Duly noted, kind Sir.
I listen to these from the balanced output of the Auralic Taurus MkII in STD operating mode. This amp improves the dynamics of the Ananda and gives Hi Hats just more sparkle, compared to the RME ADI2 Dac fsā SE output. They might be low impedance, but I truly think these benefit from an amplifier with more power.
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Indeed. Most planars need more current than the avg dynamic headphone. Amp them well, be rewarded. Better dynamics, bass, and lower distortion at higher volumes. Less strain especially if you like to turn it up sometimes, like me.
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BTW, Iām about to compare my Ananda to Arya when they get to me. I bought an open box set with a warranty. Pretty big jump in price but if itās sounds significantly better than Ananda Iāll be in endgame territory - for a while 
. Iāll keep you all posted. Letās hope for the best.
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Iām just re-listening to Ananda in anticipation for my due to arrive Arya set. First time Iāve seriously listened since I upgraded opamps in my tube hybrid preamp to Muses 8920s. I am again impressed with itās quick, detailed, and snappy sound. The opamps make the soundstage much more wide and layered also. Most cans that are described like that lack bass, Ananda doesnāt. Ananda = Swiss knifeā¦
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Update of my subjective side by comparison of Ananda and Arya. Ananda is a great headphone, Arya is better, IMHO. Ananda is vivid and detailed, top to bottom. Arya is vivid and detailed also but has a wider and more layered soundstage with more depth and micro/inner detail. An example is where a bass note hits on Ananda itās actually two bass notes on Arya. Vocals are more separated. Theyāre heard over and under others and all across the soundstage, high, low, top left, top right, not simply left, center-ish, right. I also hear Arya as just slightly warmer so far, Iāve only had it just over a week. Not night and day but still distinct differences. Stay tuned.
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P.S. Arya also stays very much controlled and composed at high volume, not much driver distortion. I attribute that to the double sided magnets, IMO.
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Open box Ananda over the weekend was $550ā¦ (maybe still? Not sure if they are continuing a $50 site wide coupon on Hifiman dot com for spending $599 and up).
Arya is outside my price range for the foreseeable future, sadly.
Whatās better, Ananda or Elex?
Neither, they are both great and make a better pair, then as direct competitors.
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I have the sundara and the 400i, they turned out alright but stillā¦hifiman be doing hifiman things.
If want a true upgrade to the Sundara, then you should maybe save up for the Arya. Itās worth the price over the Ananda, or at least worth it at open box prices at $1,200.
@LANDWALKER000: I guess itās true what they say about the sundara performing above itās price. I was thinking about the fact that I was gonna have to spend more for a upgrade and possibly was gonna have to spend about a $1,000 to $1,500. The elegia is a closed back anyway.
The Ananda is a good headphone at its price but the Arya is just better in everyway. I mainly use the Arya and Elex for most of my music listening.
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Hi, I just want to ask is the QC issue a lot better now with the Ananda? Because I want to buy them but Iām just so scared about it suddenly shutting down out of nowhere, so I kinda want to just buy the DT 1990 so that I wouldnāt need to risk such a thing from happening. Although I feel like Iāll be missing out a lot since even the Sundara is accepted by the majority as being better than the DT 1990, and now what I am desiring is the Ananda. Also I would like to know how long will it last, because if it will only last around 2-3 years max I would prefer getting the DT 1990s.
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Not a big fan of the Sundara or the Ananda. Even so, they are among the best deals at their price point - esp the Ananda. But it has issues. It doesnāt have a lot of body, it doesnāt seem to handle harmonics very well, so you get the bones of a salmon but the body and the color has been thinnwed out/denatured a bit. It also lacks slam compared to the HE-6, or even the HE-6se. The Arya is a bit angular in the highs and can use an EQ, but even stock itās well above the Ananda. I expect an updated Arya soon, and then the āoldā ones will be going for $750-800 quickly. That will push down used prices on the HEX v2 and the Ananda.
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Use prices of the HEX v2 is already pretty down. I prefer my HEX v2 to the Ananda due to the warmer and more pleasing tonality of the former. Then again, I auditioned the Ananda on the THX AAA 789 and came away with the impression that the Ananda was wimpy on dynamics. Granted, the THX AAA 789ās flatter sound and relative lack of dynamics to other amps that I have owned since then didnāt do the Ananda any favors.
Yeah I have a HEX v2 and like it, but I had to do a few mods to get the most out of it:
- Changed to silver litz cable from that morbidly crappy stock stuff
- Nuggets to get center of cups to pointing right into my ear canal. More details and treble.
- EQ. They need it more than most. Stock - female vocals hollowish/cold/distant. Upper mids/lower treble depressed, lack dynamics.
With those mods they are even more coherent than stock (already a strong point). Stage/images still too tall and lacking width. Bass strong down to 15 Hz, but lacking impact/air moving, EQ doesnāt really help. But best news is this: if you want to relax and hear the music, they got your back. Ananda too bright, lacks body, has more technicals than HEX v2, but where are the harmonics?
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what do you think of the he6se ? i ordered the adorama edition which is slightly more smooth treble than the SE . and i own the ananda already . ive heard its an upgrade even over the arya in some ways. do you think its better than the ananda? with proper power of course. im getting the JOT 2 as well. 5 watts at 50ohms
Is the Ananda soundstage basically narrow but tall?