HiFiMAN Sundara Headphones

Product Information

Large earcups envelope your ears for immersive comfort. The wide headband evenly distributes weight over your head, making these headphones supremely comfortable to wear for hours on end. I am using PEQ (PK) as from my experience the definition is more consistent across different DSP/platform implementations than shelves. This is part two of review series where I will look at the HiFiMan HE400se, Sundara, and Ananda. Stay tuned for the final installment with the Ananda!

HiFiMan Sundara review - SoundGuys

Despite fairly typical impedance, the headphones don't get as loud as many other models we test. For reference, when I listen to lossless Apple Music audio on an iMac via a McIntosh stereo receiver, they only start to get uncomfortably loud after I max out the volumes of both the app and the receiver. Those same levels with the Grado SR325x are extremely loud, to the extent that they could potentially damage the headphones. Like the HE400se, the Sundara’s bass tuning is the same most of the HiFiMan headphones. Flat. Needless to say, there is not a hint of bloat or mud on this headphone. Unlike the HE400se however, the bass of the Sundara sounds fuller with more depth to it. I would not call the Sundara anemic in any way. Bass has a nice sense of slam, control, and resolution, so-called “planar bass” if you will. Though there is a slight roll-off at the very lowest octaves, rumble is plenty present. It’s quite a bit better than the HE400se but do I get the feeling that there’s some performance still to be found. Perhaps in the Ananda. MidsAs such, the Sundara Headphones areneutral-sounding headphones, but so much more. Their accuracy andtimbral accuracywill have you reaching for different genres to engage with. They are also fun. Whenclear imagingandanintimate soundstage arecoupled with the musicyou love and listen to most, it’s aperfect match.I can recommend these headphones without hesitation. Mid-way through, the sounds of angelic entities intrude on the primary act. Impeccable is one word to describe the sweet and delicate sound required to reproduce it. With most headphones, the delicateness is not reproducible or will have latent elements of ghosting in the speed. This can be heard with a slightly lagging reverb accompanied by extra distortion and noise. The Sundaras were effortless and transparent without any added distortion. That headband, on the other hand, is kind of a different story. I don’t like the little silver accents that clumsily strike a horizontal line across the otherwise vertically-oriented headband. And where it says “Sundara,” I’d rather it not say anything at all – it really does mess up the minimalist design of the earcups. I trust that the new headband easily beats the previous designs in terms of comfort, but in terms of looks, I’m not sold. Some of the key innovations Hifiman originally brought into the HE400 series are retained in Sundara’s design. It does not look “unlike” a Hifiman headphone with its logo prominently on the side of the headband and the use of the Focus A detachable pads. 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.

HIFIMAN SUNDARA Full Size Over Ear Planar Magnetic Headphone

Note: The measurements you are about to see are preformed using standardized GRAS 45CA headphone measurement fixture. Headphone measurements require more interpretation than speaker tests and have more of a requirement for subjective testing as a result. In addition, comparison of measurements between different people performing it using different configurations requires fair bit of skill. So don't look for matching results. Focus on high level picture. Listening tests are performed using RME ADI-2 DAC and its headphone output. Despite both having a similar weight the Sundara is a bit easier to work with and handle. A lot of that has to do with the redesigned headband and pivot system. Hifiman has actually gotten rid of the swivel function of the older HE series headphones so it no longer folds flat. 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.Driving the Sundara is easy as it is just 37 Ohms with a sensitivity of 94dB. A smartphone is ‘ok’ and can drive it to loud enough volumes, but wasn’t ideal. An audiophile DAP or desktop set up is still the most optimal way of using them. The cups don't swivel. That, and being new made for slightly uncomfortable feeling around my ears. The weight is inline with other headphones in this class at 390 grams. The cup is round and has inside diameter of 59 mm and depth of 18 mm.

HiFiMAN SUNDARA Over-ear Full-size Planar Magnetic Headphones HiFiMAN SUNDARA Over-ear Full-size Planar Magnetic Headphones

Featuring supernano diaphragms that are 80% thinner than previous designs, the SUNDARA’s benefit acoustically. Thinner diaphragms are lighter, meaning music is faster to respond and react to differences in tempo. Lighter weight also makes for superior high-end detail and a more nuanced sound. In short, the sound is more lifelike than ever. Perhaps it was said to stir up some thought within the HIFIMAN design team and open up the possibility of an improved version of the iconic headphone down the road.For example, the driver itself looks to be a never before seen driver design, different from all the other drivers within the HIFIMAN lineup. The driver is not a round type and it seems to be oval and around 80mm x 60mm in diameter or at least the frame does. Also, instead of the driver being installed vertically, it’s mounted horizontally. You do however get a feeling of a much more rigid headphone on your head. However, the Focus A pads and the headband strap do a good job of softening up the grip and dispersing pressure in a balanced manner making the Sundara a more than comfortable fit. I am playing most of the songs from Tidal (Turkey one - cause its cheaper) and everyday I am discovering a new sound in songs that I have been listening since last 10-15 years. I am not an audiophile and probably will not ever become one, but I know my music and enjoy it. These planars enrich the experience of enjoying music.

HiFiMAN SUNDARA | Over Ear Open Back Headphones | Richer Sounds

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 Despite all that, Hifiman still hasn’t managed to pry loose the old thorn in their sides that is quality control. Driver failures abound, and the manufacturing quality of their headbands still varies wildly. These issues seem to be commonplace enough that some dealings with Hifiman customer service should perhaps even be anticipated. And you can go ahead and buy an aftermarket cable right off the bat – the included one is no good. This can make S’s sound a bit unnaturally lispy in recordings that are already predisposed to sibilance, and it can give cymbals an extra sheen. 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.From the outset, the build quality of the Sundara is leaps and bounds above that of the HE400se. While the overall shape of the headphone is the same, the Sundara has a full metal build that feels substantial in hand. Here we get a large leather suspension strap that spreads out the weight of the Sundara over a wide area to minimize pressure spots. As such, I find the Sundara to be very comfortable, moreso than the HE400se. The pads of the Sundara are a perforated fabric/pleather mix that’s soft to the touch. The metal connection between the yokes and the cups is significantly more robust than the HE400se’s plastic to metal approach. I don’t expect any snapped cups here unless a user is careless with setting them down after use. With a chassis constructed from sheet metal, not plastic, the SUNDARA headphones are durable and long lasting. Despite this, the slim, aluminium chassis design means they’re comparatively lightweight – especially given their enveloping design. The Sundara I will be reviewing today is the 2020 model. There is some confusion around whether or not there is a new, different 2021 model. I reached out to HiFiMan support and as it turns out, there’s actually no other version of the Sundara. What’s in the Box? The extended guitar section by Don Felder and Joe Walsh was simply marvelous. It was bright yet not fatiguing and as clean as I have ever heard it. The auxiliary instruments all sounded like they surrounded the guitars and built upon each other. One thing I noticed was that the Sundara struggled to fully give the spotlight to the guitars and instead had many of the other instruments encroaching in with similar loudness and impact.