HiFiMan Ananda NANO

The Ananda Nano brings Susvara-level tech to a $319 price point. Clarity and bass are outstanding, but the treble is bright and the clamp force is strong. Worth it if you have a good amp and don't mind EQ.

This thing resolves like crazy. The nanometer diaphragm and stealth magnets deliver clarity that punches way above the $319 asking price. Bass is tight and controlled, not bloated. But the treble can get spicy. Several owners mention needing EQ to tame the brightness, and the soundstage is actually narrower than the Edition XS it replaces. Comfort is a mixed bag too. The clamp force is strong, and the ear pads feel coarse against skin. Our database puts comfort in the 2nd percentile, which is rough for a headphone you'll want to wear for hours.

Against the Edition XS, the Nano is a clear upgrade in clarity and bass control, but you lose some soundstage width. Compared to the Sennheiser HDB 630, the Ananda Nano is more resolving but less comfortable and way less portable. The Sony ULT WEAR and Bowers & Wilkins Px8 are closed-back wireless options with ANC, so they're different animals entirely. If you want a wired, open-back planar for critical listening, the Ananda Nano is the pick here. If you need wireless or ANC, look elsewhere.

At $319 USD, this is a lot of planar performance for the money. You're getting Susvara-derived tech in a package that costs less than many dynamic flagships. But factor in the cost of a decent DAC/amp if you don't already have one. Run straight from a phone, you're leaving performance on the table. Still, for the price, the sound quality is hard to beat.

The Ananda Nano is HiFiMan taking their mid-tier planar and giving it the Susvara treatment. Nanometer-thickness diaphragm, stealth magnets, the whole shebang. On paper it's a detail monster with a 5Hz to 55kHz range and a 14 ohm impedance that should play nice with portable gear. In practice, it's a headphone that rewards a good chain and punishes sloppy sources.

Skip this if you're treble-sensitive or want a headphone you can wear for eight hours straight. The bright top end and strong clamp force will wear you down. Also skip it if you don't own or plan to buy a decent DAC/amp, because you'll be paying for performance you can't access from a phone alone.

This is a headphone for people who already have a decent amp and don't mind a little EQ. If you want maximum detail per dollar in an open-back planar, the Ananda Nano delivers. If you're sensitive to treble or need all-day comfort, the clamp force and bright top end might drive you nuts.