Sivga Robin SV021 Pro

A Taste of the Sivga Experience

If you’ve ever been curious about Sivga’s headphones but balked at the price of the Luan or the Peng, the Robin SV021 Pro is the most accessible entry point into what makes Sivga worth caring about. The gorgeous hand-finished wooden earcups are here. The exceptionally plush earpads are here. And—just as you’d find with any Sivga headphone—the tuning is its own thing entirely: esoteric, coloured, and not immediately suited to everyone’s taste. But here’s the thing: with a handful of consistent, mostly midrange EQ adjustments, this $200 headphone can offer a combination of aesthetics, comfort, and sound that genuinely nothing else at this price delivers.

I have found the Sivga Robin SV021 Pro is a headphone that rewards a little patience. It has a distinct personality out of the box, one that will divide opinions, but there’s a more capable headphone underneath, and the path to getting there is shorter than you might expect. Whether you’re a set-it-and-forget it listener or someone who likes to tinker, there’s
something here worth understanding before you write it off or write it up.

But before I get into more details, let’s look at the unboxing experience:

Unboxing and Build Quality

The Sivga Robin SV021 Pro arrives in attractive packaging that hints at the premium product inside.

The box design is clean and professional. Turning to the back reveals detailed specifications and a phrase I particularly appreciate.

“Created with Craftsman Spirit” perfectly embodies what Sivga brings to their headphone designs. This commitment to craftsmanship is evident throughout the Robin SV021 Pro experience.

Opening the box reveals a premium unboxing experience. Unlike some Sivga models that include hard carrying cases, the Robin SV021 Pro focuses on showcasing the gorgeous wooden cups immediately.

The moment you open the box and see those beautiful wooden cups, you know you’re dealing with something special.

I never reviewed the original SV021, though I caught it briefly at a few audio shows. The Pro version brings clear improvements to both the earcup design and the sound signature. It comes in two wood finishes—the darker Zebrawood I received, and a lighter Beechwood option—and the change in earcup shape from the original to the Pro is immediately obvious side by side.

Original Design:	New Design:

The new earcup profile is more refined and closely mirrors the Sivga Peng—a design language Sivga is clearly confident in across their range.

The Zebrawood finish is absolutely stunning in person, with natural grain patterns that make each unit unique. The matte finish on the wood gives it a sophisticated look that photographs simply can’t fully capture.

The cable comes in a cloth bag.

The complete package includes:

• Sivga Robin SV021 Pro headphones
• Detachable cable with 3.5mm termination
• Cable storage bag
• Documentation

At this price point, Sivga has focused the budget on where it matters most—the headphones themselves—delivering exceptional build quality and aesthetics.

Design and Physical Features

Weight and Build Quality

One of the Robin SV021 Pro’s most impressive characteristics is its weight—or rather, lack thereof. At just 292 grams, this is exceptionally light for a wooden closed-back headphone.

For comparison, the FiiO FT1 weighs considerably more.

The Meze 99 Classics V2 also tips the scales higher.

This lightweight construction contributes significantly to the Robin SV021 Pro’s comfort during extended listening sessions. Sivga has achieved an impressive balance between substantial build quality and weight management.

Headband Design

The headband features a metal structural design with padding on the underside.

While the padding is decent, it’s not quite up to the standard of Sivga’s premium models. At this price point, some compromises are inevitable, and this is where Sivga chose to make one. A Capra leather strap would be an ideal upgrade for those seeking maximum comfort, and I’m confident one of the headband straps Capra offers would fit the Robin SV021 Pro.

The adjustment mechanism provides good range for different head sizes.

The extension system works smoothly and locks securely at each position, ensuring a stable fit once adjusted.

Earcup Design and Venting

The earcups feature thoughtful acoustic design with visible venting.

This venting contributes to the headphone’s bass response and overall acoustic character, helping to control resonances within the closed-back design.

Exceptional Comfort

This is where the Robin SV021 Pro truly shines. The earcups use the same exceptional padding found on the Sivga Luan—one of the most comfortable headphones at any price.

The ear pads are incredibly plush and comfortable, with generous depth that accommodates larger ears easily. The materials are soft and breathable, minimizing heat buildup during extended listening sessions.

Combined with the lightweight 292-gram build and moderate clamping force, the Robin SV021 Pro can be worn for hours without fatigue. The only limiting factor is the headband padding, which is adequate but not exceptional. For most listeners, this won’t be an issue, but those particularly sensitive to headband comfort might consider adding an aftermarket strap.

Technical Features and Driver Technology

The Robin SV021 Pro employs some interesting driver technology designed to maximize performance in this price category. Sivga has a typical driver architecture overview for those interested:

At the heart of the Robin SV021 Pro is a 50mm aluminum driver featuring a five-layer composite diaphragm. This multi-layer approach aims to optimize stiffness-to-weight ratio while controlling unwanted resonances.

The new dome-shaped six-layer reinforced composite structure, paired with a specially engineered high-performance magnetic circuit conversion system, enables highly efficient, low-distortion energy-to-sound conversion. This technical implementation delivers the headphone’s impressive bass control and detailed treble response.

Sound Impressions

The Robin SV021 Pro presents an interesting case study in how EQ can transform a headphone’s performance. My impressions evolved significantly during my month of testing as I moved from stock tuning to optimized EQ settings.

Bass

The bass response is genuinely excellent—one of the Robin SV021 Pro’s strongest attributes even in stock form. Sub-bass extends deep with satisfying impact and rumble, while maintaining impressive control throughout the bass region.

Mid-bass has excellent texture and detail, providing proper weight and foundation without becoming bloated or bleeding into the midrange. The bass is fast and articulate, easily keeping pace with complex passages.

On tracks like “Massive Attack - Angel,” the sub-bass delivers deep, visceral impact that you can feel physically. The bass line remains distinct and textured, demonstrating the driver’s excellent control even during demanding passages.

“James Blake - Limit To Your Love” pushes the sub-bass capabilities to their limits, and the Robin SV021 Pro handles the extreme low-frequency content with authority and composure. The driver maintains control even when the bass becomes almost overwhelming, never distorting or losing definition.

“Daft Punk - Giorgio by Moroder” showcases the mid-bass precision, with the rhythmic bass patterns remaining tight and punchy throughout the track’s dynamic shifts. The bass provides satisfying impact without overwhelming the excellent midrange detail in the synthesizers and vocals.

Midrange

This is where the Robin SV021 Pro reveals its character—and where careful EQ makes a dramatic difference. In stock form, the midrange sounds too hollow and colored for my tastes. Certain instruments and vocals have an oddly distant quality, as if placed further back in the mix than intended.

Male vocals can sound somewhat thin and lacking body, while female vocals, though clear, don’t have the natural weight and presence that recordings demand. Acoustic instruments like guitars and pianos have good detail but lack the tonal richness that makes them sound convincing.

On “Norah Jones - Don’t Know Why,” the piano initially sounds somewhat recessed and hollow, while Norah’s vocals lack the intimate warmth that should characterize this recording. The presentation is clean but lacks emotional engagement.

“Mark Knopfler - Brothers in Arms” highlights the midrange issues with the guitar work sounding more distant than it should. While detail is present, the emotional impact is diminished by the tonal imbalance.

“Joni Mitchell - Blue” demonstrates how the midrange coloration affects vocal presentation. Joni’s distinctive voice sounds overly distant on some passages, robbing the intimate recording of its emotional power.

However—and this is crucial—applying 2-3 parametric EQ filters in the midrange transforms the presentation completely. With proper EQ, vocals move forward to their proper position, instruments gain body and weight, and the overall presentation becomes far more engaging and natural. The transformation is genuinely dramatic and turns the Robin SV021 Pro into a different headphone.

Treble

The treble response is detailed and extended but has some inconsistencies. On my head, there’s a peak around 6kHz that can make certain recordings sound too forward or occasionally harsh on specific instruments.

Cymbals and hi-hats have good detail and air but can occasionally feel slightly emphasized. The good news is that a single parametric EQ filter targeting this peak smooths out the response beautifully.

On “Diana Krall - The Look of Love,” the brushed cymbals and hi-hat work have excellent detail when the 6kHz peak is tamed with EQ. Without correction, they can sound slightly too prominent, though never reaching true harshness.

“Steely Dan - Aja” features complex percussion and cymbal work that reveals the treble character. Stock tuning makes some of these elements feel slightly over-emphasized, but with EQ, the balance becomes natural and the detail remains impressive.

“Fleetwood Mac - Dreams” demonstrates how the treble affects vocal presentation. Stevie Nicks’ voice can have slight sibilance emphasis on certain passages stock, but EQ eliminates this while maintaining clarity and air.

The treble extension is genuinely good, providing excellent air and space when properly balanced with EQ. The driver is clearly capable of detailed high-frequency reproduction—it just needs some taming in specific regions.

Soundstage and Imaging

For a closed-back design, the Robin SV021 Pro creates a reasonably spacious soundstage with decent width. As with all closed-backs, don’t expect the expansive presentation of open designs, but within the constraints of the acoustic design, the staging is well-executed.

Imaging is precise enough to follow complex arrangements, with instruments occupying distinct positions in the stereo field. The balanced bass response ensures that low-end weight doesn’t cloud the spatial presentation.

The treble character—somewhere between the relaxed Peng and the more forward FiiO FT13—contributes to a sense of air and space that works well for most genres. With EQ applied, the soundstage maintains its dimensions while gaining better tonal balance across the presentation.

Specifications and Measurements

Technical Specifications

• Style: Closed-back over-ear
• Transducer Type: Dynamic driver
• Transducer Size: 50mm
• Frequency Response: 20 Hz - 20 kHz
• Sensitivity: 106 dB ±3 dB
• Impedance: 45Ω ±15%
• Cable Length: 1.6m
• Connector: 3.5mm single-ended
• Weight: 289g (measured 292g)
• Wood Options: Zebrawood (darker) or Beechwood (lighter)

Measurements

Note: The following measurements were taken with my measurement rig and are available on my measurement database. All measurements use standard measurement protocols.

Frequency Response

The frequency response measurements reveal the characteristics that inform the subjective impressions described above.

I’ve highlighted three key aspects:

1. Excellent Bass: The bass response is genuinely impressive, with good extension and control. This is one area where the Robin SV021 Pro excels even in stock form.

2. Colored Midrange: The midrange emphasis creates that hollow, distant quality I heard subjectively. This is the primary area that benefits dramatically from EQ correction.

3. Mixed Treble: The treble shows good extension but with some peakiness, particularly around 6kHz on my measurement rig. This corresponds to the occasional brightness I heard on certain recordings.

EQ Recommendations

Because EQ transforms this headphone so dramatically, I’ve included my measured EQ recommendations.

The three corrections shown:

1. Tidy the Midrange: Adjusting the midrange elevation brings vocals and instruments into proper balance, eliminating that hollow quality.

2. Increase Presence Slightly: A gentle lift in the presence region adds clarity and engagement without creating fatigue.

3. Reduce Peakiness: Taming the 6kHz region (or wherever the peak appears on your head) smooths out the treble without losing detail or air.

These relatively simple corrections transform the Robin SV021 Pro from “interesting but flawed” to “genuinely excellent for the price.”

Comparisons with Other Headphones

Comparing with the Sivga Peng, this graph shows Sivga’s approach is unique with each model:

Both headphones deviate from neutral but in completely different directions. Sivga doesn’t have a house sound—each model has its own distinct personality, and I feel that is the Sivga way, like them or load them but you get unique sound signatures.

Against the FiiO FT1 and Meze 99 Classics V2, the tuning differences become even more apparent.

Without EQ, both the FT1 and Meze 99 Classics V2 offer more balanced, immediately enjoyable sound signatures. However, the Robin SV021 Pro arguably surpasses both aesthetically and, with EQ applied, can match or exceed their sonic performance.

The comparison with the Sony MDR-M1 shows different midrange and treble approaches.

The Sony takes a more studio-monitor approach with different emphasis in the midrange and treble regions.

Finally, comparing with the ZMF Bokeh Closed shows how the Robin SV021 Pro compares to a much more expensive wooden closed-back.

The Bokeh Closed offers more refined tuning and superior technical performance, justifying its significantly higher price. However, the Robin SV021 Pro’s ability to approach similar tonal balance with EQ demonstrates its underlying potential.

Distortion

Distortion measurements show excellent performance across the frequency spectrum.

The low distortion figures indicate clean driver performance even at elevated volumes.

Even at levels exceeding 100dB SPL, the Robin SV021 Pro maintains impressive distortion control.

This excellent distortion performance means the headphone is safe to EQ aggressively without concern about pushing the driver into problematic operating regions.

With EQ applied, distortion remains well-controlled.

The driver’s technical capabilities are clearly strong, confirming that the tonal issues are tuning choices rather than fundamental technical limitations.

Rating Explanation

The Sivga Robin SV021 Pro earns a 4-star pragmatic rating as a headphone that genuinely rewards the EQ-curious while delivering exceptional aesthetics and comfort at its price point. What makes it special is a combination of qualities that aren’t easy to find together: Zebrawood aesthetics that arguably surpass the FT1 and Meze 99 Classics V2 at this price, Luan-quality earcup padding that sets a high bar for all-day wearability, and an impressively light 292-gram build that belies its premium wood construction. The bass response is excellent even in stock form, and with EQ applied the headphone’s true technical capability becomes fully apparent—the low distortion figures confirm the driver is considerably more capable than the stock tuning suggests.

What holds it back is fundamentally its relationship with EQ: without correction, the midrange coloration puts it behind both the FT1 and Meze 99 Classics V2 for immediate listening enjoyment, and the headband padding—while perfectly adequate—doesn’t match the luxury of those earcups. A Capra leather strap would make this a near-perfect comfort package, but the stock sound is compromised enough that listeners who never touch EQ may find better value elsewhere at this price.

The Robin SV021 Pro is the right choice for anyone who values striking aesthetics and all-day comfort, appreciates Sivga’s characterful rather than neutral approach to tuning, and is willing to spend a few minutes dialing in a handful of EQ filters to unlock what this headphone can genuinely do.

Conclusion

The Sivga Robin SV021 Pro is the most affordable way to experience what Sivga actually is. The hand-finished wooden earcups, the plush earpads, the lightweight build that somehow still feels premium—these aren’t compromises trickled down from a more expensive model, they’re the genuine Sivga experience at an accessible price. The tuning, too, is authentically Sivga: characterful, esoteric, and unapologetically its own thing rather than a safe attempt to chase any particular target curve.

For listeners who apply two to three midrange filters and a single treble correction, the Robin SV021 Pro stops being “interesting but flawed” and becomes something genuinely difficult to replicate at $200—a beautifully crafted, all-day-comfortable, technically capable closed-back with a sound that stands apart from every mass-market alternative. The underlying driver has the chops; the low distortion figures and tight bass control confirm that. It just needs tonal balance to show them off, and the consistency of those EQ corrections across different listeners means the work of dialling them in is a one-time investment, not an ongoing experiment.

At $200, nothing else gives you this combination of wooden craftsmanship, exceptional earpad comfort, and—once properly EQ’d—a sound that is uniquely, unmistakably its own. If you’ve ever wondered what the Sivga fuss is about, start here.