I loved the HD58Xâs and still recommend them to anyone looking for an entry level open back. I like my HD660âs OK, but they will never be in my top 5.
As they say, we all hear differently.
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I think the most criticism from me comes from the fact that I had to physically break the headphones (which is âa lotâ of effort), only to receive an okay sound performance. Imagine you actually bought these for $150 or whatever they go for, you break them, only to find out that you donât like the sound performance. Yikes!
We do indeed all hear differently! For example, I love HD598âs for their general build quality, comfort, and the fairly good and forgiving sound performance. I also love the HD6XX but am disappointed by the cheap build quality (it feels cheap compared to the HD598âs)⌠Agh, at this point I feel like Iâm the only one who cannot accept the difference in quality between Sennheiserâs old products and their new (Drop) products.
@ShaneD Shane, btw, does Kennerton have any weak points that could break when bending? Are there any plastic parts used in the headband?
I donât think so. I just bent the high strength steel headband. And it took some serious bending. And I see other people go even further than me.
Annoying, but I guess acceptable. If I didnât Love the headphone I would likely be more pissed. 
Sucks that the Robins broke, but I guess they just werenât meant to be squeezed like that.
I should likely mention that I am NOT a Sennheiser fan. I have gone through the HD58Xâs, HD600âs (twice), HD6XXâs (twice) and now the HD660âs. I will never buy another set from them. I donât care for their house sound and find them boring.
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For example, Iâd have nothing against bending a pair of headphones that I know wonât break (I thought that Kennertonâs headbands were made of steel). However, I can understand as to why someone would not be comfortable bending their brand new expensive headphones and have the risk of not being able to return them.
I also have full respect for your choice of disliking Sennheiser.
@Etroze86 I havenât! Maybe I shouldâve done that, and I might do that in the future.
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Paired with my Singxer SA-1, or one or the other ifi amplifier, this Robin SV021 sounds very far away from the 150-160 ⏠that was claimed, in the most positive sense.
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Hmm, I am coming to realize that I am the black sheep (not the first time!).
It appears as though I am among the minority who dislikes the SV021. However, I still stand behind everything I wrote in my review.
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Only you know what you hear and sense. Like everything else, some will like them and some wonât. Iâm guessing I wonât go for them, but that is because I have the Phoenix. From what I can gather itâs the better of the two.
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The bottom line is that it is a beautiful, cheap closed back with a decent sound. Opinions will differ.
It is not really on my radar anymore, but it might be nice as an entry level closed back, much like I would recommend the HD58Xâs as an entry level open back.
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Donât be ashamed 
, I have the same problem with the Focal Clear, almost everyone loves these headphones, I personally find them to sound quite unnatural when it comes to voices 
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Sounds like you guys are having some heated discussions about the SV021. The same word, you donât know if you like it until you try it.Sivga x hifigo have a giveaway now on facebook, who want to try the SV021 can join it:D
What is everyone thinking of their SV021âs (if you still have them)? I find I grab mine quite often when I just want an entertaining experience. I usually pair them with a Shanling M6 Pro 21 via 4.4mm balanced and just leave it in Turbo gain, streaming in Tidal or listening to local tunes.
The only thing that can get annoying, at times, is the heavy bass emphasis but I can EQ it out to some degree (with UAPP). Otherwise, if I stick mostly to well-recorded, mostly acoustic music, it has a nice, lush presentation and is ideal for low volume listening.
Thereâs just a sort of old school, analog, speaker-like sound that is kind of addictive. I find that its bass emphasis is actually quite wonderful for certain music and provides a sometimes really dramatic experience, bass-wise, that no other headphone that I own can even come close to.
Luckily I havenât had to do any sort of bending of the headband so as to get the fit right, as the ear-cups seal over my ears well. I guess a bigger head helps in this regard.
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Not going to ask what of our SV021âs.
Still enjoying mine.
Recent changes include the addition of a Fosi Audio P1 tube pre-amp into my otherwise clean, quiet and linear chain and using the Parametric EQ for Crinacleâs Harman Over-ear 2018 from AutoEQ in EasyEffects. My listening has not been critical and Iâm still playing with both, but the experience has been all good so far.
I jump to them from time to time, but theyâve fallen by the wayside since I picked up my Hifiman EDXS.
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Yes, the Edition XS is definitely on my radar, especially since Amazon and HiFiMan US are starting to sell them.
For a while there I almost pulled the trigger on Ananda as the SIVGAâs have piqued my appreciation for cans that are easy to drive, but, the XSâs seem to be gaining favor over them. Glad youâre enjoying yours.
In my limited experience and limited array of more powerful amps, I have found that to a certain degree, the SIVGAs gain clarity and oomph from higher current sources. The Shanling M6 Pro 21 on Turbo gain is nice, especially at quieter volumes; I also tried them out of my older desktop setupâa Schiit Magni 2U and Modi 2U, and I liked what I heard on both low and high gain. Since I just couldnât take the microphonics from the stock SE cable, I ordered a quieter looking (not cloth covered) aftermarket with the dual 2.5mms off ebay. Looking forward to doing some more extensive listening via the Schiit stack once the new cable arrives.
Curious as to how the addition of the FOSI Audio P1 preamp affects the SIVGAs in your set-up. Itâs pretty inexpensive and I could see adding it into my chain behind my Magni2U.
Just now clicking on a 5 month old link to Ali Express and Amazon is at this time $30 cheaper for the Sivga SV021.
Still enjoying mine using balanced on my Hiby Pro 3 Saber.
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