Sivga Robin SV021 Pro review: confounding home hi-fi headphones that look the part, but don’t quite sound it | Tech Radar

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Sivga's winsome wired headphones look the part but, in testing, I found the bass was a bulging mess of directionless energy

The Sivga Robin SV021 Pro are solid wired over-ear headphones that punch above their budget, but with a bassy elephant in the room

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The Sivga Robin SV021 Pro are a mixed bag of hi-fi listening potential, pairing some extremely impressive treble performance with a disappointingly disordered low end. They look great, are comfortable to wear and can stay worn for hours at a time without issue. Nevertheless, some quality-of-life grumblings present themselves, from a rattly construction to the placement of the cable ports. For you, they might be the ideal budget listening headphones for your home hi-fi. For me, they’re curate's egg headphones: simultaneously a delight and a slight disappointment.

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The Sivga Robin SV021 Pro are some primo-looking over-ears, designed to compete quite handily in a febrile market of Middleweight Listener Headphones That Tend To Feature Some Kind Of Wood In Their Construction. True to their mission, everything about the SV021 Pro is, at the very least, good — if not great — albeit with some caveats.

I went from absolutely loving them to pretty assuredly ‘meh’-ing them, and back again, multiple times during the course of my review. Even now, I don’t quite know what to make of them. They look the part, but sometimes feel a bit flimsy; they’re extremely comfortable, but might not fit smaller heads as well as mine; they sound great with respect to mids and highs, but the bass is off-kilter to the point that a quite-good soundstage is often choked. Every action, an opposite reaction (if not equal, per se).

Through all that, and on average, they quietly and not-so-surprisingly get decently strong grades – all the way to getting a good spot at the local polytechnic, and a dependable job with a reputable multinational firm. A win by technicality. A VAR victory.

What does this mean? That I’ve probably been a bit mean about them; that they’re pretty good, both in general and for the price. I think? But among the best wired headphones on the market? I'm not sure.

Sivga Robin SV021 Pro review: Price and release date

Sivga is a Chinese hi-fi brand, one which has been carving a space for itself in the wearable audio world since 2016. It sits pretty within a (relatively) new coterie of of industry-disrupting Chinese audio brands, leveraging experience and regional manufacturing capabilities to undercut a lot of the big names.

Indeed, Sivga has clearly taken aim at a handful of key operators in the headphones space, at least with its latest tranche of wood-plated objet d’audio. They seem pointed to the general space otherwise occupied by such listener-chic over-ears as the Meze Audio 99 Classics — and designed to undercut them quite handily.

The Sivga Robin SV021 Pro, are a successor set of closed-back over-ear headphones, improving on the OG SV021s with an smooth redesign and some quietly upgraded innards. They retail at

That’s a hotly contested price range for headphones more generally, but not so much for this new breed of bougie-aesthetic, headphones-as-statement home-listening accoutrements — headphones designed to be thought of differently.

Hemp pouch, 3.5mm TRS to dual 3.5mm TS cable, 6.3mm TRS adapter

Hemp pouch, 3.5mm TRS to dual 3.5mm TS cable, 6.3mm TRS adapter

The Sivga Robin SV021 Pro are a pair of passive, closed-back over-ear headphones and, hence, there’s not much to say on the features front. They do one thing, and one thing only: receive sound from your amplified sound source of choice.

How it does that, though, may be of note. The Robins are equipped with 50mm dynamic drivers, utilizing an aluminum composite diaphragm that gives them a sort-of trademark upper-register solidity. These are powerful performers with respect to high mids and treble, as we’re about to discover.

The frequency range remains the same as the OG SV021, at a relatively unremarkable 20 Hz - 20k Hz. That said, the new driver design yields a slightly higher impedance of 45 ohms. By asking for a just a little bit more juice, the Pros give a little more richness in return.

Each ear cup is separately addressed by a 3.5mm TS connector; the SV021 Pro ship with a braided dual 3.5mm TS to 3.5mm TRS cable, terminated with some very suave-looking matte-aluminum connectors. They look the part, and they certainly don’t get in the way sonically.

The bigger USP here, really, is the visual design, more on which shortly. For now, though, the SV021 Pro come in two distinct colorways — beechwood and zebrawood. The former features bright wood earcups with silvery hardware and Wes-Anderson-chic tan fabrics, while the latter pairs a streaky walnut-esque wood finished with smoky metals and executive-chic black fabrics.

Both come with the requisite cable, a 3.5mm - 6.35mm adapter, and a nice hemp pouch to keep them in. That being said, I don’t think the bag would do much to protect them from the rigors of public transport, nor do I think these headphones are particularly travel-friendly in general.

Ultimately, there’s not much to complain about. Audiophiles might be upset at the lack of potential for balanced outputs, and I might be upset at the somewhat-hamstrung frequency range on offer, but everything else points to an above-average performer at a below-average price point, as far as passive headphones go.

The SV021 Pros are, put simply, a mixed bag. There’s a great deal of good here, from a decently spacious soundstage to a general, non-fatiguing brightness in their representation, which lends even more to that soundstage.

In fact, it’s the Sivga SV021 Pro’s handling of high-end that sets it apart. Something like Pile’s Blood, a minimalist guitar-and-ambience ode to agnosticism, sounds as excitingly tactile, brittle and frail as it should. There’s an airy sheen here, thanks to which voices sound absolutely phenomenal.

Mitski’s latest album Nothing’s About To Happen To Me was on heavy rotation in my final few days' reviewing these headphones, both at its Hi-Res 24-bit/96k Hz best on Qobuz and at its analog best on vinyl. It was an absolute joy to scrutinize through the SV021 Pro, if only for giving a little more space to Mitski’s satin-silk vocal timbre. I’ll Change For You is every bit the tear-jerking ballad it was written to be, vocal front, center and soaring. Where’s My Phone? simply has 'the juice'.

There’s a delightful tightness to transients, tissy hi-hats and high-tuned snares alike. Reedy instruments benefit from both that air and tactility, as do soft-played pianos — all of which speaks to a slightly more even-handed frequency response than the sharp V-shaped profile of the OG SV021s. There is still some prominent V-ing going on here, though, as demonstrated by the double-edged sword that is the SV021 Pros’ handling of bass.

It’s refreshing to hear a set of headphones with a supple low midrange; it lends gravitas to crooners like Mitski, and gives a lot of welcome energy to the rockier stuff. Despite the brighter sound profile, listening to Queens of the Stone Age’s Songs for the Deaf, revealed no ‘lack’ in heft. In fact, the transient response gives a little more grit to the brighter guitars of No One Knows, and some gratifying growl to the bass.

Unfortunately, the low end is as much a problem as a presence. I’d go as far as to say that the SV021 Pro overcompensate. When injecting them with any amount of audio-volume welly, the bass builds into a bulging mess of directionless energy.

Something as delicate as Mitski’s Dead Women, a soft-sold Trojan horse of rich and unsettling bassy weight, is run a little roughshod by the Robins; subby energy quickly becomes overwhelming, choking the dynamics and ultimately feeling to cramp the soundstage with pillows. Feed the Robins a little too much in the way of sub, and you may even catch some distortion.

That said, they are capable of handling more curated instances of bass fairly well. Mitski’s I’ll Change For You has a thick-thumping kick and a woolly electric bass, which benefit greatly from that upward EQ tilt towards the lower reaches.

All told, I don’t think I’ve had a more confusing experience evaluating a set of headphones. There’s a lot to love, and to love a great deal, about the SV021 Pros’ upper register definition and even-handedness; about their transient reproduction; about how all this comes together without creating a fatiguing listening experience. And yet, there’s a big bassy elephant in the room, that loves to stand right in your peripheries making things feel awkward and a bit small, actually.

For their sins, the SV021 Pro are quite an enjoyable listen. Whether it’s the kind of balanced, sensitive listen their wood-backed home-listener aesthetic is selling, I’m not quite as sold.

As far as aesthetics go, the SV021 Pro are absolutely a winner. My review headphones were the beechwood variant, bearing bright earcups and tan fabrics in the way of a tight velour and a soft pleather – all mounted in matte aluminum hardware. The fabrics suit my tastes to the ground, and the wider look of the headphones is great (if a little school-cafeteria-furniture-y, in certain lights).

They are a little lighter in weight than they look, which I initially interpreted to be a not-so-good thing, but which actually turned out to be a Very Good Thing Indeed. Particularly so for the fact that they’re so dang comfortable to wear.

The earcup cushions are pillowy as anything, and that soft velour fabric around your head is supremely soft. The pleather that furnishes the inside and outside of each cup is surprisingly soft, too. The only reason for which I ever felt even slight discomfort wearing them was for their closed-back nature – after a while in any set of closed-backs, you can expect your ears to get a little claustro.

There’s a ratchet system attaching each earcup to the headband, by which height is set. The system is reassuringly secure, if a little bit rattly when not on your bonce. I am the recipient of a surprisingly small head, and the very lowest setting for each ear cup is about perfect for me; others with smaller heads may encounter some difficulties.

Another minor complaint comes from the placement of the output terminals on each earcup — at the bottom, facing straight down — which isn’t great in practice. There’s a great deal of sound transferred to the cups through the cord, so you’re practically guaranteed to hear the consequences of those braided cables rubbing on your shoulders whether you stand or sit.

I wasn’t sure where I’d fall on the Sivga Robin SV021 Pro, and, writing this up now, I’m still not. Ultimately, they’re decent. Initially, they didn’t blow me away, but with time I found real magic in certain areas. Yet, for each parcel of magic, I found a bit of a nuisance counterargument. Broadly, they certainly don’t fall short of what they’re promising.

They strike me as a less-expensive alternative to something like the Meze Audio 99 Classics; a budget-conscious option for more-than-serviceable over-ear hi-fi, that doesn’t also do away with any sense of rarefied visual design by virtue of price. A distinguished pair of listener headphones for the entry level.

In this sense, the SV021 Pro succeed. For the money, you get a highly dependable set of headphones that look the part, are remarkably easy to wear for long stretches, and don’t give you much reason to complain while you’re wearing them — provided you don’t push them too hard. If you like the look of them and like the look of that price point, you’re probably going to like them a lot.

But. If you’re the kind of person that generally desires a little ‘more’ from passive headphones like these, in any sense of the term, you might be left wanting. Their EQ balance and low-end handling leaves a little to be desired, and, smart as the design is, there are a few missed opportunities from a quality-of-life standpoint. In particular, the transmission of vibrations through the cable, and the solidity of the ear cups as they attach to the headband.

Maybe I’ve been spoiled by other iterations of this ‘hygge’ headphone style, and maybe I’ve been a bit of a curmudgeon in the process of reviewing these, ultimately, extremely serviceable over-ears. Their comfort and quality, overall, already go some way to justifying that asking price. Everything else, for me, is just a bit of a juggle.

Sivga Robin SV021 Pro review: Should you buy them?

Solid passive over-ears, but missing balanced outputs.

Solid passive over-ears, but missing balanced outputs.

Titanium composite drivers promote high-end performance. Messy bass response much to their detriment.

Titanium composite drivers promote high-end performance. Messy bass response much to their detriment.

Very easy on the eye, slightly undone by rattling headband mechanism and cable sound contamination.

Very easy on the eye, slightly undone by rattling headband mechanism and cable sound contamination.

There are better budget listening headphones out there, and better wood-backed headphones too.

There are better budget listening headphones out there, and better wood-backed headphones too.

You like the look of them It’s hard to fault the these headphones' visuals, and harder still to argue against the power of a good first impression. At this price, headphones don’t usually look quite this swanky!

You’re a passive listener The EQ balance of the Sivga SV021 Pro is such that your passive listening is rewarded – with gutsy lows, supple strings and an incredible treatment of vocals. It’s a homely comfort food of a sound, for some.

You’re an active listener There are many shortcomings here, from sound contamination through the cable to a low-end that doesn’t really know how to act. These headphones can sound great, but don’t do great under scrutiny.

You want commuting headphones There’s very little in the way of sound isolation to speak of here – besides which, they’re too nice to risk crunching up in a packed bag, or dropping on public transport.

Hemp pouch, 3.5mm TRS to dual 3.5mm TS cable, 6.3mm TRS adapter

Hemp pouch, 3.5mm TRS to dual 3.5mm TS cable, 6.3mm TRS adapter

Dual-TS to 3.5mm TRS cable; 3.5mm-to-6.35mm TRS adapter; USB-C DAC/AMP dongle; carry case

Dual-TS to 3.5mm TRS cable; 3.5mm-to-6.35mm TRS adapter; USB-C DAC/AMP dongle; carry case

Dual-TS to 3.5mm TRS cable, Dual-TRS to 4.4mm TRRRS cable, soft case

Dual-TS to 3.5mm TRS cable, Dual-TRS to 4.4mm TRRRS cable, soft case

Meze Audio 99 Classics 2nd Gen The Meze are perhaps the best mid-weight wood-backed over-ears on the market right now – a niche category, sure, but no small achievement! They’re almost twice the price of the Sivga Robin SV021 Pro, but it’s a small price to pay for a better interpretation of the same essential sound character and, in my humble opinion, a much better-looking set of headphones. Read our Meze Audio 99 Classics 2nd Gen review for more

Fii O FT1 The Fii O were the first closed-backs out of the gate from the competitor Chinese brand, in 2024. These over-ears are cheaper, balanced, come with bigger drivers and exhibit a broader frequency range – but they may be a more oppressive wear than the SV021 Pro. See our in-depth Fii O FT1 review for more

Used at home, through a Volt 4 audio interface and Vestax mixer/amp

Much of my testing took place in my attic studio, where I listened primarily to lossless audio using the streaming service Qobuz, as well as audio from my digital library. This was through a Universal Audio Volt 4 audio interface, and also through the headphone output from a pair of Edifier MR5 monitor speakers.

I also spent a little time listening to vinyl records, played on a Vestax PDX-D3 turntable through the headphone output of a Vestax PCV-275 mixer.

James Grimshaw is a freelance writer and music obsessive with over a decade in music, audio and tech writing. They’ve lent their audio-tech opinions (amongst others) to the likes of Musicradar, Louder, Guitar.com and the London Evening Standard – before which, they interviewed indie glitterati for online music publications a-many. When they aren’t blasting esoteric music around the house, they’re playing out with esoteric artists in DIY spaces across the country; James will evangelise to you about obscure late-2000s records until the sun comes up.

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• Sivga's winsome wired headphones look the part but, in testing, I found the bass was a bulging mess of directionless energy