Introducing HiFiMAN Mini Shangri-La Electrostatic System
The HiFiMAN Mini Shangri-La is a direct descendent of the original Shangri-La, which was introduced in 2016, and in 2018 was followed by the Shangri-La Jr. The new Mini Shangri-La is an advanced desktop system that features an electrostatic headphone and amplifier.
Electrostatic System
The Mini Shangri-La headphones feature an electrostatic driver design. The basic principle of this technology is to place a static electric charge on a membrane floating between two perforated metal plates. When an electrical voltage is applied to the plates, the adhesion and repulsion of the static electricity causes the membrane to vibrate without direct physical contact. The advantage of this system is that the membrane produces a perfectly uniform sound signal, greatly reducing the diffraction of sound and therefore enabling sound reproduction of staggering fidelity. It should be noted, however, that electrostatic headphones require a specially dedicated amplifier because of the voltage of several hundred volts needed to operate them.
HiFiMAN Mini Shangri-La : A nanometric membrane
HiFiMAN’s Mini Shangri-La headphones has a membrane that is only a few nanometers thin. This technical feature increases the bandwidth beyond the audible spectrum (7hz to 90,000hz), extending the bandwidth to reveal the last primordial octaves of your favorite recordings, revealing a wealth of previously unknown detail. A nano particle coating on the headphone’s diaphragm ensures accurate conductivity and stability, even in varying temperatures and environments, with a soundstage that is deep and expansive.
Two types of protection are in place to the outside of its earpieces. Firstly, a nanometre-thin layer prevents dust or any other pollutant from infiltrating the inside of the headphones and causing distortion. The second protection takes the form of a honeycomb grid, which protects the driver from airflow vibrations, guaranteeing faithful, accurate sound reproduction.
HiFiMAN Mini Shangri-La Amplifier
The amplifier is built with a linear power supply, a discrete filter system and also dual MOSFET transistors, minimizing distortion and other anomalies in a fully balanced input and output design. The amplifier voltage is sent directly to the output power transistors to keep the path clean and uninterrupted. The rugged amp housing features stereo RCA and XLR inputs and two 5-pin electrostatic outputs. AÂ discrete filter system for further filtering of distortion and other anomalies, and a fully balanced design in both the input and output stages.
Pricing & Dealers
HiFiMAN Mini Shangri-La System MSRP €2559
