The similarly in frequency response features between the Sundara (original pads) and Ananda shown in my previous post further supports them being very similar drivers. I suspect the major factors causing the differences between them are driver and enclosure size/shape and the pads.
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Hifiman Sundara vs Ananda
- Thread starter somy
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The similarly in frequency response features between the Sundara (original pads) and Ananda shown in my previous post further supports them being very similar drivers. I suspect the major factors causing the differences between them are driver and enclosure size/shape and the pads.
Most planars from Hifiman do have similar response. Just like most good tweeters in speaker world have similar response. It does not indicate driver design. If you would like to, I can ask my friend behind the scene(not related to topping) for some information.
You can also try to measure free field response of those drivers. Then you will identify differences.
Oh sure, I was just saying the visual combined with the frequency response similarity suggests they're similar drivers. I'm not sure about your 'good tweeter' analogy though. There are lots of planar drivers out there that many people would consider 'good' but have quite dissimilar frequency response to HifiMan's (Audeze's offerings for example).
An insider's insight on the HifiMan drivers would be very interesting
Nango
Major Contributor
99% of the shops don't offer any kind of service, advice, don't take any risks, don't offer an added value any more, so let them die. Amazon will ship it ..... and take it back if I don't want it. What I expect on the long run is we will consume and order less which in turn is good. And once this happens they will be again more shops locally, like earlier.
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Cahudson42
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Hopefully an acceptable question for the thread, but reading all this has me asking 'how much am I missing with my HE400i compared to the Sundara or Ananda'?
I do have PEQ for killing the 7k peak, a shelf for a bit of bass boost, and HPF to kill 22HZ and below.. Classical, Jazz, and female vocals are - to me - a very pleasant experience.
What would I gain with Sundara or Ananda'?
I do have PEQ for killing the 7k peak, a shelf for a bit of bass boost, and HPF to kill 22HZ and below.. Classical, Jazz, and female vocals are - to me - a very pleasant experience.
What would I gain with Sundara or Ananda'?
I don't know what would you get with Ananda, but with Sundara you will get circles on your cheeks from the joints of the pads. And they last about an hour
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solderdude
Grand Contributor
What would Hifiman gain when you bought Sundara or Ananda ?
In any case the comfort of the Ananda is very different.
When you EQ all of them to a similar tonal balance you will probably not gain much.
Another way could be to use different pads on the 400i
- Thread Starter
- #48
Ok I tried Ananda, Sundara and Deva today, each one I listened to more than half an hour. I don't have a portable amp so I use my iPad to drive them directly (also tried BT with Deva):
1) For my ears Sundara doesn't work, it's too short. Deva works better, the internal of pads are in olive shape so my ear can fit in but I can still feel the pads. Ananda works best for me.
2) I can drive Ananda with my iPad and get acceptable loudless and SQ, I have to max volume though. Sundara works but the volume is very low. Deva is the loudest, however the SQ is the worst. Strangely the BT connection for Deva provides far better SQ.
3) Sound wise, Ananda is more analytic and "cool", bass is deep but the amount is a bit lacking. Sundara is warmer, the bass is a litlle more than Ananda. Deva has even more base but the piano doesn't sound like piano when I play Rachmaninoff Piano Concert no. 3. For all other music types Deva is actually quite good. I can't match the volume so above just my subjective feeling
So conclusion, I like the Sundara's sound most, it is very simiar to Ananda but warmer. The two headphones are very close in terms of SQ and I prefer them to HD660S. I'll pick Ananda when it's on sale mainly because 1) it fits my ears better 2) it's easier to drive so I can listen to music in bed with iPad while watching news etc.
1) For my ears Sundara doesn't work, it's too short. Deva works better, the internal of pads are in olive shape so my ear can fit in but I can still feel the pads. Ananda works best for me.
2) I can drive Ananda with my iPad and get acceptable loudless and SQ, I have to max volume though. Sundara works but the volume is very low. Deva is the loudest, however the SQ is the worst. Strangely the BT connection for Deva provides far better SQ.
3) Sound wise, Ananda is more analytic and "cool", bass is deep but the amount is a bit lacking. Sundara is warmer, the bass is a litlle more than Ananda. Deva has even more base but the piano doesn't sound like piano when I play Rachmaninoff Piano Concert no. 3. For all other music types Deva is actually quite good. I can't match the volume so above just my subjective feeling
So conclusion, I like the Sundara's sound most, it is very simiar to Ananda but warmer. The two headphones are very close in terms of SQ and I prefer them to HD660S. I'll pick Ananda when it's on sale mainly because 1) it fits my ears better 2) it's easier to drive so I can listen to music in bed with iPad while watching news etc.
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- Thread Starter
- #49
Woo really? I do feel the fabric today and it makes me itching. Same with AnandaI don't know what would you get with Ananda, but with Sundara you will get circles on your cheeks from the joints of the pads. And they last about an hour
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The Sundara's sound change big time when I place my hand any where near the back of them, while the HE4XX does not change that much. I suspect the sound is largely impacted by the backing they use on the driver enclosures.
solderdude
Grand Contributor
It is highly likely there is some EQ going on in the BT module which isn't there in 'driver only on cable' mode.
Very easy to do in such modules.
- Thread Starter
- #53
Maybe, it could also be because my iPad doesn't drive it well. Anyways the Deva is strange overall I think the sound it good but just piano, it doesn't sound real.
I guess the internal amp itself is quite poor advertised being the one in R2R2000. Or trying to avoid early clipping because of battery power.
Oh sure, I was just saying the visual combined with the frequency response similarity suggests they're similar drivers. I'm not sure about your 'good tweeter' analogy though. There are lots of planar drivers out there that many people would consider 'good' but have quite dissimilar frequency response to HifiMan's (Audeze's offerings for example).
An insider's insight on the HifiMan drivers would be very interesting
A visual inspection like this seems a very unreliable way to evaluate whether the drivers are the same. There could be minor differences in the material composition of the planar magnetic driver components which would affect the sound quality that you would be unable to see.
No, bobbooo. Visual perception is unreliable in this instance. Just like audio perception can be unreliable.
solderdude
Grand Contributor
When you visually inspect Sennheiser drivers it would be easy to conclude they are the same drivers, yet they can differ a lot.
In the case of the Sundara vs Ananda it is even visually very clear the drivers differ. They may use the same thickness mylar and same magnets may be used but the shape of the membrane, the wire pattern and magnet arrangement differs visually, the impedance differs, the efficiency differs.
How hard can it be to conclude the drivers differ ?
They differ a LOT but both have some similarities in FR, just like the other hifimans.
Even the pads differ and reports of how they sound shows they differ.
What are we talking about here ?
In the case of the Sundara vs Ananda it is even visually very clear the drivers differ. They may use the same thickness mylar and same magnets may be used but the shape of the membrane, the wire pattern and magnet arrangement differs visually, the impedance differs, the efficiency differs.
How hard can it be to conclude the drivers differ ?
They differ a LOT but both have some similarities in FR, just like the other hifimans.
Even the pads differ and reports of how they sound shows they differ.
What are we talking about here ?
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