Hifiman Ananda Nano Review: Dazzling Excitement
Hifiman has been one of the top names in the head-fi world for a while now, and they continue to shock us with the refinements made in their popular headphone series over the years. The Arya and the HE1000 series has continued to push the boundaries of performance for their price points, but I feel that the Ananda has been forgotten about. So, with the release of the Nano, a complete redesign of the original Ananda, I was excited to see if Hifiman finally gave it some love and attention and boy did they ace it. Let’s now dive into this review, and see what makes this release so special, especially at 600 dollars.
Build and Comfort
Overall, the Nano is built extremely well. Unlike some Hifiman releases in the past, it’s a build is solid and sturdy, and it doesn’t feel like it’s going to break. In fact, I think you could probably drop it on the floor from desk height and it could survive, can’t say the same with some of Hifimans prior releases. The fit could be a bit controversial, as the clamp force is rather tight and the ear cups don’t swivel. Thank goodness the band and pads are responsibly comfortable, and I didn’t get any hotspots on the top of my head, (I’m talking to you Abyss Diana series). Let’s move onto the most important aspect, how does it sound?
Sound
The Ananda Nano is what I would describe as neutral bright, and to me the brightness is not offensive which is a plus. The treble on nano is very detailed and very precise. Although treble on this unit is slightly elevated, it never feels like it overtakes the other frequencies, and doesn’t feel way to forward. It rather blends in quite seamlessly with the upper midrange and is more on the engaging and fun side. The speed of the nano drivers is off the charts especially at its price, and it has no issue producing the background treble information that may be hidden in the track. It’s astonishing how detailed this headphone is, and I would easily put this in the Audeze LCD X and MM 500 realm, and I think it surpasses the Meze 109 Pro and Focal Clear in this regard.
The midrange on the right chain can become very ethereal and atmospheric. I was impressed at how the nano handles synthetic instruments and drums, and a lot modern music sounds sublime on this unit. Orchestra music was also a major highlight for me with nano, instruments were very distinct within the stage, and the information I was able to obtain regarding the instruments was fascinating. Male vocals sounded fine, they could use a little more body, but in general it sounded good, especially if the male vocalist has a softer gentler tone. Female vocals are where I absolutely love this thing to death, and I was blown away at how it produced this vocal range with so much emotion and engagement. If you love pop, k-pop, alternative, or indie female artists, you would love what the nano has to offer for you.
Bass on the nano is what I would describe as fast and reasonably hard hitting, but what I like the most is the control that it has. Depending on the track that is played, nano can sound really enjoyable and engaging. Although it’s not the hardest hitting bass I’ve heard, and sure some dynamic headphones at its same price may beat it in all out bass physicality, it is undoubtedly the fastest bass I have heard for 600 dollars. When low end elements get complex depending on what song is played, it is easily apple to separate the low, mid, and high bass frequencies so it doesn’t sound overwhelmed and congested which is a bonus. The mid bass has to be my favorite part. It’s really fun and enjoyable as it offers a good amount of punch and thump which is exciting. EDM and RNB were true highlights that showcased the bass performances of nano.
Technical Performance:
Ananda Nano at 600 dollars is an amazing performer regarding technical performance. It is extremely quick and detailed, and its instrument separation is fantastic. Imaging and instrument placement is great, but soundstage may not be big enough for some, as it trails Arya and hd800 in overall size. I do think it’s bigger than lcd x and it certainly has more depth than that headphone, but the Meze 109 pro may be a tad bigger in its overall stage. The instrument separation though is where I feel this headphone is a top performer, as only the Arya mentioned beats it outright in this area. In my testing, dynamics are on LCD-X level which is good to hear especially at its price point. Some dynamics do out impact nano in regard to weight, but it’s not as fast as nano in the dynamic experience.
Synergy:
Nano leans neutral bright, so sterile bright sounding chains are a no go in my honest opinion. I loved nano with Asgard 3 and Jotunheim 2 paired with a Modius or ares 2. Now if you are willing to spend a little more money, GSX Mini or Oor + Hypsos paired with something like Gustard A26 was a treat.
Conclusion:
The Ananda Nano is a really solid offering from Hifiman at 600 dollars. It is a fun and engaging experience and offers great technical performance at a low price. Female vocals and bass were my highlight from nano, but there was other things I liked as well. It’s weaknesses are male vocal heft, and timbre in some areas, but overall it performs well across the board. It’s hard to really find a complaint especially at its price point, and now I wholeheartedly think that an Ananda is finally a headphone I could recommend. Hifiman has finally given this series some much needed love, and it paid off nicely.
