HIFIMAN Audivina LE Closed-Back Headphones – Zero Scatter, Full Sound Blaster
HIFIMAN Audivina LE is a $399 USD pair of affordable over-the-ear closed-back headphones from HIFIMAN designed for a more affordable take on the Audivina line of headphones, now improved driver tech and a considerably lower price than the Audivina. Today we will review the Audivina LE and also compare them with other headphones including HIFIMAN Edition XV (399 USD), Fosi Audio i5 (549 USD) and Kiwi Ears Atheia (349 USD).
Introduction
HIFIMAN is currently one of the most popular headphone manufacturers, best known for their HIFIMAN Susvara flagship headphones, and Sundara entry-level headphones, having offered exceptional performance both for their priciest and for their most affordable models alike. HIFIMAN headphones are available for purchase on Amazon, Aliexpress as well as most HIFI dedicated shops, having many selling points in each country, and nowadays are known for their stellar build quality and high-end support. I personally recommend purchasing their products from Amazon, as they have usually the lowest prices and the best availability with the lowest waiting time, or using the HIFIMAN shopping page as they have their own shop as well.
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Product Link
Amazon – https://amzn.to/4axPE4W
Aliexpress – https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c3mBp2or
Build Quality And Design
We usually go straight from the center to the outside, but this time we start with the exterior, the cup itself which draws inspiration from the Beyreuth Festspielhaus. This design relies on a sealed cavity structure, but aims to solve the issue of narrow focus and bass echo usually found in closed-back headphones.
Audivina LE comes with Stealth Magnets, and Headband Gen.2 which are also present in other new HIFIMAN Headphones including HE600 and Edition XV. Diaphragm is Neo Supernano NsD, and Audivina LE is built on the acoustic fundation of the original, but with optimized Earcups, and different material selection, structural reinforcement, and surface texturing. This reduces the acoustic resonance inside the earcups, reducing the weight as well in the process.
I fear that HIFIMAN heard our complaints about the cables included with their headphones, and now they included three with Audivina LE, one that is 3.5mm single ended, one that is XLR Balanced and one that is 6.35mm Single ended and longer, 3 meter in length. Audivina Le Earpads are made from Eco-Friendly Silky leatherette with high-tech fabrics and can be replaced. Technically, Audivina has a weight of 449 grams (theoretically not a lightweight headphone), an impedance of 20 OHMs and a SPL of 86dB.
Subjective Usage
Although Audivina LE uses the same headband as HE600 and Ananda Unveiled, it is actually far more comfortable, as it has larger, slightly looser fitting earcups. This alone makes it an excellent purchase, it still has the advantage of a very secure fitting, but better subjective comfort than all of the other new HIFIMAN Headphones that use the same headband.
Leakage is minimal to the point where you can blast a metal concert inside of your headphones, and no one will really hear what is happening. Passive noise isolation is decent, around -10 dB, you can quite clearly hear what is happening around with no music playing, but once you increase the SPL or Sound Pressure Level, even slightly, it drowns out the ambient noise, unlike open headphones that mix it with your music.
Audivina Le looks far more industrial than the other Audivinas but it is much lighter too, as it does not place any pressure on my head and neck. Overall I love wearing the Audiina LE and feel it is made super nicely.
Sound Quality
Pairings – To test and drive the HIFIMAN Audivina LE, I have paired it with a large number of sources including FiiO K17, Audioengine HXL, Shanling Onix Beta XI2, Surfans F35 Music Player DAP, iBasso D17 Atheris, Burson Playmate 3, Rose Technics RT-5000, and Luxsin X9
It is a very hard to drive pair of headphones, squeezes most volume available at max gain settings in FiiO K17 and Luxsin X9, it needs that power to sound good, but once you get it going, it sounds really nice. You hear when it is driven well, and load bearing is superb, it does not increase the volume unless it is being fed current, so most sources either stay quiet or sound loud and controlled. A lovely combo.
Overall Signature – Audivina Le is an analytical, wide sounding pair of headphones, with superb resolution, detail and a huge soundstage. While I did review the HE600 and said that it is intimate and vocal, Audivina Le is wide, a bit cold, analytical and very detailed. It is different, those cups help reflect the sound, and create a huge soundstage with zero scattering, and utmost precision.
Bass – At the bottom end, Audivina LE has superb extension, down to 20 Hz, and a neutral presentation with a bit of emphasis on the sub bass down to 20 Hz. This makes you not just hear but also feel the impact which is fast, precise and highly engaging. Tuning works superb for metal, rock, EDM and fast music, but also gives warmth and instrument body to slower music. There is a hint of warmth in the bass, but it is not exaggerated and instead Audivina LE sounds quite controlled at all times, even with songs that have a ton of sub-low distortion or exaggeration.
Midrange – Audivina LE does not take time to get adjusted to, like the original Audivina does, it sounds naturally instantly, a bit cold and analytical, but natural and very clean. It is uniquely musical and rich, gives music brilliance and sparkle, space to play and a cohesive, strong, instrument separation. Vocals are equally vivid, male and female, with no coloration of the midrange, outside of the colder, brighter and rich resonance. This tuning works really well for all music styles, especially rock and metal, where it brings out the beautiful separation between multiple layers of guitars.
Treble – Top end is sharp, bright and extended up to the highest heavens, Audivina LE touches 18 kHz easily, and I fear my hearing stops sooner than they reach the max potential of their extension. Treble is fast, sharp and crisp, but not metallic or harsh. This makes metal and EDM sound bright and vivid, without being fatiguing, yet it stays engaging and fun.
Dynamics And Textures – Audivina Le is engaging and has a sharp, detailed and fast texture that emphasizes resolution and resolving ability. This means that it never feels laid-back or relaxed, and instead feels pumped up, and highly resolving. It is an upbeat pair of headphones that works well with upbeat music. Live concerts will feel the most vivid and like you are right there in the middle of the action.
Loudness Saturation Gradient – Audivina LE has an excellent loudness saturation gradient, it gets louder the more power you feed it, and refuses to go loud unless it is being fed the proper power. This means that you simply do not get a lot of volume and it never sounds uncontrolled as it doesn’t get loud if it does not like the source. As a downside, it requires a good source to sound good.
Soundstage – Audivina LE has the largest soundstage you can find in the lower than 1000 USD price point, it is extremely wide, deep and has an outstanding instrument separation. Vivid and realistic, there is zero scattering and it does a much better job than the pricier Audivina original to create the staging. Once I tried playing a compled EDM – Orchestral match like Apahse, Audivina LE jumped even higher in value and performance, it simply renders each layer and each instrument individually with zero
Comparisons
HIFIMAN Audivina LE vs Fosi Audio i5 (399 USD vs 549 USD) – Fosi i5 is open-back, feels a bit heavier, but is looser on my head with less clamping force and a less secure fit. I feel like I could run with Audivina LE on my head, but that would never happen with i5. I5 leaks all music you’re enjoying and isolates very little, Audivina LE isolates far more and leaks far less. This being said, Audivina LE is far harder to drive and can easily deplete the max driving power in a high-end DAC AMP, while i5 is far easier to drive and less picky with the source. Sonically, both are impressive, but Audivina LE is far punchier sounding, but also much brighter, more open, wider, more holographic and has better treble and bass extension, touches the extremities much better, but also sounds more controlled, with less scattering and far better instrument separation. I5 sounds much warmer, thicker, smoother, relaxed and laid-back, with a more intimate presentation, and it makes for a better basshead pair of headphones. The choice is between closed and open back, and also between bright and wide or dark and intimate.
HIFIMAN Audivina LE vs HIFIMAN Edition XV (399 USD vs 399 USD) – Edition XV is likely the most universal pair of entry-level headphones made by HIFIMAN right now, and they have a large earcup, but a considerably tighter fit than Audivina LE, with more clamping force, heavier weight, but are far easier to drive. Audivina LE is much harder to drive, requires more power from the source and a better source to shine, in the same style as the original Audivina. Sonically, Audivina LE is much wider sounding, has a far stronger instrument separation, is brighter, colder, but also more revealing and more detailed. Audivina LE touches the sub-bass region much better and with more punch / force, and also the upper treble extension is far better. Edition XV is more laid-back, relaxed, smoother sounding, while Audivina LE is richer sounding with more instrument definition. It is quire obvious that both are good purchases, Audivina LE works much better for metal, rock and EDM, while Edition XV is an excellent generalist headphone which gives music and body to all sounds.
HIFIMAN Audivina LE vs Kiwi Ears Atheia (399 USD vs 349 USD) – Atheia is an interesting closed-back alternative in the same price range, but it is a bit smaller, a bit heavier and has a slightly worse comfort. This being said, Atheia comes with a high-er end cable, and it looks more stylish with wooden earcups. Audivina Le has much more space inside the earcups, and has a better overall comfort, feels lighter, but tighter on the head with a higher clamping force. Both have a similar degree of passive noise isolation and leakage. Atheia is far easier to drive and less needy for a good source. Both are somewhat V-Shaped or U-Shaped, also somewhat bright and neutral. Both have a good instrument separation and a wide soundstage, but Audivina LE sounds wider, has a higher resolution and reveals more details in music, Atheia is more direct and sounds better with Grind, GoreGrind, Punk and chaotic styles, while Audivina Le is magical with everything from rock to metal to orchestral.
Value and Conclusion
Considering the sonic quality, and that it is currently the top dog, best closed-back pair of headphones at 399 USD, Audivina LE has a high value, but you will need aftermarket cables for comfort, so that lowers the value slightly. Only slightly though, because you could pay much more and still not have the type of subbass, impact, soundstage size and clarity that Audivina Le offers.
While not every single headphone manages to impress me the same, Audivina LE delivers a magically bright, crisp and detailed tone that I simply like a lot. It works well with all my music, from rock to metal to EDM to Pop to basically everything, keeping music airy and vivid. It is a fully recommended pair of headphones that you will most likely enjoy if you’re into V-Shaped tunings.
PROs
- Lively and fun tuning that gives life to rock and metal
- Super comfortable but secure on my head
- Easy to replace cable with standard 3.5mm connectors at the headphone side
- Huge soundstage with excellent instrument separation
- Cold and analytical, highly revealing midrange
- Deep and punchy bass with perfect extension
Cons
- Default cables need replacing eventually for better ergonomics
Product Link
Amazon – https://amzn.to/4axPE4W
Aliexpress – https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c3mBp2or
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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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