Today, Marcus reviews the HIFIMAN Susvara Unveiled, a new flagship headphone with a unique planar magnetic driver design with a fully open back. They are priced at $8000.
Disclaimer: This sample was sent to me in exchange for my honest opinion. Headfonics is an independent website with no affiliate links or status. I am grateful to the Headfonics team. HIFIMAN for your support.
To read more about the HIFIMAN Products we have previously reviewed on Headfonics click here.
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HIFIMAN Susvara Review
Summary
The HIFIMAN Susvara Unveiled is for many a state-of-the-art experience. At $8000, this is the point where the audiophile train will stop for many hardcore audiophiles.
Its highly detailed, spacious-sounding presentation has few, if any, competitors that can in any way justify the investment.
Advantages
Impressive resolution and dynamic range.
Improved midrange response compared to the original Susvara
Excellent levels of comfort
Cons
High risk of damage if not handled carefully
Slightly weak magnets on cup lids.
Redefining top-of-the-line headphones comes with inherent risk. Things can always go wrong, leading to negative reviews and being seen as a failure.
HIFIMAN has taken that risk with its new flagship open-back headphone model Susvara Unveiled, which technically replaces one of my all-time favorite headphones, the Susvara.
And when I say open back, I mean extremely open, with no grilles, exposed drivers, and an all-new silver conductive layer combined with an updated external design and finish.
The price has gone up. At $8,000, it's probably well above what most people are willing to pay for a pair of headphones, especially if they don't have a protective grill.
However, as an engineering statement of what can be done and what a TOTL headphone can sound like, the Susvara Unveiled is an incredible achievement. Speed, resolution and openness of staging are all present in abundance.
Yes, these are different headphones, and in some ways they sound better than the original. However, preference is a curious thing, so I think some will stick with the old rather than make way for the new.
My full review below explains in detail why and how you should stick with these headphones, whether you should switch brands, or even avoid them altogether and choose another competing brand.
Characteristics
In many ways, the HIFIMAN Susvara Unveiled shares a similar driver technical foundation as its bigger brother.
That includes a planar 80mm driver with a 1µm or nano-thickness diaphragm, the 'Window Shade' design for distortion and unwanted resonance control, and an invisible dual magnet array that debuted with the original Susvara in 2017.
Within that framework, however, some important “tweaks” have been made to create the “Susvara Unveiled” concept. The least talked about change, but one I believe to be almost as critical, is the change of the driver conductor material from gold to silver.
In addition to the improved conductivity of silver over gold, which generally provides greater air perception and clarity, you also get a better sensitivity rating and lower impedance from the new driver.
This means that the Susvara Unveiled is technically easier to drive than the original with a 45 Ω impedance compared to 60 Ω, with a sensitivity rating of 86 dB/mW instead of 83 dB.
These are still not efficient planar headphones, but they are certainly headphones that will open up a wider selection of amplifiers to pair with than their predecessor.
Fully open
The most talked about change is the shift to the completely open acoustic design around the Susvara Unveiled drivers. This includes the removal of the outer grille and the redesign of the “sunshade” system, which leaves a very exposed or open driver.
The concept here is to completely eliminate any possible disturbance to the sound wave dispersion of the driver. Since the headphone grilles are physical barriers that can produce reflections, these can affect the performance of this sensitive diaphragm.
Of course, that means a very high risk of damaging the controller if you accidentally touch exposed surfaces during use, but it could also attract potentially harmful dust when not in use.
I think HIFIMAN recognizes this with the inclusion of two magnetized metal plate covers that slide over the cups to protect the drivers when not in use.
However, don't mistake these cup plates for the ability to produce a closed rendition of the Susvara Unveiled. Trust me, it sounds awful with the plates in place.
Design
Open
The classic Susvara with a 'soft teardrop' shape and lightweight design is more than just a reintroduced original without a grille.
It is true that the open silver-coloured driver's side and the uniform window protection grilles in the centre of the cup are the dominant features of the renewed design.
Beyond that, though, there's a surprising high-end debut for the tan and silver hues first seen in the DEVA and DEVA Prosomething I was hoping to see on other HIFIMAN headphones at some point as I'm a fan of that color scheme.
Of course, others will prefer the more traditional wood veneers of the original Susvara, a popular addition to many HIFIMAN headphones since their launch a decade ago. HE560 and the debut of the HE1000 in 2016.
Combined with the black pressure strap and similarly colored hybrid leatherette and fabric HarmonyPads, the older Susvara has a much darker complexion compared to the Susvara Unveiled's brighter mix of tan fabrics and silver/metal frame.
Covered
You could say the Susvara Unveiled is two-fold because once you attach the two silver metal plate covers you change the aesthetics considerably not to mention add more weight.
However, weight is not an issue with the plates in place, as they are only for non-use conditions.
Attaching them is very easy as they are magnetized and lock into place by pressing them against the cup at the correct angle. There is a small lip at the base of each plate that you can grab to safely remove them.
My only criticism of the plates is how easy it is to remove them with the slightest touch. However, they are well constructed so they are unlikely to suffer any damage even if dropped on the floor.
Rather, it's the quasi-shock value and the noise they make when sliding that bothers me, so I recommend handling them carefully when putting them on or taking them off.
Comfort
Like the original, the Susvara Unveiled are excellent headphones for their fit and comfort.
Excellent articulation in the yokes combined with the large, soft opening of the inner ear cushion cavity creates a very flexible headphone set for heads of all shapes and sizes.
There are plenty of adjustment notches to achieve the perfect height. However, I recommend avoiding fine-tuning the notch level while mounted in case you accidentally touch the controllers.
The official weight of the Susvara Unveiled is 20g lighter than the original, now weighing 430g compared to 450g, but I suspect you won't notice that difference too much. The main reason is the excellent pressure distribution.
I have always thought that HIFIMAN's classic arched metal headband and wide pressure strap system provides the best pressure distribution system of all their generations of headbands.
The lateral pressure is more towards the relaxed side, with vertical being the more dominant of the two forces. However, the strap combined with the soft memory foam of the gently angled ear cushions dissipates the pressure so well that you'll almost never experience an annoying hot spot from extended listening.
430g is not what you would consider light, but somehow that is exactly how the Susvara feels on your head. It lives up to the Meze Audio Empyrean II as one of the most comfortable flat headphones on the market today.
Serial cable
Like its predecessor, the Susvara Unveiled comes with two 3m cables terminated with 4-pin and 6.35mm plus balanced XLR connectors respectively and the new 3.5mm stereo connectors with the original having launched with the old 2.5mm mono connectors (now changed to 3.5mm).
The cable has changed from the original three-core silver-clad crystalline copper geometry to a single crystalline copper wire coupled with a single crystalline silver wire. There is no mention of any change in cable gauge.
I would consider the standard Susvara Unveiled cables to be a considerable improvement over the original Susvara versions, at least externally.
The initial offering was almost like surgical tubing with a rubbery, volatile quality thanks to its PVC jacket combined with slightly banal-looking but still good quality Neutrik connectors.
We now have a higher quality fabric cover that helps dampen cable movement and create more discipline combined with Rean's more refined black barrel connector housing and smooth finished black splitter.
They even come with some handy reusable rubber zip ties instead of the disposable metal ones I prefer to see, at least from an environmental standpoint.
Packaging and accessories
The HIFIMAN Susvara Unveiled uses the company's older, but higher-quality presentation boxes reserved solely for its high-end headphones. These used to be their standard form of presentation for almost all headphones, but now the lower-end ones have a more standardized cardboard box.
The finish is almost the same as the original Susvara case, with its faux black leather exterior, locking lid, and a contoured foam interior. However, the Susvara Unveiled version has additional satin on the foam, as well as two thin slots for cup lids to fit into.
The headphones and boards come in small cloth bags to protect the controllers from damage during transport.
You'll get one for each plate and two larger versions, one for each cup. If you plan to store them long-term, such as for a vacation, the bags can come in handy for extra protection when not in use, so don't throw them away if you can.
Apart from that, you will get a beautiful hardcover booklet similar to the original Susvara but of course updated with everything related to the Susvara Unveiled including measurements.
One comment on the packaging is a recommendation to switch from black to tan. HE1000 The series' box, on the other hand, has a much more complementary color scheme to the silver and tan tones of the Susvara Unveiled.
Click to page 2 below for my sound impressions and recommended pairings.
Click on page 3 below to see my selected comparisons.
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