Audio-Technica ATH-R70x vs HiFiMan Sundara
105 facts in comparison
Based on 2,584 Reddit opinions. Audio-Technica ATH-R70xAudio-Technica ATH-R70x leads by 12 points.
2.6K opinions
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x leads by 12pts
VS
Reddit's Pick
89%
A-
Based on
1,638 Redditors
Winner
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x
~$343
836 opinions
tldr; AT's open reference. Light, neutral, professional. Underrated studio pick.
Check pricesVS
77%
B
Based on
3,450 Redditors
HiFiMan Sundara
~$179
1,748 opinions
tldr; Planar gateway drug. $300, sounds like $600. The value king that started many journeys.
Check prices🎵SOU
😌COM
💰VAL
🔧BUI
⚡FEA
76
Points
61
Points
Score by Category
Sound Quality
87%74%
Comfort
78%53%
Value
92%89%
Build Quality
49%43%
Features
0%46%
Why is HiFiMan Sundara better than Audio-Technica ATH-R70x?
- Insane value
- Planar magic
- HFM QC lottery
Based on 5,088 Reddit opinions
Clear Winner
Reddit prefers the Audio-Technica ATH-R70xAudio-Technica ATH-R70x
Winning by 12 points (89% vs 77%)
Better comfort
Better sound quality
Better bass
High confidence (5,088 mentions)
💬Reddit Sentiment
Based on 5,088 Reddit mentionsOverall Rating
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x
8.9/10
1,638 mentions
HiFiMan Sundara
7.7/10
3,450 mentions
COMFORT
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x7.8/10
HiFiMan Sundara5.3/10
SOUND QUALITY
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x8.7/10
HiFiMan Sundara7.4/10
BASS
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x7.5/10
HiFiMan Sundara6.2/10
BUILD QUALITY
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x4.9/10
HiFiMan Sundara4.3/10
VALUE
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x9.2/10
HiFiMan Sundara8.9/10
FEATURES
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x0.0/10
HiFiMan Sundara4.6/10
⚔️
Head to Head
| Topic | Audio-Technica ATH-R70x | HiFiMan Sundara |
|---|---|---|
Comfort | 78% | 53% |
Sound Quality | 87% | 74% |
Bass | 75% | 62% |
Build Quality | 49% | 43% |
Value | 92% | 89% |
Features | 0% | 46% |
Category Wins
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x: 5|HiFiMan Sundara: 1
Head to Head
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x: 5|HiFiMan Sundara: 1
ComfortAudio-Technica ATH-R70x
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x78%
HiFiMan Sundara53%
Sound QualityAudio-Technica ATH-R70x
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x87%
HiFiMan Sundara74%
BassAudio-Technica ATH-R70x
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x75%
HiFiMan Sundara62%
Build QualityAudio-Technica ATH-R70x
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x49%
HiFiMan Sundara43%
ValueAudio-Technica ATH-R70x
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x92%
HiFiMan Sundara89%
FeaturesHiFiMan Sundara
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x0%
HiFiMan Sundara46%
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x
89%
77%
HiFiMan Sundara
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x89%
HiFiMan Sundara77%
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x wins by 12 points
Key Specs
| Spec | Audio-Technica ATH-R70x | HiFiMan Sundara |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Open-back reference, over-ear | — |
| Driver Diameter | 45 mm | — |
| Frequency Response | 5-40,000 Hz | 6Hz-75kHz |
| Impedance | 470 ohms | 37 Ohms |
| Sensitivity | 98 dB/mW | 94dB |
Key Highlights
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x
📐 Reference neutral
🪶 Very light
🎧 Studio focused
💰 Budget-friendly option
HiFiMan SundaraWinner
💰 Insane value
🎵 Planar magic
⚠️ HFM QC lottery
👑 Budget benchmark
Topic Battles
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x: 4|Tied: 0|HiFiMan Sundara: 1
🎵Sound Quality
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x winsAudio-Technica ATH-R70x
87%
HiFiMan Sundara
74%
😌Comfort
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x winsAudio-Technica ATH-R70x
78%
HiFiMan Sundara
53%
💰Value
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x winsAudio-Technica ATH-R70x
92%
HiFiMan Sundara
89%
🔧Build Quality
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x winsAudio-Technica ATH-R70x
49%
HiFiMan Sundara
43%
⚡Features
HiFiMan Sundara winsAudio-Technica ATH-R70x
0%
HiFiMan Sundara
46%
Based on Reddit sentiment across 5 categories
📈Where They Rank
💬What Redditors Actually Say
What Redditors Say
Best praise vs top criticism for Audio-Technica ATH-R70x
Best Praise
+46 pts“It's hard to top the R70x; I use it every day and have been for almost 9 years. Take good care of it and imo, you'll probably never find another pair of headphones you'll like more.”
r/headphones
ViewTop Criticism
+12 pts“An updates R70x? Shut up and take m- Oh... They've ditched the wing system. I actually really like the wings. Also, is it me or does it look like there's no horizontal cup swivel now? They've added in the vertical swivel that was missing on the original, but it looks like they've pulled a hifiman and taken away the horizontal swivel.”
r/headphones
View3 more quotes available below
What Redditors Say
Best praise vs top criticism for HiFiMan Sundara
Best Praise
+190 pts“Wife asked me what I wanted for Xmas and I was looking at the closed back sundara as a possible replacement for my HD569 for use on the Sofa. So sent it over but she stated she’d already gotten me my big present. So figured I would try and pick them up in January. But then this arrived. Nice surprise, looking forward to trying them out!”
r/headphones
ViewTop Criticism
+85 pts“I ordered a brand new (supposedly) pair of Sundaras from HiFiMan's Amazon store, and upon opening the box I noticed white dusty stuff on the open back of the headphones, in the finer mesh material. I knew HiFiMan has a reputation for QC issues but I was not expecting *mold*. I contacted customer service about it and sent photos and microscope images. Here's hoping they have a good response. Definitely disappointed but I guess that's the risk you take.”
r/headphones
View3 more quotes available below
Sentiment Over Time
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x
HiFiMan Sundara
📈Historical Price Data
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x
HiFiMan Sundara
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x
All-time low: $199(2020-02)
HiFiMan Sundara
All-time low: $159(2025-11)
Which is Better?
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x Wins
89%
ATH-R70x
vs
77%
Sundara
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x leads by 12 points based on 5,088 Reddit opinions.
Why Audio-Technica ATH-R70xWinner
- 📐 Reference neutral
- 🪶 Very light
- 🎧 Studio focused
Why HiFiMan Sundara
- Better Features (46% vs 0%)
- More discussed (3,450 vs 1,638)
❤️The Love/Hate Breakdown
Sentiment Breakdown
46%Positive
Positive
46%Neutral
49%Negative
5%Based on 1,638 Reddit opinions
Sentiment Breakdown
39%Positive
Positive
39%Neutral
50%Negative
11%Based on 3,450 Reddit opinions
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Audio-Technica ATH-R70x or HiFiMan Sundara?
Based on 5,088 Reddit comments, Audio-Technica ATH-R70x is the preferred choice with 89% positive sentiment vs HiFiMan Sundara's 77%. Audio-Technica ATH-R70x leads by 12 percentage points.
Should I buy Audio-Technica ATH-R70x or HiFiMan Sundara?
If you want the safer choice based on community sentiment, Audio-Technica ATH-R70x has stronger approval ratings (89% vs 77%). However, HiFiMan Sundara may still be better depending on your specific needs, budget, or use case.
What do Redditors love about Audio-Technica ATH-R70x?
Reddit users highlight: Reference neutral. Very light. Studio focused. With 1,638 mentions and 89% approval, it's a well-regarded choice in the community.
What do Redditors say about HiFiMan Sundara?
Reddit users highlight: Insane value. Planar magic. HFM QC lottery. With 3,450 mentions and 77% approval, it remains a popular alternative.
How many Reddit reviews were analyzed?
This comparison analyzed 5,088 Reddit comments: 1,638 about Audio-Technica ATH-R70x and 3,450 about HiFiMan Sundara. Data was sourced from headphones community discussions.
How accurate are these ratings?
Our sentiment analysis is approximately 80-85% accurate compared to manual review. Well-discussed products with many mentions tend to have more reliable scores than niche items with fewer data points.
Why trust Reddit over professional reviews?
Reddit users bought products with their own money and have no incentive to mislead. You're seeing hundreds of real opinions across different use cases, not just one reviewer's take. This crowdsourced approach surfaces both common praise and recurring complaints.
2,584 Reddit opinions analyzed · Last updated 6/15/2026