[Tripokaridos]

Hey all, what pads do you guys run? The glue on my stock pads is just completely falling apart, which is the second time a pair of hifiman pads have done this to me. Curiously, the rest of the pads are in perfect condition, so I'm almost considering just using hot glue to put them back together. Any suggestions/recommendations welcome.

Thanks

Truth is that i had a similar problem but not with glue , just deformed foam inside the pads on one side only . My xp until now about changing pads on Headphones is really really bad , I have used several pads on my Sennheisers , Bose, Sony, and all of them change the sound in a way that i didnt like it , the reason was that i always buy a headphone that i listen on a stock form and if i dont like it then i sell it . So for me changing the sound that i like is something that i dont like . Others maybe have different opinion and buying Sundara or something else didnt like it from the start and keep searching for Pad swap and other type of sound ... For me this other type of sound must always be on a stock form.

I Really like these Hybrid pads on Sundara , my only problem is that hard to bend cable that is also keeping memmory shape it looks good but i want to find something else .
From what i have seen most people glue them back , i think i read that they change the glue with stronger , so i think this is the solution use better glue put it back on and forget it

 

[TeamHiFiMAN]

Hey all, what pads do you guys run? The glue on my stock pads is just completely falling apart, which is the second time a pair of hifiman pads have done this to me. Curiously, the rest of the pads are in perfect condition, so I'm almost considering just using hot glue to put them back together. Any suggestions/recommendations welcome.

Thanks

Hi there,

Sorry to hear that, if there is anything we can do for you, please feel free to email us at customerservice@hifiman.com so we can look into what happened and see how to help.

Best regards,
April

 

[Novice2020]

Guys , is there any difference between balanced cables for Sundara? Total newb here, please help

 

[Kammerat Rebekka]

Yesterday I realised what the real differences between the Sundara and the Arya are..much thanks to my friend and his Arya.
The Arya has a bigger presentation due to the cups as well as better bass extension and is brighter in the high frequencies. That’s about it.
I originally thought the Arya was more linear through the mids and additionally presented more detail...but I hear just as much of X song over the Sundara. Put another way: there’s nothing in any recording that I can pick up over the Arya that doesn’t come through over the Sundara.
So yeah basically..if you feel the Sundara is a tad too warm up on top and additionally want that big cup experience, I’d say go for the Arya. If you feel the other way around and actually would like a teeny tiny less bit of energy in the upper frequencies than what your Sundara gives you...well then jump for the new HE400i

 

[bagwell359]

Yesterday I realised what the real differences between the Sundara and the Arya are..much thanks to my friend and his Arya.
The Arya has a bigger presentation due to the cups as well as better bass extension and is brighter in the high frequencies. That’s about it.
I originally thought the Arya was more linear through the mids and additionally presented more detail...but I hear just as much of X song over the Sundara. Put another way: there’s nothing in any recording that I can pick up over the Arya that doesn’t come through over the Sundara.
So yeah basically..if you feel the Sundara is a tad too warm up on top and additionally want that big cup experience, I’d say go for the Arya. If you feel the other way around and actually would like a teeny tiny less bit of energy in the upper frequencies than what your Sundara gives you...well then jump for the new HE400i

I haven't actually had the Arya and Sundara in hand at the same time, but, based on my memories, the Sundara is well short of the Arya in detail (esp micro details and harmonics), and dynamics - w/ and w/o EQ. What were your reference pieces and what's your DAC and amp used? The HE-500 and HE6se both have more detail than the Sundara. The Arya has more detail than the 500, and is somewhat similar to the HE6se, but has a much better head stage than the 6se. Thinking of new cans at list price the Clear and Arya tower over the rest.

No 400* - 'S', 'i", "XX" has any business being mentioned (except as a budget choice) with the Arya, Ananda, 500, 6se, or the Sundara - IMO.

 

[Kammerat Rebekka]

I haven't actually had the Arya and Sundara in hand at the same time, but, based on my memories, the Sundara is well short of the Arya in detail (esp micro details and harmonics), and dynamics - w/ and w/o EQ. What were your reference pieces and what's your DAC and amp used? The HE-500 and HE6se both have more detail than the Sundara. The Arya has more detail than the 500, and is somewhat similar to the HE6se, but has a much better head stage than the 6se. Thinking of new cans at list price the Clear and Arya tower over the rest.

No 400* - 'S', 'i", "XX" has any business being mentioned (except as a budget choice) with the Arya, Ananda, 500, 6se, or the Sundara - IMO.

I was halfexpecting you to drop by and ask for a clarification with regards to dac and amp, but that’s alright I can dig it. We used his RME dac with his V200 amp so as we could plug two headphones in at the same time (he also owns the HE500 like me).
I disagree with most of your finds with regards to detail, but maybe that’s because we look for them in different places. Sure the detail up top is easier to grok with the Arya because it’s brighter. When you highlight certain amplitudes within the frequency response you also inadvertently underline that part of the presentation aka ‘making it more detailed’. It’s not real detail though and I can mimic it very easily with a little EQ.
The absolute hardest part about a/b’ing these cans was however getting past the vastly different form factors. The Arya is way ‘bigger‘ in it’s expression...which incidentally is a damn fine reason for getting such a design. You feel engulfed in the music.
Btw if you take a look at Crinacle’s measurements of these two Hifimans, you’ll probably notice just how alike they look. It’s uncanny. Personally I’ve come to the conclusion that sound quality over a headphone basically boils down to two audible things: frequency response and distortion. With (most) planars, even some of the cheapest out there, we’re still well below the audible threshold distortion-wise ie the only real differences to spot between the Arya and the Sundara are the slightly better bass extension as well as the rougher and brighter treble over the former. It is easy to get tricked though with those massive cups.

Edith: Sorry, I forgot to mention the music!
Reference pieces to me are basically just well-recorded music I know like the back of my hand.
Yesterday I listened to various tracks from:
Susanne Sundfør - The Brothel
Ennio Morricone - I Cannibali
Vangelis - China
Scott Walker - The Drift
Miles Davis - Sketches Of Spain
Serge Gainsbourg - Histoire de Melody Nelson
The Future Sound Of London - Lifeforms

 

[Tripokaridos]

Hi there,

Sorry to hear that, if there is anything we can do for you, please feel free to email us at customerservice@hifiman.com so we can look into what happened and see how to help.

Best regards,
April

Support from Hifiman is great ... and not all HiFi companies are like u others dont even reply.

 

[Slideshow]

Support from Hifiman is great ... and not all HiFi companies are like u others dont even reply.

I can second that. I'm certainly part of the bad qc club when it comes to Hifiman products. I was, however, taken care of promptly and without issue by the customer service.

 

[bagwell359]

I was halfexpecting you to drop by and ask for a clarification with regards to dac and amp, but that’s alright I can dig it. We used his RME dac with his V200 amp so as we could plug two headphones in at the same time (he also owns the HE500 like me).
I disagree with most of your finds with regards to detail, but maybe that’s because we look for them in different places. Sure the detail up top is easier to grok with the Arya because it’s brighter. When you highlight certain amplitudes within the frequency response you also inadvertently underline that part of the presentation aka ‘making it more detailed’. It’s not real detail though and I can mimic it very easily with a little EQ.

RME looks very interesting.
I'm talking w/ EQ applied to Arya - it's got a nasty 5-6 & 9 kHz issue - easily done away with with a parametric. After that - there is a bountiful amount of detail above and beyond whats in the Sundara - on my rig: Hi-Res Tidal/Gumby/Rag 1 up front.

The absolute hardest part about a/b’ing these cans was however getting past the vastly different form factors. The Arya is way ‘bigger‘ in it’s expression...which incidentally is a damn fine reason for getting such a design. You feel engulfed in the music.

I don't see it. I've had the HEX v2 for 2 years and heard the Ananda, Arya, HEK v1, and HEK, also own a lovely modified HE-500 for 3 years, HE-6SE, and heard both HE-6's also. I think my HE-500's have wider stage than the early long cups (HEX v2, HEK v1, Ananda + all versions of the 6) which all have tall stages, but not that wide. None of them of course has the 800/S stage.

Btw if you take a look at Crinacle’s measurements of these two Hifimans, you’ll probably notice just how alike they look. It’s uncanny. Personally I’ve come to the conclusion that sound quality over a headphone basically boils down to two audible things: frequency response and distortion.

You don't pay attention to waterfall plots, IM tests, listening? FR is one narrow view. I can make a Bose 901 (full of THD and delay issues) sound reasonably flat on an FR test, but does that mean it sounds like a QUAD ESL-63 or Maggie 3.7i?

With (most) planars, even some of the cheapest out there, we’re still well below the audible threshold distortion-wise ie the only real differences to spot between the Arya and the Sundara are the slightly better bass extension as well as the rougher and brighter treble over the former. It is easy to get tricked though with those massive cups.

The cups, the cups... you're over emphasizing. The Sundara is like a Lambrusco, and the Arya is like a really good Barolo, yes they are both wines, one sublime, the other tastes like a ginger ale red wine spritzer.

Reference pieces to me are basically just well-recorded music I know like the back of my hand.

Now we agree.

Yesterday I listened to various tracks from:
Susanne Sundfør - The Brothel
Ennio Morricone - I Cannibali
Vangelis - China
Scott Walker - The DriftI u
Miles Davis - Sketches Of Spain
Serge Gainsbourg - Histoire de Melody Nelson
The Future Sound Of London - Lifeforms

Interesting selections, esoteric even. I know 5 of them. I use recordings that are usually acoustic in a good acoustic setting, and that I've heard performed in a similar proper hall by the original artists at least once.

Norah Jones
Miles Davis
Diana Krall
Eno
Chick Corea
Ilya Yakushev
Joni Mitchell
Nicki Parrott
Patricia Barber
Gabriel
Durutti Column

 

[bagwell359]

I can second that. I'm certainly part of the bad qc club when it comes to Hifiman products. I was, however, taken care of promptly and without issue by the customer service.

HFM certainly seems to be working hard at improving customer support - I'd say over the past 10-14 months. Before that?

 

[Kammerat Rebekka]

RME looks very interesting.
I'm talking w/ EQ applied to Arya - it's got a nasty 5-6 & 9 kHz issue - easily done away with with a parametric. After that - there is a bountiful amount of detail above and beyond whats in the Sundara - on my rig: Hi-Res Tidal/Gumby/Rag 1 up front.



I don't see it. I've had the HEX v2 for 2 years and heard the Ananda, Arya, HEK v1, and HEK, also own a lovely modified HE-500 for 3 years, HE-6SE, and heard both HE-6's also. I think my HE-500's have wider stage than the early long cups (HEX v2, HEK v1, Ananda + all versions of the 6) which all have tall stages, but not that wide. None of them of course has the 800/S stage.



You don't pay attention to waterfall plots, IM tests, listening? FR is one narrow view. I can make a Bose 901 (full of THD and delay issues) sound reasonably flat on an FR test, but does that mean it sounds like a QUAD ESL-63 or Maggie 3.7i?



The cups, the cups... you're over emphasizing. The Sundara is like a Lambrusco, and the Arya is like a really good Barolo, yes they are both wines, one sublime, the other tastes like a ginger ale red wine spritzer.

Now we agree.



Interesting selections, esoteric even. I know 5 of them. I use recordings that are usually acoustic in a good acoustic setting, and that I've heard performed in a similar proper hall by the original artists at least once.

Norah Jones
Miles Davis
Diana Krall
Eno
Chick Corea
Ilya Yakushev
Joni Mitchell
Nicki Parrott
Patricia Barber
Gabriel
Durutti Column

Thanks for completely misrepresenting what I’m saying and then trying to make a mockery out of the very same. Makes it that much easier to discard.
I’ll leave you to your plots and wine then

 

[bagwell359]

Thanks for completely misrepresenting what I’m saying and then trying to make a mockery out of the very same. Makes it that much easier to discard.
I’ll leave you to your plots and wine then

I tried to respond carefully, didn't mean to provoke this response.

BTW you are the one that said FR and distortion is all you need to make a judgement on headphones. reductio ad absurdum - have fun with your whine.

 

[jsmiller58]

Sorry for asking what is almost certainly a set of common questions, but my search-fu is failing me...

I have read somewhere that more recent Sundaras have a different sound compared to two or three year old models. First, is that true? Second, I have read it was largely attributed to new pads. Is that true? Finally, if the answer to the first two questions is yes, are those pads sold separately and if so where?

Thank you in advance for your patience and help!

 

[senorx12562]

Sorry for asking what is almost certainly a set of common questions, but my search-fu is failing me...

I have read somewhere that more recent Sundaras have a different sound compared to two or three year old models. First, is that true? Second, I have read it was largely attributed to new pads. Is that true? Finally, if the answer to the first two questions is yes, are those pads sold separately and if so where?

Thank you in advance for your patience and help!

If you look above, a Hifiman representative claimed that the only change was a change in the glue used to hold the pads together. I cannot speak to the truth of that, or even to the difference between versions. Mine were purchased in February of 2019, and I purchased a pair of the stock pali pads from Amazon about a month ago. Even using one of the new ones and one of the originals I cannot tell any difference side to side. Hopefully the new pads are the supposedly improved ones, as the original I replaced self destructed about 8 months into my ownership of them, but I have no way of knowing that for sure. But I detect no difference in sound. Just another data point.

 

[Thomas727]

Add some swivel and...maybe a better headphone and well