Intro:
The Ananda OG has a special place in my heart. It was the headphone that pulled me back into the hobby after a long stretch of dormancy, and it remains one of my favourite Hifiman planars. Its bright yet smooth tuning made it a unique, pleasant listen. That said, it has never been perfect. The fit suffers without cup swivel, and the bass has always been a bit lacklustre, lacking the punch you’d want for genres that lean on the low end.
Hifiman’s more recent ‘Unveiled’ series has been an interesting turn. I have covered a few of them now, including the flagship Susvara Unveiled and the Arya Unveiled. Overall, I think the series points towards a more mature style of tuning, with better tonal balance and naturalness. Still, the results have varied. The Susvara Unveiled sounded brighter than the original Susvara to my ears, while the Arya Unveiled turned out to be the smoothest Arya so far.
So going into the Ananda Unveiled, I was not entirely sure where it would land. Would it preserve the charm of the original Ananda? Would the Unveiled design make it brighter? Let’s find out.
Detailed measurements can be found in the final section of this article.
Disclaimer: This unit was kindly provided by HIFIMAN for review. I was not paid for this review, there are no strings attached, and no affiliate links are used. Everything written here reflects my own thoughts.
Pros:
+ Most refined midrange of the Ananda lineup to date
+ Open, airy staging without the treble glare of some older models
+ Updated headband with generous cup swivel
Cons:
– Subtle mid-treble lift may bother some treble-sensitive listeners
– Bass is improved but still not slam-focused
– Safe tuning may feel a touch reserved to those wanting a wow factor
Specs & Comfort
RRP: $549 USD / $925 AUD
Driver size: ~80*60 mm (active area)
Driver type: Planar Magnetic
Sensitivity: 93.5 dB SPL @ 1 mW
Impedance: 24 Ω at 1kHz (measured)
Connector: dual 3.5 mm TRS
Weight: 449 grams, excluding magnetic veils and cable
Clamping force: medium
Accessories: 1.5m cable, 6.35mm adapter, magnetic veils, storage pouches
Build and Comfort:
Build is nicely done. The finish and overall presentation feel more premium than previous egg-shaped Hifimans, and to my eye it’s also the better-looking of the bunch. The main thing to watch out for, as with the rest of the Unveiled lineup, is the exposed driver rear. Be careful around magnetisable objects, and use the magnetic ‘veils’ included in the accessories when the headphones are not in use.
Comfort is a noticeable step up from the Ananda OG. Weight is roughly similar, which is reasonable for a planar of this size and easy enough for a few hours at a stretch. The biggest improvement is in the headband. Cup swivel here appears to be closer to 20-25 degrees.
Sound
For more comparisons, visit my squiglink database.
Tonal balance:
Overall impression
The Ananda Unveiled has a smooth, slightly bright and airy presentation. It still sounds recognisably like an Ananda in spirit, but the tuning is more polished. The OG had a light, open, almost ethereal quality. The Unveiled keeps much of that charm, while improving overall tonal balance. It sounds livelier and more grounded than the OG, yet it avoids the sharper, more metallic edge I heard from the Ananda Stealth.
Bass
The bass is solid but unremarkable. It’s a bit more lively, better extended, and noticeably more tactile than the Ananda OG. But bass was the weak point of the OG, so that’s a low bar to clear. What you get here is typical eggshaped Hifiman planar bass: clean and well-extended, but leaning slightly to the fuzzy side rather than delivering hard, solid macro impact. On Massive Attack’s “Angel”, the sub-bass rolls in smoothly and the layered build-up holds together cleanly, though the climactic hits don’t carry the weight you’d get from something like the Hifiman HE6se.
If bass punch and impact are your main priorities, this would not be my first recommendation. The Ananda Unveiled improves on the old weakness of the line (by quite a big margin, actually), but still it does not fully turn the Ananda into a slam-focused headphone.
Midrange
This is where the Ananda Unveiled shines. The midrange feels more lively and engaging than on previous Anandas, with less of the classic Hifiman 1-2 kHz dip that some people find off-putting.
It’s still subtly recessed, but in actual listening, especially with acoustic music, the difference is really not that noticeable. Electric guitar bite and female vocal presence come through more directly, with a noticeable sense of immediacy. Gregory Porter’s “No Love Dying” comes through with good clarity, chest weight and warmth, though his voice sits a step further back than it would on some Harman-inspired headphones.
Upper mids are also more polished than on previous Anandas, particularly the Ananda Stealth. Body and articulation feel well-balanced, with a tad of colouration that adds a subtle sense of space. Overall, the Ananda Unveiled works well across vocals and instrumental recordings.
Treble
The treble is quite enjoyable, and probably the area where the Ananda Unveiled shows its biggest improvement over some previous Hifiman models. The top end is airy and extended, while staying smooth.
Yes, this is still a bright-leaning headphone. There is a slight lift in the mid-treble, which shows up in the frequency response around the 7–9kHz region and lines up reasonably well with what I hear on my head. This gives cymbals, violins, and upper vocal harmonics a bit of extra energy.
But it does not sound overdone. The Ananda Unveiled does not have the spicy treble of the Ananda Stealth. It also avoids the more aggressive upper-treble glare that could show up on models like the Edition XS or Arya Stealth. Patricia Barber’s “The Wing Song” is a useful stress test here. The Ananda Unveiled does bring out the sharp consonants and upper-harmonic bite in the vocal. But it stops short of becoming piercing.
The original Ananda was already known as one of the more balanced and smooth egg-shaped Hifimans. The Unveiled is smoother still. Compared to the Edition XV, the Ananda Unveiled sounds clearer and more open. The XV is warmer, softer, and more relaxed. For acoustic music, the Ananda Unveiled is the stronger performer. It gives violins more life, cymbals more shimmer, and recordings more space in general.
For more comparisons, visit my squiglink database.
Other qualities:
- Spatial presentation
The soundstage is very good, though not extravagant. It doesn’t quite reach the scale of something like the Arya Organic or HE1000se, but it also avoids the tonal quirks those models carry. What you get is a natural and open stage that doesn’t take anything away from the music, while adding a subtle sense of distance and expansiveness. Width and depth feel evenly distributed, and imaging holds together well without the slight haziness that can creep into larger planar designs. It feels natural rather than showy.
- Clarity
Clarity is solid. The Ananda Unveiled is well-resolving across the spectrum while remaining smooth in presentation. Different elements in the mix feel nicely balanced, with no part of the spectrum pushed forward unnaturally. Microdetails come through clearly without being spotlighted, which makes longer listening sessions easier on the ear. It gets surprisingly close to what the Arya Unveiled offers, at a fraction of the cost.
- Dynamics
Dynamics aren’t the strongest part of the package. Macro impact is a clear step up from the Ananda OG. It’s still not in the same league as the HE6se in terms of slam and punch, but it does outperform both the Edition XV and the Ananda OG in this regard. The sense of contrast is decent too, with small shifts in vocal expression and instrumental decay rendered with reasonable nuance, even if not at the level of higher-end planars like the HE1000 Unveiled. For a mid-tier egg-shaped planar, the performance feels well-judged.
Conclusion:
At $549 USD / $925 AUD, the Hifiman Ananda Unveiled is a well-finished offering. Hifiman has addressed the two longstanding weaknesses of the Ananda line, fit and bass, while preserving the smooth, airy character that made the original likeable. The mid-treble retains a subtle lift, which is the main thing to note for treble-sensitive listeners, but it’s nowhere near the level the Edition XS or Ananda Stealth.
Overall, the tuning is on the safe side, with no real party tricks. But that’s also the point. It’s easy-going and consistently enjoyable across a wide range of music. If you want extra warmth and body with a more relaxed top end, the Edition XV is still the go-to option. The Ananda Unveiled offers a step up in air and clarity, staying closer to the traditional Hifiman sound. If your library spans a bit of everything, and you want a bit of extra openness and clarity, the Ananda Unveiled is an easy pick. It feels like a quiet return to what made the original Ananda so appealing.
If there are other comparisons you would like to see, let me know in the comments.
Value Grade:
Recommended EQ setting
Copy and paste the below into a TXT file, then import it to EqualizerAPO or similar apps; adjust the bass and treble filters to taste:
Preamp: -5.5 dB
Filter 1: ON PK Fc 30 Hz Gain 5.5 dB Q 0.500
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 80 Hz Gain 0.7 dB Q 2.000
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 920 Hz Gain -2.5 dB Q 2.100
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 1800 Hz Gain 3.5 dB Q 2.000
Filter 5: ON PK Fc 5500 Hz Gain 1.0 dB Q 2.000
Filter 6: ON PK Fc 8250 Hz Gain -4.5 dB Q 2.000
If your goal is to EQ the response to match the Harman Target, consider the AutoEQ function provided by Squiglink as a convenient starting point. I personally recommend customising the filters to better suit your own hearing, especially in the treble. While the AutoEQ provides a useful baseline, individual adjustments can often significantly improve your listening experience.
If you’re new to EQ, I’d recommend checking out this video by Resolve from The Headphone Show — it’s a really solid intro and walks through the basics in a clear, no-nonsense way. Great place to start!
MEASUREMENTS
Frequency Response:
The response is obtained by an average of 5-6 positional variations. The FR shown on the graph is unsmoothed.
Positional Variation:
This graph illustrates how headphone placement on the head affects perceived tonal balance: with the ear positioned at the front (blue), centre (green), and back (red) of the headphone. The FRs shown on the graph are 1/24 octave smoothed.
Leakage Tolerance:
This graph demonstrates how leakages to the front volume can result in FR change: blue (good seal), purple (thin arm glasses), red (thick arm glasses). The FRs shown on the graph are 1/12 octave smoothed.
Linearity and Compression:
Linearity and dynamic compression testing plots the headphone’s frequency response at two input levels to show how it reproduces signals as loudness changes. Any divergence between the high-level and low-level curves points to where the transducer’s dynamic range begins to compress or distort. Here, the measurements are superimposed to allow direct comparison. The FRs shown on the graph is 1/6 octave smoothed.
Impulse Response:
The impulse response test measures the initial response, overshoot, and decay of a transducer upon receiving a signal. An initial upshoot indicates a normal/non-inverted polarity, vice versa.
HpTF Variations (uncompensated):
Headphone Transfer Function (HpTF) describes how sound is shaped by headphone design and ear anatomy before reaching the eardrum. Different measurement rigs (with varying pinnae designs) introduce unique reponses/resonances and potential deviations from actual human perception. Understanding HpTF helps translate measured data into real-world listening experiences.
Total Harmonic Distortion (THD% 2nd-9th) & Excess Group Delay (94 dB):
These measurements are conducted in quiet, normal room conditions (as opposed to an anechoic chamber), meaning there may be some influence from ambient room and external noise. These results should be considered a preliminary assessment of performance, primarily for identifying major issues, and do not reflect the best-case performance scenario. Any peaks/dips around 9 kHz are likely artifacts from pinna interaction/phase cancellation, rather than inherent features of the device under test.
Channel Matching:
Channel matching graphs are intended for quality control checks and do not relate to the perceived sound profile. A specialised configuration is used in this test to capture differences between channels, mitigating interference from positioning on the rig and the asymmetry in the GRAS pinnae design, a legacy of KEMAR. The left (blue) and right (red) channels are measured using a flat plate coupler with an IEC60318-4 ear simulator.
Electric Phase & Impedance:
The above graph shows the measured impedance (green) and electric phase (grey), measured under free-air condition (minimal front volume coupling).
END OF THE ARTICLE
Disclaimer: This review was not sponsored by any company or affiliated entity. Any links or product references are provided for informational purposes only and are not associated with any financial compensation or affiliate arrangement.
