HIFIMAN HE-560 V3 vs Sundara at the same price?

[arconreef]

I have someone who will sell me a very good condition HE-560 V3 for $350, which is the same price that the Sundara is available for on Amazon.

My first big HiFi purchase was the Grado SR325e because at the time I was fixated on rock and metal. My tastes have broadened in the meantime, and the limitations of the SR325e have become very apparent to me. The Grado is a very colored headset that doesn't measure as well as others in the same price range. Now I'm looking for the exact opposite. Prior to receiving the offer for the HE-560 I was already looking at the Sundara because my understanding is that it's a very neutral, uncolored, and detail focused headset. Is the HE-560 comparably neutral? How does the detail, distortion, imaging, soundstage, etc. compare? I know that the HE-560 has better sub-base frequency response. Other than that I'm in the dark.

If it matters my audio chain consists of a Modi 3 plugged directly into my motherboard via a TOSLINK cable and an original Vali that is definitely due for an upgrade sometime in the near future.

 

[bogart]

Curious what you decided! I’m also moving away from the same Grados and am staring at a pair of Sundaras mostly convinced they’re the right pick.

 

[arconreef]

Curious what you decided! I’m also moving away from the same Grados and am staring at a pair of Sundaras mostly convinced they’re the right pick.

I actually ended up getting the chance to try both on my JDS Labs Atom that I bought at the same time, and the Sundara is far superior. Details that I could barely make out listening with the HE-560 are crystal clear listening with the Sundara. The only disadvantage is that the Sundara is a bit weak in the sub-bass department compared to the HE-560, though the bass that is there has more texture and detail than I ever would have thought was possible. The 1-2 micron NsD diaphragm in the Sundara really is a technological marvel.

I will say though that the Sundara are not very forgiving of poorly mastered albums, which is pretty common in the rock/metal genres. I listen to less metal than I used to as a result.

 

[bogart]

So happy to hear this! It was enough to push me over the edge on my purchase, so I guess I have you to thank/blame. These seem like a tailor made product to help folks like us detach from Grado and move to something with a more objective sound.

Interestingly, one of the tracks that sold me on what these can do is a (prog) metal track from Plini - “Electric Sunrise” ... I guess I should send compliments to his studio crew

 

[solderdude]

Sundara vs HE560

 

[deafenears]

Sundara vs HE560

Is that V1, V2, or V3?

I've read that there are differences between the various revisions. e.g. one post from https://www.head-fi.org/threads/hif...cussion-thread.711824/page-1369#post-14718513

HiFiMan v1: SMC connectors, backplate, wooden cups, plastic yokes, basically unavailable these days.
HiFiMan v2: 2.5mm connectors, no backplate, wooden cups, plastic yokes, slightly revoiced, about $300 in the US.
Adorama v2/v3: 3.5mm connectors, no backplate, plastic cups, metal yokes, major revoicing (according to many), price varies but around $300 on sale. Differences between these two very close models detailed in a post below.

 

[deafenears]

@solderdude , bit off topic, do you also have measurements for the Arya?

 

[solderdude]

Not yet for Arya nor Eligia.
No idea when I am going to measure them though.
Swamped at the moment.
Arya has a +5dB treble peak at 10kHz (can be fixed) compared to similar models.

v2 HE560 (official dealer) measured in 2018