Sivga Audio and Sendy Audio made our “Finest Audiophile Headphones” record and for a relatively good cause; the 2 Chinese language manufacturers that are based mostly out of Dongguan, have develop into probably the greatest saved secrets and techniques within the high-end headphone area and their lineup of merchandise continues to develop and outperform different fashions at their respective worth factors. Fashions just like the Sivga SV023 and Luan profit from an enormous pool of native design expertise and entry to domestically produced components.
A few of the most vital digital manufacturers on this planet at the moment function manufacturing crops in Dongguan; Apple, Samsung, Huawei, Nokia, and OPPO characterize simply a few of the 1,000 electronics manufacturers that manufacture within the metropolis.
Each the award-winning SV023 (learn our evaluate) and Sivga Luan are open-back headphones and the inexpensive Luan ($299 USD) options some trickle down expertise from its costlier sibling and a few not too long ago launched options that differentiate it.
The $299 record worth makes it a far engaging choice for individuals who can’t afford the costlier SV023, which retails for $449 USD.
Similar to the opposite Sivga/Sendy fashions that now we have tried, the Luan are extraordinarily well-built and the general design could be very nicely executed. Having listened to virtually all of their fashions, the Sivga Luan function a few of the finest industrial design up to now with a wonderful stability of wooden, leather-based, and steel.
All of that expertise and construct high quality is relatively mandatory contemplating the competitors between $250 and $300; the Luan have to be higher than the Sennheiser HD600, HiFiMAN Sundara, Sony MDR-1AM2, and Grado SR325x.
Design
The Luan comes with a top quality leather-based exhausting case of the identical fashion because the higher-end fashions within the lineup; that may be a relatively good transfer on the a part of Sivga and level of differentiation; not one of the aforementioned fashions from the competitors embody one or something benefiting a pair of headphones at their respective worth factors.
Opening the case reveals the headphones, a separate material bag designed to carry the cable and equipped adapters; every little thing was neatly separated to forestall scratches whereas in transit.
Essentially the most putting factor is the combination of brushed aluminum, black leather-based, and darkish walnut cups. The headscarf is a mixture of spring metal and aluminum with machined gimbals and sliders for the suspension headband matching the spring metal outer band.
The suspension band is padded leather-based and matches the pads which have leather-based outer surfaces. An identical aluminum ring separates the walnut from the black grills creating a really cohesive trying industrial design.
The one plastic we may discover was within the driver baffle contained in the cup and within the cable which helps once more separate the Luan from the competitors; it isn’t frequent to search out wooden, leather-based, and machined aluminum gimbals for lower than $500 USD.
Grado costs $295 for the SR325x as a degree of comparability and while the headphone is a really robust performer and we’d definitely take into account them to be a robust various to the Luan, the economic design is extra utilitarian total and lacks the mix of wooden and steel that makes the Chinese language headphone really feel extra substantial.
The ear pads are a hybrid leather-based on the edges and delicate material on the face; Sivga designed the pads for higher match so they’re sloped outward from the cup with the physique of the pad sitting largely outdoors the cup offering extra space for the ear with out requiring a bigger and heavier cup to take action.
They’re additionally simply changed ought to the necessity come up with a easy twist lock mechanism. The cups have loads of area for my ears and had been comfy with glasses with solely a average stage of clamping pressure.
The adjustable suspension headband and rotation of the cups additionally helps make this a really comfy headphone for longer listening classes; the cups rotate on each axes with roughly 25° to both aspect on the vertical axis and 15° outward on prime and 60° inward on the horizontal.
Cables connect on the backside of the cups utilizing 3.5mm connectors for simple substitute as wanted.
Drivers
Internally, the Luan makes use of a 50mm composite dynamic driver with an outer ring coated in nickel for added stiffness and the central dome being made from carbon fiber.
A copper clad aluminum wire voice coil is used together with a 24.5mm magnet construction to create a quick, environment friendly driver. The drivers are mounted at an angle going through barely ahead contained in the cups.
The drivers have an impedance of 38 ohms with a sensitivity of 100dB/mW ±3dB which places the Luan in a category that’s simply pushed by nearly any supply system.
The cables are 6N OCC in a 4-strand braid from jack to splitter and two strand twists above. All cable fixtures are matte black anodized aluminum matching the body and the twin shade (clear and brown) wires actually set it off nicely. The cable is terminated utilizing a 3.5mm jack and an adapter is offered for six.35mm.
Sound
Having had the chance to evaluate a lot of the Sivga and Sendy headphones which were launched up to now, it’s truthful to say that the primary era of merchandise had been an actual crapshoot when it got here to sonic efficiency. They definitely didn’t problem HiFiMAN, Sennheiser, or Beyerdynamic fashions at the moment.
Nevertheless, the latest fashions just like the Oriole, SV023, and Luan are a really totally different story and if you mix their robust sonic capabilities with the wonderful construct high quality and worth for the cash — they offer the aforementioned manufacturers a extremely good battle and in some instances — make a extra convincing argument for themselves.
The sub-bass area has a gentle diploma of emphasis with a peak at 80Hz; there’s a gradual diploma of roll-off on both aspect. On the excessive low finish, one can discern the roll-off round 25Hz the place bass notes lose their definition and element and one feels the affect greater than something.
The bass vary is usually nicely managed with the mid-bass area exhibiting excellent management and texture; readability by way of this vary into the decrease midrange is sort of good and there was little or no coloration or any dip that we may discern.
Male vocals had greater than sufficient texture and weight and the decrease midrange by no means actually comes throughout as being too heat or thick with vocals or instrumentation.
The general presentation doesn’t push male vocals ahead of the combination and the labored nicely with most genres of music.
Guitar notes had glorious presence and edge and decrease strings had been reproduced with glorious tonal accuracy and element. Increased strings and the higher registers on the piano had been reproduced with some further emphasis which gave music extra power however some listeners would possibly discover each to be barely vivid sounding.
Feminine vocals function an identical emphasis and while readability and element had been good, poorly recorded tracks will definitely come throughout as barely strident on this space. Higher high quality recordings the place feminine vocals are barely laid again or cleaner sounding didn’t excite the Luan in the identical trend.
The extra emphasis within the higher midrange doesn’t cross over into the decrease treble; the general presentation turns into barely well mannered however there are some points at this level that can trouble some listeners greater than others.
We seen some grain within the treble vary that impacted the sound; percussion had good snap and cymbals had been delivered with correct tone however the hi-hat got here throughout as barely “metallic” sounding on account of some further emphasis round 8kHz.
That late enhance within the treble would possibly give the Luan a extra open sounding presentation, which additionally helps stability out the emphasis within the bass vary, however it proved to be barely fatiguing throughout longer listening classes.
Soundstage depth and peak are nicely reproduced, however the width is most definitely narrower than different fashions in the identical worth vary. the Luan competes nicely total on this space however it doesn’t provide the spaciousness of the Sennheiser HD600.
Instrument separation is superb which helps when seating the orchestra or monitoring actions and total imaging is stable as nicely. Musicians are locked firmly in place on the stage however they by no means actually really feel like they’re enjoying outdoors of your head as a result of soundstage width limitations.
The HD600 recreate a a lot bigger sounding soundstage with a greater sense of scale; most definitely when listening to massive scale orchestral items and symphonies.
The Competitors?
Having already talked about a few of the Luan’s competitors on the worth level, it behoves me to elucidate the way it compares to the Sivga SV023, Sennheiser HD600, HiFiMAN Sundara, and the Sony MDR-1AM2.
Evaluating the 2 Sivga fashions which can be separated by $150 in worth might sound unfair to the inexpensive mannequin, however it additionally offers some perspective on why the SV023 is costlier.
The 2 headphones are comparable from the angle of construct high quality and a few elements of the tonal stability; the bass vary could be very comparable.
The Luan encompasses a ‘V’-shaped presentation while the the SV023 is rather more akin to a ‘W’ and that issues in a really important approach.
The soundstage width and total proportions are superior on the SV023, however that doesn’t imply the 2 provide an identical diploma of transparency and openness. The inexpensive Luan wins that battle which we didn’t anticipate.
If each headphones had been priced the identical, I might nonetheless decide the SV023 however the efficiency of the Luan makes me query the $150 distinction in worth.
The Sennheiser HD600 feels considerably low cost in comparison with the Sivga Luan and that’s primarily due to the construct high quality of the Luan and supplies used within the design. The HD600 has a plastic development and if you maintain each in your fingers — you actually understand what a superb worth the Luan represents.
Bass depth and affect are superior on the Luan, however I might price the midrange efficiency relatively equal. The Sivga comes throughout as barely fuller sounding in comparison with the HD600 which provides extra element.
The treble vary will not be a energy of both headphone and people anticipating clear, silky highs from both mannequin will likely be disenchanted.
HiFiMAN Sundara?
While the Sennheiser HD600 struggled, the HiFiMAN Sundara provides a a lot more durable opponent with regards to the general tonal stability, soundstage efficiency, and element retrieval.
The Sundara provides a extra linear sounding presentation that’s extra spacious and detailed, however that’s not the one factor that issues when shopping for a pair of headphones at this worth level.
The Luan’s construct high quality is vastly superior and in each potential approach; high quality of the supplies, consolation stage, ending, and total sturdiness.
If one may merge the sound high quality of the Sundara with the construct high quality of the Luan — it will be straightforward to advocate that mannequin as the perfect beneath $300 and have zero hesitation in that regard.
The truth is extra sophisticated and also you do should spend between $450 and $500 to realize that.
Sony MDR1-AM2?
The Sony MDR-1AM2 is sweet headphone at its worth level however it actually doesn’t examine all that favorably with the Sivga Luan in just a few areas; the plastic development makes it really feel much less sturdy and the economic design is definitely dated compared.
The equipped carry bag doesn’t provide the identical stage of safety because the exhausting case of the Luan and that can matter to those that will need to commute with these or take them on trip.
The bass response on the Sony is extra strong however comes throughout with much less management and definition; the Luan provides superior readability, element, and can also be leaner sounding in that vary.
From the angle of passive isolation, the closed-back Sony MDR-1AM2 doesn’t provide an enormous benefit over the open-back design of the Sivga and that shocked us.
Conclusion
Except the treble vary which could be considerably grainy sounding with poor recordings and relatively common copy of soundstage width, the Sivga Luan proved to be a relatively refined sounding pair of open-back headphones beneath $300.
The flexibility to drive them with smartphones, Dongle DACs, and any DAP available on the market make them a a lot simpler advice; particularly for individuals who could not need to spend money on a desktop amplifier or very costly digital supply outdoors of their present smartphone. Any fairly priced dongle with a smoother sounding treble and a clear sounding midrange will work nicely with these.
The icing on the cake right here is the construct high quality and a spotlight to element within the design; the Luan are constructed to final and proved to be relatively comfy throughout prolonged listening classes.
The Sivga SV023 is perhaps a greater headphone, however the hole isn’t enormous and that’s an enormous win for a headphone that’s $150 cheaper.
The place to purchase: $299 at Amazon
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#Sivga #Luan #OpenBack #Headphones #Evaluation
