Hifiman Ananda Nano

The lean, detailed Ananda Nano is now keenly priced, but is it the pragmatic pick in the Ananda lineup?

The Ananda Nano arrived as one of Hifiman’s mid-tier open-back planars and, on paper, the natural step up if you enjoy the Edition XS but want a touch more resolution and air. I’m a huge fan of the Edition XS, and the Ananda lineup is
next-step up options for listeners who want to spend a little more. But while the Nano price has been reduced recently but the big question is whether the Nano justifies its slightly higher price over the Stealth. And now both heaphones have steep competition as the obvious upgrade from the Edition XS. As Hifiman have now added the Edition XV and the Ananda Unveiled above them.

At current pricing the Ananda Nano is typically around $369, the Ananda Stealth around $289, while the Edition XS can often be found near $239. Having spent a month or more comparing these headphones, I feel it is fractionally better for me than the Stealth in raw detail retrieval and treble refinement, but value is another story, especially with the Ananda Unveiled launching at $549. The Nano must balance its technical refinements against tougher value competition from both sides.

But let’s get into the unboxing before I get into the comparisons:

Unboxing and Build Quality

Packaging is straightforward and protective and typical Hifiman:

And on the back of the box we get some specifications:

One obvious upgrade over the Edition XS and the Stealth is the inclusion of a carry case which you see immediately upon opening the box:

The carry case is fine, but compared to some other cases I have seen in recent headphones like the FiiO cases it is not the same quality, but it does the job.

Open the carry case reveals the headphones and the accessories:

Included accessories: extra long 3.5mm cable, quarter-inch adapter, documentation.

The cable is extra long which, depending on your need, may be too long for your headphones:

But of course, like all Hifiman’s headphones in this price range, you can always use the 3rd party cable of your choice.

Build quality is classic Hifiman with oval cups and the newer headband design:

Fit and Comfort

The Nano is light for a full-size planar and distributes weight well, though I do think it suits larger heads better:

Clamp is moderate and earpads are extremely comfortable like they are in the Stealth and the Edition XS:

The extension mechanism is basic but very effective:

Overall, the Nano is an exceptionally good headphone, with a great fit and comfort, especially for those with larger heads.

Sound Impressions

To give it a fair comparison with the Ananda Stealth I tried both headphones with a huge number of my headphone Amplifiers, but ultimately I mainly used the very neutral FiiO K17 for my extended listening tests:

I listened to the Ananda Nano with several different sources, including the FiiO K17, Topping DX5 II, Burson Playmate 3, and the Aune N7. While the K17 was my primary source for this review, I’ll be referencing the Ananda’s performance with these other amplifiers in upcoming reviews.

Bass

The Nano’s bass is tight and articulate with very good subbass reach for an open-back planar. It isn’t a bass-head tuning, but it delivers texture and separation on complex kick-and-bass lines. Compared to Edition XS, bass is a hair more controlled; compared to Stealth, bass quantity is similar with slightly tighter leading edges.

What stands out is the Nano’s ability to maintain composure with bass-heavy material while preserving speed and attack. Bass notes start and stop with precision, giving the Nano a more “monitor-like” quality in the lows. Playing electronic music with layered bass elements, the Nano keeps each part distinct rather than homogenizing them. With orchestral pieces, double bass and timpani maintain their individual character even during complex passages.

One characteristic that impressed me was how the Nano handles pitch definition in the lowest registers. Playing upright bass solos by Ron Carter or Dave Holland, you can clearly follow the melodic lines without the muddiness that often plagues lesser headphones. This pitch clarity in the bass region is a hallmark of well-implemented planar drivers, and the Nano exemplifies this quality.

Track notes:

• Massive Attack – Angel: sub-bass presence comes in cleanly with no bloat; slam is moderate, texture is excellent. The gradual bass build-up reveals subtle layering that many headphones compress into a single note.
• Daft Punk – Giorgio by Moroder: bass line remains articulate even as the mix densifies. The synth bass retains its textural characteristics throughout the track’s evolution.
• Thundercat – “Them Changes”: The busy, technically complex bass playing remains coherent and never becomes a bloated mess, allowing you to follow each note of the fast runs.

Midrange

Midrange is clean and open with a neutral tilt — vocals sit naturally without extra warmth. String timbre is convincing, and the Nano maintains separation in busy mixes. It’s not lush; rather, it’s clear and precise.

The Nano’s midrange presentation prioritizes clarity and articulation over warmth. This gives it excellent resolving capability for complex vocal harmonies and densely layered instrumental arrangements. While some may describe the midrange as slightly analytical, I found it strikes a good balance between technical prowess and emotional engagement. The slight recession in the lower mids prevents male vocals from becoming too forward, while the upper midrange has just enough presence to bring out vocal details without becoming strident.

When playing acoustic instruments like guitars and pianos, the Nano’s midrange reveals subtle fingering noises and hammer strikes that contribute to a more realistic presentation. Classical guitar recordings benefit from the headphone’s ability to distinguish between individual strings, presenting the harmonic overtones that define the instrument’s timbre with impressive accuracy.

Track notes:

• Norah Jones – Don’t Know Why: breathiness and vibrato nuances are easy to follow without haze. The piano accompaniment remains perfectly clear underneath her vocals rather than blending together.
• Fleetwood Mac – Dreams: guitars retain bite without shout. Stevie Nicks’ characteristic vocal texture is presented with all its complexity intact.
• Fleet Foxes – White Winter Hymnal: The multi-layered vocal harmonies remain individually discernible rather than congealing into an indistinct chorus.

Treble

Treble is where the Nano steps ahead: airy, extended, and detailed without being edgy on good recordings. Cymbal decay feels natural and microdetail retrieval is strong. If you are treble-sensitive you may prefer foams or a slight EQ shelf, but in stock form I found it refined.

The high-frequency performance of the Nano represents its most distinctive technical advantage over its siblings. There’s a sense of “air” and extension that reveals subtle room reflections and decay trails that lesser headphones might truncate. This added treble energy contributes significantly to the Nano’s impressive detail retrieval without crossing into harshness or sibilance on well-recorded material.

What I particularly appreciate about the Nano’s treble is how it handles complex high-frequency content like orchestral string sections and massed brass. Even during crescendos, individual instruments maintain their distinct timbral character rather than collapsing into an undifferentiated wash of sound. This is a challenging test that many headphones fail, but the Nano handles it with composure.

The Nano’s treble performance also enhances its ability to present spatial cues accurately. Those subtle early reflections and ambient details that contribute to our perception of recording spaces are presented with clarity, helping to create a more convincing three-dimensional soundstage.

Track notes:

• Bill Evans – Waltz for Debby: ride cymbal texture is finely rendered. You can clearly hear the stick definition, the bell, and the full decay of each hit, revealing the subtle variations in playing technique.
• Radiohead – Everything In Its Right Place: upper harmonics are crisp without glare. The electronic textures and processing effects are revealed with exceptional clarity.
• Diana Krall – Peel Me A Grape: The delicate brush work on cymbals reveals microdynamic details that lesser headphones might obscure, and the high-hat patterns maintain perfect definition even during busy passages.

Soundstage & Imaging

Stage is wide with good lateral spread and stable center image. Imaging precision is excellent with clear positional cues. Depth is respectable, if not class-leading. Against the Stealth, the Nano sounds fractionally more open on the top.

The Nano creates an impressive sense of space that extends well beyond the physical confines of the headphone. This expansive presentation is helped by the excellent channel matching and the specific tuning choices in the midrange and treble regions. The carefully engineered midrange dip (visible in the measurements) contributes significantly to this spacious presentation.

Where the Nano particularly excels is in its ability to layer sounds front-to-back, not just side-to-side. Listening to well-recorded classical pieces, you can clearly perceive the placement of different orchestral sections in relation to each other. With binaural recordings, the effect is even more pronounced, creating an almost holographic rendering of the recording space.

The imaging precision extends to dynamic positioning as well. When listening to tracks with moving sound sources or panning effects, the Nano tracks these movements with a smoothness and continuity that creates a more immersive listening experience. This makes it particularly well-suited for film scores and modern electronic music that employs sophisticated spatial techniques.

Comparisons

I mainly compared the Nano to the Ananda Stealth, but I also included a comparison to the Edition XS and Meze 105 Silva:

Ananda Nano vs. Ananda Stealth Detailed Comparison

1. Driver and Magnet Assembly

   • Ananda Nano
     • Uses an updated “Nanometer” diaphragm — thinner than the one in the Stealth.
     • Employs a conventional magnet array (not stealth magnets).
   • Ananda Stealth
     • Uses Hifiman’s “Stealth Magnet” design, which has rounded edges to reduce turbulence in airflow.
     • Diaphragm is slightly thicker than the Nano’s.

   → The diaphragm and magnet structure are the primary internal physical difference.

2. Weight

   • Nano: ~419 g
   • Stealth: ~440 g

   The Nano is marginally lighter (about 20 g), mainly due to the thinner diaphragm and slightly different magnet assembly.

3. Pads and Headband

   • Both share the same “window shade” grilles, hybrid pads (leatherette with fabric face), and the newer-style headband with a wider strap.
   • Pad thickness, shape, and attachment method are essentially identical.

4. Cups and Frame

   • Cup shape and dimensions are the same.
   • The finish differs slightly:
     • Nano: more matte, slightly darker accents.
     • Stealth: subtle metallic sheen on the yokes and grille.

5. Cables and Accessories

   • Both use 3.5 mm dual-entry connectors at the cups.
   • The Nano comes with that nice carry case, while the Stealth has a foam headphone stand in the box.

Both of these headphones are mostly identical as far as the physical design and comfort other than the colour:

Other Comparisons

• Edition XS ($239): XS remains the value champ — similar overall balance, slightly less resolving than Nano but astonishing per dollar. If your budget is tight, the XS still makes a lot of sense.
• Meze 105 Silva ($499): Far better build quality, arguable more comfortable but the Ananda has the Silva beat in bass and treble performance.

Specifications and Measurements

Specifications

Measurements

These measurements were taken on my KB501X soft ear pinna and are available here.

Lets start with the frequency response measurements:

I highlighted 3 areas of interest:

1. The midrange dip, which is the most distinctive feature of the Nano.
2. The soundstage dip, typical of Hifiman headphones.
3. The matching soundstage treble peak again typical of Hifiman headphones.

Overall it is an excellent frequency response and very typical of all Hifiman headphones.

It gets a little more interesting comparing the Ananda Nano and Ananda Stealth:

It could be argued that the Nano has slightly more technical presentation giving a little more resolution (2) but also that the midrange dip (1) might mean the Stealth will have the more pleasing midrange tonality. But these are very small differences.

Adding the Edition XS to the mix provides more interesting analysis

I hightlighted a few more areas of interest in this graph. So the subbass (1) on both the stealth and the nano is slightly better than the XS. The Stealth and the XS have more linear bass than the Nano (2). The midrange is very subtly different between these headphones (3), which I feel is interesting for those subjective differences. The treble (4) is slightly more on the Nano than either the Stealth or the XS. Then finally, the upper treble is very similar on these headphones (5).

Distortion measurements for Ananda Nano:

Exceptional good distortion handling.

And showing as the Distortion percentage for Ananda Nano it is stunning with less than 1% (the Stealth had slightly more distortion with around 2%):

Overall, the measurements of the Nano show it is an exceptional headphone.

Rating Explanation

I have given the Ananda Nano a 4/5, while it subjectively has possible fractionally better technical performance than the Stealth, I feel with the recent price reductions and some stiff competition in 2025, I think the value calculus has shifted.

With the Unveiled at $549 and the Stealth at $289, the Nano’s premium is harder to justify pragmatically unless you specifically want the airy, detailed tilt.

Who is it for?

• Listeners who prioritise treble refinement and microdetail
• Fans of neutral-bright, open presentations with precise imaging
• Users who already like Edition XS but want just a bit more cleanliness and air

Trade-offs:

• Cable/accessories are basic
• Some treble-sensitive listeners may need some mild EQ

Conclusion

The Ananda Nano is an outstanding headphone with excellent detail retrieval, airy treble, and a wide stage. While I do feel it’s fractionally better than the Stealth in raw technicalities, the pragmatic choice depends on your priorities and budget.

The Edition XS and Ananda Stealth are more aggressively priced, while the next true step up in overall performance is the Ananda Unveiled. For the right listener, the Nano is still a superb pick, just understand where it sits in today’s lineup and price landscape.