The e-angle. In passing, I mentioned earlier how with insufficient voltage swing, Susvara in particular sounds classically electrostatic. However, that see-through quality of quicksilvery airiness and top-end presence is common to all Unveiled models. Whilst its quality gets more refined as our spend goes up, the subjective nature of the gestalt remains stable. Feeling illuminated, light of foot and fleet of reaction is the common leitmotif. If you're down on lumbering warmth à la early Audeze, Unveiled has your number. Whilst within their range resolution keeps intensifying as we move up—and which, in the other direction, injects some textural thickness as we move down—not even Ananda is thick per se; and definitely not inherently warm. It's simply slightly coarser as though working with fewer pixels when we juxtapose the quite elite smooth operators of the higher Unveiled range. This sense of high-torque acceleration behind ultra low-mass diaphragms is quite addictive once it enters our systems. Bolting on extra physicality such as we might be used to from heavier dynamic cones must come from our preceding electronics. Discrete output stages behind linear power supplies are common contributors, hence a dual-port LHY Audio linear PSU powers my Audalytic twins to bypass their built-in MeanWell switchers. If we split the HP70/Dionysus difference with another Chinese champ called Soundaware P1x—a modest-looking pure class A amp of 12wpc/32Ω with a linear power supply and premium large Mundorf coupling caps—we turn the quicksilvery undertones to lustrous copper and a more relaxed majestic rather than speedy vibe. As with humans, for hifi too it's far easier to gain weight than lose it.

Our Unveiled specimens start out trim and fit. If you want to clothe them in extra fleshiness, inject it upstream like the P1x demonstrated if you have a spare $1'950. At €799, aune's SR17Pro Evo beckons. Want less e-for-electrostatic? To abuse alliteration, easy and effective with an emp fit for fattier functions. As you'd expect, as resolution increases across these cans, the delta of change which ancillary swaps can create grows as well. On that score, resolution is synonymous with responsiveness. And that implies keener appreciation for better electronics than low-res transducers. It's a (cough) gentle way of saying that even what in this context is the budget king named Ananda Unveiled scaled up and fleshed out unexpectedly when fronted by the above P1x. Rephrased, when the green Upgrade Express next passes your 'hood, don't necessarily look at trading up your Unveiled cans for a taller model. Invest in a better amp first. You could just be very pleasantly surprised by how much sleepy potential this electrifies into wakefulness with your headphones. In fact…

… if I had €2K to spend on a can/amp combo, I'd allocate €569 to Ananda and the remainder to its amp, not €1'599 on Arya and the balance on the amp. It speaks volumes about the maturity of HifiMan's thin-film tech. Even in its more attainable models, the Unveiled concept really reacts to what precedes it. Et voilà, Part N°1 of my brand reacquaintance. N°2 compares Susvara OG and Unveiled to Raal 1995's Magna and Immanis on €15K worth of top ancillaries then comments on my total experience with these four nekkid planars.

For today though let's call it a day before we get even more mixed up between four Unveiled models…