HiFiMAN Ananda Nano vs. MoonDrop Venus: Best Headphones for $600 in 2023?

[@johnosam4681]

That venus build though

[@shawnpwatsons1]

Venus for me.

[@depthnos9248]

Smoother better. Longer listening. Venus❤️

[@4epa1012]

Yep, the Ananda is just too thin

[@bluex217]

I'm not sure if I'm disappointed with my Nanos or not.. I haven't been going back to them tho

[@bluex217]

ok I went back to them today and I think I'll be keeping them. They do some things really well like sub bass and soundstage, detail especially. But I finally downloaded a .txt file for Peace APO from someone who knew what they were doing lol, took that and just boosted the bass a little and for tracks that are made for their sound signature they are quite good. You need to bring the mids forward significantly, though.

[@alexanderthomas542]

Venus slays

[@Konspiration100]

This guy wears gloves while presenting headphones but seems to never have cleaned his windows before 😂

[@2006tonylondon]

The window cleaners were sloppy with the outside part, not the owner's fault. he can't use earpads to clean the part outside the window.😂

[@MajorHiFi]

My next video can just be me teetering on the edge of a 6 story windowsill scrubbing the windows with toothbrush

[@MajorHiFi]

@@fisherman9435 Feel too seen by this comment

[@isadorealire5722]

I just figured there are tattoos on his hands that he doesn't want law enforcement seeing.

[@Rev0ltTTV]

H1k Stealth or Ananda Nano or XS for edm/electronica? I've main'd the DT1990 for years.

[@MrPassiontea]

I got the Ananda Nanos a few days ago and they have significant channel imbalance between the left and right channels. This seems to be a common problem with all of their headphones no matter what tier. Definitely won't be buying another hifiman product.

[@DankBlank]

Wow. Wow. Wow. No matter how expensive Hifiman headphones are, they will always have problems, huh? Not only that, they expect you to pay for return shipping for RMA I believe.

[@AnotherAnonymousMan]

Brilliant comparison! I'm surprised by the sound signatures... As a Sundara owner, I expected the Nano to be a slam dunk and an obvious upgrade but I'm more than a little bit put off by the sound curve: it isn't neutral at all. I listen to a very broad range of music genres and having such a starkly reccessed mid-range is problematic. I'd go for it with cheaper headphones, but as my main pair for critical listening, such a strongly coloured presentation is unacceptable: I need a flat curve to appreciate timbre and dynamics.

[@MajorHiFi]

Sounds like the Venus and Edition XS (and earlier editions of the Ananda) are a bit more up your alley. But also the Sundara is an exceptionally flat headphone - hard for me to think of anything as neutral that's anywhere close to it in price.

[@asan1050]

MajorHiFi !..Thanks Much !.......=

[@danielwu7238]

I have the sundara is the Nano a good upgrade or is it a very different tuning compared to sundara?

[@MajorHiFi]

Different ballpark of tuning - far less neutral, more crispy and driving with heavier mid and sub bass. Upgrade? I think so, but if you're after that Sundara tuning style, you might like the Ananda V2 or the Edition XS more.

[@vivaldidarren]

What’s the difference between nano with the xs from your experience?

[@MajorHiFi]

I actually include this comparison in the video I made before this one if you wanna check it out! But in short: Nano is tighter, faster, more crispy sounding with more aggressive treble. The XS has a flatter mid range, less aggressive treble (still on the brighter side of things though). Nano is also a bit more vivid in its imaging. Similar-ish stage size though

[@vivaldidarren]

@@MajorHiFi i see, thanks a lot for your answer!

[@yamato1420]

In some ways, I found the XS to be a little blunt in note definition, even compared to the Sundara which is very resolving in the midrange. Do you think the Nano is much more clear and better defined in terms of the attack of notes? Also, if you've heard the Arya Stealth, do you think that the Nano is getting close to it?

[@MajorHiFi]

Blunt is a great adjective for it, I know what you mean. The Nano is waaaay faster, tighter, sharper. But its been a minute since ive listened to the Arya stealth, might have to get back to you on that

[@allums73110]

ive owed the Arya stealth and I currently own the Nano. The Nano beats the Arya on bass punch but the arya has better quality bass, with better attack and decay. the mids on the arya are more lifelike and smother, whereas the mids on the Nano feel a little more forward but not as natural. the treble on the Nano is more sparkly, whereas on the Arya they are a little more laid back. the sub bass on the Arya is a little more present than the Nano. For me, the tuning of the Nano is better, but the technicalities of the Arya are superior.

[@MajorHiFi]

Just wanted to follow up with you because I recently listened to the Arya Stealth, as well as the Organic. The Nano, straight up, has a sharper attack than both. Just going by my ears, not a spectral decay test (yet, at least). Kinda interesting though: the Arya Organic is very apparently true to the Arya sound signature. The Ananda Nano, though, is a significant reinvention of the Ananda sound. Even though I liked the Organic quite a bit, I was more impressed with the upgrades I heard on the Nano

[@allums73110]

@MajorHiFi wow nice! Yeah I had the Ananda v1, and the Nano beats it hands down. Thank you for the follow up!

[@yamato1420]

@@allums73110 @MajorHiFi Thank you both for your impressions! I wouldn't expect the Nano to generally match or surpass the Arya Stealth, but I was thinking that it could be ahead in an area or two because HiFiman keeps on progressing in a scientific sense and the Arya Stealth is about 2 years old by now. In addition, I found the AS superb technically, but compared to, for example, the HD 800, there is something more effortless and resolving on the leading edge of notes. I also don't find the AS's bass very accurate, it can come across as boomy or thick in many cases. Also personally agree with MajorHiFi's sentiment that earlier Ananda versions can seem veiled in the lower mids and upper bass. The Nano seems very interesting.

[@criticactual]

Hello I don't find much help on the web. I wanted to know different points of view because it is a lot of money. Could you tell me what sonic differences I can find between the Hifiman Ananda NANO and the Focal Clear OG?

[@dododale-ni7bf]

VENUS FOR ME THX

[@LandsPlanes]

Hi! Focal Clear OG or Hifiman Ananda Nano?

[@MajorHiFi]

Tough question because of the $300 price difference and both are genuinely awesome headphones lol. Rather than saying which is better, id summarize it like this: Focal Clear is a little bright, but still has some lush-yet-balanced high bass and low mids. Also, totally premium stage. The Nano, in comparison, is colder with more drive and bite and some zappy upper treble. Stage isn't that big, but the imaging is very vivid and engaging and accurate.

[@LandsPlanes]

@@MajorHiFi so, for your words Clear maybe be better !

[@MajorHiFi]

@@LandsPlanes Haha I guess more well rounded is how I'd put it. For example I dont mean it as a negative that the nano is a bit cold - I personally like that aspect of its character

[@universidadtrabajo1797]

​@@MajorHiFiAnanda nano less soundstage than Clear? For me no. Clear has a mediocre soundstage.

[@johnosam4681]

Ived tried both in a shop nearby, i like the nanos soundstage better and the price difference

[@endrizo]

7:27 aaarghh that sounds terrible.

[@bluex217]

it sounds better in person but you do need to download a config file from someone who knows what they're doing. Need to bring the mids forwards quite a bit IMO