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Are there any decent Sundara alternatives for my taste?

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Thanks jae for a rational reply :) I agree with you : my EQed HD600 are possibly my favorites and the closest thing I have to the supposed "truth / naturalness". I also love my Nighthawks : definitely not neutral-sounding (even when EQed, because of internal resonances I guess), but surprisingly good (even better than the HD600 on some types of music where "truth" is not an absolute requirement), with decent soundstage, and a bass and imaging to die for. So the two of them are quite complementary.

Like already said, I'll definitely keep an eye on DCA stuff (hoping that the Euro rises again in the near future, lol). I'll try to listen to them in my city, but here in France it's not going to be easy. I'll post in french audio forums and I will try to set up a listening session at my place (I have several headphone amps and my own software for dual listening sessions). Who knows? Maybe I'll get lucky. :)
What did you end up getting?
 
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Jose Hidalgo

Jose Hidalgo

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What makes you think that I got anything, barely one month after creating this topic? :oops:

Like I said, I'll keep an eye on some stuff (possibly DCA and the Dollar too, plus opportunistic special sales that would be hard to pass by), and time will tell.
 
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What makes you think that I got anything, barely one month after creating this topic? :oops:

Like I said, I'll keep an eye on some stuff (possibly DCA and the Dollar too, plus opportunistic special sales that would be hard to pass by), and time will tell.
Ya okay take your time maybe.
 

bkdc

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So here's what I'm looking for:
I have a E30/L30 stack which is enough for most headphones, so the chosen headphone needs to be able to be driven by that.
  • The Sundara is currently my only planar, so I'd like to find a planar replacement. Unfortunately planars tend to be heavy, so... fingers crossed for finding a lighter/more comfortable one. If not, I'm open to everything else.
  • Budget should be similar to the Sundara (<=350 €). I may consider second-hand and exotic stuff, no worries (maybe a more expensive headphone with a second-hand price within my budget? :p). eBay auctions are a good option if I know what to look for (I got my Nighthawk Wood that way, practically new, for about 200 € :cool:).

Weight/Comfort, low Price, and Sound quality?
Pick two out of three please.
 

IXOYE

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I would keep the Sundara and wait for the new Sennheiser HD 660 S2 to drop in price if I were you.
 

Audionewb

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Have you considered the HD6xx? I’ve heard they compete with much more expensive cans, plus will be punchier bass than the HD600’s. I loved my 600’s but my Sundara’s are my favorite, probably just a personal taste difference.

Oddly enough I’ll never go back to Sennheiser haha! BUT! If you do want punchier bass and the clarity the 600’s bring, the Drop HD6xx is a winner here…
 
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Jose Hidalgo

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@all : please stop suggesting HD 600 siblings. They all are absolutely indistinguishable from the HD 600 AFTER EQ! Which I clearly said was my use 100% of the time. Having a HD 600 and one of its siblings would be completely useless.
Thank you. :)
 

isostasy

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@all : please stop suggesting HD 600 siblings. They all are absolutely indistinguishable from the HD 600 AFTER EQ! Which I clearly said was my use 100% of the time. Having a HD 600 and one of its siblings would be completely useless.
Thank you. :)
Hey man. Have you thought about the HD58x though?

Serious suggestion: Used Koss ESP95/X? Otherwise a nice woody Grado which hits the 'looks' and 'weight' but which you might not find comfortable.
 

Audionewb

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Hey man. Have you thought about the HD58x though?

Serious suggestion: Used Koss ESP95/X? Otherwise a nice woody Grado which hits the 'looks' and 'weight' but which you might not find comfortable.
@all : please stop suggesting HD 600 siblings. They all are absolutely indistinguishable from the HD 600 AFTER EQ! Which I clearly said was my use 100% of the time. Having a HD 600 and one of its siblings would be completely useless.
Thank you. :)
Well honestly Sundaras are among the most affordable planars so in your budget I don’t know anything else that is comparable. If you don’t want Hifiman and you believe that all 6 hundred series sounds the same, I’ll keep a look out on this thread to see what you get. Best of luck!
 

Nango

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Hey man. Have you thought about the HD58x though?

Serious suggestion: Used Koss ESP95/X? Otherwise a nice woody Grado which hits the 'looks' and 'weight' but which you might not find comfortable.
ASR measured both 600 & 650, they are same, no matter what your ears say .
 
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