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Head to head · for music listening
Sennheiser HD 650 vs HIFIMAN Sundara
More people recommend the Sennheiser HD 650 overall (152 vs 79). Only 1 of the 103 comments naming both explicitly choose one (1 for the Sennheiser HD 650, 0 for the HIFIMAN Sundara), too few to call a winner.
- Comments naming both
- 103
- Say they own both
- 11
- Choose the HD 650
- 1
- Choose the Sundara
- 0
Preference evidence:Limited1 explicit choice among 103 comments naming both.What the levels mean
Counted across 39 review videos, harvested Sep 2026. A comment counts as a choice only when it says so in plain words (prefer X over Y, upgraded from Y to X); questions never count. Quotes are whole sentences of 12 words or fewer, linked to where they were said. How we count.
 |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical price | $345 | $179cheaper |
| Overall rank | #1higher | #7 |
| People who recommend it | 152more | 79 |
| Say they own it | 213more | 109 |
| Mentions | 1,403more | 806 |
| Type | open-back wired | open-back planar wired |
| Known for | VocalsJazzRelaxed | Planar detailHomeAmp helps |
| Best for | The one headphone almost everyone in the hobby has owned; recommended as the safe buy for long, relaxed music sessions. | The planar most often recommended under $200, by people who already have, or will buy, a small desktop amp. |
| Buy | Amazon · $345 | Amazon · $179 |
People who mention both, in their own words
“I have the HD6xx and the Sundaras”
Owns bothA commenter under Best Headphones Under $500 Compared! (The Headphone Show) · Sep 2022
#1 overall
Sennheiser HD 650 (also sold as Drop HD 6XX)
21 of the 103 comments naming both come from people who say they own this one.
What owners love
- The single most-recommended headphone across every forum read: warm, smooth and easy to listen to for hours
- Scales with better amps; several owners run it on expensive tube amps and say it keeps up
- Female vocals and mids that owners describe as amazing
- The Drop HD 6XX version sold for $199-220 for years, which made it the default first audiophile headphone
The complaints
- Needs an amp; from a phone it sounds flat
- No real sub-bass
- Clamp is tight on big heads
- Some find the slight bass tilt less balanced than the HD 600; soundstage is small
In their words
“Been using HD6XX for years and I love them for gaming”
A commenter under What GAMING Headphones AUDIOPHILES Use: 2024 Update! (BadSeed Tech) · Jun 2024
“I have both 600 and 6xx and i love them both”
A commenter under The NEW HD600!! (Joshua Valour) · Feb 2020
“I have the HD-6XX and love them”
A commenter under Why You SHOULDN'T Buy HD 600... & What To Get Instead (The Headphone Show) · Sep 2025
#7 overall
HIFIMAN Sundara
15 of the 103 comments naming both come from people who say they own this one.
What owners love
- Planar speed and detail that people say is unmatched at the price
- Good soundstage and imaging; responds well to EQ
- Frequently on sale or open-box direct from HIFIMAN, which is how many owners bought it
- Comfortable and clean; several owners say they stopped shopping after buying it
The complaints
- Needs a proper amp or DAC/amp; weak from a phone
- Older units had driver failures and some people call HIFIMAN build and quality control poor
- Tuning takes getting used to; a couple of listeners simply do not like planars
In their words
“I bought the Sundara on your recommendations and really love it”
A commenter under Sundara v 660S v 1990 (Under $500 Headphone Comparison) (Joshua Valour) · Feb 2020
“I got my Sundaras at a crazy price, and I love them”
A commenter under The Best Deal in Audio... Period. (Joshua Valour) · Nov 2024
“I use the sundaras and i would recommend them”
A commenter under Why Do All Streamers Use These Headphones? (Dagwummy) · Jul 2023
Questions people ask about this pair
Every answer is built from the counts on this page, not from our own listening.
- Is the Sennheiser HD 650 better than the HIFIMAN Sundara?
- Only 1 of the 103 comments naming both choose one (1 for the Sennheiser HD 650, 0 for the HIFIMAN Sundara), too few to call a winner. Overall, 152 people recommend the Sennheiser HD 650 and 79 the HIFIMAN Sundara.
- Which is cheaper, the Sennheiser HD 650 or the HIFIMAN Sundara?
- The HIFIMAN Sundara is cheaper: $179 against $345 when we last checked. Prices move, so the buy buttons show the live price.
- Which do more people recommend, the Sennheiser HD 650 or the HIFIMAN Sundara?
- The Sennheiser HD 650: 152 people recommend it against 79. On the site-wide leaderboard the Sennheiser HD 650 is #1 and the HIFIMAN Sundara is #7.
- Do people own both the Sennheiser HD 650 and the HIFIMAN Sundara?
- Yes. 11 of the 103 comments that name both come from people who say they own both pairs. 21 say they own the Sennheiser HD 650 and 15 the HIFIMAN Sundara.
- What do owners complain about on the Sennheiser HD 650 and the HIFIMAN Sundara?
- The most repeated complaint about the Sennheiser HD 650: needs an amp; from a phone it sounds flat. About the HIFIMAN Sundara: needs a proper amp or DAC/amp; weak from a phone. The full lists are on each side below.