Short answer: the Edifier Stax Spirit S3. It ranks #26 of 481 over-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 4.3/5, at $514.55. The HiFiMAN Ananda Unveiled ranks #56, rated 4.2/5, at $479, $35.55 cheaper, a saving that is not big enough to make up the sound-quality gap.
Why pick the Edifier Stax Spirit S3: This is a rare wireless planar magnetic headphone, with Bluetooth 5.2, aptX Adaptive and aptX HD support, a built in microphone and a claimed 80 hours of battery life. The tradeoff: Those measurements show a 6.8 dB dip near 6.9 kHz and the 6 to 10 kHz band sits about 3 dB low, so cymbals and sibilance come across dulled and less detailed.
The case for the HiFiMAN Ananda Unveiled: Hobbyist measurements give this planar magnetic headphone a Harman preference score of 85.4 with just 2.0 dB of deviation, and every band from 60 Hz up stays within about 1.4 dB of target, so tonality sounds balanced and natural. The tradeoff: Sub-bass sits about 4.5 dB under target and falls 6 dB low by 27 Hz, so the deepest bass notes lack physical slam.
Buy the Edifier Stax Spirit S3. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $35.55 saving on the HiFiMAN Ananda Unveiled is not enough to make up the difference.
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This is a rare wireless planar magnetic headphone, with Bluetooth 5.2, aptX Adaptive and aptX HD support, a built in microphone and a claimed 80 hours of battery life.
Amazon $514.55 eBay
Hobbyist measurements give this planar magnetic headphone a Harman preference score of 85.4 with just 2.0 dB of deviation, and every band from 60 Hz up stays within about 1.4 dB of target, so tonality sounds balanced and natural.
Amazon $479.00 eBayPrices on this page were last checked October 16, 2026 at 5:46 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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Specifications Side By Side
| Edifier Stax Spirit S3 | HiFiMAN Ananda Unveiled | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $514.55 | $479.00 |
| Ranked | #26 of 481 in Over-Ear Headphones | #56 of 481 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 89 (median of 6 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 85 (median of 2 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 1.62 dB standard deviation | 2.00 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.20 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | +0.14 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-1.9 dB at 30 Hz) | Falls 6 dB below target at 27 Hz (-5.9 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wireless and wired | Wired |
| Back | Closed | Open |
| Driver Type | Planar magnetic | Planar magnetic |
| Drivers | 1 x 89x70mm planar magnetic | - |
| Impedance | 24 ohms | 22 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 94 dB SPL(A) | 93 dB |
| Weight | 0.7 lbs (329 g) | 1 lbs (449 g) |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 5Hz - 55kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Active Noise Cancelling | No | - |
| Battery Life | 80 hours (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive | - |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | - |
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