HiFiMAN Sundara Headphones

Product Information

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.

HIFIMAN Sundara Headphones — Audiophilia

Even though the break-in period has expired weeks ago I still hear some peaks and dips. For example, when I ran a tone generator sweep I noticed a significant dip in bass response below 50Hz. The dip is gradual but below 40Hz there’s very little energy. This produces a timid bass response impression. The Sennheiser HD 600 (and later HD650) changed the playing field of headphone audiophilia in 1997 for what you should expect for five hundred dollars. Exactly two decades later in 2017, HIFIMAN has done exactly that with the Sundara; a beautiful legend has been born. 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.

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 HIFIMAN Sundara, while not a flagship by any means, hits every flag in my book for an excellent sounding headphone and at an absurd value as well. It’s sonic reproduction is ludicrous for its price point and it simply works with every genre and type of music I have thrown at it. It’s neither an analytical set nor a fully transparent one but it hits the right note by being perfectly in between. It has the detail and enough transparency for me to sit down with my eyes closed and listen critically but also the mellowness to be a forgiving daily driver. I have sat with the Sundara’s on my head for hours watching common Youtube videos to Netflix movies without feeling fatigue or discomfort. In one of our previous writeups, particularly the Edition XS review, we casually mentioned within the comparison section the thought-provoking possibility of a Sundara Stealth Edition. 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. 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.

HIFIMAN SUNDARA Full Size Over Ear Planar Magnetic Headphone

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. 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. Nice comparison Marcus! Just a small typo under the image of the 600’s in the performance section. It says HE600. I think you meant to say HD600. I think most will recognize that but just thought I’d gently throw it out there. Keep up the great work.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.

Hifiman Sundara 2021 Planar Magnetic Open Back Headphones Hifiman Sundara 2021 Planar Magnetic Open Back Headphones

Despite the healthier infusion of metal in the Sundara design, the weight has not gone up too much, if at all. The Sundara weighs in at 372g compared to 370g for the HE400i and still 3g less than the HE560. The handling though has changed slightly.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! There’s a visible perforated plate or phase plug in front of the driver diaphragm so it’s not a completely open driver which outputs directly to the ear, it’s closer in appearance to a T50rp driver. It seems to be the only driver within the HIFIMAN lineup that employs some sort of phase plate or that I can recall. 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. I am in two minds about that because whilst I recognize the 3.5mm TRS plugs are a setup in quality over the 2.5mm mono plugs it does mean aftermarket cables previously used on the likes of the HE1000 are now redundant on the Sundara.