Sound Quality
Summary
Svanar Wireless derives its base tuning from its larger predecessor, the Hifiman HE-R9, which shares Hifiman’s proprietary topology technology. To keep things succinct, the Svanar Wireless boasts a focus on tube-like warmth and even-harmonic richness with higher-than-average technical chops; a consumer-friendly tuning that fares well with dynamically compressed recordings, no matter how poor.
The Svanar Wireless has a syrupy midrange with a distinct sweetness in the lower-mids, erring on the side of “dark”. The slowness (attack and decay) of the sub-bass emphasises reverb which results in significant colouration in the bass. It’s a very welcomed tuning for day-to-day listening: a reminder of why audiophiles appreciate the undeniable coherency of a single dynamic driver.
Bass
The Svanar Wireless has a robust bass response with a strong presence. Mid-bass runs deep, with a lingering swell of sub-bass that provides definition and texture. The upside to this is that recordings are presented in a manner faithful to their analogue forebears. Bass textures are accentuated with verve, without any perceived haziness or sacrifices in micro-detail.
The downside is the boominess from a sluggish PRAT, which can mask hidden details in the mid-bass. The dimpling of the driver as it compresses. Thankfully, the crowning strength of the Svanar Wireless is its midrange, which compensates for the bass response’s propensity for lingering. Agility is not its strong suit, but its alluring qualities are what endears listeners.
Midrange
The Svanar Wireless has an incredibly moreish midrange that can only be described as luscious. Colouration is done on purpose without perceived gaps in the midrange, save for tasteful boosts in the lower midrange. I’ve described a lot of earphones in my tenure as “warm”, many erring on the side of too warm without the pre-requisite technical chops to back it up.
This time around, Svanar Wireless reverses that trend. This is by no means an analytical earphone, but it strikes a healthy balance between enjoyment and finesse. Notes are presented with strong definitions, with classical instrumentation (pianos etc.) rendered realistically. Unlike its cheaper rivals, the Svanar Wireless does a fine job compensating for the sub-bass gulf that threatens to smear details in the rest of the frequency band.
Treble
Presence is what injects liveliness and energy into the frequency band, giving it a sharp profile that forms the bulk of what we define as “clarity”. Here, there is a detectable segmentation in the treble region between the upper and lower treble, with the latter taking precedence over the former.
The lower treble is the focal point of the presence region, highlighting the gentler undertones with a mellower tone. Principle tones still retain their fundamental timbres without deviating from the status quo, but the liveliness or up-top sparkle tapers off early to avoid unpleasant peaks. The definition is clear below but purposefully avoided up top. Overall treble detailing is on par with sub-$500 wired flagships, which is unprecedented territory for a TWS.
This aversion to upper treble is warranted; ear-piercing shriekiness and raspiness detract from the overall listening experience. However, I believe the Svanar Wireless could use a dB more in the upper regions to “spice” things up with more airiness: a healthy juxtaposition between air from the top (presence) and bottom (bass).
Soundstage and Imaging
The Svanar Wireless subverts the TWS norm by exhibiting excellent width and depth laterally between both channels: an impressive feat for a TWS IEM. The overall soundstage borders on an out-of-head experience, stretching a fair distance from the ears. It doesn’t reach the depth-of-field headphones can achieve, but the Svanar Wireless displays qualities some of its wired rivals can’t achieve.
The positioning of instruments and vocals within its peripheral field is realistically placed amongst one another. Imaging, while not analytical, offers an ease of separation and identifiability between each sonic cue. It is important to note that the bass-bloom mitigates the psychoacoustic distance between instruments and vocals, which hurts distinguishability slightly by creating a closeted-in effect.
However, compared to other TWS IEMs in the market, the Svanar Wireless is still miles forward in terms of unadulterated raw performance. It maintains a coherent image whilst offering users remarkable transparency even in the most abrupt swings in volume.
Onto the next page for details on comparisons…
