HIFIMAN Ananda Nano Review: Is This an Upgrade vs Ananda Stealth?

Pick #5 of 12 in our Best Headphones Under $500 guide.

This is the Ananda Nano from HIFIMAN, a fairly new planar magnetic headphone. It's supposed to sound even better than its predecessor, the Ananda Stealth, as it's a newer version that has been upgraded with the nanometer-thickness diaphragm.

Is It Comfortable? Huge Cups, Strong Clamp

Watch this part (0:17)

It feels decent in the hand, similar to other HIFIMAN headphones, yet a bit less floppy, as there's no cup swivel. It has a new, silver look, but the material of that silver part is still the same - it's plastic. Not that cheap plastic though.

The earcups, as well as the pads, are very big - some of the largest I've seen on any headphones. They can fit almost all ear sizes comfortably, usually with lots of free room. That's something I really appreciate. In addition to that, they're a 3-material hybrid for optimal tuning and breathability. My ears didn't get hot or sweaty in these, so they do the job very well.

(view larger)

The headband looks the same as on the Sundara, Ananda Stealth, or the HE6se - it's also a hybrid with a suspension strap, cup tilt, and size adjustment, but no swivel. The lack of swivel wasn't an issue with all the headphones I previously mentioned, however, here there is significantly more clamp force, which I'm not a fan of. It slightly loosened up since I got it, but it's still pretty strong. If you're sensitive to that, keep that in mind, and in case you still decide to buy these, give them lots of stretching on a headphone stand, or you can put a few books between the pads and leave them for some time.

(view larger)

It features a dual 3.5mm jack, one angled forward on each earcup, which allows for either a single-ended or balanced connection. The cable it comes with is just fine - doesn't get in the way most of the time. There's not much more to it, as it's nothing fancy.

Technologies: The Susvara Diaphragm, Trickled Down

Watch this part (2:00)

The previous version of this headphone was equipped with Stealth Magnets, this one also retains them, assuring acoustic transparency of the magnets. It also retains HIFIMAN's Window Shade Grills, which are meant to reduce sonic reflections for a cleaner sound - and I can already tell you, it does its job. More on that later.

(view larger)

But what we haven't seen on any other Ananda before the Nano is the nanometer-thickness diaphragm - hence the name, Ananda Nano. A few years ago, only the most expensive Susvara was equipped with this, but as we all see, things do trickle down indeed. Right now, it is the cheapest headphones to feature that technology, coming at $500.

This means that you can expect even lower distortion, higher transient response, fantastic dynamics, and detail.

Does It Need an Amp? Easy to Drive, Picky on Tone

Its frequency response ranges from 5Hz to 55kHz - that's very good. The sensitivity is 94dB, quite high for a planar magnetic headphone, with a resistance of just 14 ohms. This combination makes running it off a phone easy volume-wise.

While some amplification is recommended to get the most out of these headphones, they can still function without it and get loud enough. However, if you prefer a smoother, less fatiguing sound, then be prepared to invest in a higher-quality amplifier to tame the treble response. It doesn't need to be super powerful, but it needs to provide quality power.

HIFIMAN's EF-series amplifiers paired perfectly with them, because of their smooth sound generally and slightly rolled-off treble. On the other hand, something like the Topping A90 would be one of the worst choices to go with the Ananda Nano, as it makes the problem even worse.

Sound Quality: Punchy Bass, Hot but Detailed Treble

Watch this part (4:05)

Under some conditions, it's one of the best picks in its price range. But let's start with the tonality.

The bass is well extended, so you can hear 20Hz most of the time, and it's incredibly punchy for a headphone at this price point - especially a planar magnetic one. The midrange is rather linear, not the worst timbre-wise, with a typical dip at around 3kHz.

However, when we come to the treble, there's a lot. It can be too much for some, and for me, it crosses the line slightly. I can stand it, but I'd strongly prefer it if the treble was a bit smoother. Nevertheless, while a bit too sharp, it is incredibly detailed for this price range - it's one of the things it's very good at. The treble is generally tactile and articulate.

Despite the amount, it doesn't get dry like the Deva PRO for example, which I consider to be some of the most dry-sounding headphones from HIFIMAN. Moreover, the hi-hats may be distracting in the mix, potentially drawing attention away from other elements - that goes along with the sharpness.

The soundstage is the best in its class in terms of width. It's pretty wide for what it is, and it's very tall with some depth to it. The way sounds are placed within the soundstage is even more impressive. The imaging is very accurate, but not quite pinpoint, yet it gives you a sense of realistic presentation all around you. If you take into consideration the way it can separate sounds, it becomes something almost unusual for a headphone in this price range.

I'm a big fan of string instruments - the Ananda Nano is great for that with its quick decay and general ability to reproduce string instruments very realistically. It has lots of clarity in everything it does, like voices, real and computer-generated instruments, or any other sounds. In terms of that, it does way better than the previous iteration, the Ananda Stealth.