HiFiMAN Sundara Headphones

Product Information

The main change is however the fact that you now have to extend the headband. Due to a very strong grip you can’t do this while wearing the headphones and you have to take them off and adjust them with both hands. That’s alas not ideal. Nor is the fact that this mechanism is stiff because the metal parts press hard against each other, causing scuff marks to appear over time as one adjusts the headphones multiple times. A somewhat easier, softer mechanism would be greatly appreciated.

Sound​I’m not sure if I want to keep this part short or describe every part one by one. After all, Sundaras are one of the best tuned headphones out there. Every aspect of the frequency response is how it should be, except… Hiroyuki Sawano – Scapegoat (00:57-01:17), Vocal and instrument tonality is a lot better on the Sundara with more micro-details, similarly clean but more refined on the Sundara overall. Timbre is similar. BTW, used to play in 1977 in CH w/ a band from Romania, the Brothers Constellation. Before you were born. 😉 The Sundara is a brightly tuned headphone, but at no time annoying by sibilants or the like. It rather invites to listen a bit louder. Resolution and details are present in sufficient quantity and in this price range, in my opinion, can not be topped. I have to get out an LCD-5 to hear a clear difference. The Audeze offers the more commanding treble rendering and places instruments accurately in space, whereas the Sundara's imaging is not at that level. It doesn't have to be, the Audeze costs about 13x the Sundara! But it's not 13x better by a long shot. Hiroyuki Sawano – Lose (string version) (01:22-01:59), Cello tonality, timbre and texture are better on the R70X but cleaner and more detailed on the Sundara. Violin tonality, detail, clarity, texture and treble-extension are better on the Sundara. Timbre is better on the R70X.

I hope it becomes more of a tool for artists rather than something that replaces art,” he added. “It’s a philosophical question at the end of the day: are we ready, as humanity, to embrace art that isn’t human at all? Is that something we’ll find appealing? Or will it be something that really doesn’t sit right?”

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. Hiroyuki Sawano – Lose (string version) (01:22-01:59), Cello tonality is similar but more detailed, cleaner and more textured on the Sundara with better timbre on it as well. Violin tonality, texture, treble-extension, detail and clarity are a lot better on the Sundara as well as having similar timbre.Fit: Very good, its pretty big for me but the clamp isn’t too weak/strong so it works well. If you have a very small head, it might be too big for you though.