Наушники — HiFiMAN ANANDA Unveiled

The ANANDA Unveiled is a HiFiMAN planar magnetic model of open-back, over-ear construction that applies the company's Unveiled concept to the Ananda family. At USD 549 it is the least expensive Unveiled model so far, and within the four-model Ananda range it shares the highest price with the Ananda BT-R2R, above the Ananda Stealth at USD 289. The Unveiled idea is simple - the usual protective grille over the outer face of the driver is removed, leaving the diaphragm assembly exposed.

Key specs that matter

HiFiMAN rates the frequency response at 5 Hz to 55 kHz. Impedance is 22 ohm and sensitivity is 93 dB. The headphone weighs about 448 g without its veils and cable. The driver uses the second generation of the NEO Supernano Diaphragm, which the company says is around 60 percent thinner than the first generation. Cable sockets are dual 3.5 mm jacks, angled outward on each cup, and the supplied detachable lead ends in a 3.5 mm plug with a 6.35 mm adapter included for larger amplifier jacks.

Engineering and use context

Removing the grille means nothing sits between the driver and the listener's surroundings except the open frame, so the outward-facing side of the diaphragm radiates freely. Because this also leaves the driver vulnerable to dust and knocks, HiFiMAN supplies a pair of magnetic carbon-fibre veils that clip over the cups when the headphone is not being worn. A thinner diaphragm has less moving mass, which the company ties to quicker transient response. The motor is a precision-shaped permanent magnet system intended to lower distortion while keeping sensitivity close to that of rare-earth designs. The earcups have the egg shape used across the Ananda line and hang from a second-generation composite headband with a suspension strap, and the rotatable hinges let the cups swivel to seal against the head. The package also includes four storage pouches - one for the whole headphone, one for the cable and one for each earcup - plus a user manual and warranty card.

Pairing

With its modest sensitivity, the ANANDA Unveiled needs a reasonable amount of power to reach its best, so a proper headphone amplifier, either a desktop unit or a capable portable one, suits it better than the output of a phone. The low impedance means the amplifier should deliver current comfortably rather than high voltage. Because the cable is detachable and uses standard plugs at the cup end, replacement or aftermarket leads with other terminations can be fitted to match the amplifier's outputs.

Alternatives

HiFiMAN's Ananda Nano is a lower-priced open planar model in the same Ananda family, listed at USD 359.