A young firm with ancestral values
Sivga Electronic Technology Co. was born in 2016, in the city of Dongguan near Hong-Kong, China. Despite its youth in the High-Fidelity world, the brand launches with a team consisting of acoustic, electronics and technology experts. We have to mention the heads of the project; childhood friends Jian Zhou and Rongchun Pan. Jian Zhou wasn’t a novice in this world. In fact, he has been one of Sennheiser, Bose, and Sony Research and Development directors for more than 20 years. As for Rongchun Pan, he would become the “ear” of the brand as a passionate and experienced audiophile.
Therefore, Sivga relies initially on its Research and Development branch. The goal being to create and develop products with the most innovative technologies possible as well as a design both aesthetic and functional.
Sivga’s positioning is very clear: offering quality products allowing to establish itself on the domestic or even global market. To optimally accomplish this goal, the company decides to embody values up until now: passion, for the manufacture of products appealing to clients but also the brand itself; pride, in the objective of establishing new standards on the market; and persistence, to always aim for cutting-edge innovation and offer long-lasting products. This is the reason why all products from the brand are designed with great care from new technologies and materials, such as wood, which have proven themselves in terms of finesse, resistance and acoustic qualities. Everything is thought out to provide a true sound experience to the customer: Sivga wishes to “mobilise the sense of hearing, vision and touching.”
Over time, the brand would grow to offer not only an R&D service, but a production branch and even a customer service branch as well. Even today, the brand is committed to describe its staff as acoustic and technology engineers, even referring to them as “elites” on the market. Nowadays, the brand offers different kinds of products: wired and in-ear earphones, and open-back or closed-back Hi-Fi headphones. Even if the brand is pretty young, one must recognize that they now offer a large variety of different products yet still handmade. In this article, we will focus on the newly arrived headphones in our catalogue: the Robin SV021 headphones, the Phoenix headphones, the Oriole, and the Robin SV023 headphones.
Which type of headphones to choose?
Before getting into the details, a small recap on the different types of audiophile Hi-Fi headphones is necessary. There are mainly two types: the “open-back” and “closed-back” headphones. There are also the “semi-open back” headphones, but we’ll only look at the two most popular types today.
OPEN-BACK HEADPHONES
Often acclaimed by audiophiles, open-back headphones seem to allow greater openness of the sound spectrum. In fact, this kind of headphones is provided with drivers playing music in the ear as well as outside the headphones. This way, the drivers and their membrane are not restricted by some limit and are therefore provided with increased range of motion.
It’s easy to recognise open-back headphones; they usually have grilles on the side revealing the drivers. Regarding sound reproduction, you probably guessed that open-back headphones are often considered as the best headphones, providing a very wide soundstage. However, it’s important to understand that due to the headphone’s opening, optimum reproduction is only possible in a quiet place. It’s important to know that the headphones can’t provide ideal reproduction if you wish to listen to music in loud environments.
CLOSED-BACK HEADPHONES
Closed-back headphones are also a good alternative as they allow more portable and warm listening. With this type, the drivers direct sound towards the listener’s ears only. As a result, the membrane is more stressed because the drivers are loaded in a closed enclosure. There’s a loss in sound width, but also a lot more details. As a matter of fact, the drivers are located inside the earcups allowing to insulate the listener from outside noise.
We can recognise closed-back headphones at a glance: they are provided with enclosed earcups. Consequently, portable application in noisy environments is not an issue since these earcups insulate you from the outside. Even though the soundstage is less wide, you can enjoy more details and a certain colouration thanks to the headphone’s silence. It’s important to know that closed-back headphones can cause increased auditory fatigue due to the earcup’s compression on the ears.
We now have looked at both different types of headphones that we’ll focus on in this article. Other types of Hi-Fi headphones are worth mentioning such as the “semi-open back” headphones or “active noise-cancelling” headphones.
Headphones for all audiophiles
SIVGA ROBIN SV021 CLOSED-BACK HI-FI HEADPHONES
Let’s begin this article with the Sivga Robin SV021 closed-back headphones. These are the most affordable headphones of the list. Its value for money is outstanding.
Regarding the design, closed-back headphones are rather imposing due to the fact that they have to completely cover the ears. Earcups are oval-shaped and made of wood available in two finishes: Zebrano, which is a dark wood, and Rosewood, which is a lighter wood. These earcups comprise detachable memory foams. They are covered with leatherette of similar colour to the wood. The adjustable headband is leaf spring-shaped and also covered with leatherette, providing optimum comfort.
As for the technical side, the headphones are provided with 50 mm thick drivers consisting of a polycarbonate diaphragm, copper-plated aluminium coils and 3 mm thick ND-FE-B magnets. This device provides strong magnetic power to the drivers. As for connection, each earcup is supplied with 2.5 mm mono mini-jacks. As standard, the headphones are supplied with a cable with mono jacks on one end and a 3.5 mm stereo jack on the other. The whole set is housed in a woven sheath. A 3.5/6.5 mm jack adapter is also supplied as standard. The headphones are provided with everything you need for portable applications or to connect it to a dedicated amplifier. They are delivered with a fabric carrying bag.
Regarding sound reproduction, these headphones are provided with a stunning width despite being closed-back. When listening to it, we get a sense of space. Bass is bright and detailed. Lows are rich and highs and precise and clear. Vocals are clearly present in the soundstage. Overall, these headphones provide very wide and realistic sound reproduction compared to other headphones from the same range. Details are easily reproduced with transparency.
SIVGA ORIOLE CLOSED-BACK HI-FI HEADPHONES
For this second product, we’ll continue with closed-back headphones. We are going to talk about the Hi-Fi Oriole headphones. Regarding aesthetics, we recognise the similarity with its little brother, the Robin SV021. Once again, the earcups are handcrafted and made of wood. Finishes are also the same, namely Zebrano and Rosewood. The earcups’ shape is slightly bigger and more oval, allowing to cover the entire ear. Again, the headphones are provided with memory foam and the headband provides near perfect pressure distribution. To sum up, these headphones display excellent comfort and aesthetics as well.
Regarding technical details, the drivers are also provided with a 50-mm diameter diaphragm. The coil is also made of copper-plated aluminium, coupled with magnets providing strong magnetic power. The sockets are the same as on its little brother; 2.5 mm mini jack on the earcups and 3.5 mm jack on the woven cable’s other end. Sivga also supplies an adapter to allow connection with 6.35 mm jack as well as a fabric carrying bag.
Sound reproduction from the Oriole headphones is similar to the one provided by the Robin SV021. However, there’s a clear gain in quality on all registers with these headphones. Overall balance is soft and bright. Low frequencies are rather expressive and clear, almost bright as well; that’s a real plus for closed-back headphones. Mid-range is very transparent. Vocals are clear and detailed, recognisable and dynamic. High frequencies are transparent and bright, without reproducing sibilance. Despite being closed-back, these headphones provide superior coloured and warm sound reproduction to their counterpart, the Phoenix headphones. Sound distribution is designed to offer a nice sense of space to the reproduction; we can place all different instruments in the soundstage. These Sivga Oriole headphones are thus excellent closed-back headphones; comfortable, stylish and providing a nice sense of space.
SIVGA PHOENIX OPEN-BACK HI-FI HEADPHONES
This time, we’re going to take a look at open-back headphones with the Phoenix Hi-Fi headphones. Therefore, the major difference with its counterparts is its physical appearance. In fact, these headphones’ earcups are provided with stainless steel braid grilles allowing driver decompression. These grilles are mounted on handcrafted round earcups made of solid wood once again, but the species is different and available in one finish only. The adjustable velvet-covered headband has a black leaf spring shape again with small pads against the head. The earcups are also provided with memory foam. The whole set makes this headphones reproduction particularly comfortable, even after several hours.
Regarding technical details, it’s the same arrangement as its counterparts: 50 mm drivers, polycarbonate diaphragm, copper-plated aluminium and Nd-Fe-B magnets. Consequently, the set provides the headphones with strong magnetic power. There are the same jack sockets as well. They are delivered with a leather carrying bag.
Regarding reproduction, Sivga equipped these headphones with a frequency equalizer, providing them with a wide soundstage. Their open-back earcups allow increased dynamism and naturalness, because the membrane is not constrained within an enclosed space. Low frequencies are reproduced with clarity and precision. Mid-ranges are also clear, and vocals are very expressive, realistic and easy to place. Female vocals beautifully present in this register are worth mentioning, with a stunning sound reproduction but still a natural and balanced aspect. High frequencies demonstrate precision and a certain substance, without producing sibilance. In short, the soundstage is very clear and natural, but slightly coloured.
To sum up, these headphones offer several hours of listening without auditory fatigue. Reproduction is natural and distribution is well designed. We can slightly hear substance and colouration, but this allows to make the set natural and clear. Moreover, it’s worth knowing these headphones have 32 ohms impedance, making them very versatile.
SIVGA SV023 OPEN-BACK HI-FI HEADPHONES
These last headphones are once again open-back headphones, but way higher range. The Sivga SV023 clearly resemble the Phoenix open-back headphones, the only difference being the more oval-shaped and slightly darker walnut earcups. There are still stainless steel grilles on the sides of the earcups to allow driver decompression, and solid wood mounted by hand. These earcups feature memory foam earpads covered with velvet providing optimum comfort. Once again, the headband is leaf spring-shaped, black and still featuring small pads covered with goat skin to allow both increased comfort and durability at the same time. The set is housed in a black stainless steel structure, thus providing increased listening comfort while remaining adjustable. Not only these headphones are stylish, they allow the listener to experience long and very comfortable periods of listening.
These headphones are equipped with 50 mm drivers, with an LCP composite and beryllium diaphragm. The set is associated with a copper-plated aluminium coil and neodymium magnets. The earcups of the headphones are equipped with a mini-jack, and the end of the standard supplied braided cable is equipped with a 4.4 mm Pentaconn balanced connector. You don’t have to worry with these connectors, the headphones are delivered with two adapters: a balanced Pentaconn to 3.5 mm jack adapter and a 3.2 mm unbalanced jack to 6.35 mm unbalanced jack adapter. It’s worth knowing that these headphones’ conductors are composed of braided 6N OCC. In other words, reproduction is even more pure and clear.
Before getting into the listening details, it’s important to remember that this type of open-back headphones is best used for quiet listening rooms than public transport. Like we said earlier, reproduction is very pure and balanced. The open-back headphones principle provides a very wide soundstage, and a sense of space and openness. We can almost feel the ambiance of the track recording place, it feels like we’re immersed into it. Bass is very precise, which is remarkable for this type of headphones. Vocals, brass and strings are very clear but realistic; they are placed at the right spot in the soundstage. To sum up, these headphones provide very realistic, wide and neutral reproduction. They offer long periods of listening without experiencing auditory fatigue. Furthermore, these headphones are supplied with adapters and their cable in a solid leather carrying bag. These are definitely high-end headphones.
We have come to the end of this article on the latest arrival of Sivga headphones on our website. Despite their youth, this brand is establishing itself in the Hi-Fi world with very high-quality products from engineering and craftsmanship manufacture. The brand aims at producing stylish and long-lasting devices at the same time, with quality materials and cutting-edge technology, at an unbeatable price. If you want more advice on Hi-Fi headphones, our specialists are at your disposal by telephone or email.