient and does not require lots of power.
index.php

I suggest for a starting price for good sound the JDS Labs Atom Amp+ tested here and the Atom DAC+ tested here.
 

Jimbob54

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The good news is the HiFi Man Ananda is pretty efficient and does not require lots of power.
index.php

I suggest for a starting price for good sound the JDS Labs Atom Amp+ tested here and the Atom DAC+ tested here.

If the poster is only ever going to use the Ananda with it, I'd say get the E1DA 9038S3 (if using balanced plug) or 9038D if single ended.

Saves $100 or so and makes their rig highly portable.
 

Paul_d

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Thanks!
Its really not expensive :)

Do you advice forgot about Balanced connections and used only Jacks ?
 

Jimbob54

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Thanks!
Its really not expensive :)

Do you advice forgot about Balanced connections and used only Jacks ?

Me? For this headphone, yes, don't buy a balanced cable especially. If you have one already use it but dont expect anything more than more volume for any given setting on your amp.
 

Jimbob54

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but what about sound quality ? it is present in this little stick ? :)

Yes. Or, more importantly, these little sticks add nothing to the source file.
 

Paul_d

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Me? For this headphone, yes, don't buy a balanced cable especially. If you have one already use it but dont expect anything more than more volume for any given setting on your amp.
It was for Doodsky, but thanks for answers.
 

Doodski

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It was for Doodsky, but thanks for answers.
For your price range of ~$300 or less the balanced is a luxury that can't be afforded unless you go with the DAC/Amp that @Jimbob54 suggested for you. You won't hear a difference with balanced other than maybe a bit more power output from the amp. @Jimbob54 suggested the thumb drive sized DAC/amp which is a pretty good unit with onboard EQ. If you want EQ with the Atom DAC and Amp then you will need a PC for a source or purchase a miniDSP. The EQ for headphones is important because it makes a big improvement. You will need EQ/PEQ with whatever you buy.
 

Paul_d

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EQ dont bother me. Curious, is this 9038D stick sound better than my phone via mini-jack connector ? And now I used Ananda via Harman-Kardon HK680 big old amplifier. What do you think, 9038D can give me better sound quality than I already have ?
 

Doodski

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EQ dont bother me.
The sound with EQ is much much better. :D

is this Atom stick sound better than my phone via mini-jack connector ?
The Atom Amp+ will have more power than your phone. The sound quality will be a bit better on the Atom Amp+ although you might not notice.

And now I used Ananda via Harman-Kardon HK680 big old amplifier. What do you think, Atom can give me better sound quality than I already have ?
The Atom Amp+ will sound a bit better than the HK680 although you might not notice the improvement. These are small improvements. The HK680 might go louder too.
 

Jimbob54

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EQ dont bother me. Curious, is this 9038D stick sound better than my phone via mini-jack connector ? And now I used Ananda via Harman-Kardon HK680 big old amplifier. What do you think, 9038D can give me better sound quality than I already have ?
Unless the output from your phone is terrible dont expect any miraculous leaps in sound quality from anything. And if your phone is actually good for sound, it may be as good or better than any external devices. For these pretty easy to drive headphones.
 

Paul_d

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Thank you for your answers!
If amplifier I already have, DAC still needed, because my Creative X-Fi gamer can't be installed to the new PC (have no PCI slots). But DAC I should choose in other topics...

The sound with EQ is much much better.
Can you advice me a good EQ plug-in for Foobar2000 ? Or, maybe, other player with EQ and bit-to-bit perfect playback ?
 

Cisco150

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I have the Anandas would the Elex be better or more bass or the dt1990 @amirm or members of chat
 

Rayman30

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I have the Anandas would the Elex be better or more bass or the dt1990 @amirm or members of chat

I suspect the Elex would be a a great complimentary pair, as long as you don't crank them up to high (due to clipping issues)
 

SlowCar

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On my anandas one cup is lower than the other. Is it normal? Seems like problem with headband element or „fork” - i mean element coming to each cup.
 

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BlackTalon

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On my anandas one cup is lower than the other. Is it normal? Seems like problem with headband element or „fork” - i mean element coming to each cup.
The cups pull down/ push up. It looks like they are unevenly pulled out in your photo.
 
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