HiFiMan Svanar review is here. HiFiMan’s take on a dynamic flagship driver in-ear monitor with its topology diaphragm technology. It costs $1999. It succeeds the RE-2000 in its flagship status.

I have had a long history with HiFiMan products, from my first experience with the HE-500 and the re400/600. I bought my own set of HiFiMan headphones such as the HE-400i 1st generation in 2016/17. They are always on point when it comes to sound quality.

I want to thank April and the Hifiman team for letting me experience this product of marvelous technology. 

Source: Ibasso dx200 and Astell & Kern SR15

Files: DSD, 24bit, and 16bit Flac files.

Specifications:

Frequency Response: 5hz-35kHz
Impedance: 60 ohms
Sensitivity: 100 dB
Weight: 13g (excluding cable)

Driver Technology

HiFiMan has coined the “Topology driver” since the RE2000. They describe it as a nano-particle coating applied to the driver’s surface. I have not tried the RE2000 but HiFiMan has a comparison on their website regarding the sound signatures between the two models.

Unboxing experience

Starting with the unboxing experience. It came off as a mixed bag. The packaging has improved but is still reminiscent of my unboxing experience of the HiFiMan HE400i years ago. It comes with a leather box with a golden emblem of HiFiMan Svanar at the top. It looks luxurious but I would’ve preferred a pelican box because of the pricing bracket the product belongs to. The product presentation of the Svanar should be improved. 

Packaging and Build Quality

Opening the leather box, There is a black foam that is cut into three compartments. It comes with a circular metal case, a small thin box that contains the ear tips of 6 pairs, and lastly, a similar rectangular box that contains the cable. Underneath the black foam is a warranty card and a manual. Regarding the build quality, it is made out of aluminum with a brass chamber. The Svanar is very light compared to the Aune Jasper in my collection. 

Accessories

It comes with 4 pairs of ear tips. 3 pairs of double flanges and 2 pairs of triple flanges that are of different sizes. The cable is rubber coated with a metal chin slider and y split. The cable is thin and for the price, it looks like a throw-in. It is the same cable as the RE2000 uses. As a regarded flagship product, HiFiMan should include a modular cable or a spare cable with balanced termination.

Comfort and Isolation

Kudos to HiFiMan for pulling this off. The shape of the Svanar is reminiscent of the InEar SD series of in-ear monitors. Isolation is excellent for a dynamic IEM. The shell is quite large but it is very comfortable for my ears. It may be uncomfortable for smaller ears. The fit actually gets deep. When it comes to ear tips, this is the only IEM I use one-size smaller tips.

Tonality

Oh boy, you are in for a treat. These in-ear monitors are probably one of the best dynamic drivers in the world right now. It has a W-shaped sound with emphasis on the sub-bass and midrange. A little polite in the treble region but nonetheless very detailed. Micro details don’t stand out like their BA-infused counterparts. HiFiMan went for an organic tuning. It reminds me of a more detailed and better-tuned Aune Jasper in my IEM collection. The soundstage is wider than it is deep. It has an out-of-your-ear kind of presentation. Soundstage-wise it is very impressive for a dynamic IEM. Imaging is very good as you can easily pinpoint instruments, nuances, and vocals on the stage. The timbre of the Svanar is world-class. It never sounds plasticky or digital. I have heard better IEMS regarding technical ability at this price bracket. Though there is no doubt I have enjoyed the Svanar more. Kudos to HiFiMan for pulling these off.

Bass

The bass tuning is leaning on sub-bass than warmth. The bass is not dry. HiFiMan went for more musicality which aligns with my liking. Mid-bass is not the fastest yet it has good PRaT (Pace, Rhythm, and Timing). One of the best-textured bass for a dynamic driver. It cannot compete with 64ears U18’s bass texture but is more enjoyable to listen to. HiFiMan tuned the Svanar that can play any genre. From EDM, Pop, and Rock genres the Svanar has it in spades. HiFiMan tuned the Svanar to be a jack-of-all-trades IEM. You’ll find the bass sufficient and enjoyable listening to Daft Punk’s Lucky. 

Midrange

Svanar’s greatest strength is its midrange. They are clear, forward, and very detailed. The Civil Wars duo of Joy Williams and John Paul White sounds excellent on the Svanar. Though Svanar’s tuning has a slight bias on female vocals, I found male vocals to be very good. Male vocals are thick, clear, and forward in the presentation. Female vocals are very detailed and textured. You could put any female singer with the Svanar and it sounds excellent. Guitars, Pianos, and other instruments are clear and precise though slightly behind the forward vocals. HiFiMan sprinkled a tad of warmth just enough for some fun and prevented it from sounding sterile. 

Treble

The treble tuning might find detractors as it is smooth yet detailed. HiFiMan went for a safer approach when it comes to the treble. It has good extension. While it has it has peaks around 4khz and 8khz. The treble is relatively smooth and fatigue-free except when listening to poorly mastered tracks. Hi-hats, cymbals are detailed but do not stand out like in other brighter IEMS. The treble does not stand out compared to the bass and midrange. In Greenday’s “Wake Me Up When September Ends”, the cymbals never get strident or splash. The Svanar’s treble is its weakest point.

Synergy

Svanar’s stock tips do not give it enough justice. I think it will stay in the box for a long time. I have done extensive tip rolling and it sounds best with Final E TWS ear tips. Wide bore ear tips have good synergy with the Svanar. I have tried long and narrow bore ear tips. The vocals are not as clear and detailed as when I use them with short-stemmed IEM ear tips. Trying a balanced cable in the Svanar gives it more soundstage and better imaging. Like most dynamic driver IEMS, the Svanar scales with more power. Using balanced output in the dx200; the soundstage gets larger, the separation is better and lastly, the sound is warmer and more dynamic. Astell and Kern’s SR15 does not pair that well with the Svanar. The Svanar does not scale well with the sr15. The Svanar pairs excellently with neutral-sounding sources.

Related: Ear Tips Review

Conclusion

The HiFiMan Svanar is an excellent-sounding flagship IEM. You can throw any music at it and it performs wonderfully. The sad thing is that the accessories and the box included diminishes the appeal of the Svanar. If you are willing to overlook those things. The Svanar is one competitive-sounding IEM. There might not be a dynamic driver flagship IEM that is as versatile across all genres as the Svanar. The sound, the fit, and versatility. It will put a smile on your face every time you use it.

HiFiMan Svanar: (Non-affilliate) Link