Hifiman Sundara - Review - The LITTLE brother who thinks he's the BIG brother?!

A BIG thank you to Hifiman for sending the Hifiman Sundara over for review, greatly appreciated. Is the Sundara like the LITTLE brother that thinks he is the BIG brother? The Hifiman Sundara does a lot right and a lot similar but does it surpass the Ananda?
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MrSpeakers Ether C
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Music recommendations:
tidal.com/brow... Sinne Eeg “We’ve Just Begun” - multiple layer soundstage
tidal.com/brow... Molly Johnson “What a Little Moonlight Can Do” - female vocal tone
tidal.com/brow... Leslie Odom Jr. “Under Pressure” - male vocal tone
tidal.com/brow... Eric Clapton “Change the World” - soundstage layering and placement
tidal.com/brow... Yo Yo Ma “Ecstasy of Gold” - acoustic instrument timbre
tidal.com/brow... Adam Baldych “Spem in Alium” - acoustic instrument timbre
tidal.com/brow... Tingvall Trio “Beat” - piano tonality
tidal.com/brow... Pain of Salvation “Stress” - percussion balance
tidal.com/brow... Michael Buble “When I Fall in Love” - orchestral dynamics
tidal.com/brow... Patricia Barber “Code Cool” - sibilance check
Christian Scott “New New Orleans” - shouty upper mids
tidal.com/brow... Tool “Chocolate Chip Trip” - imaging
tidal.com/brow... Hans Zimmer “Why So Serious” - sub bass extension
tidal.com/brow... Marcus Miller “No Limit” - bass control
tidal.com/brow... Dave Holland Quartet “Conference Of The Birds”- bass check
tidal.com/brow... Ilhan Eshkeri “47 Ronin”- orchestra and bass dynamics
tidal.com/brow... Hans Zimmer :2049” - sub bass extension
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[@mrolinad]

Marry to someone that looks to you the way David looks to his Ananda. 😄

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Match made in heaven ♥️

[@maesc2001]

I have no ear issues, and find them massively comfortable ☺️ Love the sound btw.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Awesomeness. Glad you enjoy the Sundara.

[@r00s.]

I have these otw. Unsure if I will keep them, but I have a couple of different amps and DACs to try with them. Always appreciate your honest, genuine reviews without audiophile mumbo-jumbo or haughtiness.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Awesomeness. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on your impressions. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@Yuu_Touko]

Aww, you seem like a nice, wholesome and very cute person! I like it! And i like the review as well! Waiting for my brand new Sundara to be shipped to me right now. :)

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Awesomeness. Thanks for the kind words. I am glad you enjoyed the review. I look forward to hearing your impressions on the Sundara. Thanks for watching, commenting and subscribing 👍

[@Diatonic5th]

Great review! Listening to this video through my Sundara's hooked up to a RME ADI-2 DAC. It's a brilliant little desktop combo!

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Awesomeness. I'm glad you enjoy them.

[@Ben-ic1ve]

Just got one of these for 249. Super excited for them to come in!

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Awesome 👍 Look forward to hearing your impressions.

[@WakeUpB2P]

Another very good review :) Your review always feel so honest & relevant that's why i keep enjoy watching them ! Damn can't wait to get the money to buy my Ananda, btw do you think the Ananda can be a good fit with my Jds Labs The Element II ? (If you know that Amp/Dac ofc)

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I haven't heard the Element II but I did hear the original Element some time ago. I think the Ananda would sound good with it but I haven't experienced the pairing. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@CraciunAlexandruGh]

Thank you for the review, you helped me make my decision. I am getting the wired Deva. I would trade a decrease in detail for a more natural sound that is easier to listen to and easier to pair with other equipment. More comfort and 130$ in savings is also nice to have.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Awesomeness 🥰 I am glad you found the review helpful and useful.

[@BigJalapeno]

Very good review, subbed.

[@KK-hp5bl]

Thank you.!!! keep it honest and youre fantastic!!!

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Thank you! Will do!

[@memoli801]

I use it on my PC on my onboard soundcard and sometime at my mobilephone. Dont see the problem my motherboard sound support till 300Ohm headsets. But your description about the sound is super accurate. Thumbs up

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Awesomeness. Good to know. Thanks for the kind, supportive words, greatly appreciated 🥰

[@memoli801]

@@TheHonestAudiophile like you I like also to be honest and direct. Therefor I never used an AMP or external DAC. How would you descripe the expression, "can not drive this headphones"?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

@@memoli801 can't drive a headphone is an expression when a headphone needs more power to bring out the dynamics or overall presentation. A lot of times a headphone will sound metallic, ringing, overly bass or super bright or very thin when not getting the right amount of power.

[@herseyberry4655]

Well for me its obvious pay more and get the Ananda. Great review. I am seriously considering your reccomendation for the Meze 99. I really need a warm closed back thats a chill set.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I look forward to hearing your impressions of the 99 Classic.

[@peterdesmidt8742]

My Sundaras sound great just plugged into my laptop. They're terrific headphones.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I am glad you enjoy them. They are good for what they offer just not my preferred sound.

[@humanmale1085]

@@TheHonestAudiophile hi David, how do the sundaras compare to the deva?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Deva has better tone and timbre, bass is more dynamic on the Sundara, treble is laidback on Deva versus the Sundara is more energetic but can get a little hot and fatiguing at times. Detail retrieval and resolving is better on the Sundara. The Deva is the easier listen and the Sundara is the more technical.

[@humanmale1085]

@@TheHonestAudiophile thanks, ive got the sundara and i really like them. I've been considering the devas for when i don't want to be stuck at the desk.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

@@humanmale1085 the complement each other well. Deva good solution for office. Bluetooth has a few issues.

[@davidulmer3453]

You mention pins and needles in your ears in some cases. How long of a burn in have they had before critical listening?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I do the same process each time for every new pair of headphones I review: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i5y2n6KQj7Osj8U Also, there are a lot of variables for all of us hearing a little different. BTW, I have come to love the Sundara more over time, especially paired with the Mytek Liberty and Headamp GS-X Mini. Thank you for watching, commenting and subscribing.

[@tpacalypse]

Hey Dave 😊! How do these compare to the Audioquest nighthawk and nightowl carbons. Are they better everywhere?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Been a long time since I've heard the Nighthawk and Nightowl. The Sundara is a different sound signature. Both the AQ cans are fun and have a warm, dark tone and the Sundara is brighter and more detailed. Depends on what you're looking for but yes the Sundara is technically the better can.

[@Tripokaridos22]

i want your opinion , i also Have Sundara they sound so Clear compared to HD660s but like u said they sound metalic artificial. WHen i go back to HD 660s everything sounds analogue and natural , also pin point direction is better on HD 660s, I also have HD 600 ( that sound close to 660) and HD 650 , even the HD 650 sound smoother and natural compared to SUndara... But OMG the sepperation on SUndara are on another Level.... way better than all my Senns.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I would agree 👍

[@Tripokaridos22]

@@TheHonestAudiophile So i am not crazy... everyone was like get Sundara are way better on everything , and they are on some aspects ... But overal HD600 and 660 sound realistic to me. Just find out your channel and i have to say i am very impressed they way u expain audio is so easy for everyone to understand.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

@@Tripokaridos22 Thank you for the kind words. I greatly appreciate your support. I am glad you find the channel helpful.

[@AliXalted]

hey, am thinking about buying the sundara, but i cant find any good information about dac/amp, any recommendation for budget dac/amp?.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I find that the Sundara pairs with a lot of gear. Geshelli Labs J2 and Archel and Erish; Grace Design sdac and THX 789; Schiit Audio Heresy; iFi Zen DAC. There are all sorts of good options as long as the amp has at least 1w output.

[@nicolaslepper8353]

I just started the Headphone game and went for the sundara and the ifi can + dac ☺

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I look forward to hearing your impressions. Thanks for commenting, watching and subscribing 👍

[@climaxpicture]

Lloking forward to it

[@hameleon80]

I’m upgrade to Sundara from Akg K618dj 😁 I guess will have difference 😁

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Sorry I've not heard the AKG K618dj

[@hameleon80]

@@TheHonestAudiophile You can see them on a picture on Google and you will get an idea of ​​what class they are😊 They are very far from good headphones

[@mickael486]

Hello again, Dave. 😁 So I have a question.. Is a rating of 1v-2.5v and a range of 50mw to 100mw good ..? to run Senheiser 6xx which are..300ohms (or 333 according to the headphone calculator?) out of my receiver? I'm also buying the Hifiman Sundara's (2020) that I just ordered. Level with me. 👍 Side question of confusion: You mentioned that these 37ohm headphones would definitely benefit with an amp (you're not the only one) But isn't a general rule of thumb that headphones that are that low in impedance usually made specifically to easily drive on a phone or laptop? (note I don't have a PC. Just an a/v receiver with the specs above) Sorry, I've been at this for weeks now. And I want to be ready for great sound before I plug them in and get disappointed and wonder why and how much more I have to spend on amps to be "happy".

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I think you'd benefit with an external amplifier. I recommend the DROP THX One Linear if it is available. drop.com/buy/drop-thx-aaa-one-linear-amplifier?referer=FTSS2S I believe that both headphone sound better with a little more power. So there are a lot of variables that go into the driving of a headphone, impedance, sensitivity and driver type. Planar drivers are notoriously hard to drive but have become slightly easier as of late. Even with the lower impedance, the low sensitivity causes them to require more current. Sensitivity numbers below 100 are harder to drive especially with lower impedance and a planar driver. I'm not an electrician but this is what I've experienced and learned over the years. Lower numbers don't necessarily mean easier to drive.

[@mickael486]

@@TheHonestAudiophile ok. Is that amp recommended for both headsets? and an even more pressing question.. how or what do I hook it up to? I've got my smart tv and this Sony receiver I bought only 2 years ago with the specs I gave There is no PC in this scenario. I couldn't find a single video (and I'm not being hyperbolic) on hooking an amp or dac to an A/V receiver or Anything that's Not a PC.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

The amplifier has RCA inputs. Please keep in mind, I have no experience with AV Receivers, I have NEVER used one. I use a soundbar with my TV.. For music listening, I use my PC and have a DAC and amplifier.

[@mickael486]

@@TheHonestAudiophile Fair enough. I'm going to keep my headphone purchases and if my a/v receiver let's me down, screw it. I'll get that dac you linked and figure it out later. Thanks 👍 *I mean that amp you recommended. not dac. even though I don't plan on PC listening. idk. so weird that a/v receivers are considered poor.. unless I spend >$1000

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Sounds like a plan, look forward to hearing your impressions.

[@mickael486]

Great review. Are you allowed to keep the headphones after review? or do you have to give them back? 🤔

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I always go into a review thinking I need to return a product. In this case, Hifiman hasn't asked for it to be returned. Some vendors and manufacturers tell you before hand if the item is to be returned or kept. It doesn't matter for me either way, I give my honest opinion about the gear. You'll always know whether or not I recommend a product no matter if it stays or goes.

[@mickael486]

@@TheHonestAudiophile You definitely come across as honest.. never a doubt. Now to figure out a decent open back headset mostly for movies, 2nd for music.. I've been at this for weeks now. These sounded (haven't actually heard them) to be the ticket. but it's rare to find headphones like these were a you tuber says much about movie watching.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Sundara are very good for movies and gaming, if you have the amplifier for them.

[@mickael486]

@@TheHonestAudiophile cool. only problem.. won't know until after purchasing. I have a consumer entry level receiver I bought 2 years ago. Sony STR-DH790. (please don't laugh) Can't even find specs on what powers the headphone input. I may be buying great headphones that are being matched with a shoddy device.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Look forward to hearing your impressions.

[@alrasekhoon1]

Hi david, i have a question about the ananda. Despite of its low impedence will it benefit from a tube amplifier ?? Nice review cheers !!

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Yes, the Ananda can be used with a tube amplifier, being careful with output impedance. I prefer it on a ss amp but it does sound good on tubes also. I did enjoy it on the iFi Pro iDSD tube settings.

[@alrasekhoon1]

@@TheHonestAudiophile thanks, i appreciate it 👍

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

@@alrasekhoon1 My pleasure, glad to help. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@deadline7610]

Thanks for your honest opinion. I don't remember you mentioning HiFiman's quality control issues. As someone who is thinking about these cans, an extended warranty is a must, besides a new cable and the eventual replacement of the pads, but hearing from others about driver failures, I'm not sure the extended warranty is enough. Your thoughts ?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I have had very good luck with my many Hifiman. The issues I have had have been mostly when I purchased a Drop version, ie. Edition XX cup cracking after a year of use and the HE35x yokes breaking on two of them, Drop replaced all under warranty. I did have an issue with my HE560 V3 driver failure but Hifiman has replaced it with no issue. Honestly I have no problem with quality control of Hifiman, stuffs gonna happen. I have been well blessed considering how many I own and how few an issue I have had.

[@raulsantos7126]

I am a classical music lover that aim to upgrade my openback headphones. Currently I own the Sennheiser HD 598 and I feel quite pleased with them; soundstage is quite ok and the sound feels quite warm. Even though this headphones can be easily driven even with a phone, I use the amp-dac EPH-O2D which improves the signal dramatically. I was thinking to upgrade to Sennheisser HD 650 at first but tons of reviewers are praising the Hifiman Sundara. Do you think the Sundara has a good profile for classical music or I should stick to Sennheisser HD 650?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I'd stay with Sennheiser line-up as they have more natural tone and timbre.

[@rovietka]

Great review .. how about running these off a powerful enough DAP like the KANN Alpha?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I don't know if the Sundara and Kann Alpha pairing is good or not. I have no experience with the Kann Alpha. The Sundara doesn't pair well with any of my DAP. Thanks for the kind words, greatly appreciate.

[@samyg123]

It looks like they retuned the Sundara in 2020, have you had a chance to listen to the updated model?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

From what I understand the 'retune" your referencing is an updated pad, they added more glue to the pad. This helped with the seal which improved bass extension a touch and smoothed out the treble slightly. There is no changes to the driver or tuning by Hifiman. So if you have an older Sundara, just by the new palipad from Hifiman and you have the "retuned" Sundara.

[@samyg123]

@@TheHonestAudiophile thanks. I’ve been considering this or a used Ananda. Leaning toward the Ananda the more I read

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

My pleasure, you're welcome.

[@Real.Estate.Motivate]

Great review Dave. I have the Sundara's and swapped out the unbalanced cable to a balanced 4.4mm. I power it using the Moondrop Dawn dongle DAC that pushes 4Vrms coming out of my Samsung S10+ using the "Bit Perfect" feature on my UAPP software. I'm pretty darn happy with this combo...treble, mids, bass at 70% volume is pretty amazing. Question for you though, I love the planar sound so which Planar IEM would you go for that resembles the Sundara or even the Ananda sound if that's even possible? Cheers

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Shuoer S12 would be somewhat similar and the Tin Hifi P1 Max is also close but a little more natural and not as aggressive in presentation.

[@Real.Estate.Motivate]

@@TheHonestAudiophile Ok great, then I'm going to have a closer look at the P1 Max...to me, natural sounding is KING👑Thank you!

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Awesome 👍 Look forward to hearing your impressions of the P1 Max.

[@Real.Estate.Motivate]

@@TheHonestAudiophile My daughter recently lost her Apple AirPods which to me sounded like they could have been manufactured at Toys'R'Us...lol She she asked for a new pair for her birthday earlier this month...sooooo...being like we all are on here, I went off course and picked her up a pair of 7Hz and now she can't put them down...haha. Says she's been listening to her music all over again...welcome to the world of audiophiles sweetie! I'm so proud of her for choosing quality over Apple fashion, or what I call "iPhone Jewellery Audio". I tried the 7Hz and I really liked them too, but the highs just weren't as natural sounding as I wanted them to be and the S12 seems to follow that frequency curve even a little bit higher/sharper. P1 Max...here I come! Thanks again!

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

@@Real.Estate.Motivate awesomeness 😎 educate them while they are young and impressionable.

[@llliiliiiiiililiiiliiiilllllli]

Are these a good complement to the DT 990 Pro 250 Ohm?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Sorry havent heard the dt990 pro 250ohm

[@kjg_95]

compared to the hd650 for music & movies only?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Sorry, I haven't heard the HD650 in a very long time. If memory serves me correctly, the HD650 is warmer, has less detail retrieval and resolution capabilities, smaller and more intimate stage but has better tone and timbre.

[@MrStingraybernard]

What happened to the stash?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Hey, somebody noticed, atleast your paying attention. Thanks for watching and commenting ♥️

[@thetrumanshow4791]

ewww . . . those sound terrible. Thank you so much for being honest. I'll plan on trying the Ananda's instead.

[@seuzer]

3:45 “They’re not comfortable” 4:08 “They’re very comfortable” ???????

[@prasanths96]

It's understandable that he meant specifically, his touching of ears onto inner wall of pads is a bit odd and not fully "comfortable", but overall (fit, weight, clamp force, softness of pads) the headphone was comfortable to wear.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

You summed it up great 👍

[@MrJason9142002]

Sundara or Sennheiser HD660?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

HD660 has more realistic tone and timbre and is more smooth. Sundara has more bass punch and slam and a brighter treble. Sundara has a slight metallic timbre that isn't present in the HD660. Soundstage width is similar and the HD660 has a slight edge in separation of instruments. Detail retrieval and resolution is very similar but the Sundara has a slight edge in resolution. I recommend both, just depends on what you are looking for sonically.

[@MrJason9142002]

@@TheHonestAudiophile thanks. I will go with the Sundara and report back. I want a portable amp so that I can listen places other than home.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

@@MrJason9142002 I look forward to hearing your impressions.

[@hameleon80]

you are comparing headphones for €300 and those for €650. They are not in the same class

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Comparison is based on performance and similaritiesn or differences. Also as a reviewer you don't have something readily on hand that is same price. Also, prices fluctuate so products could've been in same price range at time of review. Thanks for watching, commenting and subscribing.

[@TheSteve57]

Vocals are harsh and recessed on these, sent them back !!!

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I didn't find the vocals harsh and recessed. I have come to appreciate the Sundara more over time. When paired with a good DAC and amp they really come together.

[@jng7803]

I am kinda new trying to get in to midfi. Is there any good dac and amp that you find pairs well with sundara? Does adding tube amp help with that artificial metallic sound?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

@@jng7803 The Geshelli Labs J2 DAC and Erish amp are a solid pairing. Also the Grace Design SDAC-B DAC and THX AAA 789 amp. The Mytek Liberty DAC, There are a lot of options for you to explore.

[@jng7803]

@@TheHonestAudiophile Thank! Will look into those.

[@sternkrieger1950]

I have the Sundara plugged into a $75 Fiio E10K USB DAC. With the bass boost on the DAC, it adds a nice level of warmth and depth to the bass and makes the Sundara much less bright and extremely enjoyable to listen to. So yeah, you can definitely get a good sound out of them even with a cheap DAC. BTW, you said that the Sundara were the more fun headphones to the Ananda. I just want to listen to music for enjoyment and not analytical reasons (I also don't produce music). Would upgrading to the Ananda not make sense?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Interesting. Thanks for the information about the Fiio E10k. The Ananda is a good upgrade to the Sundara. The Ananda is my pick between the two and I find it has a fun sound when called upon. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fqGlZpWDjdacmsk

[@Hari-kx2er]

I am pretty sure Sundara can perform decently with any dac/amp. However to bring out its true potential, you നീണ്ട high power dac/amp. I currently use my Sundara in conjunction with the Xduoo xd-05 plus (1000mW/32ohm and AK4493 Dac chip). The combination is amazing

[@bradhuskers]

@@Hari-kx2er Have you reviewed those headphones from Romania? Meze classics?

[@pinoyxbox]

Got these badboys paired with zen dac+zen can running balanced. Will be getting the ananda soon and will give my sundara to my son 😁

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I'm glad you enjoy them. I am sure your son will enjoy as well.

[@dannyturner7967]

How are they on the ifi setup

[@towsifshahriarshovo]

Please review Sivga Phoenix, $255 at Amazon. Seems like a great headphone ❤️❤️🙏

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Thank you for the suggestion. If the funds come available or if someone sends one in for review; I will gladly review the Sivga Phoenix.

[@towsifshahriarshovo]

@@TheHonestAudiophile appreciate your work man👍👍

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Thanks for the kind words, greatly appreciated.

[@svilenp]

👍

[@canonlon311]

Excellent review. I used to own the Sundara ver 2. The two problems, which prevented me from enjoying these headphones, was high frequency harshness and a congested presentation. I ran them through a THX789 and I listen to mostly rock.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I totally understand what you are saying that you heard and I agree. Thanks for watching and commenting, greatly appreciated.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

@a b Awesomeness. I am glad you are enjoying the Ananda.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

@a b You are very welcome, glad you found the review to be helpful and useful.

[@syncwork]

@@TheHonestAudiophile I didn't found high frequency harsh, but i agree with can onlon regarding presentation... its really congested :( What should be my next step.. ananda or arya?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I highly recommend the Ananda.

[@MakenaKai]

I really liked your review. Love my Ananda BTs

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Awesomeness. Thank you for the kind words, I am glad you enjoyed the review. Thank you for watching, commenting and subscribing.

[@phetmoz]

Gosh. I agree with every critique you have of these. I do not like the Sundara though... Harsh, grainy, ghostly. Bleh.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Awesomeness! Thanks for watching, commenting and subscribing 💓

[@bigjt37]

Very interesting takes on the headphone. Bigger soundstage HE4XX or Sundara? Don't know if anyone has ever said specifically on this? Maybe they have, if so I don't remember anyhow..Good review 👍🏼

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

It has been a long time since I heard a 4xx. But if memory serves me correctly I think the 4xx has a slightly bigger soundstage. But again I haven't heard a 4xx in awhile and wasn't able to compare directly to the Sundara. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@bigjt37]

@@TheHonestAudiophile Ohh, okay..yeah, I understand that. You did good and probably the right comparison with Ananda imo but thanks for answering nonetheless, regarding 4XX 😁👍🏼

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

@@bigjt37 My pleasure, your welcome.

[@bigjt37]

@a b okay, yeah I don't have the Sundara myself, so was trying to compare something I know. Thanks.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

@a b Thanks for the information. Always nice to know that my old brain and memory isn't failing quite yet.

[@prabinpaudel5572]

Great review. But I was expecting comparison to 4xx and deva too. Is deva a sensible enough upgrade from 4xx or should one jump directly to sundara if they want better sonic performance as well as enjoyment. ☺ Ananda costs twice as much, of course it'll be better and more refined (though sometimes price don't tell the whole story). 😁

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I no longer have the 4xx to compare. The Deva is a different beast all togethor. The Sundara is better technically then the Deva but the Deva is more pleasant to listen to. The Deva is more laid back but does lack some detail retrieval in comparison to the Sundara. In my opinion the Ananda is superior to both.

[@prabinpaudel5572]

@@TheHonestAudiophile I'll take the deva most likely. Most reviewers don't talk about how a gear held up after years of use and talk only about how strong they feel. That must be because they don't have time to check longetivity with every gear they get on loan. I'd take a slightly lesser performing and less pleasurable gear if they last a couple years more. Since deva is made for Bluetooth use, the common sense in me tells it can handle abuse for longer than sundara and must be more comfortable for longer session too.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Hey, you can't go wrong with the Deva, it is a great headphone in my opinion. Durability and longevity is something that isn't easily discussed in a review unless it is a piece of gear that the reviewer has extensive experience with, most reviewers only have products for a few weeks or so.

[@prabinpaudel5572]

@@TheHonestAudiophile thank you so much. I'll probably get the exact combination you suggested, hip dac and deva. And moondrop starfield. After that I'll stop thinking about audio gears for at least a a couple more years until I can buy something above 500 dollars. ☺

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Sounds like a good plan 👍

[@ludwigflatscher2057]

Great Review again! Maybee you can Test the Austrian Audio Hi X 55 which is my newest Headphone and also the Best in so many ways! I think you will Love it and keep it in your Personell Collection! In my Opinion they are probably the Best closed Headphones up to hmmm. let me say 700- 800 $. and they retail for about 300+$. Greetings!

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Thanks for the suggestion. I will look into them.

[@BunnyslippersEUC]

For me, the Sundara sounded great on my Rupert Neve and HRT music streamer3.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I am glad you enjoy the Sundara. It is a good headphone, just not for me.

[@BunnyslippersEUC]

I enjoy headphones for their strengths. I buy headphones because of this reason, knowing fully well what their limitations are. No headphones is perfect, even 4000euro headphones. I enjoy my Ultrasone 900i and Audioquest Nighthawks for the very specific tuning. Two very controversial headphones. But I also like my Stax L500 and vintage SR5.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Awesomeness. I love music and gear and the enjoyment ot brings me. But as a reviewer, honesty is the best policy, and the Sundara doesn't bring that enjoyment factor for me . Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@Reeeepicheep]

Is there much reason to own both, or does going to the Ananda basically negate any reason or use case to listen to the Sundara instead for enjoyable listening in your opinion?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I choose the Ananda over the Sundara for all listening.

[@rdtstudios]

Great review Dave,! 789 thx aaa +Sundara’s = ❤️

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I am glad you enjoyed the review. I am glad you enjoy the 789 and Sundara pairing. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@lostandfound6501]

Your reviews are awesome, Ricky.

[@rdtstudios]

@@lostandfound6501 thanks bud

[@dubu_nsnl7018]

Hi Dave, I just found your channel and am loving your content. Based on your review of the Sundara, I think that you have hearing comparable to mine. When I first heard the Sundara's I was not blown away, but I fell in love with the sound as days passed. However, I too noticed ear piercing sibilance for most of the songs that I have listened to, even though the headphones were perfect in every other aspect. As a result, I will be returning them, however, I was thinking of buying headphones similar to the sound produced by the Sundara, but with a lot less sibilance. I just received the Sennheiser HD 599 SE's and they have truly wowed me in terms of sound. However, in other aspects they are not so great, such as build quality and overall comfort. So, now I am looking at the Hifiman Deva's and was wondering how you think they compare to the Sundara's or even the HE 400i's (2020 version).

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Thank you for your kind words; I am glad you enoy the videos. Here is a link to my review of the Hifiman 400i 2020 and comparisons to the 4xx and Deva is made starting around the 11 minute mark. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gIuyfmCZfsuDoMU Here is a link to my Deva review. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pJLWlXqKlN2pnsk

[@עידןתמיר-ה3ס]

Hi, how is the combination of the sundara with the dragon fly cobalt?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Sorry haven't heard the Dragonfly Cobalt

[@loonation2185]

Great review and thanks for the clarification on the sundaras. Those thing you stated might be the reason why oluv didnt like it.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

You are welcome, my pleasure. Thank you for the kind words.

[@ibassnote]

I think this is the definite review on why you should avoid the Sundara. There was so much not to love but the moment you said an acoustic piano sounded like an electric piano? No way!

[@rkd59]

The Sundara are not something to be avoided. There is lots to love about them. Nothing at that price point can touch them. They are 90+ percent of the Anandas at half the price. And the Anandas set an EXTREMELY high bar. Product reviewers have to exaggerate barely perceptible details in order to describe the differences. When driven with high quality DAC/Amp they sound incredible. Thousands of online customer reviews rave about the Sundaras. I'm using them with high quality tube hybrid and they sound glorious and very dynamic with a precise, detailed, open soundstage and very neutral tonal balance. I prefer them over my $1400 Focal Clears. Even headphones costing several grand will have slight sonic flaws.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Totally agree. The Sundara have grown on me a lot since the the review. I think they are a fantastic value and are hard to be beat sonically.

[@ibassnote]

I did not feel the Sundara to be 90% of the Ananda. In fact, I ascertained that I preferred the Anandas within about 30 minutes of comparing the two. That is not to say I didn’t enjoy them, I did, but I didn’t think they were in the same league. But I must add that I ended up falling in love with the LCD-Xs, side by side with the Hifiman’s. So it could be that as seductive as the Ananda’s were, I quickly became addicted to the revealing nature of the Audezes though slightly fatiguing.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

@@ibassnote Thanks for your impressions. I do prefer the Ananda over the Sundara.

[@rkd59]

@@ibassnote With the LCD-X, EQ is a necessity. Andrew from the Headphone Show has EQ recommendations.

[@progressiveguy9959]

Thank you for this honest review, David. This is the first time i have watched you.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

You're welcome. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@muttineni03]

Great review, it really helped me decide if I should buy Sundara or not :)

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I am glad you found the review helpful and useful. Thank you for watching and commenting.

[@paultaylorduke]

Liked, subscribed and referred by DMS. 😉

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Awesomeness. Thanks 😊

[@francoisrochette3808]

Thanks for your very good and accurate reviews. First time I watch one of your video and I must say that your description, details and presentation are far superior to the other reviewers here on You tube. If Tyll has a successor is gone be you. Also there is no changes in anyway to the Sundara over the last years. It had been confirmed recently by Dr Fang Bian you can find a interview here on YT with the same guy who had started this false rumors. Problems is that those false information regarding changes on the Sundara continue to spread on. The only thing they change is the dust cover and according to Dr Fang Bian it do not affect the sound in anyway. I owned the Sundara since their first month of production in 2018 and the present edition sound exactly the same. Pads are identical. I had the chance to compare mine with a new one. Your description of your Sundara also fits exactly mine. Treble can come really fatiguing some times. I consider this to be a major flaw and also consider the HD 600 (2020 production ) still a better option. You are totally right with the Ananda. Those are my end game Headphone and the best buy some one can do. Continue your great review.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Thank you for the kind words, greatly appreciated. Honesty is the best policy . I like to keep things detailed but simple. Thank you for the information about the Sundara. Sadly rumors and misinformation is prominent in this hobby. A lot of rumors and opinions go as fact and that misleads a lot of listeners. A lot of reviewers aren't held responsible for their misinformation. Most reviewers only care about the subscription count and free gear to review instead of actually enjoying the music and reviewing honestly.

[@francoisrochette3808]

@@TheHonestAudiophile you are on the right track to become a honest and excellent reviewer. You reminds me a lot with Tyll. It's clear that you have really good understanding of music. Yes it's true that there is wrong reviews like the one who said that the Hd 600 and Hd 650 were to be discontinued. At the same moment Sennheiser were investing millions of dollars in a brand new and modernized factory in Romania to keep the production of new Hd 600 and 650. BTW the current Hd 600 and 650 the one with the new design also have new improve drivers and plastic headband 10 grams lighter then before, cables is also better. Color of drivers is still silver but they sound better. More resolution and faster and deeper bass. The HD 6xx is the equal of the previous generation of 2015. Those drivers of the Hd6xx are still made in Ireland in their old factory. Keep on the good reviews. You are excellent.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Interesting. Learn something new each day.

[@Hari-kx2er]

They did change the pads in the 2020 version of the Sundara. Please check the Headphones.com 2020 Sundara review. Oratory even made a new equalizer for 2020 Sundara revision This is the official word from Hifiman A word from HiFiMAN: "There is no official version 2 of the HiFiMAN Sundara. Neither the drivers nor the cups have had any changes or silent revisions to them in the past calendar year. The only changes have been a cosmetic improvement to the dust cover, as well as improvements to the pad structure to ensure reliability and longevity. There have not been any changes to the pad material. www.headphones.com/blogs/news/hifiman-sundara-review-2020-stealth-revision

[@francoisrochette3808]

@@Hari-kx2er Do you understand english ? No they did not changed the pads only the glue inside it. This don't affect the sound in anyway. The guy from headphone com is the guy who had invented this story. Andrew Park goes by.... "memories" to say that the "so called new one" sound better then the previous one he listened. Here is the official answer from Hifiman regarding this story and any changes on the Sundara. Hi there, thanks for contacting us. We have noticed online that there is chatter of a so-called “Stealth Revision” of the Sundara but I can assure you that it doesn’t exist. No headband changes, no driver changes, no cup changes, nothing. The only change, which we felt so tiny we didn’t mention publicly, was that we changed the glue used on the PaliPads (which are what Sundara uses.) That’s it, the glue on the pads. We did this to enhance the durability of them as we found in warm conditions, they would over time slowly come apart and this new glue is better suited for such environments. Therefore, you do not need to worry about whether you have the “latest model” as there is only one. Sorry if the rumour mill that can be the internet gave you any concerns about the Sundara and should you have any other questions, do please feel free to email us anytime. Best regards, April

[@pinkyfloydyfan1]

I had those headphones & i LOVE the fabulous sound! I listen with the Astell & Kern Kann: it gives me the sound i love. No sibilance for me. You miss something here: a fabulous best buy. EVERYBODIES who listen to the Sundora loves them. I friend of mine command it right away. I compared the Ananda over Sundora: for a thousand $ you don't get enough differences (10% more sound 3 times the price...). The Sundara make me feel to had a new collection of musics. With the DSD, i'm in heaven!

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I'm glad you enjoy the Sundara, I'll stick with my Ananda.

[@sleepinglysithia]

My understanding is the stealth revision to the Sundara was just the glue used to adhere the pad to the plastic pad mounting ring was improved to prevent the pad coming apart from the plastic mounting ring as easily as it previously did.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Thanks for the information. I thought it had something to do with the pads just didn't know the details. Thank you for watching and commenting.

[@sleepinglysithia]

@@TheHonestAudiophile No problem. Your review is spot on BTW. I forgot to mention that in my previous comment. I especially like your comparisons to the Ananda. I wish this review was available when I was trying to decide between the two. I ordered both the Sundara and the Ananda as it was the only way I could really compare them. I know I already told you but I kept the Ananda. I wouldn't say the Ananda is twice as good at twice the price of the Sundara but the Ananda is obviously better in almost every way. Still the Sundara is excellent at the price and probably the better value.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

@@sleepinglysithia Thanks for the kind words. Yeah I'd agree that the Ananda isn't double as good but it is noticeable better. The Sundara is a good value for the price. I am glad you enjoy the Ananda; I absolutely love mine.

[@sleepinglysithia]

David Sylvia Loving the Ananda as much as I do makes me really curious about Hifiman’s higher end offerings. I’m definitely stopping with the Ananda haha. I really hope you get to review their higher-end offerings. I’d love to hear your thoughts and comparisons.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I would love an opportunity to review the higher end gear from Hifiman. Can it get better then the Ananda?

[@MarcERNOULT]

Hello ! Thanks for this video! It seems that these headphones have an impedence of 37ohm. Therefore, is it necessary to use an amplifier for iPhone or Sony NW-A105 use? Thank you for your advice!

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Yes, an amplifier is required for the Sundara to perform at peak performance, both impedance and sensitivity make for a hard to drive situation for a phone or DAP.

[@AsAboveSoBelow1474]

How do the 560v3 compare to the sundara

[@lostandfound6501]

How does these compare to 560 v4? Everyone loves their Sundara's. Better mid's? More fatiguing?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Sorry haven't heard the 560 v4.

[@Sertao2013]

What planar open back in the 350 range would you get that sounds better than the sundara ?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I haven't heard any other planar in the 350 range that is better then the Sundara.

[@prayogobudihartawan654]

Hello glad to see your review about Sundara. How does it compare to Sony Mdr-1AM2?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Sorry haven't heard Sony MDR-1AM2.

[@DesimaVEBO]

David I have my eyes on the hifiman deva, would you say there are any open back headphones out there that compete with these? Such as the sundara or any other?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

The Sundara and 4xx are solid options. The Deva is more laid-back and not as detailed as either of them but is a good middle ground in my opinion. I love the Deva and highly recommend.

[@popops3]

Soo I have the ananda would you recommend the sundara ? I just really wish the ananda had a little bit more punch, but really just a little bit. Have you some dac/amp recommendations to improve this ? Im running them from a soundblaster g6, I also have a thx sp200 and Im looking for a good dac to pair

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Grace Design sdac-balanced would be a good pairing with your SP200 and then you could run the Ananda balanced. As for the Sundara, it is a step back from the Ananda but it does have more punch in the bass.

[@popops3]

@@TheHonestAudiophile dont really bother with balanced, the internal circuit of the sp200 isnt really balanced so doesnt matter, hmmm is it like a lot more punchy ? That is the only thing that I would like the ananda to have a bit more

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

In my personal opinion the Sundara sacrifices too much in comparison to the Ananda. The slight increase in punchy bass isn't enough to warrant me grabbing the Sundara over the Ananda.

[@popops3]

@@TheHonestAudiophile so it only has slightly more punch? I meen the difference isnt huge then ? sorry for that many questions

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

@@popops3 it's noticeable but not eye popping crazy amount

[@alexwong9852]

I brought the Sundara in early 2019 and had changed earpads recently and the sound did changed. It's smooth & more musical

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Awesomeness. Good to know.

[@wiliyantoadinata9170]

from 400i to sundara , yes it is an upgrade ( for me ) but when i tried from sundara to ananda ... and compare it from sundara to arya ... better save up and go all the way to arya i used sundara for mood booster ,very enjoyable with ifi micro dsd bl or chord mojo

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I hope to get an opportunity one day to review an Arya and compare to my Ananda. I've only heard the Arya a few times at audio shows.

[@snakechmr5191]

Great review and assessment Dave. Thank you for taking the time in putting the review together. Coming from modded 4xx, I was looking to up my headphone game ad considered the Sundara, Ananda, and as a stretch, the Arya. In the end I chose the Ananda for many of the same reasons you cited in your vlog. I too found the Sundara (version 2 borrowed from a good friend) too bright (and I'm running tube amp) and not as cohesive and detailed a presentation as the Ananda. Oh and the vocals!!! Unfortunately, I was unable to get my hands on a pair of Aryas to compare. Just as well as, despite reportedly being a "better" headphone, I'm unsure it justifies 2.5x the cost over the Ananda. One day perhaps...... Funny note, I loaned my Anandas to my buddy who let me borrow his Sundaras. To say he's in love would be an understatement and claims that I could be responsible for wrecking his marriage :^) Last thing, what headphone cables are you using? I've been using Pariapt from the start of my journey and recently tried using the stock cable and found them to be acoustically unacceptable.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Awesomeness. I use both Periapt and Dyson cables for my Ananda. Yeah the Ananda can have that effect but it is worthy in my opinion. I am glad you are enjoying them.

[@divinecurrent9053]

Wow, you are the first reviewer to accurately describe exactly how I hear this headphone! I do also hear that little bit of gritty timbre and sharpness/sibilance that other reviewers don't mention. Thanks for a great review! I'm actually getting in HE-560s soon, did you have the chance to compare the Sundara to the HE-560?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Thanks for the kind words, greatly appreciated. I have v3 560 around the office. I will see if I can get a comparison put together at some point.

[@projectnemesi5950]

Every objective piece of testing puts this headphone in the very neutral category. Its a music production headphone.

[@FlorencioParaon]

You're comparing a $700 to a $300?

[@jopar3292]

JEZUZ - like comment & subscribe BEFORE a singe word is even spoken?? clam down

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Thanks for watching, commenting and SUBSCRIBING 😉 Have a great day & Merry Christmas 🎅 🎄

[@jopar3292]

@@TheHonestAudiophile Hahaha Ok for that I will subscribe & like - well played Sir :)

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Awesomeness 🥰

[@jdavis234]

Wow, loved this detailed review of these headphones. I have the sundara and really enjoy it with my Monoprice thx 788 but agree with many of your points. Now I’m feeling the need to upgrade to the Ananda, lol.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Awesomeness. Ananda is my favorite headphone I've reviewed and that I own.