Short answer: the Sivga Luan. It ranks #81 of 216 over-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 3.9/5, at $299; the Austrian Audio Hi-X65 ranks #90, rated 3.8/5, at $295.38. The price gap is small enough that the sound-quality ranking should decide it.
Why pick the Sivga Luan: The open back tuning leans warm, with bass from 60 to 200 Hz about 3 dB above target and the lows and mids around 1.5 dB above, which gives music body and weight that suits rock, pop and hip hop. Watch for: A 5 dB peak near 2.8 kHz can make vocals and guitars sound forward or slightly shouty at higher volume, and a 5.8 dB dip near 9.3 kHz takes the edge off cymbals while the top octave runs 6 dB above target.
What the Austrian Audio Hi-X65 does well: The open back response is bright and airy, with presence and treble about 1.5 to 1.7 dB above target and the top octave about 3 dB above, which brings out detail and space in recordings. The tradeoff: This is the least smooth model in this group, with a deviation of 2.8 dB.
Buy the Sivga Luan. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $3.62 saving on the Austrian Audio Hi-X65 is not enough to make up the difference.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Headphones rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sivga Luan | Austrian Audio Hi-X65 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $299.00 | $295.38 |
| Ranked | #81 of 216 in Over-Ear Headphones | #90 of 216 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 80 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) | 78 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.04 dB standard deviation | 2.77 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.58 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | +0.09 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-3.6 dB at 30 Hz) | Falls 6 dB below target at 56 Hz (-7.0 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Back | Open | Open |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 50mm dynamic | 1 x 44mm dynamic |
| Impedance | 38 ohms | 25 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 100 dB | 110 dB SPL/V |
| Weight | 0.8 lbs (354 g) | 0.7 lbs (310 g) |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 5Hz - 28kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | - |
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Prices on this page were last checked October 11, 2026 at 4:59 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
Sivga Luan: $299.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: The open back tuning leans warm, with bass from 60 to 200 Hz about 3 dB above target and the lows and mids around 1.5 dB above, which gives music body and weight that suits rock, pop and hip hop. A deviation of 2.0 dB is among the smoothest in this group, and the preference score is 80. At 38 ohms and 100 dB sensitivity a phone or dongle can drive it, and it weighs 354 g.
Cons: A 5 dB peak near 2.8 kHz can make vocals and guitars sound forward or slightly shouty at higher volume, and a 5.8 dB dip near 9.3 kHz takes the edge off cymbals while the top octave runs 6 dB above target. Listeners who want a neutral balance will find the bass and low mids heavy. The open back leaks sound and has no isolation, and there is no built in microphone.
Full Sivga Luan review and specifications →
| Back | Open |
|---|---|
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.04 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 50mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 80 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 38 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 100 dB |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-3.6 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.58 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.8 lbs (354 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -7.0 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 | +13.5 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 54 Hz | -11.3 dB | 0.36 |
| Peak | 1,033 Hz | +2.6 dB | 0.39 |
| Peak | 2,697 Hz | -5.0 dB | 2.19 |
| Peak | 7,643 Hz | +2.9 dB | 1.41 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -7.5 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 4,022 Hz | -2.2 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 5,210 Hz | +2.7 dB | 5.98 |
| Peak | 3,497 Hz | +1.7 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 4,281 Hz | -0.8 dB | 4.36 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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Austrian Audio Hi-X65: $295.38 Amazon eBay
Pros: The open back response is bright and airy, with presence and treble about 1.5 to 1.7 dB above target and the top octave about 3 dB above, which brings out detail and space in recordings. Bass from 60 to 200 Hz is on target, so it avoids bloat. It is very easy to drive at 25 ohms and 110 dB SPL per volt, it weighs 310 g and it ties the Sony MDR-MV1 on rating.
Cons: This is the least smooth model in this group, with a deviation of 2.8 dB. The low mids are about 3.4 dB above target while upper mids are 1.9 dB below, and a 5.1 dB dip near 1.7 kHz recesses vocals and a 5 dB peak near 5.9 kHz adds edge. Sub-bass is about 3.7 dB light under 60 Hz, and the open back leaks sound.
Full Austrian Audio Hi-X65 review and specifications →
| Back | Open |
|---|---|
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.77 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 44mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 28kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 78 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 25 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 110 dB SPL/V |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 56 Hz (-7.0 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | +0.09 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.7 lbs (310 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.5 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 | +5.4 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 236 Hz | -2.4 dB | 0.53 |
| Peak | 1,659 Hz | +6.9 dB | 1.76 |
| Peak | 592 Hz | -1.5 dB | 1.17 |
| Peak | 5,982 Hz | -4.0 dB | 3.16 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -1.5 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 3,426 Hz | +2.9 dB | 5.91 |
| Peak | 2,858 Hz | -1.9 dB | 5.45 |
| Peak | 4,145 Hz | -1.5 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 54 Hz | -0.2 dB | 1.78 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons