Hifiman Deva Bluetooth Headphones

Product Information

The original Deva was one of the most open sounding headphones in the market but the Pro takes it even higher further improving the performance. Bass is not perfectly linear and therefore it doesn’t hit the lowest notes with the same strength as the rest. That said, the Deva Pro go quite deep with their bass and can be very fun with the right music, although they are just north of neutrality in general terms. Aes Dana’s Inks, as an example, does not envelope you in deep bass lines as it does with higher-end headphones by HiFiMAN (e.g. the Arya). Still, I find bass on the Deva Pro to be quite interesting, as it lays out quite a bit of detail in front of the listener and gives you a very good sense of texture. As one can legitimately expect from planar drivers, speed is quite good and transients are fast and with a short decay.

Hifiman Deva Review - Headfonia Reviews

This is the strong selling point of the Deva Pro but while the Bluemini is an excellent out of the box solution, more demanding users can certainly do better because the Deva Pro responds very well to upstream gear and extra power. For example the soprano voice can become a little shouty at certain phrases when reaching the higher parts of her tessitura, it is not irritating but still counts as accentuated. Important to note, the additional Bluemini attachment on the left side does not offset the balance of the headphones. That was my initial worry as it is a fairly large attachable device. Can I sense it is there? Slightly. Does it drop to one side or am I fighting it? Not so far and it does bring the controls further down so my hand does not have to stretch further up to reach the controls.An interesting thing for those using the Deva wirelessly was the effect on the upper mids and treble experience when switching from LDAC to aptX. With the LDAC turned on the Deva sounded far more ‘dynamic’, particularly with its mids and treble presence. It’s like it gives a lift to an already lifted area. The Himalaya is rather neutral, faithful to the original source and does not run some kind of DSP to specifically match the Deva Pro. The tuning is even up to the mids without any signs of bleeding so the bassline is crystalline, tight, controlled, with excellent articulation, exemplary layering and instruments never get masked. The Deva Pro is now equipped with a dual entry system allowing you to use cables with left and right 3.5mm TRS stereo connectors in the same manner as their high-end headphones. Those with the likes of the Ananda or the Arya Stealth will now be able to roll those cables with the Deva Pro. Good control and well-behaved, more reactive to multiple bass lines now, allowing for keeping them separated yet also in line, meaning the Deva Pro can handle pitch differences and not lose composure – a sure sign of the driver being able to keep up during more complex parts due to its better speed, resolve and driver control.

HiFiMAN Deva Pro review: even better - Soundphile Review

There is a strange volume limit and you can't get the full available range as you can do when it is connected to a PC or in Bluetooth mode. Dynamics are compressed, with little macrodynamic punch and non-existent microdynamic shifts (subtle gradations) in volume. Speed is above-average for the price range, and busy passages could have better instrument separation. The Deva Pro are unique, but the tuning is far from ideal. Comparisons

How does the HiFiMan Sundara sound?

The sound is full and dynamic with that organic R2R flavor that results in a pleasing, analog sound signature with natural timbre and good extension to both ends. Bluemini, Qudelix 5k, xDuoo Poke II, iBasso DC06, iBasso DX170, xDuoo XP2pro, xDuoo mu601, mt602, ta-01B. First of all, the Ananda has an upper hand when it comes to staging. The soundstage is wider, deeper, and more accurate, mainly because of the imaging. However, this is the biggest selling point for the Ananda when it comes to this comparison. Other than staging, these two sound pretty close when it comes to technical performance, with a slight edge for the Ananda. The tone, however, is more musical and fuller on the Deva Pro, with their slightly boosted treble response and smoother mids. The bass feels more impactful on the Deva Pro, though the Ananda has better control. The general aim of the design seems to be making the headphones look like they’re made entirely out of metal and leather, but the earcups and the two ends of the headband are actually made of plastic. The leather is also not the real thing, although it does feel quite good to the touch.