@@phobiedufromage2433 Perfect for me, I am searching for a headphone for small head. Oval shaped cups leave airspace as they hang off my lower jaw. I currently have ATH-M50x I have owned for 10 years and at their smallest setting they are still too large. Looking to upgrade.
To give reference I own a Focal Clear, Focal Elegia, Beyer T1 Gen 2, Fostex TR50 Argon, Audio Technica AD700x and 500x, and many more. The AKG K712 is my favorite budget option of all time and it recently went down in price to $230 USD on Amazon. I haven't tried the Sundara yet but can assure you that the AKG is amazing for sub $250.
I'd absolutely love the K712 if it wasn't for the weird mids. Somehow the mids colour every song in a strange way for me, especially classical music, so I stuck with the K612 in the end. But the K712 was my first mid-fi headphone so it still holds a special place in my heart
So I am owning the Sundaras since 2020 and they are so far my one and only Hifi headphones (IEMs excluded). I have however tested a few others including the HD660s, Hifiman Ananda, Beyerdynamic DT1990 and the Sennheiser HE-1. I absolutely recommend everyone on a budget to get the Sundaras. They have great tuning, an amazing technical performance for the price and respond verry good to EQ. While ofcours falling short of the Ananda in technical performance they were my clear favorite regarding the tuning and tonality. However after trying the HE-1 which are absolut base kings I felt a bit underwelmed by the Sundaras (the HE-1 at 60k€ is 200x the price though). I am now using a bit of EQ and the excitement I am getting from these Headphones again is absolutly amazing. They respond verry well to my base boost (mostly sub-base) and slight upper mids boost giving drums that special kick and volume, making the base guitar extra funky and letting electric guitars scream in excitement without any fatigue. I am once again impressed by the technical performance. Only limitation I found is that you have to be carefull with what you do with the midbase as the 150-300hz region can get boomie if you bump it up to much.
I had the Sundaras recently, technically they are the best ive tried, so detailed and so clear separation, but i need a good soundstage, so i returned them, sadly 💔.
Sound wise they are really great for their price but buying them is russian roulette because of the quality control isses. Dying drivers are a real problem... If you want a headphone that can last for many years then the Sundaras are NOT good. They will last 2-3 years if you are lucky and get one without quality control issues but after that time they will still probably have dying driver issues.
@@makunouchiippo816 Mine are now just over 3 years old and I have no problems despite having droped them a few times in the past. I dont think they will die on me any time soon.
Just ordered the hd 6xx, hd650, hd490 pro, hifiman Edition xs, avantone planar II, audeeze mm-100 and compared them. In my personal opinion the Edition XS Sounds the best by far. Especially EQ‘ed they give me the little special something that makes listening to them enjoyable. But they’re quite hungry, tried to drive them with my musicstudio interface but it couldn’t handle it. Now with a Fiio K11 it’s working quite awesome on balanced cables.
I love my Hifiman Sundara! I believe they have some of the best bang for the buck for audio quality. Great bass, treble is not harsh or too high and shrill, and great midtones and voices. They always put a smile on my face when I listen to them.
Agree. I have them powered by an Xduoo mt-604 through a custom-built balanced cable, this improves bass performance which out of the box I found a little bit anaemic.
I like them but took a while to get used to the speed and metallic, arteficial sound. I wonder if all planars are like this. Never heard a dynamic headphone sound like it. Anyway my ears have adjusted to it after some months and now they sound great.
@@makunouchiippo816 My Sundara's still good to go. No driver issues headband is still firm and the pads are still comfortable and show no signs of wear
I've got the HD660S and I love the sound of them so much coming from the M50X. Find myself getting totally carried away by my FLAC files. I've been tempted to buy the Sundaras but with all the Quality Control issues I've read about them I'll pass on them. I live outside the US so returns to Amazon is just a stress I'm not willing to undertake.
@@StarsAtNight1 I had some distortion in bass region but it probably was just hair, only in left cup if I remember right (250 Ohm version). Dont know how low impedance options sound.
R70x tonality is the best bet especially if you are coming from consumers' grade headphones. While I agree that detail retrieval is bad compared to others on the list, Imaging and tonality are one of the best you can get in $500 price bracket.
Please, could we have a video on the same topic but for only closed back headphones. I need general purpose headphones that I can use in the office / travelling / with someone sleeping in the same room. I can't use open back headphones for this, and I expect other viewers to be in the same situation. Thanks.
'Best' would kind of be dependent on what type of sound signature you prefer or what you are looking for in a headphone. For example, there is a closed back version of the Sundara. I would say one of the better options (closed-back, portable, for general purposes) is the Meze 99 series, the 99 Classics are $309 but for $120 less (at $180 on sale) you can get the Drop version the 99 Noir. However, you might prefer something else.
HD600 and HD650 (especially the HD600) has superb mids especially for vocal. The soundstage isn't that big so it gives intimate presentation and compliment its speciality which is vocal, well, but it doesn't really give me a sense of spaciousness in return. Also I always crave for more detail especially on the treble area (especially on the 650). I find the treble is too dark (it feels even darker on HD650 due to the extra warmth) for my taste also on the slower side. Then the bass is pretty rolled off so it doesn't really have sub-bass area quantity but the texture is pretty decent. The clamping force can be a bit uncomfortable after some time. R70X has pretty similar presentation to 600/650 in tonal but in terms of technicality it feels a bit more spacious and has better layering and imaging. Maybe I'm wrong but even with the graph showing it has darker treble compared to 600/650, I feel the R70x has better treble presence. I also feels it has slightly better detail retrieval and separation compared to 600/650. But for vocal I will still take 600/650 (especially the 600). The downside of r70x for me is I can't get proper fit on it. It always leave gap near the bottom side (around my jaw) due to the headband design. It's sad because with proper isolation (I press the bottom side of the earcup frame a bit with my fingers), it has the best bass presentation for me, altho it's not that extend, it has the best texture among this shootout). Sundara I think is the most all rounder among this shootout. It has bigger soundstage r70x and 600/650. The imaging is a bit behind the r70x (especially on the center) can sometime feels a bit difused. but still better than 600/650 which put everything on your face imo. It has substantialy better detail retrieval and separation compared to r70x and 600/650 maybe due to it using planar which is faster and has more presence on the treble (but isn't as forgiving especially on tracks with a lot of sibilance). The mids is okay, still pretty balance for me but a bit behind the DDs in terms of timbre. The bass is more extended compared to 600/650 and r70x and but isn't as well textured. The builds overall feels the most fragile even tho it uses a lot of metal parts. Edition XS has the best overall technicalities on this roundup. It has bigger soundstage than sundara especially in terms of depth and height (the width is pretty close) also better layering and imaging. It also has better detail retrieval and separation compared to sundara. In terms of tonality, the bass is the most extended, the texture imo is better than Sundara but isn't as good as r70x and 600/650 but it's pretty close even tho it's a planar. It has the most treble presence but it can be too intense sometime. But the thing that become a deal breaker for me is the mids, it has the most imbalance mids among this shootout. This is subjective, but I feel the mids both too thin and too fatiguing, but I guess some people like this kind of mid presentation. The build is better than sundara, but the pleather on the headband will sure flake over time btw, any plan to make comparison video between of Sundara 2020 (pad revision) vs Sundara 2022 (impedance change from 37 ohm to 32 ohm)?
Get some class A amp like zen stack or 6xx signature stack and you won't have any issues with soundstage, detail or sub bass (even without hardware eq), rap sounds insane, if you wanna get the most out of the dynamics of the driver you will be surprised what ZMF 6XX perforated lambskin leather pads do to the soundstage, dynamics, treble and detail, if not for class A, at least try the 6xx pads but both together is completely different than stock on a budget amp/dac. Sounds like speakers, specially with xspace, the whole room gets filled with sound similar to a planar like sundara (I tested both).
R70x has horrible detail retrieval. Only thing it has over hd 600/650 is imaging in soundstage. On good high end tubes the sennies absolutely destroy r70x
He has tested it earlier and didnt like it. Massive treblepeaks/boosted treble and when you remove them/tone the hot treble down they are not so detailed. They have several db of extra treble. Hes words and I have to agree with that. Personal taste.
@@hpol3603 I know what you mean, but I can not hear the treble as extreme as others describe it. And with one layer of toilette paper the the treble sounds normal. And for me, the DT 1990 sound very detailed also with the mod. But as you said, personal taste. And for me my personal perception.
@@intreppit Same here, I preferred the DT 1990 over the Sundara and Edition XS, treble sounded really great for me actually. The only headphone I found better than the DT 1990 was the Ananda but it costs more than 500 so 1990 FTW.
@@InternetUser-d7s With EQ they need a proper amp, but beyond that great for the price. The 250ohm vs 600ohm doesn't apparently matter much, but the unit variation is pretty big. My 600ohm was way better as wellm
I have the Sundara, HD650, DT880 Premium 600ohm and the AKG k712 pro. My favorite is easily the Sundara followed by the HD650 with the k712 and DT880 being equal with the DT880 getting far more listen time from me than the k712. My observations are the same as above with respect to the Sundara and HD650. As for the DT880, it's nicely warm with reasonable detail retrieval but a distant mid range. It's also not as smooth as the top two and is not meant for critical listening. It's also the most comfortable of the lot and great for long term listening. The k712 is too bright for me and uncomfortable. However other than the brightness which you can eq out, it is very nice to listen to having great detail retrieval, excellent bass and mids with an expansive soundstage. Amps I use are a bottle head crack, a darkvoice 336se and a diy solid state amp called sapphire built by a friend. The Sundara comes closest overall to matching the presentation of my speaker setup which is an ATC SCM19 and a pair of 300W/ch monoblocks with an AMR DP777 DAC.
MY MAN, I have been saying this for years but nobody mentions it in their budget lists. It is now $230 on Amazon and people still won't buy it haha. Makes a lot of the other AKG's obsolete. I suppose the power issue is a thing haha
I have tried all of these. Edition XS > Sundara >>>> ALL. It's absurd what the Sundara does for the price, it's the current "king of mid-fi" for me. Actually, the "king" would be the Edition XS if the Sundara didn't cost $200 less. Seriously, I absolutely think the Sundara is the new standard for the spot of perfect all-rounder for the audiophile hobby, a spot that has belonged to the 600 line for decades (for good reason), but not anymore after the Sundara came out. The difference is abysmal, REALLY. One, in this price bracket, that gets closer to the Sundara is the K712 Pro. I'm not sure if the K712 Pro has been discontinued or not, but it's still possible to find it on the market. When well amped, the K712 Pro is impressive, very detailed, musical, excellent sound stage and instrument separation, with forward and engaging mids... so it goes. The other ones are very good too, of course, you can't go wrong with any of them, it's just that you can do better than those for less money when you pick the Sundara 😍
I have all of them except editon X. All if them are great depending what someone needs. Personally i keep all HD 6 line and Sundara are great. But HD660s imaging and natural sound is something hard to find on any headphone.
@@Clout_chasing_boy I have the Bottlehead Crack, which is said to be the best pairing for the 600 line, I bought it already assembled because I'm not fond of hand work at all 🤣 and it's truly magnificent sounding with my 650, but the Sundara out of my Magni 3 still sounded better to my ears 🤷🏽♂️
@@Tripokaridos22 I have all of them except Edition XS too, but have tried it, and it's amazing. I'm thinking of upgrading, but instead of going for the Edition XS or the Ananda, I'm saving money for the Arya, I never tried it but given how much I love the Hifiman sound since my old HE 400i, and the rave reviews the Arya always gets, I bet it's going to be my endgame 😍
@@Tripokaridos22 I mean, I said I have them all but the one I have out of the 600 line is the 650. I had the 600 together with the 650 for a while and sold the 600, the 650 being more melodic to my ears. I have tried the 58X Jubilee and the 660S, and still preferred the 650, it's the line's sweet spot to me 🤗
The only thing you can truly compare between headphones and IEMs is the tonality. I have a Sundara and a Dusk and I can say that I slightly prefer the Dusk since it has noticeably more presence in the bass. But that's kinda all I can say about it.
The way I see it trying to compare headphones with iems is like comparing a motorcycle and a car. Yes, they are both vehicles but they are different machines.
@@alejandroelcid To a person who has only ever used IEM's & 90's closed back cheap headphones, can you at least describe why they are so different in sound?
@@jamescruz8678 To a person who has only ever used IEM's & 90's closed back cheap headphones, can you at least describe why they are so different in sound?
@@ikoyDaPnoy It comes down to the form factor. Headphones have much larger drivers than IEMs so naturally, they move more air. Furthermore, headphones sit atop your ear, the shape of which catches certain frequencies and amplifies them. This is why headphones cannot have a truly "flat" sound signature and simultaneously sound natural: your ears' shape the sound you hear as well. Compare that to IEMs, which squeeze into your ear canal and bypass most of the complex geometry headphones have to deal with. This relationship between form factor and sound also impacts how "wide" a headphone or IEM sounds; headphones and their large drivers push air from outside your ear, and therefore sending that air into your ear canal at many more directions than an IEM. There's a lot more to it (that I cannot explain because it is beyond my knowledge) but these are generally why headphones and IEMs aren't considered in the same class and why audiophiles don't compare them with each other.
You would have found out if you watched the video. He said it's close to the Ananda as performance. From what i've heard XS has better bass extension than Ananda
First of.Great video as always.Also please more Chrono in vids(discussions,tier lists etc) Chrono Can I get EQ for hd560s please from you(I know you're a fan of these)Keep up great work folks
3hz + 5db 0.5q 4.7khz - 2db 0.5q Optional 10khz + 1.5db 0.5q These are my personal settings to fix the response. Doing this does reduce the apparent size of the stage somewhat (only slight) but they're much easier to listen to for long sessions. Happy eq'ing xx
Thanks Chrono. Personally I don't find Edition XS nearly as bright as Arya. Actually, It's 90$ perfect tonally for me. Few years ago this kind of performance was only acheivable at 1500$+ range. (1st gen. Edition X vas 1700$ and V2 was 1200$)
Great video sir ,I am searching for mid-range headphones that would be awesome for Live Blu-ray concerts(mostly rock). What would you recommend? Thanks ,cheers!
I’m looking for an upgrade from my HD599se to use with my Ifi HipDac. Maybe the Sundara, but I can’t seem to find them locally and they’re quite expensive to buy at a chance.
What did you go with and what do you think? I didn't realize how much I loved my HD 579 until I just got the 560S and sent them right back lol I could care less about any improvement in sound quality because everything sounded further away, like they didn't just sound neutral they sounded neutered, a jet or car or bullets could be going right by me but sounded 30yards away more than they should have yet the high range always hurt my ears, meanwhile my 579 always have the appropriate amount of punch without ever sounded fatiguing or too much. So that was a huge disappointment, so now I'm back to hunting for a similar replacement to my 579s and trying the XS tomorrow
@@VENOM-vq3ju Maybe I do? But I used them for information in fps not pleasant listening, they were good for someone who wanted like footstep and player tracking EQ out of the box that hadn't learned EQ yet. I ended up replacing them with Ananda Nanos.🤷 They've been great for music and great for gaming, I couldn't say that about any other headphone I tried since then.
@@adrianphoenix5604 type of speaker technology there is dynamic which is normal headphones and speakers. But you also have planars and electrostatic drivers
This is an excellent and really helpful review ,my only complain is the camera man setting face was too close , it's like in your face watching , that's not comfortable , just back off a few centimetre would be more relax for watching ,Thank You for providing an excellent video for the hi-fi community cheers.
I have the HD58x, HD600 ,HD650, DT770 80 ohm pro ,m50x and DT880 600 ohm edition series and other brands and IEM's also I alternate between all of them and I am using a mojo amp\dac and a Ikko Zerda its all about preference buy what ever sounds good to your ears or just keep buying them and add them to your collection like I do!!!!!!!
Senn HD 6nn family have magic midrange. Cymbals sound like brass being struck by a wooden stick. Vocals are stellar. Guitar tone excellent. Classical and Jazz sound the best. Strings sound so good.
I've been using the HD 600 for 7 years already (changed pads and cable of course) but I'm tempted more and more to try the Sundara, even though I use them for audio mastering more than casual listening. Would I regret it or there isn't such a difference to justify them?
@@gianlucamarchese Personallly for me the sub bass was very lacking compared to HD650 and the mids were drowned out so it sounded super dull to me and couldn't enjoy even one song regardless of what genre I played and the treble was too forward making it too sharp, to me it was quite a downgrade in terms of tune, technical capabilities were on par in terms of detail and resolution. Honestly HD600/650 with a class A or tube amp or R2R dac will make a big difference in how it sounds, for me I wouldn't use it on anything else, these warmer amps/dacs open the soundstage and make the bass bump even very low sub bass, getting the ZMF 6xx perforated pads make for a noticeable upgrade in terms of dynamics, bass tightness, treble clarity and detail as well as imaging and more open soundstage, it puts a sparkle there that isn't there with stock pads, if you want a sound upgrade keep the sennheisers but upgrade to a higher end warmer amp/dac and the zmf 6xx perforated pads.
The Sundara is good and interesting, but you're really trading for a planar version of something that is largely similar with a more extended but less tactile low end - not worth keeping both around in my book. What the Sundara will give you though is more flexibility with EQ, if you're into customising and distinguishing its sound from the 600 that way.
Great interesting video, I have Sennheiser hd560s and found to great sounding headphone for its price point , I also have the ministry of sound dj1001 close back headphones which also sound pretty good, if yiu ever come across these be great if you could do a review . Regards mark
Hi! I have ultrasone pro 750i headphone and i struggle to find any messurement of theese for a starting point for an eq. Do you maybe have any graph which might be helpfull? Cheers!
It's Focal. Focals fall apart, even at the higher end like the Utopia. If you don't have the money to buy more, or want to wait months and months to even hear back from Focal, look elsewhere.
Having both Elegia and Sundara on my desk right now, what I can tell you is : Elegia is quite incredible for a closed back headphone, specially after EQ (check audiosciencereview for settings), it's precise, incredibly punchy et clear but not too bright. The build is also one of the best and the storage case a great addition. Its only cons are the same than every closed back cans : less wide soundstage and some "pressure" due to isolation. On the other hand for Sundara : build isn't the best, it's not as punchy as the Elegia but is OK, a little bright on the trebles but overall a great listening experience, specially after EQ (for the sub-bass) and requires more power from the amp. I simply love them both but in different situations (isolation needing or not) and music style (hip-hop/electro is really good on the Elegia - classic/jazz/soul is slightly better on Sundara). Hope it helps !
@@yannledoussal3458 thank you very much. I currently have a 4xx and X4. They both respond well to EQ. Boosting subbass cutting mid bass boosting 2kHz and treble adjustments. You've given me even more confidence in getting an Elegia. I'm really curious to hear what Focal slam sounds like.
I'm on my quest to find the best gaming headphones that don't sacrifice clarity for music. I have the HD6xx and the Sundaras. The Sundara's definitely have better imaging than the 6xx but I hear the R70x might be better.
It's interesting that out of all the options in the Sennheiser 600 line, you chose the 660S. Yet you say that the 6xx has about 95% of the quality of the 660S. Does that mean that the extra 5% means a lot to you, especially now that the 660S retails for about 300 USD/Euros/shekels? i'm not complaining, not criticizing--just curious. Full disclosure: I bought a pair of these recently. With the sturdy cardboard box and the balanced cable included, they seemed the best value here in Europe--shipping and customs raises the price of the 6xx to only 50 euro less than the 660s. The differences between these and well-regarded $100-ish headphones are... clear but not drastic. Clear enough that I can't see myself spending less than $300 in the future, but not so drastic that I can imagine spending much more than $300 for a comparable increase in sound quality. In short: 1) no regrets. And 2) between the Sundaras, Meze 99 Classics, HD 600s and these, $300 seems to be the sweet spot. For now.
isn't it sad that you have to specify nowadays that you aren't critisising or complaining when you leave comments, people are so bad faith now it's a shame
I am kind of shocked you would put the DT770 Pro over the DCA AEON Closed X for a closed back under $500. I am aware the Closed X is a lot more expensive, so if you are factoring value that would make some sense. But if being under $500 is your only consideration, the AEON Closed X delivers just the best tuning, even if it doesnt have the dynamics that the Beyer does.
@@maciejburchardt7927 I don't think so. Everyone has their opinion, and while I'd probably take the aeons over the dt-770, I have no idea if Chrono would. If he tries it and wants to include it in a follow up we can do that.
There is No Competition of Sundaras In Terms of Sound and Price Ratio. Sundaras are King!! But You Need A Good Dac/Amp To Bring Out Sundara's Actual Potential.
I really wish there was a bigger focus in the headphone community on recommending headphones that don't require an amp. Videos like this are great but there's no mention of the somewhat huge caveat for regular people, that you more often than not actually need to buy additional equipment. The HD 560S is the only one mentioned that doesn't require anything other than a headphone jack. If i were to recommend HIFI headphones to somebody who doesn't want to get any other equipment, i would recommend these: Koss KSC75 - $20 AKG K371 - $110 (closed-back) Philips Fidelio X2HR - $150 Sennheiser HD560S - $200 Hifiman Deva Pro - $330 (Bluetooth but open-back) Sennheiser HD660S - $400 Hifiman Ananda - $700 Audeze LCD-X (2021) - $1.200
@@mikafoxx2717 Sure, HD58X is also in the no amp needed category, but the HD600 is a 300 Ohm, 97 db sensitivity headphone. They require three times the voltage output of the HD58X so i don't understand why you think they don't need an amp.
@@mikafoxx2717 Fair enough. But this is exactly the issue I'm raising, it shouldn't be necessary for regular people to know about ohms, sensitivity, voltage and dB/V, just to buy a good pair of headphones and be done. No wonder most people prefer just getting bluetooth headphones.
The HD600 line of headphones are well balanced and all-round headphones. I had the HD600 and the HDXX for over 15 years. But for me, it just lacks that thing that makes music special. It's just a bit boring and I fail to be moved emotionally by the music.
I love all the headphones you mentioned for what they bring to the table, but the DCA Aeon closed x leave them all eating dust, especially for build, comfort and tonality.....for my money there"s nothing better....
Expected list I guess with some solid contenders. Would have loved to see some dynamic closed backs in the mix instead of everything being an open back...
It sounds like a good compliment to the Sundara would be the 560S. Better imaging and separation without being too disappointing in other areas. Agree? Comments one way or the other please.
I would be careful when using descriptors such as 'best' or including them in the title. You mentioned exclusively open back headphones and seemed to insinuate 'best' as in closest to the Harman target? It wasn't a bad video but you need to be clear next time if you are saying 'best' and using any other descriptors as in according to your own personal tastes, to bass, to portability, etc.
I have yet to see a set of wireless anc cans that truly have a hifi sound. Even the Drop Pandas sound kinda poopy, not quite as good a Sonys or the *shiver* airpod max...
@@soggycracker5934 I repaired wireless headsets (BOSE, SONY MX3 and MX5, etc... result they are all bad. An AKG K701 and DT990pro plays better although I don't like it.
So they like open ear headphones. I get it. Sucks when you are using them for studio use it don't worry to share your music though that might be the point with these guys, perhaps.
I am not sure why the Sennheiser HD series got so good review. I was looking for Open backed headphone and got the HD 660S2 last week. I literally return it the next day. Not worth the price. It is not better than my DT 990 PRO X that is $150 cheaper. I will stick with beyerdynamic and try the DT 1990 PRO.
DT990 and HD660 are polar opposites. One with heavy bass and treble boost, the other with bass and treble attenuation. Anyway Beyerdynamic rocks. DT1990 is frickin awesome.
I've also heard many wonderful reviews about their technical and sound capabilities, but rather often quality issues and complex process of returning (costly as well) make them a risky choice.
@@kyron42Why not? if you are about to spend 350-500 USD on hi-fi experience, but instead you are buying a 50/50 chance to receive a faulty product, headache with customer support and returning and repairing process for months, won't u than ask yourself, if it really worth it? I think that reliability and customer support are parts of the price as well.
@Constantijn Pino I respect your opinion but i fully disagree. All hd 6 sound organic. And Sundara sound metallic for example . Its not about taste its a fact that hd 660s have way more natural sound than most other hi-fi headphones.
@Constantijn Pino My friend HD6 line are not for vocals only its about timbre organic sound ,smooth out bad recordings without losing detail. I agree with u its all about taste for example Sundara and 1990 are more analytic that i also like .
Yes the 660S are better. I used to have the 650 and sold them as I definately prefered the 660s. Dont get me started on the sundara. They are Absolute Trash!
I changed from hd650 to 600, now to R70x. Absolutely amazing in many ways, R70x is a much underestimated headphones.
Like his bigger brother ADX5000, also underrated yet master class. Knowing my adx5000 I would easily pick r70x in that price range
R70x comfort is pure crap made for tiny ears and medium heads at best
@@phobiedufromage2433 Perfect for me, I am searching for a headphone for small head. Oval shaped cups leave airspace as they hang off my lower jaw. I currently have ATH-M50x I have owned for 10 years and at their smallest setting they are still too large. Looking to upgrade.
HD600 is terrible... The mid range is grainy, the treble is harsh, and the size of stage can cause claustrophobia.
@johenkay1129 how on Earth is your opinion this wrong?
To give reference I own a Focal Clear, Focal Elegia, Beyer T1 Gen 2, Fostex TR50 Argon, Audio Technica AD700x and 500x, and many more. The AKG K712 is my favorite budget option of all time and it recently went down in price to $230 USD on Amazon. I haven't tried the Sundara yet but can assure you that the AKG is amazing for sub $250.
The k712s are fantastic for that price
Have them on right now :-) Though for some reason I prefer the K702.
@@carstenbohme8813 How different are they from the k712s?
I'd absolutely love the K712 if it wasn't for the weird mids. Somehow the mids colour every song in a strange way for me, especially classical music, so I stuck with the K612 in the end. But the K712 was my first mid-fi headphone so it still holds a special place in my heart
Focal Clear, Elegia, and K712 owner here, fully agree!
Given that the ath r70x retail for roughly $220 in Indonesia its an absolute steal compared to sennheisers hd600/650
Iya njir cma 3,3 auto jd list
@@letsmobiles3396 yoi, beli selagi masih ada stock nya wkwkw
@@NecrosisDesuwa best value to performance ya gan
@@letsmobiles3396 iya cuma agak mayan berat di drive nya sih, 470 ohm 99db sensitivity, tapi gw pake dongle doang mayan enak sih
@@NecrosisDesuwa dongle apa klo boleh tau
I just bought the R70X and the SMSL C200 with 4.4mm hart cables. Its so well built and light at the same time!
So I am owning the Sundaras since 2020 and they are so far my one and only Hifi headphones (IEMs excluded). I have however tested a few others including the HD660s, Hifiman Ananda, Beyerdynamic DT1990 and the Sennheiser HE-1.
I absolutely recommend everyone on a budget to get the Sundaras. They have great tuning, an amazing technical performance for the price and respond verry good to EQ.
While ofcours falling short of the Ananda in technical performance they were my clear favorite regarding the tuning and tonality. However after trying the HE-1 which are absolut base kings I felt a bit underwelmed by the Sundaras (the HE-1 at 60k€ is 200x the price though). I am now using a bit of EQ and the excitement I am getting from these Headphones again is absolutly amazing.
They respond verry well to my base boost (mostly sub-base) and slight upper mids boost giving drums that special kick and volume, making the base guitar extra funky and letting electric guitars scream in excitement without any fatigue. I am once again impressed by the technical performance.
Only limitation I found is that you have to be carefull with what you do with the midbase as the 150-300hz region can get boomie if you bump it up to much.
I had the Sundaras recently, technically they are the best ive tried, so detailed and so clear separation, but i need a good soundstage, so i returned them, sadly 💔.
The clamp on the sundaras is very harsh. I cant wear them past an hour
Sound wise they are really great for their price but buying them is russian roulette because of the quality control isses. Dying drivers are a real problem...
If you want a headphone that can last for many years then the Sundaras are NOT good.
They will last 2-3 years if you are lucky and get one without quality control issues but after that time they will still probably have dying driver issues.
@@makunouchiippo816 Mine are now just over 3 years old and I have no problems despite having droped them a few times in the past. I dont think they will die on me any time soon.
@@minigaangsta Not bad. I haven't read that quite often to be honest so I guess you can be lucky with that!
Just ordered the hd 6xx, hd650, hd490 pro, hifiman Edition xs, avantone planar II, audeeze mm-100 and compared them. In my personal opinion the Edition XS Sounds the best by far. Especially EQ‘ed they give me the little special something that makes listening to them enjoyable. But they’re quite hungry, tried to drive them with my musicstudio interface but it couldn’t handle it. Now with a Fiio K11 it’s working quite awesome on balanced cables.
omg can't believe r70x got some love
I love my Hifiman Sundara! I believe they have some of the best bang for the buck for audio quality. Great bass, treble is not harsh or too high and shrill, and great midtones and voices. They always put a smile on my face when I listen to them.
Agree. I have them powered by an Xduoo mt-604 through a custom-built balanced cable, this improves bass performance which out of the box I found a little bit anaemic.
Use the Apo EQ/ Peace interface on them and set it to the oratory 1990 optimum hifi curve. They won't make you smile, they will make you cry lol
I like them but took a while to get used to the speed and metallic, arteficial sound. I wonder if all planars are like this. Never heard a dynamic headphone sound like it. Anyway my ears have adjusted to it after some months and now they sound great.
7 months later I have to ask: Any quality control issues yet? Like dying drivers?
@@makunouchiippo816 My Sundara's still good to go. No driver issues headband is still firm and the pads are still comfortable and show no signs of wear
Hd 600 and especially hd 650 on high end tubes smokes many 1000 dollar headphones out of the park.
I've got the HD660S and I love the sound of them so much coming from the M50X. Find myself getting totally carried away by my FLAC files. I've been tempted to buy the Sundaras but with all the Quality Control issues I've read about them I'll pass on them. I live outside the US so returns to Amazon is just a stress I'm not willing to undertake.
@@StarsAtNight1 m50x is uncomfortable to wear, poor sounding headphone, dt770 in that price range do lot better
@@soulfulfool I agree that the dt770 is one of the best sounding close back headphones, my only con is that it distort very easily.
@@StarsAtNight1 I had some distortion in bass region but it probably was just hair, only in left cup if I remember right (250 Ohm version). Dont know how low impedance options sound.
DT770s have non detachable cables and that's a serious deal breaker for me. Anything above 100$ should have detachable cables
How's the bass in 660s compared to M50x?
R70x tonality is the best bet especially if you are coming from consumers' grade headphones.
While I agree that detail retrieval is bad compared to others on the list, Imaging and tonality are one of the best you can get in $500 price bracket.
Imaging on 660s is better than all those in the video. But R70x are amazing for other reasons
Sundara is better in every way.
@@DEALUX Hifiman fanboy kekw.....
I had both.
Detail retrieval is atrocious on r70x
Please, could we have a video on the same topic but for only closed back headphones. I need general purpose headphones that I can use in the office / travelling / with someone sleeping in the same room. I can't use open back headphones for this, and I expect other viewers to be in the same situation.
Thanks.
'Best' would kind of be dependent on what type of sound signature you prefer or what you are looking for in a headphone. For example, there is a closed back version of the Sundara. I would say one of the better options (closed-back, portable, for general purposes) is the Meze 99 series, the 99 Classics are $309 but for $120 less (at $180 on sale) you can get the Drop version the 99 Noir. However, you might prefer something else.
@@alejandroelcid thank you very much for the info.
Unfortunately not a well known product, but the ETA Mini S could easily qualify as a top contender on this list, IMO.
You have great taste. I have the R70X and the Sundaras.
Been more than 10 years since I last had a Beyerdynamic DT-150. I wonder how it holds up with today's generation
HD600 and HD650 (especially the HD600) has superb mids especially for vocal. The soundstage isn't that big so it gives intimate presentation and compliment its speciality which is vocal, well, but it doesn't really give me a sense of spaciousness in return. Also I always crave for more detail especially on the treble area (especially on the 650). I find the treble is too dark (it feels even darker on HD650 due to the extra warmth) for my taste also on the slower side. Then the bass is pretty rolled off so it doesn't really have sub-bass area quantity but the texture is pretty decent. The clamping force can be a bit uncomfortable after some time.
R70X has pretty similar presentation to 600/650 in tonal but in terms of technicality it feels a bit more spacious and has better layering and imaging. Maybe I'm wrong but even with the graph showing it has darker treble compared to 600/650, I feel the R70x has better treble presence. I also feels it has slightly better detail retrieval and separation compared to 600/650. But for vocal I will still take 600/650 (especially the 600). The downside of r70x for me is I can't get proper fit on it. It always leave gap near the bottom side (around my jaw) due to the headband design. It's sad because with proper isolation (I press the bottom side of the earcup frame a bit with my fingers), it has the best bass presentation for me, altho it's not that extend, it has the best texture among this shootout).
Sundara I think is the most all rounder among this shootout. It has bigger soundstage r70x and 600/650. The imaging is a bit behind the r70x (especially on the center) can sometime feels a bit difused. but still better than 600/650 which put everything on your face imo. It has substantialy better detail retrieval and separation compared to r70x and 600/650 maybe due to it using planar which is faster and has more presence on the treble (but isn't as forgiving especially on tracks with a lot of sibilance). The mids is okay, still pretty balance for me but a bit behind the DDs in terms of timbre. The bass is more extended compared to 600/650 and r70x and but isn't as well textured. The builds overall feels the most fragile even tho it uses a lot of metal parts.
Edition XS has the best overall technicalities on this roundup. It has bigger soundstage than sundara especially in terms of depth and height (the width is pretty close) also better layering and imaging. It also has better detail retrieval and separation compared to sundara. In terms of tonality, the bass is the most extended, the texture imo is better than Sundara but isn't as good as r70x and 600/650 but it's pretty close even tho it's a planar. It has the most treble presence but it can be too intense sometime. But the thing that become a deal breaker for me is the mids, it has the most imbalance mids among this shootout. This is subjective, but I feel the mids both too thin and too fatiguing, but I guess some people like this kind of mid presentation. The build is better than sundara, but the pleather on the headband will sure flake over time
btw, any plan to make comparison video between of Sundara 2020 (pad revision) vs Sundara 2022 (impedance change from 37 ohm to 32 ohm)?
Get some class A amp like zen stack or 6xx signature stack and you won't have any issues with soundstage, detail or sub bass (even without hardware eq), rap sounds insane, if you wanna get the most out of the dynamics of the driver you will be surprised what ZMF 6XX perforated lambskin leather pads do to the soundstage, dynamics, treble and detail, if not for class A, at least try the 6xx pads but both together is completely different than stock on a budget amp/dac. Sounds like speakers, specially with xspace, the whole room gets filled with sound similar to a planar like sundara (I tested both).
R70x has horrible detail retrieval. Only thing it has over hd 600/650 is imaging in soundstage. On good high end tubes the sennies absolutely destroy r70x
@@Clout_chasing_boy you have no idea.
@@thomasfischer9259 huh? I had both 650 and r70x over high end tubes and 650 tramples r70x. And that is my opinion. You can different one
Good video, thanks!
In my experience the Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro is also one of the best headphones under 500 $. Or is it more expensive in the US?
He has tested it earlier and didnt like it. Massive treblepeaks/boosted treble and when you remove them/tone the hot treble down they are not so detailed. They have several db of extra treble. Hes words and I have to agree with that. Personal taste.
@@hpol3603 I know what you mean, but I can not hear the treble as extreme as others describe it. And with one layer of toilette paper the the treble sounds normal. And for me, the DT 1990 sound very detailed also with the mod. But as you said, personal taste. And for me my personal perception.
@@intreppit Same here, I preferred the DT 1990 over the Sundara and Edition XS, treble sounded really great for me actually. The only headphone I found better than the DT 1990 was the Ananda but it costs more than 500 so 1990 FTW.
How about the dt880? Still waiting on that review hopefully
Best allrounder imo still in it's price range. EQ's great as well, but the low sensitivity requires an amp.
Tygr
Very good, especially 600Ohm. Great value.
@@InternetUser-d7s With EQ they need a proper amp, but beyond that great for the price. The 250ohm vs 600ohm doesn't apparently matter much, but the unit variation is pretty big. My 600ohm was way better as wellm
I have the Sundara, HD650, DT880 Premium 600ohm and the AKG k712 pro. My favorite is easily the Sundara followed by the HD650 with the k712 and DT880 being equal with the DT880 getting far more listen time from me than the k712. My observations are the same as above with respect to the Sundara and HD650. As for the DT880, it's nicely warm with reasonable detail retrieval but a distant mid range. It's also not as smooth as the top two and is not meant for critical listening. It's also the most comfortable of the lot and great for long term listening. The k712 is too bright for me and uncomfortable. However other than the brightness which you can eq out, it is very nice to listen to having great detail retrieval, excellent bass and mids with an expansive soundstage. Amps I use are a bottle head crack, a darkvoice 336se and a diy solid state amp called sapphire built by a friend.
The Sundara comes closest overall to matching the presentation of my speaker setup which is an ATC SCM19 and a pair of 300W/ch monoblocks with an AMR DP777 DAC.
How about the Sennheiser HD660s?
Good.. but a side grade to the classics tbh. I was a little underwhelmed when i heard them. I don't know what i was expecting xx
thoughts on the NDH 30? Overall people seem to like them, but there's not many reviews out there!
Because they are overpriced average cans. Nobody cares for them. They are used for monitoring and they sck dck for music
I would add Fostex T60RP - Argon from Modhouse in the list! They are just incredible in pretty much all the areas!
yes they are ! 👍 absolutely beautiful closed backs 👑
Exactly...all in this headphone is way under $500..the Beyerdynamic DT770 250 ohm and Meze 99s can be beat for the cashesh
AKG K712 Pro is too often underrated. Maybe because it needs powerful headphone amp.
MY MAN, I have been saying this for years but nobody mentions it in their budget lists. It is now $230 on Amazon and people still won't buy it haha. Makes a lot of the other AKG's obsolete. I suppose the power issue is a thing haha
build quality
Where are the harmonicdyne zeus?
interested to see if the MM-100 will make it onto this list in the future.
I have tried all of these. Edition XS > Sundara >>>> ALL. It's absurd what the Sundara does for the price, it's the current "king of mid-fi" for me. Actually, the "king" would be the Edition XS if the Sundara didn't cost $200 less. Seriously, I absolutely think the Sundara is the new standard for the spot of perfect all-rounder for the audiophile hobby, a spot that has belonged to the 600 line for decades (for good reason), but not anymore after the Sundara came out. The difference is abysmal, REALLY. One, in this price bracket, that gets closer to the Sundara is the K712 Pro. I'm not sure if the K712 Pro has been discontinued or not, but it's still possible to find it on the market. When well amped, the K712 Pro is impressive, very detailed, musical, excellent sound stage and instrument separation, with forward and engaging mids... so it goes. The other ones are very good too, of course, you can't go wrong with any of them, it's just that you can do better than those for less money when you pick the Sundara 😍
I have all of them except editon X. All if them are great depending what someone needs. Personally i keep all HD 6 line and Sundara are great. But HD660s imaging and natural sound is something hard to find on any headphone.
Hd 650 on high end tubes demolish sundara any day
@@Clout_chasing_boy I have the Bottlehead Crack, which is said to be the best pairing for the 600 line, I bought it already assembled because I'm not fond of hand work at all 🤣 and it's truly magnificent sounding with my 650, but the Sundara out of my Magni 3 still sounded better to my ears 🤷🏽♂️
@@Tripokaridos22 I have all of them except Edition XS too, but have tried it, and it's amazing. I'm thinking of upgrading, but instead of going for the Edition XS or the Ananda, I'm saving money for the Arya, I never tried it but given how much I love the Hifiman sound since my old HE 400i, and the rave reviews the Arya always gets, I bet it's going to be my endgame 😍
@@Tripokaridos22 I mean, I said I have them all but the one I have out of the 600 line is the 650. I had the 600 together with the 650 for a while and sold the 600, the 650 being more melodic to my ears. I have tried the 58X Jubilee and the 660S, and still preferred the 650, it's the line's sweet spot to me 🤗
What about the DT 1990 pro?
In terms of sound & performance, how does the Moondrop Blessing 2 (& Dusk) stack up to these?
The only thing you can truly compare between headphones and IEMs is the tonality.
I have a Sundara and a Dusk and I can say that I slightly prefer the Dusk since it has noticeably more presence in the bass. But that's kinda all I can say about it.
The way I see it trying to compare headphones with iems is like comparing a motorcycle and a car. Yes, they are both vehicles but they are different machines.
@@alejandroelcid To a person who has only ever used IEM's & 90's closed back cheap headphones, can you at least describe why they are so different in sound?
@@jamescruz8678 To a person who has only ever used IEM's & 90's closed back cheap headphones, can you at least describe why they are so different in sound?
@@ikoyDaPnoy It comes down to the form factor. Headphones have much larger drivers than IEMs so naturally, they move more air.
Furthermore, headphones sit atop your ear, the shape of which catches certain frequencies and amplifies them. This is why headphones cannot have a truly "flat" sound signature and simultaneously sound natural: your ears' shape the sound you hear as well. Compare that to IEMs, which squeeze into your ear canal and bypass most of the complex geometry headphones have to deal with.
This relationship between form factor and sound also impacts how "wide" a headphone or IEM sounds; headphones and their large drivers push air from outside your ear, and therefore sending that air into your ear canal at many more directions than an IEM.
There's a lot more to it (that I cannot explain because it is beyond my knowledge) but these are generally why headphones and IEMs aren't considered in the same class and why audiophiles don't compare them with each other.
Can you please compare the Edition XS with Ananda in regard of soundstage and seperation?
And overall which one do you prefer regarding the sound?
the new stealth version of Ananda has much better soundstage and seperation from my test.
Go watch wavetheory s review on the ananda stealth… he does deep comparison
many thanks for your recommendations, they help a lot
@@davidmason8212 the XS does have a stronger bass tho. If u value that u might save urself some money xD
@@megadoodoo5088 nah instrument seperation is my highest priority.
If I already own the Sundara, how different or worth it would it be to try the HD6XX?
Hello, You mentioned that you'll post links to EQ profiles. Did you miss it ?
Hi
I want know can topping nx7 amplifier capable to drive Hifiman Edition xs?
How is the Ananda compared to the Edition XS?
You would have found out if you watched the video.
He said it's close to the Ananda as performance.
From what i've heard XS has better bass extension than Ananda
"Mid-Fi" is such a cringe term haha
💀
It's a dumbass term. Usually used to indicate the price and not the quality of the audio.
Based on that price scheme, that would make hd58x "lo-fi" lol.
@@xdoctorblindx it is
How
First of.Great video as always.Also please more Chrono in vids(discussions,tier lists etc) Chrono Can I get EQ for hd560s please from you(I know you're a fan of these)Keep up great work folks
3hz + 5db 0.5q
4.7khz - 2db 0.5q
Optional 10khz + 1.5db 0.5q
These are my personal settings to fix the response. Doing this does reduce the apparent size of the stage somewhat (only slight) but they're much easier to listen to for long sessions. Happy eq'ing xx
Just Subscribed. Now you promise me you do more reviews like this!
The lack of the DT 1990 Pro is criminal.
the XS being $260 makes it flat out the best in this price range now
ears + headphones + amp have to get everything together, not only headphones. Audition is worth more than a 100 recommendations.
I hate the term 'Mid-Fi'.
Thanks Chrono. Personally I don't find Edition XS nearly as bright as Arya. Actually, It's 90$ perfect tonally for me. Few years ago this kind of performance was only acheivable at 1500$+ range. (1st gen. Edition X vas 1700$ and V2 was 1200$)
I have both and Arya SE has greater level of technical details than edition XS. That’s why it’s totally diff in price tag .
Arya destroys the HS is sound stage and especially in transients, detail and resolve. Really not even comparable.
Where are the EQ parameters you said linked below ? I don't see them 😞
What about Denon D5200 or ibasso SR2?
Which one of these has the best bass? Or can someone recommend me a ~$500 headphone set with good bass?
Great video sir ,I am searching for mid-range headphones that would be awesome for Live Blu-ray concerts(mostly rock). What would you recommend? Thanks ,cheers!
Where is the eq link that he is taking about?
what can you say about Verum1 I was going for that but
I’m looking for an upgrade from my HD599se to use with my Ifi HipDac. Maybe the Sundara, but I can’t seem to find them locally and they’re quite expensive to buy at a chance.
What did you go with and what do you think? I didn't realize how much I loved my HD 579 until I just got the 560S and sent them right back lol I could care less about any improvement in sound quality because everything sounded further away, like they didn't just sound neutral they sounded neutered, a jet or car or bullets could be going right by me but sounded 30yards away more than they should have yet the high range always hurt my ears, meanwhile my 579 always have the appropriate amount of punch without ever sounded fatiguing or too much. So that was a huge disappointment, so now I'm back to hunting for a similar replacement to my 579s and trying the XS tomorrow
@@LastAphelion
The HD579 is real shit, this thing, you see the measurements.
Loll, man you have a serious hearing problem
@@VENOM-vq3ju Maybe I do? But I used them for information in fps not pleasant listening, they were good for someone who wanted like footstep and player tracking EQ out of the box that hadn't learned EQ yet. I ended up replacing them with Ananda Nanos.🤷 They've been great for music and great for gaming, I couldn't say that about any other headphone I tried since then.
I went from being a basshead until i came across planars. Now am detail oriented listener.
As a current bass head what is planars ?
@@adrianphoenix5604 type of speaker technology there is dynamic which is normal headphones and speakers. But you also have planars and electrostatic drivers
This is an excellent and really helpful review ,my only complain is the camera man setting face was too close , it's like in your face watching , that's not comfortable , just back off a few centimetre would be more relax for watching ,Thank You for providing an excellent video for the hi-fi community cheers.
hd 650 vs Audeze Mobius for sound quality?
Why not Fostex T50rp, T60rp or Argon? Or Grado 325x?
Yep, Grado
Still rocking the Sen’s 650 😋
I have the HD58x, HD600 ,HD650, DT770 80 ohm pro ,m50x and DT880 600 ohm edition series and other brands and IEM's also I alternate between all of them and I am using a mojo amp\dac and a Ikko Zerda its all about preference buy what ever sounds good to your ears or just keep buying them and add them to your collection like I do!!!!!!!
Senn HD 6nn family have magic midrange.
Cymbals sound like brass being struck by a wooden stick.
Vocals are stellar.
Guitar tone excellent.
Classical and Jazz sound the best.
Strings sound so good.
I've been using the HD 600 for 7 years already (changed pads and cable of course) but I'm tempted more and more to try the Sundara, even though I use them for audio mastering more than casual listening.
Would I regret it or there isn't such a difference to justify them?
They're more of a sidegrade tbh
Not necessarily better or worse than the HD600.
@@jamescruz8678 So no improvement at all right? Just different frequency response, imaging and width representation...
@@gianlucamarchese More or less. I don't prefer one over the other, really. Best to try the Sundara before buying.
@@gianlucamarchese Personallly for me the sub bass was very lacking compared to HD650 and the mids were drowned out so it sounded super dull to me and couldn't enjoy even one song regardless of what genre I played and the treble was too forward making it too sharp, to me it was quite a downgrade in terms of tune, technical capabilities were on par in terms of detail and resolution. Honestly HD600/650 with a class A or tube amp or R2R dac will make a big difference in how it sounds, for me I wouldn't use it on anything else, these warmer amps/dacs open the soundstage and make the bass bump even very low sub bass, getting the ZMF 6xx perforated pads make for a noticeable upgrade in terms of dynamics, bass tightness, treble clarity and detail as well as imaging and more open soundstage, it puts a sparkle there that isn't there with stock pads, if you want a sound upgrade keep the sennheisers but upgrade to a higher end warmer amp/dac and the zmf 6xx perforated pads.
The Sundara is good and interesting, but you're really trading for a planar version of something that is largely similar with a more extended but less tactile low end - not worth keeping both around in my book. What the Sundara will give you though is more flexibility with EQ, if you're into customising and distinguishing its sound from the 600 that way.
DT770 PRO - 80 Ohms OR 250 Ohms version?
More Cronos videos please!
Great interesting video, I have Sennheiser hd560s and found to great sounding headphone for its price point , I also have the ministry of sound dj1001 close back headphones which also sound pretty good, if yiu ever come across these be great if you could do a review . Regards mark
Hi! I have ultrasone pro 750i headphone and i struggle to find any messurement of theese for a starting point for an eq. Do you maybe have any graph which might be helpfull? Cheers!
Decent gear doesn't need EQ.
Edition xs is the winner here at $500 or open box for $450.
Currently it is on 370€ on Amazon Warehouse in Germany. To me seems like a nobrainer haha
And how about the Elegia? Resolve reviewed it a few years ago and now it's on sale so much better value.
It's Focal. Focals fall apart, even at the higher end like the Utopia. If you don't have the money to buy more, or want to wait months and months to even hear back from Focal, look elsewhere.
Having both Elegia and Sundara on my desk right now, what I can tell you is : Elegia is quite incredible for a closed back headphone, specially after EQ (check audiosciencereview for settings), it's precise, incredibly punchy et clear but not too bright. The build is also one of the best and the storage case a great addition. Its only cons are the same than every closed back cans : less wide soundstage and some "pressure" due to isolation.
On the other hand for Sundara : build isn't the best, it's not as punchy as the Elegia but is OK, a little bright on the trebles but overall a great listening experience, specially after EQ (for the sub-bass) and requires more power from the amp.
I simply love them both but in different situations (isolation needing or not) and music style (hip-hop/electro is really good on the Elegia - classic/jazz/soul is slightly better on Sundara).
Hope it helps !
@@yannledoussal3458 thank you very much. I currently have a 4xx and X4. They both respond well to EQ. Boosting subbass cutting mid bass boosting 2kHz and treble adjustments. You've given me even more confidence in getting an Elegia. I'm really curious to hear what Focal slam sounds like.
I'm on my quest to find the best gaming headphones that don't sacrifice clarity for music. I have the HD6xx and the Sundaras. The Sundara's definitely have better imaging than the 6xx but I hear the R70x might be better.
cant judge on those just yet, but ok then
multiverse do has quite sick ss, 3d and imaging
This is the video to send to people good stuff
It's interesting that out of all the options in the Sennheiser 600 line, you chose the 660S. Yet you say that the 6xx has about 95% of the quality of the 660S. Does that mean that the extra 5% means a lot to you, especially now that the 660S retails for about 300 USD/Euros/shekels?
i'm not complaining, not criticizing--just curious.
Full disclosure: I bought a pair of these recently. With the sturdy cardboard box and the balanced cable included, they seemed the best value here in Europe--shipping and customs raises the price of the 6xx to only 50 euro less than the 660s. The differences between these and well-regarded $100-ish headphones are... clear but not drastic. Clear enough that I can't see myself spending less than $300 in the future, but not so drastic that I can imagine spending much more than $300 for a comparable increase in sound quality.
In short: 1) no regrets. And 2) between the Sundaras, Meze 99 Classics, HD 600s and these, $300 seems to be the sweet spot. For now.
isn't it sad that you have to specify nowadays that you aren't critisising or complaining when you leave comments, people are so bad faith now it's a shame
Where is the love for the Shure 1540, love them at the sub $500 (quite often $499 but can be grabbed at times at under $400)
Headphones closed so no interest
So high end gear is just Hi-fi?
The frequency response of the Hifiman Edition XS looks terrible
Should have mentioned the DCA Aeon RT $499 or Drop + DCA Aeon Closed X $429/499. Very good closed headphone that measures well.
Exactly and if properly EQ them it would be a end game cans for most people.
Really useful thank.s
Please make similar video for 1000, 1500, 2000 usd range. Thanks
Be really interested to hear your thoughts on running the hd6xx with the fiio btr5 dac amp, cheers, keep up the great work 👍
That's my setup and it's fantastic
@@supercrazpianomanaic hey man, cheers, so no issues at all, I plan to run through 6xx and btr5, with my Android phone and A7 tablet, thanks 👍
Love my 6xx with Qudelix 5k.
I am kind of shocked you would put the DT770 Pro over the DCA AEON Closed X for a closed back under $500. I am aware the Closed X is a lot more expensive, so if you are factoring value that would make some sense. But if being under $500 is your only consideration, the AEON Closed X delivers just the best tuning, even if it doesnt have the dynamics that the Beyer does.
I don't think Chrono has heard the Aeon X Closed
@@ResolveReviews valid reason not pick it then!
@@ResolveReviews In that case the title of this video is untrue and misleading.
Is that a coincidence ? Don’t think so.
@@maciejburchardt7927 I don't think so. Everyone has their opinion, and while I'd probably take the aeons over the dt-770, I have no idea if Chrono would. If he tries it and wants to include it in a follow up we can do that.
@@ResolveReviews I referred to title of the video. I should add it is also a form of a clickbait and you know that.
Thanks for the great reviews . Pls consider reviewing the neumann NDH20 and NDH30 🙏🫡
There is No Competition of Sundaras In Terms of Sound and Price Ratio. Sundaras are King!! But You Need A Good Dac/Amp To Bring Out Sundara's Actual Potential.
If R70X had better pads it would be a perfect headphone.
No DT 1990 pro? WTF?
It's his favorite tbf...and, quite frankly, the dt 1990 is getting long in the tooth and way too high in treble
I really wish there was a bigger focus in the headphone community on recommending headphones that don't require an amp. Videos like this are great but there's no mention of the somewhat huge caveat for regular people, that you more often than not actually need to buy additional equipment. The HD 560S is the only one mentioned that doesn't require anything other than a headphone jack.
If i were to recommend HIFI headphones to somebody who doesn't want to get any other equipment, i would recommend these:
Koss KSC75 - $20
AKG K371 - $110 (closed-back)
Philips Fidelio X2HR - $150
Sennheiser HD560S - $200
Hifiman Deva Pro - $330 (Bluetooth but open-back)
Sennheiser HD660S - $400
Hifiman Ananda - $700
Audeze LCD-X (2021) - $1.200
What about HD 58x, she impedance as 660s. Although I feel that 600 also dont need an amp to get lots from them.
@@mikafoxx2717 Sure, HD58X is also in the no amp needed category, but the HD600 is a 300 Ohm, 97 db sensitivity headphone. They require three times the voltage output of the HD58X so i don't understand why you think they don't need an amp.
@@sebQbe I thought they were within a dB of the 58x at 1v. Thought the sensitivity was 103dB/V and 104dB/V but I don't know why.
@@mikafoxx2717 Fair enough. But this is exactly the issue I'm raising, it shouldn't be necessary for regular people to know about ohms, sensitivity, voltage and dB/V, just to buy a good pair of headphones and be done.
No wonder most people prefer just getting bluetooth headphones.
planars without using an amp is a SIN 🤦♂
The HD600 line of headphones are well balanced and all-round headphones.
I had the HD600 and the HDXX for over 15 years.
But for me, it just lacks that thing that makes music special. It's just a bit boring and I fail to be moved emotionally by the music.
R70 on tubes :)
@@soulfulfool I haven't heard that one.
The Sundara has a lot of distorsion an ringing...? Compared to Sennheiser Hd-600 and Beyer DT-900 Pro X...and others 😂 I don't get it?
I love all the headphones you mentioned for what they bring to the table, but the DCA Aeon closed x leave them all eating dust, especially for build, comfort and tonality.....for my money there"s nothing better....
Expected list I guess with some solid contenders. Would have loved to see some dynamic closed backs in the mix instead of everything being an open back...
It sounds like a good compliment to the Sundara would be the 560S. Better imaging and separation without being too disappointing in other areas. Agree? Comments one way or the other please.
I haven't tried them myself, but I've noticed that people either love them or hate them... No middle ground
I think talking about amplification of these headphones goes hand in hand. Those senns are going to sound like s out of a phone or dap without an amp.
... and Stax?
Solid choices. My suggestion: Hi-X65, the new king.
I would be careful when using descriptors such as 'best' or including them in the title. You mentioned exclusively open back headphones and seemed to insinuate 'best' as in closest to the Harman target? It wasn't a bad video but you need to be clear next time if you are saying 'best' and using any other descriptors as in according to your own personal tastes, to bass, to portability, etc.
I have yet to see a set of wireless anc cans that truly have a hifi sound. Even the Drop Pandas sound kinda poopy, not quite as good a Sonys or the *shiver* airpod max...
Wireless = no quality sound = too expensive = stupid trap
@@VENOM-vq3ju Sadly, the best bet for wireless is Earpods and Galaxy Buds...
@@soggycracker5934
I repaired wireless headsets (BOSE, SONY MX3 and MX5, etc... result they are all bad.
An AKG K701 and DT990pro plays better although I don't like it.
So they like open ear headphones. I get it. Sucks when you are using them for studio use it don't worry to share your music though that might be the point with these guys, perhaps.
With the right DAC and Amp(Tube amps especially) the HD600 really takes things up a notch. Even in the Bass Dept
HD600 on my Valhalla 2 is amongst my favorite combinations in my collection. Absolutely sublime.
Hifiman Ananda Nano^^
I am not sure why the Sennheiser HD series got so good review. I was looking for Open backed headphone and got the HD 660S2 last week. I literally return it the next day. Not worth the price. It is not better than my DT 990 PRO X that is $150 cheaper. I will stick with beyerdynamic and try the DT 1990 PRO.
DT990 and HD660 are polar opposites. One with heavy bass and treble boost, the other with bass and treble attenuation.
Anyway Beyerdynamic rocks. DT1990 is frickin awesome.
R70x
r70x has some of the best imaging around period...
I see Mid-Fi on the thumbnail, but aren't those all technically Hi-Fi standard? xDDD
HarmonicDyne G200 better than Sundara. 700$
But You can catch a discount
How about the Verum one? Lots of people think it sounds really good. It won the passion for sound budget planar headphone battle.
I've also heard many wonderful reviews about their technical and sound capabilities, but rather often quality issues and complex process of returning (costly as well) make them a risky choice.
@@bogdanmaidanik yes the risk-benefit analysis should be covered in any review all headphones.
It's best not to support a racist who jokes about mailing their customers anthrax.
@@kyron42Why not? if you are about to spend 350-500 USD on hi-fi experience, but instead you are buying a 50/50 chance to receive a faulty product, headache with customer support and returning and repairing process for months, won't u than ask yourself, if it really worth it? I think that reliability and customer support are parts of the price as well.
@@bogdanmaidanik more like a 1% chance it's a faulty product.
Having 600 + 650 and Not the HD660s that have the best of both of them and better Imaging even than Sundara is a mistake.
@Constantijn Pino I respect your opinion but i fully disagree. All hd 6 sound organic. And Sundara sound metallic for example . Its not about taste its a fact that hd 660s have way more natural sound than most other hi-fi headphones.
@Constantijn Pino My friend HD6 line are not for vocals only its about timbre organic sound ,smooth out bad recordings without losing detail. I agree with u its all about taste for example Sundara and 1990 are more analytic that i also like .
I have Sundara and 660s, and 660s is better imo, and less fatiguing to listen to for long periods
@Constantijn Pino What headphones are better than the hd600 series?
Yes the 660S are better. I used to have the 650 and sold them as I definately prefered the 660s. Dont get me started on the sundara. They are Absolute Trash!
that pike at 3to 5 khz is horrible shouty sharp. fatiguing, avoid it.
Spend 500 and get the Hifi man XS edition and be done with your search
Thanks Much !..