Sendy Audio Apollo

This is a review of these Sendy Audio Apollo headphones. Direct from China, these are quite capable headphones that offer high-end comfort and good performance at mid-fi prices. Sendy Audio is a Sivga Audio brand.

Design

The Sendy Audio Apollo are circumaural open-backed headphones with a 68mm planar magnetic driver designed for low distortion, high consistency with a high level of efficiency, the impedance of these headphones is just 16 Ohms. Based on three years of research, the planar magnetic driver features dual magnetic coils and dual coils on the diaphragm. This technology is called Quad-Former technology by Sendy and it offers an even push-pull on the diaphragm, each side, it makes sense to me anyway.

The Apollo have a distinctive steel mesh design on the outside that features a ten point star in black that is supposed to represent sunlight, hence the name Apollo. The driver and cushion itself are housed in a beautifully presented Rosewood frame that has a high gloss, high end feel. It all looks pretty stylish.

The thin but padded flexible headband on the Apollo is apparently made of goat skin and sits under the lightweight frame supporting each circular earcup. The balanced detachable cable input on each ear cup side faces forward, ensuring no cable issues with collars etc. The Left-Right labelling is very clear inside each ear cup. The earpads are detachable and can be replaced if required, I don’t get the sense you’ll need to do that.

Quality

The Sendy Audio Apollo have a quality feel and a good sense of being solidly constructed and longevity. The rosewood earcup case is sumptuous and a really nice touch. The headband is suitably compliant with the floppy goat skin band being rather comfortable. The cables are detachable and therefore upgradeable.

In respect of specification, the Sendy Audio Apollo headphones have a quoted frequency range of 20Hz-40kHz and a sensitivity of 95dB. Being planar magnetic, the Sendy Audio Apollo are relatively easy to drive at just 16 Ohms. The headphones are 395g in weight.

The Sendy Audio Apollo is priced at €499

In the box, you get a 2m balanced 4.4mm cable braided cable with a short 4.4mm-3.5mm adaptor. There is a hemp bag for cable storage and a solid carry case I guess for transport, suitcase-style travelling.

Performance

Review Equipment

I’m reviewing using the Chord Hugo 2 here as well as the new Mojo 2 on my desktop and the excellent iFi Pro iDSD connected to a DELL laptop. It was suggested I run these in for 100 hours and I have certainly got most of the way there and I get the impression they are improving daily.

Physically

The headphones are very comfortable, as loungewear, and the overall tone makes them long listening. I would not envisage wearing these headphones on the move, travelling/commuting, I think you are in Sivga Robin territory for that with this brand. I find the goat skin headband in the frame works well. The earpads are large with a clear left-right notation which I like.

Cable wise, I like the braided cable that offers no perceptible noise ‘rub’ at all, the length is great for lounge use.

The Playlist I have used is here.

Soundstage

With the Chord Hugo 2, I would not call the soundstage ‘big’, but enough; there is, however, assurance and confidence to the sound. If I listen to familiar tracks like Miles Kane’s bouncy Don’t Forget Who You Are (Qobuz 16 bit, 44.1kHz) there is plenty of spring, but the soundstage is a little light for me. Strangely, I prefer these Apollos with the Mojo 2, though I have adjusted the (complicated) DSP settings to my ears so that makes sense. I get the same soundstage with the ifi Pro iDSD HA/DAC so it is the headphones talking here.

Resolution

Back on the Hugo 2, there is enough resolution here, listening to some gentle, new Jazz vocal recommended in Qobuz, Susanne Abbuehl is beautifully presented, her opening track on The Gift, released in 2013, called The Cloud (Qobuz 24 bit, 88.2kHz) is soft and the vocal clear and delicate; the headphones do a fine job of allowing you to scan the soundstage for different instruments, flutes, trumpets (beautifully leading in the centre), snare brush etc. The breath from the trumpet in My River Runs to You is really quite notable, I then check in with the familiar Grant Green track Idle Moments (Qobuz 24 bit, 192kHz) to make sure I’m hearing the detail I’m thinking I am, and all the clarity is there, terrific. The top hat is soft and warm.

I feel in tone these headphones are warm; at the low end, they are controlled and not overbearing, for example in Coldplay’s Everglow (Qobuz 24 bit, 192kHz). There is no perceptible high-end harshness to these headphones which makes for long listening, particularly with a Hugo2/2Go arrangement in my hiding places around the house at the weekend.

Thoughts

be on the lookout for this brand in the future

This has to be one of the toughest segments in HiFi, headphones under £500. With Grado, Beyerdynamic, B&W, Sennheiser and the like, generating new products monthly, this is a hard product space, but these Sendy Audio Apollo are a decent shout and when they get a UK distributor, be on the lookout for this brand in the future.

Overall

a warm and wholly forgiving sound with plenty of resolution

I mean at this price point with this build quality, the woodwork, the stylish design look, not to mention a warm and wholly forgiving sound with plenty of resolution, this is an impressive package, and I am delighted by this new brand. It is nice to hear quality headphones without a booming bass attracting all the attention.

Specification

Full details are on the company’s site