In the past few years the high-end headphone and IEM (in-ear monitor) market has exploded. You can now find headphones priced up to $6,000/pair and beyond. Cult favorite HiFiMan made a name for itself with high quality, affordable over-ear headphones like the SUNDARA Planar Magnetic Headphones ($299.99) and the HE400SE Stealth Magnet Open-Back Planar Magnetic Headphones ($109.99). But HiFiMan has shown they're good at the cost-no-object flagship game as well with their remarkable sounding SUSVARA headphones ($5,999) which they released in 2016. Since then HiFiMan has rounded out their over-ear model lineup with great-sounding headphones at virtually all price points.
The company has also branched out into the high-end in-ear headphone market, the most recent of which is the SVANAR wired in-ear monitor ($1,999.99) which the company unveiled earlier this year at CanJam 2023. Last week, we got a peek at (and a quick listen to), the wireless version of these in-ear-monitors, the SVANAR True Wireless ANC Earbuds ($499.99). It's a little odd that they're using the SVANAR name for both the wireless and wired versions of the earbuds, but HiFiMan president Dr. Fang Bian explained that both sets have been designed with similar sonic characteristics. In his words the SVANAR True Wireless ANC earbuds offer "95% of the performance" of the wired version, but at just 25% of the cost.
We got a sneak peek at some limited production samples of the SVANAR True Wireless earbuds at a press event in New York City last week, and definitely liked what we saw and heard, with exquisite detail, an open airy sound and solid bass performance. The SVANAR wireless buds are a bit bulkier than many other in-ear 'phones, but they fit snugly and securely into my ear. They'll come with a number of different silicon and foam tips so customers should have no problem finding a good fit. The charging case is also a bit larger than competitive models such as the Sony WF-1000XM4 and Apple AirPods Pro. But the SVANAR's cool diamond-shaped clamshell case sets is apart from the competition.
The SVANAR Wireless features a 10mm dynamic driver tuned for full-range output, as well as a customized version of HiFiMan's own Hymalaya DAC (digital analog converter). The Hymalaya DAC was designed in-house and is based on a multi-bit ladder DAC but with high power efficiency and extremely low noise and distortion. The SVANAR wireless earbuds feature active noise cancellation (ANC) so they'll make a great companion on airplanes and subways. The SVANAR Wireless also includes HiFiMan's Topology Diaphragm, which uses a proprietary nanoparticle coating on the drivers to enhance sonic detail.
The rated frequency response of the SVANAR Wireless is 10Hz to 35KHz. Average battery time is four to seven hours, depending upon usage mode and volume. The case can provide three full charges to the buds before needing a charge itself. The SVANAR Wireless is IPX5-rated for resistance to sweat and dirt.
HiFiMan reps at the event said that the SVANAR True Wireless Earbuds are expected to begin shipping in June and will be available on Amazon and in HiFiMan's own online store.
Related Reading:
High-End Headphone Market Alive and Well at CanJam 2023
Best Affordable Wireless IEMs Revealed at Headphone Shootout 2023
