Cleer Next vs HIFIMAN Audivina

Short answer: the HIFIMAN Audivina. Both are rated 3.9/5 for sound quality (#79 and #82 of 216 over-ear headphones), and the HIFIMAN Audivina costs $634.42 against $699.99 for the Cleer Next, so with nothing between them on sound quality, price settles it.

The case for the Cleer Next: A preference score of 80, with bass 2.1 dB above target from 60 to 200 Hz and extension within 2.7 dB of target at 30 Hz, giving a warm, full low end. Watch for: A 4.8 dB peak near 4.7 kHz can make vocals and strings sound forward or edgy at higher volumes, while a 10.7 dB dip near 10.8 kHz takes away treble air.

What the HIFIMAN Audivina does well: The closed back planar design isolates noise and keeps sound from leaking, which suits shared rooms better than most planar headphones. The tradeoff: Sub-bass is about 8 dB below target under 60 Hz and the rest of the spectrum sits a couple of dB under, so deep bass and kick drum impact are lacking and the presentation can feel thin and laid back.

Buy the HIFIMAN Audivina. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $65.57 less than the Cleer Next.

Want more options? Browse the full Headphones rankings.

Specifications Side By Side

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• Fosi Audio i5 vs HIFIMAN Audivina
• HIFIMAN Audivina vs Focal Spirit Classic
• Cleer Next vs Focal Spirit Classic
• Cleer Next vs HIFIMAN Mini Shangri-La
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The Two Headphones In Full

Cleer Next: $699.99 Cleer Audio eBay

Pros: A preference score of 80, with bass 2.1 dB above target from 60 to 200 Hz and extension within 2.7 dB of target at 30 Hz, giving a warm, full low end. The mids stay within about 1.7 dB of target, so voices keep good body and presence. It rates above the AKG K712 and Meze 109 Pro.

Cons: A 4.8 dB peak near 4.7 kHz can make vocals and strings sound forward or edgy at higher volumes, while a 10.7 dB dip near 10.8 kHz takes away treble air. Its 92 dB/mW sensitivity is low for an over-ear, so a phone may run out of volume and a headphone amp helps. The open back leaks sound and offers no isolation. See headphone amps and DACs with enough power to drive it.

Full Cleer Next review and specifications →

Released	2017 (9 years ago)
Back	Open
Built-in Microphone	No
Connection	Wired
Deviation From Target	2.17 dB standard deviation
Driver Type	Dynamic
Drivers	1 x 40mm dynamic
Form Factor	Over-ear
Frequency Response	10Hz - 45kHz (Manufacturer specified)
Harman Preference Score	80 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ)
Impedance	16 ohms
Sensitivity	92 dB/mW
Sub-bass Extension	Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-2.7 dB at 30 Hz)
Tonal Tilt	-0.46 (negative is warmer, positive brighter)
Weight	0.9 lbs (395 g)

EQ preset to match the Harman target

Set a preamp of -5.0 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	+3.7 dB	0.70
Peak	9,129 Hz	+5.9 dB	1.09
Peak	200 Hz	-3.9 dB	0.47
Peak	1,021 Hz	+4.2 dB	0.48
Peak	2,593 Hz	-3.3 dB	0.48
High shelf	10,000 Hz	-1.1 dB	0.70
Peak	3,859 Hz	+3.2 dB	5.86
Peak	4,784 Hz	-3.5 dB	5.81
Peak	6,387 Hz	+1.6 dB	6.00
Peak	2,290 Hz	-0.7 dB	4.41

• Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
  • AutoEQ results for the Cleer Next (oratory1990 measurement)
• Head-to-Head Comparisons
  • Cleer Next vs HIFIMAN Mini Shangri-La
  • Cleer Next vs Focal Spirit Classic

HIFIMAN Audivina: $634.42 Amazon eBay

Pros: The closed back planar design isolates noise and keeps sound from leaking, which suits shared rooms better than most planar headphones. Its preference score of 80 and a deviation of about 2.4 dB show a fairly smooth response, with no single large peak (the highest is about 2.5 dB near 6.1 kHz). At 20 ohms and 97 dB sensitivity it is easy to drive from a phone or laptop dongle and it rates higher than the AKG K712 while costing more.

Cons: Sub-bass is about 8 dB below target under 60 Hz and the rest of the spectrum sits a couple of dB under, so deep bass and kick drum impact are lacking and the presentation can feel thin and laid back. A 7 dB dip near 7.2 kHz takes the edge off cymbals and sibilance, and presence around 3 to 6 kHz is about 3 dB low, which can push vocals back. At 470 g it is on the heavy side.

Full HIFIMAN Audivina review and specifications →

Back	Closed
Connection	Wired
Deviation From Target	2.41 dB standard deviation
Driver Type	Planar magnetic
Form Factor	Over-ear
Frequency Response	5Hz - 55kHz (Manufacturer specified)
Harman Preference Score	80 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ)
Impedance	20 ohms
Sensitivity	97 dB
Sub-bass Extension	Falls 6 dB below target at 38 Hz (-8.0 dB at 30 Hz)
Tonal Tilt	+0.27 (negative is warmer, positive brighter)
Weight	1 lbs (470 g)

EQ preset to match the Harman target

Set a preamp of -6.4 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	+6.9 dB	0.70
Peak	923 Hz	-6.5 dB	2.05
Peak	295 Hz	+4.5 dB	1.71
Peak	71 Hz	-5.8 dB	1.06
Peak	3,635 Hz	+3.4 dB	3.23
High shelf	10,000 Hz	-3.1 dB	0.70
Peak	5,959 Hz	-4.3 dB	6.00
Peak	1,870 Hz	+1.7 dB	4.35
Peak	599 Hz	+2.0 dB	6.00
Peak	727 Hz	-1.7 dB	5.75

• Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
  • AutoEQ results for the HIFIMAN Audivina (oratory1990 measurement)
• Head-to-Head Comparisons
  • HIFIMAN Audivina vs Fosi Audio i5
  • HIFIMAN Audivina vs Focal Spirit Classic