Need help finding the best PLANAR's I can get for $350

indeed, and the Quad is at the top of my list for next headphone! :smiley:

to the OP, something you could consider, get the Drop / HiFiMan HE-4xx and perhaps the Drop / Sennheiser HD58x so you have some high quality phones you can jump between that don’t cost more than the $350 budget you stated. :slight_smile:

He has already owned the he4xx, and stated that he only wants planar, which limits what is available in this price range

well then, the Sundara’s are the only option, eh?

I guess its that or the mobius/hyper x cloud orbit s. Unless he can find an absolute steal on some higher end headphones

Look for a Monoprice M1060C. The only mod you have to do to them is replace the wooden cups with 3D printed grills. They are a really good headphone. You could also swap out the pads if you wanted, but isn’t as necessary as removing the wooden cups.

Here’s the file for the 3D printed grills: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2820652

Also, don’t let one reviewer dissuade you from a headphone. The consensus seems to be pretty positive on the Phantoms. The only mod you have to do is, remove the foam in them and the stage really opens up.

Others have mentioned the Sundara, and I have heard good things about their sound but I would NEVER trust Hifiman QC anymore. It’s just about the worst in the industry.

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Or more 1060c grills…
https://armattanproductions.com/pages/product_details/19493

Yep. Just about any open grill design will work fine.

Also, don’t let one reviewer dissuade you from a headphone.

^^^ This x2

I did not hear of the HyperX / Audeze collab…guess they’re a rebranded Mobius?

and Shem is right, I totally forgot about the Monolith M1060C’s (Monolith by Monoprice). with open back mod, they’re supposed to be quite wonderful too.

Have only heard the original m1060, so I can’t really say anything about the c’s

the C’s are a completely different design and have nothing in common with the original open back, where are supposedly pretty meh.

Dey aight. Mods can make them better, but I have seen that many say the c is a good improvement

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:thinking:

I have had issues with my hifiman he560 v1 (headband snapped), but they were quick to reply and shipped over a new headband. The headband issue on the sundara really doesn’t exist any more, and I know a fair bit of people with sundaras and no issues whatsoever. I understand that driver failure is a concern, but if it does happen, the warranty process has been fairly painless with hifiman if you buy through an authorized dealer

My concern with Hifiman has always been about the driver. I have had three Hifiman headphones, and the driver has failed on every single one of them. If you buy used, there is no warranty and if you buy new, the warranty only lasts for a year. I would never recommend anyone to buy their headphones unless they are well aware they are playing quality-control roulette with the company. Their sound is good, but it’s not good enough compared to the competition to overcome their QC issues.

Also, your use of the :thinking: emoji is pretty suspect and quite frankly stupid. I’m not a reviewer and have never claimed to be. I discuss headphones on forums based on my experiences and the things I have read. I am certainly no authority figure on the matter.

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Just poking fun. I personally have not had any driver failures on my hifiman products, but I know it has happened, so it is something to take into account. Also I would say anyone who comments about or recommends a headphone is a reviewer in some sense. I would change your statement from one reviewer to one person, as anyone who inputs their option is in a sense reviewing a product from their experience and perspective. Another thing to consider is that you may not see yourself as an authority figure, but some may, even if you assert that you are definitely not, so that’s something to also take into account.

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I live in the US, Tampa Florida to be exact, My HE 4XX’s that I had to return had a strange rattle on the right driver with a lot of bass. I am now deciding between the HyperX Cloud Orbits, M1060C, Phantoms and Sundaras. I know that the Verum One’s are essentially an $800 headphone for $350 but I can’t wait 9 months. I should also mention that I have big ears and hate when my ears touch the pad. Is their truely a big jump from the $350 planars to the $600-$1000 to the $1200-$2000 ones, or is it honestly just splitting hairs at that point. I picked $350 because well, it’s all I can really afford and I am no longer dealing with the cheapest planars anymore, at $350 I feel like I am atleast getting mid tier planars. Also I missed alot when I went to work.

Edit - I will be using these for mainly gaming and listening to music, that’s why I said I wanted good imaging and soundstage.

$350 is a good mid tier mark. I feel that you really hit diminishing returns once you go past 1k. Some higher end planars like the LCD 2 classic, edition xx, or sendy aiva can be pretty killer at the 600-700 mark, but the sweet spot for price to performance is typically around the price range you are at.

Did you have comfort issues with the 4xx? If so, you might not want the sundara, as they fit similar to the 4xx.

The orbits, m1060c, and phantoms I don’t think you would have comfort issues with, as the openings and pads are pretty large

I had no comfort issues with the 4XX, as I said, I absolutely loved the 4XX, I was sad when it had the driver defect, the pads were just at the edge of being big enough. They were the first headphones that I had that sounded different. Since then I fell in love with planars. I hear great things about the 1060C modded and know not to get the M1060’s (non C) because of the planar driver flaw they have. I hear that the sundara’s are basically a upgrade in every way to the 4XX but then I also hear the the modded 1060C’s are amazing as well. The HyperX Cloud Orbits might be juicy since they are tuned by HyperX. The phantoms I still know nothing about other than that they are good and bad all at the same time.

Well, I think the orbits, m1060c, phantoms, and the sundara are your best bet in this range.

I would say if you want the most features for gaming, the orbit s is what you should go with.

If you want the best detail, the sundara, m1060c, and possibly the phantoms if you want to take some risks are probably where you want to go.

I would compare with other aspects, but I have only heard the sundara and the mobius (essentially the orbit s). I would say though that the sundara would probably be a more intimate sound compared to the m1060c (going off of the width of the 1060 which is probably similar)

I think I am going to order the Sundars, the HyperX Cloud Orbit, and the M1060C’s on amazon then return the ones that are not for me. BTW I most likely would get the Could Orbit (non S) because I don’t need the head tracking thing. Thanks for all your help guys.

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