On their very own, the Apollo provide a pleasantly participating and heat sound. Mixed with a DAC/headphone amplifier, these open-backed cans fulfil extra of their potential.
Professionals
- Heat, nice sound
- Nice aesthetics
- Very snug
Cons
- Amplification will get extra efficiency from them
Availability
- UKRRP: £459
- USARRP: $499
- EuropeRRP: €549
- CanadaRRP: CA$709
- AustraliaRRP: AU$809
Key Options
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Planar magnetic driversFeatures 68mm transducers to supply sound
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Removable earpadsEarpads will be indifferent and changed
Introduction
Sendy Audio is the sister model of Chinese language hi-fi outfit Sivga, they usually share the ambition of manufacturing high-quality cans that supply an audiophile listening expertise.
The Apollo open-backed cans are the primary headphones we’ve examined from Sendy, and the expectation is that they’ll observe within the footsteps of the P-II and Robin SV021 fashions, delivering a heat presentation and aesthetically pleasing seems.
They’re additionally the costliest mannequin we’ve checked out from both Sivga and Sendy, which raises these expectations additional and poses the query as to whether or not they’ll be capable of meet them. Let’s discover out.
Design
- Terrific look and development
- Wonderful consolation
- Use goat’s leather-based in headband
The Apollo are flat-out attractive in look. Handcrafted on the Sendy manufacturing unit, using rosewood emphasises that pure handmade really feel; the shiny end is a stunner, with no imperfections or nicks on the evaluation pattern. The Apollo look nice and really feel nice to the touch, and that’s a part of the rationale that folks take pleasure in hi-fi so.
They’re additionally beautiful to put on. The dimensions of the earcups and padding makes them finest suited to larger heads – smaller ones might really feel swamped by their measurement. The hinges enable some scope for attaining one of the best match, however I don’t assume you’ll have a lot hassle there. The earcups merely swaddle your ears in high-protein padding.
At 385g, they weigh lower than the P-II, and the earpad cushions that softly press in opposition to the top solely grow to be a bit heat throughout use. The cans do really feel unfastened at first, however the headband will be adjusted up or down to suit. Talking of which…
The scarf is produced from mushy and pliable goat’s leather-based, with any stress on the top barely noticeable – wonderful for prolonged use; though vegans ought to in all probability give these headphones a swerve. Left and proper earcups are denoted not simply by the markings on the hinges however contained in the earpads, too.
The open-back mesh housing encompasses a placing daylight design, a reference to Greek God of the Solar (and music), Apollo. The dotted membrane has each aesthetic and acoustic functions, the association of every gap mentioned to affect the tuning of the headphone’s sound. It’s additionally price remembering that as an open design, the headphones do leak sound.
Accompanying the headphones is a pear-shaped leather-based case for storage. It isn’t notably transportable – positioned in a rucksack, it’s like a bag inside a bag – but it surely definitely isn’t the largest carry case I’ve encountered (that may be the one for the Monolith M1070). Inside is a hemp case for carrying the cable and connectors; a 4.4mm balanced effort with 3.5mm adapter. The cable connection on the Apollo is slanted at an angle to keep away from draping over the shoulder when in use.
One different facet to notice is that the earpads are removable and will be changed ought to they grow to be broken.
Options
- Low impendence
- Extensive frequency vary
- Planar magnetic drivers
The Sendy Apollo don’t include options in abundance, as you’d discover with a wi-fi equal. Rattling via them, impendence is rated at 16-ohms, which is much lower than the Sivga P-II or the Grado SR325x on-ears. A determine that low makes them simple to drive but additionally means that amplification is required since with out it the quantity the headphones will output at is low (except you nudge the quantity up in your supply system).
Frequency response is 20Hz to 40kHz, which covers the Hello-Res Audio normal. If in case you have a) the mandatory content material and b) a supply able to taking part in that content material, the Apollo ought to be capable of do the remainder. Sensitivity is 95dB.
The motive force is planar magnetic. In ye olde days when planar expertise was first launched, it was large and heavy, leading to headphones that have been additionally large and heavy. The expertise has superior to the purpose the place it has grow to be each smaller and lighter, utilized in wired headphones with ambitions of being as transportable as their wi-fi cousins.
The Apollo sport a 68mm massive diaphragm transducer for its planar driver, and Sendy refers to using Quad Former expertise in its description of the design. It makes use of two magnets subsequent to a double-coil association both aspect of the diaphragm within the center. Sendy claims this gives “wonderful” electroacoustic vitality effectivity, extraordinarily low distortion, and ups the Apollo’s capability to breed music.
The removable 6N OCC braided cable is 2m in size (one other signal these wouldn’t be finest for transportable use), and Sendy says the cable gives no sign loss in transmission. It additionally doesn’t grow to be too tangled – and when it does, it’s simple to unpick, which provides a number of factors within the comfort stakes.
Sound High quality
- Heat soundstage with first rate width
- Clean vocal efficiency
- Not probably the most dynamic of performers
Having put the Apollo via the beneficial 100 hours of burn-in earlier than listening, the low impendence has been a slight trigger for concern over the course of utilizing them. I’ve plugged them into transportable music gamers and techniques and have all the time needed to push up the quantity considerably. When you’re within the Apollo, it’s a certainty that you just’ll want amplification corresponding to a DAC to get one of the best from them.
By way of expectations, the Apollo do meet what Sendy has requested of them. Listening to them reveals a soft-sounding and heat presentation that’s pleasantly lush at instances. They’re, nonetheless, easy-going headphones to a fault.
Plugged right into a supply, the very first thing I needed to do was increase the quantity – they will sound shy and reticent off the bat. As soon as a degree has been discovered, the Apollo hand over a level of definition, punchiness and sharpness to a pair like Grado’s SR325x on-ears.
This isn’t a like-for-like comparability, in fact – open-backed over-ears vs open-backed on-ears – however listening to the identical tracks, the Grados provide extra dynamism, better expression and definition to devices. Then again, the Sendy heaphones’ heat make bass sound mushy, they usually’re not as ready to pick devices with as a lot readability and provides them their very own distinctly etched area inside a soundstage.
Nonetheless, give the Apollo a high-quality monitor and its attributes come to the fore somewhat nicely. A 24-bit/192kHz file of Coldplay’s God Put A Smile Upon Your Face on an Astell & Kern SR25, and the Apollo ship Chris Martin’s voice with an inviting softness and heat, capturing the adjustments within the pitch of his voice tremendous sufficient and increasing the soundstage with width. Nonetheless, I observed that the repeated drumbeat wasn’t delivered with a lot of a kick, and though the soundstage is vast, the sense of depth to music isn’t fairly felt.
Regardless of this, the Apollo are a constantly nice pay attention. Fleetwood Mac’s The Chain (24-bit/96kHz) shows a good quantity of vigour and vitality within the latter half of the monitor; there’s strong definition to Lindsey Buckingham’s Dobro guitar, in addition to good, vivid texture to devices and cheap quantity of perception that’s married to a good sense of timing – though, as talked about, extra definition and sharpness would assist.
Used with a laptop computer and an EarMen Eagle DAC, there’s extra to be gained by way of readability, element and definition. The Apollo + Eagle mixture renders devices extra distinctly, increasing the soundstage even additional, giving bass a firmer basis in addition to a punch in some extra vitality and pleasure.
On their very own, there’s first rate sufficient brightness reaped from Takuya Kuroda’s Fade (16-bit/44.1khz), however extra is elicited with the Eagle DAC for a richer, expressive and dynamic efficiency. Add a DAC to those headphones and also you’ve bought a profitable mixture; with out one, the Apollo stay a strong and nice pay attention.
Newest offers
Do you have to purchase it?
For the nice and cozy presentation and wonderful seems Aesthetically, the look of the Sendy Apollo is nice, they’re snug to put on, and when you take pleasure in a heat hug of a sound then you definately’ll doubtless discover these interesting.
You’ll want a DAC to get one of the best out of them The low impedance makes them simple to drive with amplification and including a DAC to your setup will reap higher efficiency.
Closing Ideas
The Sendy Apollo produce a mushy, lush and heat presentation, but it surely’s an strategy that leaves them quick in a number of areas – specifically definition and dynamism. For budding audiophiles, the Apollo could also be a pair that can make you conscious of the position headphone amplification and high-quality sources play in a hi-fi setup.
On their very own, the Apollo are a pleasurable listening expertise, though I’m all the time struck by the sensation I may very well be getting extra from the music to which I’m listening. Pair these headphones with a DAC, and it helps the Apollo realise extra of their potential.
Trusted Rating
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We check each headphones we evaluation completely over an prolonged time frame. We use trade normal assessments to check options correctly. We’ll all the time inform you what we discover. We by no means, ever, settle for cash to evaluation a product.
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Examined over a number of weeks
Examined with a variety music recordsdata and streaming providers
