HIFIMAN Susvara Headphone Review

[Chagall]

Manufacturers do some questionable stuff for sound, but having exposed planar drivers is beyond any logic, no matter how good they might be.

Also, the price is insane.

I don't know, the whole thing (price, name, and unveiled drivers) sounds more like a gimmick than a true watershed turning point in headphone design.

 

[Mr. Haelscheir]

I wonder if they removed resonances with new version.
Anyway will try to listen to them when I have a chance.

From the smoothed FR comparison in https://www.techpowerup.com/review/...ed-flagship-planar-magnetic-headphones/5.html with the modal parts matching up, I wouldn't be surprised if the Unveiled had just as poor resonances and CSD, its merely being a more sensitive version with minor tonal differences (like a slightly more forward upper midrange) from the use of slightly shallower pads and decreasing the external aperture to accommodate mounting the "veils". Comparing the distortion measurements in https://forum.headphones.com/t/hifiman-susvara-over-ear-planar-headphone-official-thread/2293/754 and https://forum.headphones.com/t/hifi...eadphones-official-discussion-thread/23514/13, perhaps the distortion at higher SPLs had improved a bit, there being much less higher-order distortion in the bass though it comes to have greater second-order distortion.

Anyways, even on Head-fi, the Unveiled seems to only be seen as a slight evolution or new flavour compared to the Susvara OG, whereby I am now most interested in objective substantiation of the RAAL 1995 Immanis' performance.

 

[ObjectiveSubjectivist]

From the smoothed FR comparison in https://www.techpowerup.com/review/...ed-flagship-planar-magnetic-headphones/5.html with the modal parts matching up, I wouldn't be surprised if the Unveiled had just as poor resonances and CSD, its merely being a more sensitive version with minor tonal differences (like a slightly more forward upper midrange) from the use of slightly shallower pads and decreasing the external aperture to accommodate mounting the "veils". Comparing the distortion measurements in https://forum.headphones.com/t/hifiman-susvara-over-ear-planar-headphone-official-thread/2293/754 and https://forum.headphones.com/t/hifi...eadphones-official-discussion-thread/23514/13, perhaps the distortion at higher SPLs had improved a bit, there being much less higher-order distortion in the bass though it comes to have greater second-order distortion.

Anyways, even on Head-fi, the Unveiled seems to only be seen as a slight evolution or new flavour compared to the Susvara OG, whereby I am now most interested in objective substantiation of the RAAL 1995 Immanis' performance.

Yes it seems like it'd gonna be similar to the og.
Hard to say definitely based on smoothed graphs.

 

[majingotan]

From the smoothed FR comparison in https://www.techpowerup.com/review/...ed-flagship-planar-magnetic-headphones/5.html with the modal parts matching up, I wouldn't be surprised if the Unveiled had just as poor resonances and CSD, its merely being a more sensitive version with minor tonal differences (like a slightly more forward upper midrange) from the use of slightly shallower pads and decreasing the external aperture to accommodate mounting the "veils". Comparing the distortion measurements in https://forum.headphones.com/t/hifiman-susvara-over-ear-planar-headphone-official-thread/2293/754 and https://forum.headphones.com/t/hifi...eadphones-official-discussion-thread/23514/13, perhaps the distortion at higher SPLs had improved a bit, there being much less higher-order distortion in the bass though it comes to have greater second-order distortion.

Anyways, even on Head-fi, the Unveiled seems to only be seen as a slight evolution or new flavour compared to the Susvara OG, whereby I am now most interested in objective substantiation of the RAAL 1995 Immanis' performance.

IMHO, I can speculate the IMMANIS head-fi hype was again due to enhanced reflections and distortions it may very well be reproducing. I heard the Immanis and subjectively, it highlights at lot of so-called details much more so than Susvara that can potentially be a combination of FR peaks and distortion profile and is therefore perceived as superior subjectively sounding headphone. I suspect the combination of 3 ribbon membranes enhances the harmonic resonances to be more emphasized compared to other headphones such as the Susvara. The Feliks Audio Envy 300B DHT SET amp can also contribute in enhancing those harmonic distortions during my subjective listening experience to some degree.

My opinion though is that Immanis subjectively sounded better to me without EQ than Susvara original without EQ for sure. Also, I do not think EQing the Susvara will make it sound like the Immanis as I speculate that the harmonic enhancement in the transient response than can be subjectively perceived as more detailed sounding cannot be altered by PEQ alone (IMHO it's distortion profile instead). 10K USD on a headphone is of course ridiculously overpriced but there's no other headphone in the world for now that has 3 ribbon drivers that somehow make it much more efficient than just 1 ribbon driver configuration

 

[kemmler3D]

Funny enough, I had never read this review before, but it's a bit of a sad one for the money. I just sold my A90 (which I haven't used in a while) to a young guy (maybe still in high school) who said he needs it for his Susvaras, as his DX5 didn't have enough juice. I didn't realize they were $6K cans!

 

[Mr Swing King]

IMHO, I can speculate the IMMANIS head-fi hype was again due to enhanced reflections and distortions it may very well be reproducing. I heard the Immanis and subjectively, it highlights at lot of so-called details much more so than Susvara that can potentially be a combination of FR peaks and distortion profile and is therefore perceived as superior subjectively sounding headphone. I suspect the combination of 3 ribbon membranes enhances the harmonic resonances to be more emphasized compared to other headphones such as the Susvara. The Feliks Audio Envy 300B DHT SET amp can also contribute in enhancing those harmonic distortions during my subjective listening experience to some degree.

My opinion though is that Immanis subjectively sounded better to me without EQ than Susvara original without EQ for sure. Also, I do not think EQing the Susvara will make it sound like the Immanis as I speculate that the harmonic enhancement in the transient response than can be subjectively perceived as more detailed sounding cannot be altered by PEQ alone (IMHO it's distortion profile instead). 10K USD on a headphone is of course ridiculously overpriced but there's no other headphone in the world for now that has 3 ribbon drivers that somehow make it much more efficient than just 1 ribbon driver configuration

View attachment 389338

It looks pretty cool - somewhere in the design landscape of an expensive women’s handbag.
What to me is the dealbreaker - even before having listened to one myself - is the fact that it weighs 610 grams. There may be three ribbon drivers in each cup, but that is still way too much weight for a headphone imho.

 

[solderdude]

It comes with a subscription for your local gym so you can train your neck muscles... that's why it is so expensive as you are also paying for that 'free' subscription.
The LCD-3 has about the same weight and comes without that subscription so is cheaper. The idea is that using them often will train the neck muscles.

 

[ObjectiveSubjectivist]

At least now Immanis managed to look better.
Compare it to C1a...

 

[Vamp898]

That depends on when someone drop-ships one to Amir or sends in one for measurement.
Both are quite unlikely as owners who forked out that kind of money are not really interested in how poorly it measures.
They care more about how it sounds.... I assume it will sound great.

With my Head-fi experience, i can say for sure.

The more expensive it is, the better it sounds, unrelated to how it sounds

 

[ObjectiveSubjectivist]

With my Head-fi experience, i can say for sure.

The more expensive it is, the better it sounds, unrelated to how it sounds

So freakin true.

 

[Mr Swing King]

Also very much my experience.
The final boss in hi-fi is the deadly combo of striking looks and an insane pricetag.
Together this forms a huge and overshadowing expectancy bias that overrules any sort of logic.
Man I’m glad I don’t play around in those waters anymore.

 

[usern]

And light plastic Sennheisers are obviously lower build quality than heavy expensive headphones even though they survive many more drops to the ground.

 

[Grobbelboy]

The hilariously misplaced self assuredness and tone of authority of those head-fi users is a great source of hilarity though. I can happily read through some of the topics there just for a laugh. It's like going 15 years back in time compared to ASR.

 

[Buckchester]

But does it have PLANKTON??

Schiit Amp Compendium - Guide to Schiit Amps (headamps)

Schiit Amp Compendium - Guide to Schiit Amps (headamps) What Schiit Amp Should I Get? How do the Schiit Amps Sound Different From Each Other By...

www.superbestaudiofriends.org

 

[solderdude]

But does it have PLANKTON??

Schiit Amp Compendium - Guide to Schiit Amps (headamps)

Schiit Amp Compendium - Guide to Schiit Amps (headamps) What Schiit Amp Should I Get? How do the Schiit Amps Sound Different From Each Other By...

www.superbestaudiofriends.org

Zooplankton or Phytoplankton​

Phytoplankton obviously has 'air' where Zooplankton may sound 'meaty' ?

The phytoplankton below may sound a little sharp here and there.

 

[VQR]

But does it have PLANKTON??

Schiit Amp Compendium - Guide to Schiit Amps (headamps)

Schiit Amp Compendium - Guide to Schiit Amps (headamps) What Schiit Amp Should I Get? How do the Schiit Amps Sound Different From Each Other By...

www.superbestaudiofriends.org

When even some people on SH.tv and Head-Fi think you're too far gone, you've gone well past the point of no return.

 

[Soria Moria]

Another unveiled headphone! Any measurements of Susvara unveiled yet?

 

[staticV3]

Any measurements of Susvara unveiled yet?

GRAS and 5128 measurements of the Susvara Unveiled here:

Hifiman Susvara Unveiled Planar Magnetic Headphones - Official Discussion Thread

Here are the Susvara Unveiled measurements: Raw (B&K 5128) Calibrated (B&K 5128) HpTF Variation (5128 & GRAS) Here we’re comparing the calibrated results across two different heads. We can do this by using the rig-specific DFHRTF calibration for each system, and the outcome is a...

forum.headphones.com

 

[Soria Moria]

GRAS and 5128 measurements of the Susvara Unveiled here:

Hifiman Susvara Unveiled Planar Magnetic Headphones - Official Discussion Thread

Here are the Susvara Unveiled measurements: Raw (B&K 5128) Calibrated (B&K 5128) HpTF Variation (5128 & GRAS) Here we’re comparing the calibrated results across two different heads. We can do this by using the rig-specific DFHRTF calibration for each system, and the outcome is a...

forum.headphones.com

Thanks. Doesn't look great. Still seems like it's the same old resonant product. I'm sure I'd find the tonality fine.

 

[majingotan]

Zooplankton or Phytoplankton​

Phytoplankton obviously has 'air' where Zooplankton may sound 'meaty' ?

The phytoplankton below may sound a little sharp here and there.

View attachment 390620

Hold up, I thought planktons come from headphones not the amp???