[HardstyleLoco96]

Hey, This is my first post in Head-Fi,

Just got the Ananda Nano a couple of weeks ago to pair with the Focal Clear OG through my Fiio K7. Was on the verge of returning them because of the brightness but I am glad I kept them. Been using EQ to tame them a bit and they're definitely a lot of fun. I have owned the Sundara and Edition XS before and the Nanos are definitely my favourite.

The Ananda Nano can slam hard. Not to the level of the Focal Clear, but defs has speed, clarity and that larger staging to be a very nice friend for it. The Clear is more intimate and punchy while the Ananda is larger sounding and spacious. How do you find the eq?

 

[HardstyleLoco96]

Crazy how much of a difference EQ can make to a headphone. The EQ I'm using makes the Ananda Nano from a great headphone to endgame. It keeps all the qualities of Nano but refines it. More slam and rumble in the low end. It slams hard, bringing it closer to the likes of Audeze cans after eq or Focal. Mids gains some weight and smoothness. Still crystal clear and highly detailed, but I sense more space and air now between vocals and instruments. They aren't as in your face but yet, extremely clear, going back to no eq, things can sound thin and lifeless at times. Treble still has heaps of sparkle but just turned down a notch so it's not blasting but this also gives the sense of more room to breathe. It's still analytical yet some fun and musicality has been injected and it easily has become one of my most funnest headphones to listen. EDM, Rap and all genres that require some low end really shine and slam now with impact and amazing clarity. Once Oratory creates an eq for these, I'll be extremely curious to hear how much better it can get as I truly feel this eq can't get much better

 

[martel80]

Crazy how much of a difference EQ can make to a headphone.....
..... I truly feel this eq can't get much better

Totally agree. Once you find your sweet spot on it, it's hard to believe you might find something more useful in all the different aspect of what makes a set of cans great.

 

[LordImperious]

The Ananda Nano can slam hard. Not to the level of the Focal Clear, but defs has speed, clarity and that larger staging to be a very nice friend for it. The Clear is more intimate and punchy while the Ananda is larger sounding and spacious. How do you find the eq?

Not bad. I've used every eq in this thread. So far your latest one and another are my favourites. I find eq kind of messes with the timbre a bit but the nanos eq MUCH better than the Focal clears. I still prefer the clears overall but the nanos are the first cans that trade blows with them that I've heard.

 

[LordImperious]

Been playing around with eq and found what I like. The eq I posted a few posts back is good. But I found it killed whats special about Hifiman.... The treble. I actually have come to like it a lot. So this new eq tweaks things and makes things a touch cleaner and smoother. And also tames the treble slightly, but not to the point of killing and losing the sparkle, energy and air. I like this very much.

I am really falling in love with this EQ. I am honestly debating selling my Clear OGs. The Clarity on the Nano is just so much better to me.

 

[HardstyleLoco96]

I am really falling in love with this EQ. I am honestly debating selling my Clear OGs. The Clarity on the Nano is just so much better to me.

I'm glad you're liking the eq, I feel Oratory could maybe further improve it or come up with something nicer. But I feel this eq is pretty spot on. It gives the Ananda Nano amazing slam and tames the treble just enough where it still has plenty of energy without being hot in the treble. I wouldn't sell off the Clears though. They're great headphones and have that slam. But I've said it multiple times. Price to performance on the Ananda Nano is insane. If I had to choose one between the Nano or Clear. Hands down I'd choose the Nano

 

[LordImperious]

I'm glad you're liking the eq, I feel Oratory could maybe further improve it or come up with something nicer. But I feel this eq is pretty spot on. It gives the Ananda Nano amazing slam and tames the treble just enough where it still has plenty of energy without being hot in the treble. I wouldn't sell off the Clears though. They're great headphones and have that slam. But I've said it multiple times. Price to performance on the Ananda Nano is insane. If I had to choose one between the Nano or Clear. Hands down I'd choose the Nano

I have the ZMF lambskin pads on my clears because the stock pads are worn. I really wish I got the suede pads because the lambskin pads sound wrong to me. The Nano sounds really good for every application I use it for so it could easily be my only headphone.

 

[HardstyleLoco96]

I have the ZMF lambskin pads on my clears because the stock pads are worn. I really wish I got the suede pads because the lambskin pads sound wrong to me. The Nano sounds really good for every application I use it for so it could easily be my only headphone.

That's unfortunate :/, that's the thing about new pads. They can mess with the tuning and make things sound off

 

[LordImperious]

That's unfortunate :/, that's the thing about new pads. They can mess with the tuning and make things sound off

I just put on the old warn pads and they sounded way better. The zmf pads open the soundstage but scoop out the mids and have a weird plasticy timbre.

 

[HardstyleLoco96]

I just put on the old warn pads and they sounded way better. The zmf pads open the soundstage but scoop out the mids and have a weird plasticy timbre.

How do you find the Clear with stock pads vs Nano with eq? Maybe it may be worth trying to look for some new pads for the Clear, but they are pricey. Or you could try Dekoni and find whats closest in sound to stock pads

 

[wanderam]

I've had the Nano for 7 months and I'm delighted!

Is it bright? Sure, it took my brain a while to assimilate those high frequencies. With good balanced cables and a powerful amplifier, the sound opens up, is more transparent and easier to get used to its brightness. Now that brilliance is addictive .

That's why I don't equalize them, or very little. All the equalization models that I have tried, for me, take away their essence, the shine.
It is important to clarify that bright is not irritating or annoying to me.

Of course, they are also very fast, dynamic and have a wonderful bass. I mainly listen to electronic music and with this genre they make a perfect couple. I would just like more separation between instruments, and a more natural tone. So much shine gives them a special tone. This tone, and the large amount of detail, can sometimes be misleading, I think it is what makes the Nano have its detractors. By this I don't mean that he has an unnatural tone, rather I would say that he has a particular personality. I repeat. I love it!

This is just my personal journey with the Nano, I think that in the world of headphones, each person tells their own experience, and trying to find a single truth for me makes no sense

 

[LordImperious]

How do you find the Clear with stock pads vs Nano with eq? Maybe it may be worth trying to look for some new pads for the Clear, but they are pricey. Or you could try Dekoni and find whats closest in sound to stock pads

Nano is wider, faster, with better subass. Clears for with stock pads are punchier, warmer with much sweeter mids. The stock pads definitely make the clears sound a bit more closed in but much more natural and a bit brighter over the zmf pads. I keep reading the zmf suede pads are much closer to the stock pads.

 

[TheR0v3r]

I'm glad you're liking the eq, I feel Oratory could maybe further improve it or come up with something nicer. But I feel this eq is pretty spot on. It gives the Ananda Nano amazing slam and tames the treble just enough where it still has plenty of energy without being hot in the treble. I wouldn't sell off the Clears though. They're great headphones and have that slam. But I've said it multiple times. Price to performance on the Ananda Nano is insane. If I had to choose one between the Nano or Clear. Hands down I'd choose the Nano

I sold my Focal Utopia’s.

 

[LordImperious]

I sold my Focal Utopia’s.

I could maybe get 700 to 800 CAD for my clears. Think they're worth holding onto at this point. The nanos are super amazing for their price though.

 

[TheR0v3r]

I could maybe get 700 to 800 CAD for my clears. Think they're worth holding onto at this point. The nanos are super amazing for their price though.

Makes total sense