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Hifiman Sundara

R

RoA

pfm Member
I am in the closing stages of building a small, select Headphone selection (just as I have a similar selection of amplifiers which I regularly use).

I have a Grado SR80x, a Beyerdynamic DT700 ProX and am awaiting a Sennheiser HD58x Jubilee. I would like to add one more headphone, different to the others which in themselves differ from each other.

The Sundara seems to be the darling of the Headphone press, almost universally praised for good sound and condemned because of build quality issues.

I would order from a reputable dealer or Amazon so the latter doesn't worry me much. I have read loads of reviews but perhaps you can add something if you own a pair.

Thank you
 
I have had my pair about a month.
Purchased from Richer Sounds, £230 I think (vip club price)

Listening to them now.
Unlike the Edition XS, these are a secure fit and stay in place if I move my head aboot.

The Sundara sound detailed and I like the presentation. Bass is clean.
When I first heard them, they sounded very different as this was my first planar. I think I have got used to the sound now.
The headband is minimal, which I quite like, but I can feel it - might not suit all.

The clamping force is robust.
Supplied cable is short.
I like them, but the Edition XS is taking my attention.

I think the Sundara’s worked well with my portable devices

Amazon warehouse have a pair at £233 ‘very good’ cond.
 
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Big Tabs said:
I have had my pair about a month.
Purchased from Richer Sounds, £230 I think (vip club price)

Listening to them now.
Unlike the Edition XS, these are a secure fit and stay in place if I move my head aboot.

The Sundara sound detailed and I like the presentation. Bass is clean.
When I first heard them, they sounded very different as this was my first planar. I think I have got used to the sound now.
The headband is minimal, which I quite like, but I can feel it - might not suit all.

The clamping force is robust.
Supplied cable is short.
I like them, but the Edition XS is taking my attention.

I think the Sundara’s worked well with my portable devices

Amazon warehouse have a pair at £233 ‘very good’ cond.
Click to expand...
Are the Sundara's good from a mobile phone?
 
I have a pair, bought from amazon as used. However the outer box was still sealed as was the inner box. They were brand new.
I've used them for a very few hours, mainly 'running in' with just a few songs actually on my head listening to them as they hurt my head in much the same way as every other headphone I've tried. I know my head is a bit different to many as the Sundara's are said to be comfortable for so many. I have a pair of much lighter akg K702's to try now which I'm not expecting to sound as good, but if I can actually wear them then they will be better value for me!
Certainly the Sundara's sounded very nice in the few minutes use they had!
Volume wise my mobile (pixel 7) wasn't really able to drive them unless I wanted quiet..
I'll (sadly) be returning them in a few days.
 
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I ordered a pair of Sundara today from Audio Affair at their current sale price of £239 delivered. I should get them tomorrow.

They replace a pair of Hifiman Deva which developed a fatal fault. I really like the Deva which are a model down from the Sundara, so I'm hopeful of great things from them.
 
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Big Tabs said:
I have had my pair about a month.
Purchased from Richer Sounds, £230 I think (vip club price)

Listening to them now.
Unlike the Edition XS, these are a secure fit and stay in place if I move my head aboot.

The Sundara sound detailed and I like the presentation. Bass is clean.
When I first heard them, they sounded very different as this was my first planar. I think I have got used to the sound now.
The headband is minimal, which I quite like, but I can feel it - might not suit all.

The clamping force is robust.
Supplied cable is short.
I like them, but the Edition XS is taking my attention.

I think the Sundara’s worked well with my portable devices

Amazon warehouse have a pair at £233 ‘very good’ cond.
Click to expand...

I should get them tomorrow. Did you listen to the Edition XS?
 
RoA said:
I should get them tomorrow. Did you listen to the Edition XS?
Click to expand...

Yes.

That is my favourite at the moment.
I had to purchase an additional headband padding (£15) to get the fit right as they are large.
They are very comfortable, and the sound is fabulous.
Clarity, vocals, a clear bass and a gorgeous soundstage.

The extra headband >
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0993NBFCR/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21

I like to place the instruments, vocals etc. and these headphones allow that easily.

I am listening to an Elton John greatest hits, remastered, c.d. and I am there.
Lovely - great productions.

I ordered a pair from Amazon, Liked the sound, but didn’t get on with the largeness!
so I sent them back…
Two weeks later, and I noticed a pair in the Amazon warehouse at £325 - I also followed some reviews that recommended additional headband cushioning - something that I wasn’t aware of.
Having been struck by the sound of the Edition XS, even though they were not ‘burnt in,’ I ordered the bargain price pair. They arrived looking unused and a minor dent in the packaging was the only thing I noticed.

The sound has filled out a tad, and the space has increased a little after 200 hours.
I can’t fault the sound.
They are a weak clamp though, but stay in place whilst seated okay. Might slip if you picked something off of the floor…
Once you decide where they sit - they don’t touch your ears at all, with spare! you forget about them and get lost in the music. very comfortable, with or without spectacles.
They have a better soundstage than the Sundara (in my opinion) - the Sundara is already good.

(playing via Technics SU-7100 / Arcam Alpha 9 c.d. player.)
 
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My new Hifiman Sundara arrived yesterday.

I do believe in headphone running in, for some headphones at least. And I have read reports that it happens to the Sundara.
So, they've had about 18 hours of light to moderate play so far.

Very impressed, so far.
They are replacing a defunct pair of Hifiman Deva which I enjoyed a lot.
In a way I'm a bit disappointed because atm they are very different from the Deva.

To my ear (but probably no one else's!) the Deva had a very pronounced and characterful light, airy openness that I found distinctively attractive.
The Sundara don't do that. So far at least. They have a far more spatially neutral, but similarly immersive presentation.
They sound straight down the middle neutral both spatially and tonally. Just a little bass light to start with, but I can hear them filling out down below.
I haven't really investigated the bass end much yet, I'm kind of easing them in slowly rather than going balls-out from the off.

The resolution and transparency sound very good rather than excellent. Maybe they'll step up a little with running in, maybe alternative amplification needs to be investigated as well. But I don't want a hyper detailed sound anyway.

Wrt amplification, I've a DOUK U4 valve hybrid amp that they sound a bit harsh with, which is a character I've not heard from that amp before. But a Neoteck Ntk106 gives a much more pleasing sound.

My expectation is that the Sundara will run in and develop and change spatially and tonally over the next week or so.
Maybe they will, maybe they won't!

But so far the Sundara are very impressively neutral and accurate to my ears. Their character is a lack of character. Which is a good and a bad thing. Very different from my MrSpeakers Mad Dog and AQ Nighthawk for example.

I'll run in and settle in with them for a while, then do a direct comparison with the Monolith M1060, which I like a lot. I'm quite curious how they compare and differ from each other.
 
Mine have arrived. - I am just playing them a day or two before using them.

A set of Meze 99 Classics (Wood/silver) should be here next week and the HD58x Jubilee hopefully at the end of month after a delay notification from Drop.

20230107-151438.jpg
 
@RoA I'll be interested in your views on Sundara vs Meze and Senns.
I had a pair of Meze 99 NEO and Sennheiser HD598, I didn't like either of them at all, whereas the Sundara are continuing to impress me.
 
So, after revelling in the Sundara Sunshine, I thought I'd try my previously beloved Monolith M1060.

They do the same job description, really.
Big cupped, open back, planar magnetic. Similar sort of leather-strip swing affair for the headband.

My expectation was 'similar but not as good'.
Actually it's a bit more complicated than that.
They do sound quite similar, the Sundara more open, finely rezzed and immediate.

But there's an enticing soupcon of immersive warmth to the M1060 that sounds a step or three in the direction of my Audioquest Nighthawk, which I love for all the wrong reasons to do with their departure from neutrality.

So, no, I'll be keeping the M1060 and enjoying their differences from my new reference, the Sundara.

You can't have too many headphones. :)
 
Mine have nicely run in but I need more time, especially as I have a number of new headphones to get to know. The Meze's arrived so that's another one and I have not received the Sennheiser's yet. As a headphone non-expert I need some comparisons to fully understand what and what they can't do.

First thoughts though are they are good.
 
just waiting for a pair to be delivered form hifonix today at £239.. ill report back my thoughts and the can stage on the supernait 3
 
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More feed-back Hifi-dog? I have not spent much with mine since they arrived, about half an hour if that. Still getting to know the Beyer and Meze but the Sundara is next.
 
I'm letting run with the radio on while I'm at work but used them for watching an apple tv programme last night and they are incredibly detailed, natural and un fatuiging so far, nothing i could fault apart form the crappy short lead so I've ordered a 3m one from ebay made up using vandamme silver plated cable for £35.
 
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