Just got myself a used mint condition Sundara (5 month used). For a long time Sundara owner out there, does the pads leather gonna start flaking? If yes, how long does it take before it started flaking?
Love the sound of this headphone but worried about the Quality Issue.
I also got a sennheiser 560s and they quiet similar for me. I love the Sundara more but still wondering if it’s worth the maintenance cost.
The brand new pads will cost around $50 excluding tax, that’s basically 1/7 of the cost of a brand new Sundara.
On the other hand, I believe the sennheiser will do just fine for another 10 years. Just less soundstage and less comfy for me.
Mine only lasted about a year before they started peeling. Mind you I didn’t keep the pads flush for most of that time so they were pressing each other at the bottom which is where the seam is, they may have lasted longer if I hadn’t done that but I don’t imagine much longer.
I have the Dekoni pads now with not a trace of wear after 8 months, mainly because the leather actually extends around the adapter ring instead of being glued on right at the edge. They’re a lot more comfortable too.
It’s worth noting that Hifiman changed the pads last year so if they’re a newer set you might have more time.
Thanks for sharing your experience! I also have the 2020 edition with new pads but been asking around that it will also gone bad and flaking after around a year.
That’s really too bad. Now I’m not quiet sure to keep them or sold them. Changing the pads every year for $50 seems not worth for me since I don’t want to change the sound with 3rd party earpads.
The Dekoni pads are a LOT better than the stock pads (sheepskin instead of pleather) and don’t change the sound at all. They’re the same hybrid design and the foam is basically the same density.