Hifiman Ananda Nano Headphone Review

[Esidemoken]

@Blorg
By sound signature I meant neutral not exactly the same as the headphone, but indeed I think the distortion problem is not as general a problem as it seems, I follow many youtubers who are very detailed and do not mention this problem with the headphone. I had considered the Sundara but since I can spend a little more I considered the Ananda nano since many recommend it as the most logical upgrade to the Sundara.

 

[Verig]

Anandas have much better soundstage than Sundara or 400's. Personally I'd never consider anything below Ananda.
Headphone measurements are pretty interesting. I'm totally fine with speakers - with them measurements always match what I hear and I understand what room does. Headphones are a bit different animal. It doesn't seem to be so simple to convert to hearing experience.

 

[Blorg]

Like @Verig says, really the Ananda is next level above the Sundara. Soundstage is much larger. The new ones (Stealth or Nano), the bass is also much better, the Sundara bass rolls off, the new Anandas the bass does not roll off (the OG Ananda, bass rolls off similar to the Sundara). Subjectively, comparing the Sundara to the Ananda Stealth, the bass is much more satisfying on the Ananda. The Sundara is closer to target 1.5-2.5kHz but I don't find this dip, common on most Hifimans, problematic, it increases the soundstage illusion.

The Sundara is lower from 2.5kHz up, it is substantially less bright sounding than the Ananda; to an extent this is a matter of taste, but the Sundara is closer to Harman here and is less likely to be harsh or offensive, most music I don't find the Ananda Stealth problematic but some music it can just be a bit too much, and the Sundara sounds better simply because it's less bright in this region. The Sundara to me tonally sounds quite close to the HD650/HD6XX, but without the "veil", generally cleaner and more detailed, slightly better bass extension, much better soundstage (than the HD650- much worse than the Ananda).

Overall, the Ananda (whether OG or Stealth) is a big step up from the Sundara for me. I haven't heard the Nano but I suspect it would be too. My impression, most people do think the Nano is more detailed and overall better than the Stealth. It uses the same diaphragm from the Arya. But it's also brighter, and the Stealth is already bright. So I think between the Stealth and Nano it comes down to whether you are OK with that extra brightness (for me, probably a negative, it's already bright enough) and want the mid-bass cut (probably a positive- cleaner and emphasises the lower bass more, I EQ something exactly like this in) and possibly the subjective extra resolution (positive), or save $100 for the Stealth. I would also say, all the Hifiman egg headphones sound very similar, it's really not huge differences between individual headphones. The Ananda to the HE1000 (which is my favourite headphone) is a much smaller jump than the Sundara to the Ananda, which is very noticeable.

 

[GoDawgs]

I traded in my Arya Stealths for the latter utilizing Hifiman’s ridiculously reasonable trade in policy—they’ll accept any lower-priced option for the higher-priced item of your choice for just the cost of outbound shipment plus a fraction of the list price delta.

Does anyone know where one could access this trade in policy? I bought a pair of Nanos that I will gladly upgrade to Aryas if I can. I purchased them more than 30 days ago and per the Hifiman website FAQs, I'm just outta luck.

 

[Blorg]

Does anyone know where one could access this trade in policy? I bought a pair of Nanos that I will gladly upgrade to Aryas if I can. I purchased them more than 30 days ago and per the Hifiman website FAQs, I'm just outta luck.

My understanding, you just email them and ask.

 

[srkbear]

Does anyone know where one could access this trade in policy? I bought a pair of Nanos that I will gladly upgrade to Aryas if I can. I purchased them more than 30 days ago and per the Hifiman website FAQs, I'm just outta luck.

I contacted Hifiman through their Amazon storefront, and they vetted the deal and then referred me to the Hifiman’s corporate store contact info to complete the purchase. You might try reaching out at [email protected] for a start. Good luck!

 

[Blorg]

I contacted Hifiman through their Amazon storefront, and they vetted the deal and then referred me to the Hifiman’s corporate store contact info to complete the purchase. You might try reaching out at [email protected] for a start. Good luck!

Out of interest, did the headphone have to have been purchased from Hifiman and/or an authorized dealer to do the upgrade deal?

 

[GoDawgs]

Out of interest, did the headphone have to have been purchased from Hifiman and/or an authorized dealer to do the upgrade deal?

i did not exchange them yet, but I understand that it does have to be an authorized dealer (Amazon is one I believe). I did read that you will need to have the original packaging, but I have not contacted the company yet (I bought some speakers instead) . I may have to start attending hi-fi anonymous. I've promised to stop decided to cut back on reading reviews of gear that I already own some form of.

 

[Ezees]

Figure 3 in https://www.head-fi.org/threads/totl-disappointments.925164/post-17949397 (post #936) shows the best I've measured from HiFiMan so far (note that due to my cheap 11-month-old HT-80A SPL meter having been off by quite a fair bit, my "100 dB" figures are actually closer to 96 dB with my latest SPL calibration methodology), though they definitely have QC issues with the construction of their drivers, possibly particularly worsened at least as of November of last year. Nonetheless, as bad as these distortion figures for the two November-QCed replacement units in that post look, said distortion was barely noticeable in practical listening.

For those disparaging HiFiMan, I would vie that for some, there are definitely quite the gains to the experience of such huge ear pads mind customs ones like by NTRAX Mod Design for an even greater amount of space, at least from a comfort, openness, and immersion perspective (larger pads incur a larger 1 kHz to 3 kHz dip). I've also found the transients on HiFiMan planars to be particularly incisive, though such is probably mainly noticed when playing Dirac impulses at levels far louder than you would find in practical music, probably simply revealing the driver's nonlinearities. For me, after experiencing large planar presentation, there is no going back, whereby there probably really are quite the technical compromises to offering this technology at a lower price point; one trades off a harder to control driver for a presentation very few headphones can compete with. Otherwise, I do very much hope for them to be able to refine the "HiFiMan egg" platform for achieving more competitive distortion performance.

"Nonetheless, as bad as these distortion figures.....look, said distortion was barely noticeable in practical listening".

To me, this is pretty much the gist of the whole "distortion" matter with every HFM can you've tested, IMO.

The "gist" being this: At sane levels (read as: even at an almost unbearable average listening level of around ~85dB - ie: which is really loud) - none of this so-called distortion is ever produced by the HP - nor is it apparent/heard when listening to actual music. Why measure starting at average of 94dB, then increasing to 104dB, to finally stop at 114dB? I get it that some musical peaks may - I repeat - may reach those high levels for a microsecond - but absolutely no one, at least no one who isn't already deaf, would ever listen to their music at anywhere near that high of an average level - rendering your distortion graphs at 94, 104, and 114 dB averages to be "information", but in a matter of practice....just a RCH close to being meaningless, IMO. I really wonder if it's just the unbearably loud test itself that's causing these "distortion problems" - chicken or the egg? Hmmm

I have on-hand - or have had - in my collection the HE400i 2020 (on indefinite loan to my cousin), the Sundara, the Ananda BT, the OG Ananda (boxed up, no longer used, need to sell), the Arya Stealth (boxed up, about to be replaced), and the newest HEKv2 Stealth (as well as my other cans) - and none of them have the characteristics mentioned in any of the HFM "reviews" that you've performed and posted. In fact, I hear all of them as being exceedingly clean, detailed, and capable compared to many dynamic driver cans. It's my opinion that with each move up the HFM ladder - the SQ of each next higher model has gotten just that much more resolving, just that more fleshed out, and ultimately - just that mo' better, IMO.

There is a reason that HFM either leads or is near the top in many HP price categories - that is, aside from being made in China and taking advantage of lower manufacturing costs (which = lower overall prices per category). It's this: HFM "brings it" when it comes to SQ - and the SQ heard vs the price paid for a planar quotient alone makes up for the less than stellar QC (mostly in their lower lines from the fact of being planars - which are just plainly more difficult to manufacture period - ask Audeze). Dynamic drivers are muuuch easier to manufacture consistently, hence - many more models at lower starting prices.

I'm digging my new HEKv2 Stealths. They're even more impressive than the Aryas, IMO. I would hate for enthusiasts who are searching for the best SQ they can reasonably afford to miss out on trying some of the best sounding cans...all because someone performed a nearly impractical test and another less experienced person accepts it as gospel without ever trying out the HP in question with music of their own in order to gain some IRL experience for themselves. That would be a shame, IMO......

 

[Ahmonge]

There is a reason that HFM either leads or is near the top in many HP price categories - that is, aside from being made in China and taking advantage of lower manufacturing costs

And, also, the lack of a service centers network. For instance, when I had to change the headstrap of my Anandas, there wasn’t any Hifiman service center in the whole EU. Its headphones sound good, of course, but if Hifiman aspires to become a global brand, it should provide its customers with good technical service, at least inside EU

 

[Robbo99999]

"Nonetheless, as bad as these distortion figures.....look, said distortion was barely noticeable in practical listening".

To me, this is pretty much the gist of the whole "distortion" matter with every HFM can you've tested, IMO.

The "gist" being this: At sane levels (read as: even at an almost unbearable average listening level of around ~85dB - ie: which is really loud) - none of this so-called distortion is ever produced by the HP - nor is it apparent/heard when listening to actual music. Why measure starting at average of 94dB, then increasing to 104dB, to finally stop at 114dB? I get it that some musical peaks may - I repeat - may reach those high levels for a microsecond - but absolutely no one, at least no one who isn't already deaf, would ever listen to their music at anywhere near that high of an average level - rendering your distortion graphs at 94, 104, and 114 dB averages to be "information", but in a matter of practice....just a RCH close to being meaningless, IMO. I really wonder if it's just the unbearably loud test itself that's causing these "distortion problems" - chicken or the egg? Hmmm

I have on-hand - or have had - in my collection the HE400i 2020 (on indefinite loan to my cousin), the Sundara, the Ananda BT, the OG Ananda (boxed up, no longer used, need to sell), the Arya Stealth (boxed up, about to be replaced), and the newest HEKv2 Stealth (as well as my other cans) - and none of them have the characteristics mentioned in any of the HFM "reviews" that you've performed and posted. In fact, I hear all of them as being exceedingly clean, detailed, and capable compared to many dynamic driver cans. It's my opinion that with each move up the HFM ladder - the SQ of each next higher model has gotten just that much more resolving, just that more fleshed out, and ultimately - just that mo' better, IMO.

There is a reason that HFM either leads or is near the top in many HP price categories - that is, aside from being made in China and taking advantage of lower manufacturing costs (which = lower overall prices per category). It's this: HFM "brings it" when it comes to SQ - and the SQ heard vs the price paid for a planar quotient alone makes up for the less than stellar QC (mostly in their lower lines from the fact of being planars - which are just plainly more difficult to manufacture period - ask Audeze). Dynamic drivers are muuuch easier to manufacture consistently, hence - many more models at lower starting prices.

I'm digging my new HEKv2 Stealths. They're even more impressive than the Aryas, IMO. I would hate for enthusiasts who are searching for the best SQ they can reasonably afford to miss out on trying some of the best sounding cans...all because someone performed a nearly impractical test and another less experienced person accepts it as gospel without ever trying out the HP in question with music of their own in order to gain some IRL experience for themselves. That would be a shame, IMO......

It's been discussed before in many threads: the value of the 94dB / 104dB / etc is that it allows for various levels of bass EQ to Harman & above Harman levels and also when combined with some tracks that have a massive dynamic range in the recording - likely with elements of extreme low bass in the track played at very high SPL vs the higher frequencies that would be a lot lower. Most normal cases though the 94dB is the one to look at, and maybe 104dB sometimes, but 114dB would only come about in combinations of edge case situations.

 

[Ezees]

It's been discussed before in many threads: the value of the 94dB / 104dB / etc is that it allows for various levels of bass EQ to Harman & above Harman levels and also when combined with some tracks that have a massive dynamic range in the recording - likely with elements of extreme low bass in the track played at very high SPL vs the higher frequencies that would be a lot lower. Most normal cases though the 94dB is the one to look at, and maybe 104dB sometimes, but 114dB would only come about in combinations of edge case situations.

Thanks for reminding me , LOL - and I stand corrected. Yeah, I can see this - that is, IF one is for whatever reason EQing a ludicrous bass shelf (ie: basshead levels of ~6dB or more) on a HP that already has really decent bass - as pretty much all thes egg-shaped cans have. It's very easy for me to personally disregard and forget about that b/c I don't EQ at all - with the exception of sometimes lightly and sparingly applying a bass shelf to my other non-HFM cans if/when I feel like it (which is really rarely - and not really ever with HFM cans, Ananda and above).

However, even when using EQ it's pretty easy to hear the distortion limits of a particular HP (if that HP has a generally lower volume limit due to design - ie: many dynamic drivers - and not just caused by excessive volumes and excessive bass shelves). When you go past the level of where a particular HP in question is comfortable reproducing - you'll have distortion - but HPs that have inherently low levels of distortion across the FR (as most egg-shaped HFM cans have), your ears will give up before you reach that point. That is, for the most part - and in the general sense......

 

[Robbo99999]

Thanks for reminding me , LOL - and I stand corrected. Yeah, I can see this - that is, IF one is for whatever reason EQing a ludicrous bass shelf (ie: basshead levels of ~6dB or more) on a HP that already has really decent bass - as pretty much all thes egg-shaped cans have. It's very easy for me to personally disregard and forget about that b/c I don't EQ at all - with the exception of sometimes lightly and sparingly applying a bass shelf to my other non-HFM cans if/when I feel like it (which is really rarely - and not really ever with HFM cans, Ananda and above).

However, even when using EQ it's pretty easy to hear the distortion limits of a particular HP (if that HP has a generally lower volume limit due to design - ie: many dynamic drivers - and not just caused by excessive volumes and excessive bass shelves). When you go past the level of where a particular HP in question is comfortable reproducing - you'll have distortion - but HPs that have inherently low levels of distortion across the FR (as most egg-shaped HFM cans have), your ears will give up before you reach that point. That is, for the most part - and in the general sense......

For this particular headphone being reviewed here, I don't think we can say it has low distortion, it has comparatively quite high distortion compared to a lot of headphones.

 

[Blorg]

For this particular headphone being reviewed here, I don't think we can say it has low distortion, it has comparatively quite high distortion compared to a lot of headphones.

Amir does seem to find distortion in Hifiman egg headphones that no-one else has been able to replicate.

Is it a real problem? I just got the Nano in and It's not audible to me, at all. I don't listen at ear damaging levels though. I know the rationale behind testing at higher than listening levels, but for me, I just don't think there is an issue here at all, at my listening levels. There is no issue with the Focal Clear clipping at my listening levels either, for example, so I think it's possible Amir's measurements of distortion simply aren't applicable to people who listen at levels generally considered to be "safe" (i.e. below 85dB). I realise listening at 85dB A-weighted the bass can be at 105dB, I realise peaks can go above 85dB, but I still don't hear the slightest hint of distortion on many of these headphones that supposedly have major issues. I don't doubt they have these issues at volume levels far higher than I listen (I can get the Clear to clip if I go looking with low bass test tones at too high volume) but this doesn't affect my use at all.

What is audible is that this is tuned extremely well out of the box and is the closest to Harman of any Hifiman egg yet, scoring 94/100 stock in Oratory's measurements. This is a higher Harman score than most headphones after EQ. Of all open backs measured by Oratory, or in the AutoEQ database which includes his measurements and others, it seems to be beaten only by the Sundara (which subjectively, I'd place below it, it has for example less soundstage) and Sennheiser HE-1.

For me, I'm not even sure this headphone needs EQ at all, it sounds just right to me out of the box.

Third most Harman-compliant open back ever made, most who have heard it think it sounds great, but everyone on here who hasn't heard the headphone is slamming it over distortion measurements at very high levels that seem inaudible to anyone who has heard them, not repeatable, and which even the man himself can't hear: "Is the distortion audible? I don't have the reliably way to determine that subjectively."

 

[Robbo99999]

Amir does seem to find distortion in Hifiman egg headphones that no-one else has been able to replicate.

Is it a real problem? I just got the Nano in and It's not audible to me, at all. I don't listen at ear damaging levels though. I know the rationale behind testing at higher than listening levels, but for me, I just don't think there is an issue here at all, at my listening levels. There is no issue with the Focal Clear clipping at my listening levels either, for example, so I think it's possible Amir's measurements of distortion simply aren't applicable to people who listen at levels generally considered to be "safe" (i.e. below 85dB). I realise listening at 85dB A-weighted the bass can be at 105dB, I realise peaks can go above 85dB, but I still don't hear the slightest hint of distortion on many of these headphones that supposedly have major issues. I don't doubt they have these issues at volume levels far higher than I listen (I can get the Clear to clip if I go looking with low bass test tones at too high volume) but this doesn't affect my use at all.

What is audible is that this is tuned extremely well out of the box and is the closest to Harman of any Hifiman egg yet, scoring 94/100 stock in Oratory's measurements. This is a higher Harman score than most headphones after EQ. Of all open backs measured by Oratory, or in the AutoEQ database which includes his measurements and others, it seems to be beaten only by the Sundara (which subjectively, I'd place below it, it has for example less soundstage) and Sennheiser HE-1.

For me, I'm not even sure this headphone needs EQ at all, it sounds just right to me out of the box.
View attachment 377574
Third most Harman-compliant open back ever made, most who have heard it think it sounds great, but everyone on here who hasn't heard the headphone is slamming it over distortion measurements at very high levels that seem inaudible to anyone who has heard them, not repeatable, and which even the man himself can't hear: "Is the distortion audible? I don't have the reliably way to determine that subjectively."

I just know I wouldn't buy it, given it's not an inexpensive headphone along with it's measured issues, better choices are available. I don't have a vested interest in trying to find ways to make this headphone seem like a good buy.

 

[Ken Tajalli]

I just know I wouldn't buy it, given it's not an inexpensive headphone along with it's measured issues, better choices are available. I don't have a vested interest in trying to find ways to make this headphone seem like a good buy.

I would (again)!
I have tried some well reviewed, well measuring headphones that sounded terrible. The EDXS, may have issues, but over all, for the money, it a fantastic safe buy.
I have returned HD600's and Truthears , not being impressed at all.

 

[Mr. Haelscheir]

"Nonetheless, as bad as these distortion figures.....look, said distortion was barely noticeable in practical listening".

To me, this is pretty much the gist of the whole "distortion" matter with every HFM can you've tested, IMO.

The "gist" being this: At sane levels (read as: even at an almost unbearable average listening level of around ~85dB - ie: which is really loud) - none of this so-called distortion is ever produced by the HP - nor is it apparent/heard when listening to actual music. Why measure starting at average of 94dB, then increasing to 104dB, to finally stop at 114dB? I get it that some musical peaks may - I repeat - may reach those high levels for a microsecond - but absolutely no one, at least no one who isn't already deaf, would ever listen to their music at anywhere near that high of an average level - rendering your distortion graphs at 94, 104, and 114 dB averages to be "information", but in a matter of practice....just a RCH close to being meaningless, IMO. I really wonder if it's just the unbearably loud test itself that's causing these "distortion problems" - chicken or the egg? Hmmm

I have on-hand - or have had - in my collection the HE400i 2020 (on indefinite loan to my cousin), the Sundara, the Ananda BT, the OG Ananda (boxed up, no longer used, need to sell), the Arya Stealth (boxed up, about to be replaced), and the newest HEKv2 Stealth (as well as my other cans) - and none of them have the characteristics mentioned in any of the HFM "reviews" that you've performed and posted. In fact, I hear all of them as being exceedingly clean, detailed, and capable compared to many dynamic driver cans. It's my opinion that with each move up the HFM ladder - the SQ of each next higher model has gotten just that much more resolving, just that more fleshed out, and ultimately - just that mo' better, IMO.

There is a reason that HFM either leads or is near the top in many HP price categories - that is, aside from being made in China and taking advantage of lower manufacturing costs (which = lower overall prices per category). It's this: HFM "brings it" when it comes to SQ - and the SQ heard vs the price paid for a planar quotient alone makes up for the less than stellar QC (mostly in their lower lines from the fact of being planars - which are just plainly more difficult to manufacture period - ask Audeze). Dynamic drivers are muuuch easier to manufacture consistently, hence - many more models at lower starting prices.

I'm digging my new HEKv2 Stealths. They're even more impressive than the Aryas, IMO. I would hate for enthusiasts who are searching for the best SQ they can reasonably afford to miss out on trying some of the best sounding cans...all because someone performed a nearly impractical test and another less experienced person accepts it as gospel without ever trying out the HP in question with music of their own in order to gain some IRL experience for themselves. That would be a shame, IMO......

I'm guessing the "you" here is rather referring to Amir. Anyways, in a world where I find that my Arya Stealth and HE1000se have similar tonalities and neither impresses me more, driver matching and distortion measurements end up being the main places for me to see if there is a sliver of justification for the increase in price. In https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...out-headphone-measurements.18451/post-1956895 (post #1,210), I advocate for consideration of multi-tone distortion performance, whatever the audibility thresholds for that are, its at least showing what the distortion levels look like for pink spectrum "music" where the frequency content tapers from the bass to the treble; so far, the (EQed) Meze Elite has been properly exceptional such that I no longer had any interest in the Stax SR-X9000 or DCA offerings. Maybe after matching EQ profiles with in-ear mics, I subjectively find that the Meze Elite sounds "smoother" or "cleaner" than the "airier-sounding" HE1000se for which I can't be sure whether I am hearing the higher lower treble distortion, though there can be other confounding factors than distortion such as remaining EQ mismatches or subjective effects related to pad feel. Exceptional measured distortion performance otherwise at least gives me a "feels good factor" to my listening experience.

As for what I personally consider "really loud", as far as I can tell, when roughly matching my playback to what I heard at the concert hall at the orchestra level, symphonic dynamic peaks like with Mahler Symphony No. 5 can reach upwards of 100 dBA which my ears can "bear" without the tensor timpani reflex; an obnoxiously loudly whistling or clapping audience member after a performance is more likely to induce that reflex, or of course a piccolo or especially loud orchestral cymbal crash. I would rate 85 dBA as simply "loud" in the classical music dynamic scale, sometimes technically the average of a "loud movement", and indeed, my headphones tend to show absolute distortion levels below my room's noise floor at those playback levels. Then you have my miniature poodle who made my calibrated SPL meter register 115 dBA up close (while wearing hearing protection)... I do have tinnitus which I would say hasn't gotten worse after 40-something classical concerts over the past year plus all my at-home listening, whereby I would blame its overall worsening compared to a decade ago on fire or home alarms and my poodles.

Anyways, as such, 94 dBA is to me a reasonable benchmark for the distortion performance at practical dynamic extremes, anything beyond that being purely an exercise of revealing exceptionality. Pink spectrum multi-tone on the other hand may help better illustrate the effect of elevated bass levels compared to treble on the overall distortion content.

@Blorg I'm pretty sure my own distortion measurements for the Arya Stealth are consistent with Amir's for which I only have a problem with the lower treble distortion of these HiFiMan eggs, the only other HiFiMan I've measured being three different HE1000se units, but yeah, this Ananda Nano result looks scary, possibly being at the bottom end of Q/C unit variation.

 

[Robbo99999]

I'm guessing the "you" here is rather referring to Amir. Anyways, in a world where I find that my Arya Stealth and HE1000se have similar tonalities and neither impresses me more, driver matching and distortion measurements end up being the main places for me to see if there is a sliver of justification for the increase in price. In https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...out-headphone-measurements.18451/post-1956895 (post #1,210), I advocate for consideration of multi-tone distortion performance, whatever the audibility thresholds for that are, its at least showing what the distortion levels look like for pink spectrum "music" where the frequency content tapers from the bass to the treble; so far, the (EQed) Meze Elite has been properly exceptional such that I no longer had any interest in the Stax SR-X9000 or DCA offerings. Maybe after matching EQ profiles with in-ear mics, I subjectively find that the Meze Elite sounds "smoother" or "cleaner" than the "airier-sounding" HE1000se for which I can't be sure whether I am hearing the higher lower treble distortion, though there can be other confounding factors than distortion such as remaining EQ mismatches or subjective effects related to pad feel. Exceptional measured distortion performance otherwise at least gives me a "feels good factor" to my listening experience.

As for what I personally consider "really loud", as far as I can tell, when roughly matching my playback to what I heard at the concert hall at the orchestra level, symphonic dynamic peaks like with Mahler Symphony No. 5 can reach upwards of 100 dBA which my ears can "bear" without the tensor timpani reflex; an obnoxiously loudly whistling or clapping audience member after a performance is more likely to induce that reflex, or of course a piccolo or especially loud orchestral cymbal crash. I would rate 85 dBA as simply "loud" in the classical music dynamic scale, sometimes technically the average of a "loud movement", and indeed, my headphones tend to show absolute distortion levels below my room's noise floor at those playback levels. Then you have my miniature poodle who made my calibrated SPL meter register 115 dBA up close (while wearing hearing protection)... I do have tinnitus which I would say hasn't gotten worse after 40-something classical concerts over the past year plus all my at-home listening, whereby I would blame its overall worsening compared to a decade ago on fire or home alarms and my poodles.

Anyways, as such, 94 dBA is to me a reasonable benchmark for the distortion performance at practical dynamic extremes, anything beyond that being purely an exercise of revealing exceptionality. Pink spectrum multi-tone on the other hand may help better illustrate the effect of elevated bass levels compared to treble on the overall distortion content.

@Blorg I'm pretty sure my own distortion measurements for the Arya Stealth are consistent with Amir's for which I only have a problem with the lower treble distortion of these HiFiMan eggs, the only other HiFiMan I've measured being three different HE1000se units, but yeah, this Ananda Nano result looks scary, possibly being at the bottom end of Q/C unit variation.

(I'd like to see somekind of IMD measurements in reviews here, but I know the arguments against it, then again you could just choose some acceptable points within a range and then just use EQ to Harman Curve at those points to remove the different frequency response element to some degree.)

 

[Ezees]

For this particular headphone being reviewed here, I don't think we can say it has low distortion, it has comparatively quite high distortion compared to a lot of headphones.

That is: At ~94, 104, and 114dB volume levels - almost 100% never a volume that even people who use wanton EQ listen at - and at which most HPs would show distortions. This is the main point of my not at all exhaustive post, LOL. Also, due to HFMs' totally non-damped diaphragms and enclosures - I believe the distortion figures on the graph look way worse than they actually are IRL - partly due to the totally "free" nature of the planar drivers vs virtually all dynamic drivers' inherent damping that wouldn't show as minute of gradations as planars of a distortion graph (the last point is sort of debatable though). Even I tend to listen rather loudly (that is, I think that I do) and even at my loudest: "Effit, I wanna hear how THAT sounds...." volume level, I barely scratch the ~75dB averaged loudness threshold....and 85 to 90dB+ is my 100% cautiously afraid and/or totally unbearable limit - though some music's very short-term dynamic bursts may go beyond these not-set-in-stone values.....

 

[Mr. Haelscheir]

That is: At ~94, 104, and 114dB volume levels - almost 100% never a volume that even people who use wanton EQ listen at. This is the main point of my not at all exhaustive post. Even I tend to listen rather loudly (that is, I think that I do) and even at my loudest: "Effit, I wanna hear how THAT sounds...." volume level, I barely scratch the ~75dB averaged loudness threshold....and 85 to 90dB+ is my 100% cautiously afraid and/or totally unbearable limit - though some music's very short-term dynamic bursts may go beyond these not-set-in-stone values.....

Would you share how you measured the loudness of your listening? For me, in my link featuring multi-tone measurements, I devised a way to mount my in-ear microphone capsules in an SPL calibrator, first set my amp's volume knob for the given piece to what I considered "concert levels", then observed REW's calibrated dBA figures while playing music with the in-ear mics inserted. Anyways, my link had also shown the likelihood of elevated multi-tone distortion compared to the plain single-tone THD sweeps, whether or not that means that this Ananda Nano would come to show audible multi-tone distortion levels at 85 dBA. Nonetheless, it would be considered quite poor for its price bracket.