$300 Planar Shootout - HiFiMAN HE560 vs Sundara

[@ResolveReviews]

I forgot to mention headphone weight, in both cases they're just under 390g. So quite lightweight for planars.

[@PastafarianLemur]

Speaking of lightweight, the Sundara silver version has supposedly lowered the weight to 342g. Would love to hear from you if they've kept or even improved on the 2020 revision.

[@MegaFabioRocks]

560v4 vs he6v2? how much difference?

[@ResolveReviews]

@@MegaFabioRocks some... I'd go he6v2 personally.

[@MegaFabioRocks]

Thanks. Price is 200 for 560v4 and 600 for he6.. quite a bit difference!

[@wootakulavender_official]

​@@TheWorldTeacherye iam indian and I understood that but hes not a sanskrit professional man.

[@MattBorchert]

This is the exact sort of detailed and thoughtful analysis that I come to this channel for. Appreciate you.

[@joshh1598]

I'd love to see more of these headphone shootouts. Great video!

[@PartyMusic775]

HE560v4 doesn't win by a hair in technicalities, but by a LOT, when you scale up to better source equipment. Just so you know. Thanks for being one of the few reviewers to even mention the HE560v4. When I pretend to be a viewer who hasn't heard them all, there are little things you say that can really steer people the wrong way and make them seem all about equal, whereas the HE560v4 on a good amp is way ahead, the Sundara is the best choice for people who are likely not to have a great amp, and the Sennheisers fit a niche only for people who put a priority on vocals and violins and intimate acoustic music over all else.

[@peicilu4478]

Agree.HE560 only have single side magnet so that low sensitivity. It need very powerful amp to drive well.

[@jewelz6647]

What amp do you use

[@AlexEarMusic]

Just bought the ananda for 250€ used in mint condition and I love them. Heard the Sundara and they are very close. Hifiman is doing big things in the lower price bracket.

[@ZWortek]

I can't wait to hear your thoughts on the MM-100.

[@ColonelSaito]

I love my he-560s (through schiit amp/dac stack). Haven't gotten a chance to try out the Sundara yet, but the jump from dynamic driver headphones to planars for me was an enjoyable step up (coming from the Senn HD58X and an old HD580- both great headphones, but very different sound). Really enjoyable for the type of music that I'm usually listening to (jazz, classic rock, etc.)

[@Feliciano12v]

Sundaras + Qudelix 5K with EQ= pure awesomeness

[@icemann1908]

Thanks. I received the Qdelix 5K as a gift and i was wondering if the Sundaras would sound good with them. Its time to buy my first HiFiman headphones.

[@thomasmontenegro7770]

what eq r u running?

[@Feliciano12v]

@@thomasmontenegro7770 the crinical EQ. Do you have Qudelix?

[@sahajsb2728]

As a Sundara owner, you definitely need a lot of power. With EQ, I'm pushing a Fiio K7 pro (2W per channel) to the limits

[@iikatinggangsengii2471]

its great and (sort of) can drive even most expensive cans but experience is like me going sansa outside

[@elkingarcia8158]

Thanks for your review it is very deep an informative, it really help me since I'm looking to buy the Sundara headphones

[@audio_tron]

Hip Dac w/ XBass on + Sundara via 4.4mm + Apple Music Dolby Atmos = Sundara Ultra

[@Delaware_Dharma]

thanks for helping me make a complicated decision…went w the 560s. Will try them w Dragonfly cobalt I got recently. Great, clear job on your videos-just subscribed.

[@HobbyTalk]

Normal sized head? How would I get one of them?

[@holongwong6479]

In Hong Kong, somehow the Sundara still sitting at $500, then Edition XS and DT 1990 pro are around $400.

[@Nixx1333]

But what about Hifiman's infamous quality control? Is it worth the risk over a sturdy Sennheiser?

[@makunouchiippo816]

No it's not worth it. Even if you are lucky the headphones will last until warranty is over and then the headphone drivers will die. Of course there are people who had no issues for years with different Models but that's just playing lottery at this point and this shouldnt be the case for Premium headphones

[@ZWortek]

Had the Sundara for a year and I would say they are not worth it over Sennheiser, but the Edition XS is. Have not had a single problem with them but I had tons of issues with my Sundara.

[@makunouchiippo816]

@@ZWortek Problem is that Sennheisers are more for people who are listening to classic music, pop and maybe Jazz because vocals are what they are focussing on. I always thought about getting the HD 600 myself but it's just not good for the music genres I am listeng to (metalcore, deathcore, japanese rock for example). The sub-bass is lacking which you would need for drum kicks and also the soundstage is nearly not present. Also they are too analytical for metal. Metal is often poorly mastered and Sennheisers will be able to make you hear that. This will end up in you not liking your favourite music anymore. But in general Sennheisers quality is way better compared to Hifiman.

[@ZWortek]

@@makunouchiippo816 Agreed, but I would also try incorporating some Harman-like EQ settings from Oratory if your setup/usage allows because it helped me quite a bit. Got a good deal on Focal Elegia's and they are my favorite closed back headphone with EQ. Without EQ they are GARBAGE lol, but yeah I also enjoyed some EQ on my PC38x's so there is some adjustment you can try if it's just a slight tuning issue.

[@makunouchiippo816]

@@ZWortek At the moment I can't try anything because I am still deciding which new headphone I will buy. I am using an audio-technica ATH-M30 for 12 years now and they start to fall apart which is why I am searching for new headphones. Problem here is that my budget is only at 300€ and with this budget it looks like it is nearly impossible to get something good for the music genres I am listening to. Planars should be a good option but most of them are from Hifiman and I am not willing to take the risk because of their quality control issues. Then there are beyerdynamics which I am personally interested in. I was testing the DT 770 Pro but the sibilance was too much pain for my ears. So someone suggested the DT 900 Pro X to me because the typical beyer peak is "fixed" with this model. And it looks like that it's be a lite version of the DT 1990 which is above my budget. I know that Audeze makes good headphones for metal music but they are also above my budget. The new MM-100 which should be coming out soon was said to be at 368€ first but now they changed it to 500€ which is a bummer. Products from drop are also a no go for me because I'm from europe and the shipping and tax cost would already be enough to buy a cheap amp for that money. IEMs are a no go as well because I want to listen to my stuff on a desktop PC and IEMs in general are hurting my ears plus the earwax can destroy the sound easily so to me IEMs are wasted money.

[@carminedesanto6746]

I have the HiFiman 400i 2020 …and it’s pretty damn close to the Sundara ….

[@sidesup8286]

What exactly does the Sundara do better? Is there anything the 400i 2020 does better than the Sundara. I own the 2020 version. One of the interesting things to me is when I upgraded my cd player and cables, the image height improved, especially in the middle. The singers voices spund clearer but further away and more overhead now. Like the sound in the middle is getting further and further away but more refined.

[@BronsonWhite]

I picked up a 560 v4 on a Adorama fire sale quite a while ago for $230 and I was quite impressed for the price. Interestingly, when using the same pads, it's quite similar in general sound signature to the 6se v2. The 6se is way, way more technical, especially in bass performance, but the general broad strokes and presentation are the same (when using the same pads). Pretty impressive for a single sided driver design, honestly. Because of this, I see the 560 v4 as the "baby brother" to the 6se v2 and makes the 6se a direct upgrade to the 560. A real shame that both versions of these headphones are seemingly discontinued by Hifiman/Adorama since both had great price/performance ratios.

[@musicxxa6678]

Any chance of getting Arya Organic vs Arya Stealth showdown with new measurements ?

[@sephondranzer]

I don’t mean to be off topic, but is the Hifiman CEO okay? I’m seeing the Ananda w/ stealth magnets at $560. That’s crazy

[@makunouchiippo816]

No wonder with their quality control issues. Who would buy expensive headphones when you know that you are playing lotto and might get a headphone with dead drivers? Only insane people would take this risk.

[@GadZookz]

Thanks Resolve! Any plans to review the new Svanar Wireless?

[@ResolveReviews]

Yes! That should be soon

[@GadZookz]

@@ResolveReviews Soon is a great word!👍🏻

[@FriendlyProd]

I saw on Reddit that someone was implying there is a quality control issue with Hifiman headphones and you never know if you are going to get a dud. Has anyone else experienced this?

[@Glenn056]

Yawn

[@FriendlyProd]

@@Glenn056 what does this mean?

[@jaimefernandes6811]

It seems that I have been EQ'ing my Sundara to that of the HE560 without knowing. I prefer the bigger 1.5KHz dip as on rock music it sounded much less congested between electric guitars and vocals, I try to make the sub bass a bit more linear by reducing the resonance as well as shelfing below 170Hz and I also add a treble shelf from 6Khz to 13Khz for more clarity and air, much more than what most people can tolerate. Had no clue the HE560 even existed prior to buying it and I find it funny that for the same price I could have gotten almost the same thing I wanted without having to EQ. However, having recently gotten a HD6xx, my treble preference was thrown off and I don't even know what I like anymore, so I have since stopped using EQ on my Sundara and coming off the 6xx it sounds better than I had remembered using it alone for about 9 months and thinking EQ was necessary.

[@JosiahAnduril]

Would a Quedelix 5k or EarStudio 100 for example be enough power to get 90% of the potential of the Sundaras?

[@mikef5659]

No. I have the Sundara and Quedelix 5K. I do not hear much of a difference with the quedelix. The Sundara needs a desktop amp in my opinion.

[@JosiahAnduril]

@@mikef5659 Thanks for the advice! Hopefully I'll get to try one in the future.

[@ricenoodles632]

How do they perform with higher pitched female vocals?

[@lummond]

The HE-560v1 can be had for a relative pittance and once EQ'd sounds incredible. Ditto for the OG HE-400, which I have seen sell for $100.

[@khai0895]

how about Monolith M1070 ? since is always on sale for lesser than 300 ?

[@faultest]

How is it if you compare to Sennheiser hd490 pro

[@MasterMarslander]

The HE560 is such an underrated headphone. Glad to see it get some love here. Sundara is a more relaxed experience, while the HE560 has the speed and energy for crazy high tempo.

[@Queen_K_Rool]

hD560? or he560 ;w;

[@MasterMarslander]

For goodness sake! Thanks for catching that. XD

[@Queen_K_Rool]

@@MasterMarslander lol no worries, i was just confused, if u like ur sundaras like i love mine you should try the senn hd650

[@SakuraMorandi]

This or 400SE ? Price point is very different but they look so similar.

[@ReignierBlaze]

Please review the new Sony MDR-MV1 open back studio headphone.

[@antoinettepriest]

What amp did you use for the comparrison please?

[@Nordi1_0745]

How about the soundstage? Is Sundara's soundstage good enough compard to headphones with big sounstage?

[@shaggings]

Oh yes, Sundara stages wide, I recently got to put them on again after getting HART replacement cable for it as the original failed, and oh boy did I forget how well these immerse you into music, obviously mastering and recording technique plays a big role on how wide it will actually sound.

[@samzsamzzz2624]

The headband design for HE560 is a no-go for me. I never have managed to make it comfortable for me. That's the reason why I sold my He6 v2.

[@wahid-lg1kk]

Will these take a balanced cable?

[@Lishtenbird]

Personally, I can't stand the "HiFiMAN dip" at ~2kHz on HE400se. When I A/B, I instantly notice how much of the actual music I lose behind a distant wall, and for the sake of what - illusion of width? I know, YMMV and some people like it for creating less agressive sound and more clarity in treble. Interestingly, some speculated that this dip is just the nature of cheaper planar drivers. Regardless, I have to EQ it out, which is a hassle. From the graphs I saw, HE560 seems to have the same dip, but Sundara (almost) doesn't, which can be an argument in favor if you don't intend to EQ and like that region closer to "normal". That said... I do wonder if HiFiMAN is ever going to update Sundara to a Stealth Magnet version. Without it, moving from something like HE400se over to Sundara feels like... a sidegrade at best. And despite the FR advantage, that (and QC) has stopped me from upgrading.

[@andrasnelhiebel6726]

Yeah, the 2k dip of most Hifiman headphones kills them for rock music as electric guitars tend to have a bite in that area. You don't want to listen to AC/DC with Hifimans!

[@ebeneezerscrooge6983]

Ya, 400se can exhibit a chasm on some material at 2K; however, the can literally transforms with a 5dB EQ at 2K - the added presence even "tames" any added excitement you might notice in treble on an untouched 400se.

[@mikafoxx2717]

Interestingly, the Sundara almost matches the he HE-1's response in the mids around 2khz and in general besides the bass and ~7khz

[@dontbeedgy]

Could you review the he r9 jm edition?

[@kyron42]

Which one has better punch and slam with and without EQ?

[@williamhedges7441]

Sorry this is not really related to the video but I know you have a bunch of experience with these and I respect your opinion a lot. Assuming you had the appropriate high end equipment to run all of these to their full potential and were in the EQ gang and it would be your only headphone period… LCD-4, LCD-5, or HE1000SE?

[@Mishael_Agyei-Boamah]

I think he's a fan of the LCD-5

[@ResolveReviews]

first.

[@benymeyer6071]

How dare you lol

[@kennwin]

Taking what i worked so hard for

[@ashk.7463]

LMAO

[@islaymmm]

breach of rules

[@policeman0077]

how sundara comparing with he6

[@preet1979]

can you please do some videos on closed back headphones and your recommendations

[@TonkyTronicus]

I have the Sundara and HE-5XX and I prefer the HE-5XX. No one ever mentions that headphone 🤐

[@alonsonuno7944]

¿How would the Audeze Maxwell compare ti these, or Will it be a nonsense comparison?

[@makunouchiippo816]

There will be a new Version soon, the m-100. They might be more comparable

[@savagejr.2927]

Are y’all going to review the audeze mm-100

[@Glenn056]

Watch the first minute you goof

[@savagejr.2927]

@@Glenn056 I saw that jump the gun

[@Rockofaz]

Which $300 to $700 over the ear would remind the listener of the Apple Air Pod Pro 2, please? Thank you.

[@Dan.a.k.a.bradpitt]

I found a 50mm driver dynamic razor gaming headset in my closet , hooked on my geshelli and smsl and theyre so much more fun to listen to and sound better. Theyre hard to drive, for some weird reason , without a amp , but soundstage is better, instrumental separation is on par , and clarity is solid..very strange.

[@The_Geek_World]

I will pick the best dynamic driver headphone over the best planar one for the most natural sound

[@rmkvchk]

a bit thicker ear pads bring some bass as well and a powerful amp does rumble

[@makunouchiippo816]

Different pads will always change the sound signature of a headphone

[@onepieceatatime]

That's "bassically" all he wanted to say...

[@bigr2904]

Hi Resolve, I haven’t watched the video yet but if you had to chose a $300 planar headphone would you pick the Sundara of HE560? Thanks!

[@makunouchiippo816]

I wouldnt choose any hifiman because of their absurd quality control issues. The Sound signature from their headphones is great but that brings nothing if you cant use them because of dead drivers

[@makunouchiippo816]

@@kabbalah111 most of the time it's the headphone drivers that are either dead when you are opening the Box after buying them or after some months of usage

[@samza9622]

@BigR Yeah don't buy anything hifiman don't give a shit how good they sound they break very easily not worth buying any of them.

[@makunouchiippo816]

@@kabbalah111 Exactly. Only insane people would take the risk and play lottery. There are so many people who are selling their hifiman headphones just because of the fear of dying drivers. Sure, some other people might get lucky and won't be having any trouble. And they are lucky because they will get very good sound for a relative small budget but that's atleast in my opinion not worth the risk.

[@中国-x9s]

非常好

[@arar9814]

i don't understand the hype around sundara. i bought it once new (2021/22) and returned it. then i thought may be it need to burn in or may be i got a bad unit, so i got one used, and i still don't find it worth the money, i have been using sony xb-450 a $20 headphone for nearly 9 years, i didn't like it at first because of too much bass, but after 1-2 years when the pads worn out it's sound changed completely, now it become very good. compared to that, sundara is not much an upgrade, sure sundara is more detailed, but not by much. sundara was my first open back headphone, i had high expectations about soundstage and imaging(coming from a closed back), but my closed back sony does it better (i knew from the reviews it is not one of it's strengths but still with the price and being open back i expected something). and just because it is made of metal doesn't make it a better build, the sony lasted 9 years with diy cable repairs and still going strong. so what i am telling is, compared to sony's price and performance i would not pay more than $80 for the sundara, it is not even good as a blon03 iem, yah iem's and headphones are different but for $300 it should sound better, so when people say things like it is value for the money, i really don't understand what are they comparing it to, if a $300 headphone (+amp and dac extra cost) doesn't sound as good as a $20 iem where is the value? and when a $20 headphone can match 90% of it's technicalities and sound better(at least for my taste) and with better build and comfort and with closed back isolation, i can't accept the price🙂

[@thomasgiudici-bm5pu]

Sound is very subjective.A $20 iem and Sony would not even be considered by most Sundara owners.They usually compare to higher price headphones to find the relative value of their own.I have had a Sundara for the last 3 years and absolutely love them.

[@sidesup8286]

One very important thing absent from your reviews is how loud do they go before the headphone starts sounding stressed? How can you omit that. Several months ago I bought a pair of Hifiman 400i 2020 version. They sound like a wonderful headphone, until you play them slightly loud; at least my example. Then they start breaking up and sounding really stressed. I like their sound up to that point, but once it reaches that point, forget it. Couldn't you have the good sense to say at what decibel level a particular headphone starts sounding fuzzy and distressed?

[@TheHEADPHONEShow]

Are you not using a headphone amplifier?

[@sidesup8286]

@@TheHEADPHONEShow Yes sir I am using an amplifier. A vintage Luxman integrated amp with tone controls set at flat. My original Grado SR 80 goes way louder without strain on the same amp. But hard going back to it, after the Hifiman. Maybe there is something wrong with my particular unit?? It does go loud enough (sort of) before it starts distressing. But on certain things I yearn for a few more decibels and it misbehaves.

[@ResolveReviews]

@@sidesup8286 It's hard to say exactly what's going on given it's not exactly clear what 'distressing' is - like it could be harmonic distortion or it could be an FR feature that's particularly annoying you're encountering. But if it's a vintage amplifier that could also be responsible. Not saying you should go out and get a different amp, but if you have something else with an output, maybe try that out? The sound shouldn't change until you get up to like... 100dB which is ear splittingly loud. Even then, it should only be audible with test tones and not music.

[@sidesup8286]

Thanks for the help. Appreciate it. My integrated amp was a couple years before cd. I tried my cd player into the tuner and aux inputs. It very well could be my cd player and amp interaction.. It does not go anywhere near 100 db I'm sure without sounding strained. Fortunately it does go just loud enough to satisfy on most things. On a few other things that I like to play I could use a few more decibels without it sounding stressed and unrefined. It sounds very refined at a fairly generous volume. Can't go back to my regular driver headphones after the purity, speed and transparency of these.

[@Jamvan001]

Are you a native English speaker? Your tone comes across quite aggressive and rude.

[@Garrettdx1988]

Friends dont let friends buy Hifiman

[@Dan.a.k.a.bradpitt]

There's definitely better out there

[@Dan.a.k.a.bradpitt]

@@RonAlfonse-t7y beats by dr dre

[@fahryst]

Gotta fill that gap now 😂

[@TheHEADPHONEShow]

Don't!

[@jusmirtic]

@@TheHEADPHONEShow I'd need distortion measurements to know for sure but it seems more EQ-able in the bass region after the gap mod.

[@Antitrump7431]

Whats the point of reviewing something you can’t buy😵‍💫

[@ResolveReviews]

jerk! :P

[@profound369]

I got 12 month plan 0% interest with an amazon prime store card

[@olegstarik8387]

Sivga luan beat those pairs

[@Motymott99]

WHY YOU DONT MEASURE THE 2022 VERSION

[@ResolveReviews]

Because the only actual revision happened in 2020. Some dealers started using model years, but as far as I'm aware there was no change since the 2020 pad revision. Also, I have heard rumors of a white or silver Sundara, which may show up in 2023, in which case I will check to see if there's any acoustic change as well.

[@Jamvan001]

The "stealth revisions" don't exist. The topic has been well explored.

[@ResolveReviews]

@@Jamvan001 what's funny is that it's been proven to have occurred by multiple sources. In fact, I still have the old pads here. The only source saying it didn't exist were HiFiMAN reps who may not have known about the pad change and its effects, and even they have since acknowledged it.

[@Jamvan001]

@@ResolveReviews ok ok, I was wrong. Fair enough

[@kingstoler]

Sundara (and Hifiman in general) is some of the most overrated, cheaply made crap that has plagued this hobby.

[@LukeHarkonnen]

This manufacturer has a really bad reputation in terms of quality control. I haven’t bought their products because of that.

[@eatyacereal]

Third

[@nitin-blume]

69th

[@PaulBiba]

What a waste of bandwidth!