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Sound – General
For this section I have used the Hifiman Isvarna with a series of desktop amplifiers, such as the ZMF Aegis, Headonia 300B, Niimbus US4+ and SAEQ Armageddon.
The DAC used was the Violectric V850 and the setups were connected in balanced mode.
I was quite worried to when I requested the sample from Hifiman. As said, I have seen many companies fail when trying to build a good performing, and well sounding hybrid headphone.
Luckily this isn’t the case here and the Isvarna after a few hundred hours of burn in (not really needed) sounded just right!
You get the typical dynamic bass and weight, mixed with the typical planar magnetic mids and upper frequencies.
The overall presentation is fuller and you do get a good amount of weight from top to bottom. The delivery is slower and on the warmer side of neutral.
The level of precision and the clarity is excellent. The Isvarna even manages to work through complex passages, requiring the best of both driver types. The Isvarna sounds very dynamic, and the softer tonality makes it a very musical end engaging sounding headphone.
I also really like the Isvarna for what stereo imaging and 3-dimensionality are concerned. It also performs well for all musical types, and I have enjoyed listening to a wide variety of genres with it. From Doechii to Gojira to The Prodigy, the Isvarna does it all and with ease>
The technical level of the Isvarna is good, but it isn’t the ultimate performer when it comes to precision and technicalities (layering, clarity, decay, extension). It’s good, but headphones like the HE1000 (and up) do take it a notch further.
What the Isvarna is, is pure pleasure. It’s such a joy to listen to and you just want to keep playing your favorite tracks again and again. The energy and dynamics are a delight.
Coming back to the Isvarna’s hybrid aspects, I have to give Hifiman praise for the perfectly executed crossover. The dynamic and planar drivers work seamlessly together, producing an ear pleasing, blended, coherent sound.
To me it’s truly the first time to hear a full-sized hybrid headphone performing as well as this. Call me impressed and a fan!
Sound – Classics
One of the nice things about Dynamic Drivers is their ability to portray bass, and it’s no different for the Isvarna.
You get the typical DD bass with good body, impact and an excellent punch. It’s maybe not as fast or tight as planar bass, but you can really feel it.
Bass reaches down low so sub bass levels, but it does strongly depends on the amplifier you have the Isvarna plugged into. In general however it is safe to say that the Isvarna is a bass heavier performer, which the Frequency Response also clearly shows.
I don’t think of the Isvarna as a bass head’s wet dream, but there is plenty of bass present. Think of it as general consumer tuned bass.
The mids, produced by the planar driver, perfectly connect to the bass region, and they are just as weight. Mids do carry enough space and air but like the bass, they aren’t fasted and they have a smoother and warmer presence.
Vocals are also softer an warmer to the ear, but the positioning is right and they overall really sound natural and realistic. Both bass and mids have great dynamics and the engagement level is high.
The top end, like the bass and mids, is dynamic, warmer and full sounding. It’s engaging and contrasty enough, but it isn’t the clearest or most extended. Treble is very safe here. Musically exciting let’s call it.
The Hifiman Isvarna could be described as having a more W-shaped signature which we often see with the more popular tuned headphones. It works really well however. The Isvarna isn’t the best technical performer, but it’s all about the enjoyment, engagement and musicality here.
Sound – Amplification
The Hifiman Isvarna has an impedance rating of 16Ω, which is low, and a sensitivity of 93 dB/mW. This makes the Isvarna quite weird, well, at least unique.
As I said before, I really feel the Isvarna is a headphone to be used at your desktop and it will perform best there. Of course you can take it on the go with a portable amp, because it will for sure need one.
The amplifiers selected for this section are the ZMF Aegis, Hifiman GA-10, Niimbus US4+, and the Ferrum OOR. I also included the EarMen portable tube based L-AMP.
With the ZMF AEGIS is strongly depends on what tubes you’re running in it. As I am working on a PSVANE Horizon review atm, their EL34 and 6SL7 are the power and input tubes.
With this set you get a more clear sounding Isvarna, which is going more to a neutral presentation. You still get good body here, but it is more in check as are the warmth and smoothness.
This is a very musical but also refined combo, and I like the faster pace, additional clarity and vocal forwardness here. The Isvarna still adds fulness, smoothness and body to it, and as such it has a bit of everything.
From the solid state Niimbus US4+, the Isvarna sounds fuller, slower and less controlled, refined. You get a slower and mellower pace here, though the airiness and spaciousness is excellent here. Vocals blend in more but the level of energy, clarity and top extension are lower.
This is a smoother, warmer, slower and laid-back presentation. Nice to enjoy and soft on the ear, but a little too slow-paced and mellow for me. I’m missing clarity, speed and excitement here.
The Ferrum/HEM OOR and Hypsos combo with this headphone works well, even if I find it to sound a bit too airy and spacious in the mids section. At least for my taste.
The Isvarna sounds cleaner, faster and well controlled here. The amount of weight and body is lighter, but you still get a smooth delivery and very musical presentation.
I also like the vocal presentation on top end performance in this setup. It’s energetic, live and engaging. The technical level is good.
With Hifiman’s own GA-10 EL84 based tube amplifier, the Isvarna sounds good, like on the Aegis,but with a twist. Here the Isvarna sounds more spacious in the mids but it is not as wide sounding (sound stage).
The clarity level and PRaT is also a little lower here, together with a slightly higher bass presence. This presentation is smoother, warmer, and very analogue tube like. Very enjoyable, relaxed and soft on the ears.
Some here might miss the Aegis’ clarity and speed while others will prefer the softer vocal presentation of the full Hifiman combo. Both setups are good, it’s all about personal preference.
One of the best matches for me came from the EarMen L-Amp. The synergy between the Isvarna and L-Amp is spot on and the L-Amp makes the Isvarna sound incredible.
You get an amount of weight that is just right, powerful but controlled bass, spacious mids, energetic vocals and a lively top-end. The technical level is excellent here and the combo makes the delivery smooth and musical.
This setup doesn’t sound slow and mellow, but it is precise and musical. The vocal presentation is just perfect. This for me is the perfect marriage between technicalities and musical enjoyment.
This is a fully recommended setup, which you can even use on the go, should you ever consider that.
TL;DR: The Hifiman Isvarna needs amplification to sound its best, but it also is a transparent headphone that will show you exactly what your amp brings to the party.
The Isvarna doesn’t match well with all sources, so do make sure to try it with your setups first. I myself mostly prefer it on tubes, in balanced mode hooked up to the L-Amp and Aegis.
Conclusion
With the Isvarna, Hifiman has succeeded in building a well performing hybrid full-sized headphone.
This for me really is one of the first times I feel a hybrid headphone is perfectly blending driver phasing and tuning.
The Isvarna is not only a comfortable headphone, the more W-shaped signature is a pleasure to the ear, especially when it is when amped right.
The Isvarna is a fuller sounding headphone with an easy to like tuning and a very musical presentation. The delivery here is on the warmer and smoother side, and the bass has a nice commercial lift.
This really is a headphone you will enjoy your music with. It’s not as technically strong as the HE1000 just to give an example, but it makes up for that with pure musical enjoyment.
Do note the Isvarna requires amplification for it to sound best, and it is quite transparent in this regard.
Summary
PRO
- Hybrid perfectly executed
- Dynamic (bass)
- Comfort
- Signature (laid back & super musical)
CON
- Price
- Technical limits
Page 2: Sound General, Sound Classics, Amplification, Conclusion, Summary
