SUNDARA Over-Ear Full-Size Planar Magnetic HiFi Stereo Wired Headphones for Studio&Audiophiles (Black)

First off, is it “headphones” or “a headphone”? It always weirds me out using the singular when there are 2 sound drivers. You don’t say “a monitor” for studio monitors. But I get it. The headband makes them a single unit, so I will utilize the singular and plural interchangeably. (Still feels weird, though.) I’m a 20+ yr. professional muso, multi-instrumentalist, producer, capable mix engineer, looking for a set of cans under $500 to help me work confidently when I can’t use my studio monitors. I generally prefer closed-backs because they are multi-purpose, in that I can use them for recording vocals, which is a big part of what I do. So just to get the one real downside of this headphone out of the way, as with all open-backs, recording close to a mic is out of the question, sadly. Of course, their openness is exactly part of what makes them great. I’ve never given much credibility to the YouTube audiophile community until recently. They all use a lot of cringy jargon like “detail reteival,” “resolving,” “shout,” etc., which is not how music peeps describe sound. I’ve been giving these folks the benefit of the doubt recently, though, while attempting to weed out the ones who don’t seem to know what they’re talking about - which is most of them imo. (Pro tip: if a headphone reviewer says anything from Beyerdynamic has excellent or pleasing “detail reteival,” run. Run far away, unless you enjoy having knives shoved in your ears. I’ve owned DT770, DT1770, DT1990 - all sold or returned. Fool me thrice...) The Sundara has kept popping up in the audiophile top lists, but Hifiman doesn’t really market to the pro audio industry, so I never considered the brand until now. My previous open-back workhorse is the AKG Q701 (or K701), which is (are?) quite flat/accurate, but the lack of low-end makes it a chore to use. I’ve always found them devoid of fun, which can be useful even in mixing. They also distort easily for those short bursts of cranking the volume. Well, I am selling my AKGs after using the Sundara for 2 days. There is just no comparison here. Listening to the latest masters I just got back, I can’t believe the sound stage in these very affordable headphones. My eyes even widened with surprise a couple times, which is very rare for me. Yes, I’m a little jaded (sigh). The FR is what I’d call "just flat enough." A smidge smiley, but not so much that I’m making bad mixing choices. The bass extension is devoid of muddiness, and near perfect. Nothing exaggerated here. They let you know (and enjoy) what’s down there without muddying things up. I do use Sonarworks, and I’ve found that mixing in the 400i preset to around 40% gives these that little extra sub-low help without messing up the rest of the FR. The mid range (low and high) is well-represented - not scooped, muddy, or honky. Top end is the way I like it. Sibilance is bright enough, but doesn't rip my head off at all. (I’m looking @ you, Beyer). And all the airy stuff above sibilance is just beauty. Over all, impressive separation across the FR. (To sum up that last paragraph, the Sundara sounds really, really good.) The build quality is the only thing I can’t give a perfect score to, even though they feel sturdy enough. This is the only category where every other serious headphone I’ve used beats it. Shure, Beyerdynamic, AudioTechnica, AKG, Sennheiser. The Sundara feel a bit flimsy comparatively - like I wouldn’t want to let them bang on my desk too often. But I’m careful with my stuff, so I’m not too concerned. If Hifiman had Beyer’s tank-like sturdiness and elegance, these would be the perfect set of cans. But I do like the way they look, strictly fashion-wise. I’ve also seen a lot of complaints about the lack of swivel, but it’s a non-issue for me. They fit great, and super comfortably. After just a couple of days, I feel like I’ll be able to work in these much longer than my other headphones. Previously, I had to force myself to put my AKGs on for mixing, but I always kept going back to my other favorite cans, the Shure SRH1540. But closed-backs make mixing a lot more challenging and fatiguing. Now, I actually WANT to use my open-backs. Yay. I haven't found anything in this price range that beats this headphone sonically. I’m glad I finally took a chance with a pair of entry-level “hifi audiophile” headphones for pro audio work. I’m confident these will be a useful tool for me for the foreseeable future. These are also the first set of planar magnetics I’ve tried, and I must say I’m very impressed! Give them a chance, and I doubt you’ll be disappointed. Unless, of course, you enjoy having knives shoved in your ears. In that case, you know where to go.

EDIT: 7/21/2020 I am adding in an edit here. My left speaker seems to dim in volume time to time regardless of how loud or quiet I drive them. I end up tapping on the speaker cup pretty hard, which seems to "do the trick" and the volume normalizes toal match the other cup. I think it has something to do with the membrane in the planar style speaker (google planar magnetic). I would now recommend the Sony MDR-1AM2's over the Sundara's.... The Sony are 50 bucks cheaper (got mine for $290 so 60 cheaper) and they sound better. I dont have to use an eq to retain bass response. The Sony has the highs mids and lows. Again no EQ needed to retain bass response. Surprisingly, even though the Sonys are closed back (Sundara are open back) they still have a sound stage like an open back headphone! They are also super light weight, you forget you are wearing them, while the Sundara are heavy, and you always know you have headphones on. Get the Sony MDR-1AM2, they are better. Get the Sundara if you like to experiment. Supposedly the Sundars got a quiet update with new ear cups as of this year (2020) so you wont know if you are getting the old version or new version which I find to be bull$#@&. If there was a new update, it should get its own new model name. Instead you roll the dice. So, I am a bit of an audiophile. Generally in the car realm, but also for headphones..... To start off, these headphones are spectacular. I was originally powering them off my Sound Blaster ZXR sound card inside my computer, but these headphone's require power to drive them as they are not like typical headphones, so they did not get as loud as I like... Which for others, might be loud enough. So I bought the Schiit Magni 3 headphone AMP, then used my sound cards RCA out (which are low level) to the Magni 3 to amp the signal. Now they are loud as !@#$ which I love. Like many high end headphones, they sound better when you have a quality amp. Without the amp, they still sound good, but they will lack on the low end. Once amp'd, the low end comes right back in. I also use my sound card to add in +12db at 31hz and +10db at 60hz. This brings the bass up a lot and makes them sound like a full range speaker/headphones. The crazy part is, when I have the bass up and the headphones on my head, they are flawless, the moment I take them off, the speakers begin to show signs of rattle from too much bass. But this is a case of open flow vs on your head. Some reviewers have stated that when they move the ear cups slightly away from the head, the bass fills out. All headphones will have a different sound on your head vs open air, all of them. Its just the dynamics of how speakers work withing a confined space (your head being the confined space). The sound ways may go in your ear, but they also come back out, they done continue through your head as your ear is a closed passage. In the car world, the best systems are equalized to neutral. Like many high end headphones, the HIFIMAN lacks in the bass department. So a little EQ really helps. Most reviewers of headphones and home audio gear generally do not have the ability to use Equalization, they have DAC/AMPs which have a pre-defined "flavor" of audio. This ideal is similar to buying car speakers based on how they sound "to you" and "off the shelf". But in the car world, as long as the speakers have similar specs, it doesn't matter how they perform, because you can EQ them to neutral anyway. I can take 300 dollar speakers and 75 dollar speakers in the car world, as long as they both have the same frequency RANGE and power output in RMS, I can EQ both to sound exactly the same.... you literally wont be able to tell the difference, I could literally put one brand on the left side of the car and the other brand on the right side of the car, EQ each side separately, EQ to neutral, and you wont even know that there are two different brands in the car! You can do the same in the headphone world but with limitations. My example will be these HIFIMAN Sundara vs $100 Sony Mdr-Xb950Ap which is their "extra bass" lineup. In this example, the HIFIMAN lacks bass compared to the Sony's, and the Sony's lack the high end (by a large degree) AND have too much bass. Even though I can EQ both, the Sony's just can't hit the high end like the Sundara's can. Some may claim the difference in frequency response, as the Sundara are rated 6Hz - 75kHz, while the Sony's are rated 3hz–28khz, is the reason the HIFIMAN has a better upper range, except for the FACT that most sound cards and even DAC/AMP combo's, will never hit those heights. In fact, some of the best DAC's you can buy only hit the normal 22khz range and then cuts off from there, same with my sound card. Therefore both are being cut off at 22khz, and yet the HIFIMAN sound better on the high end. EQ in some bass, and its good to go. While the sony's, there is no EQing them to the quality of the HIFIMAN. Now the HIFIMAN, I have compared them to my brothers $1500 Sennheiser's.... the 800s reference series, and honestly the HIFIMAN has a very similar sound signature and quality. However, the Sennheiser's are significantly lighter in terms of weight, and the Sennheiser's don't need any EQ to retain bass response. Overall, I feel that I have lucked out, I can deal with the heavier weight, and my PC has the ability to EQ, so all is well.

I got these after buying and selling headphones for a few years as a business. I've had all the major brands and models up to $600, the list is long. The reason I got these as a daily driver which I plan on having for years is they're balanced, but the imaging is to die for in computer games. You can tell what's behind, above, and below you so well in games like Destiny 2 it's amazing. They're fast too, and don't need any 3D surround sound effects because the sound stage is large enough it's not much benefit. I use them on a BlasterX AE-5 plugged into the back and also it's worth noting to order the Amazon Basics six foot extension cord since the stock one is very short for most people. There's no loss of clarity and I also got the 9 foot 3.5mm pin replacement cable here, there's no difference or quality loss whichever you use. The extension was $7 so I'd recommend just getting that. Music is terrific, Adele sounds her best, and most other planars I tried has recessed mids which were great for techno, but really faded sounding vocals. This is well rounded, but it isn't for bassheads, the Beyerdynamic DT1770 would be better. I also had the HE400i 2020 version, and it had a sharper treble, more bass but not as defined, and more recessed mids. That one best for fast metal, and if you love Techno, then run, do not walk and get the HE400i instead of this, you'll be so happy. When gaming I play a lot more aggressively, because the treble is so under control I don't have to worry about being jolted out of the chair by some 13khz sound effect blaring off. I just mosh pit dive in the biggest fights now. The detail on these is right up there with the Beyerdynamic Amiron home, but without the sibilance or treble spike. You can hear details you've never heard before, and in games it takes some getting used to. You know the location of every monster making a mumble around every corner, or player walking on the roof of the building you're in. I'd put the imaging as better than the Shure 1840 or Sennheiser/Drop 598x Jubilee or the PC37x I had a couple of weeks on. It's SO accurate! An amp will help of course, an AE-5 or G6 is best, but if you have a gaming motherboard, I'd try it for volume levels on that first before buying anything else. You won't need SBX surround or any of that anyway (it doesn't help, these headphones are that good). If you're sensitive to treble spikes and sibilance, these are your next headphones. Comfortable and no threat of "Treble Trauma" or fatigue. I have these and the Soundmagic e80c ear buds for travel, and they're the keepers no matter what I buy or sell in the future. One metric you can check is how many of these are for sale used, you probably won't find any, because so many people hang on to them. I know I'd never sell mine, there's nothing to upgrade to under $1,000 and the law of diminishing returns is crazy over this price point. I'd rather buy several pairs than put that much into one that's 10 percent better but costs 3 times as much... Last word: Break these in by playing music at 50 percent volume with a towel on it for 100 hours before making a decision. The sound significantly changes for the better after break in time. Don't rush to decide the first time you put them on. Hifiman recommends 120 hours of break in time and I happily discovered why, just put a box or towel over them when not in use and play songs on repeat/random.

So, let me start by saying that I am personally a big fan of Sennheiser headphones. Both the HD 650 and HD 600. I mostly use these headphones to mix music and track guitars. And those 2 models work excellent for my use purposes. But I also enjoy using them to just listen to music and watch movies. I have used them for gaming and they can be used for that as well and sound great! Now, on to the Sundara's. I will say that I think they are packaged well. And it's a great experience unboxing these. The build quality is pretty darn good imo. Mostly metal used for the majority of the headphones. Now I have heard and read a lot of reviews that talk about how comfortable they are. And they aren't the MOST uncomfortable headphone I have ever wore. But they are most certainly not more comfortable than the HD 650 or 600. And I found myself moving the cuffs around ever few seconds because I just couldn't get them to sit right. And I don't have large ears or anything. I would say average size ears. And the headphones would make my ears pretty hot as well. As far as sound goes. So I don't have a dedicated DAC and Amp for headphones. I ran these out of both a Motu M2 interface and a Scarlett 18i20. The M2 was able to push the headphones a little better than the Scarlett but still not great. And that was kind of a bummer. I won't claim to know a lot about running headphones on a dedicated audiophile amp and dac because I have not done that. But I mostly use my Scarlett these days, and I had to up the volume knob 75% of the way to run these anywhere near a decent volume. And if you go any further you will start distorting the amp on the interface. Now, most that know more about headphones and amps would probably say, well DUH. You need a dedicated amp and dac for those man! And that's totally fair. But, the thing with that is most reviewers are saying these are one of the best if not the best in the price range. BUT if you have to buy even a $100 or $200 amp and/or DAC to run them, they are no longer "in this price range" imo. And again, it is just my opinion. I will say that the headphones are far from the worst I have tried. And I am not dogging on them one bit! They just are not for me personally. I am sure they are excellent on a better amp. But I am just not looking to get into that just yet. So I am returning these and going back to Sennheiser for now. Maybe if I end up getting a dedicated amp in the future I will give these another shot. The sound stage on these is still intimate but better than the Sennheisers. The detail retrieval on these is definitely pretty excellent for the price. IDK if it was just because of the interfaces I was running them on. But they were definitely a little sibilant. Especially with the vocals and the cymbals. Anyway, those are just my honest thoughts. Take it as you will! Either way, if you get these I hope you enjoy them!

I travel quite a bit for work from my home base in Florida, and I got tired of my old dynamic-driver headphones sounding kind of flat after a while. I wanted something with better detail and a wider soundstage for listening to music in hotel rooms when I have quiet time. After reading up on planar magnetic options, I decided on the HIFIMAN SUNDARA because they seemed like a good step up without going crazy expensive. I expected clear, accurate sound with decent bass and enough comfort for longer sessions. They mostly met those expectations, but not perfectly. The sound is really clean and detailed right out of the box. Planar drivers give this fast, snappy response that makes guitars, strings, and vocals sound natural and separated. The soundstage feels open and wide—great for acoustic tracks, jazz, or even movie soundtracks where you want to hear instruments placed around you. Bass is tight and controlled, though it doesn't hit super deep sub-bass rumble like some closed-back sets. Mids are strong, and the treble has good sparkle without being harsh most of the time. In practical use, these shine at home or in a quiet spot. I use them plugged into my laptop or phone for casual listening, and they drive okay without an amp, but they open up noticeably with a little more power from a DAC/amp. On flights, the open-back design leaks sound like crazy, so they're not ideal if you're worried about bothering the person next to you. At home, though, they're perfect for critical listening sessions—I've spent hours going through my playlists without fatigue. Comfort is mostly excellent; they're lightweight for full-size planars, and the pads are soft. I can wear them for a couple hours straight no problem, though they do get a bit warm in Florida humidity. Pros: - Excellent detail and imaging for the price - Wide, open soundstage that makes music feel more immersive - Comfortable for extended listening - Good build with mostly metal parts (feels sturdy) Cons: - Open-back means zero isolation and sound leakage - Bass lacks deep extension—fine for most music but not bass-heavy genres - Stock cable is nothing special and a bit stiff - They benefit from an amp to really shine Value for money is where these stand out. At their typical price, you get a lot of that planar "magic" without spending hundreds more. They're not flawless, and some people mention occasional quality control quirks with Hifiman stuff, but mine have been solid so far. I wouldn't call them endgame headphones, but they deliver way more than I expected for entry-level audiophile gear. If you're into neutral-ish tuning with strong technical performance and don't need noise isolation, these are worth considering. Just know they'll perform best in a quiet environment and might need a bit of power or EQ tweaks depending on your taste. Overall, I'm happy with the purchase. They exceeded my expectations on sound quality and detail but fell a bit short on bass punch and travel practicality.

Disclaimer: My preference is for a recognizable bass (not a basshead), wide soundstage, and speed/sound separation. My music taste is eclectic and I prefer headphones that are strong in as many genres as possible. I use these with a THX AAA789, THX 788 with Diracsound, and JDS Labs Atom / Khadas Tone Board combo. Planars are my favorite type of driver. The Good: Pure audio bliss! I’ve tried so many headphones in the $100-500 range and these are my favorite by far. The sound quality, separation and soundstage are fantastic. These are incredibly sturdy and fit with my design aesthetic. I prefer these over the Sendy Aiva and Hifiman 400 series, by far. I love how airy and clear everything sounds. It’s the closest I’ve felt to feeling like I’m at a live performance. These headphones have a comfortable sound signature and can listen to these all day long. The Bad: These headphones weakest point is with their comfort. The cups don’t swivel which can make them feel rigid on your ears. The pads are very comfortable and the headband are nice. Adjusting the size takes a bit of force. So, if you’re sharing these with someone with a different head size, it’ll get annoying with changing it. Also, it’s weird how it leaves a mark on the inside of the frame because of how the adjustment digs into it. Mixed: The second version of these use 3.5mm dual connections. So, this can make finding balanced cables challenging if you’re looking for balanced cables under $130. The connections do not and will not fit just any 3.5mm male. To help you save time, check out Periapt cables for a fair priced, high quality balanced cable. Final thoughts: I recommend these completely and fully! These are a good value to me and sound amazing out of the box. I’m in love with these headphones and am sure you will too.

(please read to end) I ordered these Sundara headphones new, they arrived in an open box with a broken seal. Upon inspecting the headphones I noticed chipped paint throughout a hair in the ear cup and heavily scratched adjustment sliders (see pics) when I plugged them in I noticed the left can was dead. I tried two different brand new sets of cables that I bought especially for this headset a 4.4 balanced and a 3.5 and nothing. Again I paid for a brand new HifiMan Sundara! Not only did they send a used set they didn’t even plug it in to see if it worked! This has gone beyond a quality control issue. I would not be so mad if this we’re coming from some shady third party dealer but from HifiMan this is beyond disappointing. -REVISED After speaking with Amazon customer support I was told they will not replace my headset only refund the money and it would take up to 3 weeks to be reimbursed. I returned the headset the next day and ordered a new one from the HifiMan storefront. Now I’m in the hole for over six hundred dollars and not even sure what I’m getting from HifiMan. After reading a number of the one star reviews I guess this is a pretty common occurrence with this company and it’s a gamble on the quality you are going to get. Is this a great headset? Yes. Are you going to get a great headset? Maybe. Will this review be buried so you never see it? Absolutely! -CONCLUSION After receiving the second Sundara headset and opening the intact box I found it was missing the headphone jack adapter and the manual listed in the description, but the headphones work. Based on the set that I received I can honestly say that they are decent (not mind blowing like some of these reviews suggest) but just ok. I think these have been a little over hyped. I know this review sounded a little bitter but it’s not. I just wanted to warn people that they might be receiving a refurbished or open box item repackaged and sold as new. I have no idea if that is what I eventually received or not due to missing pieces etc. I’m assuming that I didn’t receive the actual new item I paid for either time.

Short Answer: Yes, but depending on your setup your mileage may vary. Scale of 1 - 10, 1 worst, 10 best: Stock with no EQ and driving off Phone: Clarity - 6xx - 7, Sundara - 9. 6xx has good detail/resolution, but the Sundara has amazing detail/resolution. Bass - 6xx - 8, Sundara - 6. 6xx more forward/warm mid bass, but lacking sub bass. Sundara is flat overall, but the sub bass is stil audible. Mids - 6xx - 9, Sundara - 7. 6xx is very intimate and mids are more present/close. Sundara is maybe 2 steps back. It is not distant but at the same time not in your face like the 6xx. Treble - 6xx - 5, Sundara - 7. 6xx treble rolls off and therefore has a very smooth sound (not harsh at all, some may prefer the 6xx treble), but it sacrifices some clarity and sounds veiled. Sundara has clarity for days and very flat treble that sounds natural and not artificial. Sound Stage - 6xx - 3, Sundara - 7. 6xx has little to no sound stage. Sundara has good soundstage, but not best in class. In my opinion the sound stage on Sundara is perfect. If the sound stage is too big then their is no intimacy with the music. But this also depends on genre of music and preference. Sundara sounds amazing with orchestral music Imaging - 6xx - 4, Sundara - 8. 6xx has poor imaging, Sundara very good nearly perfect 3D directional imaging, good for games and music in general. Driving off amp/dac combo with EQ: Clarity - 6xx -8, Sundara - 10. To be clear the Sundara wins hands down in detail resolution across the frequency response. lows, mids, highs with or without a good source. Bass - 6xx - 8, Sundara - 10. Sundara has better frequency response and just scales better with a better source. When I EQ the Sundara it has much better sub bass and I can produce a very satisfying punch/slam that I can't on the 6xx Mids - 6xx - 9, Sundara - 8 Treble - 6xx - 6, Sundara - 8. because the 6xx is already colored from its warm presentation its difficult to EQ in or out more treble while the Sundara is very flat/neutral and keeps the clarity, even if you EQ -4db or +4db. Sound Stage - 6xx - 4, Sundara - 8 Imaging - 6xx - 5, Sundara - 9 With the 6xx you kinda get what you have out of the box, it is difficult to EQ, because it has a colored sound signature already. Sundara just scales better with a better source and with EQ you can make it sound amazing to your exact sound preference. Long Answer: If all you want to do is drive your headphone off your phone/lapto then the Sundara is a medium upgrade (sundara require more juice to drive). if you want to get the most out of the Sundara then you are gonna want to drive it off a good amp/dac combo as everything just sounds more detailed and resolving. the Sundara just scales better with a better source. When it comes to frequency response, this is where the Sundara really shines to me. The 6xx don't EQ very well, because the 6xx is already a colored headphone. If you own a 6xx you know it has a mid bass presence that makes everything sound warm and slightly veiled. The treble response is more smooth and somewhat recessed and everything sounds very intimate (no sound stage). The Sundara is the exact opposite with a very flat and neutral frequency response that also extends much better in the lows and highs. For example the 6xx may have mid bass, but it lacks sub bass and rolls off around 100hz, so when I EQ more sub bass +4db around 30 - 80hz the Sundara create more punch/slam in the sub bass that I can't reproduce with the same EQ in the 6xx. Furthermore the Sundara does not suffer from the veiled highs that the 6xx has. The treble response on the Sundara sounds more true to the original recording with a more natural timbre, nothing sounds artificial. The amazing part is the Sundara brings a bit of sparkle and energy to the highs, but it does so without being fatiguing or sibilant. Yes, compared to the 6xx it is more bright, but at no point would I consider the Sundara to be V shaped or over emphasizing treble; it is in fact perfectly neutral. However, if you are a fan of the treble presentation of the 6xx this is something to consider. The one area where I think the 6xx comfortably competes with the Sundara is the mids, but it does so in a different manner. The mids are great on the 6xx, they offer a very rich and inviting presence even when driving off your phone/tablet. But like the rest of the frequency response, the mids sound darker with more girth on the 6xx. The Sundara on the other hand presents vocalists with a more airy presentation and instead of hearing everything up close and personal, the vocalist is maybe 2 steps back, the vocalist is neither in your head or distant. The clarity in the mids for the 6xx comes the closest to matching the Sundara's clarity/resolution, but to be clear the Sundara is a more resolving and detailed headphone hands down across the entire frequency range with or without a good source. The clarity and resolution is aided by the Sundara's superb imaging and sound stage, which allows the listener better instrument separation and directionality. In tracks that are very busy with multiple instruments or singers at once, the 6xx can sound muddy at times. Even though the Sundara is not class leading in sound stage, I think the Sundara strikes a perfect balance in sound stage and intimacy. The Sundara offers enough sound stage for instruments to breathe in a busy recording, but at the same time still keep some of the intimacy and vocal presence that the 6xx is so loved and known for. It is a master class balancing act. Final Thoughts: If you listen to a lot of bass centric music like I do, but you don't like to EQ, the Sundara may not be for you! The Sundara out of the box is not a bass head type of headphone, but it can be with EQ. This is actually what won me over and why I ended up keeping the Sundara. Out of the box I was a bit disappointed on the overall quantity of bass. Like I said earlier the Sundara has audible sub bass and mid bass, but it is flat. When I bumped up the lower frequency by +4db the Sundara bass out scales the 6xx. With EQ I was able to reproduce a very satisfying slam/punch in the lower frequency that I could not reproduce with the same EQ on the 6xx. It almost sounds like a mini woofer is built into the Sundara. So with EQ I got the Sundara to sound amazing with my sound preference. Also because the Sundara is so neutral I think it responds very well to EQ without distorting or coloring the rest of the frequency range. Put simply the Sundara scales better and has a higher ceiling in detail retrieval, sound stage, imaging and overall frequency response when paired with a good source and the Sundara is like a blank canvas because of its neutral tonality I can EQ it to my ideal sound preference. To be completely clear, using an amp/dac stack allowed me to increased the volume and improved clarity/sound stage. It was only after I used EQ that I was able to produce a very satisfying sub/mid bass response. For anyone that is curious my source to drive my headphones is a Douk P1 tube amp.

Qualidade de som espetacular, em linha com a critica

Casque qui remplit tout ce que peux désirer un audiophile. Un câble symétrique relié à un bon ampli casque améliore grandement l'écoute.

Ho riflettuto molto prima di scrivere questa recensione, ci sono molti pro e contro in queste cuffie ed ero indeciso fra le tre stelle e le quattro, ho optato per le quattro stelle ma a tante condizioni Non perderò tempo a descrivere e unboxare, queste informazioni si trovano ovunque e c'è tanto altro da dire. Le tiro fuori dalla scatola e le collego al mio dap hidizs ap80pro, riproduzione musica flac, inizio col notare che ho bisogno di selezionare l'alto guadagno, e al mio volume di ascolto siamo già a 80 su 100, quindi siamo già ai limiti della potenza del dap, lo smartphone neanche a parlarne, non provateci nemmeno. La prima sensazione è stata di un suono estremamente pulito e dettagliato ma un po' anemico, poco dinamico e soprattutto completamente carente nei bassi profondi (sotto i 40/35hz). Ho provato quindi ad equalizzare un po' le cuffie, tirando su i bassi profondi, la risposta è arrivata e anche piacevole e corposa ma con due problemi, il primo è che così ho bisogno di ancora più volume per arrivare a livelli di ascolto normali, sono quasi al limite del dap ad alto guadagno quindi inevitabilmente le parti dinamiche con bassi profondi iniziano a soffrire di una carenza di dinamica e di distorsione a livelli udibili, da notare che la distorsione è più dovuta ai limiti di amplificazione che ai limiti della cuffia. La soluzione diventa usare un cavo bilanciato, con cui la potenza a disposizione aumenta notevolmente e il margine prima di arrivare al ritaglio si allontana, lo stesso effetto si può avere usando un amplificatore desktop di buona potenza come il mio topping dx3pro+. In questo caso la dinamica e la corposità dei bassi migliora notevolmente a livelli molto piacevoli, ma mantenendo l'equalizzazione con i bassi tirati su, a livelli di ascolto molto alti, si inizia a percepire una certa distorsione poco piacevole. Insomma se ben alimentata, equalizzata nelle sue carenze, e ascoltata a livelli non estremi, diventa una cuffia spettacolare, con una bella sensazione di "aria", una qualvolta e quantità di dettagli musicali incredibile e un equilibrio tonale fantastico. Ma queste condizioni sono tante. In pratica in mobilità si può usare solo con un amplificatore cuffie dedicato, possibilmente bilanciato e con la possibilità di avere un software di equalizzazione almeno a 10 bande. Altrimenti bisogna rimanere attaccati al proprio amplificatore desktop. Insomma sono tante rinunce e sacrifici per un ascolto in cuffia, specialmente se consideriamo che ci sono cuffie come le akg k371 che costano la metà, hanno già fuori dalla scatola un equilibrio tonale praticamente perfetto, hanno una sensibilità che permette di guidarle anche con un banale MP3 o con lo smartphone, e come contro ha solo un minimo di definizione e soundstage in meno.... Insomma bisogna capire quanto siamo disposti a sacrificare in termini economici e di comodità per avere un quantitativo piccolo di qualità in più rispetto ad altre proposte. .Altri dettagli importanti. Il cavo fa veramente pena, rigidissimo e con una piega impossibile da domare, uno strazio usarlo. Dal lato positivo invece la comodità, al contrario di quanto ho letto in molte recensioni io le ho trovate incredibilmente comode, il mio orecchio sta benissimo dentro i padiglioni senza toccare ne surriscaldarsi e posso tenerle a lungo senza problemi. Alla fine ne vale la pena? Decidetelo voi, io sto ancora valutando se tenerle o chiedere il reso e passare a qualcosa di più comodo, economico e facile da sfruttare. AGGIORNAMENTO Dopo aver preso il cavo bilanciato, equalizzato correttamente le cuffie e averle provate a lungo, devo dire che mi sono assolutamente innamorato. La sera le posso tenere per ore ad ascoltare musiche che conosco benissimo ma che mi regalano delle sfumature ed un piacere di ascolto che mi fa desiderare di ascoltare ancora una canzone, e un'altra, e un'altra.... E finisco per andare a dormire tardi solo perché mi piace ascoltare la musica con loro. Ci sono dei compromessi da sopportare ma VALGONO DAVVERO LA PENA. Le stelle tornano a 5 anche se non sono perfette

De los mejores audífonos que he escuchado, con un buen DAC y Qobuz puedes escuchar todo tan nítido. Lo mejor de todo es que no cansan.

Casque de bonne facture pour le prix. Parfait pour mon utilisation (tv;cd;vinyles). Bonne tenue sur la tête et très efficace pour mes longues sessions d’écoute(2 à 3 heures d’écoute d’affilée). Très à l’aise sur iPhone 15 plus et Mac. Ampli non nécessaire. Cependant, prévoir un amplificateur pour les autres écoutes. Scène assez large, basses «claires », médiums presque parfaits et des aigües claires. Bref, très bon casque hi-fi d’entrée de gamme pour mélomane aimant les casques ouverts.