[jsmiller58]

Good luck bro. Both of my pairs arrived well packaged and worked fine for a while before sucking the kumara as we say down here.

Wow... My karma must be good, at least so far. No problems with my Sundara headphones so far!! I do have quite a few cans and I regularly rotate usage, so maybe I am just not stressing mine enough...

 

[seanwee]

Wow... My karma must be good, at least so far. No problems with my Sundara headphones so far!! I do have quite a few cans and I regularly rotate usage, so maybe I am just not stressing mine enough...

Im really not sure how many Sundaras are faulty. From this thread it seems like 70% have problems.

I think it's more of a QC issue because a demo unit at a local headphone store is holding up just fine and we all know how poorly demo units are used.

 

[Ripper2860]

Well, I sure hope I I don't fall victim to the QC issue. I've never had an issue with my HE400S and I'll be ordering my Sundara next week.

 

[jsmiller58]

Im really not sure how many Sundaras are faulty. From this thread it seems like 70% have problems.

I think it's more of a QC issue because a demo unit at a local headphone store is holding up just fine and we all know how poorly demo units are used.

I think you are right about QC issues... and then HifiMan is infamous for poor build quality... but, I would be careful inferring from these posts a defect rate. You hear more from owners with problems than without problems... that would amplify the perception of problems. A 70% defect rate would never have gotten past the EVT/DVT/PVT manufacturing methodology. Not to mention HifiMan would go belly up right quick!

Having said that, let me go find some wood to knock on...

 

[SoundSquare]

;

Im really not sure how many Sundaras are faulty. From this thread it seems like 70% have problems.

I think it's more of a QC issue because a demo unit at a local headphone store is holding up just fine and we all know how poorly demo units are used.

The Sundara owners here are a very small fraction of the total Sundara owners all over the world, there's no conclusion that can be drawn here.

Mine have been burning for the last 48 hours, with a few breaks for listening sessions. They are terrific headphones, maybe a bit cold for my taste but protraying music faultlessly, very serious stuff.

 

[seanwee]

;


The Sundara owners here are a very small fraction of the total Sundara owners all over the world, there's no conclusion that can be drawn here.

Mine have been burning for the last 48 hours, with a few breaks for listening sessions. They are terrific headphones, maybe a bit cold for my taste but protraying music faultlessly, very serious stuff.

Whoops, there seems to be a bit of a misunderstanding here.

As you quoted in bold, I did say that my impressions are from this thread. I'm also well aware that this thread only represents a very small fraction of users lol.

 

[SoundSquare]

Whoops, there seems to be a bit of a misunderstanding here.

As you quoted in bold, I did say that my impressions are from this thread. I'm also well aware that this thread only represents a very small fraction of users lol.

actually i wasn't saying you are getting to a conclusion, i was only warning those who would be tempted to
really sorry if i made you think so


+ you got a Pandora Hope VI in your sig, respect (love mine).

 

[seanwee]

actually i wasn't saying you are getting to a conclusion, i was only warning those who would be tempted to
really sorry if i made you think so

Yeah I'm aware. I only quoted your post because you highlighted my main point. Just wanted to let people know.

I was addressing a few posts that followed mine.

My mistake for not spacing it properly

+ you got a Pandora Hope VI in your sig, respect (love mine).

I didn't really like it at first till I got a new pair of tubes for the WA7.It was hard to find a pairing that let it really shine though.

What are you using as a source for it?

BTW, knowing that you love the Pandora VI, Im not sure the Sundara is perfect for you. It is much thinner and brighter compared to the Pandora. A slightly warmer but almost as capable headphone I've tried is the HD660S. Maybe you could give that a try?

I like the Sundara precisely because of its pristine detail. I've tried a few pairings and R2R dacs pair with it nicely. It makes it more analog but somehow retains the level of detail and clarity. Gives it more impact and power imo.

 

[SoundSquare]

Yeah I'm aware. I only quoted your post because you highlighted my main point. Just wanted to let people know.

I was addressing a few posts that followed mine.

My mistake for not spacing it properly
I didn't really like it at first till I got a new pair of tubes for the WA7.It was hard to find a pairing that let it really shine though.

What are you using as a source for it?

BTW, knowing that you love the Pandora VI, Im not sure the Sundara is perfect for you. It is much thinner and brighter compared to the Pandora. A slightly warmer but almost as capable headphone I've tried is the HD660S. Maybe you could give that a try?

I like the Sundara precisely because of its pristine detail. I've tried a few pairings and R2R dacs pair with it nicely. It makes it more analog but somehow retains the level of detail and clarity. Gives it more impact and power imo.

The Pandora VI is very easy to drive, you just need to avoid overly bright sources for it. Tubes are a good option, i use mine sometimes with an hybrid amp, FostexHP-V1. IT works very well. But most of the time i use it directly with a balanced cable on the A&K Kann, which is surprisingly the best combo to my ears, the Kann is a slightly warm sounding DAP and it makes the PVI perfect.

I have now quite a decent collection of cans and IEMs, with very different sound signatures. They all have a purpose, a time, a mood for. The Sundara has found its place as well, i really like it (but i have been listening to it for only 2 days), for the reasons you mentioned. But hell it needs power. (not to reach a decent volume but to sound at its full potential). The Sundara puts me in a quest for a good amp.

And i do have a Senn 660S, which i gave to my wife.

 

[seanwee]

The Pandora VI is very easy to drive, you just need to avoid overly bright sources for it. Tubes are a good option, i use mine sometimes with an hybrid amp, FostexHP-V1. IT works very well. But most of the time i use it directly with a balanced cable on the A&K Kann, which is surprisingly the best combo to my ears, the Kann is a slightly warm sounding DAP and it makes the PVI perfect.

I preferred "faster" sounding sources for the Pandora as opposed to warmer ones lol. Depends on the sound you want I guess.

I have now quite a decent collection of cans and IEMs, with very different sound signatures. They all have a purpose, a time, a mood for. The Sundara has found its place as well, i really like it (but i have been listening to it for only 2 days), for the reasons you mentioned. But hell it needs power. (not to reach a decent volume but to sound at its full potential). The Sundara puts me in a quest for a good amp.

I listen louder than most so normally if an amp can drive a headphone to my listening levels and still have decent headroom (+-20 left), it will do.

One exception are the HD800 but I've decided to forsake getting that and will be getting the Sundara instead.

 

[jsmiller58]

I too find the Sundaras quite a bit harder to drive than most of my other cans. I drive it with my O2 and MD CTH amps in my desktop config and with my xDSD for portable use (obviously just walking around my apartment). I have an LG v30 and despite it's vaunted audiophile roots, it can just barely drive the Sundara to listenable levels, even when tricked into aux mode.

Sounds quite good on the O2 and CTH, but a bit too bright on the xDSD... Need to spend more time with it this weekend

 

[kernel8888]

Can anyone who's heard these and the 560s give some feedback regarding the "forwardness" and "punchiness" of these two compared to eachother?

 

[SilverEars]

Sundara is punchier, and upper-mids forward (4-5k). 560 has a 7k treble peak, whereas Sundara is pretty leveled in the lower treble region.

 

[Vero Golf Champ]

Wow, what a day. Returned my second Sundara, this time minus the right channel. Paid an extra 300 kiwi pesos and walked out with a big box containing the Elears.

Plugged in the Elears and OMG no right channel lol. I can laugh now because I have another pair on my head as I write this, but at the time I felt like I was in the twilight zone. If this pair fails I agreed to take my whole rig in for checking.

During the second somewhat awkward conversation with the nice staff, they said they'd sold 10 Sundaras, with my two the only faulty ones. 20% failure rate by my calculation, however you would need a larger sample for statistical reasons I struggled with at Uni.

Elears are a bit darker than Sundara, probably more up my alley, but I reckon I'll miss the spotlight the Sundara shines on your sounds.

 

[DavidA]

@Vero Golf Champ, you must be the most unlucky person with headphones and I'm glad you can laugh about it but I'd be really PO if I had experienced that many failed drivers