Hifiman Deva Bluetooth Headphones

Product Information

Where the Deva does result far more comfortable (for me) than the HE400se is in the pad section. Where the pads on the HE400se have a kind of towelling material on the inside, the deva have a smoother material, similar to that found on the Ananda etc. Personally I much prefer this as I find the other material causes me to itch (and produces more heat). The two cables include a 1.2m 3-pole 3.5mm TRRS to 3.5mm TRS analog cable and a single 1.2m USB-A to USB-C cable for charging the Bluemini and digital audio connections, much the same as the Ananda BT option.

HiFiMan Headphones UK | London Showroom - Audio Sanctuary HiFiMan Headphones UK | London Showroom - Audio Sanctuary

So, we’re basically getting a “big boy” quality of the treble in every aspect possible, those stealth magnets are making wonders. If you are extremely sensitive to upper-treble, the HE400se might be fatiguing in the long run. Those who like airy treble should have no problem with this peakiness. I find this peak too much though and prefer to EQ it down (or modify the headphones, more on this below).Bass is linear with good sub-bass extension for most of the time but it is not going to shine with deep bass electronic music nor offer a rumbling and thundurus experience. An interesting thing for those using the Deva wirelessly was the effect on the upper mids and treble experience when switching from LDAC to aptX. With the LDAC turned on the Deva sounded far more ‘dynamic’, particularly with its mids and treble presence. It’s like it gives a lift to an already lifted area.

DEVA Pro with Bluemini R2R--Combining the Best of the HIFIMAN DEVA Pro with Bluemini R2R--Combining the Best of the HIFIMAN

There is ample power here to get the Deva Pro very loud. A quirk of the module is that the volume increments are not linear when connected via Bluetooth. At lower volumes, it’s too quiet, and then right after 50%, it gets tad too loud for me. Connectivity is stable until 7 meters, then there are occasional connection dropouts. Internals So, the actual build quality of the Deva Pro is pretty good, absolutely no complaints here. The headband regulation feels sturdy yet smooth, the weight distribution is excellent and every part that touches your skin feels pleasant. Also, they feel like they could take a beating, quite substantial in hand and not at all fragile. It feels more premium and durable than the 400se for example, as it should, considering the price gap. I have compared the Deva Pro quite a bit to the HE400se in this review, at least in regards to sound. To be totally honest, I still feel that the HE400se is the best option under 500€ for a set of planar headphones, or any headphones in general, I am just a planar lover. In a straight “sound to sound” comparison, I feel that the HE400se are a little ahead of the Deva Pro and they come in at less than half the price. The low-end is more mid-bass emphasized with a minor sub-bass roll-off. Compared to the Ananda BT it is not as physical on the low-end but perhaps a bit warmer than the Sundara bass tuning. At the beginning of 2021, I had the chance to review the Ananda Bluetooth, a more expensive set of Bluetooth headphones from the brand. The Ananda BT were far from perfect but they still remain the best sounding set of Bluetooth headphones I have heard to date. They were priced at over 1000€ at the time and, although the price has dropped since then, they still remain a quite an expensive set of Bluetooth headphones with a few quirks that didn’t convince everyone.The presence area is perceived as a little bright but with better textural quality and extension than the original Deva and not as pronounced. For this level though, it’s perfectly fine, and whilst the mix of plastics, synthetic leather, and aluminum might not be of true high-end quality, visually it looks the business with its classic circumaural styling. The stealth magnet assembly has magnets with rounded edges. This apparently reduces the turbulence as sound waves pass through them. This makes the magnet array almost “acoustically transparent” and reduces distortion. The new stealth magnet design is employed on the HE400se. HiFiMAN HE400se Sound Staging is narrow, partly due to the upper-mid focus and partly due to the driver design not aiding in staging. Stage depth and height are above average, on the other hand. Important to note, the additional Bluemini attachment on the left side does not offset the balance of the headphones. That was my initial worry as it is a fairly large attachable device. Can I sense it is there? Slightly. Does it drop to one side or am I fighting it? Not so far and it does bring the controls further down so my hand does not have to stretch further up to reach the controls.

HiFiMAN Deva Pro review: even better - Soundphile Review

So, the Deva Pro face an identity crisis and do not excel as Bluetooth headphones or as wired planar-magnetic headphones. One potential use-case could be having them as an all-in-one solution, but then you are sacrificing the lifestyle features of the best wireless headphones and the sound quality of the best wired headphones. The build quality is much the same as any other Hifiman headphone of the same style. Using the headband that Hifiman chooses on the majority of their new models, there is plenty of adjustment in the cups, which should result comfortable for most people. I personally find that this style of headband does create a bit of a hotspot on the top of my head with extended use but for some reason, it doesn’t seem to be as uncomfortable (for me) over long periods as the Edition XS that I reviewed recently, possibly due to the cup shape and how the clamp to my face. Comfort wise I find it almost identical to the HE400se, which can still be improved with nuggets or the addition of a comfort strap, but is not a necessity. The connections used by Hifiman on the Deva Pro consist of a dual connection, one 3.5mm connector on each cup, however, the left cup also accepts a 3.5mm TRRS connector, which is how the Bluetooth module is connected. This is a system that allows the Deva Pro to be used with both the BT module and the normal cable that is included. It also opens the possibility of using other aftermarket cables of your choice. This is something that was a complaint from many with the Ananda BT, the fact that it could only be used via BT or USB, the Deva Pro solves this issue in a way that I find well thought out and implemented.As far as soundstage and imaging, it is as good as the majority of Hifiman planars. Ok, it is quite a bit behind something like the Arya (especially if we are talking V2) but it is easily on par with something like the HE400se. Turning off LDAC to aptX and the signature got darker, less airy but also the more forgiving of the two codecs. Personally, LDAC is the way to go unless you are hugely treble sensitive, at least with a Note 9 pairing. Dropping down a codec and the Deva lost a bit of sparkle and air and it is quite noticeable. Bass is not perfectly linear and therefore it doesn’t hit the lowest notes with the same strength as the rest. That said, the Deva Pro go quite deep with their bass and can be very fun with the right music, although they are just north of neutrality in general terms. Aes Dana’s Inks, as an example, does not envelope you in deep bass lines as it does with higher-end headphones by HiFiMAN (e.g. the Arya). Still, I find bass on the Deva Pro to be quite interesting, as it lays out quite a bit of detail in front of the listener and gives you a very good sense of texture. As one can legitimately expect from planar drivers, speed is quite good and transients are fast and with a short decay. Although I have used them in both scenarios, my review is going to focus on using them mainly with the BT module, as I feel that is what makes these headphones special. I am not saying that they aren’t good without the module (I will explain more as I go on) but I think the reason for purchasing them is to make the most of the BT module with having the cabled option available.

HIFIMAN Deva Pro Over-Ear Planar Magnetic Bluetooth Headphone

I have compared the Himalaya to the original Bluemini and I found it to be fuller sounding with a more engaging and musical presentation plus it is a touch more powerful and dynamic. The most interesting part of the HE400se, to me, is how mod-friendly they are. I will explain a simple and effective modification – the ‘grille mod’. As we get into the mids, the transition from the bass area is excellent, with not a hint of anything becoming stressed or muddy. As we reach into the higher part of the mids, the Deva Pro are just a touch more forwards than other Hifiman options, with a bit of a boots around the 1kHz region. The typical Hifiman dip around 2kHz is still there and this little extra around 1kHz does make it a little more obvious. This doesn’t sound bad, far from it, but it is certainly not as balanced as other models. I feel that the HE400se is actually a little better in this area. The Deva Pro is now equipped with a dual entry system allowing you to use cables with left and right 3.5mm TRS stereo connectors in the same manner as their high-end headphones. Those with the likes of the Ananda or the Arya Stealth will now be able to roll those cables with the Deva Pro.Apart from the manual and some papers, there’s also the Bluemini R2R module sitting in the box, and it is one of two big updates compared to the original Deva, but more on this later. Aside from top-end decoding capability you also get the usual standards of aptX, aptX-HD, right down to AAC and SBC where applicable. It is a high fidelity, transparent DAC and using it is exactly the same as connecting the headphone to a quality external DAC/amp.