Short answer: the HIFIMAN Sundara Closed-Back. It ranks #147 of 216 over-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 3.3/5, at $129; the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro ranks #168, rated 3.0/5, and costs $129.99, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
What the HIFIMAN Sundara Closed-Back does well: A planar magnetic closed-back at 20 ohms and 98 dB, so a phone can drive it. The catch: Presence from 3 to 6 kHz is about 4.8 dB low, with a 9.5 dB dip near 4 kHz, so vocals and snare attack sound recessed.
What the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro does well: A wireless gaming headset with a built-in microphone, Bluetooth 5.2 and a rated 70 hours of battery, so it rarely needs charging. The tradeoff: The response is uneven, with a standard deviation near 3.5 dB, so tonal balance drifts from the target in music.
Buy the HIFIMAN Sundara Closed-Back. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro and costs less, which makes it the one to get unless you need something the other one does better.
Want more options? Browse the full Headphones rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| HIFIMAN Sundara Closed-Back | Razer BlackShark V2 Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $129.00 | $129.99 |
| Ranked | #147 of 216 in Over-Ear Headphones | #168 of 216 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 66 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) | 60 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.77 dB standard deviation | 3.47 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.87 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.69 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-2.4 dB at 30 Hz) | - |
| Connection | Wired | Wireless |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Driver Type | Planar magnetic | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 50mm planar magnetic | 1 x 50mm dynamic |
| Impedance | 20 ohms | 32 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 98 dB | 100 dB SPL/mW |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs (426 g) | 0.7 lbs (320 g) |
| Frequency Response | 6Hz - 50kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 12Hz - 28kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Active Noise Cancelling | - | No |
| Battery Life | - | 70 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | - | Yes |
| IP Rating | - | None |
Related Headphone Comparisons
How HIFIMAN Sundara Closed-Back compares with other leading options:
- AKG K361 vs HIFIMAN Sundara Closed-Back
- Sennheiser ACCENTUM Plus vs HIFIMAN Sundara Closed-Back
- Austrian Audio Hi-X15 vs HIFIMAN Sundara Closed-Back
- Razer BlackShark V2 Pro vs Audio-Technica ATH-AD500X
- Audio-Technica ATH-AD700X vs Razer BlackShark V2 Pro
Prices on this page were last checked October 11, 2026 at 4:59 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Headphones In Full
HIFIMAN Sundara Closed-Back: $129.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: A planar magnetic closed-back at 20 ohms and 98 dB, so a phone can drive it. Bass from 60 Hz to 3 kHz is within about 0.5 dB of target, giving a natural foundation for vocals. The closed back isolates.
Cons: Presence from 3 to 6 kHz is about 4.8 dB low, with a 9.5 dB dip near 4 kHz, so vocals and snare attack sound recessed. Treble from 6 to 10 kHz is another 3.3 dB under, adding dullness, and sub-bass is about 2.6 dB light. At 426 g it is heavy, and it is wired only, with no wireless or noise cancelling.
Full HIFIMAN Sundara Closed-Back review and specifications →
| Released | Aug 2022 (4 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.77 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Planar magnetic |
| Drivers | 1 x 50mm planar magnetic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 6Hz - 50kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 66 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 20 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 98 dB |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-2.4 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.87 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs (426 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.3 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +2.7 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 3,877 Hz | +6.3 dB | 2.27 |
| Peak | 1,315 Hz | -3.9 dB | 2.53 |
| Peak | 302 Hz | -4.1 dB | 3.68 |
| Peak | 110 Hz | -3.0 dB | 0.74 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -2.7 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 9,405 Hz | +4.2 dB | 2.95 |
| Peak | 549 Hz | +3.8 dB | 2.49 |
| Peak | 362 Hz | -1.7 dB | 4.10 |
| Peak | 1,015 Hz | -1.6 dB | 4.84 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Razer BlackShark V2 Pro: $129.99 Wireless Amazon eBay
Pros: A wireless gaming headset with a built-in microphone, Bluetooth 5.2 and a rated 70 hours of battery, so it rarely needs charging. Its Harman preference score of 60 in crinacle’s measurement is fairly close to the target for a gaming headset. The 50mm driver at 32 ohms and 100 dB SPL/mW is easy to drive, and the price is low.
Cons: The response is uneven, with a standard deviation near 3.5 dB, so tonal balance drifts from the target in music. It has no active noise cancelling, and at 320 g it is on the heavy side. The Anker Soundcore Space One has a higher rating and offers ANC and LDAC for a lower price.
Full Razer BlackShark V2 Pro review and specifications →
| Released | Jun 2023 (3 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Active Noise Cancelling | No |
| Back | Closed |
| Battery Life | 70 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Connection | Wireless |
| Deviation From Target | 3.47 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 50mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 12Hz - 28kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 60 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| IP Rating | None |
| Impedance | 32 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 100 dB SPL/mW |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.69 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.7 lbs (320 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -5.4 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +1.9 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 153 Hz | -7.6 dB | 0.72 |
| Peak | 625 Hz | +5.9 dB | 0.85 |
| Peak | 3,612 Hz | -4.0 dB | 4.82 |
| Peak | 398 Hz | +2.5 dB | 2.18 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -1.5 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 2,525 Hz | +2.7 dB | 3.01 |
| Peak | 1,373 Hz | -1.5 dB | 2.52 |
| Peak | 1,953 Hz | +1.0 dB | 3.23 |
| Peak | 3,166 Hz | -1.8 dB | 5.42 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons