HIFIMAN AUDIVINA REVIEW
In this review we take a look at the Hifiman Audivina headphone. It is sold today around $1,999 in the US and €2,399.00 in Europe
Disclaimer: Hifiman sent me the Audivina for this review in exchange for my honest opinion about it.
Do you know anyone who doesn't like hifiman products? Not only have they brought quality sound at an accessible price, but they have drastically changed the headphone market, where now competing with made in China has become a nightmare for any European or American manufacturer. Made in China, which has no longer been synonymous with low quality for a long time, just look at any Apple product to understand that the quality comes from, who makes it and not where it is made!
I have personally tested many HiFiman products, some spectacular in terms of value for money, such as Sundara Open or Arya Stealth and others a little less, but we are all sure of one thing, there is something for all tastes, it is an innovative company, and they are constantly designing in every price range.
In this review, we’re looking at the new Audivina, high-end closed-back headphone. The previous Hifiman headphone i reviewed was the HIFIMAN Ananda Nano, you can find my review here.
ACCESSORIES & SPECS
I was very surprised by the contents of the new Eco-Friendly box, in fact the Audivina is now now supplied in a new hard carrying case which is built with excellent quality material.
Accessory-wise, you do get three sets of cables (3.5mm SE 1.5m cable, XLR balanced 3m cable, 6.35mm SE 3m cable), cable quality is pretty standard and i had to upgrade to my faithful friend MEZE premium hand-braided copper cable with 4.4 mm balanced termination, and yes believe me or not is a substantial update, sorry HIFIMAN!
Frequency response: 5Hz - 55KHz
Sensitivity: 97dB
Impedance: 20 ohms
Weight without cable: 470 g
DESIGN
The Audivina is a closed-back planar magnetic headphone with a similar geometric ear-cup styling as the Arya, what immediately catches the eye is the resonance chamber design that was inspired by the highly respected acoustic architecture of the Bayreuth Festival Theater in Germany, whose multi-stage attenuation contributes to the listener’s experience of enjoying a large, detailed stage in a small, enclosed space.
The cavity built in hard wood is exquisitely lacquered which gives a touch of clarity and premium feeling, nothing to say here its just look great but you may like it or not.
The Audivina pavilions are made of silky and Eco-friendly faux leather with high-tech fabrics, that presents great breathability and comfort.
TECHNOLOGY
The Audivina's drivers and ear cups are what makes things interesting, it features all last HIFIMAN technologies like the new Neo Supernano Diaphragm which they claim is now 80% thinner compared to past, to improve transient response and speed. It also features the stealth magnet design that causes far less interference, within the driver itself, reducing wave diffraction turbulence that degrades the integrity of the sound waves. The official website is a good place to find more information.
Looking the driver through the ear-pads and it can be seen that acoustic material has been cut out to achieve the desired sound tuning, really interesting also this star shape as never seen before on HIFIMAN products.
COMFORT & ISOLATION
The metal headband holder is strong and has good flexibility, the shape creates a smooth clamping force that isn't painful during long listening section despite the weight. I am personally a fan of the hybrid headband like Arya or Sundara open, it rests on my head more softly than it has with Edition-XS for example. Large sized cups and ear geometric shape are a plus ultra that elevate the comfort to the next level again despite the weight. Is not a Sennheiser HD 800 S or the new YAMAHA YH-5000SE that i just review, in terms of comfort, but for sure lighter than any Audeze headphone!
Isolation is not one of the best and you will find yourself able to hear the surrounding, but at least there is a minimum amount of sound leakage so no one can hear what I’m listening to, not a deal breaker but something to be aware of!
SETUP
For my test i paired the Audivina with the RME ADI-2-DAC FS, SPL Phonitor XE and the new iFi ZEN DAC 3.
All of these solutions were able to drive it with good dynamic and headroom, However, iFi ZEN DAC 3 struggle a little bit in complex passages, especially at at high volumes, with the soundstage collapsing a little bit giving to the instruments and artist less separation and a more constrained sound. Not, that is hard to drive (Impedance 20Ω & Sensitivity 97dB) but i still find that it performs best with a High-End amplifier.
Regarding RME vs. SPL, RME it returned a dry, almost boring sound where SPL open the scene with a more engaging but still natural presentation, yes the SPL Phonitor XE is still my benchmark also in 2024 and it looks like it will stay there for a long time.
It must also be said that these are headphones that require a long running-in period, not only from a mechanical point of view but also from a timbre point of view, the ear must get used to a slightly different sound from that of open headphones, a bit like when listening to horn speakers. My first impression was not fully satisfied, and I ended up waiting for almost 100 hours of burn-in before having a noticeable difference in the top end, that become smoother and enjoyable.
SOUND QUALITY
The first thing that struck me as soon as i put the headphones on my ear was the sensation of an open and extended sound stage without limits or boundaries, you absolutely don't have the sensation of listening to closed headphones, rather you seem to listen through open headphones, perhaps thanks also to the fact that external isolation is minimal or almost non-existent.
Bass response is excellent, neutral, extended and pretty dynamic with a good enough slam. I can feel a little bit of warmness between mid and upper bass that’s giving a good amount of weight, impact and presence to drums and percussion instruments.
Kendrick Lamar Feat. Rihanna - Loyalty
This track presents a good amount of sub bass information that Audivina handle with authority and presence, while not fully extended, sub-bass was neither soft, not bloated, I can still feel a little bit of sub resonance at high volume but overall really clean compare it to most closed-back headphones that i tested.
Moving to mid-range, probably the heart of the Audivina, there is a sense of clarity that subtracts a little bit of body from first octave giving a little bit more presence to it. Both male and female vocals are rich in timbre, in some tracks i found male vocals a little thin but never lacking of physicality or energy. Overall, mid is open, never congested, transparent and revealing. There was no area where mid appear to me lacking in resolution or separation.
Solid and clean Audivina bass performance helped classic rock to come alive, Guitar was crispy, metallic and sparkling. I got an incredibly clear separation that helps to recognize and isolate all instruments in critical listening. Also, lead vocal, got the perfect spotlight, as it should be.
Top-end is shining on Audivina, i mean if you like details brilliance and air, I'm sure you will be very satisfied. Despite not being aggressive in this frequency range, I noticed some signs of fatigue after a couple of hours of listening. The overall tonality of the high frequencies remains sharp, but controlled even at higher volume levels. Something really positive, is that female vocals did not exhibit any sort of sibilance or thinness, but coming out with airiness and sparkle.
By The Time I Get To Phoenix - Joshua Redman
Listening to this beautiful record over Audivina i got a sense of spaciousness that brought the sound out of my head. Intro Sax was realistic and airy, Hi-Hats/Cymbals a little strong and pungent with Gabrielle Cavassa voice beautiful, precise and palpable.
Audivina made tracks like this sound like it’s being performed exactly in a jazz club, forgetting for a moment to wear a headphone.
Dynamically speaking, classic, orchestra crescendo felt bit constrained, but never suppressed with a sense of depth and spaciousness that doesn’t affect the performance. I could easily pick out the placement of all instruments, I could hear trumpets in the back of the hall and at the same time figure out how horns were arranged that let me enjoy all the subtle details.
COMPARISONS
I will not compare the Audivina with any open-back Headphones cause make not so much sense IMO, but i will compare it with two headphones that i know very well like Dan Clark Aeon 2 and MEZE LIRIC.
The Aeon 2 is one of my favorite closed headphones, is ultra light and comfortable. Despite having a warm and rich bass performance, technically speaking is far away from the Audivina performance, that features a bigger soundstage, better imaging and much more resolution. Audivina is also easier to drive compare it to the very low impedance of Aeon 2.
Meze Liric 1st generation it is the easiest to drive of the three and is coming with a better isolation for those are looking for more intimacy with noise environment. Both out of the box are really comfortable, hard to say which one is better since it is something subjective. Regarding sound quality i find Liric more balanced overall but also a little bit more aggressive on top-end, Liric has better sub bass presence, impact and authority. It’s more fun and engaging, but it doesn’t have the spaciousness and soundstage of the Audivina. Very different headphones for a very different audience.
CONCLUSION
The Audivina is a premium closed back planar headphone that using latest Hifiman Stealth technology, and as stated by Hifiman it is thinking for studio use, but there's nothing that can stop you from using it to enjoy your favorite music. If you are looking for a closed back planar headphone with one of the biggest and open soundstage that features a high imaging accuracy, the Hifiman Audivina certainly deserves your attention.
