Ananda BT | The Best Sounding Bluetooth Headphone Ever?

[@rmariusr]

I read a few reviews about these and no one seems to identify the niche for this kind of product. It's for people like me, who want the audiophile sound, but without having to read endless literature about cables, dacs, amps... then getting into a world (of snobbery) where one will never be satisfied as there's always something better that you don't have enough money to buy. Someone like me who has their music in the cloud and uses their phone to listen to it. Someone who listens to music and artists and not circuits and frequencies. So yes, I'll buy it 🤩

[@siddeshsarma6659]

Sounds exactly like me :) Especially the last line! I mean for years I have saved up and wanted to enter this world because I truly want to experience the magic of proper audiophile headphones. I also narrowed my choice down to Focal Elex + Topping Dx7Pro (again due to bluetooth). But with today's multi tasking life style - even for home listening, one cannot be pinned down to one place by cables and a brick at the other end. There are enough of us out there who desire better than bose and sony from bluetooth and are willing to pay for it, but the industry just hasn't gone down that road. So the Ananda BT comes as a breath of fresh air.

[@fp1715]

I think the fact that you dont need a seperate dac, power amp, cables etc. is exactly why we should consider these headphones, thus I'm not worried about not being able to plug them to something else.

[@JoshuaValour]

Are you interested in seeing more Hifi Headphones get BT versions? Or do you not see the point?

[@dp12345god]

Yes and no. Yes because versatility and no because not everything takes bt lag and if theres no 3.5mm input then thats an issue.

[@trellusg]

I’d love to see it as an option but not as a requirement - I was seriously considering these but I’m not shelling out $999 for a wireless-ONLY premium headphone. It would need to be a wireless headphone that could also be used passively wired as well - the USB workaround doesn’t count because that’s still active and using the DAC & amp in the headphones of course.

[@user-vi3tb3bw5t]

If they can make the sound quality just as good yes

[@metal571]

Mobiusness

[@SpyderTracks]

trellusg absolutely agree! For this kind of price you have to have the option to plug into a good amp when at home.

[@chamade166]

Guys these are great. I am using this connected through LDAC 990 with my Android. Absolutely wonderful to be able to enjoy this level of audio quality and be able to move around the house freely.

[@MakenaKai]

Hi @chamade166 I was wondering what android you used to get a stable 990

[@pracheerdeka6737]

Do it sound different then the in ear bluetooth

[@Guerilla_law3516]

Apologies if I missed it but it is critical to go into detail about which Bluetooth codecs you were using, i.e., the quality of the source and files you were using in order to make your evaluation. Bluetooth codecs sound very different from each other and no one headphone can save a bad source.

[@MakenaKai]

If anyone got the Sennheiser Momentum 3s return them as they are missing two of the most important codecs

[@mrgee918]

@@adrianarmirail the jump from aac and ldac is significant especially when your using 24bit 96khz flac files. It's so annoying when these reviewers don't pay attention to codecs.

[@RafiGish]

@@MakenaKai I'm gonna return you to your mom instead.

[@godtiermedic]

My buddy and I dissected these and recorded it for you troublemakers hah. About to high speed saw/Dremmel out the plastic protector ribs to decrease reflection but they already sound sick compared to any Bluetooth headphones on the market

[@Tigerex966]

The best sounding Bluetooth headphone is your favorite "WIRED" headphone, with a hi res aptxhd or Sony ldac codec bluetooth adapter. They are under $100 from Fiio, earstudio, and others. You will get some latency if games are important and have to charge batteries Many bluetooth headphone have sealed batteries, meaning they are of no use "wirelessly" anymore, when the batteries die in a few years

[@allansh828]

it makes total sense for a lot of users. I would wear them doing cooking and cleaning.

[@davidg4026]

How is the sound quality compared to Focal Bathys? I know they're completely different style headphones, but I'd be willing to sacrifice noise cancelling if the Hifiman has significantly better sound quality than the Focal.

[@jeroenvdw]

Just ordered this one and it will arrive tomorrow! Can't wait! Also ordered a dac+amp just for when I'm behind my desk. The bluetooth will be especially nice when smoking a joint in bed.

[@michoel-z4l]

just out of curious, how is your ananda bt now?

[@jeroenvdw]

@@michoel-z4l Pretty great audio! I usually listen in bed like I thought I would do, but I only listen wired, so in the end the BT wasn't really needed... Downside of the headset is that you need to double tab a button for it to charge if you want to listen wireless. If you just plug it into your phone it won't charge unless you double press it.

[@michoel-z4l]

@@jeroenvdw Do you mind if I ask why is the BT not really needed? I just ordered it a while ago for a pretty good price, but there weren't so many reviews about this headphone. I'm considering using it while doing chores or just moving around in my flat. Thank you for your reply too!

[@jeroenvdw]

@@michoel-z4l just for my use case I don't need the BT, I also sometimes use the headset while doing chores and the cable is long enough to reach your phone in your pocket. But BT is useful if you don't like the cable. Audio quality is slightly worse in BT mode, but I don't really notice it that much

[@michoel-z4l]

@@jeroenvdw Thank you very much! One last thing about audio quality and bluetooth, has it been an overall great experience for you?

[@ykhemani]

Thanks for reviewing these, Josh! The Ananda BT is definitely a niche product, but I like the freedom to move around when I’m listening to music. I’m also curious about how these compare to the Deva+ that was just announced. The inclusion of the microphone was an interesting choice. I would have liked these just as much if they didn’t come with a microphone because I wasn’t planning on using these for calls. But I do use the Audio Technica BPHS1 for Zoom calls, and it has a great microphone. I’m curious how the microphone on the Ananda-BT compares. Whether it’s the Deva+ or the Ananda BT, I’m thinking of getting it along with a Bluesound Node and using the pairing to listen primarily to music streamed from Deezer HiFi.

[@chavezlaw78]

We see those stelias in the back ;)

[@HeIsHarsh]

The very basic need behind having a BT headphone is travelling, and open back headphones and travelling doesn't go hand in hand.

[@metal571]

I see the BT

[@ColocasiaCorm]

Oh look another metal571 comment on another reviewers channel. Keep it up. We need more of these. Not enough.

[@metal571]

@@ColocasiaCorm this happens often lol

[@seanjoe1704]

I really love hifiman headphone. They really sound verrrryyyyyy gooooodddd. I have edition x v2. 3 years already and every time I put them on my head, I always suprise by they sound. really ! many said that ananda more crisp and detail than editon x. so, now I paired my x with dragonfly red. and woowww..

[@Riel93]

Saw the title and thought it was a joke or a mod. Had no idea this was an actual product!

[@cl3826]

I have the MassDrop PC37x for FPS / Gaming and Zoom calls. Then the MassDrop 6XX for when I play games like Skyrim or I'm just listening to music. Then I have the HD1 BT for when I'm out and about or just want the convenience of bluetooth. Something like this would be awesome.... I would love to just have 1 set of headphones. But I think those are a little big for just walking around headphones.... and the open back would be difficult for some situations... But they are very interesting!

[@BlueberryRoyalbellFerrari2002]

which is the best between Ananda BT, Focal Bathys, and Audeze Maxwell?

[@yahu5988]

Can you listen with an iphone via usb c to lightning?

[@snazzysailor]

“sound is about 95% of wired Ananda“. Can you explain this to me, please? With what equipment does the BT version sound like 95% of wired Ananda?

[@liujun050612]

See focal stellia in the background. Really curious how is that sound. Hope focal stellia review coming soon.

[@jeffy912]

Hey Joshua, thanks for the review and really appreciate your videos. The only other headphone that seems to be of this type (bluetooth and open-back) are the Grado GW100s. However, the Grados are much cheaper. Think you'd be able to get a review unit?

[@sleeutube]

Used it for a couple of years now...loved the sound and wire free from Day 1 BUT hated the fit (could never get over it even after all these years)....hope they make some update and come up with a new version and focus more on fit/ergonomic....but really great sound for a pair of BT headphones.

[@nl_2652]

Please review and compare the LCD-1 to the Sundara!

[@cannedolives]

nl_2 i second this

[@duaplex1]

I have a question. For gaming, what would be better the Focal Bathys, Ananda BT or the Audeze Maxwell? I'm really stuck on the fence with this. I plan to only use them in BT mode, not wired for consoles.

[@finbenton]

I just bought fiio btr3 and made my headphones BT myself, sounds fantastic and I can just swap it out everytime theres an upgrade.

[@lorcro2000]

@Marcin N It's not miles better. It has an older DAC, but yes, two of them and the ability to do balanced. Which is essentially meaningless.

[@desbarry8414]

Isn't the Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless the best sounding bluetooth headphone dude?

[@lorcro2000]

A FiiO Q5s combined with the best headphone in the world would be the best sounding Bluetooth headphone in the world. :)

[@user-23590]

No wonder, they still had wires. ;)

[@MakenaKai]

The btr5 is amazing too

[@snazzysailor]

Great review as always. But it's weird that it doesn't work with macos?

[@geekatari4391]

Do they sound any better when connected via USB?

[@yahu5988]

How great is the scale and stage?

[@tonybentancur2598]

What headphone stand are you using?

[@TerminatoR99]

Oh man, I was this so much! :D The convenience of Bluetooth is hard to beat. I'm always getting caught in my headphone cables. Tempting, but I'm going to have to save up for a while :D

[@erickruse4679]

As soon as I saw that band stretch out flat just to get the headphones open to full width, I realized there's no chance I could wear them. Here's hoping for a V2 that fixes these issues. Also, It seems odd to me that they didn't double up on the battery. It's obviously not mall walker or even portable headphones. Just go ahead and double up the battery, and beef up that amp, and fix the headband...and take my money.

[@jimgaterj529]

Hey Joshua thx for the review, i was wondering how does it compare with the new beyerdynamic latest Airmon wireless copper. I am really into that hifi bluetooth solution and cant find any suggestion and comparison in this regards. I also awn alot of noise cancellation bluetooth headset from sony audio tech, but find them not good at the music i listen to which are classics. Thx for the review anyway.

[@MeetMyM1]

Random question, do you have the link for the hat you're wearing?

[@wrnlb666]

I heard that the dac inside it is actually r2r2000 from hifiman, so, it should be good?

[@GREK.]

Is everything good with the bass?

[@andresisthename]

But then, are there any dac/amp that actually support wireless headphones? It seems they only support wire stuff correct?

[@Sertao2013]

Would you do a review on the HIFIMAN Deva-Pro bluetooth and compare the sound ? Its way cheaper and was the king of the sound as far as bkuetooth headphones go .

[@erin7995]

Hey you said these are the best sounding bt headphones but they are massive and don’t seem very convenient to wear around and I can’t afford them... Do you have other bt audio file grade recommendations under 500?

[@pspdeepti]

Hey Josh, what is the best closed-back headphone having widest soundstage and fun sounding with a non-piercing level of highs?

[@SamLJack]

Try the Oppo pm 3.

[@ilarikousa1500]

Have you tested the ath-dsr9bt? How would this compare?

[@therighttone5769]

Have you tried The Bowers&Wilkins PX7?

[@CommanderTycho]

I see those HD820's in the background, lurking.

[@frykauf]

Were you on the latest firmware for Ananda BT (2019-09-29) when trying it wired via USB with macOS? That would really suck if it wouldn't work.

[@biueprint]

yo josh so i got a question before i buy these. right now i have Bose QuietComfort® 35 II Gaming Headset​ that i use on bluetooth and not with the wired connection bullshit it came with but anytime voice gets enabled the sound quality of the headphone changes drastically to like fuzzy and just not so good. do these hifi anand bt do the same thing anytime you actually use the voice over bt like lets say discord or ingame chat in warzone. please let me know before i buy

[@ahmedsafa91]

Is ananda considered neutral soundung headphone?

[@vnrays3775]

Have you ever heard the Beyerdynami Amiron Wireless? I’m thinking of maybe getting one next year... but I also need ANC for focus and also leaning to Sennheiser PCX550/Bose 700/Sony 1kM3

[@vasilistsirimokos2922]

I have the pxc 550 for about 6 months, very satisfied. If I considered a new anc headphone right now I would definitely go for www.dali-speakers.com/headphones/io/io-6/ or europe.beyerdynamic.com/lagoon-anc-traveller.html

[@thesoundizerav4956]

No mention of Bluetooth codecs? Assume it is AptXHD and LDAC at this price?

[@paulatretter4675]

Has anyone experience with the Beyerdynamic amiron wireless and it’s performance?

[@Aqil.Samedov]

I want to use it also as wired. @Hifiman, make it possible in next version. Only BT without cable is annoying. Look at the Sony WH1000 xm3-4...

[@AlumarsX]

This is the equivalent of leasing a car, because you know that battery is gonna take a shit in 3 years.

[@JoshuaValour]

Omar CCX lol

[@cxmxc]

Bruh remember to review the tin t4 when it comes out not a year later

[@ligh7foo7]

I think the artifact was due to the bluetooth, I have had similar issues that were fixed by repairing the bluetooth.

[@MrTassoon]

Does it support ldac

[@papertelevision]

I was connecting my Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless and had the issue you explained with the insane distortion. Turns out my sound software had automatically kicked my system into 5.1 for some reason, so maybe it was something like that.

[@ydem2nir9tag]

not just hd820 and hd800s, but also focal stellia? what is the blue headphone?

[@lucaeinsle21]

Daniel Ting headband kinda looks like Fostex but idk.

[@davidsalliss6941]

Interesting review, Josh. These headphones have so many contradictory elements it is hard what to make of them. Open-back: would suggest for home use only. Bluetooth: would suggest on the move. Cordless: would suggest someone not substantially interested in hi-fi, yet willing to pay a premium for the brand. It’s much alike those people you may sometimes meet on vacation with a Leica camera strapped to their necks. In conversation with them, you find out quite soon that the only thing they know about photography is the camera they own is very expensive and if they point this dial at position ‘A’ they don’t have to do all that fiddly stuff people with cheap cameras have to do. Yes, this headphone is intended for the brand jewellery aficionados whom will recognise the manufacturer as a high-end product producer but will not recognise the discrepancy of wearing an open-back headphone in a public place. I have concluded these could be useful for executives who can afford the high-end price tag, work in a private office and are constantly interrupted by telephone calls. Joking aside: Should these appeal to the wealthy, all well and good. It means the manufacturer will have more money to invest in products going forward.

[@Xolition]

I'm your example lol.

[@edgarhego642]

I have seen usb-c to 3.5mm jack cables, would that work?

[@adamdunovsky5670]

Gary Hego I want to know answer to this question so much!

[@edgarhego642]

@@adamdunovsky5670 www.amazon.com/Adapter-Drift-Extension-Headphone-Compatible/dp/B07BTVQ8YC?ref_=d6k_applink_bb_marketplace

[@adamdunovsky5670]

Gary Hego I know about this cable, but nobody talked about it’s working. Tomorrow I’m going to hi-fi shop and gonna test it))

[@keithjohnson2863]

Not having analog audio input is a no go for $1000 headphones. It's perfect for the $90 Jabra 45h's that I'm wearing as I watch this. But I'm not rich enough to pay for $1000 headphones that can't be connected to an external DAC and/or amp. I have already tried and returned the Devas. If I'm back in the market for high end Bluetooth headphones I will consider the Drop+THX Pandas if Hifiman hasn't evolved their BT offerings. For my current use, the Marshall Major III's are just fine for Bluetooth usage. I have the Sundaras on order for critical wired listening.

[@AESTHETICCosmopolitan]

I know these are open back so my questions may sound stupid - do they have a good bass and do they isolate the outside noise in any relevant way? I was using hifiman he 400 se with a small Fiio q3 dac and although I liked the clarity and the volume, they really lacked a good bass. Then I switched to Sennheiser Momentum 4 but once again, despite being slightly more bassy, they still didn't provide what I needed, as they weren't loud enough, and did not have the clarity of the cheaper hifiman he 400 se. They were good because they isolated the shitty music in the gym but that was the only pro. I was thinking of getting the Ananda BT, but I don't think these are what I need. I need something with a good bass and good clarity, that might be also portable enough for the gym. Anyone has any recommendations?

[@AESTHETICCosmopolitan]

If anyone cares, I managed to listen to these in a showroom. The clarity/sound quality is a tad better than the hifiman he 400 se, but not worth 5x the price. It didn't really feel too hi-fi-esque. They were ok, but not for that price. I felt that they were not loud enough and the bass was non-existent, probably worse than the hifiman he 400 se (though my 400 se's had a long burn in time). I wouldn't recommend these. I tried a Hifiman Arya pair and they were many times better in all regards, including build quality, and not much more expensive than these. The Ananda BT seems like a waste of money unfortunately.

[@TheLORDNIGHTSHIELD]

It is a good headphone, but not a good one for outside walk. It is too big, too bulky. I would buy Beoplay H95 instead for outside and some Hi-Fi headphones for home usage with cable. IMHO.

[@WooAudioUSA]

We make a DAC/amp with USB-C - WA11 topaz. :)

[@lucaeinsle21]

I mean .... you are technically not wrong, it has usb-c (which is nice, usb-c all the things). But it doesnt have usb-c as an analog output. Please correct me if i am wrong.

[@WooAudioUSA]

@@lucaeinsle21 USB-C as an analog output? huh? USB is digital so it needs a digital to analog converter (DAC) to achieve an analog output. Our WA11 topaz is a DAC with a fully balanced analog circuit and outputs to 4.4mm balanced output to drive headphones. It also has 4.4mm balanced INPUT for external analog devices.

[@adamdunovsky5670]

Woo Audio and it´s working with Ananda BT? You tried it? Because if it´s possible, I’m going for it and it has to be possible with USB-c to 3.5 male also.

[@adamdunovsky5670]

Luca Einsle yes you are correct. It doesnt have USB-c output for these headphones. But I’m still wondering they will be work with USB-c to 3.5 male aux. Nobody on internet tried it.

[@MakenaKai]

It works. I also play Tidal 24/192 on my pc via USB c. Works amazingly

[@VamseeNunna]

Nice video Josh! It's pronounced "aah-nun-the" by the way.

[@simson99w]

Opened back wireless headphone, please Sennheiser do the same thing

[@serban2139]

hmm...I thought u can't get more expensive than 500 dollars for any bluetooth headphones in terms of sound quality?

[@frykauf]

Well at one point someone had to make an answer to that "luxury" BT segment popping up. I mean there is shit like the Louis Vuitton Master Dynamic TWS IEM popping up, so thank god there is something that you show people to shut them up about luxury BT/TWS headphone/IEM.

[@klewja]

Please bring back the viewer setup videos.

[@Dangansona]

The size of these headphones is... hilarious lol.

[@gundum1o1]

So with the USB C mode, no delay in competitive gaming, on a world class high end audiophile headphone, with a mic ..... Sounds perfect to me! 😁👌

[@theinnocent_one]

Dude, change your camera to fixed focus.

[@cryptoclyps5049]

Wow that’s a massive misstep @ 5:52

[@bombadt-yt9818]

1000usd with exposed wire very interesting design choice.

[@muna5066]

The exposed wires never bother me but it does seem like something that could have been avoided. Although does the exposure make mods easier? I'm just trying to think of why they might leave it that way ...

[@MakenaKai]

I got these and they are fucking sick. I take them to the gym, on runs, and out in public. In 60 seconds they got a dude who bought beats to return them LOL. The dac is great!

[@awdadwadwad1723]

Hey man, could you recommend me best closed over ear bt hp for outdoor? I thought this Ananda, but because of leaking it's not an option. I have now bw px, it's good, but not great. I had momentum, but it's muffled. I had flagship audio technica, sounds GREAT, but it's a bunch of plastic and it squieks while walking. Flagship bose is just bass. I haven't tried Sony, but I don't think it will sound better than bw? Bang olufsen is also not better than bw. :(

[@stanleymoise3894]

Audeze Mobius is the way to go hands down.

[@leo_mas_922]

STANLEY MOISE .... nope

[@MakenaKai]

I have the AnandaBT and the Mobius and Drop Panda. The mobius sounds great but the Ananda BT with its quirks is way way more comfortable and sounds about 20% better in timbre, soundstage and overall detail. Both are excellent in bass and subbass clarity. Mobius is way way way better than the Panda. AnandaBT is the best BT headset on the market but it's open of course. Here is a really funny part. There is so much sound leak INTO the mobius due to the pads and pleather on them that they might as well be open. My recommendation: wired Ananda or equivalent with a 100 Fiio dual dac BTR5. The BTR5 even has high power 2.5mm balanced out. Clip it onto your headband with a super short wire and yiu truly get the best sound. I use the HE1000SE for example with a btr5 when I don't want to be locked down to my dac and amp

[@wahyurifo5450]

@@MakenaKai hi, what about the sound quality of the wired ananda mixed with btr5? Is it good for the SQ output and saving the cost for dac/amp. Thanks

[@perakojot6524]

Man for someone that is an audiophile you should probably get more informed about technology. So far (late 2021) 95% of BT headphones only support AAC and SBC codecs with maximum data rate about 320kbps. Few support aptX HD with 570kbps and only Sony supports its own proprietary LDAC with 990kbps. However, there are all lossy compression codecs and in general sound worse than 16/44.1 which is nowhere near HiRes audio like 24/96. So there is no way Ananda BT sounds 95% like Ananda. It far worse than that. I understand all the marketing but one should restrain from typical company advertising BS.

[@YuhNinja]

You're bullshit.

[@gigabuyceps]

Send it to Oluv, ok? Your review is nice, very appealing to the eye, good video edits, but nothing critical of the review, but you are not reviewer just overviewer.

[@tugbars4690]

He has reviewed Ananda already.

[@AlexCrews]

This Bluetooth headphone looks like a big potato😂😂

[@curly_]

Good Bluetooth ,... :D

[@swifty1969]

I love bluetooth tech. I can't stand wired now. Maybe after all Apple was right.

[@wahyurifo5450]

Well.. let's see for 3-5 years ahead.

[@ahmedwael3019]

WTF? What is the point of having an open back bluetooth headphone?

[@muna5066]

Why not? You can walk around with them more easily at home. And if I'm walking around my neighborhood, I use the ambient noise mode on my Bluetooth headphones anyway because I wouldn't feel comfortable being outside with noise cancelling. The only time these don't work is on public transportation, including planes, where it would be rude to leak that sound to the people next to you.

[@ahmedwael3019]

@@muna5066 May be but when some one buys at this price point it is for critical listening not for casual listening around the house and I believe no one buying this kind of expensive gear will use them over bluetooth anyway. It just defeats the purpose they are intended for.

[@Snook_]

@@ahmedwael3019 COrrect, airpods ftw

[@MayTheSchwartzBeWithYou]

@@ahmedwael3019 Wireless is always more convenient than wired. I use wireless earbuds to listen to music while working. It's great not having to stop the music when I go take a bathroom break or even get something from the kitchen.

[@jjtek2340]

I don't think those black bars add anything to a headphone review

[@ThujanK]

it's nice for ultrawide monitors

[@ThujanK]

it's nice for ultrawide monitors

[@shalokshalom]

You do have these black bars because of your monitor, my phone shows it exactly fitting. It's about the display format. He always records in 21:9 or something like that.

[@fr4nky4fingers]

How do they compare to the Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless? An expensive German BT pair of headphones that you can also plug into your analog amplifier.

[@cryptoclyps5049]

Wow that’s a big massive misstep @ 5:52