The HiFiMan Ananda are great critical listening headphones and a good redesign of the HiFiMan Edition X. They sound practically the same as the Edition X but with a tad better mid-range and harmonic distortion. They also have the headband design and metal yokes of the HiFiMan Sundara, so they have a lower profile and should be a bit more durable. Unfortunately, HiFiMan doesn't have the best track record with durability, and like most open-back over-ears, they're only designed for critical listening.
Our Verdict
The HiFiMan Ananda are great for neutral sound and are some of the best sounding headphones we've tested. They have a well-balanced sound that caters to all genres, with a good amount of bass and an accurate representation of the instruments and vocals in the mid-range. They also have an excellent soundstage that will feel large and open. They're comfortable to wear for hours, although they're not quite as breathable as other open-back over-ears. They're a great choice for any neutral listener. If you don't mind a bit less bass, check out our review of the Stax SR-L300. They have a similar performance for neutral listening, and some may prefer their sound thanks to their Electrostatic drivers, although the slight lack of bass does mean they won't be ideal for all listeners and genres.
- Excellent audio reproduction.
- A better headband than the HiFiMan Edition X.
- Poor isolation, by design.
- Bulky and cumbersome ear cups.
The HiFiMan Ananda aren't suitable for commuting. The open-back ear cups don't block ambient noise and leak a lot. Also, they're not portable and don't have a control scheme for mobile devices.
- Excellent audio reproduction.
- A better headband than the HiFiMan Edition X.
- Poor isolation, by design.
- Bulky and cumbersome ear cups.
The HiFiMan Ananda aren't for sports. They're heavy, bulky, and not designed for physical activity.
- Excellent audio reproduction.
- A better headband than the HiFiMan Edition X.
- Poor isolation, by design.
- Bulky and cumbersome ear cups.
The HiFiMan Ananda are sub-par for office use. Unless you work alone or in an isolated office, the leakage level will be too bothersome for those around you. Also, the open-back design doesn't block any noise, so you will hear your environment fairly easily, even when listening to music at higher-than-average volumes.
- Excellent audio reproduction.
- A better headband than the HiFiMan Edition X.
- Poor isolation, by design.
- Bulky and cumbersome ear cups.
The HiFiMan Ananda are mediocre for gaming. They're comfortable, sound great, and have a low latency wired design. However, they don't have a microphone for voice chat and no customization options, which are typical for most gaming headsets. Also, they don't have the convenience of a wireless design or multiple connection options for an optimized experience on Xbox One or PS4.
- Excellent audio reproduction.
- A better headband than the HiFiMan Edition X.
- Poor isolation, by design.
- Bulky and cumbersome ear cups.
Changelog
- Updated May 05, 2022: When these headphones were converted from a previous test bench to TB 1.5, their graph results changed and the text no longer matched it. We updated the sound-related text of our review.
- Updated Jun 29, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
- Updated Feb 11, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
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Popular Headphones Comparisons
The HiFiMan Ananda are an excellent option for critical listeners and deliver a balanced and satisfying sound quality. They're a redesign of the HiFiMan Edition X and measure slightly better overall for sound, although it's not noticeable even for trained ears. On the upside, they have the new yoke design of the recent HifiMan lineup, so they should be a bit more durable. They're great-sounding critical listening headphones, but they're pricier than similar models, which may be better value for some.
See our recommendations for the best studio headphones, the best open-back headphones, the best wired headphones, and the best audiophile headphones.
The HiFiMan Edition XS and the HiFiMan Ananda are both great headphones for well-balanced sound, and depending on your preferences, you may enjoy either one. The Edition XS have a typical headband design and can reproduce sound more consistently. However, the Ananda are better built and have a ski-band headband design that's more comfortable.
The HiFiMan Arya and HiFiMan Ananda are open-back, audiophile headphones. While both headphones have a similarly great build and feel comfortable, the Arya come with additional cables with 1/8" terminations and a 1/8" to 1/4" adapter.
The HiFiMan Sundara 2020 and the HiFiMan Ananda have different strengths, and you may prefer either one, depending on your needs. The Sundara follow our target curve a bit closer, which some listeners may like. On the other hand, the Ananda are much more breathable, have significantly better build quality, and come with an extra audio cable.
The HiFiMan Ananda are slightly better critical listening headphones than the HiFiMan Edition X, although they sound practically the same for most listeners. The Ananda benefit from the new HiFiMan headband design, so they have stronger metal yokes that should be more durable. They also have a slightly better-measured performance in bass, mid, and harmonic distortion, although it's not very distinguishable even for trained ears. On the other hand, the Edition X have a slightly better treble response, but it's above 20KHz and won't be audible to most. The Edition X are also slightly more comfortable for some since they have swiveling hinges but since the ear cups and pads are practically the same on the Ananda, there isn't much difference in the overall comfort level.
Our How We Test Headphones article takes you behind the scenes in our lab. You'll learn how we choose and purchase products and dive into the details of our review philosophy, from testing and scoring to writing and editing.
You can also discover how we produce recommendations like this one so that you can find the best headphones (or earbuds!) for your needs.
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