HiFiMAN Ananda-BT R2R

Introduction to the HiFiMAN Ananda-BT R2R Review

The folks at Hifiman seem to be doing their absolute best to fit their in-house built HYMALAYA R2R DACs into as small a space as possible. After seeing the technology be implemented into little TWS IEMs in the form of the Svanar Wireless, it’s no wonder that the R2R module fits into a full-size pair of headphones as well. In this regard, Hifiman is like a cave diver – if there’s enough space for air to pass through, then an R2R DAC shall fit as well. And, to no surprise of mine, the implementation has been largely successful – the inclusion of the R2R DAC indeed does wonders for the sound.

Gone are the days of having to use the Bluemini dongle with your wireless open-backs. Nowadays, everything comes in one package, and it’s nice not to have to look after two separate devices to commence the listening session. There are certain drawbacks and things that could be improved upon, but apart from that, the most important thing – the sound quality – doesn’t fail to impress, so the Ananda R2R is certainly a product worth a look if you’re in the market for a wireless headphone for home use, or just don’t feel like putting together a whole audio system to get a good listening session in – after all, with Ananda R2R, it’s all plug and play. Or don’t plug, just play, I don’t care what you do.

Packaging

As is customary for midrange Hifiman products nowadays, the unboxing experience is kept simple, reducing the accessory pool to only the most necessary things. For midrange products, I find that to be good practice – I’d rather put all my bucks into sound quality instead, and that seems to be exactly what Hifiman has done here. Regarding the accessories, you get the headphones, tand wo cables – USB-C to USB-C and USB-A to USB-C.

No analog cables, as there is no analog connectivity with this headphone, sadly. Inside the box itself, instead of the usual foam inserts, there is simply a carrying pouch, within which all the accessories and the headphones themselves are situated. The Hifiman carrying pouches are sturdy and reliable, so an inclusion like that is always appreciated.

Design, Build Quality and Tech

Design-wise, the Ananda R2R doesn’t differ much from any other Ananda out there – you still get that classic silver grill on a blacked-out chassis with silver accents on the headband here and there. Bar from the R2R HYMALAYA sticker, the cables near the cups, and no analog connections, this looks identical to your normal Ananda headphones. I find that design to be sleek and elegant, and it’s nice to see that Hifiman kept it clean and simple.

In terms of build quality, the first thing that comes to mind is the sturdiness. To a fault, even, as the sliding regulation mechanism is too stiff at the beginning, and needs some use in order to loosen up a bit and become easier to manipulate. The same thing goes for the cup tilting mechanism – out of the box, it’s quite stiff, but it simply gets better over time. Apart from that, the build quality is similar to any other Hifiman headphone creation – the use of metal and thick faux leather on the headband inspires confidence, and the rigidity is plenty for home use, as is the Ananda R2R’s intended purpose. The pads and the leather head strap are also the same as those used in any other Hifiman model with the same earcup shape, so if you have any experience handling Hifiman headphones, there will be no surprises for you. 

As far as comfort goes, the Ananda R2R weighs slightly more than the wired model, the difference being about 70 grams. Maybe that’s how much the whole wireless system weighs? Apart from that, similarly to other aspects of the build, the pads need some breaking-in to be at their softest and most comfortable. Once that happens, you will find the usual weight distribution to be a big advantage of the Ananda R2R, as is the case with most Hifiman headphones. Another similarity with the rest of the Hifiman catalog is the sensation of the pair disappearing from one’s head – during a prolonged listening session, the seemingly substantial weight of 469g (as per the Hifiman website) is not an issue in the slightest. I’ve always considered Hifiman to be one of the top dogs as far as designing comfortable headphones goes.

Tech

The tech aspect of the Ananda R2R is decent, but it could use some refinements in future iterations. The issues with the Ananda R2R don’t make them unusable, there are just some things that the user needs to get used to as time passes. If, in the future, Hifiman manages to fix those issues without sacrificing the sound quality, the Ananda R2R is going to be one of the best deals in audio as far as performance goes. The battery life is decent for home use – 10 hours of playback with a full-size driver and an R2R module is by no means bad, but gets beaten by things like the Noble FoKus Apollo, with its monstrous 80-hour playback at a similar charging time. 

The controls are very simple and responsive – there’s an ON/OFF button that is also used to accept or reject calls, and a smaller “function” button that switches the headphones between USB playback mode and Bluetooth 5.1 mode. There are no volume control buttons, which some users find essential. I don’t care that much for them, as I’m used to operating my Bluetooth devices directly from my phone. The microphone quality is decent, but in some situations, the recipient of the call could hear a faint buzzing sound coming from my side. The mileage varies here, but it’s something worth noting. Another thing that deserves mention is the whole host of Bluetooth codecs available, including LDAC, which is always nice to see. Android users can also access aptX and aptX HD, while Apple device users get their usual AAC and SBC.

Hifiman doesn’t offer an app to go with the Ananda R2R, and it’s another thing that I don’t see as essential. I hardly ever see myself using apps with my wireless devices – most of the time, they sit unused – and here, all the necessary functionality is handled by the buttons on one of the cups. Ananda R2R doesn’t feature ANC, but that should be obvious, considering it’s an open-back headphone intended for home use. Summing things up – the functionality of the Ananda R2R gets beaten by wireless headphones intended for outdoor use, but for what it is, I don’t think there is much to complain about, though some refinements via firmware updates, or simply tweaks in future iterations, will be welcome in taking this product from very good, to great.

Sound of the reviewed HiFiMAN Ananda-BT R2R

The sound quality of the Ananda R2R is definitely its strongest suit, and I consider it to be one of the best wireless headphones out there, no matter the price bracket. Overall, the sound signature is well-balanced thanks to a mix of gentle, pleasant warmth and decent clarity in the top end. All of that, plus a nice, punchy and textural low end. This arrangement works with any genre you throw at it, and it’s especially refreshing to see, given the fact that all of this happens within a simple, concise package, sparing the user the guesswork of the DAC and amplifier synergy, all the cables… There are an infinite number of gear combinations that can be used with the usual Anandas, but here, everything is already sorted. Considering the possible sound quality you could get with a similar budget, the Ananda R2R is a pretty good deal, especially considering the extra wireless functionality.

BASS

There is a good amount of bass to be heard with the Ananda R2R – it’s large in scale, and there’s a lot of it, but it’s still not enough to overpower other aspects of sounds entirely, though there is a slight veil in the midrange. The punch is decisive and tactile, but it’s still quite soft – the attack is not as snappy as with other Hifiman planars. It’s a more laid-back presentation for those who aren’t looking for the most extreme speeds. The bass presentation here seems to be a good complement for the overall pleasant warmth, instead of being a whole spectacle of its own. The subbass rumble in tracks like “Violence” by Andy Stott is well pronounced and powerful, but clear enough to reproduce textures and vibrations faithfully. Overall, the presentation of the low registries is well executed, and should suit the needs of those looking for smoothness and mellowness, more so than the needs of the lovers of ultimate speed and snappy tactility.

MIDRANGE

The midrange of the Hifiman Ananda R2R is the best aspect of its sonic performance. The reproduction of mids carries the R2R DNA and makes it apparent that we’re dealing with a sort of enhancement of what a usual planar can deliver – the sound is smooth and inviting, with an ever-present tinge of warmth that disarms the higher registries of their potential harshness, resulting in a smooth, laid-back presentation. The male vocals are well textured and reproduced with a good amount of information conveyed, while the upper-mids-leaning female vocals, like in Carolin No’s “Crystal Ball”, come across as dynamic and lively, with a large scale that, as was the case with male vocals, allows the listener to appreciate the more detailed sequences. In some pieces of music, there is a slight veil to be experienced that might make the mids sound a bit nasal, but it’s not prominent enough to be a dealbreaker in my opinion.

TREBLE

The treble, as reproduced by the Hifiman Ananda R2R, is slightly recessed in comparison to the rest of the sound signature. I prefer a mix of warm with a hint of brightness instead of a darker presentation, but the recessed nature of the top end ties in well with what the rest of the signature is trying to achieve – a smooth, laid-back, rich presentation. The treble is also quite enigmatic here. How? Well, it’s not every day that you come across a pair of headphones that boost the upper mids but keep the treble recessed. Still, the state of affairs makes for a natural and pleasant presentation, which is the key feature of the Ananda R2R, setting it apart from other wireless headphones. Personally, I could use some extra dynamics and quantity in the treble, but thanks to the overall well-roundedness of the sound, which the treble contributes to, I found myself coming back to the Ananda R2R quite often, and it wasn’t just because of the convenience factor.

SOUNDSTAGE

The staging ability of the Ananda R2R is one of the best when it comes to Bluetooth full-size headphones, but not the most grand as far as planars go overall. I’d dub it as faithful to what the music engineers had in mind when mixing the track of choice – pieces like “As” by Stevie Wonder sound huge, while more intimate presentations, like Carolin’s vocals in the previously mentioned “Crystal Ball”, stay close to the ear. Hifiman Ananda R2R’s staging isn’t overly inflated, but it isn’t congested either, being somewhere smack-dab in the middle. If you’re looking to be stumped by a huge stage, then this may not exactly be the Hifiman for you, but the Ananda R2R’s advantage here is a natural and coherent presentation. Thanks to decent dynamics in every aspect of sound, various musical arrangements stay well put-together and tidy, all served on a black background.

Comparisons

Noble Audio FoKus Apollo

This section isn’t meant to directly compare two headphones that are very different, as both have their very significant strengths distributed over completely different aspects of the product. Both have traits that make them the best in the market in certain respects. Instead, let’s talk about the perfect use case for each and why you should pick one over the other.

In terms of overall sound quality, the Ananda R2R is the winner here. The FoKuS Apollo has some traits that I find desirable in a pair of headphones – a uniquely sharp, tactile bass, for example – but as a whole, I find the sound signature of the Ananda R2R to be more refined. The warmth and smoothness of the midrange is something that is unique to those headphones as far as full-sized Bluetooth-capable offerings go.

Functionality-wise, the Apollo is the clear winner here – when comparing the two, it’s clear that Ananda R2R could use some refinements to make it great. I’d love to see a longer battery life and better microphone quality, as well as volume control on the cups. When it comes to build quality and comfort, it’s a toss-up – The Apollo is built better, but thanks to the huge cups and the suspension strap, the Ananda is more comfortable with the beloved “disappearing” factor in play. 

Another aspect is the price – the Ananda R2R costs 150 USD more than the Apollo. While the functionality is not as good, I’d say the price difference reflects the step-up in sound quality quite well.

HiFiMAN Ananda-BT R2R Review – Summary

I think it’s no overstatement when I say that the Ananda R2R pushes the limits of what can be achieved in terms of sound quality in Bluetooth headphones. For the price of the Ananda R2R, you get the performance of a whole discrete audio system, all packed into a transportable, wireless pair of headphones.

While there are certain aspects here that could use improvement, like the build quality and the functional aspects, the Ananda R2R is still a great overall performer, with its capabilities tying in well with the price range it’s currently available at. If Hifiman keeps up the trend of lowering the prices of their products, then the deal shall only get better as time goes on.

Recommended.