The HiFiMAN Audivina LE is a full-sized closed-back headphone with a planar magnetic driver featuring HiFiMAN’s NEO Supernano diaphragm. It is currently priced at around 399 USD.
The Final DX3000CL is also a full-sized closed-back headphone, but it uses a dynamic driver with a paper-carbon composite diaphragm. It is currently priced at around 599 USD.
FINAL DX3000CL SPECIFICATIONS
- Type: Closed-back, full-sized headphone
- Driver: Dynamic driver with a paper-carbon composite diaphragm
- Sensitivity: 96 dB/mW
- Impedance: 37 ohms (1kHz)
- Housing material: Resin
- Headband: padded metal
- Cable: 2 m OFC cable
- Cable connectors: dual 3.5 mm
- Cable termination: 4.4 mm with 6.35 mm adapter
- Weight: 410g
Current price and availability
- Audio46: Final DX3000CL
HIFIMAN AUDIVINA LE SPECIFICATIONS
- Design: Over-Ear / Closed-back
- Driver: Planar Magnetic
- Impedance: 20 ohms
- Sensitivity: 96 dB/mW
- Stealth Magnets
- NEO Supernano Diaphragm
- Frequency Response: 5 Hz – 55,000 Hz
- Headband: Gen. 2 strap
- Earpads: hybrid pleather and fabric. Velcro attachment
- Cable Connection: Detachable cable with 3.5 mm connectors on the earcups
- Cables:
- • 1.5-meter cable with a 3.5 mm plug
- • 3-meter cable with a 6.35 mm (1/4″) plug
- • 3-meter balanced XLR cable
- Travel case: soft shell
- Weight: 449 g
Current price and availability:
- Amazon: Audivina LE
- AliExpress: Audivina LE
BUILD AND DESIGN
The Audivina LE and the DX3000CL are very differently designed closed-back headphones.
The DX3000CL has large circular cups and a padded headband. The Audivina LE has egg-shaped oval cups and a strap headband.
PADS
The DX3000CL has very thick all-pleather pads that isolate extremely well but can become very warm to wear. It uses the standard lip-and-groove system, so you can easily replace the pads with third-party options. This may affect the sound, but I like the Micro Suede XL pads from Brainwavz as a more breathable alternative that does not significantly change the sonic character.
The Audivina LE has HiFiMAN’s ear-shaped (egg-shaped) design, which, for me, is more comfortable, maybe most of all because of the hybrid pad material choice: there is pleather on the sides and breathable fabric on the side that touches your skin.
ISOLATION
When it comes to isolating noise from the surroundings, there is no contest: the DX3000CL is far superior to the Audivina LE.
In terms of sound isolation and leakage, the DX3000CL is better than the average closed-back, while the Audivina LE is worse.
CABLES
Both headphones use dual 3.5 mm connectors on the headphone cups. The Audivina LE comes with a selection of three different cables. The DX3000CL only comes with one cable, which is terminated in a 4.4 mm jack, but a nice adapter to 6.35 mm is included.
LISTENING IMPRESSIONS
Associated equipment:
- Amplifier: Topping A90
- DAC/Amp: Ferrum Erco mk2
The Kennel by Karl Strømme
The Audivina LE sounds very spacious, with an excellent, articulate level of detail. The space between instruments is large. The bass is modest in quantity but feels well behaved.
The DX3000CL has a bit more bass, but the soundstage is smaller and the imaging less pinpointed. It generally feels less detailed and articulate. However, it comes more to life if I crank up the volume. The Audivana, on the other hand, sounds its best at lower volumes.
In the Mountains by Espen Eriksen Trio
The DX3000CL sounds very nice, with rich bass and a generally smooth feel. The Audivina LE has less bass and feels brighter, but also more articulate and detailed, with sharper imaging.
Again, the Audivina LE sounds very clean at lower volumes but becomes a bit unfriendly if the volume is cranked up. The DX3000CL sounds better at moderate to high volumes.
Re-Melt by Tord Gustavsen Trio
The Audivina LE is very spacious, and the percussion is very snappy. The DX3000CL has a smaller soundstage, and the background is not as black. However, the treble and especially the upper mids feel smoother, and again, I can crank up the volume more with the DX3000CL.
Teardrop by Massive Attack
The Audivina LE is spacious and fast-sounding. The bass is not massive, but it is clearly present, with nice texture. The vocals are bright but not sharp, as long as I do not crank up the volume.
The DX3000CL has more bass, but it is still tight. It is less spacious, with smoother vocals. It has a more relaxed sound. Again, it can be cranked up and actually sound better.
Eye of The Day by Marta del Grandi
The DX3000CL has more bass and smoother, warmer vocals. The Audivina LE is much more spacious, and the vocals are brighter and more brittle. Everything sounds thinner – the background is blacker.
Spontaneous Compositorius by Thomas Agergard
The bright percussion on this track can become a bit sharp with certain headphones, and the Audivina LE is indeed among those. The sound is clean but a bit piercing. The sax and bass sound nice, though.
The DX3000CL has a smoother, darker overall character, but the bright percussion is still bright, just less so than on the Audivina LE.
Stand by Me by Stephen Wilson Jr
They are very different here. The DX3000CL is much more intimate, warmer, and thicker. The Audivina LE sounds thinner, sharper, and crisper, but also more detailed. As long as I keep the volume below my medium level, it sounds very good, but the DX3000CL feels more musical and natural.
Summer 3 Vivaldi Recomposed by Max Richter
The Audivina LE sounds spacious, bright, and thin, with a lot of detail. The DX3000CL sounds much darker and thicker at the same volume level, but it comes more to life when I turn the volume up a bit.
Vicarious by Tool
The DX3000CL sounds very good here, slightly rich and thick, yet still quite neutral and well balanced. The Audivina LE is not made for enjoying this track. There is a lot of detail, but things sound thin and the vocals are sibilant. It’s ok at low listening levels, though.
WRAPPING IT UP
Listening Volume
Comparing the DX3000CL and the Audivina LE was a bit challenging, because the Audivina LE shines at moderate to low listening levels, while the DX3000CL excels at moderate to higher levels.
Sound Signature
The DX3000CL is quite neutral, with a warm touch, and it really loosens up at higher volume levels. The Audivina LE is brighter and crisper, which gives you a very detailed listening experience at lower volumes.
Treble
The Audivina LE is significantly brighter than the DX3000CL, which I would categorize as neutral. They are both very detailed, but the Audivina LE more so.
Midrange
The midrange is thicker, warmer, and more upfront with the DX3000CL. The Audivina LE has a textured, detailed midrange with a more recessed character.
Bass
The DX3000CL has more bass. It sounds very natural, but it is a bit bassier than I would call completely neutral or flat. The Audivina LE is more modest, though not by a huge margin.
Soundstage and Imaging
The Audivina LE has a huge soundstage and excellent imaging, not only for a closed-back headphone but compared to most open-back headphones.
The DX3000CL feels very good by itself, but in direct comparison to the Audivina LE, it is clearly more intimate, with a less black background and poorer instrument separation.
Detail, Dynamics, and Timbre
The Audivina LE has excellent detail, although it is delivered in a somewhat sharp manner. The DX3000CL is great, but you need to play it at a higher volume level to get the same amount of perceived detail.
At lower listening levels, the Audivina LE has more dynamic contrast, impressively so. But when you crank up the volume, the Audivina LE becomes fatiguing, while the DX3000CL becomes more enjoyable and feels very dynamic and lively.
When it comes to general instrument timbre, it is a bit difficult. The Audivina LE sounds relatively neutral at low listening levels, but becomes crisp and sharp when cranked up. The DX3000CL has a more neutral, slightly warm timbre in the bass and mids, and a quite neutral timbre in the highs.
CONCLUSION
The Audivina LE and the DX3000CL are two very different headphones, each with distinct advantages. The most important difference is how they perform at different listening levels. The Audivina LE gives you incredible detail, imaging, and soundstage at medium to low listening levels, but it tends to sound sharp and fatiguing when you crank up the volume. The DX3000CL sounds less detailed at low listening levels, but it can be cranked up and sounds better for it.
The DX3000CL is a neutral-to-warm-sounding headphone that opens up at moderate to high listening levels. It also offers great passive noise isolation, but the included pads might feel warm during long sessions.
The Audivina LE leans much brighter and isolates less. However, it excels at lower volumes more than almost any headphone I have heard.
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- Amazon: Audivina LE
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- Audio46: Final DX3000CL
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