True Artistry In Wood And Sound

2026 has proven to be a busy and productive year for Sivga, marked by a steady stream of well-received releases like the Que UTG, Nightingale Pro, and SV021 Robin. Each model has earned praise not only for its sonic refinement but also for the impeccable craftsmanship Sivga is known for—particularly its signature use of wood across nearly every product, a detail I personally find captivating. In late 2024, Sivga released the Anser, a $239 addition to the mid-tier open-back segment. Designed to be effortlessly driven while upholding the brand’s tuning pedigree and build excellence, the Anser aims to carve its own space in a crowded field. We were kindly provided with a review unit for an honest evaluation, and we extend our gratitude to Sivga for the opportunity. So, does the Anser live up to the legacy? Let’s dive in.

No monetary transactions or affiliation is garnered for this review for an honest take on these headphones. Review is done solely by personal opinion.

Functions & Specifications

Before we start the review, here are the specifications of the Sivga Anser;

• Transducer Type: Titanium Plated with Fiber Polymer Dome Dynamic Driver
  
• Transducer Size: ф50mm
  
• Impedance: 38+/15%Ω
  
• Sensitivity: 105dB+/3dB
  
• Frequency Response: 20 Hz-20K HZ
  
• Connector: ф 3.5mm
  
• Cable Length: 2M+/0.2M
  
• Weight:342g
  

The Sivga Anser can be purchased at their website and many other platforms worldwide.

SIVGA ANSER

Packaging & Accessories

The packaging is a compact box with an eco-friendly theme that minimizes plastic usage and it is simply printed with black ink without any fancy theme. Inside houses the Anser headphones, a fabric 3.5mm cable, a 6.35mm adapter, a soft cotton pouch and a warranty card. Simple, effective and minimal environment impact. Thumbs up.

Design

The design is truly exquisite with a well-executed, robust build that is mostly made from metal with premium wood. The ear cups are crafted from select Rosewood, lightly polished to showcase the natural wood grain. A stainless steel mesh covers the rear vent, creating an elegant contrast that is rarely seen at this price point. The shape of the earcups is oval and even though these are a circumaural headphone, they are quite compact and able to cover the whole ear snugly. The earcups can be swivelled 180 degrees, allowing for compact storage and a comfortable, adaptive fit. As open-back headphones, they do exhibit sound leakage and offer minimal isolation, however, in return, they reward the listener with a remarkably open, airy, and spacious soundstage.

The top headband is made from PU leather finished with white stitching with the Sivga brand stamped. The cushion part is made of velvet material that is soft and comfortable.

The hinges are made from metal and are rather tight to prevent accidental adjustments. The clamp force here is on point without being too tight nor too loose.

Earpads are made from fine leather for the outer part with velvet on the inner side. The padding is thick and they are indeed comfortable. The earpads can be removed and replacements are available.

Weighing in at around 342 grams, they do have a slight heft on hand that makes it feels robust but still acceptable for long usage.

The Anser is equipped with Sivga in-house developed 50mm dynamic driver that has titanium plated diaphragm with a unique high molecular organic carbon fiber polymer that absorbs and effectively suppresses extra vibrations Copper Clad Aluminum Wire (CCAW) voice coils is used and 24.5mm oversized high strength-grade NdFeB magnet with 350KJ/M³ to drive the coils. The drivers are fixed at an angle and this creates a more natural sound projection towards the ears that gives a more spacious, accurate sound.

The connectors are the standard dual entry with 3.5mm plugs.

The cable included is a removable dual 3.5mm cable that is made from silver plated oxygen free copper in nylon sleeve and only available in 3.5mm at the moment.

Gears Used for Comparisons

Songs list

Tone and Presentation

The tone of the Anser is a neutral bright to warm presentation with a L shaped sound that places a focus towards the higher region. The midrange possesses a good amount of warmth with an intimate yet lively signature that is highly musical. The bass has a soft boost in the mid bass region that creates an immersive sound that is full and smooth sounding without any major aggressiveness. No major peaks are present here and they have an energetic low range presentation that is punchy that balances well between being musical and clinical that possesses good technicalities. The overall sound is clean and clear with almost no colouration making the Anser a rather accurate sounding headphones.

Soundstage

The soundstage here is wide and tall as one of the major benefits from having an open back but the soundstage here is tuned towards an intimate side that projects sound forward rather than diffusing it. Their soundstage isn’t as expansive as some competitors in this price range but they are still wider with a bigger headroom than closed or semi closed back.counterparts. Their immersive, intimate yet airy, open sound works well for a vast range of genres such as acoustics and EDM all the way to live performances and classicals. The accuracy here is holographic and accurate, well suited for gaming and movies purposes.

Separation and Timbre

Separation here is superb and one of their strengths, capable of giving a wide dynamic range with a good stereo width that can be scaled up using balanced sources. No crosstalk issues are present partly due to the dual cable entry setup. Timbre here is organic, piercing and breathy without any unnatural timbre atypical of a well designed dynamic driver.

Drivability

While rated at 35 ohms with a 105db sensitivity, the Anser is an easily driven headphone that doesn’t need much to have ample loudness. Their scalability is average and they sound best regardless of their setup which is great for travels but they do benefit with a dedicated desktop setup or a powerful setup only in a small margin. A simple dongle is sufficient for them to have adequate volume as their sensitivity is rather high and they do not pick up noise easily. Source matching here does slightly lean towards a warmer sound to balance out the piercing high range and match the warmness in the mids while keeping their technicalities intact but they do not match well with bright sources as the Anser will sound piercing in the upper mids to high range. These are a forgiving type of headphones that works well with any source and will sound great no matter the bitrates but a well mastered track will actually give a boost in clarity but only marginally.

The Bass (Low)

The bass is a neutral flat bass that excels in accuracy while being present without being too dull or hollow. The bass here is quite lean but for an open back, they possess decent energy with a meaty bass that has a clean, tight slam but they are certainly not for bassheads. The texture on the bass bass is excellent with bass layers presented in a clean and clear manner. Details are full with a transparent bass that reproduces the lows accurately. The bass has a slightly fast roll off that increases clarity and removes unnecessary rumble that prevents bloat and bleed but that makes the bass slightly weaker. The sub-bass amount here is decent with an airy extension with an accurate rumble that is natural and they dives quite deep.

The Mids

The mids present here is a neutral to warm presentation that has a forward signature giving an intimate, luscious sound that excels in musicalities. There is a good amount of warmth here and they produce a sweet midrange that is lively without being sterile. The body is thick with full-bodied sound across the whole spectrum with a healthy peak towards the upper mids that gives an excellent brilliance and making the Anser a good set for vocal genres. Details here are superb with the macro and micro details well displayed giving a clean and clear mids without any haze. The accuracy here is good and there is some colouration present but they are still able to have a natural sound with a vivid midrange reproduction. Vocals here are luscious, intimate and soulful that pushes sound closer to your ear and coupled with their open back, spacious overall presentation, they are a sublime set for vocals. The tuning of the mids here matches male and female vocals alike as they possess excellent shiny brilliance and a good depth. Instruments sounded accurate but on some lower note instruments like drums, oboe and bass, they do lack depth and impact.

The Highs

The treble is tastefully boosted, delivering a lively presentation with a peak around 10kHz and above that yields an energetic, airy high end. It offers strong presence and a biting edge, approaching piercing levels yet staying clear of sibilance, though fatigue does set in quickly at higher volumes. The sparkle is lively, and the crisp decay enhances overall enjoyment. Timbre is accurate with a breathy, brassy and piercing signature that has superb accuracy suitable for treble heads but not so much for treble sensitive users.. Extension is good, with a slow roll-off that produces lingering shimmering highs, bolstering the airiness of the Amser. The treble present here has a good intensity that pushes clarity further and integrates seamlessly with the energetic tuning with minimal harshness and this treble is decidedly not suited for listeners seeking a relaxed, laid-back sound, instead for those who love a good bite and energy on the higher region.

Comparisons

VS FiiO FT1 Pro (199USD)

One of the first planar headphones from FiiO, the giants from China, the FT1 Pro is a well designed, open back planar headphones that is praised for their high performance and it does cost slightly less than the Anser. Build on both are solid but the wood and leather usage on Anser looks and feels more premium. The FT1 Pro does come with a hard case which gives more protection. Weight on the FT1 Pro is slightly lighter but both are very comfortable.

• High range amount om Anser is bigger and livelier alongside more air while the FT1 Pro is more forgiving
  
• Treble on the Anser is slightly more aggressive which gives them more clarity
  
• Midrange clarity on Anser is cleaner and clearer but the FT1 Pro has a richer mids
  
• FT1 Pro has better body and depth in the lower mids while upper mids on the Anser is livelier
  
• Bass is more punchy on the FT1 Pro and reaches deeper while sub-bass on both are similar
  
• Soundstage on the Anser is wider and slightly airier
  

VS Sony MDR-MV1 (299USD)

The latest studio headphones from Sony that aim for music production are well implemented open back headphones with superb technicalities. They are lighter and slightly more comfortable but the build is on the Anser side as they are more premium and robust. The Anser is a little cheaper but the accessories included are better as well.

• Midrange on MV1 is warmer, lusher and deeper while Anser had better clarity and upper mids brilliance
  
• Highs on MV1 is smoother while the amount and clarity on Anser is livelier
  
• Midrange on Anser is more forward and intimate while MV1 is spacious with better spatial positioning
  
• High range on MV1 is smoother but not as exciting as Anser
  
• Bass on MV1 is punchier and more textured while the Anser has a more.neutral bass
  
• Sub-bass on MV1 is deeper and more immersive
  
• Overall clarity is better on the Anser while the MV1 has a more organic approach
  
• Soundstage are similar
  

Synergy

Good synergy: slightly warm to neutral and bassy sources

Examples: Questyle M15, FiiO, EPZ TP30, Qudelix T71, FiiO Q15, EPZ TP35 Pro, Qudelix T71, 7HZ Artemis39

Not so good synergy: Bright, clinical sources

Examples: FiiO Q7, Surfans X10, FiiO KA5

Power requirements: Very easy to drive. Has minor scalability potential with clean sources.

Who Is It For?

Suited for light monitoring, casual listeners and critical listeners, travelling audiophiles, gamers

Not suited for bassheads, treble sensitive users

Recommended genres: EDM, modern pop, rock, acoustics, live performances, classicals

Not recommended genres: ACG, metal, hip-hop

Final words

The Sivga Anser pairs stunning Rosewood and metal showcasing their stunning craftsmanship with their self developed driver in an energetic, treble-forward sound that prioritizes clarity, intimacy, and vocal presence. Its lean bass and piercing highs won’t suit bassheads or treble sensitive ears, but for detail lovers that yearn for an airy, open sound and fans of acoustics or live tracks, it delivers superb separation, clarity and they are easily driven. Pair with warmer sources to tame the bite, and you’ve got a bold, beautifully built open back that carves its own niche in their price bracket and maybe above.

4½ over 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐½

Pros

• Solid technicalities
• Beautifully designed, solid build with rotatable cups
• High quality Rosewood and metal materials with comfy earpads
• Resolving and transparent
• Great overall clarity and details
• Organic, breathy, piercy timbre
• Open soundstage and good headroom size
• Punchy, linear, textured and extended bass
• Clean, slightly warm, accurate midrange
• Brilliant upper midrange
• Sparkly, crisp high range
• Extended treble
• Very easy to drive
• Price vs performance ratio

Cons

• Not for bassheads/bass a little lean
• Low sub-bass amount
• Not for treble sensitive users
• High range a little piercing
• Not scalable (subjective)
• No 4.4mm cable, no hard case (nit-pick)