HiFiMAN Ananda Unveiled Review

When it comes to open-back planar magnetic headphones, HiFiMAN has long been a name that stands out among audiophiles. Known for their spacious sound, detailed performance, and forward-thinking designs, the brand continues to refine its lineup with models that aim to balance innovation and accessibility. The Ananda Unveiled follows this tradition, offering listeners a chance to experience HiFiMAN’s latest headphone technology in a thoughtfully crafted package. Let’s find out what makes the Ananda Unveiled an appealing choice for serious music enthusiasts.

What You Get

• Ananda Unveiled planar headphones
• Magnetic veils
• Detachable 3.5mm cable
  • Quarter-inch jack
• Drawstring pouch covers

Look & Feel

If you’re familiar with HiFiMAN’s Unveiled series, the Ananda Unveiled’s concept will be familiar to you. It bears a clear resemblance to the HE1000 Unveiled, with its large circumaural earcups painted silver with its exposed driver. What’s different about the Ananda Unveiled is its headband. It keeps the suspension headband, but it uses a new composite material that makes up their new Gen 2 design. It makes enough of a difference to set the Ananda Unveiled apart from the other models. It also tells you that this is not one of their premium builds, with the headband being mostly plastic, but the rest of the build is still up to their standards.

This new headband doesn’t really make much of a difference compared to most other HiFiMAN headphones in terms of comfort. They have a firm clasp around your ears, but never hold on too tightly. Those who have worn HiFiMAN headphones before will have no problem wearing these headphones for multiple hours.

Design

The Ananda Unveiled builds upon the original Ananda by incorporating the brand’s new “Unveiled” design, which removes the traditional grille structure entirely to minimize acoustic reflections and refractions and achieve a cleaner, near-lossless sound. Key upgrades include an enhanced magnet system, and the NEO Supernano Diaphragm Gen-2, a lightweight, ultra-thin diaphragm that aims to deilver enhanced percision.

Soundstage

HiFiMAN’s Unveiled series has delivered some of the best soundstaging and imaging that headphones can offer. The Ananda is the cheapest option so far, but its soundstage doesn’t have any noticeable downgrades. Everything is as wide open as the HE1000 and Arya Unveiled are, setting up the Ananda as one of the best spatial imaging headphones for the price. Your head sits in the middle of the space, as each performance is displayed facing toward you, originating from a specific origin.

Its scope gives the impression of a live environment, with front-facing instruments that approach you from various angles. It shows dimensional layering and positioning that makes the soundstage feel like a bubble encasing your head. Stereo accuracy is still important for the Ananda Unveiled, as it features sustained separation between stacks of instruments. It ensures everything has an identity in the mix, while also providing that airy immersion HiFiMAN is known for.

Low End

While not the most aggressive or impactful, the bass of the Ananda Unveiled is clear and balanced. There’s a lot of depth to it, but the frequencies aren’t granted a ton of power. This results in a tonality that is full but lacking in weight. Low-end detail and resonance are quite clear still, with a neutral timbre that paints the bass as being very dynamic and even. I think most people who will listen to the Ananda Unveiled will wish that it had a bit more of a kick to it, though, even if the presentation is resolving.

The sub-bass is super subtle, never really adding a significant vibration to the tone, but notes establish a clear foundation that lifts up the low end ever so slightly. When you hear the right bass performance, specifically from bass guitar strums, the response can sound super smooth and clean, but that’s usually when the frequency response is less busy.

Mids

The midrange is similar to the lows in terms of drive, but they’re pushed more forward to make more of a direct impression. Their tonality doesn’t give off a ton of expressive detail, but is still very clear and articulate. Everything sits on the same level, with more body being granted across the spectrum. Notes have a solid shape in the mix and never get bogged down by complex arrangements. The midrange is presented with clear room that organizes the frequencies quite well. One of the only aspects of the midrange I find lacking is vocal identity. Vocals show up in the sound signature well enough without any signs of being muffled, but they also don’t really take command. If the frequencies had more cutting transients, they could have cut through and felt lusher, but they’re still clean and easy to understand as they are.

Highs

The treble and upper-highs carry the most coloration of the Ananda Unveiled. It features tons of details that make the tone appear ringy, like there’s a metallic tinge to the timbre. This doesn’t result in any harshness or piercing frequencies, though, as the highs still operate with impressive control. It’s not quite a sizzley sound, but bells and tambourines do feature height and sparkle that show a ton of personality, with the soundstage allowing these artifacts to dissipate through the mix. Sometimes it can be scratchy and have a present buzz, but it’s used to complement the expansion and resolution of these expressive frequencies.

Summary

The HiFiMAN Ananda Unveiled offers an impressive entry point into the brand’s acclaimed Unveiled series, delivering exceptional soundstage, refined imaging, and a natural tonal balance. While its bass lacks some of the impact that listeners might crave and its vocals could use more presence, the overall listening experience remains spacious, detailed, and highly engaging. For those seeking a high-performance planar magnetic headphone that captures the essence of live performance without breaking into flagship pricing, the Ananda Unveiled is an excellent choice. It represents one of the best values in HiFiMAN’s lineup and a compelling option for anyone serious about immersive, high-fidelity listening.

The HiFiMAN Ananda Unveiled is available at Audio46.