Hifiman Sundara Closed Review

 

General/Build/Comfort/Packaging

Having tested the Sundara previously and had a very good experience with it, its only natural that i have the same expectation for Sundara Closed , the differences between the Sundara and Sundara Closed, of course one being open backed and the latter a closed back, Sundara Closed is using stealth magnets whereas the Sundara does not. For your information, Sundara Closed is released five years after the original Sundara, which until today, is still the most sought after headphones of hobbyists, be it those new to the hobby, or even a seasoned audiophile. The earcups are made out of wood grains and look very classy and stylist, the head band is similar to the Sundara’s. In terms of comfort, the Sundara Closed is a little bit heavier compared to Sundara, possibly due to the wood grain earcups, yet, it doesn’t weigh down on your head when you are wearing the headphone. Packaging is the same as Sundara’s, I personally think that a headphone storage case will serve a better purpose than the headphone stand.

Gears used for this review

• Earmen Tradutto -> Earmen CH-Amp

• Earmen Colibri

• Hiby R6 II

• Hifiman Sundara Closed Stock Cable

Foreword

My review is solely based on what I hear via my equipment and I never consider my reviews to be objective in any way rather a subjective approach. Do take into consideration that everyone’s ear anatomy is not the same, so the psychoacoustics perception might be different as well, but i believe it will not stray too far

Sound Impression

Sundara Closed sounds quite different compared to Sundara to my ears. I would describe the Sundara Closed as a more “fun” sounding headphone compared to Sundara. In terms of tonality, Sundara Closed is warmer and sounds fuller compared to Sundara.

Bass

• Bass is quite speedy and has good control overall, certainly not “loose” sounding

• Sub bass has slightly better extension due to it being a closed back, mid bass is also punchier and the bass sounds full overall

• Handling tracks like Slipknot’s People=Shit! speed drumming like a champ, good speed for the asking price, 

• The bass doesn’t bleed into the mids

Mids

• The mids are somewhat lacking in terms of resolution, yet it is not overly recessed nor very in your face

• Vocal for both male and females has good enough textures to them, they both sounded very full and not dull at all

• Upper mids are generally safe to my ears and not certainly not shouty

• Details in this range are good enough for the asking price

Treble

• The treble has enough energy yet it is smooth at the same time, certainly not dark

• Detail retrieval is quite good, micro details can be picked up easily

• The treble performance is safe overall, never sibilant nor has any weird peaks

Soundstage/Imaging

• Soundstage is a little lacking in my opinion, partly due to it being a closed back i believe

• Just slightly out of your head to not sound overly congested, depth and height perception is quite good, not exceptional, but not bad either

• Instruments can be picked up easily where it is coming from

• Good layering and separation

Driveability

• Sundara Closed is very easy to drive,doesn’t require a lot of power to perform at its best, unlike its sibling the OG Sundara

• Dongles released recently will power the Sundara Closed just fine

• However, as with most Hifiman headphones, Sundara Closed does scale with better source and amping as well

Comparison (Sundara)

• Sundara sounds more technical compared to Sundara closed

• Not as warm as Sundara Closed

• Harder to drive compared to Sundara Closed

• Bass is tighter and has better speed

• Mid range is very detailed

• A little bit more energy on the treble

• Slightly wider soundstage

Final Thoughts

Sundara Closed is quite different from the OG Sundara to my ears, in terms of tuning and of course the design. The Sundara Closed is more of a headphone with the “Fun” characteristic and can handle a little bit of occasional critical listening sessions. If you already have the OG Sundara and the tuning is not something that you prefer, i don’t see a point for you to buy one, but, if you are someone who’s in the lookout for such a signature, the Sundara Closed is for you. Recommended for a fun listening session rather than critical listening!

*EDIT:
At the sale price of 149$ currently, instead of the usual 399$, this deal is a no brainer deal and highly recommended especially if it priced at a sale price for 149$

*The Hifiman Sundara Closed was sent over by Hifiman for the purpose of this review, I received no monetary compensation nor was I influenced in any way to produce this review.

If you are interested in getting a pair, head over to their official store to grab one now! It is currently available for 149$, i repeat, 149$ instead of 399$, for the performance and value, a total steal!

Hifiman Sundara Closed - Non affiliated

Hifiman Sundara Closed Product Page