I have used my fair share of headphones over the past 13 years, but I haven’t used a ton of open-back planar headphones. That’s what the Sendy Audio Egret headphones are, and there’s a lot to like about these headphones and a lot to dislike. Though I imagine my dislikes are more subjective than anything else. You see, I understand the reasoning behind open-back headphones, but I’ve never really jived with them. So I approached this review determined to be objective and try not to allow my bias to creep in too much.
Estimated reading time: 13 minutes
What I will say is, sometimes, you just cannot get over that one thing that keeps you from genuinely enjoying a product. That is some foreshadowing for you. The Sendy Audio Egret are beautiful to look at and amazing to listen through, but I found the one annoyance of open-back headphones still irritates me even now. I simply cannot get over it, even though the sound is brilliant. Let’s get into this review.
This is seriously an easy quick take. The Sendy Audio Egret has a brilliant soundstage and I very much enjoyed the music I listened to through them. They look spectacular with brilliant materials and lovely design. They’re comfy and plush. But I just cannot get over the open-back design. I tried my hardest, but I don’t like the open feeling and being able to hear ambient room noise. I also know my family doesn’t like hearing my music through the headphones. This doesn’t mean they’re bad headphones; it just means my preference for closed-back headphones still persists. If you’re into planar magnetic open-back headphones, these could be a serious contender. But I would have liked them better with closed backs.
The Sendy Audio Egret headphones are a beautiful set of planar headphones; of that there is no argument. Here are my key takeaways, both good and bad, of the Egret headphones.
Overall, the Sendy Audio Egret are fantastic-sounding headphones that open-back lovers are going to want to consider, but the open-back design is just something I still can’t embrace. Don’t hate me.
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The Sendy Audio Egret design is probably my favorite thing about these. The leather carrying case is a big boy, but it reminds me of something from the late 60s and early 70s. It has this look about it that just screams classic. From the gold zipper to the four gold metal feet that allow the case to stand up on a shelf for display. The Sendy Audio logo is embossed on both sides and is subtle and not in your face.
There is also a leather strap with a clip that you could potentially use to loop through something like a backpack strap. The zipper pull feels high-quality, and the zipper teeth are chunky, which adds to that 70s aesthetic. The inside of the case is lined with some sort of nylon or mesh; I can’t really explain what it is. But I was hoping it would have been more plush, like a shag carpet vibe. It’s nice, but the vibe would have been complete with a bit nicer inside.
The Sendy Audio Egret headphones themselves are a work of art. Materials used throughout are metal, black walnut, foam, leather, and some plastic. Not much plastic, though; these are very nicely put together, and the materials here are top-notch and luxurious.
The headband is leather and looks like the classic headphones from the 60s and 70s with a metal top to it. The headband is easily adjustable but maybe could use a bit longer pull, allowing for bigger heads, like mine. The earcups do articulate to fit the ear better, but there’s not much more movement, making these unable to fold down for easy carrying. Which was expected.
The leather earcups are super plush and comfortable, and the clamping pressure is like a marshmallow. The Sendy Audio Egret headphones are some of the most comfortable I’ve ever used. The clamping force manages to keep the headphones on my head without them feeling like they’re squeezing my brain out.
The outer earcups are black walnut, and each set of Sendy Audio Egret headphones is unique with its own grain within the wood. Pretty amazing and lending themselves to their higher-end pricing. The outside of the earcup has this open-back design that is metal and has a beautiful pattern that just sets off the entire headphone.
The cables are braided and very heavy. These are serious cables and some of the nicest cables I’ve seen. Each cable has an indicator as to which side it goes to. Each earcup has indicators on the inside and outside to show which is right and left.
Overall, the Sendy Audio Egret headphones are beautiful. Beautiful enough to buy a headphone stand and even display them as art. My wife, who doesn’t particularly say much when headphones come in for review, even mentioned how lovely they looked.
The Sendy Audio Egret headphones are simple to use. No apps. No firmware upgrades. Just analog wires and planar magnetic drivers. So no Bluetooth and no wireless. Just plug the left and right wires into the black walnut earcups and you’re ready to go!
I will say, I would pitch a fit if I had to use these as a mobile set of headphones. They are pretty big, and the case makes them even bigger. The cables are amazing, but they are long and very braided. That being said. I am certain that these are meant to be used at home in a nice place with high-end audio equipment to plug into. Overall, these are simple to use.
The sound performance of the Sendy Audio Egret has a warm, lush, and soothing character to it. The sound produced through these has a tonal richness and a full-bodied presentation but still manages to preserve some of the details of the music. While I prefer a neutral soundstage without a lot of coloring, these actually offered me an interesting experience with a pleasant coloring that felt like a thin overlay to a neutral soundstage. If that makes sense.
The bass response is one of the most surprising highlights for an open-back design. Thanks to the large 98mm drivers, the Egret delivers an impressive mid-bass thump that was surprising. I don’t know much about hip-hop and rap content, but I think these probably wouldn’t be the choice for that genre. Rock, blues, classical, and movie scores (like Lord of the Rings) sounded amazing here.
It’s in the midrange that the Sendy Audio Egret truly shines with a natural and slightly forward presentation. Vocals are rich and intimate, with an impressive sense of texture and presence that allows you to hear the subtle nuances of a singer’s performance. Instruments like acoustic guitars and pianos benefit from the woody resonance of the black walnut housings, sounding rich and creamy.
The treble performance is smooth, providing a high end that avoids scratchiness or harshness even on bright audio. The Sendy Audio Egret advanced nanoscale diaphragm technology is said to ensure that percussion and strings have a clean bite and definition. Which they most certainly do.
It’s the open-back design and sound that I still can’t get myself to enjoy. I understand the argument and the like for this sort of design and soundstaging. I get that the open-back design is supposed to lend itself to an airy and open feel to the music. But I still have not experienced that sensation with any open-back headphones I’ve used. It’s not that the sound is bad. It’s more that the open-back nature that allows ambient sounds to get through ends up distracting me.
Important to add to this section is that many buyers of the Sendy Audio Egret are likely to be using a DAC. I used the FiiO Q3 MQA. This isn’t a high-end DAC, but it is a pretty nice little DAC. Simply plugging these into your phone may not produce the same results. I’m probably preaching to the choir here, as most looking at these headphones are already audiophiles and most likely have these tools.
Overall, the sound is remarkable. It truly is. It’s the open-back design I still have a hard time enjoying. But that’s a me thing, and those looking for this style should be more than happy with the sound of the Sendy Audio Egret headphones. I think I may have spent too much time with isolating and noise-canceling headphones that I may be missing the mark on open-backs.
Priced at 799 USD, these aren’t cheap headphones. They’re also not as expensive as other options. But they are also close to the same price to other competitive options. For me, because I just cannot get over the open-back design, these would not be worth the expense. For those who are looking at open-backs and know what they are getting here, the Sendy Audio Egret does offer tons of value. From the aesthetics and comfort to the specs and sound. These are built for a specific buyer in mind, and I think they’re well worth the money to that crowd.
The Sendy Audio Egret headphones are a beautiful set of planar headphones; of that there is no argument. Here are my key takeaways, both good and bad, of the Egret headphones.
Overall, the Sendy Audio Egret are fantastic-sounding headphones that open-back lovers are going to want to consider.
This is seriously an easy quick take. The Sendy Audio Egret has a brilliant soundstage and I very much enjoyed the music I listened to through them. They look spectacular with brilliant materials and lovely design. They’re comfy and plush.
But I just cannot get over the open-back design. I tried my hardest, but I don’t like the open feeling and being able to hear ambient room noise. I also know my family doesn’t like hearing my music through the headphones. This doesn’t mean they’re bad headphones; it just means my preference for closed back headphones still persists. If you’re into planar magnetic open-back headphones, these could be a serious contender. But I would have liked them better with closed backs.
