TWS true wireless earphones - $50 to $100
FOUR STARS - With a humongous charging case, bizarrely big earbuds, and a distinctive sound character, the Hifiman Svanar Jr does things differently than most other wireless earbuds under 100 dollars. That's not always a good thing.
Hifiman Svanar JR specs and features:
Bluetooth 5.2 with AAC and LDAC codec
IPX5 waterproof rating (rain and sweat proof)
4 - 8 hours playtime on a single charge (LDAC codec - AAC codec)
Charging case can charge earpieces fully 4 times
Has: ANC, Transparency
Doesn't have: gaming mode, wireless charging, spatial audio, app support
Comes with 8 sets of ear tips, USB-C cable, no English manual
$90 - See price on Amazon US, your Amazon country or AliExpress
In and underneath this Hifiman Svanar Jr review, you will find comparisons of the Hifiman Svanar Jr vs SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro+, Samsung Galaxy Buds FE, Nothing Ear (a) and KZ Xtra.
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Design, comfort and battery life
The Hifiman Svanar Jr probably has the wildest design of any wireless earphone you can buy under or around 100 dollars. This thing almost feels like a statement against all those samey competitors.
After seeing it, a friend referred to this set as the Tesla Cybertruck of wireless earbuds and it's easy to see why. It's like nothing else on the market.
The charging case is ridiculously big. A strong, bulky, angular clam that's about 2,5 to 3 times the size of the AirPods Pro 2 and competitors like the SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro+, Nothing Ear (a) and the Samsung Galaxy Buds FE.
The case feels sturdy and nicely crafted, with a hefty lid and plenty of space to put the earbuds in and grab them out. The case also has plenty of space to mount bigger ear tips on the earbuds - including ones that are bigger than the 8 pairs that come with the Svanar Jr.
A single LED-light on the back of case indicates that the case is being charged. Unfortunately, you can only recharge the case with USB-C. It doesn't have wireless charging.
Inside the case, a LED light sort of indicates the battery status of the earbuds itself. A green light for 10 seconds indicates a full battery, a red one that it's not fully charged - but it's a bit unclear what it means when it jumps between green, orange and red, like it sometimes does.
More oddities: Hifiman doesn't explain what the ‘Amplifier inside’ on the inside of the case means, and… even doesn't provide a manual in the box.
If you thought the case was different, wait until you see the earbuds.
These are among the biggest earbuds of the 420 models I tested on this site.
The outer design is a combination of a sharp stem on top of a bulky middle part, that is about 1,5 centimeter high. Both these part stick out of your ears when you wear them, although they follow the lines of your ears.
Happily, the earbuds are IPX5 waterproof protected against rain and sweat.
The inside of the earbuds is a metallic, 1,5 centimer high part that is shaped to the inside of ears, like many more audio quality-aimed wired earphones.
Despite that the earbuds are heavy and big in your ears, I found them to be very comfortable for (my) average-sized ears.
As the earbuds fill up (average-sized) ears, it also feels safe and snug to wear them.
In fact, I had no trouble wearing them for four hours in a row without releasing them out of my ears many times. Of course - comfort is the most personal aspect on any earphone, especially this size. Your experience may be different.
Four hours is about the maximum battery life on Android phones that use the LDAC codec.
However, battery life is much better with the AAC codec on iPhone. After 4 hours of listening to music on moderate volume, the earphones’ battery still depicted 60 percent remaining charge! Even with some volume variables, 8 hours listening time seems to be in reach on iPhone.
This is a wild difference, meaning that the Svanar Jr has below-average battery life on Android, but great battery life on iPhone.
The Hifiman Svanar Jr is all-over-the-place when it comes to battery life and design. Its design is a conversation starter, but happily, it doesn't forget basics like a good waterproof level and a comfortable fit.
Controls, connectivity and app support
The Hifiman Svanar Jr is barebones for its price point. Two now widely available features on affordable wireless earphones are missing here.
The Svanar Jr has no dual-device multipoint connection. You can only connect it to one device at a time. Like the Samsung Galaxy Buds FE, you can change rapidly between two devices, by selecting the device from the Bluetooth list. You don't have to (re)pair the earbuds in between.
The Svanar Jr also has no app support on either iPhone or Android phones. That means you can't change the controls of the earbuds, you can't update the firmware and you can't choose between different equalizers.
The touch panels on the flat surface of the earbuds respond well, but the default controls are limited:
Tap L or R to play/ pause
Double-tap L or R to return a song
Triple-tap L or R to skip a song
Hold L to cycle between ANC on, Transparency and the default ‘High fidelity’ mode
Hold R to activate the voice assistant
It's not possible to change the volume directly from the earbuds.
The default connectivity is good. The Svanar Jr pairs and connects quickly.
It keeps a stable Bluetooth connection with the AAC codec that's used by the iPhone, even more than 10 meters away from your device.
With the LDAC codec that's default on Android phones that support it, the connection drops earlier - but still feels stable overall.
With the lack of multipoint connection, volume controls, and app support, the Svanar Jr leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to features.
Phone and video calls
The Hifiman Svanar Jr isn't recommended for taking phone calls or entering video conferences.
You can use the Svanar Jr for phone and video calls is you're sitting still in a quiet room. Your voice then sounds full and loud enough.
Noise around you can cause dips in your voice output. Door slams, people talking or even your own walking decreases the clarity of your voice.
Wind noise is worse than that. Even the slightest gust of wind can drown your clarity and cause severe dips in your output, up to complete sentences that can't be heard.
Video and games playback
The Hifiman Svanar JR has no problems playing videos on iPhone or Android.
There is no specific gaming mode on this model and it shows. In a demanding game like Call of Duty mobile, the sound noticeably comes later than the action shown on your screen. It's also hard to localise sounds like gunshots and explosions around you.
ANC quality of the Svanar Jr Wireless
The Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) on the Hifiman Svanar Jr Wireless is a different feature than on most earbuds.
That's because the Svanar Jr blocks noise wonderfully out of itself. The big, ear-filling shape of the earbuds ensures great passive noise isolation if you have average-sized ears. Even when you listen to music on low volume, it's hard to hear your surroundings through it.
You may not even need the ANC to reduce the sounds around you. It's a good choice then, that the function is off by default.
You activate the ANC by holding down the left earbud for three seconds. When you do, it feels like slightly more noise is cancelled around you - from the darkest to highest tones - but that's not what you'll notice. What you'll notice is that the ANC heavily reduces the volume of your music.
The ANC lets you listen on very low volume levels without hearing your surroundings - which can be great for background or workday listening.
However, when you're using the ANC mode without playing any music, you'll still hear middle sounds like keyboard typing, door slams and traffic sounds well. So the ANC isn't very useful to bring you extra concentration without playing music.
The Transparency mode has the same volume dip and passes through some middle sounds, like traffic tire noise and keyboard typing, clearer than the ANC mode. It's not enough to let you follow a conversation.
The ANC on the Hifiman Svanar Jr is an extra that lets you enjoy music on lower volumes without hearing your surroundings, but the true noise reduction lies in the shape of the earbuds itself.
Sound quality of Hifiman Svanar Jr
The Hifiman Svanar Jr wireless earbuds has a warm and smooth tuning that lacks a little treble spark, but can feel very big and joyful.
While Hifiman is widely considered to be an ‘audiophile’ brand, the Hifiman Svanar Jr doesn't chase audiophile characteristics like the highest detail retrieval or biggest soundstage.
Instead, the Svanar Jr has a warm and smooth tuning, with quite a lot of focus on the lower frequencies.
The mid-bass is full and almost heavy even, but the thumps itself are gentle - not the kind that strongly pulses in your ears. Laidback is perhaps too big of a word, but it isn't the most uplifting or tight mid-bass you're getting.
The sub-bass goes deep and feels full too, with a round rumble in James Blake's outstanding test track Limit to Your Love. The sub-bass stretches out though. Especially in techno and dance genres, the lowest bass frequencies can buzz long and strongly.
Lower mid-tones are the weightiest part of the music, with full and powerful darker electronic tones, lower instruments and a strong presence of lower (male) vocals. They also feel big as higher mids tend towards the tonality of the lower-mids.
Female and higher male singers sound reasonably forward and are separated well enough from instruments, but they always feel grounded and warm. Only on the highest volumes, singers gain a bit of treble and prominence over instruments.
Vocals don't reach far into the higher frequencies. Even Björk's high-pitched outhauls in It's Oh So Quiet! are smoothed out way before they have a chance to become squeeky and harsh.
Treble rolls off early in a comfortable manner, and that goes for all parts of the sound. Cymbals don't even come close to splashiness, and vocal sibilance (sss-emphasis) is nowhere to be seen. Even violins and flutes have a warm tonality.
As a consequence, you won't always hear audible breath gasps or the highest details in high quality recordings.
Center mid-tones are also warmer and smoother than on many competitors, that push out the plucking of guitar strings or pushing of piano keys clearer as a result. That said; center-mids aren't recessed - but they do trade in clarity for warmth.
Eagles’ Hotel California rendition from Hell Freezes Over sums up the Svanar Jr's sound very well: it bathes you in warmth. Don Henley sounds smooth and rounded - not even close to edgy - and it requires concentration to separate and localise the guitars on your left and right.
But here's the twist: while there isn't a very wide soundstage or precise instrument placement, music feels downright BIG.
Hifiman never explains what their ‘Amplifier inside’ on the inside of the charging case means, but it's imaginable that it points to the expansiveness of the sound. The sound feels everywhere. Skip to any other, great pair of earbuds in the comparisons below, and music always feels thinner, more one-dimensional, less all around you.
Unlike nearly all new competitors at this price point, the Svanar Jr doesn't come with app support with multiple equalizers. The sound described is the sound you're getting.
The Svanar Jr has a unique proposition. It feels noticeably different than most wireless earbuds. It tones down treble and doesn't go big on neutrality, but it can absolutely pack you in with its expansiveness and warmth. It really is something else: sound you can get addicted to.
—> These are the best sounding wireless earbuds from $25 to $100
Hifiman Svanar Jr comparisons
Hifiman Svanar JR vs SoundPEATS Capsule 3 Pro+
The Hifiman Svanar Jr and SoundPEATS Capsule Pro3+ are two great sounding wireless earbuds in their own right - there really is something too choose under 100 dollars.
The SoundPEATS has a more open and clearer sound. Higher vocals on the Capsule3 Pro+ are more prominent, vibrant, and they show more detail. Center mid-tones are more natural and the Capsule also has a more sophisticated left-right separation. The bass shows more texture too, even though it can feel a bit fladdering next to the Hifiman.
Still, this isn't a knockout. The Svanar Jr is a smoother and more comfortable listen, with more lower-mid weight and (vocal) nuances therein, that can indulge you in its warmth. It's also less tiring with its earlier rolled-off treble.
Feature-wise, the SoundPEATS wins: better call clarity, more usable ANC, multipoint connection, a good gaming mode, and app support make it a more versatile everyday earphone.
Around $90 on Amazon US or your Amazon country
Hifiman Svanar Jr vs Samsung Galaxy Buds FE
The Samsung Galaxy Buds FE sound feels like a lighter version of the Hifiman Svanar Jr in the first quick comparison, but there's more to it.
The Buds FE also boosts lower mid-tones quite a bit, but it pits against a more open and honest midrange. Center mid-tones have a clearer tonality, and higher singers have more room to sound more natural.
As the Buds FE separates bass better from the lower-mids, it feels lighter on the lower end. Thanks to its thick lower-mids and warm colouring, the Svanar Jr creates a massive scene the Buds FE can't quite match.
While both earphones don't have multipoint connection, the Samsung outperforms the Hifiman in call clarity, ANC and gaming performance.
Around $80 on Amazon US, Amazon UK or other Amazon countries
Hifiman Svanar Jr vs Nothing Ear (a)
The Hifiman Svanar Jr isn't the only $100 TWS to combine an original design with a strong lower end. The Nothing Ear (a) is a direct competitor.
With stronger Active Noise Cancelling, multipoint connection, app support, and better call quality in crowded and outdoor circumstances, the Nothing Ear (a) feels far ahead of the Svanar Jr - but their sound shows less differences.
Both have a strong focus on the lower end. The Nothing has a more thumping bass on the Nothing, that can be felt easier when you turn the bass up from the app or a song does it out of itself. The Hifiman has a vaster, fuller lower midrange with noticeable bloom compared to the cleaner Nothing. The Ear (a) separates frequencies better and gives (higher) vocals more prominence. It may not be the most natural sounding TWS, but it does sound more balanced than the warmer Svanar Jr.
Around $100 on Amazon US or your Amazon country
Hifiman Svanar Jr vs KZ Xtra
The words full and expansive aren’t exclusive to the Hifiman Svanar Jr - they also apply to the comparably priced KZ Xtra. That doesn't mean these sound the same.
The KZ Xtra takes getting used to coming from the Svanar Jr. The KZ more treble emphasis, inclusive more sibilance (sss-emphasis) and a more metallic underpinning on the upper mid-tones. The KZ also requires more volume to gain its big sound sensation. When you give it, violins, trumpets and other acoustic instruments sound more textured on the KZ, compared to the smoother and more laidback approach of the Svanar Jr - that controls its bass better as well.
Both earbuds aren't the most versatile and lack volume controls and app support. The KZ does have multipoint connection and provides clearer calls.
Between $60 - $80 on Amazon or AliExpress
Hifiman Svanar Jr vs Tinhifi Tinbuds1
Finally, a comparison with a $30 wireless earphone to show a certain Amazon user review that the Hifiman Svanar Jr isn't just any warm sounding earphone.
The Tinhifi Tinbuds1 is one of the most pleasant, warm and smooth sounding wireless earphones, that can also have a sweet big vibe on the highest volumes - so let's race this one against the Svanar Jr.
The difference lies in the execution. While both earphones have the same sound character, the Hifiman offers more width in the sound and resolves center-mid details better, showing more nuances in both vocals and instruments. The sense of size of the sound on the Svanar Jr isn't your run-of-the-mill offering.
Around $30 on AliExpress or Linsoul
Verdict: Hifiman Svanar Jr
The Hifiman Svanar Jr is a unique offering in the insanely crowded market of affordable wireless earphones. Its bizarre design is a conversation starter, and its warm and big sound is remarkably different than most competitors.
Unfortunately, it isn't a great pair for everyday use, thanks to its size, shaky calls and missing features that are now standard around this $100 price point.
Four STARS - Good
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I received the Hifiman Svanar Jr wireless from the manufacturer to test and review. This doesn't influence my judgment. My reviews are 100% independent and non-commercial - read about it here.
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