HIFIMAN Svanar Wireless JR

Mataudiophiles

New Head-Fier
Pros: Warm sound, good bass, sound quality
Cons: Nothing on this price.
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HiFiMAN Svanar Wireless JR

Prelude:

Do you remember one of the best TWS headphones on the market, which are the Svanary Wireless from HiFiMAN, priced at USD 499? If not, let me mention that these are TWS headphones completely free of cables, which are equipped by the manufacturer with the most technologically advanced diaphragm made using topological diagram technology. Additionally, these headphones are equipped with the advanced Himalaya R2R transducer system, present for the first time in TWS headphones. As for the company itself, I think that HiFiMAN is a manufacturer so well-known that there is no need to introduce it. Nowadays it is one of the largest leaders on the hifi devices market. Thanks to their innovative approach to tuning and product quality, they have gained a strong and unchallenged position on the market. Additionally, they have the courage to go against the beaten path and create their own solutions. When I first saw the flagship Svanar Wireless, I was skeptical seeing their unusual shape. However, everything changed when I put them in my ears and for the first time in my life I had to pick up my jaw from the floor while listening to TWS headphones. However, the price of USD 499 is high and may not be affordable for everyone. Fortunately, HiFiMAN has developed a slightly cheaper variant for USD 299 in the form of Svanar Wireless LE, which I will tell you more about in the next review. The latest variant of Svanar Wireless is the JR model. In this case, the R2R transducer was omitted, but the topological diaphragm and balanced amplifier were retained. Interestingly, the amplifier used not only has quite high power, but also very good parameters. The ANC and ENC modes have also been expanded by adding a DSP algorithm.




Unboxing:
Despite a significantly reduced price compared to the flagship TWS models, the JR version retains the same packaging aesthetics as the previous models. Here we have a nice and stylish cardboard packaging matched to the colors of the headphones themselves. After opening the solid box, we will see the headphones themselves, which, for a change, are made in white. This time, there are some differences in costs because the headphones themselves are made of white plastic, but the same shape has been retained as in the case of the flagship version. Additionally, the bottom of the headphones is made of silver mirror-like material. We also have a white case for charging and storing our headphones. It is exactly the same case as the flagship version, with the difference that it is made of white plastic and does not have inductive charging. However, there is a slightly larger battery inside, which translates into longer battery life. What I mean here is both the operating time of the headphones themselves and the number of charges available from the dedicated case. Additionally, we receive a USB-C charging cable and a set of tips and foams, but I recommend replacing them with something else.

ANC:
Thanks to the use of DSP, the noise reduction system works really well, although it is still not a perfect solution. It blocks ambient noise perfectly, but the volume of the headphones themselves is slightly reduced. This is not a major disadvantage, but it is something to remember. The headphones themselves provide excellent call quality and conversations can be conducted very well through them. I still lack a dedicated application to operate the headphones, but it is not necessary for their operation. All issues related to operation are carried out using touch panels, during use we can switch between ANC, AMBIENT and HIGH FIDELITI modes.

BT range and performance:
This time I had the impression that the range of the headphones, which was already very good, had been further improved. I haven’t noticed any major problems with BT stability. Although I still miss the APTX codec, the available AAC, SBC and LDAC guarantee great versatility and excellent sound. Nevertheless, in my opinion, the svanar wireless junior headphones have a very stable wireless connection and fit stably and securely in the ears. Personally, I chose SpinFit tips because they provide a slightly more pleasant signature, but I consider the slope tips to be correct and acceptable.
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Sound:
Bass:
It is strong and decisive, at the same time, care was taken to ensure that it was properly matched to the rest of the tuning. It’s entertaining and totally palpable. It strongly and confidently accentuates the lower bands in music while ensuring a clean and clear sound. We will definitely have a strong and confident shot at the bottom. However, the sound will never be overwhelming or overly bassy. I like the relaxing and entertaining nature of the low frequencies that the headphones offer. The bass retains a natural and coherent character at the same time. In rock songs or contemporary pop, it brings a very pleasant and entertaining and relaxing character. At the same time, it maintains a coherent and natural sound.
Midrange: First of all, I found it very natural, warm and slightly recessed. However, a lot depends on the tips we choose and use, which have a huge impact on the final sound of our headphones. The soundstage impressed me, both with its width and depth. What impresses most about these headphones is the very high detail and above-average amount of detail and information contained in the music we hear. The general outline of the mid tones is quite laid back and calm. It is rather a warmer sound, focused on the entertaining and relaxing nature of tuning. However, compared to other TWS headphones, despite using only one dynamic transducer, I rate this set as incredibly energetic, full and one of the best in this price range.
High tones: Classically for HiFiMAN, we have some brightening here, which results in an increase in the clarity and purity of the high tones. However, they never exceed the tolerance limit. The sound of treble is very detailed and resolved. In the case of string instruments or music based on this type of instruments, we have a lot of information and a very nice presentation of the instruments. In this respect, I really like the solutions that HiFiMAN uses in its products. I like the extension of treble that gives the feeling of interacting with wired headphones, which makes it really easy to forget at times that these are just TWS headphones!
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Comparisons:

HiFiMAN Svanar Wireless JR (119USD) VS HiFiMAN Svanar Wireless (499USD)

I would like to point out that HiFiMAN quite clearly divided its products between specific types of consumers. Although I really like Svanar Wireless JR, I must admit that the flagship version simply does everything better. What I mean here is the much fuller, more resolved and more analog sound that the fag version offers. The sound of svanar wireless is smoother and warmer, which will give a lot of pleasure to all fans of the modern R2R sound. However, the JR version is dedicated to users for whom the amount of USD 499 for TWS headphones is definitely too high, at the expense of some compromise we obtain unrivaled sound quality at a very reasonable and affordable price. JR represent a really high and competitive level despite the relatively low price. HiFiMAN Svanar Wireless JR are much cheaper headphones. They are also dedicated to another recipient. While Svanar Wireless is an uncompromising approach to sound, these are the best-sounding TWS headphones on the market today, if an app and APTX were added to them, they could certainly replace more than one wired set.

HiFiMAN Svanar Wireless JR (USD 119) VS HiFiMAN Svanar Wireless LE (USD 299)
The LE version is an interesting idea because by abandoning the LDAC codec and wireless charging it allows you to save a lot of money, but in the case of Android users this is certainly at the expense of sound. The LE version will play better on devices without LDAC support, but in my opinion, if we can use the LDAC connection, the JR version may turn out to be more practical and even play better in some cases. Of course, Svanar Wireless LE always retain the beauty and smoothness of the sound of the R2R transducer, but they have a certain limitation resulting from the lack of codecs.

Summary:
HiFiMAN Svanar Wireless JR are headphones that, in my opinion, are truly extraordinary. Maybe ANC is not the best on the market, but it works quite well. However, voice calls are at one of the best levels I have encountered in TWS headphones. In terms of sound, of course, you can hear the difference between the flagship version and even the LE. However, the entertaining and light nature of the sound offered by JR headphones makes them an excellent option for people looking for something inexpensive and very functional. They are perfect for most scenarios, offering very good sound quality and a clean and clear image. They also have a pretty good sound stage and very good separation of instruments, which translates into a very high level of musical experience. Personally, I love my HiFiMAN Svanar Wireless, but even though they are clearly better than the JR, the entertaining and full sound offered by the JR means that both models will be included in my collection. Generally, if we want to save some money and do not need such a purist sound as in the case of svanar wireless, the JR version is an excellent alternative. We gain a fun and entertaining sound, with a slightly lower resolution and less momentum. At the same time, we can buy the Svanar JR for a fraction of the price of the flagship model, so the difference in sound and slight changes in build quality are fully justified. What was missing in the case of svanar wireless jr. I would definitely like the headphones to finally support the APTX codec, even if it meant an increase in price. I would also like at least a basic application that allows you to change the headphones’ parameters. However, these are only suggestions, not real disadvantages, so I consider them more of a wish list. Compared to the competition, Svanar Wireless JR impressed me with both sound quality and battery life. In standard conditions, listening to music in HIGH-FIDELITY mode and using the Bluetooth codec, I easily achieved a time of 5 hours, which I consider a very good and stable result.
sofastreamer
sofastreamer
r2r is not the transducer
Mataudiophiles
Mataudiophiles
Yes, this is a type of digital-to-analog converters based on transistor ladders. However, in this case, the manufacturer uses its Himalaya system.What I mean here is the use of R2R in svanar wireless and svanar wireless LE. There is no R2R system in the JR model.

ywheng89

100+ Head-Fier
Hifiman Svanar Wireless JR's Review
Pros: Fun sound and good build quality
Good battery life taking into the consideration for the sonic performance
LDAC support
Cons: Would be better to be able to update the firmware for fine tuning the ANC/Transparency mode's algo
ANC and Transparency mode is sub par
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General/Build/Comfort/Packaging
I don’t think anybody needs an introduction for Hifiman. They’re well known for their line up of planar magnetic headphones, and recently their in house R2R DAC. I have the opportunity to test out the Svanar Wireless JR, which is based on their flagship single DD IEM that shares the same driver configuration, namely the topology diaphragm. You may check out this link for more information about the coating.
The build quality of Svanar wireless JR, although it's plastic, it definitely doesn’t look cheap, with an ergonomic design focusing on comfort (more on this later). The charging case does have a faux leather kind of look to it, the surface is a little too smooth and sometimes it's hard to open the case. As for the fit, do take the time to choose the right ear tips as this will either make or break the seal for a good sound as well as fit. The packaging is rather straightforward and minimal, with various types of eartips.

Specifications
Frequency Response: : 10Hz-35kHz
Bluetooth Version: : Bluetooth 5.2
HIFI Mode: : up to 6 hrs
ANC Mode: : up to 7 hrs
Transparency Mode: : up to 8 hrs
ANC Spec: : up to 35dB
Waterproof: : IPX5
Single Head Weight: : 8g
Charging Case Weight: : 83.7g
Transmission Distance: : up to 15m (barrier-free transmission)
Codecs:SBC, LDAC, AAC

Gears used for this review
  • iPhone 15 with Tidal/Apple Music (AAC)
  • Hifiman Svanar Wireless JR
  • Hiby R6 Bluetooth LDAC
Foreword
My review is solely based on what I hear via my equipment and I never consider my reviews to be objective in any way rather a subjective approach. Do take into consideration that everyone’s ear anatomy is not the same, so the psychoacoustics perception might be different as well, but i believe it will not stray too far

*An important note prior going into the sound impression, Svanar Wireless’s sound is very tip dependent, in fact it can make or break the sound, so please take your time to tip roll and get a good seal. I took quite a bit of time to look for one that’s suitable for me, because the bundled ones don't fit my ears at all.

General Features
Touch Control

  • Works well, fairly sensitive and doesn’t require a lot of effort to use it
Proximity Sensor
  • Auto pause when the sensor detects the earpiece is taken out and resume playback when the sensor detects the earpiece is in ear again
Connectivity/Range
  • The box/manual clearly mentioned that LDAC is bandwidth consuming, hence connectivity issue is to be expected, that is true and it does occurs during my time when i’m listening to it with LDAC codec
  • AAC and SBC on the other hand works fine and has no connectivity issue
  • The workaround to resolve the LDAC connectivity issue if you insist on using LDAC codec is to trigger the playback quality to Connection Quality(330kbps/303kbps) or Balanced Audio and Connection Quality(660kbps/606kbps), i noticed these two mode does that cause the connectivity issue to occur that much
ANC/Transparency Mode
  • The noise cancellation works alright to cancel out the noise from certain low frequencies, it doesn’t work that well when it comes to mids and high frequencies such as when people are talking or when you’re out in a noisy environment, simply put, the noise cancellation’s performance is nowhere near the AirPod Pro, hence choosing the right eartips for this is crucial
  • Transparency mode is also average, it does make you aware of the surroundings but when people are talking to you, with the music still playing back, you can’t really hear the voice of the person talking to you, again, nowhere near the AirPod Pro’s transparency mode
Battery Life
  • Battery life is fair with the Hi Fidelity mode coming in around 6 hours ish for my usage with LDAC and at 40% listening volume
  • ANC and Transparency mode does have a lot longer playtime ranging from 6-7 hours based on my observation when leaving it to loop through the songs
  • The claim on the battery life is quite inline with Hifiman’s and i honestly have no issue with the shorter battery life on Hi Fidelity mode simply because of its sonic performance
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Sound Impression with Hi Fidelity Mode (Tested with AAC and LDAC)
This is the default mode on every startup, also my preferred tuning/mode that I use most of the time. The Svanar Wireless JR doesn’t have the R2R Dac as with its bigger brother, however, it is equipped with class AB amplification which has quite a fun sound signature as well. Timbre sounds very natural to my ears overall. Bass has very good punch and speed, tracks like Metallica’s Lux Aeterna, Slipknot’s People=crap!, are being handled by Svanar Wireless JR effortlessly, without sounding muddy nor bloated. Sub bass does rumble when the track calls for it, however it is not basshead kind of bass, sounds clean and good quality rumble. Good seal from the eartips is very important here. The mids are slightly forward yet not overly recessed, vocal positioning is quite center, but not very “in your face”, male vocal sounds a little lacking in terms of body, certain artist’s vocal can sound a little “brittle” especially for Zhao Peng, where his voice is supposed to sound deep and full, female vocal on the other hand sounds good with decent texture and body. Treble has a good amount of air and presence, this makes the whole music presentation sounds very airy. It is energetic but never offensive nor harsh. Detail retrieval is good but not excellent. Soundstage and imaging is good for a wireless earphone, slightly out of your head, good height perception but depth is lacking.
Instruments can be pinpointed easily where it’s coming from with good accuracy.
As for the difference between using LDAC and AAC, LDAC definitely has better resolution and soundstage, and doesn’t sound that compressed compared to AAC, AAC on the other hand is quite bassy possibly due to the compression.

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Sound Comparison with ANC and Transparency Mode
ANC Mode

  • The difference between ANC mode vs Hi-Fidelity mode is very noticeable, i would even go as far as saying its day and night difference in terms of sound
  • Bass is not as punchy on ANC but still with decent quality and control
  • Sub bass rumble more or less similar to Hi Fidelity mode
  • Mids are slightly recessed compared to Hi Fidelity mode
  • Treble doesn’t sound as airy nor extended as on Hi Fidelity Mode, indirectly also affecting detail retrieval
  • Soundstage also doesn’t sound that holographic compared to Hi Fidelity Mode
Transparency Mode
  • Transparency mode to my ears is slightly better than ANC mode, but of course when compared to Hi Fidelity mode, obviously the latter is far superior in terms of sonic performance
  • Bass and mids are more or less similar sounding with ANC mode
  • Treble is slightly better offering a little bit more air compared to ANC mode
  • Better width,depth and height perception on the soundstage
Final Thoughts
All in all, the Svanar Wireless JR is a very good TWS if you are looking at it from the sonic performance, the general TWS features such as noise cancellation, transparency mode, and connectivity issue does hinder the overall rating of Svanar Wireless JR. If you’re looking for a good sounding TWS, Svanar Wireless JR no doubt is the one for you if you’re willing to overlook a certain shortcoming of it, but of course I did mention the workaround above and it pretty much resolves the issue for me. The price is indeed premium for a TWS, but looking solely at the sonic performance, i’d say it's a fair price considering the design and engineering effort needed for such device

*Svanar Wireless JR is sent over by Hifiman for the purpose of this review. I thank them for the opportunity as always

If you are interested in getting one, head over to their official webstore
Hifiman Svanar Wireless JR Product Page
Hifiman Svanar Wireless JR Store Link - Non affiliated

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