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

This is the Ananda Nano from HIFIMAN, a fairly new planar magneticA driver using a thin membrane with embedded conductors suspended between magnets, producing sound from the entire surface for very low distortion. 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 diaphragmThe vibrating membrane in a transducer that converts between electrical energy and acoustic waves; its mass, stiffness, and damping determine driver character..

Build Quality and Comfort

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.

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.

It features a dual 3.5mm jack, one angled forwardA tonal character with elevated upper midrange or lower treble that pushes vocalists and lead instruments ahead of the mix; can sound exciting or fatiguing. on each earcup, which allows for either a single-endedAn amplifier configuration using one output device for the complete audio waveform; produces even-order harmonic distortion considered "euphonic" by many. or balancedA signal transmission method using two opposite-polarity signal lines plus a ground; noise induced on both lines is cancelled at the differential input. 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 previous version of this headphone was equipped with Stealth MagnetsHIFIMAN's asymmetric magnet geometry on their planar magnetic drivers, designed to present a more acoustically transparent surface to the diaphragm and reduce wave reflections that would otherwise distort the response., this one also retains them, assuring acoustic transparencyThe quality of a system that conveys the recording with minimal added coloration or character of its own; transparent components are "invisible" in the chain. 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.

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 SusvaraHiFiMAN's flagship planar magnetic headphone, famous for requiring enormous amplifier power (at least 1-2W) due to its extremely low sensitivity of ~60dBSPL/mW. 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 responseHow accurately and quickly a system reproduces the onset and decay of sounds; slow transient response produces a "veiled" or "smeared" character., fantastic dynamics, and detail.

Technical Specifications and Amp Pairing

Its frequency responseA graph showing output amplitude vs. frequency - the most fundamental measurement of any audio component's tonal character. ranges from 5Hz to 55kHz - that’s very good. The sensitivityThe output sound pressure level for a standardized input - typically dBSPL at 1W/1m for speakers, or dBSPL at 1mW or 1V for headphones. 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

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 midrangeThe frequency range from approximately 250Hz to 5kHz where most musical information, vocals, and instrument fundamentals reside. is rather linear, not the worst timbreThe tonal quality of a sound - what makes a violin sound like a violin vs. a trumpet at the same pitch and volume; determined by harmonic content and envelope.-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 soundstageThe perceived three-dimensional acoustic space in a stereo recording - width beyond the speakers, depth front-to-back, and sometimes height information. 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 imagingThe ability to place individual instruments in precise, stable positions within the soundstage - good imaging means you can "point" to a violin in the mix. 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.