• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

Hifiman Sundara vs Ananda

OP
S

somy

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2020
Messages
398
Likes
92
I have Ananda for 2 weeks now, so far very happy with it :)
Fits my big ears, easy to drive, very musical and not boring for most type of music.
The only issue is that I found my right ear is not able to receive the same sound stage as left, which makes me to feel the music not coming from the centre, never notice this with speakers or other not-so-good headsets. Guess I just need to get used to it.
With the discounted price I can't really complain.
 

Wagstaff

Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2020
Messages
46
Likes
55
I have Ananda for 2 weeks now . . .
The only issue is that I found my right ear is not able to receive the same sound stage as left, which makes me to feel the music not coming from the centre, never notice this with speakers or other not-so-good headsets. Guess I just need to get used to it.
With the discounted price I can't really complain.

If you’re saying there’s a noticeable channel imbalance, you would do well to exchange it for another one, discounted price or no!
 
OP
S

somy

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2020
Messages
398
Likes
92
If you’re saying there’s a noticeable channel imbalance, you would do well to exchange it for another one, discounted price or no!
It's not related to Ananda, as I tried to switch left and right, same result. Something to do with my hearing I guess, I feel musical instruments are further away from my left ear than my right ear, which make the vocal not in the exact centre (not crazy far away though).
 

Wagstaff

Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2020
Messages
46
Likes
55
It's not related to Ananda, as I tried to switch left and right, same result. Something to do with my hearing I guess, I feel musical instruments are further away from my left ear than my right ear, which make the vocal not in the exact centre (not crazy far away though).
Ahh... I misunderstood. It might be something as simple as an earwax differential.... but if not, you might be able to find an amp with a cross fade adjustment? Or Indont know if there might be a separate unit which can adjust the channels separately
 
OP
S

somy

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2020
Messages
398
Likes
92
Ahh... I misunderstood. It might be something as simple as an earwax differential.... but if not, you might be able to find an amp with a cross fade adjustment? Or Indont know if there might be a separate unit which can adjust the channels separately
Thanks I think I can live with it. I actually don't know the exact cause but long time ago I had a pair of Audio-Technica and recall I had the same issue. But now I start to think maybe the way how I test the headphone is not correct, I cannot exclude the possibility that the left and right unit has slight volume difference, but I cannot switch left and right side so there is no way to find out (what I tested was simply to switch the LR input).
 

Jose Hidalgo

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
Aug 15, 2020
Messages
961
Likes
1,032
Location
France
If you have a PC as source, maybe try some crossfeed plugins and see if that improves things ?
(that and checking your ears of course - I get mine un-waxed every two years or so)
 

wasnotwasnotwas

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 11, 2020
Messages
329
Likes
372
There is one reason to think the Sundara and Ananda are at least somewhat different. If you look at HFM 'evolution tree:
https://hifiman.com/evo-fhp/tree.html#id_13

The right branch shows double sided symmetric magnet construction, the center Asymmetric double sided, and the left, Single sided (facing outward) magnet construction.

You will see Sundara on the single sided branch, and Ananda on the center. Different magnet construction.

Best to audition both. Can you order Ananda while still being able to return Sundara (or Ananda) after trying both?

FWIW - I have both the HE400i (single sided) and Drop HE5XX(Deva wired) double sided. I am preferring the HE5XX (classical, female vocals) even w/o EQ. (HE400i has Oratory1990 PEQ)

I'm sad for the black sheep/ evolutionary dead end that is the HE6se.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GDK

Mile

Member
Joined
Sep 20, 2020
Messages
31
Likes
5
Location
Frankfurt, Germany
I was just about to buy a Sundara. How can I recognize the newer version of Sundara?
 

Jose Hidalgo

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
Aug 15, 2020
Messages
961
Likes
1,032
Location
France
I was just about to buy a Sundara. How can I recognize the newer version of Sundara?
All Sundaras being sold since the beginning of 2020 are newer versions, so you don't risk anything.
The newer version has thinner earpads at the front. Check YouTube reviews if you want.
 

Mile

Member
Joined
Sep 20, 2020
Messages
31
Likes
5
Location
Frankfurt, Germany
I called my retailer. They only have the revised version on sale. I bought one. Coming later this week. Toys for the Christmas holidays are secured. :D
THX.
 

Jose Hidalgo

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
Aug 15, 2020
Messages
961
Likes
1,032
Location
France
I called my retailer. They only have the revised version on sale. I bought one. Coming later this week. Toys for the Christmas holidays are secured. :D
THX.
If you called your retailer then there was no use asking your previous question. The old version hasn't been on sale for about a year. Anyway, enjoy them, they are certainly worth it. ;)
 

Mile

Member
Joined
Sep 20, 2020
Messages
31
Likes
5
Location
Frankfurt, Germany
If you called your retailer then there was no use asking your previous question.

I called my retailer after I asked here. You should not rely on the statements of retailers alone. As a customer, it is always better to be informed before talking to the retailer. I know what I am talking about, I used to be a retailer myself. ;)
 
Last edited:

TOOdamnFRANK

Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2021
Messages
14
Likes
3
Location
Los Angeles / Philadelphia
Thanks for all this. I was going to pull the trigger on a pair of b-stock Anandas to upgrade my Sundaras, but it looks like it‘s not worth it.
Having owned both I can say they do have a few similarities in their charts, but they are also different beasts. The Anada are an upgrade in my book, especially for only $650 on sale, their performance upgrade is worth the extra cost. The have a lower bass extension by about 10hz, still nothin major bc theyre planar, but hey 10hz is something. And they present more air and open-ness in their soundstage and present live recordings and in-game sounds with better precision and on a larger scale. This does not mean they have that eird fake soundstage that's overblown, it's genuinely bigger. I'm assuming the shape of the ear cups and pads also cause some of the noticeable differences as well. The best comparison I could make for the Sundara vs Ananda is to compare it to going from a WRX to an STI or even better would be going from a Camaro 6-cylinder to a Camaro SS package, while they're similar and from the same manufacturer one has taken things to the next level in multiple ways with a different engine and other upgrades. To the untrained eye both cars look similar but she you take them to the track you'll notice the difference. This is especially true when you compare both with live recordings, competitive gaming, and big production albums like Pink Floyds Dark Side of the Moon. I kept my Sundara(s) personally because they're still great headphone and a steal at their current $350 price point, but I haven't touched them again since I compared them to the Anandas the first week they arrived. Ratings.com does a great side by side or you can check their charts where they're very similar in frequency and neutrality, but it's noted in their reviews the differences in their sound stage. 8.6 for the Sunara soundstage and 9.1 for the Ananda’s soundstage overall. The Ananda is their 2nd best performer on their charts in aoundstage measurements only bested by the HD800S. Aside from that the Ananda just sounds a little bit clearer and “better” to me personally. Outside of the HD800S they haven't favorite sound signature so far (I hope to one day find something even better, but it I haven't found it yet because it probably costs over $3,000 or just hasn't been created yet.)

https://www.rtings.com/headphones/tests/sound-quality/passive-soundstage
 

TOOdamnFRANK

Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2021
Messages
14
Likes
3
Location
Los Angeles / Philadelphia
Found a loca shop where I can try Sundara and Ananda next week - my friend in China said he could get Ananda for almost similar price as HD660, is it a good deal?
Not sure what price they're offering you, but it's always risky to buy from a private party because then you're not under warranty as you're not the one making the purchase. Hi-fi man has quality control issues so you'll want the warranty for sure. You can currently use the “new years code” even though it expired on the Hifiman site and get the Ananda for $650 shipped. I grabbed a second pair just last week bc I couldn't pass it up at that price incase something ever happens to my other pair. ‍♂️
 

zyghom

Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2021
Messages
21
Likes
13
If you ask me, no. I think sq wise they’re similar, I do even prefer Sundara a tiny bit more as it’s warmer. The advantages of Ananda are 1) easy to drive I can accept to iPad as source 2) bigger and more comfortable ear pads 3) better quality overall
spending 700$ on headphones just to drive them from the phone... does it even make sense?
any DAC for 50$ will be better than iPhone, then even Atom amp for 100$ would make you much happier
just saying
 
OP
S

somy

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2020
Messages
398
Likes
92
spending 700$ on headphones just to drive them from the phone... does it even make sense?
any DAC for 50$ will be better than iPhone, then even Atom amp for 100$ would make you much happier
just saying
Maybe I should add "occasionally". Obviously most of the time I drive it with desktop DAC/AMP, and I spent much less than 700USD :)
 

Feelas

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2020
Messages
390
Likes
315
spending 700$ on headphones just to drive them from the phone... does it even make sense?
any DAC for 50$ will be better than iPhone, then even Atom amp for 100$ would make you much happier
just saying
Probably not really, the difference is far from the hearable range anyways.
 

brachypelma44

Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2020
Messages
67
Likes
57
Location
Maryland
spending 700$ on headphones just to drive them from the phone... does it even make sense?

Depends on the use case, and on how good they sound from that device.

If they can be EQed with an app, that will make a much bigger difference in the way that they sound than buying another DAC/amp.
 

Shazb0t

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
May 1, 2018
Messages
643
Likes
1,230
Location
NJ
Anyone have comparable distortion plots of Sundara vs Ananda?
 

threni

Major Contributor
Joined
Oct 18, 2019
Messages
1,277
Likes
1,519
Location
/dev/null
spending 700$ on headphones just to drive them from the phone... does it even make sense?
any DAC for 50$ will be better than iPhone, then even Atom amp for 100$ would make you much happier
just saying

An iPad's not a phone. And the $9 Apple USB -> 3.5mm dongle measures as well as much more expensive DACs. If you've got a phone, and it provides enough power for the headphones, why go spending hundreds of dollars more? That's not really what this site is about.
 
Top Bottom