Sivga Audio SV021: Audiophile headphones

Despite the fact that the Sivga audio company , to put it mildly, has never had much popularity, I have been hearing about this brand for several years now. I learned about this brand on the “unknown” American Amazon website, where several years ago the then very small and ambitious Chinese company carried out a very aggressive marketing campaign, but under the Sandy audio nameplate. This led me into a slight stupor, and I could not understand what the difference is between Sandy audio and Sivga audio and whether they are different brands.

As it turned out, Sandy audio turned out to be a sub-brand of Sivga audio with a specialization in “high-end” headphones, as stated in plain text on their official website, and Sandy audio, in turn, is a “more popular brand” that produces headphones of a lower class, than Sandy audio. This time I got to review the brand’s most budget-friendly full-size headphones – Sivga Audio SV021 , and now we’ll figure out how good they are and whether they can compete on an equal footing with models from more famous manufacturers.

Contents of delivery

The headphones are supplied in a black box made of carbon fiber, where, surprisingly, you will not find all these “Hi-res”, “High-definition” and so on stickers that noticeably make the headphones cheaper out of the box. Here you can see only a picture of the model itself and its name, nothing more. Such a design solution, not even for headphones, but just for a box, is a good predisposition to oneself and sets the mood for the fact that there is a quality thing inside.

In the box itself you can find a high-quality double 3.5 mm cable, an adapter from 3.5 to 6.3 mm and a storage pouch. This very bag disappointed me a little, of course I would have liked at least some kind of protective case, but even for that I’m grateful, since the same Sennheiser and Beyerdynamic in this price range do not offer you either a case or a cover.

Build quality and tactility

Sivga Audio SV021 are assembled more than soundly. To tell the truth, I expected much worse both the quality of workmanship and, in general, the materials used to make the case. There are no plastic parts in these headphones at all, only steel, leatherette and wood. At first I was a little surprised by the lack of plastic for such a low cost, but then I realized what the big deal was. Having studied the brand in even more detail, it turned out that Sivga Audio not only independently develops headphones, but also completely produces and assembles them itself. In fact, in this price range this is very rare, because often Hi-Fi headphone manufacturers don’t bother with their own production facilities for budget headphones and simply place gigantic orders from Chinese factories that they have absolutely nothing to do with. Consequently, self-production significantly reduces the final cost of the product, and that is why we get headphones that cost $150, which are assembled no worse than many that cost $250.

Comfort

Sivga Audio SV021 turned out to be very comfortable. Thanks to the incredibly soft ear pads and headband, large cups and low weight, they are practically not felt on your head. Discomfort will not occur even after 4-5 hours of listening. Moreover, in my memory, these are the first full-size headphones in which I was comfortable even with glasses, since, unlike most other full-size headphones, the headband here is very flexible and does not squeeze the side of the head, but at the same time, the headphones sit tightly enough to stay in one position on your head.

Sound

Of course, when I first saw the SV021 live, they, oddly enough, immediately reminded me of Meze 99 classics . Yes, structurally (and as it turned out in sound) these models are completely different, but looking at the wooden bowls, I was expecting the warm and tube sound that I was once so inspired by in the 99 classics.

To my surprise, I couldn’t classify the SV021 as a relaxation headphone, not even close. I won’t say that they are spicy, but I would rather characterize them as balanced, but with a slight bias towards spiciness. In terms of detail for the money, I was very impressed with them, especially the low frequencies. In general, the bass comes to the fore here slightly, but within reason. The width of the stage is also very good with good positioning of instruments, but of course taking into account the price. SV021 are not picky about the quality of recordings and are genre omnivorous, but it must be said that in terms of sound character and presentation they are better revealed with more intense music.

Low Frequencies

I liked them the most. Collected, dynamic and deep – this is how the bass can be described here. At the same time, he does not attract all the attention to himself and plays in harmony with the tops and mids.

Mid frequencies

Mids are bright, rhythmic and have good detail. Thanks to their peculiar airiness, the instruments sound unobtrusively and practically without synthetics.

High frequencies

Moderately sharp and have good detail. Sometimes you can hear an overabundance of emotionality when compared with the reference, but this makes the overall sound even more exciting.

Comparison with competitors

To be honest, this model doesn’t have much competition. Naturally, everyone will ask the question: “What about Audio technica ath-m40/50x, Beyerdynamic dt 770/990 pro, Koss pro 4S, Philips SHP9600?”, but I believe that the SV021 cannot be compared with any model from this list there are no equals. Firstly, all the models on the list, except Philips, are headphones for working with music and initially have a different sound character. Secondly, the Philips SHP9600, as well as the Beyerdynamic dt 990pro, have an open design, so our comparison here will not be entirely fair.

Ultimately, taking into account all of the above, I decided to take for comparison the Koss pro4S, which I recently reviewed, and the Beyerdynamic dt 770 pro , which many people buy for completely unintended purposes and use exclusively at home.

The Koss pro4S will feel a little lighter on the head, but in overall comfort it will be slightly inferior to the SV021 due to thinner ear pads. Despite this, the Pro 4S has a foldable design and, unlike the SV021, has a high-quality carrying case included, which will certainly be a plus if you want to take your headphones with you.

The Pro4S is drier in sound than the SV021 due to its monitor orientation and is more picky about the source and equipment.

Beyerdynamic dt770pro can boast of the fact that they are assembled in Germany, which certainly adds confidence in the quality of the product and, based on reviews from many friends, I can say that these are undoubtedly one of the most durable headphones in the world. In addition, almost all parts in these headphones can be replaced if necessary without any problems. The design of these “buyers” does not suit me at all due to the round rather than oval ear pads, so the SV 021 is clearly a favorite here. Also, in terms of sound, I again like the SV 021 better, because “buyers” can often seem too strict and I didn’t really like the characteristic tint in the high-frequency range.

Conclusion

It seems to me that this is the case when, without any exaggeration, we can say that the Chinese were really able to make a good thing with an adequate price tag. Sivga Audio SV021 turned out to be truly audiophile and have their own distinct sound character that can captivate a considerable number of people. The workmanship and comfort deserve special praise, but there is still one small drawback – the lack of a comprehensive carrying case. Yes, there is a bag, but it can only protect from dust. Overall, again, I really liked these headphones, and I’m looking forward to getting to know the older brothers of this model.