These inexpensive wooden headphones made me dump high-end audio
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Given my job as an audio writer, it’s not uncommon for a pair of box-fresh contenders for our best collection of headphones to arrive on my desk and be slid over my head (by me – I don’t need a valet for everything) and keep enveloping me for several hours in a glorious sonic bubble.
At the end of days like that, long after I should have gone home, comes the inevitable yawning and sighing about how much these wonderful sonic servers cost. And then there’s the big decision: Do these looks warrant a delicate conversation with my bank manager—or even my long-suffering fiancée?
But today was different. Today I thought a zero had been scratched off the label on the box. Today I don’t have to bend the ear of my accountant or my friend. Because today I was listening to Sivga’s latest headphones (styled after SIVGA in the company’s marketing), specifically the new Oriole wooden wired over-ears from the Chinese audio specialist.
And they’re ridiculously good at $149 / £149 (which is about AU$230).
Style over substance? Not the Sivga Orioles
Regular readers will know that my colleague Kevin Lynch covered the release of both the new Sivga Oriole and Sivga Robin. And when I got to know them on paper, my heart (and my ears) jumped at the chance to get to know them better.
I’ll get right into it: for the money, this is an incredible set of over-ears. Well, this article does not form a full assessment; I only spent a day with the Orioles (after letting them break in, which you should always do before judging the sound quality of headphones – just let them play at least 15 hours at low volume)… but I was very, very impressed.
Of the two headphones Sivga has released, the Oriole intrigued me more from the start. Why? Because despite the wooden cups and 50mm drivers (both pairs have this, and they’re larger and more capable than most of the best over-ear headphones in their price range), the beautifully light 280g construction, soft memory foam padding and high gloss finish, it’s the intonation that I prefer more.
Sivga tells me that the Oriole has a “balanced and broad tuning ideal for classical and jazz music,” while the Robin has what the company described as a “livelier, forward-thinking sound” aimed at listeners of rock, pop and dance music.
I listen to rock and pop a lot (and I was a professional dancer, so dance music is part of the territory), and yet I’ve always prioritized an integrated, layered, expansive, and detailed performance over a slightly more forward-thinking, fun-sounding performance. , diligent presentation. Did I get this in the Oriole? Good heavens, yes, but I’ll get to that in a minute.
My Oriole example comes with a hemp travel bag, 6ft braided cables in matching colors, a 6.3mm adapter and an optional balanced cable to connect them to headphone amps, DACs and high performance personal media players – my Astell & Kern A&norma SR25 MKII really liked them, as did my new Helm DAC (which I must praise in full, but in a separate piece).
The cables are also a pleasure. Call me superficial if you like, but because they attach (securely and with top-notch connections, I’ll add) to each earcup, the color matching is a classy touch, as is the fact that these braided designs are practically impossible to knot or tangle. The headband slides silently, the large but lightweight earcups pivot to lie completely flat and also tilt up or down (using their metal anchor points), and the whole build feels solid and looks effortlessly chic too.
I got the lighter finish of two options, but both color choices use rosewood (more commonly found on guitar fretboards) and they are stunning, with rounded earcups and an angular, square motif framing the logo that is beautifully showcased by the high – glossy finish.
Of course, Sivga (which has been around since 2016 but hasn’t really broken through until now) taps into the growing trend of using tonewoods in headphones, which can spice up the sound in terms of acoustics and resonance, but also a little better for the environment compared to single-use plastic and metal housings.
Why do these particular wooden cans pique my interest over many others? Well, Sivga’s sister company is the highly regarded (and much more expensive) Sendy Audio, and while the Oriole’s finish is eye-catching and the 50mm drivers certainly stand out at this level, it’s not a case of style over substance. . The claimed frequency response is 20 Hz to 20 kHz, for a no-load impedance of 32 ohms and a high sensitivity of 108 dB, which is practically unheard of in this price range.
Opinion: Sivga just set the new benchmark for $150 headphones
I start listening with King Buffalo’s Regenerator, the opening synth chords feel expansive, textured and with plenty of room to shine, even as the cacophony of guitars and drums approach like a freight train picking up speed. There’s an accuracy to the layering and placement here that I’ve never heard on the level.
The driving rhythm never wavers, even as the song gets even more intense – and it does so semi-constantly throughout its nine-minute duration. This is one of the toughest challenges I could have thrown at the Sivga Oriole, but these cans celebrate every nuance through the highs and crash through the mids, without ever letting anything swell or go awry.
Hand clapping and tambourine shaking in Panda Bear & Sonic Boom’s Edge of the Edge sounds three-dimensional and real, supported by juicy and effortlessly handled bass registers.
And if there really was an extra zero at the end of the price tag? That’s hardly fair – but okay. To be clear, if these were really high-end cans (as their looks and construction suggest), I might have to listen a little longer, and question the marginal sweetness on the top end, which only slightly diminishes can roll. … but again, that is grossly unfair! For this nominal amount in the world of audiophiles – where headphones like the Meze Audio Liric can command four-figure prices – I’d argue there’s nothing that looks and sounds as good for this money.
And yes, I’ve turned my back on high-end audio for today. The Sivga Oriole headphones gave me joy and made my music sound incredibly vibrant and expansive – and at a price that also put a smile on my face.
So that’s it – no more high-end audio? No. One can still view the menu without having to order…but Sivga’s option won’t break the bank, and in these trying times that’s important.