SIVGA Luan Review: A Stunning Open-Back Headphone With Rich Sound

Experience the immersive audio experience of this open-back headphone. Read our SIVGA Luan review to learn more about its impressive sound quality and elegant design.

Overview

SIVGA is a company that has made quite a name for itself by manufacturing beautifully made (and great-sounding) wood headphones that are also quite affordable.

Their latest model, the $299 SIVGA Luan is yet another attractive set of wooden open-back headphones that offers a rich and immersive audio experience via its 50mm composite drivers (a la Meze 109 PRO). They are also quite comfortable to wear with the use of a plush velvet-lined headband sling and pads.

The headphones are crafted from high-quality materials and feature a unique design that is both stylish and functional. They aren’t the end all be all of resolution, but they have plenty of natural musicality and detail for the price.

What’s In The Box

• LUAN headphone x 1
• Dual 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable x 1
• Hemp bag x 1
• 3.5mm female to 6.35mm male adaptor x 1
• Leather carrying case x 1

SIVGA Luan Review: Build/Features

One of the first things you will notice about the SIVGA Luan is its attractive and upscale appearance. The headphones have large hand-made earcups made from solid wood, nicely polished, and supported by a CNC-machined aluminum headband and earcup yolks. At the top of the headband is an adjustable sling covered with velvet-lined protein leather, which keeps the top of your head comfy.

In addition, you get some plush hybrid earpads lined with the same velvet as the headband, which provides a soft feel against the face and keeps the side of your head cool. The ear cups are also spacious, providing a ton of room for any ear size, including my big dumbo ears. Clamp force is nicely judged, so you don’t feel like your head is in a vice.

The headphones are also lightweight, which makes them easy to wear for long periods without causing discomfort or fatigue. All of this adds to a comfortable over-ear design that is great for extended listening sessions.

Inside the earcups is a 50mm composite driver that incorporates nickel coating on the edge of the diaphragm for an ideal combination of lightness, rigidity, and elasticity. The center dome is comprised of what SIVGA calls macromolecule organic carbon fiber composite for “effective vibration absorption.” Much like the composite driver in one of our favorite headphones, the Meze 109 Pro, it provides a very natural yet refined sound, but more on that in a minute.

The open-back design of the SIVGA Luan helps to enhance the overall sound quality, but you should expect to hear just about every outside noise and experience some sound leakage. If there is any part of Luan’s design I have a problem with, it would be the black mesh grill on the side of the earcups. To me, it doesn’t match the rest of the package, and I think it’s the only part of the headphones that betrays its sub $300 price point. However, overall I love how they look, especially the dark wood version, which works well with the silver accents.

Regarding accessories, the SIVGA Luan features a detachable cable that can be easily replaced. The cable is a little on the thin side and a bit stiff due to the rubber outer jacket, but that outer sheath also inhibits tangling, which is a good thing. It also features three 3.5mm connectors that should make a cable upgrade easy to find.

Also in the box is SIVGA’s zippered protein leather hard case which comes with several of their models and is a 3.5mm to 1/4” adapter for use with desktop headphone amps. I love the case, and I’m surprised they were able to include it with such affordable headphones.

SIVGA Luan Review: Sound

For my review, I plugged the Luan into the FiiO M11Plus digital audio player and played many tunes from my Tidal “Test Tracks” playlist. With a rated impedance of 38 ohms and a sensitivity rating of 100 dB, you can drive it with any device, but it scales up nicely with better sources.

When it comes to sound quality, the SIVGA Luan does not disappoint. The headphones deliver a rich and balanced audio experience that is great for any music genre. I would describe the sound signature as slightly U-shaped with a slight emphasis on the sub-bass and upper mids. The bass is deep, articulate, and punchy, while the midrange is clean and natural. The treble is clear and smooth, albeit slightly rolled off at the very top.

That said, while top-end detail is curtailed a little, which reduces overall resolution somewhat, the Luan still has enough of both to be quite captivating, especially for a sub $300 headphone.

However, I did detect a slight hardness or “zing” in the upper midrange, which was a bit distracting on certain songs/sources, so if you’re sensitive to that, you may need to use them with warmer gear or do a little bit of EQ.

On the other hand, the upper-mid lift provided a lot of presence, which, combined with the carbon fiber composite dome, made the music sound especially organic and spacious.

Regarding soundstage, I was very impressed by the width and depth on display here. I was listening to the new song by Robert Glasper and Emily King, “What Love Can Do,” and the track seemed to stretch well beyond the earcups. In addition, I was surprised by the separation and depth given to the song. King’s vocal was vivid and stood out beautifully in front of the instrumental parts, which were nicely focused and placed to the left and right sides.

Regarding dynamics, this is probably the Achilles heel of the Luan, as they are somewhat soft, which slows down the rhythm and timing to an extent. On the other hand, they still have enough timing to be credible on busier passages, even if they don’t have the same verve you would get on a more expensive headphone.

Overall, I find the Luan quite refined and natural sounding for a $300 headphone, making them excellent for long casual listening sessions of all types of music. At the same time, they still have enough depth and resolution to do some critical listening if you’re looking for an affordable way.

SIVGA Luan Review: The Wrap Up

Overall, the SIVGA Luan is a stunning set of open-back headphones that offers a rich and immersive audio experience. The headphones are crafted from high-quality materials, feature a comfortable over-ear design, and deliver a balanced and detailed sound. Whether you’re a music lover looking for headphones with above-average sound for the home or an audiophile looking for an affordable pair of cans to throw in your bag, the SIVGA Luan is worth considering. If you want more resolution, you can step up to the $449 SIVGA SV023, but the Luan will give you a similar experience, with just a touch more bass dynamics and a lower price in exchange. It’s also a clear step up from the $255 SIVGA Phoenix, which we also reviewed a while back.

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