The war on wireless headphones appears to be over, as more and more high-end audio and audiophile companies are realizing that modern customers often want both quality audio and convenience.

It helps that Bluetooth technology has improved significantly over the past decade, paving the way for companies like HiFiMan to start experimenting with wireless tech by releasing the Bluetooth version of its popular Ananda headphones.

While that product proved to the audiophile market that Bluetooth, open-back, planar magnetic headphones could sound amazing and be practical, HiFiMan’s new DEVA headphones look to show that the company’s audio fidelity can be had for a much more reasonable price. 

HiFiMan DEVA Features and Setup 

Versatility is the name of the game for the DEVA. HiFiMan took what it learned from the Ananda-BT and doubled down on connectivity to provide customers with two versions: The DEVA, and the DEVA with HiFiMan’s Bluemini companion Bluetooth/USB module. 

Inside the box, customers will find the DEVA, Bluemini, USB-C charging cable, 3.5mm audio cable, 3.55mm to 6.35mm cable adapter, and HiFiMan’s perennially lovely user manual. 

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The standalone headphones do not include Bluetooth compatibility, and instead feature a 3.5mm jack as its single port. This allows customers who want a pure wired experience to opt for just the headphones and save some money. 

Those who decide to include the Bluemini will be adding Bluetooth capabilities via an attachable device that sits just below the left ear cup. The Bluemini supports LDAC, aptX, aptX-HD, AAC, and SBC to help the DEVA work alongside most modern wireless audio coding technologies. 

Beyond Bluetooth, when the Bluemini is connected to the DEVA, the headphones gain a USB-C port, allowing users to listen to music directly via USB connection if desired, or charge the Bluemini while simultaneously listening to music. 

The Bluemini also functions as a mini DAC and amp combo, boosting the power handling of the DEVA by another 20dB, making it a worthy add-on to consider even if customers don’t care about its Bluetooth receiving capabilities. 

The Bluemini is extremely easy to set up and get connected to multiple Bluetooth devices. I paired the DEVA and Bluemini with my Samsung Galaxy S10 smartphone, iPad Pro, and 2013 Macbook Pro with no issues whatsoever, and device memory worked perfectly on the platforms that support it. 

The DEVA’s two major audio selling points are its open-back design, which allows for direct airflow through the drivers to create a wide soundstage, and its planar magnetic drivers, which allow the headphones to deliver fast transient response capabilities and high levels of upper-frequency extension via its suspended diaphragm material that resides between permanent magnetic fields. All this is to say the DEVA are some very highly engineered headphones! 

One thing to note: The DEVA has no sound-isolating properties—a sacrifice made for a wider soundstage. As such, they are still best used at home instead of on public transportation or while walking around town. 

Aesthetically, the DEVA features a pinhole metal grille wrapped around a silver-painted plastic material, and a tan-colored leather-like foam padded material that gives it a rather elegant look, especially when compared to other high-end open-back headphones. The foam padding also helps the headphones be considerably more comfortable to wear during longer listening sessions of over two hours, which is a nice upgrade compared to the previous headband design used on products like the Sundara and Ananda-BT. 

HiFiMan DEVA Performance

After listening to the DEVA in various configurations for over 200 hours, I feel comfortable saying HiFiMan might be offering the best deal in high-end consumer headphones. 

The DEVA sounds quite good when connected solely via a 3.5mm headphone cable or via USB, showcasing a soundstage that stretches more vertically instead of horizontally, allowing listeners to pick up on subtle vocal changes or the metallic crashing of cymbals with ease. 

The headphones do significantly benefit from a dedicated amp or DAC, however, and once I plugged the DEVA into my Pro-Ject S2 Digital DAC via my PC I could immediately tell the difference in detail, power, and soundstage when compared with simply plugging them into the PC’s headphone jack. 

That being said, I firmly believe most prospective DEVA owners should add the Bluemini to their purchase, as it does provide a lot of value without breaking the bank. Once I attached the Bluemini I never wanted to test the headphones without it, which is a testament to how good of a job HiFiMan did in making it feel like a worthy addition to the base headphones. 

With the Bluemini attached, I found the soundstage of the DEVA to be nearly identical to the company’s higher-priced Sundara headphones, which I’ve had the pleasure of borrowing from a coworker for the last few months. Also, the battery life of the Bluemini is excellent, averaging around 10 hours of listening for each quick 30-45 minute charge. 

The build quality of the DEVA is an area a lot of HiFiMan fans are likely curious about, and I’m happy to report that thanks to some high-quality plastics and the use of metal components in critical locations (like the yolks and driver casing), I’ve always felt comfortable using them. While their lightweight design makes them feel somewhat delicate, and I did encounter a few smaller issues, it’s clear HiFiMan is focused on improving the quality and design of the materials it uses. 

I have a pretty eclectic taste in music, so I spent an intimate amount of time with several genres to see how the DEVA performed.

Funk and jazz sound very natural and often draw direct comparisons to live music, with the DEVA and Bluemini combo often creating a lush soundscape filled with most of the details audiophiles have come to expect from the genres. On tracks like Snarky Puppy’s “Coven,” funky horns sound luscious with a good mix of sharpness and natural warmth, while bass guitar takes center stage. Guitar sounds crisp and clear, while the subtle clangs of cymbals keep the experience feeling immersive. 

Jazz like Diana Krall’s classic “Frim Fram Sauce” performs beautifully on the DEVA, as the headphones highlight Krall’s breathy vocals and virtuosic grand piano playing in a truly life-like way. While the detail of the grand piano and stand-up bass can’t quite match the richness of the Ananda-BT, it gets surprisingly close considering the headphones cost a whopping $700 less! 

Indie rock from bands like The Extra Glenns and The Mountain Goats fairs well, thanks to acoustic guitars sounding sublime on all of HiFiMan’s products I’ve gotten to test. Songs like “Malevolent Seascape Y” by The Extra Glenns show how the DEVA can balance between resonant electric guitar chords and soft vocals, keeping both dominant features of the song in check and allowing some of the quietly brilliant acoustic guitar strumming to percolate to the top of the soundstage.

More aggressive rock tracks like Circa Survive’s “Mandala” show the DEVA’s ability to showcase both blasting kick drums and distorted guitar licks, all while keeping singer Anthony Green’s trademark “pushed falsetto” singing highlighted beautifully.

Finally, heavier genres like doom metal also perform surprisingly well, especially given the genre’s tendency to overwhelm audio systems with heavy bass and soaring guitar solos. Albums like King Goat’s fantastic 2018 release “Debt of Aeons” pushed the DEVA to its limits, showing some slight shortcomings in its bass response. The headphones handle electric guitar and mixed vocals well, and the album sounds great overall. With a little EQ tuning, I feel the DEVA could be a great option for even the pickiest metalhead. 

Final Impressions

While I have very few negative things to say about the HiFiMan DEVA, I would like to see a few small changes for future versions. I did notice throughout my testing that occasionally the Bluemini would make a faint, hollow clanging sound when connected to the left ear cup. I couldn’t figure out the reason, but it feels like there might be something slightly loose on the inside of the device, but it hasn’t altered its performance.

Additionally, the loose USB-C cable issue I’ve noticed on the Ananda-BT seems present here as well, as it will often feel like it needs to be forced into place to properly plug into the Bluemini. 

Outside of those two small things, I’m really impressed with what HiFiMan has created with the DEVA and the Bluemini. Making wireless, high-end headphones sound nearly as good as open-back headphones costing twice to three times their price is impressive, and I feel these headphones would be an ideal starting point for Millennials looking to break into the open-back headphone market.

It’s rare any pair of $300 headphones can feel like a steal, but HiFiMan has managed to accomplish just that. 

CE Pro Final Verdict:

Pros

• Comfortable for long periods of listening
• Excellent sound imaging and vertical soundscape
• Bluemini provides a flawless wireless listening experience
• Improved build quality

Cons

• Bluemini does occasionally rattle a bit
• USB-C cable often won’t seat properly into the Bluemini

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