INTRO
Welcome to written review of Sivga SV023. Today we will see an over-ear type headset that seems to me to be an excellent option under €500...but I recommend that you read the full review since it may not be for you. For iems lovers, I ask for your patience, more products of this type will be coming soon.
For now, in this review we have a very complete product in all aspects. Sivga is a chifi audio brand that has several models, some of them we already saw on the channel... and we will end up seeing others. The Sivga Sv021...was renewed in the Oriole, the Sivga Phoenix in the Sv023...although then the Luan came out...you could almost say that it was a Phoenix 2.0...a headphone that sounds excellent by the way. I sincerely believe that we will not see a renewal of the Sivga P2 in the near future.
What attracts me to this Sivga sv023? Well, basically it has no weak points and I do believe that this one can compete, for example, head-to-head with a Focal Clear.
Headphone that a long time ago cost more than €1000. In fact I will make comparisons against that headset during the video. That's how good this sounds...and the best thing...it's worth half.
First I want to remember that my reviews and what I say about the products is my opinion... I don't have to speak good or bad about any product since you could say that I am practically free.
UNBOXING SECTION
The sivga is presented in a very premium and realistic way. We have a box where everything is stored in an orderly manner. On the one hand, there is the carrying case. I'm a big fan of carrying cases, you know. I think that, based on a certain audio quality, that is, financial expenditure... they are necessary. They are not only useful for moving the product from one place to another. They are also worth storing, as is obvious. Furthermore, in cases like this one that have an optimal size, a small DAC dongle, for example, can be efficiently stored.
The carrying bag of the sivga sv023 is light brown. It has a soft touch and can also be placed vertically due to the supports it has. It is very rigid so it will protect the product more than well. We also have a fabric cover with the brand logo whose usefulness is quite questionable. It is not rigid, it does not protect...but hey, it can be stored to avoid dust. Better that than nothing...Hifiman doesn't look at anyone...I say it for models like the Sundara.
On the other hand, we have a good quality braided cable and adapters to make this set even more versatile. We have a 4.4mm to 3.5mm adapter and another 3.5mm to 6.35mm adapter.
I would say, from a critical point of view, that it is the best product in terms of accessories that I have tried under €1000. The adapters and a better and prettier cable make me opt for this sivga rather than the focal clear, which would have benefited from a 4.4mm adapter for example.
The design of this product is very interesting. We have a very obvious wood finish that places it in my top of the most elegant headphones. But there will be those who like it more or less so I'm not going to go into more detail here.
In comfort it is a success. Its large perforated memory foam pads and that wide, padded headband make the weight distribution very...very good. I'll tell you clearly, possibly the most comfortable headset I've tested.
SOUND
This headphone uses a 50mmm dynamic driver which has a beryllium-coated diaphragm. Hearing beryllium and dynamic drivers is usually synonymous with, at least, curiosity on my part.
The isolation part is nothing strange and what is expected. Open earphone, non-isolated earphone. In the leakage I expected it to be worse but the truth is that it emits little sound. A little more than the Dt1990 pro and very similar to the Focal Clear.
In technical data we have 105 decibels and 300 impedance. Its sensitivity offsets the energy needs of the headset, making it possible to operate it with mobile phones or laptops, although with a loss of performance. However, I don't think their sound varies much. With the laptop with the best DAC that I have or the sonata I could practically hear it the same as with the gryphoon. Despite the numbers, I consider it more efficient than focal clear. This headphone is very, very recommended to try it on a vulvo amplifier.
SOUND SECTION – TECHS
We must start from the basis that sivga makes a very, very musical and natural tuning…some more than others. This headphone, despite sounding good musically, also has some analytical sound. Therefore, I consider this headset to be suitable for almost everything. Listen to music, play games, edit... and even work with audio... since it does not have a very marked profile in bass or emphasized treble and it does offer sufficient resolution.
In soundstage, Sivga's open models have been a big hit for me. After listening to the SV023 for quite some time, the response is wonderful. When the SV023's soundstage first comes into focus, it has all the realism of being in the studio with the performers. Some of the lightness that open backs can give you is replaced by well-articulated layers. In some cases it can also appear floaty, especially with acoustic guitars that come across just above the left and right channels.
If I compare it with an Edition Xs I could say that the Sivga offers a better scene on the x axis. In depth they are quite even, but sometimes it seems that the sivga sv023 does it better even with low amplification. In height or size of the sound I opt for the hifiman...but just barely.
Dimensionality expands with spatial tricks on the x axis, this being one of its virtues. Its good extension in the treble allows it an airy sound.
We therefore have a wide stage, but I would have liked it to be more enveloping, just as the focal clear does... which, although it does not have such a laterally expansive scene, is more rounded and immersive.
In the image it does better than, for example, the hifiman edition xs. Giving a more evident precision of the level of the dt1990 pro.
Is there anything better in general in terms of spatiality for less than €600? I don't think so.
SOUND SECTION – BASS
Parts of the bass region are most noticeably divided into mid-bass and sub-bass sections, rather than coming together to form a complete tone.
The bass for me was the most disappointing part. I think it lacks gain and a little extension. That's why I recommend, if you can, a tube amplifier. Still, they sound pretty clean and fast. It creates an interesting dynamic in the bass that consistently maintains its timbre attractive to the listener, no matter what genre of music is being played. The mid-bass hits hard and the sub-bass resonates smoothly. I don't think it's powerful enough to shake you, but it complements the texture of the bass and synths with its depth and clarity. In this area I think the focal clear is even more complete.
SOUND SECTION – MIDS
The midrange of the SV023 is very very good. Imagine an improved HD600. It sounds very natural and offers… not only a lot of space but also great energy. It has a dynamic range response similar to bass, but faster and more transparent. Details within its timbre are easy to find, as the mids excel in sound signature with plenty of individualized elements such as orchestral strings and piano notes. Vocals are also clear and offer micro details. The mid-range, to put it a defect, lacks a little body... which, for example, if I had the dt1990 pro.
SOUND SECTION – TREBLE
While treble reproduction can be incredibly responsive, it can also show considerable extension and for some people perhaps a little more enhanced. For the most part, everything stays clean and tidy in the treble, but on tracks where the sounds start to get more aggressive, the treble comes out to show its most character. There's a fun midrange-like snap, but with a more flavorful sparkle to the tonality of the frequencies. A shine or sparkle that is similar to what ananda nano can give but somewhat more controlled. This is especially evident in piano performances, as soloists or singers, where the highest notes seem to end with an extra bright accent in their attack. For longer listening sessions they can be a bit tiring due to their revealing nature. I personally didn't have any problems.
SUMMARY SECTION
As you have heard, the SV023 is a very complete headset. It's very good at almost everything, but maybe it doesn't really stand out at all...Although maybe we're being too unfair if we compare it to more expensive headphones all the time. If we compare it with any open headphones under €500 and €600, I think this Sivga is superior.
It has very good comfort, it is quite energy efficient, it sounds natural, it has good dynamics, it has a good scene, it sounds musical but it also has an analytical touch...the only defects are a bass that is somewhat scarcer than I would like and a midrange. who perhaps could have used a little more body.
Do I recommend the purchase? Yes, definitely.