[silentraindrop]

Researching for my mid-fi step up cans, Sundara caught my eye. How has reliability been for 2020+? Has the QC and driver issues been fixed since pre-2020 version? Would it be okay to buy one secondhand or buy new with extended warranty? I would like to stay at mid-fi for as long as I can.

I know users with issues speak out loudly over happy users, and I completely understand that. Those that swore off HFM, I hear you, is there anything comparable under $350? I like planars so Senn HD6##'s and Beyer's are out. I will be driving the cans with 789.

 

[IXOYE]

Hifiman QC is nothing to write home about, it's a lottery, I have returned three headphones this year alone, but my Sundara 2022 revision is working fine so far.

 

[chatnever]

Any cheap iem with sound signature like the Sundara? My budget is about < 100 bucks

 

[SlimCharles]

Yeah, Hifiman QC is bonkers... specially if you play QC lottery like I did.

Tried second hand Sundara some months ago. Loved it, but it had a defect and I returned it. Bought couple more and both had to be returned: one was busted and the other had infuriating treble. After that, I decided to stay away from it.

Got it again and fourth time lucky. It's spectacular and probably the most engaging over ear by a mile under its price.

 

[chatnever]

Somehow I feel Sundara still lack some bass power. Actually I can feel the rumble of bass in bass-heavy song, but not quite powerfull as some IEM, or Closed-back (like in SONY WH-1000 series). Don't get me wrong, the bass and tonality in general of Sundara is good for me, but sometime I miss the bass in SONY iem/closed-back.
Is it the characteristic of open-back planar, or do I need different kind of DAC/AMP. Currently I'm using ES9018K2M based DAC, and iFi Zen Air Can with xBass enabled.

 

[nodle]

Somehow I feel Sundara still lack some bass power. Actually I can feel the rumble of bass in bass-heavy song, but not quite powerfull as some IEM, or Closed-back (like in SONY WH-1000 series). Don't get me wrong, the bass and tonality in general of Sundara is good for me, but sometime I miss the bass in SONY iem/closed-back.
Is it the characteristic of open-back planar, or do I need different kind of DAC/AMP. Currently I'm using ES9018K2M based DAC, and iFi Zen Air Can with xBass enabled.

I agree with you. It’s really depends on your dac/amp, I find when I use them while using my iFi Zen Dac with the Truebass function enabled it really helps fix this problem.

 

[PockyG]

Somehow I feel Sundara still lack some bass power. Actually I can feel the rumble of bass in bass-heavy song, but not quite powerfull as some IEM, or Closed-back (like in SONY WH-1000 series). Don't get me wrong, the bass and tonality in general of Sundara is good for me, but sometime I miss the bass in SONY iem/closed-back.
Is it the characteristic of open-back planar, or do I need different kind of DAC/AMP. Currently I'm using ES9018K2M based DAC, and iFi Zen Air Can with xBass enabled.

I don't think lean bass is characteristic of planars but HiFiMAN specifically. I've tried several of them and that's just sort of their sound signature. The planars I currently own, T50RP, M570, and M1060, all have ample and very articulate bass.

 

[tigon_ridge]

I don't think lean bass is characteristic of planars but HiFiMAN specifically. I've tried several of them and that's just sort of their sound signature. The planars I currently own, T50RP, M570, and M1060, all have ample and very articulate bass.

Yep. That's why it's important to pair them with the right amp. I see you have the Atom. That's a sure way to get lean bass out of a Hifiman. With my Crown XLS 1502, the bass on the Sundara sounds incredibly real, rich, and articulate, bodied but not bloated. There's a megaton of slam. Even so, from reading a lot of comparisons between the Sundara and other Hifimans, it seems the Sundara is tuned slightly warmer than most of other Hifimans. If that's the case, then Hifimans are indeed tuned quite lean, because even the supposedly warmer Sundara sounds quite sterile out of a clinical SS amp.

Conclusion: pair the Sundara with an amp it deserves and loves, and you will be richly rewarded. Give it sterile signals, and it will give you sterile signals.

 

[IXOYE]

Somehow I feel Sundara still lack some bass power. Actually I can feel the rumble of bass in bass-heavy song, but not quite powerfull as some IEM, or Closed-back (like in SONY WH-1000 series). Don't get me wrong, the bass and tonality in general of Sundara is good for me, but sometime I miss the bass in SONY iem/closed-back.
Is it the characteristic of open-back planar, or do I need different kind of DAC/AMP. Currently I'm using ES9018K2M based DAC, and iFi Zen Air Can with xBass enabled.

You will not get the same punchy bass slam with planars as most headphones with dynamic drivers, I suggest you try Focal headphones.

 

[tigon_ridge]

You will not get the same punchy bass slam with planars as most headphones with dynamic drivers, I suggest you try Focal headphones.

Somewhat true, but needs an asterisk. As mentioned, it depends on how well damped the planar is tuned, but also every dynamic headphone has a frequency response bass hump, some more so than others. This hump contributes to that sensation of slam, but it's technically also a coloration. Likewise, EQing a 3-5 db bass hump into a planar gives it more of that energy, but if the planar is tuned to be clinical, then the overly damped, but humped, bass may still sound tight/lean/thin. The amount of damping is also greatly affected by the amplifier.

So, it really depends on which planars, which amp is being used, and whether a neutral frequency response is what suits you musically. On this note, it's important to note that the vast majority of tracks are mixed via studio monitors, which are dynamic transducers. These may have a relatively flat FR, but there's still a bass hump. For this reason, a flat bass FR in headphones may actually not be truly neutral. Because of this, I've strongly considered adding a 3 db bass hump into my Sundara EQ setting. Ugh...some part of me is still resisting it.

 

[ZOSMANOVIC]

Not sure if it has been mentioned, but has anyone tried Yaxi pads with the Sundaras?

 

[SlimCharles]

You can always want more, and definetly there is more than some mid-fi Hifiman. But for the moment I really don't seek for better slam than Sundara's. With noticeable bass boost, the thing will vibrate on your ears like Skullcandy Crushers. Not detail or instrument separation, what really sets apart the Hifiman from headphones bellow its price, is the slam. It's what makes it so exiciting, like eating cake: you wanna try every single song just to see how does it sound with that added impact.

I'm skeptical from my little experience about huge differences with different sources, but I use the Tempotec SONATA pro hd with Ifi's Zen Air Can.

 

[cirodts]

does the sundara go well with hifiman ef400?

 

[Ichos]

does the sundara go well with hifiman ef400?

Yes, very well, great match.

 

[kRed]

does the sundara go well with hifiman ef400?

I second the good Ichos; it is a great match and I probably prefer the Sundara over the Arya on the ef400.

Crazy to think you can buy a setup that good with less than 1000 dollars/euros.