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We've recently released our Test Bench 1.8 update for Headphones! Read the R&D Article to learn more.

HiFiMan Sundara 2018 Headphones Review

Tested using Methodology v1.5
Reviewed Apr 12, 2018 at 04:22 pm
Latest change: Retest Feb 21, 2022 at 10:05 am
HiFiMan Sundara 2018 Picture
8.4
Neutral Sound
3.8
Commute/Travel
5.4
Sports/Fitness
4.5
Office
4.7
Wireless Gaming
6.8
Wired Gaming
1.6
Phone Calls
These headphones were replaced by the HiFiMan Sundara 2020

The HiFiMan Sundara 2018 are great-sounding and comfortable critical listening headphones. They're better-built and more durable than HE-400i and deliver a sound quality that's closer to the Edition X but with slightly less bass. However, like most open-back headphones, they're not designed for other use cases but critical listening.

Our Verdict

8.4 Neutral Sound

Great for neutral listening. The HiFiMan Sundara 2018 have one of the best audio reproduction that we've measured so far. They have a well-balanced mid-range that isn't too forward sounding with instruments and vocals. They also have enough bass to cater well to most genres of music. They can sound a bit sharp with already bright tracks but overall they sound great, they have a spacious soundstage and replace the stereo image accurately. They're an excellent choice for neutral and casual listeners.

Pros
  • Comfortable.
  • More durable design.
  • Great and open audio reproduction.
Cons
  • Sensitive to ambient noise, by design.
  • Bulky headphones.
  • High leakage by design, can be distracting to others.
3.8 Commute/Travel

Not designed for commuting. The open-back ear cups do not block any ambient noise and leak a lot. Also, They're not portable and do not have a control scheme for mobile devices.

Pros
  • Comfortable.
  • More durable design.
  • Great and open audio reproduction.
Cons
  • Sensitive to ambient noise, by design.
  • Bulky headphones.
  • High leakage by design, can be distracting to others.
5.4 Sports/Fitness

Not meant for sports. They're bulky, unstable and require an amp, so they're not suitable for sports or to use outdoors.

Pros
  • Comfortable.
  • More durable design.
  • Great and open audio reproduction.
Cons
  • Sensitive to ambient noise, by design.
  • Bulky headphones.
  • High leakage by design, can be distracting to others.
4.5 Office

Sub-par for office use. Unless you work alone or in an isolated office the leakage level will be too bothersome for those around you. Also, the open back design does not block any noise so you will hear your environment fairly easily even when listening to music at higher-than-average volumes.

Pros
  • Comfortable.
  • More durable design.
  • Great and open audio reproduction.
Cons
  • Sensitive to ambient noise, by design.
  • Bulky headphones.
  • High leakage by design, can be distracting to others.
4.7 Wireless Gaming

Mediocre for gaming. They're comfortable, they sound great and have a low latency wired design. However, they do not have a microphone for voice chat when gaming, and no customization options which are typical for most gaming headsets. Also, they do not have the convenience of wireless design or multiple connection options for an optimized experience on Xbox one or PS4.

6.8 Wired Gaming

Pros
  • Comfortable.
  • More durable design.
  • Great and open audio reproduction.
Cons
  • Sensitive to ambient noise, by design.
  • Bulky headphones.
  • High leakage by design, can be distracting to others.
1.6 Phone Calls
  • 8.4 Neutral Sound
  • 3.8 Commute/Travel
  • 5.4 Sports/Fitness
  • 4.5 Office
  • 4.7 Wireless Gaming
  • 6.8 Wired Gaming
  • 1.6 Phone Calls
  1. Updated Feb 21, 2022: Retested frequency response using the original 2018 and 2020 padding. Also added information regarding peeling ear cup padding to Build Quality.
  2. Updated Jun 29, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
  3. Updated Feb 11, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
  4. Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
  5. Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
  6. Updated Apr 12, 2018: Review published.
  7. Updated Apr 10, 2018: Our testers have started testing this product.
  8. Updated Apr 10, 2018: Early access published.
  9. Updated Apr 08, 2018: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  10. Updated Mar 26, 2018: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Compared To Other Headphones

The HiFiMan Sundara 2018 are great-sounding headphones with a comfortable but slightly tight fit. They're an excellent choice for critical listening, thanks to their open design and planar magnetic drivers that help deliver a good soundstage, imaging and frequency response. They're also better built than some of the other open over-ears that we've tested and a definite improvement of the HE-400i. However, they can sound a bit sharp on some tracks, and they're only ideal for one use case. See our recommendations for the best audiophile headphones, the best headphones for music and the best studio headphones.

HiFiMan Sundara 2020

The HiFiMan Sundara 2018 and the HiFiMan Sundara 2020 are over-ear headphones with nearly identical performance. They're both well-built, comfortable, and are well-suited for neutral sound. The 2020 have redesigned ear cup padding. However, they trap more heat against your ears, which may be because of changes to the padding. If over-ear headphones make your ears feel warm during long listening sessions, you may prefer the 2018 version.

Sennheiser HD 650

The HiFiMan Sundara 2018 are better headphones for neutral listening than the Sennheiser HD 650. The HiFiMan get more bass and perform more consistently in the treble range. They also have a more impressive soundstage and are more comfortable, but there have been reports of quality control issues with the brand, so the Sennheiser is still a good choice too.

HiFiMan Ananda

The HiFiMan Ananda are better critical listening headphones than the HiFiMan Sundara 2018, although not by much. The Ananda have a slightly more premium design and feel a bit more durable. However, the Sundara are a bit more compact and the price tag is noticeably lower, which offers a better overall value for most. The Sundara also have a slightly more accurate mid-range reproduction, although it's barely noticeable. These headphones are very similar overall, but there are multiple reports of quality control issues with the Sundara drivers.

Beyerdynamic DT 1990 PRO

The HiFiMan Sundara 2018 have a more neutral sound than the Beyerdynamic DT 1990 PRO. The HiFiMan pack a little bit less bass, but not by much, but they sound less sharp. They're also able to create a wider, more immersive soundstage, and are more comfortable, but feel a lot more cheaply made than the Beyerdynamic.

HiFiMan Arya

The HiFiMan Arya are somewhat better headphones for neutral sound than the HiFiMan Sundara 2018. While both headphones are comfortable, the Arya are better-built and have a more neutral sound profile. They also deliver audio more consistently. However, the Sundara 2018 have a more stable fit and come with a 1/4" TRS adapter.

HiFiMan HE-400i

The HiFiMan HE-400i and the HiFiMan Sundara 2018 are fairly similar models, but the Sundara are better headphones. They are better-built than the HE-400i and they don’t sound as sharp in the treble range. However, these differences are fairly minor, and the HE-400i might offer better value for some since they are cheaper.

Audeze LCD 2 Classic/LC2C

The HiFiMan Sundara 2018 are better headphones than the Audeze LCD 2 Classic/LC2C. They don't lack as much bass as the Audeze do, and their treble range is much more accurate. On the other hand, the Audeze feel much more durable and premium, especially since there are multiple reports of quality control issues with the HiFiMan.

Beats Solo Pro Wireless

The HiFiMan Sundara 2018 and the Beats Solo Pro Wireless are for different uses. The HiFiMan are more comfortable audiophile headphones, have a neutral sound profile, and a more spacious and immersive passive soundstage. However, the Beats are better for casual use. They have a wireless design, which some users may prefer, are better-built, and have an ANC, which can help cut down a significant amount of ambient noise around you.

Audeze LCD-1

The HiFiMan Sundara 2018 are slightly better open-back, planar magnetic headphones than the Audeze LCD-1 for neutral sound listening. Their sound profile is more accurate in all ranges, and the HiFiMan have a larger sounding soundstage. On the other hand, the Audeze have a much sleeker and smaller design, and their frequency response is more consistent among different users.

Focal Clear Mg

The Hifiman Sundara 2018 are better headphones for neutral sound than the Focal Clear Mg. The HiFiMan are planar magnetic headphones with a slightly more neutral sound profile, even though they lack a bit more low-bass than the Focal. They also reproduce audio more consistently and their soundstage is perceived as larger and more spacious. However, the Focal are dynamic transducer headphones that are better-built and come with a carrying case.

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Test Results

perceptual testing image
Design
Design
Style
Type Over-ear
Enclosure Open-Back
Wireless No
Transducer Planar Magnetic

The HiFiMan Sundara 2018 look like a better-designed HE-400i. They feel a lot more premium thanks to their mostly metal design and the thinner, sleeker-looking ear cups. The headband also has a lower profile and doesn't protrude like the HE-400i or the Edition X. Also the matte finish on the all-black color scheme makes the overall style of these headphones feel very high-end. Overall these headphones are one of the better-looking open-back over-ears that we've tested and feel like a definite upgrade to the HifiMan design language. For something a bit smaller and more on the casual side, check out the Audeze LCD-1.

8.0
Design
Comfort
Weight 0.9 lbs
Clamping Force
1.2 lbs

The HiFiMan Sundara 2018 are comfortable headphones, but they can be a bit tight on the head. They have large, roomy ear cups that are well-padded and a rounded headband design that fits better on your head than the HE-400i. Unfortunately, the headband hinges/yokes do not swivel like on the HE-400i which makes these headphones feel a bit tighter on the head. On the upside, since they are well padded, you do not feel the pressure as much as some of the other over-ears we've tested, making them comfortable enough to wear for long listening sessions.

0
Design
Controls
OS Compatibility
No Controls
Ease Of Use No Controls
Feedback No Controls
Call/Music Control No
Volume Control No
Microphone Control No
Channel Mixing
No
Noise Cancelling Control No
Talk-Through
No
Additional Controls No

These headphones do not have any controls.

6.4
Design
Breathability
Avg.Temp.Difference 6 °C

The HiFiMan Sundara 2018 are not the most breathable headphones despite being open-back. Since they are planar magnetic headphones, the larger drivers obstruct a good amount of airflow, so even with the open design they will still make your ears fairly warm after a couple of hours of continuous listening. They are not much worse than typical closed-back over-ear headphones and even have slightly better, more breathable pads than the HE-400i, but you may need to take more breaks during long listening sessions compared to other open-back headphones like the Sennheiser HD 700.

5.5
Design
Portability
L 8.0" (20.3 cm)
W 5.5" (14.0 cm)
H 4.2" (10.7 cm)
Volume 185.00 in³ (3,031.59 cm³)
Transmitter Required No

The HiFiMan Sundara 2018 are big, bulky headphones, not meant for outdoor use. They're too cumbersome to comfortably carry on your person and do not fold into a more compact format. The ear cup hinges also do not swivel so they will not lay flat like the HE-400i. They are a little smaller than the Edition X and the Sennheiser HD 800 S, but you will still need a backpack or a large bag to transport these headphones. Also, they don't come with a protective case or pouch.

0
Design
Case
Type No case
L N/A
W N/A
H N/A
Volume N/A

These headphones do not come with a carrying case.

7.5
Design
Build Quality

Update 02/21/2022: While testing the difference in pads between the HiFiMan Sundara 2018 and HiFiMan Sundara 2020, we noticed the glue coming off our 2018 unit's original ear pads. When we tried to replace the pads, all the material came off. There have also been user reports of similar issues. We don't know if this is an issue related to wear and tear over time or general build quality. The manufacturer notes that the only change between the original pads and the new 2020 ones is the glue used. If you have encountered this issue, please let us know in the discussions.

The HiFiMan Sundara 2018 are a good upgrade to the HiFiMan HE-400i in terms of build quality. They have a mostly metal design that feels durable and premium. The ear cup hinges/yokes have been redesigned to better handle physical stress. They don't swivel anymore and are made from a single piece of metal that will not crack as easily as the plastic yokes on the HE-400i. The ear cups also feel better built and more high-end since the grilles on the open-back cups don't move around like the previous model. The headband strap and the plastic pieces connecting the yokes to the headband look like the most susceptible points on these headphones, but overall they should be more durable than most of the other HiFiMan designs. Unfortunately, poor quality control by HifiMan means some models have a few driver issues.

6.5
Design
Stability

These are not sports headphones. They're a bit more stable than the Edition X and the HE-400i and will maintain their position during casual or critical listening sessions. However, the large over-ear cups will sway and quickly slip off your ears if used during exercise or while running.

Design
Headshots 1
Design
Headshots 2
Design
Top
Design
In The Box

  •  HiFiMan Sundara 2018 Headphones
  • 1/8" to 1/4" adapter
  • Audio cable
  • Manual

Sound
Sound
Sound Profile
Bass Amount
-3.03 dB
Treble Amount
-0.8 dB

Update 02/21/2022: Due to user feedback, we have tested the 2018 and 2020 models for difference. The manufacturer reports that the only difference is in padding. We purchased new pads and changed the original padding on our unit to see if there's a difference in frequency response. There are slight differences in both responses, but the biggest change is that the 10kHz dip is less significant with the new pads. We also compared our 2018 unit with the new pads to the 2020 model, and you can see a graph of their frequency response here. There's also a difference at 10kHz. Using the new pads, the 2018 model has more of a dip than the 2020 model. That said, the results for this unit haven't changed as we don't necessarily expect users to change the original padding.

These headphones have a fairly neutral sound profile suitable for a variety of audio content. Vocals and lead instruments are clear and present but slightly veiled. That said, they lack low-bass due to their open-back design, so if you're a fan of genres like EDM and hip-hop, your mixes lack thump, rumble, and punch.

8.7
Sound
Frequency Response Consistency
Avg. Std. Deviation
0.27 dB

The frequency response consistency is great. The maximum amount of deviation across our five human subjects is about 3dB at 20Hz, but the rest of the bass range is exceptionally consistent. The treble delivery is also very consistent across multiple re-seat, with the maximum deviation below 10KHz being less than 3dB.

Sound
Raw Frequency Response
7.6
Sound
Bass Accuracy
Std. Err.
2.98 dB
Low-Frequency Extension
77.72 Hz
Low-Bass
-5.66 dB
Mid-Bass
-2.3 dB
High-Bass
0.62 dB

The HiFiMan Sundara 2018 have a very good bass. The LFE (low-frequency extension) of 41Hz, is good, but not great. Accordingly, low-bass is lacking by almost 4dB, which means these headphones lack a bit of thump and rumble so their bass may not be heavy enough for the fans of bass-heavy genres like EDM, Hip-hop and Dubstep. Mid-bass, responsible for the body of bass guitars and the punch of kick drums, is also lacking by about 1dB, but this effect will be very subtle.

9.0
Sound
Mid Accuracy
Std. Err.
1.35 dB
Low-Mid
0.66 dB
Mid-Mid
0.25 dB
High-Mid
-1.59 dB

The mid-range is great. The response is even and flat throughout the range, suggesting a well-balanced reproduction of vocals and lead instruments. But low-mid and mid-mid are above our target by about 2dB. This thickens the body of vocals and lead instruments a bit, but won't be noticeable to most.

8.1
Sound
Treble Accuracy
Std. Err.
2.96 dB
Low-Treble
-0.66 dB
Mid-Treble
1.03 dB
High-Treble
-5.21 dB

The treble of the HiFiMan Sundara 2018 is very good. Just like the HiFiMan Arya, the response is relatively even and well-balanced. It is consistently over our neutral target by a couple of dB. This is mostly noticeable in the sibilance range (6KHz-10KHz), where there is as much as 5dB of overemphasis. This makes the S and T sounds, mostly heard on vocals and cymbals, a bit bright and piercing, especially on overly bright tracks.

7.7
Sound
Peaks/Dips
Peaks
1.49 dB
Dips
1.07 dB
9.0
Sound
Imaging
Weighted Group Delay
0.2
Weighted Phase Mismatch
2.34
Weighted Amplitude Mismatch
0.47
Weighted Frequency Mismatch
1.48

The imaging of the HiFiMan Sundara 2018 is great. Weighted group delay is at 0.2 which is very good. The GD graph also shows that the entire group delay response is below the audibility threshold. This ensures a tight bass and a transparent treble reproduction. Additionally, the L/R drivers of our test unit were very well-matched in frequency, amplitude, and phase response, ensuring accurate placement and localization of objects (voices, instruments, and video game effects) in the stereo image.

8.6
Sound
Passive Soundstage
PRTF Accuracy (Std. Dev.)
2.9 dB
PRTF Size (Avg.)
6.33 dB
PRTF Distance
11.62 dB
Openness
9.6
Acoustic Space Excitation
9.8

The soundstage performance is good. The PRTF graph shows a good amount of accuracy, and a decent amount of pinna interaction/activation. However, there is no "10KHz notch" present. This suggests a soundstage that is relatively natural and large, but located inside the listener's head. Also, because of their very open enclosure, their soundstage will be perceived to be more open than that of closed-back headphones.

0
Sound
Virtual Soundstage
Head Modeling
No
Speaker Modeling
No
Room Ambience
No
Head Tracking
No
Virtual Surround
No App
8.5
Sound
Weighted Harmonic Distortion
WHD @ 90
0.152
WHD @ 100
0.059
Sound
Test Settings
Firmware
No Firmware
Power
Passive
Connection
Wired
Codec
PCM, 24-bit, 48kHz
EQ
No EQ
ANC
No ANC
Tip/Pad
Default
Microphone
No Microphone
Isolation
0.9
Isolation
Noise Isolation
Isolation Audio
Overall Attenuation
-1.85 dB
Noise Cancelling No
Bass
-0.43 dB
Mid
0.27 dB
Treble
-5.23 dB

The isolation performance is poor. Due to their open-back design, they don't achieve any isolation in the bass and mid ranges (like most open-back headphones), which are important for blocking out the low rumbling sounds of airplane and bus engines, as well as speech. In the treble range, occupied by sharp sounds like S and Ts, they reduce outside noise by about 5dB, which is barely noticeable. This means like the HiFiMan Ananda and the Stax SR-L300 they will not block any noise at all from what you hear in your environment.

0.2
Isolation
Leakage
Leakage Audio
Overall Leakage @ 1ft
69.07 dB

The leakage performance is quite poor. Open-back planar magnetic headphones like the Edition X and HE-400i tend to have the loudest leakage due to the bi-directional nature of their design, and the HiFiMan Sundara 2018 is no exception. The significant portion of their leakage is between 300Hz and 20KHz which is a very broad range, resulting in a leakage that is relatively full-bodied and very bright. The overall level of the leakage is very loud too. With the music at 100dB SPL, the average leakage is about 70dB SPL, and peaking at 90dB SPL at 1 foot away. If you don't really care about leakage and are getting an open headset so you can monitor your environment while listening to music then you might want to check out the Bose SoundWear.

Microphone
Microphone
Microphone Style
Integrated
No
In-Line
No
Boom
No
Detachable Boom
No
Mic No
0
Microphone
Recording Quality
Recorded Speech
N/A
LFE
N/A
FR Std. Dev.
N/A
HFE
N/A
Weighted THD
N/A
Gain
N/A

The HiFiMan Sundara 2018 do not have a microphone, therefore, recording quality has not been tested.

0
Microphone
Noise Handling
SpNR
N/A
Noise Gate
No
Speech + Pink Noise Handling
N/A
Speech + Pink Noise Audio Sample N/A
Speech + Subway Noise Handling
N/A
Speech + Subway Noise Audio Sample N/A

The HiFiMan Sundara 2018 do not have a microphone, therefore, noise handling has not been tested.

Active Features
0
Active Features
Battery
Battery Type
No Battery
Continuous Battery Life
N/A
Additional Charges
N/A
Total Battery Life
N/A
Charge Time
N/A
Power-Saving Feature
No
Audio While Charging
No
Passive Playback
Passive Headphone
Charging Port None

These headphones do not have any active components and do not require a battery.

0
Active Features
App Support
App Name No App
iOS No
Android No
macOS No
Windows No
Equalizer
No
ANC Control
No
Mic Control No
Room Effects
No
Playback Control
No
Button Mapping No
Surround Support
No

These headphones do not come with an app or software for added customization options.

Connectivity
0
Connectivity
Bluetooth
Bluetooth Version
No Bluetooth
Multi-Device Pairing
No
NFC Pairing
No
Line Of Sight Range
N/A
PC Latency (SBC)
N/A
PC Latency (aptX)
N/A
PC Latency (aptX HD)
N/A
PC Latency (aptX-LL)
N/A
iOS Latency
N/A
Android Latency
N/A

These headphones are wired and do not have a Bluetooth connection. If you want a good-sounding wireless headset, then consider the Bose QuietComfort 35 II.

The wired connection of these headphones has negligible latency which is suitable for gaming and home-theater use.

0
Connectivity
Non-Bluetooth Wireless
Non-BT Line Of Sight Range
N/A
Non-BT Latency
N/A
9.5
Connectivity
Wired
Analog Audio
Yes
USB Audio
No
Detachable Yes
Length 5.00 ft (1.52 m)
Connection
1/8" TRS
Analog/USB Audio Latency
0 ms

The HiFiMan Sundara 2018 have a simple 1/8TRS audio cable with no in-line remote/microphone, so they will only provide audio when connected to your PS4, Xbox One or PC.

Connectivity
PC Compatibility
Analog
Audio Only
Wired USB
No
Non-BT Wireless
No
Connectivity
PlayStation Compatibility
PS4 Analog
Audio Only
PS4 Wired USB
No
PS4 Non-BT Wireless
No
PS5 Analog
Audio Only
PS5 Wired USB
No
PS5 Non-BT Wireless
No
Connectivity
Xbox Compatibility
Xbox One Analog
Audio Only
Xbox One Wired USB
No
Xbox One Non-BT Wireless
No
Xbox Series X|S Analog
Audio Only
Xbox Series X|S Wired USB
No
Xbox Series X|S Non-BT Wireless
No
0
Connectivity
Base/Dock
Type
No Base/Dock
USB Input
No
Line In
No
Line Out
No
Optical Input
No
RCA Input
No
Dock Charging
No
Power Supply
No Base/Dock

The HiFiMan Sundara 2018 do not have a dock. If you need a headset with a dock that also has a wired connection for gaming or watching movies, then consider the SteelSeries Arctis 7.