HiFiMAN Sundara

The reviewer discusses a silent revision of the HiFiMAN Sundara, noting that while it remains largely the same as the original, it features improved pads and a warmer vocal presentation with slightly stronger bass dynamics. He considers these changes positive and maintains that the headphone is still a top recommendation at its price point.

The reviewer finds the HiFiMAN Sundara to be a very capable and technically impressive planar headphone at its price point, offering exceptional speed, detail, and a clean, analytical sound signature. However, it has a bright treble that may fatigue some listeners, a somewhat narrow soundstage, and some build quality concerns, particularly with the headband extension and stock cable. Overall, it's considered a good deal for $350, especially for detail-oriented listeners, but it's not a warm or bass-heavy headphone out of the box.

The reviewer finds the HiFiMAN Sundara to be an exceptional value, especially with the stealth revision that improves bass extension and removes upper mid-range shout. It offers outstanding technical performance, detail, and dynamics for its price, making it a new benchmark under $700. The only minor nitpick is slightly less emphasized air frequencies above 11 kHz.

The reviewer finds the HiFiMan Sundara to be an exceptional value, offering a neutral yet engaging sound with impressive soundstage and detail for its price. However, it has notable flaws like a poor stock cable, minor build issues, and a strong dependence on quality amplification to perform at its best. Overall, it's highly recommended for immersive listening despite these drawbacks.