Verdict
Excellent separation and expansive sound make for an entrancing combo in the Hifiman Ananda Unveiled. And while the ultra-open-back design isn’t for everyone, the only obvious tuning consideration is the bright treble. We got used to it quickly but it will not appeal to all.
-
Fast and punchy bass -
Comfortable -
Very clear, large scale imaging
-
Need more careful handling than most -
Treble sparkiness may be a little much for some -
Only one included cable
Key Features
-
Exposed design
Unveiled signals these headphones have no rear grille over the driver, to improve clarity. -
Planar magnetic drivers
Like almost all Hifiman headphones, the Ananda Unveiled use low distortion planar magnetic drivers. -
Removable cable
A 1.5m cable is included, signalling these headphones aren’t just for home hifi setups.
Introduction
If you’ve spent any real time in online headphone communities, you’ll know those folks love a mod, a homebrew tweak. The Hifiman Ananda Unveiled basically see the manufacturer perform that sort of minor surgery in the factory.
Hifiman has removed the part of the rear grille that covers the driver in the standard Ananda headphones here. These drivers are naked and free, but as the Ananda Unveiled also use different magnets and a thinner driver diaphragm, these are really entirely new headphones.
The £489 Hifiman Ananda provide everything I’ve come to expect of the brand’s egg-shaped pairs. They have fantastically engaging and open sound, good bass punch, no obvious bloating and, in this case, revealing detail.
Not everyone will get on with their level of upper treble spice, but it does at least manifest as extra sparkliness rather than full-blown sibilance.
Design
- Exposed driver magnets
- Removable 1.5m cable
- Hammock-style headband
Given their name, and their concept as a revised version of the 2018 Ananda with exposed drivers, you might expect the Hifiman Ananda Unveiled to look different. They aren’t much like original or the follow-up Ananda Nano, instead sharing more similarities with their siblings in the new-for-2025 range.
This means the outer grille uses a finely perforated sheet of metal, and there’s more silver metal on show than in the vast majority of older Hifiman pairs.
The Ananda Unveiled are also part of the family of headphones that have longer, egg-shaped cups. It’s good news for those with larger ears or who are picky about comfort, as there’s usually plenty of room inside the pads to avoid them sitting over your ear cartilage.
They are a bit less game for abuse than other Hifiman pairs though. A set of synthetic leather magnetised cup covers are included. They have a leather and carbon fibre effect finish, and Hifiman recommends you put them over the grilles when the Ananda Unveiled are lying around unused.
“Due to the magnetic properties of the driver, it is important to cover the ear cups with the magnetic veils to avoid damage caused by absorption of magnetic object when the product is not in use,” says Hifiman. Keep those iron filings and staples away as those visible metal bars are the driver magnets.
There are also little fabric pouches you can wrap the ear cups in. The message seems to be: if you manage to get foreign objects or muck into the driver’s insides, that’s on you. Slightly more attentive care is recommended, so bear that in mind.
Like other models in the 2025 range, the Hifiman Ananda Unveiled have a hammock-style “composite” headband. And they only include one cable, a mobile-style 1.5m long one terminating in a right-angle 3.5mm connector. A 6.3mm adapter is included too.
The cup connectors are standard 3.5mm sockets, though, so finding replacements will be no issue if needed.
I don’t recommend the Hifiman Ananda Unveiled for casual portable use. While they can be driven OK off a phone or a laptop with a half-decent headphone circuit, these are obviously open-back headphones that leak plenty of sound and don’t block much out. Heck, you can even hear air turbulence if you walk around your home too quickly with them on thanks to the exposed drivers.
They might be the most comfortable of the 2025-released range for long sessions, though, outdoing the Audivinia LE or brilliant HE-600. Their large cups distribute the Ananda Unveiled’s 448g (tested via scales, 496g with cable) well, helping to avoid or delay the pressure hotspot the Hifiman headband can cause in some other models.
Sound Quality
- Top-tier separation in this price class
- Big sound
The Hifiman Ananda Unveiled are all-round great-sounding headphones. Hifiman rarely misses when producing open-back pairs like these. And as is typically the case with its sets of this cup shape, imaging and scale are two of the key highlights.
These headphones sound wide and have extremely good separation and open-ness, particularly along the lateral plane. There’s no sense of the sound being overly constrained by the physics of the headphones, bringing a more holographic presentation even than the less expansive-sounding Hifiman HE600.
The Hifiman Ananda Unveiled give off the impression of being highly detailed, thanks to their treble brightness. Bass is well proportioned and sounds faster, and more immediately reactive, than that of the generally warmer-toned Hifiman Edition XV.
These are headphones you can get lost in, and I enjoy listening at lower volumes with the Ananda Unveiled more than with plenty of other pairs. All those spatial benefits are there regardless of volume. There’s less of a sense of needing to bump up the output to get the most out of the set.
Vocal reproduction is refined and insightful, enhanced by plenty of well-rendered textural detail in the upper mids. I find the lower-register mids somewhat less well textured, which can lead to some voice registers seeming better-projected than others. And the presentation in general is more relaxed and laid-back than some other Hifiman sets. You can’t sound all that aggressive with an expansionist policy, because we’re talking headphones not dictators.
Only one element of the Ananda Unveiled initially stuck out as a significant potential stumble if you are onboard with what HifiMan is trying to do here. There’s a bump of extra energy, of prominence, in the treble that initially stands out quite clearly. I thought it would prove tiring, but I ultimately just became accustomed to it fairly quickly — within a couple of hours.
It doesn’t exhibit as sibilance, just a consistent sparkiness likely there to boost the listener’s impression of detail. For me, it bedded in within the first few hours of listening — certainly the brain doing its thing rather than burn-in, but the result is the same.
Should you buy it?
Buy if you want big sound for home use
These are home headphones with open and expansive sound that aren’t hugely picky about what they are plugged into.
Don’t buy if you want portable headphones
A 1.5m cable may suggest these are portable-ready but the uncovered driver, open style and sound leakage says otherwise.
Final Thoughts
The Ananda Unveiled bring Hifiman’s Unveiled series to a new, lower price category. It’s time for everyone to get hold of naked drivers, if they want them.
Should you? There’s a minor trade off of sound versus convenience here, particularly if you like treating your tech nice rather than rolling the dice on more careless treatment.
In return you get great width and instrument separation, to let you get lost in your favourite tracks in ways you may never have before.
How We Test
We test every pair of headphones we review thoroughly over an extended period of time. We use industry-standard tests to compare features properly. We’ll always tell you what we find.
We never, ever, accept money to review a product.
Find out more about how we test in our ethics policy.
- Tested with real world use
- Tested for several days
FAQs
They can be paired with an amp but are also sensitive enough to be used with a phone or laptop directly.
They are wired headphones, although Hifiman does sell a wireless version of the original design, the Ananda BT.
No case is included, just cup covers and little protective bags for the ear cups.
Full Specs
| Hifiman Ananda Unveiled Review | |
|---|---|
| UK RRP | £489 |
| Manufacturer | HiFiMAN |
| IP rating | No |
| Weight | 449 G |
| Release Date | 2025 |
| Connectivity | Wired |
| Colours | Silver |
| Frequency Range | 5 55000 – Hz |
| Headphone Type | Over-ear |
| Sensitivity | 93 dB |
Verdict
Excellent separation and expansive sound make for an entrancing combo in the Hifiman Ananda Unveiled. And while the ultra-open-back design isn’t for everyone, the only obvious tuning consideration is the bright treble. We got used to it quickly but it will not appeal to all.
-
Fast and punchy bass -
Comfortable -
Very clear, large scale imaging
-
Need more careful handling than most -
Treble sparkiness may be a little much for some -
Only one included cable
Key Features
-
Exposed design
Unveiled signals these headphones have no rear grille over the driver, to improve clarity. -
Planar magnetic drivers
Like almost all Hifiman headphones, the Ananda Unveiled use low distortion planar magnetic drivers. -
Removable cable
A 1.5m cable is included, signalling these headphones aren’t just for home hifi setups.
Introduction
If you’ve spent any real time in online headphone communities, you’ll know those folks love a mod, a homebrew tweak. The Hifiman Ananda Unveiled basically see the manufacturer perform that sort of minor surgery in the factory.
Hifiman has removed the part of the rear grille that covers the driver in the standard Ananda headphones here. These drivers are naked and free, but as the Ananda Unveiled also use different magnets and a thinner driver diaphragm, these are really entirely new headphones.
The £489 Hifiman Ananda provide everything I’ve come to expect of the brand’s egg-shaped pairs. They have fantastically engaging and open sound, good bass punch, no obvious bloating and, in this case, revealing detail.
Not everyone will get on with their level of upper treble spice, but it does at least manifest as extra sparkliness rather than full-blown sibilance.
Design
- Exposed driver magnets
- Removable 1.5m cable
- Hammock-style headband
Given their name, and their concept as a revised version of the 2018 Ananda with exposed drivers, you might expect the Hifiman Ananda Unveiled to look different. They aren’t much like original or the follow-up Ananda Nano, instead sharing more similarities with their siblings in the new-for-2025 range.
This means the outer grille uses a finely perforated sheet of metal, and there’s more silver metal on show than in the vast majority of older Hifiman pairs.
The Ananda Unveiled are also part of the family of headphones that have longer, egg-shaped cups. It’s good news for those with larger ears or who are picky about comfort, as there’s usually plenty of room inside the pads to avoid them sitting over your ear cartilage.
They are a bit less game for abuse than other Hifiman pairs though. A set of synthetic leather magnetised cup covers are included. They have a leather and carbon fibre effect finish, and Hifiman recommends you put them over the grilles when the Ananda Unveiled are lying around unused.
“Due to the magnetic properties of the driver, it is important to cover the ear cups with the magnetic veils to avoid damage caused by absorption of magnetic object when the product is not in use,” says Hifiman. Keep those iron filings and staples away as those visible metal bars are the driver magnets.
There are also little fabric pouches you can wrap the ear cups in. The message seems to be: if you manage to get foreign objects or muck into the driver’s insides, that’s on you. Slightly more attentive care is recommended, so bear that in mind.
Like other models in the 2025 range, the Hifiman Ananda Unveiled have a hammock-style “composite” headband. And they only include one cable, a mobile-style 1.5m long one terminating in a right-angle 3.5mm connector. A 6.3mm adapter is included too.
The cup connectors are standard 3.5mm sockets, though, so finding replacements will be no issue if needed.
I don’t recommend the Hifiman Ananda Unveiled for casual portable use. While they can be driven OK off a phone or a laptop with a half-decent headphone circuit, these are obviously open-back headphones that leak plenty of sound and don’t block much out. Heck, you can even hear air turbulence if you walk around your home too quickly with them on thanks to the exposed drivers.
They might be the most comfortable of the 2025-released range for long sessions, though, outdoing the Audivinia LE or brilliant HE-600. Their large cups distribute the Ananda Unveiled’s 448g (tested via scales, 496g with cable) well, helping to avoid or delay the pressure hotspot the Hifiman headband can cause in some other models.
Sound Quality
- Top-tier separation in this price class
- Big sound
The Hifiman Ananda Unveiled are all-round great-sounding headphones. Hifiman rarely misses when producing open-back pairs like these. And as is typically the case with its sets of this cup shape, imaging and scale are two of the key highlights.
These headphones sound wide and have extremely good separation and open-ness, particularly along the lateral plane. There’s no sense of the sound being overly constrained by the physics of the headphones, bringing a more holographic presentation even than the less expansive-sounding Hifiman HE600.
The Hifiman Ananda Unveiled give off the impression of being highly detailed, thanks to their treble brightness. Bass is well proportioned and sounds faster, and more immediately reactive, than that of the generally warmer-toned Hifiman Edition XV.
These are headphones you can get lost in, and I enjoy listening at lower volumes with the Ananda Unveiled more than with plenty of other pairs. All those spatial benefits are there regardless of volume. There’s less of a sense of needing to bump up the output to get the most out of the set.
Vocal reproduction is refined and insightful, enhanced by plenty of well-rendered textural detail in the upper mids. I find the lower-register mids somewhat less well textured, which can lead to some voice registers seeming better-projected than others. And the presentation in general is more relaxed and laid-back than some other Hifiman sets. You can’t sound all that aggressive with an expansionist policy, because we’re talking headphones not dictators.
Only one element of the Ananda Unveiled initially stuck out as a significant potential stumble if you are onboard with what HifiMan is trying to do here. There’s a bump of extra energy, of prominence, in the treble that initially stands out quite clearly. I thought it would prove tiring, but I ultimately just became accustomed to it fairly quickly — within a couple of hours.
It doesn’t exhibit as sibilance, just a consistent sparkiness likely there to boost the listener’s impression of detail. For me, it bedded in within the first few hours of listening — certainly the brain doing its thing rather than burn-in, but the result is the same.
Should you buy it?
Buy if you want big sound for home use
These are home headphones with open and expansive sound that aren’t hugely picky about what they are plugged into.
Don’t buy if you want portable headphones
A 1.5m cable may suggest these are portable-ready but the uncovered driver, open style and sound leakage says otherwise.
Final Thoughts
The Ananda Unveiled bring Hifiman’s Unveiled series to a new, lower price category. It’s time for everyone to get hold of naked drivers, if they want them.
Should you? There’s a minor trade off of sound versus convenience here, particularly if you like treating your tech nice rather than rolling the dice on more careless treatment.
In return you get great width and instrument separation, to let you get lost in your favourite tracks in ways you may never have before.
How We Test
We test every pair of headphones we review thoroughly over an extended period of time. We use industry-standard tests to compare features properly. We’ll always tell you what we find.
We never, ever, accept money to review a product.
Find out more about how we test in our ethics policy.
- Tested with real world use
- Tested for several days
FAQs
They can be paired with an amp but are also sensitive enough to be used with a phone or laptop directly.
They are wired headphones, although Hifiman does sell a wireless version of the original design, the Ananda BT.
No case is included, just cup covers and little protective bags for the ear cups.
Full Specs
| Hifiman Ananda Unveiled Review | |
|---|---|
| UK RRP | £489 |
| Manufacturer | HiFiMAN |
| IP rating | No |
| Weight | 449 G |
| Release Date | 2025 |
| Connectivity | Wired |
| Colours | Silver |
| Frequency Range | 5 55000 – Hz |
| Headphone Type | Over-ear |
| Sensitivity | 93 dB |
