[ThanatosVI]

On one hand I agree with you here. However, did you listen Sundara himself? No? It would be a good idea you'll go to local hifiman's dealer, listen for HEX(HEK)/Sundara and compare those HP one-to-one.

If only I had a local Hifiman dealer.

I might get my hands on a HEX V2 to compare to my Sundara, but no way to try HEK and Susvara.

 

[zodiac1234]

I appreciate your comparisons to the HEXv2. The Sundara is definitely near the top of my list of headphones I want to try/buy. I will sit back a little longer to see if other people have thoughts about the Sundara vs. HEXv2. I will say that I'm surprised yet hopeful to see that you feel the Sundara is "airier, more open, better on top and better balanced bass". It almost seems to good to be true for a $500 hp. Of course, I'm not saying I don't believe you, because I was very unimpressed with some of the more expensive hp I tried. I would be thrilled if I found what I was looking for in a $500 hp. I would have plenty left over for a new DAP.

Sundara's technical construction looks different than the latest generation design.
There will be soon High End offerings from HFM that will surpass Sundara in terms of Audio Quality.

You dont need to wait for other people's opinions. Listen for yourself.

 

[zodiac1234]

Most of us seem to agree that mids on Sundara are slightly recessed or veiled or both of them.
From your impressions, let me conjecture a few things.
1. ED X is more recessed in mids or sounds distanced than Sundara.
2. HEKV2 is not distanced as much. Maybe slightly forward than Sundara. But mids are not precisely defined or not clear as much or less weighty or all of them. After all, Sundara sounds better on mids than HEKV2.

Am I interpreting your impressions correctly?

YES.

HEK v2 has more pronounced mids and upper mids. Its flaws are more apparent because of this "forwardness".and its revelatory character.
Sundara's mids and upper mids sound shelved down, making its flaws "less apparent".

 

[SilverEars]

If the headphone provides happy listening sessions is all that matters in the end, and I could imagine people would be with these as long as not coming from Hifiman's higher end offerings like HEK or Susvara I presume(and directly trying to compare them). I think the quick responsiveness of the headphone surpasses the HEK in speed, and has more of an evened out(compared to HEK which sound sub-bass richer) thicker/meatier bass, bodied bass that isn't warm(warm meaning with a bit of decay), but tightened. Quite good bass. This is what I mean by quick, and is what I meant like electrostats with it's snappy qualities. HEK generally can't be surpassed in it's sub-bass capabilities, and the quite large sound stage and depth. It's different due to such qualities, but in some respects more refined, in the treble area for the HEK. Sundara isn't considered intimate sounding either, vocals can sometimes sound distant and stage can sound spacious(but not to the extend of HEK, which can sound a bit exaggerated).

 

[FredA]

The review by Tyll is useless to me. He finds the he560 bright, with piercing treble even, so just from that, his opinion is already useless as far as i am concerrned. I own the he560 and find them great. He does not mention doing any amp matching (ridiculous). Headfonia is a much better source IMO.

I prefer amateur reviews. Or impressions by someone like you, who has got studio experience, sincerely.

 

[zodiac1234]

....Sundara sounds much better than HD800S to my ears.

I kinda agree.
Although HD800S sounds more revealing and airier (good monitor), it is more of an instrument than a HP.

There is a "cool" and icey mid and upper mid in HD800-S that make them sound a little colder and less involving than S.

Comfort:
>> HD800S
>> Sundara

 

[Light - Man]

I kinda agree.
Although HD800S sounds more revealing and airier (good monitor), it is more of an instrument than a HP.

There is a "cool" and icey mid and upper mid in HD800-S that make them sound a little colder and less involving than S.

Comfort:
>> HD800S
>> Sundara

What, surly Sundara could not be that bad. Have you tried the AKG K612 with the headband designed by someone into S&M!

 

[SilverEars]

I actually like the way those AKGs were designed.

I thought K701 looked beautiful for my taste, but just didn't fit the sound for me. That's what I call design Hifiman!

 

[SilverEars]

The review by Tyll is useless to me. He finds the he560 bright, with piercing treble even, so just from that, his opinion is already useless as far as i am concerrned. I own the he560 and find them great. He does not mention doing any amp matching (ridiculous). Headfonia is a much better source IMO.

I prefer amateur reviews. Or impressions by someone like you, who has got studio experience, sincerely.

I like Tyll's reviews due to a psrticular reason. He provides a personal opinion, and this may not agree with everybody like other opinions. You got to respect that if he doesn't like something, he's not restrained from stating so.

 

[SilverEars]

Anybody have experiences with iems? I can easily find good performing iems with balanced tonality that is highly resolving, but it's difficult for headphones. They come off more colored. Perhaps iems have less variables such as ear shape, and can be tuned much easier with balanced armateur drivers. I can easily find highly resolving and balanced tonality in TOTL iem space. But also, pricing for iems went up significantly, hence disinterest at this point.

Good iems have smooth and detailed treble. Headphones tend to either bright or dark, hard to find a middle point. There usually a peak somewhere, etc.. Also, you got to worry about dips in headphone response and all that. Full sized headphones still has ways to go. Headphones are pretty complex to tune well I think. First you have to have good drivers and then worry about sound effects from the housing, and then individual ear types(shapes, etc..), the pads, etc.. And all talk about DACs, Amps, uuhhgg.. iems are just simple.

 

[SilverEars]

The review websites or not are just reiterating of specs, and providing opinions or personal impressions, not far off from reviews on forums. They are individually based, we have individuals in forums as well.

 

[EternalChampion]

This is very important to know. Anybody who owns/tried the Sundara please listen to the first track in the following comparison:





......and tell me which of the two the new headphone leans towards to in its bass punch. Is it more peaceful and chesty felt like the HE-400i or stronger and more fatiguing similar to the HE-560?

Thanks in advance for the answer.

 

[SilverEars]

HE560 has stronger bass and is warmer sounding.

Are those ears too big to fit in the cups? They don't adhere to the base.

 

[soal]

HE560 has stronger bass

That's sad - I hoped Sundara will be at least on the same level.

 

[SilverEars]

That's sad - I hoped Sundara will be at least on the same level.

I was referring to the video recording above, the top one is labeled HE400i, comparing to HE560.