ive been daily driving these since like august and ive been loving them every second of the way. My first real "audiophile" headphone and the first time i listened to them i nearly shed a tear. By far the most comfortable set of cans ive ever owned, the tuning is gorgeous and well im just a very very happy customer overall. Only complaint is the cable which i recently just switched out.
also for context i am now running it on a schit magni modi combo, was originally just using an audioquest dragonfly ( and for me honestly it sounded pretty good).
My Sundara turns one year next month. Never had a single issue with this pair of headphones, and even after a year i'm still in love with their rich and vibrant sound. Absolutely the best headphones that i've ever had, would happily recommend to anyone. :)
What incredible timing, I literally just picked these up today as I had issues with a shipment of 6XX's. They have been really fun so far, I have them paired with a Topping EX5. I completely agree with the point on turning them up, I feel I can crank these and they're not fatiguingly loud, but I agree can be dangerous. Great headphone so far.
Coincidentally, I have both the Sundara and the 6xx. The Sundara has been a pleasure since Day 1 (paired with the Schiit Asgard), and the 6xx became more pleasing with the addition of the Darkvoice OTL. I will binge on one or the other for awhile, then jump back. I don’t want to spend gobs of money, but these are a nice yin and yang for a reasonable price.
@@larryeckerdt9750 How is the bass response on the Darkvoice OTL with the Sundaras? I have a Valhalla 2 (Love it with my HD600s) and while the mids and highs are pleasing with the Sundaras, at high volumes the bass is pretty out of control and sounds "flappy". Just wondering since I would like to find a tube amp that pairs well with the Sundaras but I know most planars and OTL tube amps don't play very well together.
@@BobbyDigital6411 You will need a tube hybrid (like the Lyr 3) or a tube amp that is not an OTL design, like some of the Woo amps. I run strictly SS with Sundara, and tubes with 6xx. I do use a Loki Mini to bump the low end slightly with Sundara. It’s not in the tube chain because even that little bit of boost is unpleasant on the Darkvoice.
@@larryeckerdt9750 Thanks, I kinda figured as much. I'm basically doing the exact same thing as you right now. I've got my HD600s for my Valhalla 2, and the Sundaras with my Schiit Heresy. I was thinking about buying the Loki Mini but right now I'm just using Peace EQ APO and do a +3.5db bump @75hz and leave everything else alone.
That's a bummer for me tbh, I don't like headphones that don't make it clear that it plays loud. Feels like I'm missing on something when I listen to them at normal levels, and the fatigue hits much later and can damage your hearing without you noticing it.
Very good review DMS. As an owner of an older version Sundara I can cosign on the masterful sound qualities of the Sundara. I also own a 660S and I think they are a KILLER duo
@@Tripokaridos22 Tricky question. The Sundara definitely creates a more 'open' presentation which helps, but 660s has a vocal naturalness and mid range that makes them slightly more natural for me. 660s really touches my soul where the Sundara often do not :)
I own a pair of HD 660S and enjoy the sound. I am looking on upgrading to maybe some planars and get some improved bass that the HD660S lacks in. So I was thinking of getting Audeze LCD-2C. Do you think that the Sundaras are different enough or better enough in some aspects, compared to the HD660S to justify upgrading or should I go for higher end headphones straight away. Thanks!
@@glumfish6862 I wouldn't call the Sundara an upgrade, more of a horizontal movement if you know what I mean. They deliver sound a bit differently but on similar overall quality levels to 660s. The Sundara objectively I think are better headphones and my friends who aren't into headphones say the same thing. One thing I would say is that the Sundara is better in the bass region compared to 660s but not a bass centered headphone like I have heard the LCD-2C are. Unfortunately I don't have experience with headphones above mid tier ($100-500) but overall I would say that if you stright up want a clear upgrade, you will probably have to spend more because 660s is competitive still at it's price. Hifiman Ananda is kind of a big brother to the Sundara, I would look into that!
@@VoicelessAuthority thanks for the detailed info! I’ll look into the Ananda. From what you described the Sundara has a different flavor of sound, especially in the bass. Would you say they are different enough to the 660S to spend the 300$ the Sundaras cost to try something new? Many thanks!
I would love to see a "Sundara vs" series. Also a "6XX vs" series. I have both with a Schiit modius/magnius stack. I sort of have the upgrade bug, but am starting to realize the next real step up isn't a $500 headphone.
An EQ'd Amiron, I find is, a step-up, but after that for me at least it's the Ananda, LCD-2 Closed/LCD-X and perhaps something beyond. So far HD800s, Arya and a bunch of others aren't an option due to the weak bass that cannot be be EQ'd well.
@@hartyewh1 I still didn't get why somebody pay so much for headphones and then EQing them. I think for that price good headphones should sound great without any EQ. if not, than they are just overpriced, or they are not for you. just my thoughts, nothing personal.
@@jackdanyal4329 If I thought the same then for me the K 371 would be as good as it gets basically. All the HD800s, LCD-X, Clear MG, Arya etc are worse tuned. I pay more for my LCD-X, HE6se V2 etc because with EQ they become so much better. I compare it to an untreated room with speakers and who would say why are you treating your room shouldn't good speakers sound good as is.
I just bought the Sundaras and they are amazing in the sense I hear details that make listening to music very pleasing. With lesser headphones I always feel like I am listening to the headphone characteristics, but not with the Sundaras.
I've been looking for a daily driver non-summit-fi type of headphone for a while, and these have always been on my radar. Haven't even started the video yet, but already super excited to hear what you think of them!
If you have the money to spend on them go for it! I have been using the revised Sundaras for about 6 months now with the Schiit Modi and Magni Heressy and I love them, they are awesome for music, movies and gaming. Plus, they are very comfortable so you can wear them for hours with no issues, and as DMS mentioned, they are very good at evacuating heat, which make them perfect for daily drivers.
@@FlippityFlopp1 Right now I'm debating between the Hifiman Sundara and the Sennheiser HD6XX. Unfortunately when it comes to the audio/hifi world I live in the middle of nowhere so I can't exactly test them for myself, just trying to go through as many reviews/thoughts about them as I can before purchasing one Edit: the new Beyer stuff is also pretty interesting, as the major turn-off for me with older Beyers in the price range I'm looking at was the nondetachable cable, but the new ones having detachable cable is nice
@@timmyahn6927 hey I own the Sennheiser 6XX, Hifiman Sundara, and Beyerdynamic TYGR 300R. I have a Topping MX3 to drive them. The Sundaras are my favorite by far. The sound is the best, and they are the most comfortable of the three. There is better separation of instruments with the Sundara, the bass extension and quality is very good, and the overall tonal balance is great. I've shown a few of my friends (who are less audiophile than me) and all of them have liked the Sundara the best out of the three.
I bought a used Sundara and the JDS Atom arrived yesterday and am a very happy man now. My 560s was great fun but this is on a whole new level. Mindblowing for me. It sounds better than real. I can nearly feel the dry drums and the cold metal trumpets. I hear hands touching guitars before touching the strings. It really feels as if I could touch the instruments and the singing ppl in and around my head. Amazing. Crazy. As soon as I can somewhere find a site where I can buy the k9 in installments, I will. . Using my Hidizs s9 as dac / "soundcard"
These were my first 'proper' headphone purchase and still listen to them every day. Replaced the cable and running on the end of a ifi zen/can stack. Love to unwind at the end of the day with my Sundaras on, close my eyes and play some Radiohead or Pink Floyd. Bliss!
@@ariyesh Did look at the balanced 4.4mm pentaconn cables when I got them but there weren't many options and they were pretty expensive so ended up going for a standard 6.25mm. The ifi Can drives them plenty loud so haven't felt the need to switch yet.
Wow. I genuinely though you had a review for Sundara already. You’ve spoken its praise for so many years already, its surprising that this is the first REAL review
Would be nice to see a comparison to the new Hifiman Edition XS. It's ~$150 more and people that have gotten their hands on it have had really good things to say.
Just got mine three days ago. I don't have a Sundara to compare to, but I'm in love with these things (coming from the HD58X). The bass feels great, which I know is a common complaint of the Sundara. I wouldn't be surprised if they're dramatically higher on the curve sub-35Hz than the Sundara. Everything else he says about the sound of the Sundara I agree with for these, especially the "sharpness". The comfort is pretty good, they don't get hot thanks to the giant earcups. I WFH so I have headphones on for 10+ hrs a day with a mix of music, video calls, and gaming at night, I don't feel discomfort. I do wish the cups rotated. I have some Dekoni replacement pads on order as the foam in the pads are not great (and I prefer velour). The cable is also crap, but I've got a replacement on order. As he stated about amplification, my plan is to A/B test a few against my Schiit Magni 2. Overall I'm thrilled with this purchase. Exactly the "Mid-Fi" upgrade I was looking for.
I got my Edition XS Friday. They'd be my endgame if I could just get them to stop sliding around on my head. Really, REALLY wish they had a better headband. Sound-wise, zero complaints
Sundara is way more comfortable. XS headband is terrible and the fit is way too loose, it slides off your head if you move. XS sounds a lot better though.
@@ThePCForever i thought the same thing but the more i used them the better they felt/i adjusted. What you said is true but i barely notice them on my head due to the weight now.
Actually i lied. I disagree with the sundara's being way more comfortable. I hated the feel of the sundaras but i suppose it is of course personal preference.
Id like to add that my pads fell apart after about 12 months or so which isn't bad considering how much I wore them, and I took a chance and went with Dekoni hybrid pads. I honestly think they sound pretty damn close to stock to the point I can't tell the difference but the quality and comfort is a huge upgrade.
Considering there's no audible difference between an $8 Apple Dongle and a $1000 overpriced DAC outside of placebo effect; I'd say just about any half decent DAC suits it well! Little humor aside, the Zen Signature DAC is very beautiful to look at. Nice purchase!
@@Lockk9 How much of a difference do you notice between Signature DAC vs regular ZEN DAC? I'm sure it's not worth 2 times the price (plus you need an amp), but I'm curious what and by how much is improved over the standard Zen DAC. Do you hear any difference on SE vs BAL connection? Thanks in advance for answer!
@@brandondoehrman headphone is not iem. With iem i can see apple dongle is already great but with headphone. Nonono. You know even some iem scale up with some more powerfull dac amp. Headphones change by a lot in sound. At first i never bought dac amp and just plug straight into my pc until i bought topping dx3 pro+ now bruh i was shocked that my headphone can sound so thick and powerfull and the detail shines, staging increased, and imaging is just wow, and suddenly the overall sound just became more organic. So….. placebo effect? If placebo effect change that much then i will buy it. My headphone is grado sr80x.
I bought a pair in December and have now replaced the stock pads with Dekoni hybrids much more comfortable and improves the sound over stock, the stock pads have too much treble imo and are a little fatiguing after several hours usage, currently running them through a custom balanced cable into the Fiio K7 DAC and I'm very happy, one of the best pair of cans I've ever owned, up there with some headphones that cost three times as much!
Amazing studio and lighting setup. Btw, Love my sundaras, especially after I replaced the cable with a Good balanced wired Connection. Pretty loud overall, with a balanced cable. I use them with ZEN DAC V2 , bass boost always on, and it‘s an amazing combo. Tried to eq it, but I like them raw with zen dacs boost.
imho, zen dac (at least V1) didn't do sundara any justice at all. it simply lacks any technicality even though it can be loud enough with the power match button. get a dedicated amp for it if you can. the zen can works well for my sundara.
@@josuad6890 Well, Right now I‘m pretty happy with it, but I‘m pretty sure that there are better combos. Maybe I buy another amp if I can hear some next to my zen dac 2. I need to be able to Tell the Difference otherwise …. In the end it doesnt even matter.
I bought them a while ago and I loved the sound, but they came out of the box with issues on the right side. The audio would just cut out randomly and the cable was DOA. I returned them and received another pair with the SAME ISSUES. The cutting out was worse, and the cable was also DOA. Sadly, I just took it as a "it wasn't meant to be" thing. So in total i spent 2 afternoons with 2 different pairs, and they sounded amazing, but I didn't want to roll the dice a third time
As per HiFi guide post, still using the original Sundara. Paired with IFI ZEN CAN in 12 DB position with no bass boost and with Fantasia HE style silver plated 2M balanced cable from Amazon and DEKONI HE Fenesrated Ear Pads. Still an amazing bargain package that is hard to beat.
I drive my Sundara's with a Little Dot mkII and the pairing is gorgeous, running just slightly to the right of top-dead-center. And yeah I bought a new cable after about two weeks. With the reduction in price recently they are agreat deal for the sound they put out. And I completely agree with your assessment of their audible strengths. I have a passive reasonably transparent switch box that feeds either my Topping D10s, or a Rega RP-8 with Audiomods tonearm and an Apheta 3 cartridge and a Pro-ject Tube Box DS2 phonostage with vintage 12ax7s in it. I'm completely happy with the sound and the quality is very close to what I get when I listen without the headphones. My "open" listening is a Freya+ pre with vintage GE 6SN7GTB tubers, into Parasound A23 power amps in mono mode, one each driving a B&W 706S2 in near-field setup.
Got a Hifiman Sundara. Definitely agreed on the point that when you turn these up, you just keep going. Cause it sounds like there's always more to it.
That is the comment I was looking for! I have a Zen Dac V2 and currently run Meze 99 Classics through it and I've just bought a pair of Sundara's. Do you have the bass enabled on the Zen Dac V2? Also do you use any other settings whilst listening?
@@mikeneilson3722 i do have the true bass enabled. But that really just adds clear bass, while the natural soundstage of the Sundara can still be appreciated in all its glory. I also bought a balanced 4.4 mm cable, which arrived today. I tested them with Tidal master and hi-fi quality, and it was an amazing experience.
Using them, enjoying them. (The cable is not so bad...) Realized "turning up" volume instinct is real. The FR curve is awesome, well nigh perfect. They are balanced, quick and transparent. Feel sturdy and well built.
Great video as usual! I feel quite lucky after watching it, I have the Sundara for a year now that I bought second hand for 250€ (still under warranty) and I previously bought the JDS Labs atom based on your recommendation and other reviews about 2 years ago 😄 These are my 2nd headphones (after the HE4XX) so I am not very experienced but I am so pleased with them and don't feel the need for something else ! The K9 pro are above budget now, but I am eager to see your review!
I absolutely love my Sundara's. I am using the ifi hip dac 2 in balanced mode. I reviewed many portable headphone amp/ dac combinations. The pairing is magical.
Thank you for this extremely detailed review. I will get a pair from Amazon to test out. If they work for my needs with the recommend combo I will be ever grateful
My old Sundara pads were flat I got Dekoni Elite Hybrids and I love them, my ears don't touch the driver anymore and sound barely changed and comfort is much better. (Just beware the pad is stiffer due to denser memory foam).
Haven't tried these out but I keep reading that these headphones suffer from QC issues where many customer reviews stating that one speaker got lower than the next. Been tempted to buy them but if a headphone is going to cost so much such widespread QC problems should be non-existent. Anyone in the comments had any issues with them?
When I first started out thinking about upping my game from the TWE and Sony XM4’s I had, these were my dream headphone, my dream headphones now have half a nought on the end but welcome to the hobby. I have several pairs of headphones now but I really love my Sundaras 2020 compared to the 6xx where I am still a little confused over the passion people have with these (yes I do have a tube amp as well as my solid state and hybrids). That’s it really. I use for music only btw.
My first steps into the audio hobby is with the Sundara 2021 and the JDS Labs Element ii and Im super happy with it. I dont have more expensive comparisons, but the difference between my 150 bucks gaming headset and this is huge. Currently thinking about upgrading to a LCD X or a 2c, maybe a focal clear mg? We'll see :D
Just got my K9 Pro from few days, and it is a beast . Unfortunatelly i dont have anymore my Sundara's, but what i can say is that made all my headphones sound much better. Better than from my Topping D70+A90 stack. LCD X's are also great on K9 Pro.
I considered these strongly before ultimately pulling the trigger on the Ananda, but I can't say I regretted it in the slightest even though Im certain that the Sundara is incredible for its price.
Hey DMS, nice Sundara review, I really think I am going to try and get them in the future. Say, I've been looking for some info about Electrostatic Headphones, is it in your plans to make a video about it of sorts or maybe review?? That could be interesting given that I didn't find that much about them in TH-cam.
I use these daily with a Burson soloist 3xp and they are AWESOME, but the other day I tried them with a Dragonfly Red and long story short, I am looking for a decently priced used dragonfly red. There is magic with that combination too. The only problem is that quiet tracks still need a bit more power, but for 95% of the stuff it's enough.
One thing that Sundaras are good for is that it's an amazing daily driver. Equally amazing as my HD600. I placed my Sundaras on a scale and they weigh in at 396 grams. To me they are by no means light, but if it's one thing the Sundaras absolutely got right for me; it's comfort. I've been handwashing my earpads every month for these and the foams inside the earpads don't wear out at all, I place them next to a fan or air duct and they're dry the next day. The Sundaras earpads despite being angled don't lose their shape. I've been using these for a full year and don't feel like I don't need to buy any new pads anytime soon. Unlike my HD600. One thing that bothers me with the Sundara is the treble peak, and it took me 2 weeks to get accustomed to them. The treble peak on the Sundara is softer sounding, but it's on the lower end of the spectrum and it doesn't sound natural, it's the kind of treble that can be found in cheaper IEM's. Also yes, the cables suck, and they add to the weight of the Sundaras which made them extra uncomfortable. It's so weird how I can get superior cables from a $5 chifi earbud compared to a headphone that is 60x the cost.
@@Tesseract9630 I have both because neither headphone is a total upgrade from another. The HD600 has a better frequency response, better timbre, lighter, completely modular (easy part repair and care), plays all music well, relatively easy to drive, taller soundstage, a better price found used. The Sundara has a wider soundstage, better imaging, faster note decay, more bass and treble extension (just not as natural sounding), superior instrument separation, less aggressive mids (vs Hd600), cleaner sound (less distortion across the board), earpads are easier to maintain as they're softer and can be washed without any worry of squishing them, easier to be found on amazon cheaper than the HD600. If I had to only keep 1 headphone though... The HD600. The Sundara is more of a new toy born from the advancement in modern technology, the HD600 is more of a timeless classic that to me is a benchmark for music enjoyment in a headphone.
@@ASmugsie we don't have hd 600 available in India. However hd 650 is available. But I guess it's not the same as having a hd 600. In that case do you recommend I buy hd 650 or sundara. Current I own hd 560s and while they are good , they are still a 500 series and not as resolving as a true audiophile headphone. Which do you recommend given the same price of hd 650 and sundara. PS. I had the sundara for a while and I thought they sounded little thin on vocals..so I sold them . And timber was un natural too .But now I need a upgrade over 560s
@@Tesseract9630 I'm going to throw you a curveball and say don't buy new headphones unless if you're specifically looking for something. Like you I was unsatisfied with my Sundara'a unnatural timbre for music, but they're great gaming headphones so I still keep them. There's honestly not many headphones left to upgrade to without introducing a whole new set of issues. To be quite honest, I was way happier with my purchase of wf1000xm4's (TWS) than sundaras lol. Which are *almost* the same cost.
Very thorough and detailed review and helped me justify my purchase of the Sundaras lol :) Now I'm wanting to look into the FiiO K9 Pro even though I think the Sundaras sound pretty amazing on my Schiit Heresy. On low gain it sounds boring, flat, and kinda lifeless. But when I set the Heresy to high gain it's a completely different world and I'm baffled how it could possibly sound any better?
this. I just did the same thing with my ifi zen can. turn the gain up, and suddenly it became a different headphone. So I just reduce the volume on the dac and crank the amp as high as I can.
I bought these a year and a half ago. They sounded great and I loved them. Then they broke and Hifiman said “sorry you are just out of warranty.” I expected MUCH better. A year and a half is not good enough. Also you can absolute change the pads. I did and they sounded just as great. I think that’s a placebo.
It's taken the place of the 650's in my heart. Well, sort of, the 650's have been incredible in everything and etc for decades, and I doubt anything will ever come close to it's reliability, it's a product which standards will last forever... but Sundara has an unbelievable sound for the price that is jaw dropping, it's amazing how fresh and detailed and fun it sounds, all at the same time. You have to be careful not to fall into the Hifiman build quality gap, but if you're fortunate to find a good pair, than this is the new all around great sound standard of the hobby, I'm not afraid to say. For anyone starting with headphones, the go to would usually be the HD 600 line, but I will always recommend the Sundara instead. I love my pair so much.
Facts. I've owned the HD600 for 11 years and I just picked the Sundaras up and they're very special indeed. I never understood what a "fast" headphone was until I listened to the Sundaras and the clarity and detail it's able to present is very remarkable. I still love my HD600s because overall they're fantastic for everything and (IMO) much more comfortable than the Sundaras. That being said, the Sundaras offer a lifelike presentation that I didn't know was possible in a $350 headphone (plus $25 for the must-buy aftermarket cable). I'm constantly audibly saying out loud "Wow" when re-listening to lots of my favorite tracks. The depth, presence, impact, speed, detail and clarity is just simply all there.
I've always wanted to head the beautiful 600's.. but I own the 660s and Love them. From what I hear they are a inbetween of the 600 and 650 with very very minor upgrades but still wonderful headphone.
I have been eyeing the Fiio K9 pro for almost a year now, and you are the first to even mention it. Would love to hear someone's thoughts on it before I over-extend myself. (it's pretty pricy for my budget)
@@soulfulfool Ananda are $699 everywhere I look, 2Cs are $799, besides that though they seem more complimentary to me based on everything I've heard. One is laid back and warm, the other analytical and bright, seems like a good pair to own.
The Sundara beats the Ananda. But the Edition XS is the Ananda, upgraded with the Sundara's ultra-thin membrane and stealth magnets. So the Edition XS is probably better. :P
I spent about a month with Sundara and I loved my time with it! It was a perfect work headphone as it wasn't too big or heavy, but it also sounded really good. It's just head-scratching how most Hifiman headphones have that weird headband adjustment quirk where the paint chips off as soon as you move it. It's the same with the Arya and the old HE400i/400s
Without EQ I'd take the Sundara without a second thought. The LCD-2 is very dark sounding, but perhaps they would EQ to something more balanced. The LCD-X EQ's beautifully. The LCD-2 Closed, I think, is much better balanced in stock form than the open back ones.
These helped me to discover that I’m a treble-head which I never really considered until having them. I will be in the minority here, but in terms of overall price to performance standpoint, I would take this as an all a rounder over the Ananda or Arya. (I’ve had Arya V2 and currently have Ananda). The Sundara has great FR and some slam/punch that neither of those have as much of.
Nice to see some measurements of the current iteration of this headphone, which I appear to have. Amir posted measurements of these as well, but I'm thinking they were the past iteration since they have some peaking and messiness in the treble region. I was quite baffled as to why I could not hear any of the flaws that his measurements showed in my own pair of Sundaras, and looking back its quite clear why for a very simple reason. The issue is not there. I have some quick and dirty measurements I did on them, and the measurement shows a slight dip where the large peak used to be, indicating it was addressed in my headphone.
I am on the ropes as to whether I should go for the Sundara or save up a bit more and go for Audeze LCD-2 C. I know these are 2 different price categories but it would still be interesting to know how they compare and whether it's worth it to go higher in this case.
Go for the Arya if you can. The Sundara and LCD are not the same style or tuning philosophy, whereas the Arya is an upgraded and evolved Sundara. (Hope you have a small head. The Arya's headband was nearly too narrow for my head.)
I slummed it for years with the Samson SR850. That was after several years enjoying the ATH-M50X. And when I say, enjoying, I mean that was my subjective experience at the time. Steadily I’ve climbed the ladder of gear. I got the Samson’s just before I acquired and fixed up my JBL 4311 speakers, which really gave me a taste for soundstage and detail, but, those samsons were a bit harsh, and improved with EQ. The Sundara’s were tested along with HD650 or 660, can’t remember, too many models variations. I found the Sennys were a bit veiled sounding despite their detail. The sundara’s just jumped out and gave me smiling moments of “wow” to songs I’ve listened to for years. I honestly expected it to go the other way! I’ve still owned these for less than a week, and I’ve yet to try them on my Lyr+ valve amp. Waiting on a longer cable to arrive! Smashing these out of my iPod, FiiO BTR5 balanced, and M1 Macbook, I’m loving them so much! For their price, and if they last over 5 years, or 10 years, Sundara is a fantastic value purchase!
i use my sundara with a mayflower objective 2 amp, which is very affordable, insanely clean, and has an abyssally low noise floor at all gain levels. works for me. :)
Seems like a decent hp for the money. I will never own them as I have no use did then but glad they exist. Also I big fan of your studio setup seems like an awesome shooting/work space. Looking forward to the ‘22 channel content.
Pairing the Sundara with a Topping DX3 pro+ (in high gain mode) sounded really nice too. Now I don’t have an Atom stack to compare it with, so if anyone has heard both, please share some insights! 🙏
Have a bunch of pairs, where Sundar is my most expensive and prized possession. Absolutely dead neutral, natural, and pleasant :)) It's simply a breath of fresh air, where everything is balanced as it should be :)))
How is the performance with the Zen Dac only? Give me two percentages where you go with Zen Dac only and how far the Zen Can can will boost. Thanks ;-)
Damnit you should have reviewed these earlier, This is the first good sounding headphones I have ever had but I know nothing. I think I have pushed the volume up to quite extreme levels, but I don't notice it before I take them off, then I realize the volume is high enough to be my Livingroom speakers.
Really helpful. I really like my HiFiMain Sundara, particularly with Oratory1990 EQ driven by a Schiit Hel 2 (and somewhat liked EQ-d BD DT1990 Pro) but need to go for a closed back with decent soundstage. What would I miss (and gain) getting the Closed X (as many say it's similar to Open X) vs the Sundara, considering I don't mind EQing, listen to just about everything). E.g. soundstage, the softness/lack of slam, Thanks!
I have these and HD650S from Amazon with a view to returning one. The Sundara in stock form is bass deficient and over cooked treble. I used Equalizer APO to correct that in software; shame HIFIMan couldn’t do that in hardware. After my modifications it sounds much better...They are almost double the price of the 560S, they are better, twice as better not sure on that...Good review/video
Will you review the Ananda? I would love to know your opinion about them, especially compared to the Sundara. I can't decide on wich of them I should invest on. Maybe the edition XS too, they seem to be another bang for the buck, according to the opinion of who is trying them.
Been wanting to try out a Hifiman (high reports of QC issues have held me off) and was considering jumping straight to Arya, but after watching this I might just dip my toes in with the Sundara. Sounds like a nice headphone.
I got it (2020 version) from official distributor in Thailand. After 4 months then the glue on the pad open. The warranty dose not cover so it's 45 USD. (I didn't pay; super glue do the job for now.)
![ILLSLICK - KILLSHOT REMIX [FULL VERSION]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/RIK8RrqIAzE/mqdefault.jpg)
ive been daily driving these since like august and ive been loving them every second of the way. My first real "audiophile" headphone and the first time i listened to them i nearly shed a tear. By far the most comfortable set of cans ive ever owned, the tuning is gorgeous and well im just a very very happy customer overall. Only complaint is the cable which i recently just switched out.
also for context i am now running it on a schit magni modi combo, was originally just using an audioquest dragonfly ( and for me honestly it sounded pretty good).
Hey, what cable did you end up going with?
What song was that?
@@scotto541 if i remember correctly it was the foggy dew by the chieftains
@@myHuge249 I had not hear that before. Thanks for the rec.
THANK YOU for measuring the inner earpad size, please continue doing so. Really helps to sort out options for us with big ears.
My Sundara turns one year next month. Never had a single issue with this pair of headphones, and even after a year i'm still in love with their rich and vibrant sound.
Absolutely the best headphones that i've ever had, would happily recommend to anyone. :)
This has become my 1-and-done standard headphone recommendation...along with a JDS Atom stack...and a warranty...and a cable.
Better than the HD-600?
Of course
@@metal571 how does the ananda compare in comparison? a serious step up?
@@thelastrhino2581 just a reminder that everyone has different ears and I for one prefer HD660's by far
@@glueplay Agreed. I for one prefer the HD-600 by far. But I respect everyone's opinion here of course. Enjoy your gear!
These headphones are absolutely stunning.
Purchased custom cables and a nice dac, and they are literally flawless.
What incredible timing, I literally just picked these up today as I had issues with a shipment of 6XX's. They have been really fun so far, I have them paired with a Topping EX5. I completely agree with the point on turning them up, I feel I can crank these and they're not fatiguingly loud, but I agree can be dangerous. Great headphone so far.
Coincidentally, I have both the Sundara and the 6xx. The Sundara has been a pleasure since Day 1 (paired with the Schiit Asgard), and the 6xx became more pleasing with the addition of the Darkvoice OTL. I will binge on one or the other for awhile, then jump back. I don’t want to spend gobs of money, but these are a nice yin and yang for a reasonable price.
@@larryeckerdt9750 How is the bass response on the Darkvoice OTL with the Sundaras? I have a Valhalla 2 (Love it with my HD600s) and while the mids and highs are pleasing with the Sundaras, at high volumes the bass is pretty out of control and sounds "flappy". Just wondering since I would like to find a tube amp that pairs well with the Sundaras but I know most planars and OTL tube amps don't play very well together.
@@BobbyDigital6411 You will need a tube hybrid (like the Lyr 3) or a tube amp that is not an OTL design, like some of the Woo amps. I run strictly SS with Sundara, and tubes with 6xx. I do use a Loki Mini to bump the low end slightly with Sundara. It’s not in the tube chain because even that little bit of boost is unpleasant on the Darkvoice.
@@larryeckerdt9750 Thanks, I kinda figured as much. I'm basically doing the exact same thing as you right now. I've got my HD600s for my Valhalla 2, and the Sundaras with my Schiit Heresy. I was thinking about buying the Loki Mini but right now I'm just using Peace EQ APO and do a +3.5db bump @75hz and leave everything else alone.
That's a bummer for me tbh, I don't like headphones that don't make it clear that it plays loud. Feels like I'm missing on something when I listen to them at normal levels, and the fatigue hits much later and can damage your hearing without you noticing it.
I own them since mid 2020, I use them for gaming & listening to music, very satisfied with them.
Pads & Cable are still in great condition.
Very good review DMS. As an owner of an older version Sundara I can cosign on the masterful sound qualities of the Sundara. I also own a 660S and I think they are a KILLER duo
Me also... Do u feel that 660s are more natural?
@@Tripokaridos22 Tricky question. The Sundara definitely creates a more 'open' presentation which helps, but 660s has a vocal naturalness and mid range that makes them slightly more natural for me. 660s really touches my soul where the Sundara often do not :)
I own a pair of HD 660S and enjoy the sound. I am looking on upgrading to maybe some planars and get some improved bass that the HD660S lacks in. So I was thinking of getting Audeze LCD-2C. Do you think that the Sundaras are different enough or better enough in some aspects, compared to the HD660S to justify upgrading or should I go for higher end headphones straight away. Thanks!
@@glumfish6862 I wouldn't call the Sundara an upgrade, more of a horizontal movement if you know what I mean. They deliver sound a bit differently but on similar overall quality levels to 660s. The Sundara objectively I think are better headphones and my friends who aren't into headphones say the same thing. One thing I would say is that the Sundara is better in the bass region compared to 660s but not a bass centered headphone like I have heard the LCD-2C are. Unfortunately I don't have experience with headphones above mid tier ($100-500) but overall I would say that if you stright up want a clear upgrade, you will probably have to spend more because 660s is competitive still at it's price. Hifiman Ananda is kind of a big brother to the Sundara, I would look into that!
@@VoicelessAuthority thanks for the detailed info! I’ll look into the Ananda. From what you described the Sundara has a different flavor of sound, especially in the bass. Would you say they are different enough to the 660S to spend the 300$ the Sundaras cost to try something new? Many thanks!
I would love to see a "Sundara vs" series. Also a "6XX vs" series. I have both with a Schiit modius/magnius stack. I sort of have the upgrade bug, but am starting to realize the next real step up isn't a $500 headphone.
An EQ'd Amiron, I find is, a step-up, but after that for me at least it's the Ananda, LCD-2 Closed/LCD-X and perhaps something beyond. So far HD800s, Arya and a bunch of others aren't an option due to the weak bass that cannot be be EQ'd well.
Go straight to the DCA Aeon Noire $900 and never look back.
@@RayceManyon00 focal elex is enough
@@hartyewh1 I still didn't get why somebody pay so much for headphones and then EQing them. I think for that price good headphones should sound great without any EQ. if not, than they are just overpriced, or they are not for you. just my thoughts, nothing personal.
@@jackdanyal4329 If I thought the same then for me the K 371 would be as good as it gets basically. All the HD800s, LCD-X, Clear MG, Arya etc are worse tuned. I pay more for my LCD-X, HE6se V2 etc because with EQ they become so much better. I compare it to an untreated room with speakers and who would say why are you treating your room shouldn't good speakers sound good as is.
I just bought the Sundaras and they are amazing in the sense I hear details that make listening to music very pleasing. With lesser headphones I always feel like I am listening to the headphone characteristics, but not with the Sundaras.
I've been looking for a daily driver non-summit-fi type of headphone for a while, and these have always been on my radar. Haven't even started the video yet, but already super excited to hear what you think of them!
Verum 1 is recommended if you don’t mind waiting.
If you have the money to spend on them go for it! I have been using the revised Sundaras for about 6 months now with the Schiit Modi and Magni Heressy and I love them, they are awesome for music, movies and gaming. Plus, they are very comfortable so you can wear them for hours with no issues, and as DMS mentioned, they are very good at evacuating heat, which make them perfect for daily drivers.
@@FlippityFlopp1 Right now I'm debating between the Hifiman Sundara and the Sennheiser HD6XX. Unfortunately when it comes to the audio/hifi world I live in the middle of nowhere so I can't exactly test them for myself, just trying to go through as many reviews/thoughts about them as I can before purchasing one Edit: the new Beyer stuff is also pretty interesting, as the major turn-off for me with older Beyers in the price range I'm looking at was the nondetachable cable, but the new ones having detachable cable is nice
@@timmyahn6927 hey I own the Sennheiser 6XX, Hifiman Sundara, and Beyerdynamic TYGR 300R. I have a Topping MX3 to drive them. The Sundaras are my favorite by far. The sound is the best, and they are the most comfortable of the three. There is better separation of instruments with the Sundara, the bass extension and quality is very good, and the overall tonal balance is great. I've shown a few of my friends (who are less audiophile than me) and all of them have liked the Sundara the best out of the three.
it's amazing if driven properly
I bought a used Sundara and the JDS Atom arrived yesterday and am a very happy man now. My 560s was great fun but this is on a whole new level. Mindblowing for me. It sounds better than real. I can nearly feel the dry drums and the cold metal trumpets. I hear hands touching guitars before touching the strings. It really feels as if I could touch the instruments and the singing ppl in and around my head. Amazing. Crazy. As soon as I can somewhere find a site where I can buy the k9 in installments, I will. .
Using my Hidizs s9 as dac / "soundcard"
These were my first 'proper' headphone purchase and still listen to them every day. Replaced the cable and running on the end of a ifi zen/can stack. Love to unwind at the end of the day with my Sundaras on, close my eyes and play some Radiohead or Pink Floyd. Bliss!
did you get a balanced cable? which one? got a link?
@@ariyesh Did look at the balanced 4.4mm pentaconn cables when I got them but there weren't many options and they were pretty expensive so ended up going for a standard 6.25mm. The ifi Can drives them plenty loud so haven't felt the need to switch yet.
Wow. I genuinely though you had a review for Sundara already. You’ve spoken its praise for so many years already, its surprising that this is the first REAL review
Would be nice to see a comparison to the new Hifiman Edition XS. It's ~$150 more and people that have gotten their hands on it have had really good things to say.
Just got mine three days ago. I don't have a Sundara to compare to, but I'm in love with these things (coming from the HD58X). The bass feels great, which I know is a common complaint of the Sundara. I wouldn't be surprised if they're dramatically higher on the curve sub-35Hz than the Sundara. Everything else he says about the sound of the Sundara I agree with for these, especially the "sharpness". The comfort is pretty good, they don't get hot thanks to the giant earcups. I WFH so I have headphones on for 10+ hrs a day with a mix of music, video calls, and gaming at night, I don't feel discomfort. I do wish the cups rotated. I have some Dekoni replacement pads on order as the foam in the pads are not great (and I prefer velour). The cable is also crap, but I've got a replacement on order. As he stated about amplification, my plan is to A/B test a few against my Schiit Magni 2.
Overall I'm thrilled with this purchase. Exactly the "Mid-Fi" upgrade I was looking for.
I got my Edition XS Friday. They'd be my endgame if I could just get them to stop sliding around on my head. Really, REALLY wish they had a better headband. Sound-wise, zero complaints
@@bryanj78 get the Dekoni Nugs!
I MUCH prefer my XSs to my Sundaras.
@@tylerstravis Thank you! Just ordered some
Would love to see how this compares with the newly released Edition XS!
I just got the Edition XS and my gawd. It's beautiful.
@@derekd4349 It's basically the Ananda, but crafted like a Sundara, ultra-thin membrane + stealth magnets. Of course it's gonna sound amazing. :P
Sundara is way more comfortable. XS headband is terrible and the fit is way too loose, it slides off your head if you move. XS sounds a lot better though.
@@ThePCForever i thought the same thing but the more i used them the better they felt/i adjusted. What you said is true but i barely notice them on my head due to the weight now.
Actually i lied. I disagree with the sundara's being way more comfortable. I hated the feel of the sundaras but i suppose it is of course personal preference.
Id like to add that my pads fell apart after about 12 months or so which isn't bad considering how much I wore them, and I took a chance and went with Dekoni hybrid pads. I honestly think they sound pretty damn close to stock to the point I can't tell the difference but the quality and comfort is a huge upgrade.
if you replace again, i cant recommend the zmf ori pads enough
@@jvwMUSIC How do those affect the sound? For me the dekoni hybrids dont mess with the FR too much to my ears
@@jvwMUSIC also which material? Lambskin, cow, hybrid, or suede?
I find the Signature-Zen-Dac suits the Sundara really well.
Does they need the Zen Can or it is possible to get most out of the Sundaras with just the Dac V2 (260mw@32ohms I think)
Considering there's no audible difference between an $8 Apple Dongle and a $1000 overpriced DAC outside of placebo effect; I'd say just about any half decent DAC suits it well!
Little humor aside, the Zen Signature DAC is very beautiful to look at. Nice purchase!
@@brandondoehrman- I have 3 different Dac's at the moment, the Signature-Zen-Dac, the regular Zen-Dac and the FiiO Q3.
All 3 of them sound different.
@@Lockk9 How much of a difference do you notice between Signature DAC vs regular ZEN DAC? I'm sure it's not worth 2 times the price (plus you need an amp), but I'm curious what and by how much is improved over the standard Zen DAC. Do you hear any difference on SE vs BAL connection?
Thanks in advance for answer!
@@brandondoehrman headphone is not iem. With iem i can see apple dongle is already great but with headphone. Nonono. You know even some iem scale up with some more powerfull dac amp. Headphones change by a lot in sound. At first i never bought dac amp and just plug straight into my pc until i bought topping dx3 pro+ now bruh i was shocked that my headphone can sound so thick and powerfull and the detail shines, staging increased, and imaging is just wow, and suddenly the overall sound just became more organic. So….. placebo effect? If placebo effect change that much then i will buy it. My headphone is grado sr80x.
I bought a pair in December and have now replaced the stock pads with Dekoni hybrids much more comfortable and improves the sound over stock, the stock pads have too much treble imo and are a little fatiguing after several hours usage, currently running them through a custom balanced cable into the Fiio K7 DAC and I'm very happy, one of the best pair of cans I've ever owned, up there with some headphones that cost three times as much!
I feel this is one of your best review/talk/impressions video is a long time! Kinda harks back to your true roots in this crazy hobby! Luv'd it!
Amazing studio and lighting setup. Btw, Love my sundaras, especially after I replaced the cable with a Good balanced wired Connection. Pretty loud overall, with a balanced cable. I use them with ZEN DAC V2 , bass boost always on, and it‘s an amazing combo. Tried to eq it, but I like them raw with zen dacs boost.
Which cable did you end up going with? I have similar pairing with Sundara + ZEN DAC V1.
imho, zen dac (at least V1) didn't do sundara any justice at all. it simply lacks any technicality even though it can be loud enough with the power match button. get a dedicated amp for it if you can. the zen can works well for my sundara.
@@josuad6890 Well, Right now I‘m pretty happy with it, but I‘m pretty sure that there are better combos. Maybe I buy another amp if I can hear some next to my zen dac 2. I need to be able to Tell the Difference otherwise …. In the end it doesnt even matter.
@@rolivhuwa the only one I found in Germany on Amazon. :D Maybe you‘ve got some more choices at your location.
After watching this video I replaced the pads on my Sundara, your videos always amaze me. Even after watching all of them
They also pair excellently with the much more affordable Fiio K5 Pro :)
Yea indeed i have the same setup, what gain do you use?
@@fabiok5958 Mid (6 dB), rarely High for quiet recordings
I bought them a while ago and I loved the sound, but they came out of the box with issues on the right side. The audio would just cut out randomly and the cable was DOA. I returned them and received another pair with the SAME ISSUES. The cutting out was worse, and the cable was also DOA. Sadly, I just took it as a "it wasn't meant to be" thing. So in total i spent 2 afternoons with 2 different pairs, and they sounded amazing, but I didn't want to roll the dice a third time
As per HiFi guide post, still using the original Sundara. Paired with IFI ZEN CAN in 12 DB position with no bass boost and with Fantasia HE style silver plated 2M balanced cable from Amazon and DEKONI HE Fenesrated Ear Pads. Still an amazing bargain package that is hard to beat.
Compare it to the new edition XS by HiFiMan
Spoiler: The XS is better.
@@tylerstravis I know I have it! Very nice so far
I love seeing these new reviews of this headphone. Makes me glad I invested in them.
I drive my Sundara's with a Little Dot mkII and the pairing is gorgeous, running just slightly to the right of top-dead-center. And yeah I bought a new cable after about two weeks. With the reduction in price recently they are agreat deal for the sound they put out. And I completely agree with your assessment of their audible strengths. I have a passive reasonably transparent switch box that feeds either my Topping D10s, or a Rega RP-8 with Audiomods tonearm and an Apheta 3 cartridge and a Pro-ject Tube Box DS2 phonostage with vintage 12ax7s in it. I'm completely happy with the sound and the quality is very close to what I get when I listen without the headphones. My "open" listening is a Freya+ pre with vintage GE 6SN7GTB tubers, into Parasound A23 power amps in mono mode, one each driving a B&W 706S2 in near-field setup.
Got a Hifiman Sundara. Definitely agreed on the point that when you turn these up, you just keep going. Cause it sounds like there's always more to it.
I use these in combination with the iFi Zen DAC v2 and it is beyond great. Best purchase so far.
That is the comment I was looking for! I have a Zen Dac V2 and currently run Meze 99 Classics through it and I've just bought a pair of Sundara's. Do you have the bass enabled on the Zen Dac V2? Also do you use any other settings whilst listening?
@@mikeneilson3722 i do have the true bass enabled. But that really just adds clear bass, while the natural soundstage of the Sundara can still be appreciated in all its glory. I also bought a balanced 4.4 mm cable, which arrived today. I tested them with Tidal master and hi-fi quality, and it was an amazing experience.
@@CaptBadLad That is exactly what I want to hear as it's the exact setup that I'm running so I'm now very excited now. Thanks for the quick response!
@@CaptBadLad I have the balanced 4.4mm pentaconn cable for my Meze 99s and I've read they are perfect for the Sundaras so I couldn't be happier
Using them, enjoying them. (The cable is not so bad...) Realized "turning up" volume instinct is real. The FR curve is awesome, well nigh perfect. They are balanced, quick and transparent. Feel sturdy and well built.
The sound of the mechanical slide changer during graph presentation was a nice touch.
I've unfortunately owned two sundaras both of which were defective out of the box. I can never get behind them as a brand after this experience.
oof
Probably the best video from you I've watched. You described the Sundara as accurate as how accurate they sound.
Great video as usual! I feel quite lucky after watching it, I have the Sundara for a year now that I bought second hand for 250€ (still under warranty) and I previously bought the JDS Labs atom based on your recommendation and other reviews about 2 years ago 😄 These are my 2nd headphones (after the HE4XX) so I am not very experienced but I am so pleased with them and don't feel the need for something else ! The K9 pro are above budget now, but I am eager to see your review!
I absolutely love my Sundara's. I am using the ifi hip dac 2 in balanced mode. I reviewed many portable headphone amp/ dac combinations. The pairing is magical.
I've been thinking about buying theses Headphone for a couple week now
Your video is bliss
And great as usual
Thanks !!
Your production looks incredible in this one homie!
Thank you for this extremely detailed review. I will get a pair from Amazon to test out. If they work for my needs with the recommend combo I will be ever grateful
Looks like I need to add this to my collection.
Yeeesssss bro! and the FiiO K9 Pro
That is not an optional purchase, that is a requirement
@@metal571 The Fiio amp is a requirement. Really?
Lol no I meant the headphone
@@metal571 Yeah, figured but wasn't sure. Speaking of amps I suspect you've also tried a lot with the Sundaras. Did you end up with a preference?
My old Sundara pads were flat I got Dekoni Elite Hybrids and I love them, my ears don't touch the driver anymore and sound barely changed and comfort is much better. (Just beware the pad is stiffer due to denser memory foam).
Haven't tried these out but I keep reading that these headphones suffer from QC issues where many customer reviews stating that one speaker got lower than the next. Been tempted to buy them but if a headphone is going to cost so much such widespread QC problems should be non-existent. Anyone in the comments had any issues with them?
I purchased them in September and haven't had any issues. Really nice sounding headphone.
I personally haven’t experienced this but I still think you should be ready to return them back in case of a faulty unit
I bought mine used and they work great. No issues whatsoever
No so far, that was from March last year.
Mine broke in the first 10 days.
When I first started out thinking about upping my game from the TWE and Sony XM4’s I had, these were my dream headphone, my dream headphones now have half a nought on the end but welcome to the hobby. I have several pairs of headphones now but I really love my Sundaras 2020 compared to the 6xx where I am still a little confused over the passion people have with these (yes I do have a tube amp as well as my solid state and hybrids). That’s it really. I use for music only btw.
My first steps into the audio hobby is with the Sundara 2021 and the JDS Labs Element ii and Im super happy with it. I dont have more expensive comparisons, but the difference between my 150 bucks gaming headset and this is huge.
Currently thinking about upgrading to a LCD X or a 2c, maybe a focal clear mg? We'll see :D
Just got my K9 Pro from few days, and it is a beast . Unfortunatelly i dont have anymore my Sundara's, but what i can say is that made all my headphones sound much better. Better than from my Topping D70+A90 stack. LCD X's are also great on K9 Pro.
Woah day before u uploaded this I searched for a sundara review by u! Thanks!
Man I was just looking for reviews on this earlier today. Thanks for the video mate!
I run mine with the Topping A50S and think they are great. A nice alternative to my DT1990 & Aeon Open X, both of which I LOVE.
I considered these strongly before ultimately pulling the trigger on the Ananda, but I can't say I regretted it in the slightest even though Im certain that the Sundara is incredible for its price.
Anandas are incredibly special, treasure them! :)
@@soraflame66 I absolutely will :)
really great review! sundara's are one of my favorite, i need to try them on the jds labs atom for sure!
Hey DMS, nice Sundara review, I really think I am going to try and get them in the future.
Say, I've been looking for some info about Electrostatic Headphones, is it in your plans to make a video about it of sorts or maybe review?? That could be interesting given that I didn't find that much about them in TH-cam.
I use these daily with a Burson soloist 3xp and they are AWESOME, but the other day I tried them with a Dragonfly Red and long story short, I am looking for a decently priced used dragonfly red. There is magic with that combination too. The only problem is that quiet tracks still need a bit more power, but for 95% of the stuff it's enough.
One thing that Sundaras are good for is that it's an amazing daily driver. Equally amazing as my HD600.
I placed my Sundaras on a scale and they weigh in at 396 grams. To me they are by no means light, but if it's one thing the Sundaras absolutely got right for me; it's comfort.
I've been handwashing my earpads every month for these and the foams inside the earpads don't wear out at all, I place them next to a fan or air duct and they're dry the next day. The Sundaras earpads despite being angled don't lose their shape. I've been using these for a full year and don't feel like I don't need to buy any new pads anytime soon. Unlike my HD600.
One thing that bothers me with the Sundara is the treble peak, and it took me 2 weeks to get accustomed to them. The treble peak on the Sundara is softer sounding, but it's on the lower end of the spectrum and it doesn't sound natural, it's the kind of treble that can be found in cheaper IEM's.
Also yes, the cables suck, and they add to the weight of the Sundaras which made them extra uncomfortable. It's so weird how I can get superior cables from a $5 chifi earbud compared to a headphone that is 60x the cost.
Which is better sundara or hd 600
@@Tesseract9630 I have both because neither headphone is a total upgrade from another. The HD600 has a better frequency response, better timbre, lighter, completely modular (easy part repair and care), plays all music well, relatively easy to drive, taller soundstage, a better price found used.
The Sundara has a wider soundstage, better imaging, faster note decay, more bass and treble extension (just not as natural sounding), superior instrument separation, less aggressive mids (vs Hd600), cleaner sound (less distortion across the board), earpads are easier to maintain as they're softer and can be washed without any worry of squishing them, easier to be found on amazon cheaper than the HD600.
If I had to only keep 1 headphone though... The HD600. The Sundara is more of a new toy born from the advancement in modern technology, the HD600 is more of a timeless classic that to me is a benchmark for music enjoyment in a headphone.
@@ASmugsie we don't have hd 600 available in India. However hd 650 is available. But I guess it's not the same as having a hd 600. In that case do you recommend I buy hd 650 or sundara. Current I own hd 560s and while they are good , they are still a 500 series and not as resolving as a true audiophile headphone. Which do you recommend given the same price of hd 650 and sundara.
PS. I had the sundara for a while and I thought they sounded little thin on vocals..so I sold them . And timber was un natural too .But now I need a upgrade over 560s
@@Tesseract9630 I'm going to throw you a curveball and say don't buy new headphones unless if you're specifically looking for something. Like you I was unsatisfied with my Sundara'a unnatural timbre for music, but they're great gaming headphones so I still keep them. There's honestly not many headphones left to upgrade to without introducing a whole new set of issues.
To be quite honest, I was way happier with my purchase of wf1000xm4's (TWS) than sundaras lol. Which are *almost* the same cost.
I’ve just ordered a pair, very excited 😝
If there comes a comparing video around it would be interesting to see the He4xx in the mix.
Really great, beautiful visuals as well, thank you !
Very thorough and detailed review and helped me justify my purchase of the Sundaras lol :) Now I'm wanting to look into the FiiO K9 Pro even though I think the Sundaras sound pretty amazing on my Schiit Heresy. On low gain it sounds boring, flat, and kinda lifeless. But when I set the Heresy to high gain it's a completely different world and I'm baffled how it could possibly sound any better?
this. I just did the same thing with my ifi zen can. turn the gain up, and suddenly it became a different headphone. So I just reduce the volume on the dac and crank the amp as high as I can.
I bought these a year and a half ago. They sounded great and I loved them.
Then they broke and Hifiman said “sorry you are just out of warranty.”
I expected MUCH better. A year and a half is not good enough.
Also you can absolute change the pads. I did and they sounded just as great. I think that’s a placebo.
It's taken the place of the 650's in my heart. Well, sort of, the 650's have been incredible in everything and etc for decades, and I doubt anything will ever come close to it's reliability, it's a product which standards will last forever... but Sundara has an unbelievable sound for the price that is jaw dropping, it's amazing how fresh and detailed and fun it sounds, all at the same time. You have to be careful not to fall into the Hifiman build quality gap, but if you're fortunate to find a good pair, than this is the new all around great sound standard of the hobby, I'm not afraid to say. For anyone starting with headphones, the go to would usually be the HD 600 line, but I will always recommend the Sundara instead. I love my pair so much.
Facts. I've owned the HD600 for 11 years and I just picked the Sundaras up and they're very special indeed. I never understood what a "fast" headphone was until I listened to the Sundaras and the clarity and detail it's able to present is very remarkable. I still love my HD600s because overall they're fantastic for everything and (IMO) much more comfortable than the Sundaras. That being said, the Sundaras offer a lifelike presentation that I didn't know was possible in a $350 headphone (plus $25 for the must-buy aftermarket cable). I'm constantly audibly saying out loud "Wow" when re-listening to lots of my favorite tracks. The depth, presence, impact, speed, detail and clarity is just simply all there.
I've always wanted to head the beautiful 600's.. but I own the 660s and Love them. From what I hear they are a inbetween of the 600 and 650 with very very minor upgrades but still wonderful headphone.
I'm writing this before hearing the end, I use the Sundara with the ifi zen can and love the combination. I hope dms agrees.
Solid combo
2021 LCD X review would be appreciated dms ! This was a great review of the hifiman Sundara love that you mention amp pairing as well 👏
I have been eyeing the Fiio K9 pro for almost a year now, and you are the first to even mention it. Would love to hear someone's thoughts on it before I over-extend myself. (it's pretty pricy for my budget)
Ananda and Edition XS would be a very interesting comparison against the Sundara, the mid fi range HifiMan headphones.
Ananda cost more than LCD 2C
@@soulfulfool Ananda are $699 everywhere I look, 2Cs are $799, besides that though they seem more complimentary to me based on everything I've heard. One is laid back and warm, the other analytical and bright, seems like a good pair to own.
@@BenSkywalker70 well I live in stupid country where Ananda cost 955$ and 2C 755$
@@soulfulfool I see, in here in Indonesia in brand new condition lcd 2c cost like 900usd, ananda like 700 usd here
@@TotoroJourney used in good condition lcd 2c in Poland cost like 510$ and cant find even 1 ananda xD
Great video as usual. Would you recommend the Topping E50 & L50 stack for the new Sundara? Thanks!
Finally. It’s here :) How long have you worked on this review?
Too long!
Please take a look at the Edition XS. I'm looking at that as my endgame, and want to know if it beats the Sundara or maybe is a straight upgrade.
Good question.
I own both, and it beats the Sundara.
The Sundara beats the Ananda.
But the Edition XS is the Ananda, upgraded with the Sundara's ultra-thin membrane and stealth magnets.
So the Edition XS is probably better. :P
I’d like to see these compared to the Edition XS.
Great video. Tks!
Review of the FiiO K9 Pro coming out soon?
I spent about a month with Sundara and I loved my time with it! It was a perfect work headphone as it wasn't too big or heavy, but it also sounded really good. It's just head-scratching how most Hifiman headphones have that weird headband adjustment quirk where the paint chips off as soon as you move it. It's the same with the Arya and the old HE400i/400s
so everything was great but you returned them because headband adjustment?
@@RumpelStiltskindarkone Naw, it's a review unit so I had to return it. :-)
Yeah! I'd love to see a comparison of the Sundara with the Aeon Noir Closed
I could have sworn you had already reviewed the Sundara. Some mandela effect in action
Very curious to see how this compares to an LCD-2 (not the Classic) as I think they would be a solid upgrade! Especially if using EQ
Without EQ I'd take the Sundara without a second thought. The LCD-2 is very dark sounding, but perhaps they would EQ to something more balanced. The LCD-X EQ's beautifully. The LCD-2 Closed, I think, is much better balanced in stock form than the open back ones.
I personally use Fiio Q3 with Sundara. For about 500 usd, it's doing a superb job so far!
These helped me to discover that I’m a treble-head which I never really considered until having them.
I will be in the minority here, but in terms of overall price to performance standpoint, I would take this as an all a rounder over the Ananda or Arya. (I’ve had Arya V2 and currently have Ananda).
The Sundara has great FR and some slam/punch that neither of those have as much of.
Does this mean it lacks the treble you prefer or it has what you like? I'm treble sensitive and why I'm looking to get rid of my hd560
Nice to see some measurements of the current iteration of this headphone, which I appear to have. Amir posted measurements of these as well, but I'm thinking they were the past iteration since they have some peaking and messiness in the treble region. I was quite baffled as to why I could not hear any of the flaws that his measurements showed in my own pair of Sundaras, and looking back its quite clear why for a very simple reason. The issue is not there. I have some quick and dirty measurements I did on them, and the measurement shows a slight dip where the large peak used to be, indicating it was addressed in my headphone.
Strange situation where I actually bought this a couple months ago, but came for the affirmation of a good purchase now
Of course, there's Edition XS, and may be really something very dangerous against Sundara for the money.
Liked the video; I am looking forward to the other video you mentioned at the end.
I am on the ropes as to whether I should go for the Sundara or save up a bit more and go for Audeze LCD-2 C. I know these are 2 different price categories but it would still be interesting to know how they compare and whether it's worth it to go higher in this case.
Go for the Arya if you can. The Sundara and LCD are not the same style or tuning philosophy, whereas the Arya is an upgraded and evolved Sundara. (Hope you have a small head. The Arya's headband was nearly too narrow for my head.)
Could you please review Hifiman - Edition XS and compare them to Sundara? Thanks.
I slummed it for years with the Samson SR850. That was after several years enjoying the ATH-M50X.
And when I say, enjoying, I mean that was my subjective experience at the time.
Steadily I’ve climbed the ladder of gear. I got the Samson’s just before I acquired and fixed up my JBL 4311 speakers, which really gave me a taste for soundstage and detail, but, those samsons were a bit harsh, and improved with EQ.
The Sundara’s were tested along with HD650 or 660, can’t remember, too many models variations. I found the Sennys were a bit veiled sounding despite their detail. The sundara’s just jumped out and gave me smiling moments of “wow” to songs I’ve listened to for years. I honestly expected it to go the other way!
I’ve still owned these for less than a week, and I’ve yet to try them on my Lyr+ valve amp.
Waiting on a longer cable to arrive!
Smashing these out of my iPod, FiiO BTR5 balanced, and M1 Macbook, I’m loving them so much! For their price, and if they last over 5 years, or 10 years, Sundara is a fantastic value purchase!
I was waiting for you to review this baby.
I've got my Sundara paired with the XDuoo XD-05 BAL with Burson V5i opamps, and I can't imagine a better pairing. Killer rig for about $800.
Wow great video! Have this exact setup :) Sundara with Atom Amp & Dac stack. What replacement cable would you recommend for these? Thanks
i use my sundara with a mayflower objective 2 amp, which is very affordable, insanely clean, and has an abyssally low noise floor at all gain levels. works for me. :)
Hi dms, you tested this with something cheaper like a IFI zen dac v2 or something like that???
can i ask where u buy that tube lamp? and if i can buy it in Europe
btw love your content ❤️💪
Seems like a decent hp for the money. I will never own them as I have no use did then but glad they exist.
Also I big fan of your studio setup seems like an awesome shooting/work space. Looking forward to the ‘22 channel content.
Pairing the Sundara with a Topping DX3 pro+ (in high gain mode) sounded really nice too. Now I don’t have an Atom stack to compare it with, so if anyone has heard both, please share some insights! 🙏
did u get any response
Watching this while wearing my Sundara, nice!
Have a bunch of pairs, where Sundar is my most expensive and prized possession. Absolutely dead neutral, natural, and pleasant :)) It's simply a breath of fresh air, where everything is balanced as it should be :)))
Sundara is my gemston! I love to pair it with the ifi zen dac and Can and balanced 4.4 cable :) Thx for your videos reviews! Big like
got a link for that cable?
How is the performance with the Zen Dac only? Give me two percentages where you go with Zen Dac only and how far the Zen Can can will boost. Thanks ;-)
Damnit you should have reviewed these earlier, This is the first good sounding headphones I have ever had but I know nothing. I think I have pushed the volume up to quite extreme levels, but I don't notice it before I take them off, then I realize the volume is high enough to be my Livingroom speakers.
Say hello to hearing loss
Really helpful. I really like my HiFiMain Sundara, particularly with Oratory1990 EQ driven by a Schiit Hel 2 (and somewhat liked EQ-d BD DT1990 Pro) but need to go for a closed back with decent soundstage. What would I miss (and gain) getting the Closed X (as many say it's similar to Open X) vs the Sundara, considering I don't mind EQing, listen to just about everything). E.g. soundstage, the softness/lack of slam, Thanks!
I have these and HD650S from Amazon with a view to returning one. The
Sundara in stock form is bass deficient and over cooked treble. I used Equalizer APO to correct that in software; shame HIFIMan couldn’t do that in hardware. After my modifications it sounds much better...They are almost double the price of the 560S, they are better, twice as better not sure on that...Good review/video
I would love to see what kind of scaling you get going up hifiman's stack with a comparison to the hifiman xs and ananda
Will you review the Ananda? I would love to know your opinion about them, especially compared to the Sundara. I can't decide on wich of them I should invest on. Maybe the edition XS too, they seem to be another bang for the buck, according to the opinion of who is trying them.
I got the Sundaras, buyer them a year ago and I got a SMSL SP200 and it is great!
Been wanting to try out a Hifiman (high reports of QC issues have held me off) and was considering jumping straight to Arya, but after watching this I might just dip my toes in with the Sundara. Sounds like a nice headphone.
don't! buy an edition xs instead !
@@Anomalyn1 why is that?
@@jafizzle95 beacause people that bought the Edition Xs say it is a Sundara with more bass. ( and eggshape design). And it's cheaper than Arya.
@@Anomalyn1 good reasoning, thanks for the recommendation.
@@jafizzle95 glad i could help
I got it (2020 version) from official distributor in Thailand. After 4 months then the glue on the pad open.
The warranty dose not cover so it's 45 USD. (I didn't pay; super glue do the job for now.)