Verdict
The Sendy Audio Egret is a flagship-feeling open-back headphone for refined home listening sessions. A 98 x 84mm planar driver, a sub-800nm composite diaphragm built using Sendy’s Electron Beam Evaporation Deposition (EBED) process and handcrafted natural-wood housings combine for a wide, airy, intoxicatingly natural experience. The triple-composite balanced cable in the box would cost a small fortune as an aftermarket buy. At £799, the Egret undercuts several obvious rivals and is in straight contention for the best open-back headphone at the money
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Planar driver delivers flagship-class detail
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Handcrafted natural-wood housings look and feel beautiful
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Premium triple-composite balanced cable included as standard
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Light, well-balanced and comfortable
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Doesn’t demand a desktop amplifier
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Bass prioritises control over boom
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Open-back design leaks both ways
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Headband feels thin
Key Features
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Review Price:
£799
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Sound
Newly developed 98 x 84mm planar magnetic driver
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Design
Soft leather earpads and contoured headband
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Cable
1.8m detachable triple-composite balanced cable
Introduction
Sendy Audio, the more ambitious Chinese sibling of Sivga, has been building a reputation for planar magnetic headphones pairing serious engineering with cabinetmaker-grade housings.
The Aiva first put the brand on the map; the Peacock pushed it upmarket; now the Egret, named after a type of heron, spreads its wings as its most technically ambitious headphone yet.
Its beating heart is a newly developed 98 x 84mm planar magnetic driver alongside a nano-scale composite diaphragm just shy of 800nm thick, finished using Sendy’s Electron Beam Evaporation Deposition (EBED) process.
In plain English: punchy sound, low distortion and a driver that doesn’t need a desktop amplifier to come alive. With the likes of the HiFiMAN Arya Organic, Meze 109 Pro, and Sennheiser’s HD 660S2, and Audeze MM-100 on its radar, let’s see if the Egret fits the bill. Which, if you’re in any doubt, is a bird pun.
Design
- Handcrafted natural-wood earcups
- Open-back grille inspired by an egret in flight
- Light suspension headband and angled hybrid earpads
The Egret is one of those headphones you instinctively pick up to admire before you put them on, owing mainly to solid natural wood cups with a unique grain pattern and finished in a classy satin sheen.
Heron fact: The grille pattern is loosely inspired by the wings of an egret in flight, and acts as the visual focal point of the headphone.
Structural elements are CNC-machined aluminium, finished in a soft gunmetal anodisation. Yokes, the contoured headband, and hybrid leather earpads with breathable fabric on the inner edge make the Egret a nice place to rest your cranium and lugholes.
While a quoted 420g weight isn’t especially light, the Egret’s headband spreads the load across the crown nicely, the clamp is moderate, and the pads track the head and ear comfortably. Multi-hour sessions came and went without adjustments, and glasses-wearers should fare well.
My only real reservation is the PU leatherette on the underside of the headband, which is thinner than I’d like for this money. The open-back grilles are exposed on both sides, so this is a home, studio or quiet-office headphone.
Also, even though they’re open-back, they actually muffle some background noise. It’s not total silence, but it’s enough to drown out a desk fan or a vacuum. That makes them a solid choice if you aren’t listening in a padded cell.
Specification
- 98 x 84mm planar driver with EBED diaphragm
- Detachable triple-composite balanced cable
- Source-friendly 38Ω / 103dB sensitivity
At 98 x 84mm, the planar driver is the largest Sendy has built, and the diaphragm is reportedly less than 800nm thick.
The interesting bit is the EBED process: rather than printing or laminating a conductive trace onto the diaphragm as a separate layer, ultra-fine aluminium is vapour-deposited directly onto the membrane at the atomic level.
That allegedly produces a more uniform coating, less added mass and a cleaner electromechanical response. Let’s call this a ‘break glass in an emergency’ line of conversation for your first Hinge date.
A 1.8m triple-composite balanced cable combines 30 strands of Furukawa oxygen-free copper, 10 strands of silver-plated copper, and 10 strands of enamelled gold-plated copper, contained in a graphene-reinforced PVC jacket.
It all terminates in a 4.4mm balanced Pentaconn plug at the source, with dual 3.5mm balanced connectors at the cups, plus 3.5mm and 6.35mm adapters.
Sendy quotes 8Hz to 40kHz, 38Ω and a 103dB ± 3dB sensitivity, which translates to something that’s genuinely source-friendly. A DAC like the Chord Mojo 2 offers plenty of headroom, while a more modest USB dongle DAC still manages satisfaction without strain. They get plenty loud without high-end gear, though a nicer source is never to be sniffed at.
Packaging is generous, too. The tan eco-leather hard case looks a little like clenched buttocks and is lined with felt, while a linen cable pouch and supplied adapters all come in the box.
Sound Quality
- Wide soundstage
- Lush midrange
- Refined treble
If the Egret has a defining sonic trait, it’s spaciousness. The combination of that large planar driver, the open-back grille and the airy tuning produces a soundstage that takes a tentative step outside the headphone.
Instruments spread cleanly and with a noticeable three-dimensional arc, leaving things nicely layered on more complex compositions.
Bass is where the Egret’s tuning shows its priorities. It extends comfortably, but it’s more of a subtle additional texture than slam dunk drops. Forget physicality and think tactile detail.
Midrange is the headphone’s emotional centre. Vocals — male and female alike — flatter without being shouty. It rewards good recordings without punishing average ones. Treble is refined and non-fatiguing.
Cymbals shimmer rather than sizzle, brass has controlled bite, and there’s plenty of air around acoustic guitars. If anything, the Egret is a touch laid-back, but sit with them for a few hours, and that restraint reveals itself as a deliberate, classy choice.
Should you buy it?
If you want a flagship-feeling planar that’s comfortable for long sessions, easy to drive from real-world equipment and beautifully made, the Sendy Audio Egret is one of the easiest recommendations at this price. Plus herons.
No — I’m a booby person
If outright low-end physicality matters more, rivals hit harder. If you need to listen on a commute, an open-back of any kind is the wrong tool. A booby also arguably has nicer plumage.
Final Thoughts
The Sendy Audio Egret lets its engineering do the talking. The 98 x 84mm planar driver and the EBED-deposited nano-diaphragm are interesting, but you don’t need to care about either to enjoy what they produce: a wide, three-dimensional soundstage, a lush and natural midrange, textured bass and a treble that refuses to fatigue.
The triple-composite balanced cable, hard case and adapter mean nothing important has been left in the lab either, and the compromises – slightly thin PU leatherette, subtle bass, and the inherent leakage of an open-back – are sensible rather than damaging.
Set against offerings from HiFiMAN, Meze Audio, and Audeze, the Egret holds its own on technicalities, craftsmanship and pricing, and could potentially trouble our best over-ear headphones list.
How We Test
I tested the Sendy Audio Egret in a home office and a quiet living room, primarily as a long-session music listening headphone. Sources included a mix of dedicated DACs and Hi-Res Lossless sources.
I used the supplied 4.4mm balanced cable, plus an Apple USB-C to 3.5mm dongle via the included adapter to gauge real-world use.
Music testing covered electronic, hip-hop, rock, jazz, classical and acoustic material from Apple Music Hi-Res Lossless. Comfort was assessed across multi-hour sessions. No waterbirds were harmed during testing.
- At the desk
- Across portable and desktop sources
- Mixed listening
FAQs
No. The Egret has a 38Ω impedance and a quoted sensitivity of 103dB ± 3dB, which makes it relatively easy to drive for a planar. It reaches comfortable listening volumes from a balanced dongle DAC and scales well with a desktop chain, but it doesn’t demand one.
Electron Beam Evaporation Deposition is the manufacturing technique Sendy uses to apply the conductive trace to the planar diaphragm. Ultra-fine aluminium is vapour-deposited onto the membrane at the atomic level, producing a more uniform coating, lower added mass and reduced distortion compared with bonded or laminated traces.
A 1.8m detachable triple-composite balanced cable, combining Furukawa OFC, silver-plated copper and enamelled gold-plated copper. It terminates in a 4.4mm balanced plug at the source, with dual 3.5mm balanced connectors at the cups, and ships with a 3.5mm single-ended adapter.
Full Specs
| Sendy Audio Egret Review | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Sendy |
| IP rating | No |
| Weight | 420 G |
| Release Date | 2026 |
| Driver (s) | 98 x 84mm planar magnetic |
| Connectivity | 4.4mm balanced (source); dual 3.5mm balanced (cups) |
| Colours | Handcrafted natural wood |
| Frequency Range | 8 40000 – Hz |
| Headphone Type | Over-ear |
| Sensitivity | 103 dB |
| UK RRP | £799 |
| USA RRP | $799 |
| EU RRP | €879 |
