HiFiMan SUSVARA "Review" and Measurements

Hey Guys,

I've got the Susvara in house so I wrote up some more impressions/vs. the Abyss Phi. Pretty similar to my original set of impressions but I thought some might be interested.




I have had quite a bit more time with the Susvara now so I thought I would share some thoughts on it, as well as a more detailed comparison with the Abyss Phi. Again, lets get it out of the way that this headphone retails at the crazy price of $6000USD. Just a bit nuts.

I loved the Susvara the first time I heard it, it was/is my second favourite headphone I have heard, period. I went back to the shop four more times and listened carefully, and still really enjoyed it. I sold my LCD-4’s, and some other stuff to make up the difference.

One thing to note is, I own this pair of headphones. I paid for it with my own money, I didn’t win it, and this isn’t a loaner pair. This review is completely honest.

The build quality is something I wanted to pay close attention to as with the Susvara being a Hifiman product, it is definitely something to worry about. As I said in my initial impressions, the build quality seems to be better than the HE1000V1, and similar to the HE1000V2, perhaps a tiny bit better. It is pretty much the same headphone as the V2 HE1000 in terms of outer materials and whatnot. At this asking price, I really would have liked to have seen some real leather, and just….more attention to the tiny details, if that makes sense. It all seems fairly well put together, certainly much better than the HE1000V1, but it just lacks that last few percent that would truly make it an amazing “Statement” product.

The Hifiman Sundara, a $500USD headphone, has better build quality than the Susvara. Thats a bit darn ridiculous if you ask me, but it is what it is. I wish Hifiman had waited 6 months on the Susvaras release, and done something similar to the Sundara with it. There is so much potential here and it just isn’t there yet.

It really begs the question, what on earth makes this worth DOUBLE the asking price of the HE1000V2’s???

Well, lets get into that a little bit. In terms of build quality and the materials used….it really isn’t. Its a rounder HE1000V2. In terms of sound quality? Perhaps it is. It is certainly better than the HE1000V2, whether or not it is $3000USD better is up to the listener I suppose. This headphone is FAR into the land of diminishing returns. I think it would have been really neat if Hifiman had lowered the price of the HE1000 to say..$2500USD, and released the Susvara at $3500USD. I reckon they would be selling like hotcakes if they had. As it stands, I don’t there there are too many out there in the wild, which honestly isn’t surprising.

Now lets talk about the sound quality, which I suppose at the end of the day, is the most important part. After all, once they are on your head, all the concerns about build quality and the materials used don’t matter as much (unless they fall off your head and break.)

I’m going to include comparisons to the Abyss Phi below, as they are both competing in the top of the line arena and are what I have on hand to listen to

Bass: The Abyss Phi has more quantity, and to my ears, better quality of bass. The Susvara sounds a bit rounder and is less hard hitting. However, neither headphone seems to lack definition when playing complex bass patterns. I listen to a lot of Electronica, so this is something I pay close attention to.

Mids: I prefer the Susvara’s mids most of the time vs. The Phi’s. However, it really does depend what you are listening to and what mood you are in. The Phi seem to have a little less presence in the mids and are not as warm as the Susvara. Compared to the LCD-4, the Susvara is less warm, and seems to have less presence in the mids. They seem to bridge the gap between the LCD-4 and Phi nicely. In terms of mids, the Susvara just “works” for me and my ears.

Treble: Apart from the occasional sibilance I hear from the Phi at higher volumes (which I think might be more my source gear than the headphones but lets not get into that right now) I do prefer the Phi to the Susvara in the treble. The Susvara is smoother sounding, less in your face, and more relaxed. The Phi has incredible definition in the upper region, and really lets you hear what is going on. You can still hear great treble detail from the Susvara, but it is less present, and more chilled out sounding for lack of a better expression.

Soundstage: I like a big soundstage, and the Phi provides that. It is bigger than the Susvara. However, the Susvara’s soundstage is bigger than the LCD-4’s and much bigger than the Utopias. I don’t feel I am missing out when I’m listening to the Hifimans, I just prefer that extra width coming from the Phi, thats all. The sound coming from the Susvara seems to envelope the ear more than the Phi, but its really hard to describe.

Transparency, and technicalities: The Abyss Phi is again the winner in my books. Both have great detail, digging into the recording and pulling out the tiny things you want to hear at this level. However, the Phi is the more dynamic headphone, and can absolutely punch your ears off. The Susvara is a bit less dynamic, but seems to be about equal in terms of transparency to the source.

At the end of the day, the Abyss Phi is still my favourite headphone. It is more in your face, and aggressive. It is a no compromises all or nothing headphone. However, with that being said, the Susvara is almost as good, but completely different. It is easier to listen to. If I just want to chill out and enjoy some tunes, I think I will be reaching for the Susvara rather than the Abyss. If I have some free time and can really just concentrate on listening, I will reach for the Abyss. Perhaps its not a case of worse or better between these two headphone, and more of a case of different.

I should mention that the Susvara is incredibly comfortable. Its weight isn’t too bad at 450g (similar to the Utopia) but it feels lighter than that. It certainly beats the Abyss in this area. I could wear the Susvara all day happily

The Susvara is an incredibly expensive headphone. Its really a bit silly. I pray that if Hifiman introduces a new planar flagship, it isn’t $10,000USD. Most people aren’t going to drop $6000USD on a pair of headphones, and that is completely understandable. I wish Hifiman had even priced it at $4500USD, as this headphone should be experienced by more people. It really doesn’t scream “I’m a flagship” compared to something like the Focal Utopia, and could be a lot better in terms of build quality and the materials they have used. However, they do sound damn good. $6000USD good? I suppose that is up to the listener.

 

Excellent review and comparison, @ufospls2! Much appreciated.

I've thought about lugging in my Master 9 to the Headphone Bar to hear how well it might drive them, or otherwise match up.

Do you ever find the Susvara lacking in dynamics, or is it simply not as pronounced as the Phi or Utopia in that regard?

 

Thats exactly what I did! It was a bit of a bitch to carry it all the way there, but worth it at the end of the day. The M9 drives them well, but I do have the +3db gain option, so I don't know how a stock M9 would fair. 3db isn't that much so it would probably be ok. I would like to hear the Susvara off of a high end speaker amp, but for now, especially after dropping so much money, I'm happy to just chill with the M9.

I definitely don't find it lacking in dynamics, I just find the Abyss has more punch and slam. The Susvara is a bit more relaxing to listen to, I'm really enjoying it!

 

Agree 100%

I really like comparisons like this as it avoids the long winded stories of music selections and equipment jargon.

I am glad you can verify what I heard and agree the Phi is superior technically and yet the Susvara is just a more relaxed presentation.
Paired with some good tube gear the PHI might calm any agressiveness you heard.

In my observations (at friends house) one point I was able to pick out some details that were more solid in the Phi so I switched back to Susvara quickly to see why I didn't notice it before, and yet same details were there just a calmer laid back which is why I wasn't able to notice it before...
and so I felt maybe the Susvara is just a bit laid back..

Yet when I heard them again recently in another tube setup,
the Susvara wasn't as laid back(more neutral), and the Abyss was also less agressive (more neutral)...
So I would have to say the differences can be mitigated a bit with system synergy.
The Abyss was more responsive to the gear.

Yet to me the Abyss PHI will always be a notch above the Susvara especially with bass & dynamics.

When I heard the Abyss Diana at Canjam I was fairly convinced that it lies in between the Phi and the Susvara, so I will find out more on Diana.

 

Hey Guys,

Its a really rainy, grey, gross day here, so I thought I would continue on with my occasional “very rainy….” posts. I’ve had about a month of owning the Susvara now, and two months since I originally posted about hearing them. They are actually continuing to grow on me every day. “Mental burn in” perhaps…or something. I’ve been using the Susvara more than my Abyss Phi lately due to new toy syndrome, not due to the Phi’s lacking in comparison. I thought I would take the chance on the rainy afternoon to do some comparisons. I was too lazy to carry down all my heavy gear from my bedroom, so I thought it would give me a chance to try both with my iDSD BL, and see how it goes.

The Susvara does not get enough juice from the iDSD BL to be driver properly. However, for just sitting listening at lower volumes, its the typical iDSD BL goodness. I really like the iDSD BL, don’t really care bout what others have to say about it. The DAC portion is great, and the amp portion is good. The iFi Micro iCAN SE amp is a tiny bit better than the BL’s DAC, but both are very competent.

The Susvara is just a lovely enveloping wave of sound. It sounds so effortless! They are SUPER COMFY. Comfiest headphones I’ve tried in ages, and definitely the comfiest I’ve owned.

The Phi’s do get just enough juice from iDSD BL, but still do sound better with a beefier amp behind them. Trying to bass boost on the BL with the Phi’s is like…https://imgur.com/7pBZaNr …..Highly recommended if you get the chance.

The Phi are still my favourite pair of headphones, but it is so, so close. Both have their own attributes that makes them special, and so much fun to listen to.

 

You should try running both of them from the speaker taps of a good power amp to see what those planars can really do.

The HE-6 from a Pass Labs seemed to really scale well
http://theheadphonelist.com/pass-la...ewest-nelson-pass-amplifiers-go-head-to-head/

 

Yeah I'm totally tapped out money wise right now, but my Master 9 with +3db gain and some upgrades runs them quite well. I'd love to try a high end speaker amp some time in the future

 

Well, thats a couple months that I have owned the Susvara now. I have come to three main observations, and I am pretty set on these now, vs the first few days of ownership when I still wasn’t 100% sure.

1. The Abyss Phi is still my favourite headphone, but it is close.
2. The Susvara is a worthy upgrade over the HE1000V2, but not $3000(!)USD worthy.
3. It is the comfiest headphone I have owned.

So. The Susvara vs the Abyss Phi is an interesting comparison. The Phi is more in your face, aggressive, and the Susvara is more relaxing and chilled out. Its a softer sound. The Susvaras bass is more wooly and round sounding. It doesn’t box your ears off like the Phi. The mids on the Susvara are a bit more forward. The highs are also a little bit less sibilant and smoother than the Phi. In terms of soundstage, the Phi are larger and wider.

I listened to the HE1000V2 again, and the only thing it does better than the Susvara is it has a taller soundstage. I think this might be due to the shape of the cups? I’m not sure. The Susvara does every other aspect of sound reproduction better. Is it worth $3000USD more? No, but if you can get a good deal on the Susvara, and you should be able to, it is worth saving for.

The Susvara is so comfortable. Even more comfortable than the HD800(S) to me, and that was my previous most comfortable headphone. They aren’t too heavy, and the weight they do have is well distributed. The ear pads are really comfortable, but I would have liked to have seen real leather and better craftsmanship on them. That brings me to my next point.

The Susvara have a much better build than the HE1000V1, which I used to own. They are a tiny bit better than the V2’s, but don’t feel as sturdy as the Sundara. I have been careful with them, but they haven’t fallen apart, or had any troubles yet. With that being said, especially at their asking price, the build and materials could be way better. Perhaps if they had gone all out in terms of materials and craftsmanship, they would be worth the current MSRP. As it stands? They fall short. In terms of sound, yeah, they are pretty darn good.

 

Just looking at that picture is giving me anxiety thinking of placing the Susvaras on top of that wood and scratching them. They're easily scratched.

 

I'm super careful with them, and made sure it was a safe place to put them down. No scratches

 

Everything about the sound signature seems to describe them closer to the LCD4's than the Abyss.

How would you say they compare directly to the LCDi4?

 

Sorry for necroposting, but I'd like to share some thoughts on the Susvara after having it in my system for some time. I had an opportunity to audition one in the past, but back then it was tested on headphone amps that otherwise did decent jobs with other phones but lacked the juice to make the Susvara sing. Now that I have a dedicated 100W speaker amp in the house (McIntosh MA252, which I had originally bought for SR1a), it can power Susvara to ear-splitting levels without clipping and therefore allow me to properly evaluate its sound.

FWIW, while my MCTH does a satisfactory job with the Code-X, it didn't have what it takes to drive the Susvara. I should mention that the MA252 sounds much better than MCTH with not only Susvara but also Code-X, which is unsurprising since many people have used Saga + Vidar (100W) combo for Code-X with excellent results too. The Focal Clear on the other hand was too sensitive for such powerhouse of an amp and preferred the MCTH.

The Susvara is, without a doubt, the most technically capable planar headphone I've heard. Before Susvara, I had preferred the sound signature of classic Hifiman series with relatively inefficient round drivers and SMC screws such as HE-5/6/Code-X to newer offerings such as HEK. The HEK and its variants have slightly better technicalities, but at the expense of a hotter, splashier timber. The Susvara is a throwback to the classic Hifimans while improving on the technical points, with a stroke of an ethereal sound reminiscent of e-stats. I hate to say this, but Susvara is, among all non-electrostatic headphones I've heard, is the headphone that sounds closest to an electrostat, and had I not known what it was and listened to it in a blind test, I wouldn't have guessed it was a dynamic, much less a planar headphone. Having owned the Carbon/SR-007A until recently, I can attest to this.

Tonality-wise, it is slightly bright, albeit nowhere as much as the HD800 or Utopia. It is a touch brighter than the Code-X, which is IMO one of the most neutral and balanced sounding phones but nevertheless lies on the bright rather than the dark side of the sonic spectrum. However, I did not have an issue with this, because despite being brighter, it is more laid-back in comparison to the intimate and more aggressive sound of the Code-X and therefore far less fatiguing for extended listening. Imaging, resolution and soundstage are on a whole other level above the Code-X, there is no contest here. Only the HD800 could beat the Susvara in those regards, but no physical mods and matching amps could make the HD800 a permanent keeper for me. And if memory serves, the Susvara sounds cleaner and more transparent than the HD800, which sounded grainier in comparison.

It took me some time to get used to the ethereal sound of Susvara. You guys know that I use OOYH for all of my headphone listening, but the combination of OOYH and Susvara was eerily haunting that I had to turn off OOYH to snap back to reality. It was one of very few headphones, along with earspeakers like K1K or SR1a, that delivered a holographic soundstage without relying on 3D processing. The way it accomplishes this without floating over your ears is remarkable.

While I described its sound as ethereal, that doesn't mean it has the weak, flabby bass that is the bane of 90% of e-stats. While it doesn't slam as hard as the Code-X, it's definitely better than the HEK and the way it renders the bottom lows is superb. This is only evident if you use a powerful amp.

So where would I place the Susvara? It may not be for anybody, especially if you're not a fan of e-stat sound. Then again, I hadn't been a fan either until I got to hear the Carbon/SR-007A, which does everything great an e-stat should do while delivering excellent bass. But other than that, it's definitely a TOTL headphone that got its tonal balance done right. I wouldn't hesitate to place the Susvara above the LCD-4 and Utopia, perhaps in the same league as a well-driven SR-007A.

The SR1a is still the king, but I realized that I would need a complimentary, traditional (traditional in that it has earcups surrounding your ears) headphone. The Susvara might fit that bill, the only issue being its price. No matter how great the Susvara sounds, the MSRP of $6K is downright ridiculous, and I was one of the many people who called out to Fang for being moist when it was announced. But ask yourself this: who would actually pay the full MSRP for them? Those in the ORFAS or AKWRP club who don't know any better would, but we're more sensible than them. Unless they were purchased soon after their release, have any recent HD800 or Utopia owners paid their full prices of $1.5K or $4K for them, new or used? It has also been a while since Susvara was released, and while I had bought it new from an authorized seller, I was able to land on an awesome deal (which I cannot publicly say, at the request of the seller). And used Susvaras are being sold at around $3-3.5K. Paying over $3K for a pair of headphones is still not a very good value, but unless you're an idiot, you would know better than to pay $6K, or even $4-5K, for a pair.

Nitpicks: I had zero expectations so I didn't complain much, but in terms of build quality, they could do better than this for a $6K headphone. The Focal Clear which costs only a quarter looks like a far more luxurious product. Also, the damn flimsy cable. I know many owners will end up using 3rd party cables, but at this price, it wouldn't hurt to at least make the XLR plug Neutrik, or add a small tail adapter for speaker amp users. If I do decide to keep it, I'll probably go for an aftermarket cable.

 

Ok, so out of curiosity, I've been messing about with pads. I knew I didn't want to change the sound of the Susvara, so I had a good think about materials, and what I have learned from my pad rolling with my ZMF Verites.

The stock Susvara pads are mostly breathable material and are an open backed headhone, so un-perforated leather all round would likely massively mess up the sound, With that in mind, I've been trying my ZMF Universe Suede Perforated pads with the Susvara. So far, the frequency response seems largely unchanged. The only thing I'm wondering is if the upper mids are raised a TINY amount. The technicalities and detail all remain just fine.

The ZMF Pads are so much more comfortable than the stock Hifiman pads. Also, for those who have ears that protrude a bit more and find the stock Hifiman Pads too shallow, the ZMF pads might be worth a try.

I think that the leather perforated Universe Pads from ZMF, which I will try tomorrow, will be too bright, But I will give them a go tomorrow and report back.

So far, this has been an interesting experiment.

 

Got a Susvara loaner in the house today. These are just thoughts of the top of my head. No time to do detailed in depth comparisons today.

Build - Surprisingly good! Nice shape to the cups, comfortable on the head. Cable is a joke

I demand an audio jewellery level cable at this price but Fang gives me the middle finger instead!

Chain - Deezer Lossless>RME ADI2 DAC>Custom Dynalo Mk2>Susvara

The amp puts out 5W at 60 Ohms, headphone was loud enough at 10 O'clock. I don't think it's being under driven but I could be wrong.

Susvara has a very agreeable frequency response. A touch darker than the Utopia. I didn't listen long before applying Oratory's Harman EQ and comparing to my EQed 009S.

I could absolutely live with this without EQ.

Susvara vs 009S

Susvara sounds a bit more laid back in the highs with a smaller soundstage. Everything sounds slightly ''grander'' on the 009S. 009S seems to be a tiny bit more detailed with better instrument separation. Overall I think the 009S sounds more special to my ears.

Overall I'd say the Susvara is a very nice effort from Hifiman with an insane, unacceptable price.

I'd take the Utopia over a Susvara if both were free.

At these levels I think every TOTL needs a party trick. Utopia has the DYNAMICS, SR009S has the insane treble detail and nice soundstage and peerless clarity. Susvara I'm not so sure, it just sounds good.

Fang is far smarter than I am and maybe he's selling a boat load of these in China but I'm guessing that in the Rest of the World the Utopia outsells these 10 to 1.

If he could price these around 2000 USD/EUROS/GBP my guess is he'd sell a lot more and make a lot more money.

But what do I know.........

 

Yes, their stock cable needs to go. It really cripples these cans.

After having listened to pretty much every TOTL cans out there I'd say that Susvara's balance is the party trick. These cans aren't exceptional on any particular level, but they do everything impressively well. I've been living with them for nearly two years now and there's no single thing I'd like them to be better at. They just keep the same constant very high performance level and I feel no urge to upgrade or replace them. I had Utopias, 009, HD 800 and a bunch of other stuff that's really made better, but the only one that's left is Susvara. I will say though that at first I also thought they're OK and nothing crazy for their price, but in time this grew on me.

The only other cans I would consider having next to these HifiMans is SR1a, but that's about it.

 

This is a very valid point. They are solid TOTL all rounders.

However I have to say this for everyone else who has gear cycling disease like me; if you have an SR009/SR009S/SR007/Utopia/LCD4 and are willing to EQ the Susvara will not be a superior listening experience IMHO.

SR009/SR009S/SR007/Utopia are technically superior to my ears and the LCD4 brings the bass slam, texture and impact like nothing else (I've never heard any Abyss headphones). I don't think anything can compete with the sealed front volume created by those super thick LCD4 pads. It's the only headphone I've heard which feels like placing a night club on my head.

I think setting a stratospheric price tag is very clever as it builds a certain mystique around a headphone. Even though I should know better I think WOW $6K they must be special in some way right?

I'm not saying they're not amazing. I just think that everyone gets influenced by the price tag more than they'd like to admit.

 

I sometimes use this justification to get Fang to lower the Susvara price yet if the Susvara will be 2K you'd have to pay me to own most other headphones. If you can't hear the lack of lower treble of the LCD-4 something's wrong I may thing.

The Utopia stage is a major issue unless you're a handful of people who like a super intimate small stage. As for EQ, I'd expect at this level one would hear the artefacts digital EQ impairs unless done by analogue EQ and even then a can of worms is opened.

The Susvara cable may appear and be cheap yet I can't say it limits ultimate performance and build quality may suck major balls overall yet I for one can't name a headphone that comes close for sound quality, a super driven HD650 or 009 MSB driven can come close but the sheer hyper natural musicality of Susvara can't be denied unless it's not amped properly. It's a bitch to drive.

 

SR009/SR009S/SR007/Utopia/LCD4 and are willing to EQ

I did mention EQ

e artefacts digital EQ impairs unless done by analogue EQ - I've heard zero artifacts from Eqing my SR009S, Utopia and LCD4, maybe my critical listening ability is crap. it's definitely a possibility.

The Susvara cable may appear and be cheap - My brand new loaner unit's cable arrived with a bunch of kinks in it. It looks like it costs $2. It's a 6500 Euros product. Unbelievable. 3 x Susvaras = A brand new high spec Toyota Corolla hybrid with adaptive cruise control and a bunch of safety tech. I can only laugh at this.

a super driven HD650 or 009 MSB driven can come close -

To my ears the SR009S is clearly superior in terms of technical performance. We'll have to agree to disagree. I hear a slight planar haze from both LCD4 and Susvara compared to SR009S and Utopia.

 

What are you driving the Susvara with?

 

Custom balanced Dynalo that puts out 5W at 60 ohms. Loud enough at 10 O'clock.

Headfi wisdom is to spend 12800 GBP on the Hifiman EF1000 or 12800 euros on the Viva Egoista 845.

I believe that the Susvara only truly comes alive with Dan D'Agostino's Relentless monoblocks.


In all seriousness can someone explain this to me:

Does the headphone know how expensive or powerful the amp is? Or does it simply draw the current it needs at whatever the volume is set at?

For example if my amp puts out 5W max at the Susvara impedance, the Susvara draws a fraction of that at 10 O'clock on the volume knob right? So even if the amp were capable of putting out 20W max the headphone would still draw that small same amount of power to get to my listening level?