HiFiMAN SUSVARA UNVEILED HEADPHONES
HiFiMAN Susvara Unveiled Headphones are the current flagship of the HiFiMan headphone range, taking that crown from the HiFiMAN Susvara. They represent a significant investment at £7499, and that price demands that potential buyers are committed to their headphone setup. Oscar Stewart takes a listen and shares his views with HiFi PiG readers.
In this review, I’ll be looking at the current flagship planar magnetic model from HiFiMAN – the Susvara Unveiled. I’ve been using these for quite some time now, and have become very familiar with their sound; their predecessor, the Susvara, has been one of my benchmarks for a few years now, and this new model aims to build on their success, rather than replace them.
These are not for the faint-hearted head-fier, though, as they come with a hefty £7499 price tag and require a powerful headphone amp to get the best out of them.
BUILD QUALITY AND FEATURES OF THE HiFiMAN SUSVARA UNVEILED
Anyone familiar with HiFiMAN will recognise the design and build of these; they are very similar to the original Susvara in many ways, with a comfort strap headband and easy adjustment points. The cups are the same size and shape; the colours have changed, though, as the Unveiled comes with a tan headband and earpads instead of black. The outer earcups are also all-metal on the Unveiled, and do not have the wooden strip around them that the Susvara have. The grilles, however, are different, as the Unveiled now has no grille in the way of the driver, just the slats that hold the stealth magnets – many people mentioned the ability to damage the driver with this design, and it is true to a point. On the flip side, you get rid of any unwanted sound artefacts that grilles can cause, and these come with magnetic covers and a very classy storage box to keep them in when not in use.
The headphones are well built overall with a mostly metal construction, and the earpads are relatively easy to replace (they are user-replaceable). The cable uses dual 3.5mm connectors, so finding a suitable replacement or even an upgrade cable is very easy. The stock cable is a bit of an improvement over the early Susvara models, which used an odd rubbery transparent sheath; this one has the same conductors yet features a more ergonomic fabric sheath. You get two cables in the box, one terminating in a standard 6.3mm single-ended connector, the other with a 4-pin balanced connector.
In terms of features, these are full-size, open-back headphones that use a planar magnetic driver, which features a nanometre-thin diaphragm, which is extremely lightweight for superior transient response. They also feature HiFiMAN’s stealth magnets, which are shaped in such a way as to not impede the airflow of the driver itself, which means the magnets are audibly transparent.
One thing to note is that the driver is different between the Susvara and Susvara Unveiled, with the former using gold traces and the latter using silver. By using silver traces, the sensitivity rating has gone up slightly, making them a little easier to drive than the normal Susvara (which is known to be one of the most difficult headphones to drive). The Unveiled are now rated at 45Ohms and 86dB/mw sensitivity, as opposed to the 60Ohms and 83dB/mw of the standard model. Suffice to say, whilst the sensitivity has increased slightly, these are still headphones that need some juice to do them justice; an amp that can do 3W into 50Ohms should be sufficient – these are not made to be used with portable sources at all.
Comfort is excellent in my opinion, as someone who always prefers the comfort strap style of headband, these work very well for me. They distribute the weight very well, and the clamping force is just right for me. The stock earpads are hybrid and use fabric against your head with leatherette on the outer side of the earpads. They do a good job of providing a comfortable fit without being too hot over long listening sessions.
SOUND QUALITY
I have been using these headphones with my main setup consisting of the S.M.S.L D6S balanced DAC running XLR into an iFi iCAN Phantom headphone amplifier, using its 4-pin balanced output into the Susvara Unveiled. All listening in the main review section is based on the iCAN Phantom in solid-state mode, and no other settings were changed (with a fully balanced setup, this amp drives these at 0dB gain fine). As mentioned, I’ve been using these for quite some time now. However, the first thing you will notice when listening to these is just how open they sound, with no grilles and a fully open design, they do excel in this area.
Starting off with a song I absolutely love, Grayscale’s Forever Yours; it might not be the best acoustic recording ever, yet it does highlight the vocal quality of these headphones. These are headphones that give you a very honest presentation of the music being played; they don’t big anything up, or play anything down – they give you a faithful and clear window into the track being played. OK, they’re deliberately not a studio tuning, yet this is a high-quality HiFi sounding headphone, with excellent qualities. From separation, spaciousness, stereo imaging, and tonality, they are clean headphones that don’t mask anything. Each and every detail in this song shines through, with tactility and realism.
Changing up the pace a little with I Prevail’s Alone, a metalcore anthem with a softer tone and powerful impact. This track has an underlying electronic beat, and that is easily handled by the Susvara Unveiled, and with bass extension without any bloat whatsoever. These are effortlessly controlled headphones; they can give you deep bass without it ever becoming the focus of the sound. Once again, the crisp vocal clarity cuts through with emotion and drive. The treble is crisp and clear without a hint of brightness. These are incredibly detailed headphones, yet the details are handled in a refined way; they never call out for your attention whilst always remaining present.
Before toning it down, a recent track highlighted by Wim at Kii has made its way into my regular listening tracks. This is a brutally heavy track that hits hard and digs deep with a huge amount of energy and dynamics. It’s called Self-Destruct, by Kublai Khan Tx, and if you want a system tester and can handle screamy vocals, I highly recommend you give it a listen. This is one I cranked up a little, and wow, this is where the Unveiled shows off against the original Susvara. Not to be clichéd, but it is a little like a thin veil has been lifted; these have more energy and tighter punch; they have a slightly more direct and energetic delivery, which works very well with metal. The original Susvara has a slightly softer, smoother sound, whilst these unleash a bit more clarity and drive – one isn’t necessarily better than the other, it purely depends on taste. The guttural vocals are as clear as they can be, drum hits have excellent impact, the drops have that heavy and thick sound they should, whilst the heavy bass line sounds sublime. The cymbals crash around you with pinpoint positioning and tonality, and this track is a real assault on the senses – in the best possible way. This is a track that highlights how good the transient response and dynamics are of these headphones.
Next up, we have Myrkur’s Gammelkäring, a Nordic folk song played on an old Swedish instrument, the nyckelharpa. During the intro, there is a deep bass note that is cleanly delivered on the Susvara Unveiled, then the nyclekharpa comes in. The Susvara Unveiled give you the ability to hear every stroke of the bow across the strings. When the vocals come in, there is a wonderful sense of air around them; they are also smooth yet incredibly detailed, and they have no issues with the range of this song. The vocals come across in such a natural way, there are no peaks or dips, just effortless sound emanating from the drivers.
The Doors’ Maggie M’Gill is a brilliant track showing off the groove and stereo imaging of these headphones. It doesn’t matter what you throw at these; they can handle it. The one thing they will highlight, though, is the quality of the recording. These don’t mask anything, so when you get the right track, they sound sublime, yet some poorer recordings sound a little flat. They are quite ruthless in that sense; luckily, this track has no such issues. The underlying bluesy beat will have you tapping your feet along, the hard panned guitars work well with the rock-solid centre imaging, allowing for space between all the elements in the recording.
Much like my previous review of the HEDDphone Two GT, these are not necessarily headphones that excel at electronic music with a heavy bass beat. It’s not that they cannot handle it, nor is it that they don’t have the depth to portray it; it is once again a matter of delivery. They easily handle the bass drops and various synths, yet don’t quite have that heft and impactful bass that many will crave with certain EDM genres.
Lastly, I listened to The Night Window from the film 1917, an epic classical score that builds slowly, and these headphones really do sound phenomenal with this track. The intro has some small twinkling sounds that float around a black background (the soundstaging here is astonishingly good), then the track builds, and there is a huge sense of scale, highlighting once again that these do not struggle with highly dynamic pieces of music. You can easily place every section of the orchestra within the space, yet there is plenty of air between them; this is an experience, and one that is utterly captivating.
Comparing them to the original Susvara, I used the track Trains, by Porcupine Tree, a song I am very familiar with. On the Unveiled, the acoustic intro is crystal clear, and when the band kicks in, there is great energy and a certain crispness to the sound that keeps everything sounding very clean. The bass notes still have excellent articulation and punch; there is a lot of detail and clarity overall, though without them sounding thin or bright. Switching to the original Susvara, you get a slightly less direct sound; they are somewhat softer in their delivery, whilst maintaining excellent detail still. The acoustic intro sounds a little smoother, and when the band kicks in, the energy isn’t as immediate. The original has a slightly warmer tilt, and there is a little more bass presence, but they are still a detailed headphone – there is no doubt about that.
As mentioned previously, the new Unveiled isn’t necessarily better than the original; some will prefer the slightly crisper and more energetic Unveiled, while others will enjoy the slightly smoother and fuller original. The great thing about both these headphones is that they scale up with kit. I have listened to both through the Feliks Audio Envy and the Auris Headonia 300B (amongst others) – both of which are excellent pairings with these headphones. Likewise, but in a lesser way, activating tube mode on the iFi iCAN Phantom works a treat depending on the mood you are in. I love the slightly clearer delivery of the Susvara Unveiled for a lot of the music I listen to, that doesn’t mean I don’t still have a lot of love and appreciation for the original.
QUIBBLES
There is no getting over the fact that this is a pair of headphones that cost £7,499, a huge chunk of cash in this market, no matter how good they sound.
CONCLUSION
This is a real flagship headphone, and for many, it is considered end game – and that is somewhat true for me too. These are the perfect balance between electrostatic speed and planar magnetic impact; they have a slightly more linear response compared to the original Susvara and come across snappier and clearer when listening side by side. This is a truly exceptional headphone that scales up with the kit you use them with, having heard them with quite a range of amps over my time with them. For a long time, the Susvara have been my reference point, and the Unveiled will now take that spot as they are such a capable headphone – if you want some of the best headphones on the market, these are well worth an audition.
These are headphones I can easily get lost in, and that means listening for hours without noticing where the time went. They keep you wanting to listen to track after track, and that to me is what this is all about. Yes, you can get that at a substantially cheaper price, but these have something special, and it’s difficult to truly comprehend until you hear a pair.
There is something captivating about their ability to sound utterly convincing in the sound they put out, and they will have you tapping your feet or head bopping along and forgetting you have a pair of headphones on at all.
AT A GLANCE
Build Quality And Features:
They are well built overall, with easily replaceable parts
Sound Quality:
Simply sublime, one of the best headphones currently available
Value For Money:
Difficult to say, to beat these you would need to spend substantially more, yet it may be hard for many to justify the price tag of these
We Loved:
The sheer effortlessness of the sound
How natural and convincing they sound across genres
We Didn’t Love So Much:
The price and the included cable
Elevator Pitch Review: If you are looking for a pair of end-game headphones to complete an already excellent source/amp setup, then these are likely to already be on your radar. And my suggestion is to demo them and, if possible, against the original Susvara, as you may prefer those. Personally, I love the way these have a captivating yet balanced sound that comes across as natural and unforced – a truly special headphone. Just keep paperclips and other items away from them; the unveiled nature of the build does have “some” associated risks.
Price: £7499
Oscar Stewart
SUPPLIED SPECIFICATION
Specifications
- Frequency Response: 6 Hz – 75 kHz.
- Impedance: 45 Ω
- Sensitivity: 86 dB.
- Weight: 430 g (excluding Magnetic Veils and headphone cable).
Included
- 1 x HiFiMan Susvara Unveiled Headphones.
- 1 x Headphone Cable, 3.00 m, with 4-Pin XLR connector.
- 1 x Headphone Cable, 3.00 m, with 6.35 mm Jack connector.
- 2 x Magnetic Veils.
- 1 x Pair of Ear Pads (pre-mounted).
- 1 x Documentation
