🔶 HiFiMan Sundara

Headphones [Official] Open Back
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This is the official thread for the HiFiMan Sundara. This thread is for discussion and reviews.

  • Over Ear
  • Amp needed
  • Open Back

:red_circle: HifiGuides Amazon link

Reviews…

Z and the others coming soon

Tyll

Tots Dub

Josha Velor

Audio Advice

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Anyone here have any experience comparing the Sundara to an Ananda or HEX v2?

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I heard Sundara and Ananda side by side at CanJam last year. Not the best listening environment but even there it was clear the Amanda is a noticeable step up from Sundara. I bought Ananda and haven’t regretted it. Sundara is still a great middle ground if you’re upgrading from HE-4xx/400i though.

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+1 Agree with Papa_B. There’s something odd and a bit artificial with the Sundara when comparing to the Ananda, especially with strings. The Ananda’s presentation is just better. Outside of sound, the Ananda’s earcup size is huge.

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The Sundara is at least half the price of the Ananda at list prices, and is frequently discounted to around a third. It’s not the world’s fairest comparison.

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I got the Sundara’s today, and I literally agree 100% with Resolve Reviews… their amazing!

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They are pretty nice :+1: What do you like about them?

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The treble…I ain’t never heard anything like it! So clean, clear effortless! Soundstage and detail so good better than my 400i’s. I was listening to Heavy weather a album by Weather Report and it just made me raise my head up and roll it around clockwise and counter clockwise and say ahhhhhh!!!

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Well I always liked the sundara but I didn’t expect z to like them so much lol

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So Z had described these as having a very natural sound. I’m pretty sure he’s in the minority there. I like Sundara as well, but I would give them a below average rating in terms of having an overall naturally sounding timbre. I recall hearing a couple reviewers describing the timbre as “plasticy”—though I don’t think that’s a particularly helpful description.

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Yeah, I don’t think they were very organic sounding compared to other offerings. Kinda like calling the hd800 natural sounding

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My take-away was that by “natural” he meant in the flat/neutral tuning ballpark as opposed to bass cannon, bright or V.

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That could be it, but imo there is a difference between something being flat and neutral vs sounding natural

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Anyone have a comparison to the HE-400 or HE-500 to these? I still rock the HE-500’s and love them.

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The HE400 and 500 have way more bass slam and are more of a v shaped sound. Very fun and enjoyable. Also have a wider soundstage. The sundara prioritizes detail and light and airy sound with a more neutral signature and is more intimate . The 400 and 500 are also more amp dependent and power hungry. The sundara will run well on most amps.

The 500 is super enjoyable and not really like the sundara

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Thank you for helping! I’ve been using a Asguard 2 and Modi 3 along with a Subpac S2 it’s a blast.

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Yeah the older hifiman really slam, something that I miss from their current lineup. Although I just got the he6se and that is truly old hifiman in a new product. Crazy bass and layering

You could check out the he5se, as I think it is more tuned to be like the he500

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What about a comparison between the Sundara and the HE-560?

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Now that’s a bit closer, as the he560 still has the edge in bass and has a slight v shape, but the sundara has better improved mids and is a more refined sound signature. The he560 is also still pretty amp dependant compared to the sundara. I personally prefer the he560v1 over the sundara, but for most people the sundara is the better headphone.

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