HiFiMAN Sundara Headphones

Product Information

Although more expensive to make, planar magnetic headphones offer a number of advantages over conventional dynamic ones. These include lighter diaphragms for a faster response and a linear spread of sound across the speaker, reducing the level of distortion. The Sundara’s sound is not entirely free of errors, and some listeners will be repelled by a tone they might consider too polite, too boring, or too effeminate.

HIFIMAN SUNDARA Full Size Over Ear Planar Magnetic Headphone

One of the big selling points in my research was they could be enjoyed and experienced without the need for an EQ amp. Even though next on my list, I wanted to start with a straight connection to my integrated amp. My research lasted a couple of months, and I can attest the Sundara headphones are the best fit for the beginner audio enthusiast. Theyare affordable and excellent value.I prefer names, to be honest, and it is not the first time Hifiman has done this with the Susvara and the soon-to-be-launched Ananda being the other noteworthy named headphones. What Is The Pitch? Names Not Numbers The Sundara is a dual entry headphone as with all of their full-sized headphones. However, the connectors have changed from 2.5mm TRS mono to 3.5mm TRS. What about me? The drivers, while the channels are relatively well-matched, exhibit a curious whine at specific higher frequencies, indicating some artifact of the poor construction within the sound – but it’s not audible when listening to music. At least, not usually.

HIFIMAN Sundara Review — Headfonics

Ground-Zero’s Consume-Red, for example, ends in a nearly 30-minute assault of constant cymbal crashes. Heard through the Sundara, these cymbal crashes are quite bright, and also clearly hazy and blurred-together. Detail in the treble becomes hard to make out because of the ringing here. These face masks are not intended to be used in health care environments, including but not limited to, hospitals, nursing homes, urgent care centers, doctors’ offices; Oh wow! The transformation was dramatic. Sub-bass came into play like nobody's business. Even at lower volumes I could feel the nice vibrations in my head! The notch filter took care of the highs being exaggerated and a bit harsh. And the fine but broad filter around 2.1 kHz helped the spatial qualities improve even more. Overall tonality now was warm with tons of detail especially in string instruments. Very lovely.As part of that neutral bright tuning, there is a good helping of lower treble energy on the Sundara. Yes, it does get sibilant at times and yes, certain notes have a piercing quality to them. But note that this is different from the 7 kHz peak on the HE400se that’s clearly prevalent. On the Sundara, it’s a general spiciness without a specific culprit. I personally don’t think this is an issue but if you’re especially sensitive to treble it is a point of caution. While I like the Sundara’s treble as it continues the lively, energetic sound of the mids, there is a brittleness the timbre that’s noticeable on the hats and cymbals. It can be a little immersion ruining when it appears. Not a deal breaker for the Sundara as a whole but it does diminish the experience for me. Presentation I think comfort is more attributed to the new pad design which has the same sized 100mm round shape but it seems much softer and moldable. That was still relatively early in my audiophile journey, and I’ve since gotten a bit harder to impress, a bit less susceptible to “audiophile magic.” But I was left with a pervasive desire to eventually get my hands on the Sundara, and a few months ago, I finally did.

HiFiMan Sundara (2020) Review: The Planar Standard HiFiMan Sundara (2020) Review: The Planar Standard

if I’ve to pretend being one for a while and crank the volume all the way up to 80% or more so on my Q5. Sundara still sounds very coherent without busting a single seam at any frequency range. Vocals, Cymbals, snares and guitars continue to rein in their domain without any serious trespassing issues. In fact, I really enjoyed listening to Sundara at the volume I wouldn't have dared to listen if it was my rather misbehaving but beloved —M50x. Treble accuracy measured well, with no excessive sibilance. It is on the brighter side, sometimes a little too much. When listening to Donizetti’s Lucia Di Lammermoor, with Joan Sutherland, Pavarotti and Bonynge with the Royal Opera House Orchestra (1972Decca CD) or to Strauss’ Elektra with Inge Borkh and Fischer-Dieskau with Bohm and the Staatskapelle Dresden, (1961, Deutsche Grammophon LP) there were some arias the headphones didn’t respond well in the high tessituras. Volume had to be lowered, otherwise, they ‘stung’my ears. This was my only‘disagreement’with the Sundara sound. I long since campaigned for the coax system of the older HE4/5 series cans to be ditched and thankfully they did but the transition to 3.5mm is another running change that cable rollers might prefer not to have happened so soon. MaterialsTo my ears, hifiman Sundara sounded good right out of the box although with a touch of restrain and sound being just a tad bassy for my taste, they got me good right from the start. But something about the headband, it felt like the ear cups on either side are trying to cave into my skull.