[Jman841]

My new set of Sundara's came today and they are perfect. I'm returning the original set that had the driver issue, Hopefully these one's don't have any problems.

 

[afilen]

Every now and then I put on my Sundaras and really fall in love with them again. Comfort, sound, and Dekoni pads make them great!

 

[Eddie C]

Hey folks,

I changed the earpads on my sundara to experiment and further my modding journey with them. If you like the stock configuration and are against modding then ignore this post.

I have received the protein leather pads I mentioned in this post : Earpads Post

Pics:

Prior to installing the new pads, I was running the Sundara with grill filter and shelf liner mod mentioned here: Link to mod

Initial testing:

The first thing I noticed was how comfortable these pads are. I never complained about comfort with the stock pads, but these are COMFORTABLE!! The plushness and extra room for my ears due to the thickness of the pads keeping the drivers farther away are A+.

Sound:
I feel soundstage, texture, and picking out individual instruments have improved (maybe 10% improvement). Secondly, bass have a bit more presence and sound has more body.

Current Preferred Configuration:
Shelf Liner + Grill mod + Earpad mod

 

[afilen]

Hey folks,

I changed the earpads on my sundara to experiment and further my modding journey with them. If you like the stock configuration and are against modding then ignore this post.

I have received the protein leather pads I mentioned in this post : Earpads Post

Pics:



Prior to installing the new pads, I was running the Sundara with grill filter and shelf liner mod mentioned here: Link to mod

Initial testing:

The first thing I noticed was how comfortable these pads are. I never complained about comfort with the stock pads, but these are COMFORTABLE!! The plushness and extra room for my ears due to the thickness of the pads keeping the drivers farther away are A+.

Sound:
I feel soundstage, texture, and picking out individual instruments have improved (maybe 10% improvement). Secondly, bass have a bit more presence and sound has more body. The latter is good for my taste but at the cost of taking out some sparkle from the treble. I took out the shelf liner mod (toned treble high hats to my personal level w/ stock pads) to re-invite the high frequencies to the sound and they have been sounding wonderful to me.

Current Preferred Configuration:
Sundara + Grill mod + Earpad mod

Looks like a decent mod, will have to try it out myself!

 

[jasswolf]

Hi all, just sitting down with a 2020 revision I bought online after previously auditioning the older version, and just looking to confirm if I've got a driver issue.

Have contacted HIFIMAN directly and awaiting a response, but the issue I'm picking up on is that upper register vocals (mostly female) tend to come across distorted and grainy in a congested track, and this is further exacerbated by any effects on vocals or instruments. Sine sweep reveals maybe a touch of grain in the relevant points on the spectrum (200-500Hz, 2kHz-5kHz), and recommended EQ settings as well as volume tweaks can tone it down, but it persists to some extent.

I understand that some tracks will be poorly mastered, and the Sundara has a 5kHz peak that may be problematic, but this is a fairly consistent issue.

For those with the updated pads: is it a bug or is it a feature?

 

[cycloverid]

Hi all, just sitting down with a 2020 revision I bought online after previously auditioning the older version, and just looking to confirm if I've got a driver issue.

Have contacted HIFIMAN directly and awaiting a response, but the issue I'm picking up on is that upper register vocals (mostly female) tend to come across distorted and grainy in a congested track, and this is further exacerbated by any effects on vocals or instruments. Sine sweep reveals maybe a touch of grain in the relevant points on the spectrum (200-500Hz, 2kHz-5kHz), and recommended EQ settings as well as volume tweaks can tone it down, but it persists to some extent.

I understand that some tracks will be poorly mastered, and the Sundara has a 5kHz peak that may be problematic, but this is a fairly consistent issue.

For those with the updated pads: is it a bug or is it a feature?

So, I bought my Sundara this year and assume it's the revised model (should be). I don't hear this grain you speak of personally. I have mild/light tinnitus, so maybe if it's very, very subtle I would miss it? Also, the peaks seem to be mostly gone on this revision. I currently am only using a bass shelf on EQ because I prefer more bass than the stock rolloff. Everything else sounds solid to me, though maybe I'm less discerning than some.

I've included a measurement by oratory1990, which is nearly identical to Resolve's measurement in his latest review. This actually sounds great to me, and trying the EQ oratory has for the latest Sundara revision sounds a bit oversharpened to me. It's possible I prefer slightly less treble than Harman, or there are some minor discrepancies here.


@Eddie C Those pads look extremely comfortable! For $22 those look very high quality, thanks for the update on that.

 

[jasswolf]

So, I bought my Sundara this year and assume it's the revised model (should be). I don't hear this grain you speak of personally. I have mild/light tinnitus, so maybe if it's very, very subtle I would miss it? Also, the peaks seem to be mostly gone on this revision. I currently am only using a bass shelf on EQ because I prefer more bass than the stock rolloff. Everything else sounds solid to me, though maybe I'm less discerning than some.

I've included a measurement by oratory1990, which is nearly identical to Resolve's measurement in his latest review. This actually sounds great to me, and trying the EQ oratory has for the latest Sundara revision sounds a bit oversharpened to me. It's possible I prefer slightly less treble than Harman, or there are some minor discrepancies here.


@Eddie C Those pads look extremely comfortable! For $22 those look very high quality, thanks for the update on that.

Yeah the measurements on this revision look great, but I'm hearing too much sizzle on sibilants and distortion, then it somehow muddles with higher pitch vocals to the point where the information in the track seems to be lost. Contrasted with the Moondrop Starfields, it's just not listenable when it's bad, even with EQ. I'm sure how the track is recorded, mixed and processed is a factor, but here's some examples without a great deal of congestion and distortion:

Distortion is intended, but it just sounds like it's not decaying like it's supposed to. Possibly the grille is resonating?


Sibilants are too sharp on the female vocals. Heavily processed, but on these they sound even less realistic, like a snake hiss.


The hi-hats are sharpened, at times sounding way too similar to the shaker/ganza.


And then a track that just becomes unlistenable, and while I fully acknowledge there's distortion and reverb, the distortion just overpowers everything:


HIFIMAN are already offering a replacement, but I would rather confirm if this is just how the revision plays and I need to dodge the 5kHz peak in the future. Any and all help would be appreciated!

 

[cycloverid]

Yeah the measurements on this revision look great, but I'm hearing too much sizzle on sibilants and distortion, then it somehow muddles with higher pitch vocals to the point where the information in the track seems to be lost. Contrasted with the Moondrop Starfields, it's just not listenable when it's bad, even with EQ. I'm sure how the track is recorded, mixed and processed is a factor, but here's some examples without a great deal of congestion and distortion:

Distortion is intended, but it just sounds like it's not decaying like it's supposed to. Possibly the grille is resonating?


Sibilants are too sharp on the female vocals. Heavily processed, but on these they sound even less realistic, like a snake hiss.


The hi-hats are sharpened, at times sounding way too similar to the shaker/ganza.


And then a track that just becomes unlistenable, and while I fully acknowledge there's distortion and reverb, the distortion just overpowers everything:


HIFIMAN are already offering a replacement, but I would rather confirm if this is just how the revision plays and I need to dodge the 5kHz peak in the future. Any and all help would be appreciated!

I listened to these tracks on my Sundara and Oppo PM3. Your first and last track are 480p, which is clearly going to introduce artifacts into the music and I won't evaluate those. That last track's style is so distorted AND 480p, it would impossible to discern what it's supposed to sound like. I obviously can't say if there is some sort of manufacturing defect on your Sundara or if we're hearing the same thing.

The female vocals do sound a bit hissy on the second track at certain moments, but my Oppo PM3's sounded similar if not sharper, so I wouldn't call them over-sharpened on the Sundara (it's a crisp sounding headphone though). It's possible I don't own a pair of headphones resolving enough to make this sound ideal? What pair of headphones do you own that make this recording sound more accurate to your ear?

The hi-hats in the Strokes song sound very similar between the PM3 and Sundara. They do sound a bit odd, but I wouldn't let this be a very good evaluation of what a hi-hat sounds like. This seems to be part of the processed recording style the Strokes use to me.

In this Radiohead song, the hi-hats and shakers are all clearly distinguishable and sound accurate to my ear:



The only other thing I can think of is that maybe the timbre of planars isn't your thing (metallic/dry)? It shouldn't sound distorted or anything like that though.

 

[jasswolf]

I listened to these tracks on my Sundara and Oppo PM3. Your first and last track are 480p, which is clearly going to introduce artifacts into the music and I won't evaluate those. That last track's style is so distorted AND 480p, it would impossible to discern what it's supposed to sound like. I obviously can't say if there is some sort of manufacturing defect on your Sundara or if we're hearing the same thing.

The female vocals do sound a bit hissy on the second track at certain moments, but my Oppo PM3's sounded similar if not sharper, so I wouldn't call them over-sharpened on the Sundara (it's a crisp sounding headphone though). It's possible I don't own a pair of headphones resolving enough to make this sound ideal? What pair of headphones do you own that make this recording sound more accurate to your ear?

The hi-hats in the Strokes song sound very similar between the PM3 and Sundara. They do sound a bit odd, but I wouldn't let this be a very good evaluation of what a hi-hat sounds like. This seems to be part of the processed recording style the Strokes use to me.

In this Radiohead song, the hi-hats and shakers are all clearly distinguishable and sound accurate to my ear:



The only other thing I can think of is that maybe the timbre of planars isn't your thing (metallic/dry)? It shouldn't sound distorted or anything like that though.

I was listening to these via Spotify at a much higher bitrate (and, a different compression format, I suppose) but compared back to ensure what I was hearing was faithfully reproduced in both. There are subtle differences, but the spirit of what I'm referring to remained.

Your video is incredibly quiet, but yes those come through fairly naturally. None of the songs are particularly busy though. Still trying to figure out if it's the tonality and/or some loose screws, or if my product is properly defective.

 

[jasswolf]

Messing around outside the outside the grille with my hands, it would seem the backing material on the drivers is insufficient to clean up some of the sound, and that's creating some of my issues.

 

[Jman841]

Hi all, just sitting down with a 2020 revision I bought online after previously auditioning the older version, and just looking to confirm if I've got a driver issue.

Have contacted HIFIMAN directly and awaiting a response, but the issue I'm picking up on is that upper register vocals (mostly female) tend to come across distorted and grainy in a congested track, and this is further exacerbated by any effects on vocals or instruments. Sine sweep reveals maybe a touch of grain in the relevant points on the spectrum (200-500Hz, 2kHz-5kHz), and recommended EQ settings as well as volume tweaks can tone it down, but it persists to some extent.

I understand that some tracks will be poorly mastered, and the Sundara has a 5kHz peak that may be problematic, but this is a fairly consistent issue.

For those with the updated pads: is it a bug or is it a feature?

I purchased a second pair last week after my second pair had an issue with one of the drivers and I noticed this as well. It was not present on my original pair but has been driving me crazy. I can't seem to notice it in a sine sweep but on vocals or even videos of people talking I can hear what sound exactly like that, distortion.

It seems to have become less with some break in period, but let me know what Hifiman says as I think this pair may be affected as well and my last pair did not have this issue at all.

 

[cirodts]

What do you think are the best pads for our sundara that improve the sound?

 

[Jman841]

What do you think are the best pads for our sundara that improve the sound?

The stock 2020 pads. Tuning with those is excellent, I rarely find pad changes actually help a well tuned headphone like the Sundara.

 

[jasswolf]

I purchased a second pair last week after my second pair had an issue with one of the drivers and I noticed this as well. It was not present on my original pair but has been driving me crazy. I can't seem to notice it in a sine sweep but on vocals or even videos of people talking I can hear what sound exactly like that, distortion.

It seems to have become less with some break in period, but let me know what Hifiman says as I think this pair may be affected as well and my last pair did not have this issue at all.

I purchased from HIFIMAN's Amazon Australia Marketplace presence, so I'm covered by this and it seems that's through a local replacement, possibly an advanced replacement.

My order was sent directly from China though, with a QC date of the 25th of November, was yours from a similar batch?

 

[Jman841]

I purchased from HIFIMAN's Amazon Australia Marketplace presence, so I'm covered by this and it seems that's through a local replacement, possibly an advanced replacement.

My order was sent directly from China though, with a QC date of the 25th of November, was yours from a similar batch?

Where do you find the QC date? Mine was purchased directly from Hifiman's US Website and shipped from the US on November 27