Today’s review is about the Sendy Audio Aiva 2, an open-back headphone with a planar magnetic driver and wooden earcups.
The review sample was kindly provided free of charge in exchange for an honest review. I didn’t receive monetary or any other kind of compensation and I don’t use affiliate links.
The price of the Sendy Audio Aiva 2 is €599 and you can buy it from Sivga – Sendy Audio official store or AliExpress store.
Sendy Audio
Sendy Audio is a sub-brand of SIVGA, a company known for making high-quality headphones and earphones with wooden enclosures. Honestly speaking, I don’t know what the actual differences are between the two brands, as their headphones are quite similar in terms of design and the materials they use. One possible difference might be that Sendy Audio focuses more on critical listening and reference tunings than SIVGA.
Sendy Audio was practically inactive for several years, but now the brand is back with several new headphone models, the Aiva 2, the Apollo Pro and the Egret, as well as a desktop DAC/amp, the Kylin.
You can click here to read all previous Sivga reviews.
Sendy Audio Aiva 2
One of the latest Sendy Audio headphones is the Aiva 2, the successor of the Aiva model which was released almost 7 years ago. It is an open-back planar magnetic headphone with wooden earcups.
The diaphragm of Aiva 2 driver is made of high strength and high flexibility material, whose thickness is only 1μm. This ultra-thin material ensures clear performance for the mid and high frequencies, as well as strong penetration and good dynamic characteristics.
Design and Build Quality
The headphone’s earcups are made from high-quality zebrawood, with a CNC-machined aluminium outer frame and a stainless steel mesh featuring a pattern inspired by mermaid scales. The gimbals and adjustment mechanism are made from aluminium, while the outer frame of the headband is made from steel. The inner strap that rests on the head is a single piece of stitched lamb leather. The visual resemblance with the Sivga P2 Pro is quite obvious and doesn’t need more explanation.
The Sendy Audio Aiva 2 is a very well-made and assembled headphone, built to last. Its classy appearance gives it a more premium look than its price might suggest. Unlike many competing headphones, it uses no plastic, which contributes to its relatively high weight which is 420g.
Wearing Experience
The earpads have a unique contoured design and a 50mm inner diameter that makes them spacious enough to accommodate the entire ear. They are filled with soft memory foam, with protein leather covering the outer perimeter and skin-friendly velvet on the part that touches the face. The earcups can freely rotate and swivel, helping to achieve a more personalized fit, while the headband strap does a good job of distributing the weight evenly without creating a pressure point.
The Aiva 2 might be a little heavier than the competition, but it is actually a very comfortable headphone that you can wear continuously without needing to take a break. The clamping force is medium to low, so headbanging is not a good idea, and the headphone doesn’t produce any strange noises during use or adjustment. The adjustment mechanism might feel a little loose out of the box, so don’t forget to tighten its screws with a small screwdriver.
Cable and Accessories
Just like all Sivga headphones, the Sendy Audio Aiva 2 features a dual 3.5mm cable interface and comes equipped with a 2m long, 6N single-crystal copper cable. It is a high-quality braided cable with durable outer sheathing and metallic hardware that doesn’t get tangled or produce much friction noise. It is terminated with a 4.4mm plug, and a 4.4mm female to 3.5mm male pigtail adapter is also included. So simple, yet so practical and cost-effective. I wish all headphone manufacturers would do the same.
The package also contains a high-quality rigid carrying case and a hemp bag for storing the cable. Everything necessary is included, without any fancy extras that would only serve to increase the cost.
Sensitivity and Impedance
With a rated impedance of 32Ω and a sensitivity of 96dB, the Aiva 2 is not particularly difficult to drive, especially for a planar magnetic headphone that requires plenty of current.
USB DAC dongles are generally not recommended, apart from perhaps some more powerful models, such as the FiiO QX13 in desktop mode. I much preferred listening to the Aiva 2 with a powerful DAP, such as the iBasso DX270 in 12V mode, or even better, with a dedicated headphone amplifier like the Aune S17 Pro Evo, with notable improvements in the low-end performance. Also note that sources and amplifiers with a thicker, slightly warmer presentation tend to make a better sonic match with the Aiva 2.
Listening Impressions
The Aiva 2 is a neutral-balanced headphone with a clean and highly technical presentation, placing particular emphasis on treble clarity and definition. It is suitable for reference and critical listening, where layering and definition are more important than thick, weighty textures.
The low-end performance is focused on tonal precision rather than sounding overly fun or exciting. The Aiva 2 has all the means to reproduce the first octave properly, but does so in a completely linear manner, without adding the slightest emphasis. The same philosophy applies from the lower to the upper bass, which is exceptionally neutral and balanced. All low-pitched instruments are reproduced with impressive accuracy, from their fundamental notes to their most complex harmonics.
The driver can handle sudden dynamic swings with ease, but don’t expect powerful or physically impactful bass. The textures are rather lean and dry, more descriptive than weighty. The Aiva 2 is fast, tight and controlled, with outstanding clarity and resolution for the category.
Listening to classical music is a pure pleasure, not only because of the lifelike presentation but also thanks to the excellent layering and steady pace, even in the most demanding passages. The Aiva 2 is ideal for acoustic music and reference listening applications, but it wouldn’t be my primary choice for rock or for raising the party mood.
More Listening Impressions
The mid-range is also tuned with balance in mind and behaves particularly well in the upper mid-range, where the engineers have opted for a slightly reduced amplitude to avoid making it sound piercing or shouty. The overall tonal balance is very convincing and the timbre quite realistic. However, the Aiva 2 is not particularly adept at highlighting harmonics or adding any distinctive personality to the music.
Where it really excels, and perhaps even outperforms the competition, is in the clarity and precision of its articulation, excellent inner separation, impressive definition and balanced voicing. You can always use the right source to make it sound more organic and musical while still enjoying its excellent technical performance, which is arguably class-leading.
The treble rises all the way into the brilliance range, with all the implications this has for an overall presentation that is notably bright, crisp, luminous and unforgiving. Source matching is really important here to avoid an overly bright and sharp sound that can quickly lead to fatigue. Lower-quality recordings don’t fare particularly well either.
And some more…
I can see many people enjoying this kind of tuning for its brilliance and sparkle, as well as its excellent detail retrieval, but it should also be noted that some discerning listeners may find the timbre too metallic and artificial. It all depends on personal preferences, the music being played and the chain behind the headphone. I wouldn’t describe the Aiva 2 as an ultra-treble-focused headphone. The overall sonic coherency is still acceptable, but the treble is undeniably the star of the show, and this may work well or not for you.
The soundstage is generally speaking good, it does pretty much everything well but doesn’t particularly excel in any specific area. What matters most, though, is that it is open and spacious enough to never sound congested, while the imaging is precise enough to let the listener focus on individual sonic elements. Large symphonic works sound convincing enough, while smaller ensembles retain their intimate presentation.
In the End
After an extended pause, Sendy Audio is back with the Aiva 2, a well-made and beautifully designed headphone that is comfortable to wear and comes generously accessorized.
It features a specialized, treble-focused tuning, with balanced mids and lows, that will appeal to listeners seeking an analytical and highly technical presentation without the usual fatigue, or a headphone for attentive critical listening. If you are one of those listeners, then the Aiva 2 definitely deserves a place on your shortlist.
Pros
Neutral-bright tuning that is not overly fatiguing
Class-leading technical performance
Textured and well-defined bass
Very good clarity and resolution
Spacious and convincing soundstage
Very comfortable despite its increased weight
Not particularly difficult to drive
Excellent build quality and design
High-quality balanced cable with a 3.5mm adapter
Hard carrying case
Cons
Definitely bright and unforgiving
Specialized tuning that won’t appeal to everyone
Leaner and drier textures rather than weighty and full-bodied
Soundstage is not particularly immersive or holographic
Scales better with desktop gear
Faces tough competition
Copyright – 2026.
Authored by Petros Laskis for Ichos Reviews. All content is original and copyrighted. Republishing full reviews or portions without written permission is prohibited. Excerpts up to 100 words are allowed with a direct link.
Leave a comment