Sivga Luan

Looking at their current product portfolio, it is clear that this manufacturer is focussing on the essentials: Each product is seen as a work of art, from the design of the headphones to the design of the packaging and the use of contemporary technology.

The package

The Sivga Luan comes with a customised accessory package. This includes a carrying bag, a hemp bag for the cable and a 3.5mm to 6.3mm adaptor.

Sivga Luan – what technology is used by the manufacturer?

The CFRP cone is coated with nickel at the edges, which is said to provide lightness, rigidity and elasticity. As a result, deep bass and details in the mid-frequency range should be reproduced excellently. The material mix should also ensure fine and clear highs. The powerful NdFeB magnets with an output of 350 kJ/m³ (according to the manufacturer’s specifications) provide a strong impetus for the drivers. This means that they are able to move the large diaphragms precisely and quickly, enabling the headphones to reproduce a dynamic and powerful sound in a frequency range from 20 Hz to 40 kHz. With an average impedance of 40.9 ohms, the Luan also copes well when used with lower-powered players such as smartphones.

Wearing comfort

The Sivga Luan comes with skin-friendly velvet ear pads. This material is extremely soft and provides pleasant wearing comfort. The oval shape of the large-sized interchangeable ear pads is likely to fit almost all ears. In combination with the lightweight design (341 grams without cable), the headband exerts no pressure on your head, even when worn for long periods. The leather-like material on top of the headband is soft and also seems to be of high quality.

Processing

The Sivga Luan’s headphone housing is made of wood and is characterised by an elegant aesthetic. According to the manufacturer, it is precisely carved by a CNC machine and then finished using traditional processes such as sanding, polishing, varnishing, natural air drying, etc. Metal parts, which are also produced by CNC machining, give the headphones a high-quality texture and a durable appearance.

The headband bracket and connecting parts, as well as the wooden components and other materials, seem to be carefully crafted and have been flawlessly brought together. The detachable cable is made of smooth TPU rubber and is equipped with a 3.5mm plug on both ends, which means it offers great compatibility. It is not prone to excessive tangling, but the upper end of the cable, which splits and leads to the two headphone cups, makes a noticeable noise when moving or making contact with clothes. The bottom end of the cable is much less susceptible to the transmission of structure-borne noise. It uses gold-plated plugs and fits securely in the headphone socket or the 6.3mm adapter.

How does the Sivga Luan sound?

As the company advertise, the Sivga Luan does indeed offer high-resolution sound quality with a clear bass response, a full and detailed mid-range and a precise and not overemphasised treble response.

To try out various scenarios, I connected the Luan directly to my computer, to a professional audio interface from Focusrite in the studio and to the high-end Violectric DHA V226 headphone amplifier (see our test). Of course, the combination of “audio interface” and “headphone amplifier” offered the best result in my comparison. Still, I was also able to determine the same sound character and the same sound characteristics with the other devices. For the following summary of the sound impression, I shall, therefore, refer to the listening situation that used the Violectric and the Focusrite interface.

The localisation was slightly blurred, and the Sivga Luan drew a clear stage with beautiful depth gradation and good localisation of individual signals in the sound field. A minimal compression effect was perceptible when listening closely. However, this remained constant at all listening volumes. The spatial resolution was very natural. The in-head localisation was also restrained. The sound was differentiated and powerful in all frequency ranges. The low mids overlapped slightly but were not noticeable in a negative way. The treble range was clearly reproduced without being harsh or too soft. The bass range extended far down without booming and without any overemphasis. Even the lowest A from a grand piano was adequately reproduced.

The high intelligibility and wide dynamic range were particularly noticeable in a positive sense. Various source signals (orchestral and piano recordings, contemporary rock and pop, world music and speech contributions) revealed an extremely fast response and dynamic resolution. For example, the individual hammer blows of a concert grand piano could be impressively clearly perceived. Every dynamic level of the orchestral recordings I listened to was clearly reproduced, while individual instruments and effects were well depicted when listening to modern music that was already highly compressed.

In addition to an evaluation of clear parameters such as depth, localisation, spatial and dynamic resolution, intelligibility and response, the assessment of sound is always subjective. Depending on your listening habits, you might find the Luan somewhat restrained or even soft. However, I was completely convinced by Luan. During my test, I sometimes even forgot that I had headphones on my head and over my ears. After listening for a long time, I didn’t have the impression that my ears were all that tired. The Sivga Luan offered many possible uses and can be used for either analytical or relaxed listening.

Conclusion

The Sivga Luan offers a successful combination of high-quality sound, pleasant wearing comfort and great workmanship. With its lightweight and ergonomic design, materials that feel good and a sturdy frame, it gave no cause for criticism even when in use for long listening sessions. The option to connect various cables and the inclusion of accessories such as a carrying bag and an adapter complete a good overall package.