HIFIMAN SUNDARA Closed-Back Over-Ear Planar Magnetic Wired Hi-Fi Headphones with Stealth Magnet Design, Detachable Cable, Wood Ear Cups for Home, Studio, Recording

Ordered my Argons about 2 years ago; it was January and I figured they would be worth the wait, according to the reviews. On the order form/website, I wrote: "could you boost the mid range and sub bass, if possible" before hitting submit. My Argons came back in April and were the closed back kings of my collection, battling for my auditory affection with my DT880s (250ohm) and my Fidelio X3s. The X3s have great staging and reach really low on bass (with a pad swap; all my headphones have either sheepskin or microsuede pads, except for the Sundara closed, more on that in a bit) while the 880s have a better treble response. I have 15 pairs of over ears (now) and what genre I was about to listen to, until now, dictated what headphone I reached for. I told myself I wasn't buying any more headphones after I bought the Shure 1440s (an impulse purchase after a gift card came my way, also great cans, very bright but detail retrieval is 2nd to none, easily the best gaming headphone I have ever heard, if you want to know exactly where the footsteps are coming from in Duty, get em) but I saw these hit $229 and went to check out the reviews which...weren't good. The Youtubers were thrashing these headphones, which was really surprising to me. I have the 400SEs and they are a great value (also bright, no good for gaming imo). I saw the word "honky" used to describe them several times and wasn't quite sure what people meant as it just isn't a way i would describe any of the headsets i own. I looked at a headphone blog where users/owners of the headphone left reviews and they were all glowing; everyone talked about this incredible mid range...so i took the plunge, I am a (former basshead turned) midrange junkie, after all. So i get where the term 'honky" comes from, when you first put these on they do lend a kind of nasal quality to some vocals. The Treble is also different from any other headphone I own; its not bright per se but certain instruments would pierce if i really pushed the headphone...with the stock pads on. 1st nitpick: Hifiman changed the pad mounting system on these (different from the 400SEs) and there aren't any mounting brackets for these, even direct from Hifiman) so in order to change them, I had to destroy to stock pads (glued on) to replace them with some of the many pads I own. I landed on a pair of Protein Leather Audeze replacement pads (not sure why i have these) and maaaaaannnn, adds a little sheen to the treble while smoothing out that honky in the vocals. And the bass...the bass... i don't have the words for it really, faster than all the headphones I own, reaches allll the way down without any resonance or distortion and gives you rumble where it should be. The true star of the show, though, is the incredible mid range. Stage is more wide than deep, and not as good at the 880 or 400SE (how could they be?) but very convincing to me. Every background vocal, every instrument is present and uncluttered, I mean, the only thing that comes close are my 660s but they are missing the sheen (by design, a little less treble in the tuning imo) and width. The mids are so prominent that if I wear these for a few hours and then try to switch to another headphone the mids feel like they are scooped out of the 2nd pair of cans. The bass has also completely spoiled me; my other open backs (except the X3s, but they are much darker up top) sound anemic next to them and the resonance is clearly there on my other closed backs. I end up getting through half a track before putting the Sundara closed back on. I remember when LeBron was half way through his career and people talking that "better than Mike" crap (not crap anymore, sorry Mike) and it quickly split basketball fans into two camps, you either thought MJ was the best ever or LeBron, and people were dissing the other guy just because. I think that is what happened here; if the OG Sundara is the MJ of Mid Fi, then naming another headphone after it is asking the public to color their opinion of the cans before they even put them on. These headphones are simply put, fantastic. Music sound like music when they are on my head. Male and Female vocal are equally fantastic and detail retrieval is just insane. This should have been a stand alone product, period. Another nitpick, and this one is a little more relevant than the others, is the clamping force. Almost unbearable out of the box (my head aint that big). I prefer micorsuede pads (Dekoni) to any other pad material but the pressure on my head with them on I just couldn't take. Me thinks if the pleather strap was adjustable this wouldn't be an issue (like the 99 Classics). I have had them for about 3 weeks and it has cooled a bit but is still pretty tight. I would recommend amplification with these even with the lower impedance, dynamics just aren't the same without the amp. They are also a little heavy, too. Sound great through an Atom but I love them on the Asgard 3. I only have 2 pair of headphones that are more than $400; the 177x Go and the 660s; the Sundara Closed crush (yes, crush) both of those cans, regardless of genre. If you want more treble and bass out of your 660s, buy these. If you want Planars you can use at the Library, buy these. If you have $500 and want a good portable and home setup, buy these and a THX Onyx (have that too, lots of power for a dongle). For all my Mid Fi peeps out there, these are a steal at $229. A great, and very unique sound signature that may not be for everyone, but I can't take them off.

The HIFIMAN Sundara Closed-Back are a lot better than their reputation suggests. They look fantastic — the wood cups are genuinely beautiful and give them a premium, standout appearance. Build quality is solid and familiar if you’ve used HIFIMAN before: sturdy, well assembled, and confidence-inspiring without feeling overly heavy. I think these headphones get a bad rap mostly because of the name. People expect them to sound like the open-back Sundaras. They don’t — but that doesn’t make them bad. They’re a closed-back planar, and once you judge them on that basis, they make a lot of sense. Sound quality shows many of the strengths planar fans appreciate: Tight, controlled bass with good extension and no boominess Clear, well-defined mids, especially for vocals and acoustic tracks Smooth, non-fatiguing treble that stays detailed without harshness They aren’t exaggerated or V-shaped. Instead, the tuning is balanced and easy to listen to for long sessions. Soundstage is naturally more intimate than an open-back, but separation and detail are very good for a closed design. One important note: these really benefit from proper amplification. They’ll play from weaker sources, but they come alive with an amp. I’ve had excellent results using them with a Schiit Magni, Schiit Vali, and a Topping L30. With enough power, dynamics improve, bass tightens up, and overall clarity steps up noticeably. Comfort has been good overall. Clamp is reasonable, the pads are soft, and weight is well distributed. Like most closed-back headphones, they can get a bit warm during longer sessions, but nothing unexpected. At their current price, these are a strong value, especially if you want planar detail in a closed-back headphone without spending flagship money. Go in with the right expectations and proper amplification, and these are easy to enjoy. A very solid and underrated option from HIFIMAN.

Simplemente una opción muy buena por este precio sonido claro y suave, un sonido más juguetón y cálido qué hermoso, pero no deja de ser muy bueno, el único contra que tienen es que te presionan la cabeza y más aún si eres cabezón como yo, y que la unida qué me llegó tiene un defecto y es que el auricular del lado izquierdo es mucho mas rígido qué el del lado derecho por lo que al momento de ponérmelo el ajuste se complica, incomoda y cansa con largos periodos de escucha.

Once you've EQ'd them they sound fantastic. They are very competent headphones. They're also very comfortable and leak very minimally on my head. For their discounted price, they are a steal. If you're up for EQ, I recommend you give them a go.

Looks fine, better in person compared to the product photos. It sounds a little honky stock, but cleans up remarkably well after Oratory’s eq. It’s definitely a recommended buy if you eq it. It sounds cleaner and more spacious than my Beyer DT770 and a lot more fun than my Senn HD650.

Premessa: questa cuffia non suona come la Sundara aperta. Non aspettatevi lo stesso sound profile. È chiusa ,i materiali sono (parzialmente )diversi e la curva in frequenza è diversa. Sembra scontato ma non lo è assolutamente per molti . Oltretutto lo stesso driver è diverso, più efficiente. Detto questo posso dire, dopo alcuni ascolti ,che ci troviamo davanti a una signora cuffia chiusa. Molto dettagliata e con un basso che io personalmente non ho mai sentito così preciso e dettagliato in una cuffia sotto i 500 euro. Non ci sono paragoni da questo punto di vista con le altre cuffie da me provate , le quali molte sono Bestbuy nelle loro relative fasce di prezzo.. Grado, sennheiser, Audiotechnica , AKG , fino ad arrivare alla top di gamma chiuse Shure 1540. Anche lei ha fallito al cospetto di questa. Per quanto riguarda invece le altre caratteristiche , questa è sicuramente una cuffia polarizzante. Il soundstage è precisissimo ma poco esteso. sopratutto in profondità. Le voci risultano molto vicine. A chi apprezza un suono più intimo e “dentro la testa” non potrà che apprezzare queste cuffie che comunque mantengono il classico timbro neutro Hifiman che ha reso famosa questa marca nella cerchia audiofila. I medi a mio parere risultano molto naturali così come le alte frequenze che brillano con incisioni di tutto rispetto. C’è sicuramente meno aria tra gli strumenti rispetto alla Sundara Open ma i suoni non risultano mai congestionati. La cuffia è pilotabile anche da uno smartphone ma scala tanto cambiando sorgente. Consiglio un ampli dedicato. In conclusione : per chi cerca una cuffia chiusa dal suono molto dettagliato , intimo, neutro e con un basso preciso e controllato questa è un best buy. perfette per il rock , Metal e pop ma capaci di adattarsi anche ad altri generi. Sicuramente se volete una cuffia per ascoltare esclusivamente la musica classica non è la cuffia che fa per voi. Brava Hifiman che ha fatto un altro centro.

The Sundara CB (closed back) is an underrated hi-fi gem. Pairs very well with the Fiio Q3 (AKM4452). The Sundara CB is paradox in itself, smooth yet detailed, closed yet open sounding. Well suited for long listening sessions. Bass has a solid slam that doesn't muddy or colour the mids, sub bass adequately rumbles, mids for vocals and pianos deliver very well without any of the 4khz peaks or honkiness, trebles have a good sparkle without any glare or sharp discomfort to the ears. As a design package, the Sundara CB provides good clamping force that is just about right, headband rests on top of the head without additional pressure, the ear cups are round but large enough to accommodate my Dumbo ears. The earpads are soft hybrid leather-velour combination which provides comfort, bass seal and stays cool. The only gripe will be the yoke length adjustment. It's very, very tight. But once you have that set, you won't have to do it again. I highly recommend it. 5/5 stars. *other headphones I have used as a means of comparison* Hifiman HE400i 2020 AKG K612 Pro Audio Technica R70x Audio Technica AD900x Audio Technica M40x Sennheiser HD598 Sennheiser HD58x ISK HF2010 ISK HD9999 HyperX Cloud 2