Sendy Audio Apollo Pro Premium Headphones Review – Delphi Music Prophecy
Sendy Audio Apollo Pro is a $449 USD pair of over-the-ear headphones, with an open-back design, Sendy’s Premium approach to audio and a large 78mm planar magnetic driver encased in real wood inside the headphones. Today we will review the Apollo Pro and dive deeper into their sound, also comparing them with headphones from a similar price range including ThieAudio Cypher (399 USD), HIFIMAN Ananda Unveiled (549 USD), Sendy Audio Apollo (500 USD) and HarmonicDyne Baroque (559 USD).
Introduction
Sendy Audio is the flashy, beautiful audio designer that has launched multiple brilliant products like the Peacock, Kylin, and is best known for their premium approach, but this time having a more pocket-friendly price. Apollo Pro is an over-the-ear planar magnetic pair of headphones with natural wood and it is the PRO version of the original Apollo that we reviewed.
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Product Link
Amazon – https://amzn.to/45iCiGx
Aliexpress – https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c39c2jT5
Build Quality – Design
To further develop on the original and improve it, Sendy Audio designed the Apollo Pro similarly. This means that the Pro is also an open-back pair of headphones with a planar magnetic driver, natural wood earcups but has an increase in the driver size, from 68mm in Apollo to 78mm in the new pro version. Despite the driver size increase, the weight of the new Pro has been reduced to 354 grams, making it lighter than the original.
With a larger diaphragm size, you can get more bass, faster transient response and a better sound quality, so Apollo Pro promises a wider dynamic range. They operate at a rather low 27 OHM impedance, and they rely on a nano-scale composite diaphragm, with a magnetic cutting layer under 800nm. This thin layer enables a low moving mass, fast response and the company uses EB Evaporation Deposition technology.
Apollo Pro comes with a high-end Three-Conductor cable that employs 20 strands of 0.05mm Furukawa OFC Copper, 10 strands of 0.05mm silver-plated copper and 10 strands of 0.05mm enamelled gold-plated copper to form the full cable. This cable is ended in a 4.4mm balanced connector, but Sendy Audio includes adapters to 3.5mm single ended as well as 6.35mm. This cable has strong shielding with a graphene reinforced PVC shielding, and this all results in a 93 dB SPL for the whole headphone. Inside the package you will find a premium transport case, a hemp storage pouch, the headphones, cable, adapters and manuals for the headphones.
Subjective Usage
Wearing the Apollo Pro feels even better than it did with the original Apollo as the new version has slightly more ergonomic of a fitting, feels more stable on my head and the cups are still about the same size with a similarly loose earpad that feels soft on my head, but they simply stay more put. I cannot quite pinpoint what makes them fit better, and the cable feels just as good.
You can expect minimal passive noise isolation, yet Apollo PRO is not quite as open as an Unveiled pair of headphones and neither are they quite as sensitive to the room acoustics and background noise. In fact, they manage to compensate for the room noise much more easily.
If you have not tried the original Apollo, you can expect one of the most comfortable and lightweight pair of headphones ever created on your head, with minimal wearing fatigue, but maximum enjoyment. The weight is distributed evenly on all my head thanks to the soft headband, they are incredibly comfy for long periods of wear. I somewhat prefer wearing open-back for longer periods and Apollo PRO does not heat up my head and ears which is a big bonus too on hotter summer days.
Sound Quality
Pairings – Judging from the technical data, I would’ve expected the Apollo Pro to be about as hard to drive as the original Apollo, and I also would’ve expected them to be not a very hard load, but in actual practice they eat a lot of power, and for today I have tested them with a wide collection of sources including FiiO K17, Argon Audio SA-2 Amplifier Driven by FiiO Warmer R2R, Acer Nitro 18 AI Laptop (with 3.5mm adapters), iBasso Kunlun, FiiO Snowsky Echo DAP, Orchard Audio Valencia driven by Musician Pegasus III and Luxsin X9
While you can get sound going easily, they take a ton of power to get loud and sound much better with a highly dynamic, highly engaging source, prefer a high-end DAC AMP / DAP, and will sound great with a hi-end portable like FiiO M33 or iBasso DX340 MAX ti, and for desktop iBasso Kunlun as the AMP, and Luxsin X9 as the DAC AMP will do a top job. The more power, the better source, the more Apollo pro will scale and the better sound you will have.
Overall Signature – While I did start my original review of the Apollo saying they are super relaxed and ended up by the end of it thinking they are mostly natural, Apollo Pro takes a different direction, sounding more relaxed, but more detailed, more mid centric, with less coloration, better control and better dynamics. It is a much better pair of headphones from a resolution perspective, but also sounding much more natural and less colored. There was an opening in the middle of the midrange for Apollo which made them colored sounding and less linear, while Apollo Pro is simply stunning for vocals, classical and orchestral, richer and more revealing for all styles. The burn-in effect is also real, but as I usually mention, it is around 3-10 hours of burn-in that do the most changes, just expect them to settle slightly after listening to them loud for a couple of hours. The most major changes are in the bass which gets beefier and climbs lower with less distortion, and textures get a bit smoother. It feels like the driver is not quite as rigid and as tight, which would make sense considering that I pump around 110 dB to 120 dB in the first few hours to get them up and running.
Bass – At the bottom end, Apollo Pro reaches 20 Hz, but most of the pump, punch and power is centered between 40 Hz and 60 Hz, with a natural – linear bass, so they are not bass heavy for most tracks, yet they have enough low line to sound full and to kick with the right tracks. As long as there are vocals in a song, they will be more forward than the bass, and it will make the bass feel a bit shy. For electronic, EDM and modern music with heavy compression, you will notice the bass more and it will feel like the headphones themselves are quite heavy and pumped-up. Upper bass and lower midrange is not particularly recessed or forward, so there’s no extra thickness or veil, and for the most part the upper bass feels slightly recessed rather than slightly forward as the sound is light and snappy rather than thick and heavy.
Midrange – Vocals are forward, natural and crisp, with a fairly evident forwardness for voices, both male and female. There is more presence for female voices, but not necessarily sopranos, just vocals in general, along with rich sounding classical instruments, pianos and guitars. The drivers of the Apollo pro are fast, which makes them sound rich and revealing, detailed, without sounding harsh. It now feels like the sound is fairly relaxed, and you can easily pump it up to 120 db without any kind of fatigue, as there are no hard edges or hard sounds. This presentation makes me listen to far less EDM and Pop and much more classical music or at least orchestral / classical rock combination, as both stringed and bowed instruments sound especially rich and vivid through the Apollo Pro. I have stated for a long time that the headphones / Earphones you are wearing will change your perception and music taste, and Apollo pro is a huge testament to my theory as I have not listened to a couple of bands / artists in a long time, yet with Apollo Pro I need a rich orchestra with a complex backstory, straight after a long period of grindcore and pop.
Treble – Apollo Pro has an endless extension that does not stop at 14 kHz or 16 kHz, but rather goes beyond what my hearing can detect, but also has a buttery smooth texture, relaxed presentation that does not make the treble the central element of their tuning, so it ends up sounding rather laid-back, relaxed and clean, ideal for classical, orchestral and complex music, and taking away some aggro edge from rock and metal. I find this perfect for long-time listening and they are great for exploring mature, and complex tracks without feeling fatigued or overwhelmed by a cymbal that was maybe mixed in too strong, but at the same time, they do not have the wall of sound or aggro edge that rock and metal usually needs. They are perfect for post-hardcore, experimental metal, and where acoustic instruments blend with powered and amplified even distorted instruments, like symphonic death metal.
Dynamics And Textures – Dynamic range was one of the biggest surprises with Apollo pro as it has a huge dynamic range and lacks the compression I usually notice with headphones in this price range. Rather, it sounds so dynamically wide that when it makes headphones it is directly compared to feel a bit compressed and congested, as it sounds more relaxed than them. Texture is a relaxed, smoother texture, and even with heavily textured sources and even with sources where the sound is fatiguing, it still is one of the smoothest and most relaxed sounding pair of headphones I heard.
Loudness Saturation Gradient – Although with Apollo Pro you can achieve huge SPL, up to 130 dB, with minimal distortion, they do sound best between 70 dB and 110 dB, with the best overall sound being when you are not pushing them to be too aggressive. This is because they sound relaxed by nature, so they allow you to increase the maximum volume a lot, yet they do not sound much better if you force that volume, instead sounding just loud. This means no added overdrive or distortion, which sounds ideal in theory, but it makes them direct and forward without the added grit. With classical and orchestral, it allows you to experience a vast dynamic range, but will not create the wall of sound feeling of rock and metal, instead making it loud and dynamically wide, perfect if you want to experience music naturally and with minimal compression.
Soundstage – Staging is a bit more direct and personal as the specific layering that Apollo Pro has is a slightly forward sound, a bit of extra presence for the vocal layer and just generally renders more presence and body for all instruments rather than allowing the deepest or widest stage possible. It is great for enjoying music without losing sight of the central elements and instead it renders things in a central, ordered fashion. Even with all this being said, it does not sound small or tiny, and instead it sounds quite airy, just focused on drawing vocals and acoustic instruments to the front.
Comparisons
Sendy Audio Apollo Pro vs HIFIMAN Ananda Unveiled (449 USD vs 549 USD) – ananda Unveiled is just a bit pricier, but it actually follows a fairly similar sonic presentation. Comfort is better on the Apollo pro thanks to a more relaxed headband, bigger earpads and more flexibility of the frame so that they can laterally adjust just right for my head. Sonically, Ananda Unveiled is just a bit more detailed and revealing, but Apollo Pro has a wider dynamic range, less compression it is wider, deeper and more relaxed, smoother sounding with a more natural midrange, deeper sub bass and a less treble extension. While both are great for all music styles, and they are direct competitors, Ananda Unveiled is more detailed, while Apollo Pro is more relaxed. Generally, I have a medium head and prefer Apollo Pro because it fits my head a bit better, while Ananda Unveiled and the latest headband are a bit too tight for me despite them being a bit lighter.
Sendy Audio Apollo Pro vs ThieAudio Cypher (449 USD vs 399 USD) – Cypher is a great contender in this price range and they are actually a bit cheaper than Apollo Pro. Physically, the comfort of the Apollo PRO is better, they are larger, have larger pads and cups, more flexibility in the frame, feel looser on my head and provide a better comfort for long periods of wear. Apollo Pro is much harder to drive though and needs a really good source. Cypher sounds warmer, fuller and thicker, with a bigger bass, bit also has more textures, is less dynamic and a bit compressed compared to Apollo Pro directly. While both do well with most music, it is quite clear that for classical, acoustic and vocal music Apollo Pro is better, more vivid and more natural, while Cypher is better for dubstep, rap, and even rock metal styles. Both are exceptional value and both are super comfy in person, but apollo pro is better if you want a more comfy headphone that sounds more relaxed, leaner and more vocally correct.
Sendy Audio Apollo Pro vs Sendy Audio Apollo (449 USD vs 500 USD) – I originally described the Apollo as I do now with the PRO, but with more thinking, the original Apollo was pretty much just as relaxed fitting and high grade in design, yet the original apollo was nowhere near as smooth and relaxed, and it was more peppy, more compressed dynamically, yet less forward vocally and more generic in the tuning. The new PRO sounds smoother, more relaxed, more vocal, more correct, and has a higher dynamic range, yet it is more specific, more specialized for classical, acoustic instruments and it is clearly more developed, yet it came at a lower price and still manages to sound better from a technical perspective. I personally would recommend considering this a lot, Pro is more mid centric, more vocal and less bassy, less bright than the original, and although I can agree that the pro is better overall, I kind of prefer the original for rock and metal, which are a major part of what I usually enjoy. They are more or less equally hard to drive, but because the PRo has a different tuning, I find that I need more power to drive and to control it, especially with bassy or V-Shaped tuned music.
Sendy Audio Apollo Pro vs HarmonicDyne Baroque (449 USD vs 559 USD) – Baroque is one of the first headphones I really loved this year. They come with a very different ceramic driver, but they also come with an excellent open-back design, also with a similar comfort, although tighter on the head compared to Apollo PRO. The cable quality is top for both and both are great for long periods of wear, but if you push a bit harder on the cups of the Baroque it will creak, while Apollo PRO does not have that issue. Sonically, Baroque is both more colored, less detailed, but also more directly to my taste compared to Apollo PRO, as Baroque sounds more V-Shaped with more treble, more bass, less vocal forwardness, and they are more grainy and more sharp. This means that Apollo PRO is smoother, more vocal, more correct tonally, they have a smoother texture, higher dynamic range, and are more revealing, more detailed. If you enjoy a lot of classical music or acoustic instruments, you will prefer the Apollo PRO, while for rock, metal and EDM, Baroque has a more usual sound, more v-Shaped.
Value – Conclusion
Sendy Audio made the Apollo Pro a super good deal, as it comes with a nice transport case, one of the best cables designed by Sendy, and with a really awesome build quality and sound quality also. It is better than most of the competition around this price point and feels great to hear them.
While I have to admit that the mid centric, vocal tuning is not my main style and not the main thing I want when enjoying music, I do have a lot of fun with Apollo Pro and it allows me to enjoy styles that I would otherwise not explore as much, like classical and acoustic music.
PROs
- New take on the vocal mid centric style, with a natural and relaxed sounding midrange
- High value and exceptional build quality along with superb design
- Great for enjoying mature and audiophile music in general
- Excellent cable and transport case included in the package
- Highly dynamic, and makes other headphones in the range feel compressed and a bit limited
- Although focused, it is very wide and brilliant in airiness of the soundstage
Cons
- Personally not my favorite style and it does not work well with metal and grindcore
- Quite hard to drive
Product Link
Amazon – https://amzn.to/45iCiGx
Aliexpress – https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c39c2jT5
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Full Playlist used for this review
We listened to more songs than those named in this playlist, but those are excellent for identifying a sonic signature. I recommend trying most of the songs from this playlist, especially if you’re searching for new music! The playlists are different for Spotify, Tidal and Youtube, and based on the songs I enjoy and are available on each!
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_cjBXGmwSHSdGcwuc_bKbBDGHL4QvYBu
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5J3oloz8Riy9LxEGenOjQ0?si=979ba4f082414be7
https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/330fd544-8e5b-4839-bd35-676b2edbb3d5
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