Hifiman Deva Bluetooth Headphones

Product Information

The stealth magnet assembly has magnets with rounded edges. This apparently reduces the turbulence as sound waves pass through them. This makes the magnet array almost “acoustically transparent” and reduces distortion. The new stealth magnet design is employed on the HE400se. HiFiMAN HE400se Sound 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. Yes, the new Bluetooth module for the Deva Pro uses an R2R architecture for improved sonic quality and very impressive, low energy consumption. Just look at this graph: At the beginning of 2021, I had the chance to review the Ananda Bluetooth, a more expensive set of Bluetooth headphones from the brand. The Ananda BT were far from perfect but they still remain the best sounding set of Bluetooth headphones I have heard to date. They were priced at over 1000€ at the time and, although the price has dropped since then, they still remain a quite an expensive set of Bluetooth headphones with a few quirks that didn’t convince everyone.

HiFiMAN Deva review: less wires, more fun - Soundphile Review

From Wikipedia: “When the codec is set to 16 bits/44.1kHz at 909 kbps (or 16 bits/48kHz at 990 kbps) LDAC can stream lossless audio that is identical in quality to (or slightly higher than) Audio CD.” I have compared the Deva Pro quite a bit to the HE400se in this review, at least in regards to sound. To be totally honest, I still feel that the HE400se is the best option under 500€ for a set of planar headphones, or any headphones in general, I am just a planar lover. In a straight “sound to sound” comparison, I feel that the HE400se are a little ahead of the Deva Pro and they come in at less than half the price. I haven't tested with applications like Neutron or UAPP which supposedly can bypass the internal volume software of the host device but with streaming services like Tidal and Qobuz you get the volume limit, so this is something to consider if you plan on using it this way. The connections used by Hifiman on the Deva Pro consist of a dual connection, one 3.5mm connector on each cup, however, the left cup also accepts a 3.5mm TRRS connector, which is how the Bluetooth module is connected. This is a system that allows the Deva Pro to be used with both the BT module and the normal cable that is included. It also opens the possibility of using other aftermarket cables of your choice. This is something that was a complaint from many with the Ananda BT, the fact that it could only be used via BT or USB, the Deva Pro solves this issue in a way that I find well thought out and implemented.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. The Deva has a relatively similar unboxing experience to the Ananda BT and the Sundara. I guess the days of those elaborate leather and wood finished boxes are long gone. True, it does save a lot on costs which seem to be better put to use on the headphones themselves. Bass texture is average, not as well done as some dynamic drivers in this price range. However, said dynamic driver headphones also have more severe sub-bass roll-off or higher distortion in the bass, so it’s a fair trade-off. Midrange Unlike the Ananda BT, there is no carry case for the Deva Pro. Everything is stuffed inside that foam and satin overthrow on the inside with the headphones firmly inserted in the center.

Review: HiFiMAN Deva Pro – Wireless Blues - Headphonesty

The extension of the treble is good, with enough air for my personal taste, although I do again feel that the HE400se is slightly better in this regard. I am not complaining about the extension or sense of air, it is far better than many competitors, but in comparison to other Hifiman products, it does fall slightly behind. The HE400se showcase the typical planar speed. They will fare better in speedy or busy song passages than the typical budget dynamic driver headphones. Modifications Grille mod As we get into the mids, the transition from the bass area is excellent, with not a hint of anything becoming stressed or muddy. As we reach into the higher part of the mids, the Deva Pro are just a touch more forwards than other Hifiman options, with a bit of a boots around the 1kHz region. The typical Hifiman dip around 2kHz is still there and this little extra around 1kHz does make it a little more obvious. This doesn’t sound bad, far from it, but it is certainly not as balanced as other models. I feel that the HE400se is actually a little better in this area. The rated output in mW is 230mW according to Hifiman’s real-world testing though they mention up to 1W in theory. Given the relatively inefficient 93dB SPL, I will be curious to see the differences between the traditional proper amping rout and the BT route in terms of dynamic range.

TL;DR: recap

HiFiMAN stopped declaring technical specifications of the Bluemini R2R, only saying that its SNR is 114 dB and that its frequency response is 20 – 20,000 Hz. Of course the most important piece in this case is the DAC, as it is the new HiFiMAN Himalaya: it is an in-house design of an R2R DAC, which according to HiFiMAN is comparable to the PCM1704 in terms of THD and SNR, while consuming a lot less power (20 mW vs 450 mW). I have to say rhythm electric guitar power chords have some nice pop on the Deva, very nice for punk and wah-wah peddle type guitar sounds where you need a clean but forward presence. The Bluemini R2R is a new take on the previous version that, as the name suggests, sports an R2R DAC at its heart. Just like the first model, the Bluemini R2R uses Bluetooth 5.0 and sports a number of codecs: SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD and LDAC; the latter is especially good as it allows for lossless transmission of music in CD quality. The range is good, but not exceptional – I can walk freely around the room, but if I get out I can only go around for a few metres before the music starts stuttering. Gone is the 70s’ retro mix of tans and clean aluminum silver from the original and in comes something a bit more executive in its styling, arguably more conservative also. The Bluemini R2R also allows you to output digital audio directly into the Deva Pro via its USB-DAC functionality. This can apply to a wide range of digital audio-compatible devices such as PC, Mac, and OTG via Android. That signal will be decoded by the onboard DAC and converted into an analog signal for passing onto the amp chipset.

HiFiman Deva Pro. | Audio Science Review (ASR Questions about HiFiman Deva Pro. | Audio Science Review (ASR

Texture is airy and fluid, mids sound spacious and crystalline but not as rounded as someone might expect. The fabric inner coating also stops a little short of the edges which is much more comfortable than the original Focus A pads which would irritate with those stitched corners.

As for extension, the Deva Pro does not reach the level of the Arya Stealth or Arya 2020’s subbass and neither the sustain and heft but it still goes down well before it rolls off.

HiFiMAN HE400se – Budget Delight - Headphonesty Review: HiFiMAN HE400se – Budget Delight - Headphonesty

The pads look to be the Focus A pads in principle but I do see a few design changes from the Sundara. The inner opening is more elongated and not as circular and the memory foam has a bit more support than the original. In general, despite these flaws, the Deva Pro are decently comfortable even to people with very sensitive scalps like mine. The relatively low weight ( g, g with the Bluemini R2R) helps filling the gap left by the terrible headband. I can wear the Deva Pro for a couple of hours before it starts becoming problematic, which is not a bad result at all. The Deva Pro as a bluetooth headphone, it is good, but when it is being used as a wired headphone, the performance is even better as it is scaling with your amp and dac setup. Bluemini, Qudelix 5k, xDuoo Poke II, iBasso DC06, iBasso DX170, xDuoo XP2pro, xDuoo mu601, mt602, ta-01B. The BT module has also changed from the previous Qualcomm CSR8675 receiver to a more modern 8-hour capable Qualcomm QCC5124 chipset.The two cables include a 1.2m 3-pole 3.5mm TRRS to 3.5mm TRS analog cable and a single 1.2m USB-A to USB-C cable for charging the Bluemini and digital audio connections, much the same as the Ananda BT option. The Deva Pro are the first product to be born with the new so-called “stealth magnets”, which are magnets arranged in a way that should preserve the sound produced by the diaphragm better than previous models, thanks to a reduction in refractions and diffractions. According to HiFiMAN, this causes less distortion which, in turn, creates better sound. The Deva Pro have a bright-tilted sound with the bass being more emphasized in Bluetooth mode, whereas the treble gains more presence in wired mode. Bass These face masks may not stop the COVID-19 virus from being transmitted to you through this face mask, or (obviously) via the myriad of other ways that the virus can be transmitted.