China tease

 Attractive open-back headphones at a closed-back price. CliffJoseph samples a little known brand and is pretty impressed

DETAILS

PRODUCT Sivga SV023 ORIGIN China TYPE Open-back, over-ear wired headphones WEIGHT 318g FEATURES ● 50mm drivers ● 1.6m braided cable ● 3.5mm and 6.35mm adaptors DISTRIBUTOR Still TBC WEBSITE sivgaaudio.com

Sivga might not be a well-known name in Europe, but it’s the more affordable companion brand to Sendy Audio, which produces attractive open-back headphones such as the eye-catching Peacock (HFC 486). Recently launched at the Munich High-End show, the new SV023 is one of its more expensive headphone offerings. The company is still in the process of setting up its UK distribution, but you can track it down via the US arm of Amazon if you can’t wait.

The smart open-back walnut wood earpieces house 50mm drivers made out of liquid crystal polymer, with a beryllium-plated diaphragm for a frequency response of 20Hz-40kHz. The earpieces are padded with memory foam and designed to match the contours of the head. The adjustable stainless steel headband grips firmly without feeling too tight.