[MalinYamato]

I have both pairs of headphones in use at home.
Honestly, I often enjoy with Sundara. By tonality, I like it more than Ananda. Becouse it sound more neutral for me.
Ananda is very good headphones, it is a fact. But at the moment, if I needed to make a choice between two of it, I will choice Sundara. Especially considering the difference in price
In this topic, people usually moving from the Sundara's up. But this is all pretty arbitrary. It depends on personal sound preferences and favorite genres in music.
Sundara is a good headphones with a neutral sound, and close to He560.
I prefer to listen classical music with HE560 and Sundara.

I love your avatar, which wins my seal of approval Anyway, I am a stingy girl who doesn't reach up to the price level at or above Anandas. I have had Sundara for a week. Life was simple and I have been enjoying Sundara, but then out the blue the more feminine Deva entered the scene and messed up my life. I could not possible imagine that something with a price lower than Sundara that in many aspects has more pleasant sound to appear this soon, or ever. My attraction for Deva is as wired phone that definitely excludes the ugly black masculine flimsy plastics BT module, which makes the phone look as if has grown taliban beard -- to be thrown away. Well, do you have any thoughts about this thing that seems to be more praised than Sundara once was?

 

[Smoothstereo]

I have both pairs of headphones in use at home.
Honestly, I often enjoy with Sundara. By tonality, I like it more than Ananda. Becouse it sound more neutral for me.
Ananda is very good headphones, it is a fact. But at the moment, if I needed to make a choice between two of it, I will choice Sundara. Especially considering the difference in price
In this topic, people usually moving from the Sundara's up. But this is all pretty arbitrary. It depends on personal sound preferences and favorite genres in music.
Sundara is a good headphones with a neutral sound, and close to He560.
I prefer to listen classical music with HE560 and Sundara.

Interesting, besides you preferring the neutrality tone of the Sundara over the Ananda, anything else you think the Sundara does better for your tastes?

 

[Steve80]

Interesting, besides you preferring the neutrality tone of the Sundara over the Ananda, anything else you think the Sundara does better for your tastes?

I like Sundara for its tonality and extension at high frequencies. Ananda attenuation is faster. I like when attenuation on HF is slower. Sundara is better for Instruments such as: a triangle, bells, xylophones and other high-frequency percussion.
But Ananda is much more convenient, you can not take off for hours, and you do not get tired.
But in general, in my opinion, Sundara's cost–performance is better than ananda.
Sorry, it’s hard to explain more in English, because this is not my native language.

 

[Smoothstereo]

I like Sundara for its tonality and extension at high frequencies. Ananda attenuation is faster. I like when attenuation on HF is slower. Sundara is better for Instruments such as: a triangle, bells, xylophones and other high-frequency percussion.
But Ananda is much more convenient, you can not take off for hours, and you do not get tired.
But in general, in my opinion, Sundara's cost–performance is better than ananda.
Sorry, it’s hard to explain more in English, because this is not my native language.

I see, thanks for your feedback.

 

[Dobrescu George]

I have both pairs of headphones in use at home.
Honestly, I often enjoy with Sundara. By tonality, I like it more than Ananda. Becouse it sound more neutral for me.
Ananda is very good headphones, it is a fact. But at the moment, if I needed to make a choice between two of it, I will choice Sundara. Especially considering the difference in price
In this topic, people usually moving from the Sundara's up. But this is all pretty arbitrary. It depends on personal sound preferences and favorite genres in music.
Sundara is a good headphones with a neutral sound, and close to He560.
I prefer to listen classical music with HE560 and Sundara.

Ah, I see

I also love Sundara's more neutral tuning for metal music top be honest, but Ananda sounds better for Jazz and pop , at least I'd expect people to also prefer Ananda for older rock as well. Think Bon Jovi

 

[Steve80]

, but Ananda sounds better for Jazz and pop , at least I'd expect people to also prefer Ananda for older rock as well. Think Bon Jovi

Yes, I think so too

 

[ezduzit2500]

Thanks for your help. I really didn't want to return yet another set, dang. I too have had multiple returns of this headphone. My hope is that the drivers would settle after more burn in / playing time. The difference between the drivers is only ever so slight and only is apparent in some songs but it's hard to un-hear it and it bugs my slight "perfectionistical" (new word) expectations. Most people would not even notice the issue, I believe. I would just get a refund and go for a different model/brand but the excellent sound quality of a good set and the overall value of the Sundara is just too hard to pass up. If I can still notice the differences after a few more days with more burn in (pink noise and music), I'll do the return/exchange. I've got til the last week of this month. I'll keep fishing til I get the fish that I want. I'll also keep you all posted. -E

Update to earlier post: I went ahead and returned that set to Am_zon and ordered another. This set is from a new batch from Hifiman. Burning them in as I type this. Slight difference in tone between L and R ear cups fresh out of the box. Took off the L ear pad, a small piece of cut hair inside the driver area, under the screen - can't access it w/o voiding the warranty. Blew it out w/ compressed air. Tone differences disappeared after a few minutes of pink noise at mid to high volume. Seems to be okay now. Wow, glad I'm a DIY'er.

 

[ezduzit2500]

This is essentially what I am doing with a Saga. One output to my speaker amp, and one to my Jotunheim. I am using the original stock Russian tube (and I believe it now comes with a JJ stock). I have a couple of the Tung Sols that were optional with the OG Saga, which I find to be hard to distinguish from the stock tube. Maybe a little smoother on top, but damn close, at least in this application. I find that the tube buffer gives a bit more spacious sound with a little less forward presentation than direct to the Jot. Subtle, but definitely noticeable. I still use it both ways depending on my whim. It was $200 b stock as the new Saga+ and S had just come out. It really is a great pre for a speaker amp too, as long as you don't need any gain. I can't speak to the new Saga+.

I went ahead and bought an inexpensive tube preamp/buffer just to experiment with tubes. Aiyima tube-A3 Pro. After set up and rolling stock tubes for Riverstone GE JAN 5654's, I must admit that even this cheap tube preamp sounds good. I replaced my passive preamp with the tube pre. After a little tube and device burn in I'm hearing some good sounding music. More organic. More depth and bloom to vocals and overtones/decay. Depth to the soundstage and better imaging. Clear and natural treble. More layering of vocal harmonies. And this with a cheap device. Wow.

 

[ezduzit2500]

I appreciate your reply. I do plan on experimenting with a tube buffer/pre. Too hard to not do - as a constant tinkerer and diy-er whose hobby has always been good sound on a reasonable budget.

I went ahead and bought a cheap tube pre/buffer. Aiyima tube - a3 pro. Rolled stock tubes to GE JAN 5654's. I'm liking the sounds with this tube preamp. Clear, detailed, organic, textured treble and mids. Bass is done by my solid state amp. Overall a good value for a budget setup.

 

[ezduzit2500]

Thank you! I’m actually sort of in an internal crisis right now about amps lol. I ordered a THX 789 for $300, then read comparisons between it and the Schiit Heresy. I got cold feet reached out to Drop last night about cancelling my THX order, but they didn’t get back to me fast enough and it shipped this afternoon. The Heresy is $100 and should sound transparent. So now I’m considering returning the THX and ordering the Heresy but I don’t know if I’m making the right decision.

I bought a used Emotiva bas-x a-100 and installed the jumpers. Using a tube preamp/buffer for the volume control. Whoah, the power - and bass. Careful with the volume though, A-100 power will kill a headphone in less than a 1/4 second.

 

[stinkytofus]

looking to get my hands on an hifiman, which ones do you guys recommend thats under $1000?

 

[ezduzit2500]

looking to get my hands on an hifiman, which ones do you guys recommend thats under $1000?

Sundara is a good less expensive HP that competes with more expensive sets. If I had $1k I would try Sundara, Ananda, and even stretch to Arya (after saving up). I bought the Sundara because of the overall value (SQ vs price). Buy from Amazon or a store with a good return policy, keep the one that's acceptable or the one you like the best. It's about the journey. I've got budget constraints (disabled veteran) and can't justify $1k for headphones, I still gotta live. I'm sure others could give you more suggestions.

 

[limaaa]

Hi guys,

I'm thinking to buy Sundara. Where is the best place to buy them in Europe? How do I know if I'll get revisited edition (with thinner pads) or the old version (with thicker pads).

Thanks!

 

[Seazer]

Hi guys,

I'm thinking to buy Sundara. Where is the best place to buy them in Europe? How do I know if I'll get revisited edition (with thinner pads) or the old version (with thicker pads).

Thanks!

I feel like unless you are buying from someone that has a bunch of old stock, you are very likely to get the newer revision

 

[Chodi]

Hi guys,

I'm thinking to buy Sundara. Where is the best place to buy them in Europe? How do I know if I'll get revisited edition (with thinner pads) or the old version (with thicker pads).

Thanks!

I'm in Thailand which is not in the EU (I think you knew that) but we have usually got terrible customs duty. I ordered direct from the Hifiman store (Their website) and the headphones showed up DHl in 4 days from my order date with absolutely no customs charge. I have no Idea if I just won the lottery or Hifiman has a clever way of valuing their products. Anyway, I would suggest the official Hifiman Store. Worked for me. Of course it was the latest version.