HIFIMAN SUNDARA Hi-Fi Headphone with 3.5mm Connectors, Planar Magnetic, Comfortable Fit with Updated Earpads-Black, 2020 Version

Short Answer: The short answer to the question is the Sundara the New Value King? No I think that title still goes to the 58x. But it is the new value king for the mid range HiFi offerings with the 6xx, DT 1990, and the Sundara as the three most popular options in the MidFi space. But is the Sundara End Game for People on a budget (myself included)? Yes. To my ears the Sundara is miles better than the 6xx. One listen side by side and the Sundara was immediately noticeably clearer with better sound stage and imaging which helped to aid its superior detail retrieval in busy recordings. Needless to say the Sundara at its current price of $350 blew me away. It punches much higher than its price point would suggest. If the name of the game is detail and resolution I think it is as good if not maybe even better than some of the more expensive offerings such as the DT 1990 pro and Focal Elex. Of course those headphones also do some other things better than the Sundara, but if your stuck with the 6xx or 58x and wondering where to go from here then the Sundara is a true step up without breaking the bank. Long Answer: Anyone who has listened to the 6xx knows that it has a warm / dark tonality. The vocals are very intimate and everything sounds like its in your head (no soundstage). The 6xx is never fatiguing with the highs and the lows rolled off, you might describe the 6xx as the opposite of V shaped. The 6xx magic is in the mid range where stringed instruments and vocalists really pop out at you but without being shouty or fatiguing. If the 6xx is "neutral warm" then the 58x takes that to another level with a slight elevation in the mid bass punch, with just slightly better dynamics the 58x would be described as warm/dark tonality or just darker than the 6xx, but only slightly. I would describe the Sundara's tonality as neutral, maybe neutral bright. But overall I feel like it is neutral. Even though there is more air in the upper frequencies compared to the 6xx, I don't feel like the treble is pushed more forward compared to the rest of the frequency response. What I really like a lot about the Sundara is that it extends well into both the lower and upper frequencies but without over emphasizing anything. Out of the box the bass on the Sundara is flat but extends well. Even though the 6xx has a thicker mid bass presence it lacks in the sub bass and begins to roll off quite aggressively after 100hz, and anything lower than 60hz is probably inaudible. As far as dynamics neither the Sundara or 6xx are extremely punchy headphones. But I want to emphasize with EQ the dynamics can be improved significantly on the Sundara, when I added +4db to the sub bass I could really get the Sundara to rumble. Neither the 6xx or Sundara are bass head type of headphones. But unlike the 6xx the Sundara can scale quite well with some EQ and actually sound really good because of how well it naturally extends into the sub bass. The best part is that when I do add +4db to around the 40hz - 120hz the Sundara is still very clean and tight in the mid/sub bass without distorting the rest of the frequency response. Since with the 6xx it is already a warm tonality headphone, doing the same exact EQ just made the mid bass sound more bloated without improving on the dynamics and the rest of the frequency just sounded more dark without getting the desired effect. Mid range and vocalists on the Sundara is not as intimate as the 6xx, however I wouldn't characterize it as being very distant either. It is still somewhat intimate, but instead of hearing everything in your head like the 6xx, the vocalists are maybe 2 - 3 steps back. This really plays well into the sound stage and imaging. But the Sundara is not as lush as the 6xx, and the 6xx has a slightly more forward and fuller mid range, especially the lower mids. But just like the rest of the frequency response, the Sundara is able to pull out more detail and resolution in the mids. Where the 6xx may smooth out some imperfections in a recording or a singers voice. The Sundara will reveal and highlight any imperfections, which could be seen as either good or bad depending on how you view it. But with stringed instruments, synths, or electronic music, the Sundaras detail retrieval just makes for a very exciting listening experience. The highs/treble is where I think the Sundara wipe the floor against the 6xx. As someone who is some what treble sensitive, hence why I gravitated to the 58x and 6xx. Sibilance was something I was concerned about when purchasing the Sundara because prior to listening to the Sundaras I had actually listened to the DT 1990 pro. Those cans were the ones I had been eyeing for the longest time (amazing build quality), but the one thing that stopped me from making the final purchase was sibilance. The DT 1990 pros also had really good detail retrieval in the highs, but it came at a cost of the highs being more forward and even slightly shouty (sometimes). Long listening sessions or female vocalists that reached the upper mids could come off harsh at times. The 1990's were great at a lot of things, but to me the sibilance was a deal breaker. The Sundara on the other hand I find strikes this great balance of being very airy and crystal clear in the highs, but at the same time walking this tight rope of getting you close enough to enjoy the magic, but pulling you away before it gets too fatiguing/sibilant. Sound stage and Imaging on the Sundaras is also very different compared to the 6xx. The 6xx doesn't do sound stage at all (very intimate), and has maybe poor or at best mediocre imaging. It is difficult to sometimes gauge where the direction of the vocalist or guitarist is at on a live recording. The Sundaras sound stage and imaging actually helps it navigate busy recordings better, which I think aids in its overall detail retrieval as multiple instruments or vocalists dont meld as much making it difficult to distinguish a kick drum from a snare to a congo. If you like listening to classical music or anything that benefits from a wide and expansive sound stage then the Sundaras should be on your short list. Final thoughts: I would characterize myself as a bit of a bass head, but also never compromising on detail and resolution. I would never choose more bass at the cost of clarity. Which is why I loved the 58x and 6xx for so long, even though there are headphones that are better for bass (at their respective price category), but often sacrifice on clarity and detail compared to the 58x/6xx. The Sundaras stock out of the box are not bassy headphones. The 58x does mid bass punch really well for its price tag. But the Sundaras like I said earlier, reach deep into the lower frequencies. I want to emphasize this, because you can still hear sub bass with the Sundaras in its stock configuration unlike the 6xx or 58x which roll off, but the Sundaras sub bass is not as forward as you find with the 6xx and 58x in the mid bass range. However what made the Sundaras a "these have great detail and sparkle in the highs, maybe I'll keep them for analytical listening and its unique flavor," to "wow these cans just might be end game for me," boils down to EQ! The Sundara's driver and tuning is like a blank canvas, because of how neutral its presented and how well it extends in the lows and highs, it responds well to EQ. When I add +2db or + 4db into the lower frequencies the Sundara turns into a totally different beast! The bass response can slam and you can feel some of the deep rumbles almost like a car sub woofer. Yes it can get that low and deep at times. But detail retrieval and resolution still stay awesome without the bloat or distortion that I get with the 6xx or 58x, because those headphones are already colored and just like a canvas thats already been colored over, it can be difficult to change the way the 6xx sounds with EQ. Even though the 6xx is cheaper at $220 on drop I just dont know if I could still recommend people to get the 6xx. If I could do it all over again. I would get the 58x and the Sundara and skip the 6xx/650/660s line up. Simply because the 58x sounds very similar to the 650/6xx (they might even be the same driver, but just slightly tweaked differently). Also the 58x is very easy to drive so I can listen to it on my phone or tablet on the go. While I use my 6xx and Sundara at home with my tube amp. Put simply if your looking at the $300 - $700 price range and don't like to EQ, but you enjoy sound stage, airy clear highs and detail retrieval get the Sundara, if you enjoy bass, but you don't like to EQ and have the budget maybe look at the Focal Elex or the DT 1990 pro. (Also the Focal Elex sounds the closest to the "Sennheiser sound," but with just much better dynamics out the gate and without the "Sennheiser veil.") But if you do like to EQ and you enjoy bass get the Sundara. It is near end game at a fraction of the price!

Ok I am no audiophile (yet). I am a simple guy who loves good live music. I'm a huge fan of Dave Matthews Band...I realize that they are a polarizing band so no matter what you like, JUST hear me out because whether you love DMB or not you should at least know that DMB, in my opinion is a great band to really test how great a headphone can be because the band covers a wide variety of instruments in virtually all of their songs including violin, sax, clarinet, trumpet, flute, acoustic & electric guitar, smooth bass, keyboard, and top notch drumming. So I was considering a lot of higher end headphones like the BT1990 or the Sennheiser 6xx, 650, and so on. You can get the 6xx headphones for over $100 cheaper than these so why spend the extra money? Well, I have listened to these headphones for only a couple of days and I have some feedback that I think will be useful for those that are interested in considering this set of headphones. I said only a couple of days right...so very low burn in yet and I am confident that they will only get better over time. First off, the best quality of these headphones, in my opinion, is the soundstage. The soundstage is incredibly wide. I came from M50x headphones and for me there is no comparison. Sundara is wide and instruments have their place right where they should be. The violin, sax, vocals, drums, bass, and all other instruments are so clean and clear. You can choose to listen in and focus on one instrument and really hear the clarity and depth to that particular instrument due to the soundstage being so wide. You can also just relax and listed to everything blended together which sounds just terrific. I am truly in awe of all of the hidden sounds and secrets that I never knew existed and I have listened to the band for well over 20 years with Bose, Audio Techica, and other brands. This is NOT an exaggeration...every song I have listened to I have heard something new that I had never heard before. WOW! I haven't experienced anything like this with a new pair of headphones in the past. It is SUCH a treat! The treble is JUST right...it does peak at times and toes the line (sometimes!!!) but it never crosses that line. In my opinion it is just perfect where it is at and sounds great! The mids are so nice! Dave Matthew's voice comes out as strong, clear, and beautiful. Not over-produced or anything like that. I have heard the 6xx or 650's have mids that can't really be topped but sacrifice a lot with the soundstage. Dave sounds exactly as he should...great vocals without being too strong or taking away from the strength of the other instruments. EDIT...Bass HAS improved substantially with burn in. Bass sounds really great now, but here is what I originally wrote: Bass is weak to me without the use of an amp. You really need to crank these up with an amp to feel the bass hit. Bass is smooth...it is there...but I would prefer it to be a little stronger without the amp. If you listen to music that needs strong bass and can't buy an amp. I would pass on this. For now, I knocked this down a star for the bass. It is NOT bad...its just in that slightly above average spot for me. Bass guitar is the hardest instrument for me to focus on because the other guitars, horns, and strings come on as being stronger. THAT said, I have had the headphones for only 2 days and this could improve and if it does, I will update this. My guess is it will get better with more burn in. Do you need an amp? Well, most likely yes. I know that was hard for me to understand as I got into this audiophile hobby..."You mean I just spent $350 and now I have to buy another piece of equipment for another $100 or more." Well, all I can tell you is I used the headphones in my iPod classic on full volume and it was nice but it really needed more. When I hooked up my amp...(I purchased the Monolith Liquid Spark) it really opened the headphone up and gave them the extra power that I can confidently say they NEEDED. They sound great without an amp, don't get me wrong but the amp imo is necessary unless you really listen to music on pretty low volumes. I got the amp., and a RCA to 3.5 mm cord to hook my iPod or computer to the amp. and the sound is just not going to get better for $350 + the cost of the amp. In conclusion, if you love clean, clear, beautiful music and want great soundstage and comfort, this headphone is the one to get. Especially if you listen to music with great instrument variety. For me, the incredible soundstage makes the extra $100 over the 6xxs easily worth it. I mean do you want to just fork over the $100 bucks now and have the perfect headphones or do you want to sacrifice to save that $? To me, I want these headphones to be my go to headphones for years...I want to get the best enjoyment out of those so that extra $ was worth it. All in all, its a 4.5 out of 5 headphone for me. I am going to be loving this for many years!

I'll be comparing the Sundara to the 560S throughout. Here’s how things will be weighted. Please keep in mind these scores are relative to the Sundara’s price, not to the 560S’s price. Also, please keep in mind that this is my opinion. Box, Presentation, and accessories: 5% Build and Comfort: 20% Bass: 10% Mids: 15% Treble: 15% Soundstage/Imaging: 15% Technical Performance: 20% Box, Presentation, and accessories: The Sundara comes in a very nice box that has a fake velvet-like material lining the inside. The pads come a bit squashed, but even out quickly. Comparatively, the 560S’ box is basic, but works. Neither should be damaged in shipping. Sundara comes with a short 3.5mm to dual 3.5mm cable, which is of ok quality. It coils a bit, but isn’t terrible. It ends in a 90 degree plug, which shouldn’t be a thing. They are trying to market this as a “mobile friendly” headphone, which it isn’t, so that 90 degree plug is useless and gets in the way. It also includes a 3.5mm to quarter inch adapter. The cable that the 560S comes with is terrible. Like the worst cable I have ever had kind of bad. Even worse than the X2HR’s cable. It’s way too long and terminates in a quarter inch. They do this because the 5XX series of Senns were bought alot by people with home stereos. Because of the long length and termination, it is a pain to use with a desktop amp and a nightmare to use with my portable DAC/amp. You have to use an included \~5 inch adapter to convert to 3.5mm. Why not just terminate in 3.5 to begin with? Awful cable. Sundara: 7/10 HD560S: 2/10 Comfort and Build: My first experience with Sundara in the comfort department was not good. The 2018 version clamped too much, jabbed my ears, and caused jaw pressure issues. I am happy to report that the 2020 version has fixed all of those issues. The only other remaining issue is that the ear cups are a bit small, and my ears can get crowded at times, but it's not bad. I have a larger than average head, and my ears are very sensitive on the outside. Guys, I am very picky about comfort, and I think Sundara is fine. For context, I sent back the SHP9500 because they were uncomfy to me. The 560S would have been great if not for two things. They have plenty of space for my ears on the inside, but there is a protrusion at the back that pokes them and hurts very quickly. They also have an uneven strong clamp on my face, which doesn’t help. I could make them work, but the Sundara are better. Of course, after a while, both become uncomfy, but that happens to almost anything. For the build, it's interesting. Usually Hifiman has the worse build and Sennhieser the better, but it's the opposite this time. The Sundara are built very well, almost completely out of metal. The only issue is the adjustment mechanism scratches the metal and leaves a silver tone. Not a huge deal, but odd that it happens and they haven’t fixed it yet. I guess it’s a sure fire way to check if they have been used yet or not! The 560S are comparatively made out of mostly plastic, and feel somewhat cheap. They are a lot lighter though, and I would actually expect them to last longer than the Sundara due to the 5XX series’ reputation for longevity. Sundara: 8/10 560S: 6.5/10 Sound: Bass: Overall, the Sundara have better bass. I feel that it is more present over the anemic 560S’ bass response, and it is faster and quicker. The Sundara feels like it has a more impactful bass due to it’s excellent punch and slam qualities. You also can EQ the Sundara’s bass to your heart’s extent, not so much on the 560S. Obviously, the Sundara still has fairly neutral bass, but it’s right in line to where I prefer it. Sundara: 8.5/10 560S: 7/10 Mids: Both headphones have good mids, but the 560S has more present mids, almost to its detriment sometimes. The 560S can get shouty in comparison to the Sundara, while not gaining any resolution from the heightened mids response. The Sundara may even have better resolution here even while not being as forward in the mids. The Sundara’s mids are just, really good. Nothing really to say about them because they are so transparent and neutral. Right where they should be. The 560S is a bit more shouty and present, and you may like that. I can describe the shout as like the flare of the sun’s rays through glasses. It physically hurts, and prevents you from seeing what you want to. The 560S does the same thing to music very occasionally, and the Sundara does it much, much, less. Sundara: 9/10 560S: 8/10 Treble: This is interesting. The 560S and Sundara both have excellent treble for the price, and are somewhat similar to one another, but the Sundara is much more refined. It has better resolution and a more controlled and smoother response. Both have peaks, and both have sibilance, just at different spots. The 560S sounds a bit more “grainy” here and isn’t the resolution king at $200. The Sundara *IS* the resolution king at $350 though. Don’t fall into the hype, the 560S is not creating detail on the level of HD 6X0. The Sundara exceeds HD 6X0 handily. I feel that the 560S is a on the side of bright neutral, while the Sundara is more close to neutral in the treble response. The Sundara is definitely where I would like it to be more, it doesn’t sound as harsh or overbearing as the 560S. Sundara: 9.5/10 560S: 7.5/10 Soundstage and Imaging: I’m not the best here, but I can definitely tell that the Sundara has a much larger stage than the 560S. The 560S is much larger than HD 6X0, but the Sundara destroys it. The 560S would be described as more “flat” as not as vertical, and more “accurate” to the original recording, but the Sundara just gives a more surrounding and deep soundstage. The Sundara is more layered and more encompassing. The Sundara still isn’t the best at the price though, about average in width. For imaging, both are amazing for the price, but the Sundara is better. Sundara: 8.5/10 560S: 6/10 Technical Performance: This is where Sundara shines. The overall sense of clarity and resolution is excellent here, and the distinction between individual sounds is some of the best that I have heard. Sundara also has an excellent punch and slam. The 560S is not slouch for $200 though, but it cannot compare to the Sundara. It is lower resolution, can’t show sounds as distinctly, and is very shy on punch and slam. Clarity is very good for the price though, but this could be due to the slight tilt toward brightness. Sundara: 10/10 560S: 7/10 Side Note: Power Requirements I would recommend an amp with both, but you can probably get away without one with the 560S. I feel that Sundara really needs an amp. On most devices I tried, I either could not get enough volume or had to crank it to get to an ok listening level. Overall Score and Value Conclusion: Sundara: 8.2/10 560S: 6.2/10 So, if it isn’t obvious, Sundara is better. It should be better, because it costs $150 more. The 560S isn’t bad at all though. In a price-relative rating close to $200, it would have scored at least and 8 I would predict. If you can pay the extra, I would for Sundara. It is just the superior headphone in most every aspect. If you want a transparent, accurate, and detailed jack of most trades then look no further than the Sundara.

This is my third pair of Hifiman headphones - and the first one to last more than a couple weeks without breaking. I was first attracted to their headphones because of the tremendous clarity and detail in music reproduction that can come from planar magnetic elements. But alas, each of the first two pairs I purchased, several years ago, developed an electrical short in one of the channels very quickly -- and on the second pair the connectors between the earpieces and the cable (which were apparently proprietary, or at least very unusual) also broke. This was, I felt, particularly unforgivable because the headphones were comparatively quite expensive (much more so than this pair). I gave up and moved on to other brands. But when I encountered this model, I saw that the cables and connectors seemed much more robust, and what's more, that there were numerous after-market cable replacements available. The price was also more moderate (to the extent any multi-hundred dollar set of headphones can be called "moderate" -- it is all relative, I suppose). So I decided to try again, and have been glad I did. The headphones are both clearly marked for left and right connections, and shaped so they really only fit comfortably when properly oriented. And they do sit comfortably -- the earpieces are large and soft, and the headband light and compliant. The headband design does give me some pause -- it looks like it may not wear well. We'll see. And the cable plug, which is a right-angle plug and not a straight plug, seems a little flimsy. The sound is a little bright, compared to other headphones I have, but not objectionably so, and the detail and ability to reproduce complex music is first rate. These are probably not a good choice for folks who want a lot of heavy bass, but otherwise are very pleasant to listen to. I have headphones that cost two to three times as much that do not sound any better, and are no more comfortable to wear. I still have my fingers crossed concerning reliability, but so far, so good.

Let me preface my review by stating that I had to start a return and purchase another pair because the metal frame that the pads attach to was not uniform. This caused a rattling sound with slight movement or even just heavy bass. In my view, this speaks to the quality control of Hifiman (maybe not the best). I ended up going through Amazon to get a new pair. However, Hifiman was more than willing to make it right. They have great support, and I appreciate that. We should expect great support when paying $300+ for a pair of headphones. I will not ding this review for that because, as long as we receive a high caliber of support, I am of the view that mistakes happen sometimes. Doesn't mean I will not tell others about it though. Furthermore, the headphones have a 1 year warranty following purchase. This definitely leaves something to be desired when we look at competitors like Audeze who offer a 5 year warranty, but it is certainly passable. Onto the review, Build quality: The build quality is excellent. Metal everywhere except for a small portion of the headband. Feels sturdy and premium. It feels like an expensive pair of headphones. The pads are luscious and well-fitting. The hinge is sturdy and entirely metal. The adjustment mechanism is metal, feels solid, and like it will hold up to heavy wear. If you are worried about build quality, don't be. Every box here is checked. Comfort: The headphones come with a leather (or perhaps faux leather) free float band beneath the metal frame of the headband. This makes the headphones feel very light and adaptable as they sit on your head. The earcup pads are sheepskin leatherette with a fabric top where they make contact with your ears. I do not feel any weight, pinching, or discomfort with or without glasses on. These earcups are large. There is more than enough room for 99% of people's ears to fit entirely inside comfortably. I will go as far as to say that they are comfortable enough that you often will forget you have them on. They are very light despite their large size and metal construction which I am sure can be attributed in part to the planar drivers. Sound: Let me preface this portion by saying you will want an amp with these headphones. Yes, they can be used without an amp, but you will definitely not be getting their full power in both volume and quality. They are listenable without an amp, but I would recommend an amp. My setup is a Topping DX1 and the Monoprice Monolith Liquid Spark. I would recommend something like the Liquid Spark, FiiO K5 Pro, or Schiit Modi. My Topping DAC comes with a built in amp, but it is about as powerful as what one might expect with something like a dongle. I can tell you. It is not enough. You need a solid amp to truly drive these headphones. The soundstage is clear and free due to the tuning and open back nature of these headphones. The trebles are clear and the bass is present but does not cause the headphones to physically rumble. These headphones have nearly a perfect sound. I am serious when I say this. There is no need to EQ them at all. You will not beat the default sound of these headphones. Every genre of song will feel exactly like you always thought it should. The treble is not too heavy nor is the bass. This is not to say that they feel "flat," however. They don't. The best way to describe it is "cinematic." You feel like you are sitting right in the middle of the sound, and the sound is EXACTLY right. It does not matter what it is, a game, music, a movie, it will tackle it and sound the way you would expect. These headphones do not sound "clinical" or like studio headphones (ie, Beyerdynamic dt 990 pros). These are headphones tuned with pleasurable listening in mind rather than precise monitoring and a sterile sound. Conclusion: This is it folks. These headphones are perfect for everything. Just make sure that you pair them with high quality gear, a DAC, and a real headphone amp to make them shine. They are a pleasure to listen to no matter what I am listening to with no adjustments necessary. Some serious engineering clearly went into these things, and it is delivered to the end user in the form of pleasurable listening. At $300, I don't think there is any viable competitor.

HIFIMAN Sundara is regarded as one of the best value headphones under $500 category, and sound performance wise, I found that to be absolutely true. You will not find a planar headphone, or any headphones, that can bring such an authoritative technicality and elegant and lively musicality under the table for such a (relatively) low price. Let's talk about sound. Its treble and bass is very well extended and has that fast and clear planar plucked-tightness. I can see that the treble can be a bit too peaky and bright for some people, but I personally found it to deliver just the right amount of liveliness and energy without crossing that intolerable "Beyer" level. The mids are a bit recessed and mostly flat, which I find to be a bit uninspiring, but its detail retrieval is so good that it makes up for this weakness at least a little. Speaking of which, Sundara's detail retrieval, instrument separation and imaging is exceptional. It easily competes with Hi-Fi headphones that cost over $1000 and I find that to be an unquestionable feat on HIFIMAN's part. Lastly, let's talk about soundstage. Its soundstage is not something to write home about. You will not remember Sundara for its soundstage for sure. However, it is more than adequate for enjoying most types of genre and is definitely not its weakness. It does not have an obvious blind spot, and I was generally able to pin point the direction of most instruments with ease. Now here's the bad news. HIFIMAN has a very bad track record when it comes to quality control and the longevity of its headphones. As far as I know, the issue has been taken seriously and partially been remedied especially on their latest models such as Sundara and Ananda. However, my personal experience did not live up to my (not that high) expectation. You see, the Sundara I received has a different pads on each side. One is significantly thicker on the front with wider, but flat surface area (popularly know as old Sundara pad by the community) and the other is thinner on the front with narrower, but bulging surface area (known as stealth-revised pad by the community). Sort of a big deal since the disparity causes not only discomfort, but also channel imbalance. And if the company can't even quality control something as so easy to identify and functionally important as putting the same pads for each side, how can I trust them on other parts that may turn out to be problematic in the long run? Then I asked myself, is it really a good value if I constantly have to fear that something will be wrong, missing and/or will probably die off in an year or two? When there are alternatives like Sennheiser HD 600 series, which admittedly may be a little behind in technicality with inherent weaknesses and strengths of old dynamic driver design, but carry impeccable track record of lasting long enough to pass them to your grandchildren? In the end, I urge the readers to ask this question yourself. Imagine that, in an extreme case scenario, it is going to fail a little after 1-year warranty period. Would $349 still be a good value? If your answer to this question is yes, then I can definitely recommend this product. It will not disappoint you. My answer to this question was no, and I am returning it. I initially went with it because recent HIFIMAN's publicity gave me a bit of trust on them, which was immediately shattered when I saw the pad mismatch on my pair. I honestly though about giving 1 or 2 stars rating, but Sundara is such a good headphone sound wise, that it at least deserve 3 stars despite the lack of HIFIMAN's still awful quality control.

These headphones are terrific. I own several sets of cans for which I have spent more, including AKG & BeyerDynamic, both open and closed back. I've been very happy with several of them, but decided to give the Planar Magnetic design a try. The comfort and overall quality of the Sundara is comparable to the best of the German designs I own, but the sound quality is next level. To haul out the old audiophile cliche phrase, it sounds "like a veil has been lifted" on my source material, when I listen with the Sundara. And, at times, the "veil" being lifted is more like a thick curtain. The Sundara has much more accurate reproduction on every sort of instrument, as well both male and female vocals, with nicely defined kick in the low end, and a lack of any harshness and sibilance in the treble range. Just a beautiful audio experience. Kudos to HIFIMAN. I could imagine upgrading the earpads and cable at some future time, but the ones that are supplied are more than acceptable. The construction uses metal everywhere it counts, which is reassuring. The ear pieces do not swivel, but they conform to my big head surprisingly well. I wear a very large hat size, but the adjustable range of the Sundara is more than adequate, and I don't get any clamping discomfort. Just for the record, I use headphones primarily for music, but also occasionally for video conferencing on the computer, and for watching television. These excel at all of those uses. I am NOT a gamer, so can't comment on how they perform in that context. I was truly shocked by how good these headphones are, especially at the price. They really are a truly outstanding audio value. Highest recommendation!!!

4 year review with these cans. Let's get the cons out of the way: The cable out of the box is bad, buy something better right away. The stock pads started falling apart after about 9 months for me, I swapped to the Dekoni Sheepskin pads and they have been perfect for the past 3 years since. These things somewhat chomp into the great value of the headphones, but these headphones already punch way above their weight in terms of value. The pros now that the two cons are out of the way: The sound quality is top notch, it takes some time to get used to Planar Magnetics when you've listened to nothing but Dynamic Drivers your entire life. The soundstage is really open, the bass is not heavy but it is very tight and responsive, speaking of which it's very responsive across all frequencies. A lot of sound quality is personal preference and not everyones ears are the same, but these headphones are excellent for me. For a while I had them EQ'd while I was transitioning away from my Dynamic headphones. Now I run them as they are, and I really enjoy the sound quality. I used to hear things about Hifiman having spotty quality control, but I have had these for going on 4 years and they are still going great. The only recent issue is the faux leather on the headband is starting to wear off, but the headband is still very comfortable and the fitment adjustments are still tight and snug. If bass is your main need in headphones and not detail, then stick with Dynamic Drivers. If you're ready to explore and can sacrifice bass which imo is all Dynamics have to offer, then give The Sundaras a shot. They are great headphones.

These are probably the best all round headphones you can buy. Compared to other planars these are cheap, they have a great soundstage and clarity for gaming, and obviously awesome for music and music production. They just have such a clean and detailed sound. Some people may prefer a bit more bass, but they are definitely capable of some awesome bass with a bit of an EQ or if the DAC you use supports it, a bass button of sorts. I paired this if the iFi Zen Dac, and it is absolutely awesome. a few cons although, the build quality feels a bit cheap, it has held up for almost 3-4 years with no problems, but to the touch it does feel cheap. And the cable that comes with the headphones are excellent for filling up a bin. Do some research on a nice balanced cable and get more out of these headphones.

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Pense que era pura publicidad, pero que equivocado estaba, el hype es real, se escucha todo suuuuuuper claro, no solo eso, todo esta en su lugar, cada instrumento, cada sonido, los volveria a comprar solo por si algo les pasa a estos

الصوت حاي من جهه وحده بس فرجعتها بس اللي مهلينا احط تقيم سيء ان الكرتون اللي جتني فيه غير الرسمي وبس فيه السناعه والسلك بدون كتلوج او ضمان او اي شي ثاني كان مشكوك فيه مرررره

I got these because of two things: I wanted to try planar magnetic headphones. And graphs and reviewers were saying this has a “reference” sound. Tuning is very subjective and personal. And reviewers use a bunch of weird names, but I usually like when the equalization of the speakers let me hear well the mids and highs without being drowned by bass and sub-bass. I use headphones for games and music. For games, that means I can hear enemies better and pinpoint their location, some headphones are almost like cheating. It would be if games used a proper audio codecs with low latency, but that is a different story. For music, for me, it just feels right. I could never understand bass heavy headphones, you miss so much of the other instruments and singers' voices. So you might need to set up an equalizer or a different set of headphones if you really want that sub-bass going. Don't get me wrong, you still get that nice vibration when the bass drop, but the voices and midrange instruments are obvious, it is almost like I can pinpoint them as well as my enemies in Counter Strike. ** Build Quality ** The quality of them are good, they feel solid and the metal makes it feel premium. More premium than the Ananda, and the AT in the photo, but less so than the DT 1990 but mostly because of the pads and cables. It is very comfortable, not as light as an Audio Technica, but you can still use it comfortably for a long period. I would prefer a carrying case than the box it comes in. The DT for example, comes in a fancy carrying case instead of a weird box. The Ananda comes with a styrofoam stand that I do not use, but it feels more useful than the Sundara case. I like the cables are detachable and just a regular jack, that means you can find replacements very easy. The pads are also easy to find replacement. Changing pads and cables are an easy way to tune it to your tastes and make it feel ever more premium. ** Last remarks ** You don't need a DAC to use them, I used it both straight to my computer and with a SoundblasterX G6, the audio was similar to me. I do not recommend the Soundblaster, you can find better DAC for cheaper, it is just what I had in hand and since then, I just plug straight to a computer. If you really want to try a planar magnetic, this might be the most well-rounded option at this price range. I like the Ananda better for games, and you can find the Ananda for cheaper sometimes. Ananda: https://www.amazon.ca/Ananda-Over-Ear-Full-Size-Magnetic-Headphones/dp/B07DJ2ZBB3