Hifiman Ananda Review (headphone)

[Rayman30]

I wanted lcd x because of their gorgous look, but without eq they sound worse than ananda for me. With eq there was just a little bit improvement in bass but small soundstage made them no go. Add high weight to this.

Also sundara, sendy and monolith in brief comparison didnt have qualities of ananda (tonal balance, soundstage).

I suppose it might be worth the trade offs then. Interesting you prefer the tonal qualities of the Ananda, I actually think the Sundara has better tonality.

 

[solderdude]

Left earcup is lower as always. If i will bring them up difference will be bigger.

Does it bother you (or anyone else around you) when listening to them ?

 

[SlowCar]

I suppose it might be worth the trade offs then. Interesting you prefer the tonal qualities of the Ananda, I actually think the Sundara has better tonality.

It was really quick comparison, for sure i was really impreseed by "soundstage" of anandas so much that i spend more time with them.

Does it bother you (or anyone else around you) when listening to them ?

When listening - no.

 

[solderdude]

Then I would not worry about it but people who are OCD about it might.
In that case I would recommend returning it and buy a new one.

 

[SlowCar]

@solderdude haha, really OCD about such quality in >100$ headphones?
Also possibly clamping force difference can make differences in sound quality - but i just suppose since i dont have compraison with correct ones.

 

[solderdude]

The clamping force comes from the headband which seems fine. The yokes are too rigid to have an influence on the clamping force.
I think there are bigger differences in the pads than the metal parts.
Anyway... when you are bothered by it only you can decide to return them (if possible) or not (when sound is what matters and you can get over the visual bit)

 

[SlowCar]

I think there are bigger differences in the pads than the metal parts.

Propably right.

Anyway it seems to me like left plastic on headband is the culprit. Tomorrow I will go to the dealer to request fix.

 

[solderdude]

Is the curvature different ?
You can check by putting it on a piece of paper and trace the plastic bit.
Then turn over the headphone so the other piece of plastic is on top of it and check if the curvature is the same.

 

[SlowCar]

@solderdude it's the same. Just left plastic is little bit loose.

 

[GaryH]

Left earcup is lower as always. If i will bring them up difference will be bigger.

They're not exactly aligned because the angles between the cups and yokes are still not exactly equal. If you do that the 'problem' will disappear. There's nothing wrong with these headphones.

 

[SlowCar]

@GaryH on previous page there is a picture of good ones. Compare them and You should find out what is it all about.

 

[GaryH]

@GaryH on previous page there is a picture of good ones. Compare them and You should find out what is it all about.

That other pair is positioned so the angles between the cups and yokes on each side are equal, hence it looks even. As I have explained several times, you have not positioned the cups symmetrically, which is visually obvious, but the attached pics should make it 100% clear to you. The first cup is positioned at an angle of 38 degrees to the yoke, the second 41 degrees. Make these angles the same i.e. rotate both cups clockwise slightly (~1.5 degrees from their position in the pics below), and the cups should be level, just as in the other pair.

 

[MayaTlab]

That other pair is positioned so the angles between the cups and yokes on each side are equal, hence it looks even. As I have explained several times, you have not positioned the cups symmetrically, which is visually obvious, but the attached pics should make it 100% clear to you. The first cup is positioned at an angle of 38 degrees to the yoke, the second 41 degrees. Make these angles the same i.e. rotate both cups clockwise slightly (~1.5 degrees from their position in the pics below), and the cups should be level, just as in the other pair.

A photo taken from that perspective is inappropriate to determine the relative angles between the cups and yokes (hint : look at the yokes at the rear).
@SlowCar's photos should be enough to get an idea of what the problem is for the spatially unchallenged, but probably not to determine the cause.

EDIT : I couldn't be bothered to open Photoshop but to sum it up :

 

[SlowCar]

@GaryH Here earcups are on the same level.

 

[SlowCar]

@GaryH ive used Your measurments as avatar photo. Hope You dont mind.

@MayaTlab great pai… photoshop* skills

 

[GaryH]

@GaryH Here earcups are on the same level.

Can you not see from this positioning you just need to hold the earcups still and rotate the yokes (and so headband) round them clockwise slightly? I'm starting to suspect trolling so I think this will be my last comment on this.

 

[MayaTlab]

Can you not see from this positioning you just need to hold the earcups still and rotate the yokes (and so headband) round them clockwise slightly? I'm starting to suspect trolling so I think this will be my last comment on this.

Can you not see that as soon as @SlowCar releases his/her hands from it the headband / cups will be misaligned again ? This is a really basic geometry problem. Either the cups are horizontally aligned but the headband is offset to the left, or the headband is vertically aligned with the cups but the latter are horizontally uneven (right one in the photos lower).

 

[Jimbob54]

@GaryH Here earcups are on the same level.

I suspect either the main headband or possibly one of the yoke stems is a little deformed/bent.

Some targeted bending and twisting might get you back to square but I doubt you'll ever find the original kink.

 

[solderdude]

@SlowCar is the clearance around the left and right cup and the yokes the same on both sides ?

 

[SlowCar]

@solderdude what do You mean by clearance?