Short answer: the HIFIMAN Ananda Stealth, if you are buying new. The HIFIMAN Ananda ranks higher than the Audeze LCD-X (#66 vs #287 of 429 over-ear headphones) but is discontinued; its replacement, the HIFIMAN Ananda Stealth, is rated 4.3/5 at $249 and is still sold new.
What the Audeze LCD-X does well: Lower mids sit within about 0.5 dB of target, keeping voices and guitars natural. Watch for: Presence sits about 7.2 dB low with a 10.9 dB dip near 3.6 kHz, so vocals and instruments lose some bite.
The HIFIMAN Ananda is the better-sounding choice. Scores 84 on the Harman scale with a near zero tonal tilt, giving a balanced, open planar sound with accurate mids and an easy 25 ohm load. The tradeoff: Discontinued and replaced by the HIFIMAN Ananda Stealth.
Buy the HIFIMAN Ananda Stealth, the replacement for the discontinued HIFIMAN Ananda; it is rated higher for sound quality than the Audeze LCD-X.
Want more options? Browse the full Headphones rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Audeze LCD-X | HIFIMAN Ananda | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,199.00 | Discontinued |
| Ranked | #287 of 429 in Over-Ear Headphones | #66 of 429 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Back | Open | Open |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Planar magnetic | Planar |
| Drivers | 1 x 106mm planar magnetic | 1 x planar magnetic |
| Impedance | 20 ohms | 25 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 103 dB/mW | - |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 50kHz | 8Hz - 55kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (612 g) | 0.9 lbs (399 g) |
| Harman Preference Score | 62 (median of 7 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 84 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.96 dB standard deviation | 2.32 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.94 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.09 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 34 Hz (-6.3 dB at 30 Hz) | Falls 6 dB below target at 32 Hz (-6.2 dB at 30 Hz) |
Related Headphone Comparisons
How HIFIMAN Ananda compares with other leading options:
- FiiO FT5 vs HIFIMAN Ananda
- Audeze LCD-X vs HIFIMAN Arya
- Sennheiser HD 650 vs Sennheiser HD 820
- Audio-Technica ATH-R70xa vs Sennheiser HD 650
- Sennheiser HD 650 vs Logitech G Astro A50 X
Prices on this page were last checked October 13, 2026 at 3:17 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Headphones In Full
Audeze LCD-X: $1,199.00 Amazon $1,199.00 eBay
Pros: Lower mids sit within about 0.5 dB of target, keeping voices and guitars natural. It uses 1 x 106mm planar magnetic with an easy 20 ohm load.
Cons: Presence sits about 7.2 dB low with a 10.9 dB dip near 3.6 kHz, so vocals and instruments lose some bite. Sub-bass is 6.3 dB short at 30 Hz, so deep bass lacks rumble. A Harman score of 62 places it in the lower part of the over-ear rankings.
Full Audeze LCD-X review and specifications →
| Released | 2013 (13 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Open |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.96 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Planar magnetic |
| Drivers | 1 x 106mm planar magnetic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 50kHz |
| Harman Preference Score | 62 (median of 7 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 20 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 103 dB/mW |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 34 Hz (-6.3 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.94 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (612 g) |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
HIFIMAN Ananda Discontinued eBay
Newer model: the HIFIMAN Ananda Stealth, ranked higher, rated 4.3/5. See every HIFIMAN Ananda generation.
Pros: Scores 84 on the Harman scale with a near zero tonal tilt, giving a balanced, open planar sound with accurate mids and an easy 25 ohm load.
Cons: Discontinued and replaced by the HIFIMAN Ananda Stealth. Sub-bass falls about 6 dB short at 30 Hz, and an 11.4 dB dip near 9.6 kHz takes some sparkle out of the treble.
Full HIFIMAN Ananda review and specifications →
| Released | 2018 (8 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Open |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.32 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Planar |
| Drivers | 1 x planar magnetic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 8Hz - 55kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 84 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 25 ohms |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 32 Hz (-6.2 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.09 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs (399 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -5.6 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +6.4 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 1,755 Hz | +5.0 dB | 1.29 |
| Peak | 116 Hz | -2.6 dB | 0.27 |
| Peak | 3,131 Hz | -3.7 dB | 2.16 |
| Peak | 945 Hz | -2.1 dB | 3.57 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -1.5 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 572 Hz | -0.4 dB | 2.88 |
| Peak | 5,534 Hz | +1.9 dB | 5.98 |
| Peak | 4,472 Hz | -0.7 dB | 3.39 |
| Peak | 67 Hz | -0.5 dB | 2.78 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons