Sivga Luan review: Beating Meze at its own game

Sivga isn't a brand most of you will be familiar with, but the Chinese manufacturer is slowly gaining momentum on the back of wood-based designs and custom tuning. Of course, Meze did the same thing a decade ago, and the 99 Classics continues to be a standout product. I reviewed the 99 Classics last year, and it didn't take long to realize that it is one of the best-sounding headphones in the sub-$500 category.

Sivga is following in the same path, and the Luan shares a lot of similarities to the 99 Classics. It costs $299 on Amazon — just $10 less than Meze's offering — and has dynamic drivers and a wooden enclosure that looks great. The key difference is that the Luan offers an open back design, while the 99 Classics is closed-back.

I'll get to the sound in a bit, but as always, let's start with the design. There's definitely a lot to talk about in this area, and the Luan stands out for its usage of wood; most products in this segment use a mix of plastic and metal, and there's just something inherently cool about headphones with a housing made out of wood.

The Luan is available in two finishes, and the walnut model I'm using is sublime. Sivga did a brilliant job with the design, and what I particularly like is that the headphones are color-matched to the wooden housing, so the earpads and the headband have a similar color scheme. The end result is that the Luan looks striking, and the design is pretty distinctive.

Sivga also deserves credit for using no plastic in the chassis of the Luan; the headphones feature an abundance of steel for the swivel mechanism and the headband, and the build quality is exquisite. There's a good amount of swivel, and the external grille has a standard mesh pattern. Basically, the Luan doesn't look or feel like a pair of headphones that costs just $299.

The wooden housing is sanded down and polished, and after two months of extended use, the Luan shows no signs of wear. The headband has a leather insert with foam padding that does a great job distributing the weight, and even though the Luan weighs 354g, it doesn't feel like it.

There is a decent amount of swivel to the earpads, and they're lined with velvet. The pads are large enough that there's no issue with sizing, and the foam inserts are extremely soft, ensuring they stay comfortable even after extended use. There isn't a lot of clamping force, and while the headphones have a snug fit, the plush pads ensure there's no fatigue.

The Luan connects via two 3.5mm plugs, and the other end of the cable has a balanced 4.4mm connector. The bundled cable is of a decent quality, and like the rest of the design, it is also color-matched to the headphones. The Luan is bundled inside a hard shell carrying case made out of leather, and it is one of the best cases you'll see in this segment. It does a great job safeguarding the headphones, and it has feet at the bottom that allows it to stay upright.

Coming to the sound, the Luan has a neutral characteristic that lends itself well to a diverse range of genres. The bass is detailed and fast, but it doesn't have the same rumble as other dynamic driver-based designs in this category, so if you listen to a lot of bass-heavy music, you'll need to tweak the EQ. There is good definition overall, but a little extension in the sub-bass region would have made the Luan that much more immersive.

The mids have a natural presentation, and vocals come through clean and clear. The dynamics are fantastic, there's good instrument separation, and the Luan shines with ensemble pieces. The treble has good extension, and there's a sense of airiness to the mix, and while there is some sibilance at times, it isn't overly harsh.

The soundstage is among the best in this class, and Sivga didn't really put a foot wrong in this regard. The Luan does a great job with detail rendition, and while I would have liked a slightly elevated bass, that's the only quibble I have with the headphones.

Outside of that, Sivga did a magnificent job with the Luan. The headphones have a sublime design, and the generous use of wood and steel allows them to stand out from other products in this category. There are zero issues with the build quality, and the Luan is extremely comfortable in daily use. One of the main reasons I used the 99 Classics is because of the lightweight design and fit, and while the Luan is heavier, I didn't notice the added heft.

The sound also plays a big part, and the neutral signature along with excellent dynamics makes the Luan a viable contender to the likes of the HD6XX. Ultimately, if you want open back headphones with a neutral sound and an eye-catching design, you can't go wrong with the Luan.