Noble Audio Savanna Review

It’s a mournful day at Majorhifi. I have only one Noble Audio model left to try. It’s like watching the finale of The Sopranos; you dread the thought of having to find a new purpose. I’m a big fan of Noble Audio, specifically because their models tend to be beautifully balanced, clean and fast. Elegant, some might say. That’s why I love the Kaiser. But sometimes, Noble will throw a little pizzazz into the mix and give you the Dulce Bass, for example. (Which I love). So, what about the pretty rose-gold lady, the Savanna? What’s her defining gift? Let’s find out in this Noble Audio Savanna Review.

Noble Audio Savanna Review

IN the BOX

FIT

Apart from the Katana and Kaiser Encore, which have larger shells than the rest of the models, I find Noble Audio to be a pretty comfortable fit. But because of the ridged design on the front plates of the shells, people with small ears or snowflake skin might run into problems after long periods of use. These buds are very easy to pop in thanks to the elastic part of the cable that goes around your ear. Sound isolation is not bad, but not as effective as brands with smaller shells, like Shure or Westone.

DESIGN

Savannah has 4 balanced armature drivers. Noble doesn’t give out many specs, so I can’t really go into much detail here. But Noble has marketed this model as having an even keeled personality with a talent for acoustic instruments.

The cable has 2 pin connectors, which is becoming the standard these days, and pretty ordinary looking 3.5mm jack. It doesn’t look super study, but these things are meant to be replaced sooner or later.

SOUND

Overall Impressions: Balanced, authentic, even romantic, but slower than other Noble Audio models. Weak bass.

Lows

Although lows are forward enough, the Savanna is missing oomf. Listening to pop and hip-hop, the low end vitality was missing. The result is a lackluster performance of the above genres. Perhaps it’s also because the transient response doesn’t feel as fast as Noble’s other models. However, moving onto rock, bass guitars conveyed a lot of timbre and resolve. The lack of compactness that I missed when listening to pop actually lent itself well to real-life bass instruments. So, if you listen to a lot of classic rock, it’s a compromise I would take.

Mids

Ok, my little mid-freqs. You’re going to like the even mid range presence on these buds. All too often, upper mids get all the glory. But the Savanna plays it pretty fair and gives you entire spectrum of sound. And that’s especially important when listening to full-bodied choruses. So, rock is a great genre for the Savanna. The mid range balance gives it a little warmth, but because the lows are on the more conservative side, it’s not an extremely rich sound. On the flip-side, the Savanna does separation and clarity particularly well for an IEM in this price range. If you listen to a lot of acoustic guitars, these earphones a great choice; it feels precise without sounding sterile. Perhaps, unadulterated is a better word. Violin solos in this range also felt authentic and clean, while brass was super breathy and raspy when it needed to be. And although drums don’t sound as tight and solid as they do on other Noble Audio models, they are more nuanced and expressive.

Highs

I’m impressed with the transparency in this range too. Strings convey subtleties, revealing texture and quiet tremolos. You won’t have to tolerate any piercing either. Listening to brass in the highest registers felt easy. At the same time, I didn’t sense any contrived roundness or smoothness. In term of balance, this highs felt neither emphasized or recessed. My guess is that Savanna is Even Steven’s stage name.

Soundstage

The Savanna offers a good sense of depth, but it didn’t feel particularly wide or spacious. I mean, I didn’t feel like the music was coming out of a closet, but I’ve heard grander soundstages at this price point.

SUMMARY

Noble Audio delivers the Savanna exactly as advertised. Perfect for acoustic instruments and almost as flat as a pancake. But it’s a pancake with a soul. A crepe, perhaps. Though it’s not the super snappy IEM I’m used to hearing from Noble, the level of detail and exactness, regardless of the frequency range, makes it a great candidate for rock, folk, classical and jazz. So, although not completely versatile, the Savanna still covers a lot of genres with skill and grace. Buy this along with the Dulce Bass, and you’re set for life.

You can find these headphones for the best price at:

Audio 46 (use our promo code to get a 10% discount)

Amazon: Noble Audio Savanna Universal In-Ear Headphone Monitor

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