[franz12]

At least, new rca cables significantly raised SQ. Lesson learned. Don't buy RCA cables from Amazon that don't have enough customer feedbacks.

 

[DavidA]

I find this continuing QC problem with hifiman slightly saddening, it would be bad and not so bad if peoples headphones were dying a after several months of use but this constant DOA thing is bad.

It was understandable when Hifiman first started and didn't have the budget to really hone their quality control but now that they are bigger and better established this should be settled; if your a company with multiple $1k+ headphones on the market, a headphone at $6k in production and plans to release one at over $50k you should be slaughtering the $500 dollar market with QUALITY, HIGH-VALUE products.
This is your bread and butter market, this is where most of your sales will occur, this the market that will eventually step into the HE1000 or its successor.

Now I personally haven't heard the Sundara and I'm not slamming it for sound quality, but the reality is that Head-fi is the premier headphone audiophile forum and these issues being perpetuated are not helping the brand image.

I love my HE-500's and Im actually the second owner of them but I hesitate to step into a new Hifiman when literally every single one of their products is dinged with QC issues upon release and then revised twice.

Most of the QC issues have surfaced within the last few months for the HE400i and HE560 its broken yokes where the Sundara seems to more serious with DOA drivers but it not as common as the broken yokes issue (which may get fixed with a simple picture and purchase receipt sent to Hifiman for a new headband). Agree that all this QC issue is really bad for company image and one reason I haven't bought any Hifiman products in a long time (over 2 years).

 

[NorCal]

I was seriously considering the Sundara, because it sounds like they are a fine sounding headphone, at a nice price.
But this thread convince me to wait until their QC issues have been worked out. Unfortunately for Hifiman, their QC issues on their lower and mid priced items, could make many, not consider their higher priced models either. Even with a good return policy, shipping things back for a refund or replacement sucks. Hope they work things out.

 

[acekc]

It seems to me that QC issues are mostly coming from ebay orders.
I ordered Sundara from Amazon, and never had any QC problems.

Mostly perhaps. I ordered from Amazon and mine died almost immediately. For a little more context, they showed up in an Amazon box that contained another sealed brown cardboard box that looked like it had come straight from the Hifiman factory. I say that because the seam was sealed with a "Check contents if this seal is broken" sticker that had Chinese characters on it, and the box was exactly the right size to fit the "retail-ready" Sundara box with a sheet of protective foam on all six sides.

My point is that it doesn't look like anyone outside of Hifiman laid hands on them before me, and they were still laid low by a few seconds of music at low-moderate volume.

 

[John Aiello]

It has been well documented here about how bad the quality and support is for the Hifiman products. Perhaps the high end stuff is okay but as you get lower in the cost structure you are really taking a chance with this company. I really wanted to try the Sundara but Hifiman is #1 on my don't buy from list.

 

[buntyster]

I bought them a month ago from Amazon Germany , returned them as few hours after getting the left channel was unbalanced (lower volume).
But I ordered one few days ago again from Amazon UK, because if these don't break, I believe it would be worth it, as the sound is just that VERY GOOD. Really hoping they will work, if not, I am off Hifiman, at least for their 400-600 dollar range headphones.

 

[TokenGesture]

I’m liking what I hear so far. Not as bright as I had feared, but a good complement to LCD2C

 

[kid vic]

I doubt there is any real difference between whats coming from local hifi shops vs amazon vs ebay.

The yokes on other HE400i/HE560s breaking is bad but then again my AKG K240 sextetts and K340's are both over thirty years old and still physically strong; time doesn't really justify it. Sennheisers HD580, 600, 650 are all enjoying longevity and holding up as well; it seems like Hifiman is the only one seriously behind the curve.

It's great that their products are well received for sound quality but its useless if you have a 1 in 30 chance (speculation) of receiving a dud.

 

[franz12]

I doubt there is any real difference between whats coming from local hifi shops vs amazon vs ebay.

The yokes on other HE400i/HE560s breaking is bad but then again my AKG K240 sextetts and K340's are both over thirty years old and still physically strong; time doesn't really justify it. Sennheisers HD580, 600, 650 are all enjoying longevity and holding up as well; it seems like Hifiman is the only one seriously behind the curve.

It's great that their products are well received for sound quality but its useless if you have a 1 in 30 chance (speculation) of receiving a dud.

With a high driver failure rate, Audeze wants to join the club.

 

[DarwinOSX]

My 400i's that a bought in November 2017 are perfect. I've seen older 560's that are a disgrace. But we're talking about Sundara which every pair I've seen including mine have very good build quality and sound incredible. Sadly it seems that there are several Non Sundara owners with lots of advice. Those of us that Actually Own Sundara have few complaints and for $500 I've found nothing better. Since you have such a horrible opinion of Hifiman and you'd never buy Sundara Why Are You Even Here? Sad.

It is interesting that you think only people who agree with you and who will only say good things about Hifiman be allowed to post here.
I'm reading this to determine if I should try these headphones or not and I want to see all comments good or bad.

 

[DarwinOSX]

I doubt there is any real difference between whats coming from local hifi shops vs amazon vs ebay.
The yokes on other HE400i/HE560s breaking is bad but then again my AKG K240 sextetts and K340's are both over thirty years old and still physically strong; time doesn't really justify it. Sennheisers HD580, 600, 650 are all enjoying longevity and holding up as well; it seems like Hifiman is the only one seriously behind the curve.
It's great that their products are well received for sound quality but its useless if you have a 1 in 30 chance (speculation) of receiving a dud.

Yes it makes no sense that different sources would have different quality levels especially since HiFiman themselves sell on eBay.

 

[Chillzone21]

What I want to know is the diaphragm, is it the same as the the HE1000 in its ability to produce air, or out of head experience.

 

[SilverEars]

What I want to know is the diaphragm, is it the same as the the HE1000 in its ability to produce air, or out of head experience.

Nope, different leagues. They don't even sound that similar. HEK is a bit like a U shaped response if I'd exaggerate the response, as people find it to be characteristically polite in the dynamics, but Sundara is not in comparison. HEK sounds spacially greater in scale, and airier. It's a very airy sounding headphone with greater depth to the imaging.

By the way you describe the HEK, you sound familiar with it.

 

[Hifiearspeakers]

Nope, different leagues. They don't even sound that similar. HEK is a bit like a U shaped response if I'd exaggerate the response, as people find it to be characteristically polite in the dynamics, but Sundara is not in comparison. HEK sounds spacially greater in scale, and airier. It's a very airy sounding headphone with greater depth to the imaging.

By the way you describe the HEK, you sound familiar with it.

No way would I call the HEK U shaped. It’s mid range is more forward than most headphones. Vocals are some of the best I’ve ever heard and they’re not recessed at all. In fact, I never realized that the mids on the 800S were slightly recessed until I listened to the same tracks on the HEK.

 

[SilverEars]

No way would I call the HEK U shaped. It’s mid range is more forward than most headphones. Vocals are some of the best I’ve ever heard and they’re not recessed at all. In fact, I never realized that the mids on the 800S were slightly recessed until I listened to the same tracks on the HEK.

Oh jeeze. I'm wondering if you have heard real forward midrange. If the midrange is forward, it would have more weight to the sound, which HEK does not have much weight in it's sound. It's bass is well separated from the upper frequencies due to the the emphasis toward the sub-bass(if comparing to the avg headphone), and the articulation comes from the upper frequencies mainly, not the mids, at the much higher frequencies in the case of HEK. So, I characterized it as U shaped(I've also pointed out that it's a bit of an exaggeration, like making a caricature). I'm not stating that it's sounds like that there is drastic recession in the FR, but just an overall impression of it.