HIFIMAN - SUNDARA Closed-Back

I got tired of gaming headsets and the mics breaking so I bought these [HIFIMAN SUNDARA Closed-Back Over-Ear Planar Magnetic Wired Hi-Fi Headphones.](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BF58RZQK) Got a separate mic with an arm and never looked back. I freaking love these so much, best sounding setup Ive ever had. I bought them in 2023 and they are still going strong, I replaced the ear cups once. Highly recommend.

I’ve had the Audeze lcd-x and sold them for both the lcd2 and lcd2 closed. LCD X are fantastic but I can get what I like outa the lcd 2 for 99% of what I use my headphones for, they sound so similar for most things just a little less bass imo, and the other 1% the lcd2 closed does its job (stupid lots of bass lol) I’ve had the sennheiser 660s and gave them to my best friend, I always felt like I was going to break them, But they sound great. I have both the hifiman sundara and sundara closed, these were replaced with my Audezes. They sound good for the price you can get them today but I like my audezes more. I also have the Moondrop Venus, those sit on a stand and I don’t use them. They weigh a damn ton and are no better than a sundara in sound but they’re beautiful lookin lol.

Also "both Sundaras". Is he implying that the notoriously underwhelming Sundara Closed is in fact a better value than the XS? Because that statement tells you everything lol

Oh god no, the Sundara Closed are awful. Hifiman doesn't seem capable of making a decent closed back, weirdly. Sorry I missed where you said Sundara Closed. I think people on here exaggerate the differences between planars and dyanmics a bit; I own a lot of dynamic driver headphones and I've rarely had a problem with applying EQ. but, my favorite closed back planar is the DCA x Drop Aeon x Closed and they're in the $400 range new.

add the sundara closed backs to the list

Not many as expensive. Some Abyss and Stax. Some mid price ones. I own both Beyerdynamic Amiron Home and HifiMan Sundara closed back.

HiFiMan is a Chifi brand and sometimes the quality control can be a little wonky, but they're a great value, especially for planars. I have the Sundara closed-backs and love them, recently picked up the HE400SEs for late-night TV and movies, and use their Savnar LE earbuds. I used their cheaper HE-R9s for a minute and the sound was fine but there was something rolling around in one of the ear cups, sounded like a BB, so those went back.

1. Hifiman sundara closed back 2. Sony WH-1000XM6 3. AKG K240 made in Austria 1993

i have too many headphones, it became a hobby, when i get up in price, i think the biggest differences are between "types" so is it Closed or open, is it Eletrocstat, Planar or normal.. and i love to play around with it.. but must be honest, before sound there is 1 thing that is KEY for me.. Comfort, are they comfortable, can i wear them for a long time.. comfort is SO important, and yeah most modern headphones wear "okay" but some are just a different world.. That is the key, then after, Sound. and yes, some people cannot hear the difference, and to be honest, i stopped collecting many years ago, i know there a many other headphones today, and i kinda just "switch" between the same pairs, my Stax for my Recordplayer (have the MK700II) for my PC i usually just use either my TR-0X Fostex which are OLD massdrops, a pair of Sundera (open back) i have both open and closed the closed was a failed buy... And yes the old K712pro or K240studio, those are SO light, and i still like them. (and the K240studio are like my REALLY old first pair of decent headphones) and for me that ended up being the endgame, even though i still look at cool new editions ... (and then i just have like a bag of old first gen X2 fidelios, bunch of AKG´s and Hifimans and to be honest i don´t know why) And my wife cannot hear ANY difference between any of them, and hates them all because they are not airpod pros.. so we are different :-D

Why go $400? I have the fiio ft1, hifiman sundara closed backs and both a great especially if you have a decent amp to pair them with. I primarily use hifiman 1000he stealth paired to an ef400 and use that as a reference. But everytime i listen to the fiio ft1 im blown away at how good they sound for only $150. Sundaras need stronger amplification to get anywhere near the authority of the fiio ft1 or higher end hifimans.