[pataburd]

Wow! These Sundara are really coming into their own--maybe the "break-in threshold" has been crossed.
Just added the iFi iSilencer+ today, so that might have something to do with it. The USB Disruptor and iFi iPurifier3 are en route as we speak.
Best thing I ever did was drive to them with the Wadia 151 (from the speaker outs).

 

[cplus44]

Does anyone have a cable problems ? Strangely my left channel stopped working but when i move the spot close to L jack it starts playing again.

Edit: never mind someone answered your question so my answer is pointless lol.

 

[pataburd]

Am really enjoying the Sundara with the 4x 22AWG Neotech UPOCC solid core copper cable. The copper brings complementary liquidity and warmer tonality to the Sundara, while optimizing the sense of space.

 

[MalinYamato]

Perhaps HFM made a serious marketing misstake selling Sundara. I have Sundara and with an amp that is tuned with it I am super happy not needing to buy their more expenisve phones.

 

[pataburd]

Same here. I find the Sundara the most engaging, yet least expensive, of all the HiFiMAN products I have tried to date.

 

[shimigg]

Love Love Love the Sundara 2021 , just got them and like it out of the box , yes , a bit more sub-bass would be great , but the mind burn-in does its job,
for driving those , will the Ifi Zen DAC V2 would be enough power for desktop use?
and about mobile use (not planning on using these outside a lot , but anyway) need a good DAC/AMP with LDAC capabilities , what would you recommend (XDSD Gryphon is out of question , need something cheaper). thanks !

 

[pataburd]

The Sundara definitely improve--as in: really "open up"--over time, IMHO.

The iFi Zen DAC V2 is rated 230mW@32ohms.

Several users say (and I tend to agree) that the Sundara (37ohms) need at least 1 watt to begin to show their potential (so the Zen DAC may not be enough).

With the Sundara, I have used the Dragonfly Black v1.5 and Cobalt, neither of which I thought were sufficient. The SMSL SP200 THX had plenty of power, but sounded a bit compressed.

I am currently driving the HiFiMan with the speaker outputs from a Wadia 151PowerDAC mini, with an estimated 5.5 to 6 watts available (and the volume at 30-to-32 out of 72 steps, and at comfortable levels).

The Sundara definitely sound their best with the Wadia, which has an excellent DAC and 32-bit/384kHz upsampling. Class D, rated 25wpc/8ohms. I leave it on 24/7 and it never gets more than lukewarm.

For the money, and with hard-to-drive headphones, power amps and/or integrateds have, for me, always proven superior to dedicated headphone amplifiers.

 

[JamminVMI]

The Sundara definitely improve--as in: really "open up"--over time, IMHO.

The iFi Zen DAC V2 is rated 230mW@32ohms.

Several users say (and I tend to agree) that the Sundara (37ohms) need at least 1 watt to begin to show their potential (so the Zen DAC may not be enough).

With the Sundara, I have used the Dragonfly Black v1.5 and Cobalt, neither of which I thought were sufficient. The SMSL SP200 THX had plenty of power, but sounded a bit compressed.

I am currently driving the HiFiMan with the speaker outputs from a Wadia 151PowerDAC mini, with an estimated 5.5 to 6 watts available (and the volume at 30-to-32 out of 72 steps, and at comfortable levels).

The Sundara definitely sound their best with the Wadia, which has an excellent DAC and 32-bit/384kHz upsampling. Class D, rated 25wpc/8ohms. I leave it on 24/7 and it never gets more than lukewarm.

For the money, and with hard-to-drive headphones, power amps and/or integrateds have, for me, always proven superior to dedicated headphone amplifiers.

Well, that’s an interesting way to drive planars! Respect your opinion, as all our ears differ are mine are older, but I find Class D amps, in general, to sound compressed. I also love Sundara and my DCA planars, they‘re all different. But I’m using dedicated headphone amps, tube and solid state, all from Schiit Audio, and all with plenty of current. Favourites are Lyr 3 (tube hybrid), and Asgards 2 and 3, both solid state. I tried the Schiit Magni 3 with Sundara and didn’t think that it has the juice to really make them sing. And I do agree that more current is the answer.

But the cool part of all this is that every one of our ears is different, and even what we are looking for in a sound signature is also different. Which is why there are so many companies making both headphones and source equipment. I learn something from each of you. I’d never have thought to go direct to speaker outputs. Keep the thoughts coming!

 

[robm321]

The Sundaras are truly an amazing value. I listen to mine regularly.

 

[shimigg]

What could drive the sandaras like a dongle dac amp ? Need one for portable use.

 

[Ichos]

What could drive the sandaras like a dongle dac amp ? Need one for portable use.

Difficult, you need to go expensive.
Something like the THX Onyx or EarMen Sparrow from the balanced only output.
I know that there are even more powerful dongles but I don't have any further experience.

 

[shimigg]

Difficult, you need to go expensive.
Something like the THX Onyx or EarMen Sparrow from the balanced only output.
I know that there are even more powerful dongles but I don't have any further experience.

What is your use case with the Sundara?
Only at home or office?

 

[Ichos]

What is your use case with the Sundara?
Only at home or office?

Only at home but as a reviewer I am experimenting and using various combinations from my arsenal.
The THX Onyx is good with the Sundara.
Something bigger with a battery would be much better, if you are interested in office use.

 

[shimigg]

Only at home but as a reviewer I am experimenting and using various combinations from my arsenal.
The THX Onyx is good with the Sundara.
Something bigger with a battery would be much better, if you are interested in office use.

I want it so I can use it on the couch with an iPad

 

[Ichos]

I want it so I can use it on the couch with an iPad

For this scenario, that is quite regular in my comfy chair, I am using a longer USB type C cable and I can play with more powerful stuff like EarMen TR amp or FiiO Q5s TC and the newly arrived iFi Gryphon.
I have the amp buried somewhere between my leg and the chair.