Sivga Luan Review | Trusted Reviews

Verdict

An accessible and satisfying pair of open-backed, over-ear headphones from Sivga which can be very snug to put on and attraction with a lush, however pure sound.

Introduction

There was a time when the way forward for wired headphones seemed grim. Smartphones have been ditching 3.5mm jacks of their droves and wi-fi headphones have been within the ascendancy. Few needed to get tangled with the cables of a wired headphone.

However, for no matter purpose, wired headphones refused to put down. If something, they’ve turn into resurgent, whether or not linked by means of an ordinary cable or USB-C, they’re nonetheless a preferred and most popular possibility for some.

And one model seeking to capitalize on it’s Sivga. It has launched headphones at a prodigious fee over the previous two years, rising its presence within the UK market, particularly with the Luan.

These headphones aren’t essentially pitched on the audiophile market, sitting someplace between audiophile ambition and a extra mainstream sound.

Design

• Soft consolation
• Nice appears
• Open-backed design

These headphones really feel nice on the top. I don’t consider there’s been a Sivga (or Sendy) headphone that I’ve not favored when it comes to consolation, and the Luan proceed that development with an opulent match.

The fabric used for each the scarf and earpads is skin-friendly velvet and the earpads are so giant that I really feel as in the event that they’re smothering my head (in a great way), although these with smaller heads could discover it too consuming. The clamping pressure is unfastened, which provides to the consolation ranges, although there’s a little little bit of shifting if you happen to give your head a wiggle.

Nonetheless, these headphones might be worn for prolonged durations of listening (I’ve worn them for longer than an hour) and never invoke a lot, if any fatigue. Contemplating the Luan weigh 354g – they don’t really feel that heavy on my head.

The earcups are hand-made from wooden (with brown and black variations), whereas the body of the headphones makes use of steel components made by means of CNC machining. The looks is one which’s each pure and barely industrial, however elegant for it. I particularly dig the brown model.

These are open-backed headphones – you’ll be able to inform from the grille on the wood earcups – and which means the Luan is a headphone that may leak out the sound you’re listening to in addition to can help you hear what’s round you. This could be a difficulty if these headphones are used outdoors of the house, however from what I can hear, leakage is saved to a minimal. Given the dimensions, the Sivga Luan aren’t essentially the most transportable, at the least in comparison with a wi-fi headphone. All indicators level to this headphone finest being utilized in a house setting.

There’s a removable 1.6m cable that terminates in a 3.5mm jack, a 6.3mm adapter, and an enormous laborious carry case to retailer the headphones in.

Options

• Straightforward to drive
• Vast frequency response
• Dynamic driver

There’s by no means a lot to speak about when it comes to options for wired headphones in comparison with their wi-fi counterparts, so this part will likely be transient.

Impedance is rated at 38ohms, which signifies that these headphones will likely be simpler to drive than most, whether or not they’re linked to a laptop computer, smartphone, or different cell system with a 3.5mm jack. For the needs of this evaluate, I used the Sivga Luan largely with a Chord Mojo 2 DAC and Astell & Kern A&norma SR35 participant. Sensitivity is rated at 100dB, which is a gauge that they’ll get pretty loud when pushed.

The frequency response covers 20Hz to 40kHz, indicating these headphones are suited to taking part in Hello-Res Audio recordsdata. The driving force used is dynamic, the diaphragm options nickel coating on the sting that’s claimed to be helpful when it comes to rigidity and elasticity, serving to to explain deep and easy bass, in addition to layered midrange frequencies.

The dome space is created from a macromolecule natural carbon fibre composite, which sounds very fancy, and absorbs and suppresses extreme vibration to breed treble in a non-sharp however clear method.

Sound High quality

• Punchy, barely heat bass
• Entertaining treble copy
• Not the widest soundstage

As you might be able to inform from the outline of the dynamic drive unit, the tuning of the Sivga Luan doesn’t tackle an analytical strategy. There’s a lush, cozy strategy these headphones take that’s nonetheless loaded with naturalism. They sound superb.

A play of Esperanza Spalding’s I Know You Know, there’s a satisfying smoothness and readability to her voice, capturing the small dynamic inflections of vocals nicely. The best way the soundstage is described, her voice (and devices typically) are introduced nearer to the listener, creating the sense of being immersed within the recording.

Initially, I assumed the pair boasted extra heat (wood headphones are inclined to have this attribute), however the headphones sound extra lush than wealthy, with a slight sense of heat to their tone. Crispness isn’t what they’re taken with, cymbal crashes are easily outlined, and sharpness isn’t excessive on the listing of priorities both. They’re not taken with being analytical, however the naturalism of the sound presents an satisfying stage of perception into recordings.

With Labrinth’s All For Us, it’s an analogous efficiency, Zendaya’s voice sits in the midst of the soundstage and occupies a big area inside it. The copy of bass is at instances punchy, at different instances it has a barely softer and heat tone (Speaking Heads’ Discovered a Job by way of Qobuz on the SR35 participant). I wouldn’t describe the bass as deep or resonant, regardless of what Sivga says, however the Luan doesn’t overemphasize the bass frequencies both. I think about some will need extra depth and assertiveness from the low finish than these headphones present.

Sivga’s purpose with the excessive frequencies is to deal with them with a scarcity of sharpness. I take this to imply that the intention is to not be overly shiny to the purpose of harshness – a side I felt was a bit of too pointed with Sivga’s Oriole headphones. Right here the treble appears nicely pitched: shiny, diversified, and dynamic with a take heed to Invoice Evan’s jazzy recording of All Of You on Qobuz.

There’s a richness to the excessive frequencies that draw out element and knowledge, giving the track a vigorous really feel with out overdoing it. Once more, the midrange sounds clear, and devices are naturally conveyed. There’s not the best quantity of sharpness these headphones deliver to bear, however the track sounds nice, nonetheless.

It’s price contemplating utilizing these headphones with a succesful DAC or music participant to wring out a greater sense of definition and readability than plugging them straight into the supply. They nonetheless retain the identical traits, however a bit of extra refinement with these headphones goes an extended method to unlocking extra of their potential.

The one facet I’m not wholly satisfied by is the width of the soundstage. Whereas it’s described in spacious phrases, I don’t really feel the soundstage is way wider than a closed-back headphone. With singers’ vocals taking on area and focus in the midst of the soundstage, it does give the impression that the soundstage is a bit of squashed out to the edges.

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