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New version of Sennheiser HD 560S (!)

Thank you very much.
I guess i found my new headphones.

@Robbo99999 ok, i will try stock and with your EQ preset.
I think it's hard to get that much better! (try adding a touch more bass or a linear tilt to that EQ that I show recently in this thread because I effectively use that EQ but with a bit of a subtle linear tilt to it).
 
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I have another question if someone can help me, since the HD 560s have an impedance of 120ohm.

My motherboard have the Realtek Alc892, and it can drive the HD 555 (50 ohm) with 70% volume on Windows 11.

Since the 560s is 120ohm, iam a bit afraid that even at 100% volume, the sound will be Low.

If i connect the HD 555 to my monitor instead of the motherboard, i only need to use it at 50%, because the sound is louder. But i dont know if iam loosing sound quality.
 
I have another question if someone can help me, since the HD 560s have an impedance of 120ohm.

My motherboard have the Realtek Alc892, and it can drive the HD 555 (50 ohm) with 70% volume on Windows 11.

Since the 560s is 120ohm, iam a bit afraid that even at 100% volume, the sound will be Low.

If i connect the HD 555 to my monitor instead of the motherboard, i only need to use it at 50%, because the sound is louder. But i dont know if iam loosing sound quality.
HD555 has a spec of 112dB per 1 Volt at 1kHz, whereas HD560s has spec of 110dB per 1 Volt at 1kHz, so you'd think you'd lose 2dB of max sound output between the two with the HD560s. 70% Windows Volume that you use for your HD555 is the same as -5.3dBFS, which means you've got another 5.3dB that you could increase the loudness. Given that HD560s is 2dB less sensitive then you'd probably end up running at Windows at -3.3dBFS which is 80% on the Windows main slider. If you're going to use EQ then that requires use of a Negative Preamp, which lowers the volume some more which will eat into the -3.3dBS headroom. I'm thinking you're probably already using EQ though because I'd be surprised if you have to run Windows 11 volume control that high for these headphones when used at stock without any kind of Negative Preamp.
 
Thank you very much @Robbo99999
I also have an Apple Dongle and i've read it's normally better than the onboard sound. I will also give it a try.

Can you point me to the post where you have your EQ Preset?

The 560s are coming today, iam a bit excited to try them
 
Hi all, i have question, so i have option to buy both, kinda same price, one is 3m and one is 1.8, so given that i have both options at hands which one should i choose?

@Robbo99999 @solderdude

right now im using koss 75 with eq (and those sound sick)
 
Thank you very much @Robbo99999
I also have an Apple Dongle and i've read it's normally better than the onboard sound. I will also give it a try.

Can you point me to the post where you have your EQ Preset?

The 560s are coming today, iam a bit excited to try them
Hi, following is my EQ to Harman Curve for New Version HD560s, and note I add the 3 High Shelf Linear Tone Control to that as well which you can see all of it here:
 
Hi all, i have question, so i have option to buy both, kinda same price, one is 3m and one is 1.8, so given that i have both options at hands which one should i choose?

@Robbo99999 @solderdude

right now im using koss 75 with eq (and those sound sick)
You mean you have the option to buy either New Version or Old Version? I'd say New Version because it is better balanced at stock than the Old Version, so gives you the opportunity to use it at stock for a better experience vs stock Old Version. I'd recommend using my EQ rather than an Oratory EQ if you buy the New Version as he does not make a distinction between New Version & Old Version. If you buy the Old Version I'd recommend using one of his older EQ's that was only based off Old Version units being measured (before the New Version had even been introduced), and I have a copy of that particular EQ of his if you need it.
 
You mean you have the option to buy either New Version or Old Version? I'd say New Version because it is better balanced at stock than the Old Version, so gives you the opportunity to use it at stock for a better experience vs stock Old Version. I'd recommend using my EQ rather than an Oratory EQ if you buy the New Version as he does not make a distinction between New Version & Old Version. If you buy the Old Version I'd recommend using one of his older EQ's that was only based off Old Version units being measured (before the New Version had even been introduced), and I have a copy of that particular EQ of his if you need it.
i took new version and with your eq they really sound awesome :)
 
i took new version and with your eq they really sound awesome :)
Nice! Pleased it worked out for you. You'd probably also find that they're still pretty good even without EQ if you ever need to be in a situation where you can't use EQ.
 
Hi. I finally bought these excellent headphones 2 weeks ago.

Initially I was a bit disappointed: a year and a half ago I bought the 599s but gave them back because of the exaggerated, muddled bass, but I liked them for their brilliant treble.
Then I tried Robbo's EQ and now I'm happy. :) Great job! Love it!

I played with the setting a bit:
I turned the bass down a bit and played with the other frequencies. I tried turning the treble down a bit but in the end Robbo's EQ has the most exciting and real sound. I also tried with the mids but it's more complicated not to do any damage. :)

Now I'm used to it even without EQ. A different way of listening when you can't use EQ, but still very good.

I tried to evaluate the balance of the headphones with mono sound and had some doubts but I think it was due to a temporary earwax plug. Without a professional measurement it is very difficult to tell. In my opinion the headphones are very well balanced.

Lately I noticed that the headphones were not symmetrical on my head and yesterday I noticed that one earcup is thicker than the other. More swollen. So one earcup is closer to my ear than the other by a few millimetres. I tried squeezing the more swollen one, the right one....Strangely, though, the more swollen one should put more pressure on the ear instead it's the other way around.

Maybe it's just details and it's me being manic but I wanted to point it out. I've thought about changing them but I don't know if it makes sense and I wouldn't want to end up with a model with real flaws.

You can see it from the picture. I would like your opinion.

Thx
 

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Hi. I finally bought these excellent headphones 2 weeks ago.

Initially I was a bit disappointed: a year and a half ago I bought the 599s but gave them back because of the exaggerated, muddled bass, but I liked them for their brilliant treble.
Then I tried Robbo's EQ and now I'm happy. :) Great job! Love it!

I played with the setting a bit:
I turned the bass down a bit and played with the other frequencies. I tried turning the treble down a bit but in the end Robbo's EQ has the most exciting and real sound. I also tried with the mids but it's more complicated not to do any damage. :)

Now I'm used to it even without EQ. A different way of listening when you can't use EQ, but still very good.

I tried to evaluate the balance of the headphones with mono sound and had some doubts but I think it was due to a temporary earwax plug. Without a professional measurement it is very difficult to tell. In my opinion the headphones are very well balanced.

Lately I noticed that the headphones were not symmetrical on my head and yesterday I noticed that one earcup is thicker than the other. More swollen. So one earcup is closer to my ear than the other by a few millimetres. I tried squeezing the more swollen one, the right one....Strangely, though, the more swollen one should put more pressure on the ear instead it's the other way around.

Maybe it's just details and it's me being manic but I wanted to point it out. I've thought about changing them but I don't know if it makes sense and I wouldn't want to end up with a model with real flaws.

You can see it from the picture. I would like your opinion.

Thx
That's good news that you're enjoying them and my EQ worked out well for you! Regarding the pads, it's a bit hard to tell from the pics but maybe the right earcup pad is a bit thicker at the bottom than the left one in your pic, but it's possible it's just closer to the camera. What can happen is that the pads can change shape a bit over time as you wear them and they start moulding to the shape of your head, so maybe that's what has happened here, our heads are often not totally symmetrical and perhaps you wear your left earcup differently to your right earcup especially if your ears are not totally symmetrical - because we wear headphones so that there is the least amount of touching on our ears so you'll automatically position it naturally according to your ear position, so if you were to look in a mirror wearing your headphone you don't have to expect the headphone to look totally symmetrical on your head because your ears may well not be totally symmetrical. And when you wear the headphone earcups differently between both sides then the pad will conform to the shape of your head differently in that area, so perhaps that's why you're seeing some subtle differences in pad thickness in some areas of the pad when comparing left & right. One thing you could do though is to make sure each earcup is extended the same number of notches (you know notches of adjustment) - that way you're getting the headphone more symmetrical on your head and then you can shift the headphone around subtly to reduce contact with your ears, but sometimes it can make sense to have each earcup extended to slightly different notches to allow it to fit more perfectly on your head & ears, so it's just trial & error to see what's most comfortable.

As a final thought, I'd make sure that the earpads are properly attached to the headphone. Go around the headphone earpads compressing them between your fingers & thumb to make sure they're all clipped into place all around the entire circumference - these pads clip into place around the circumference of the headphone you see. If they're not pushed in properly then it could make them look thicker where they're not pushed in properly - I would try this first. You can pinch it relatively firmly to clip the pads in, so you're unlikely to damage something.
 
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Hi. Yes it's true, the headphones fit over the ears and so the shape changes accordingly. I checked and they seem to be attached correctly. Anyway, I replaced the headphones with another pair. These new ones have a fuller, more enveloping sound.

More pressure persists in the left ear, but I do not think it is due to my head. When stretched, you can see that the headphones tend to have a wider arch on the right earcup. The main structure with the cushion does not seem perfectly symmetrical at the ends. To make myself understood: if I look at them where the letter indicating the ear, I can see the letter R better than the letter L.

Sometimes I lengthen them or shorten them by one notch to find the right pressure balance.

Do you also have more pressure on your left ear?

Anyway, now I am happy with the way they sound.

I also appreciate the default sound of the headphones more. Maybe I got used to it. I can hear the distorted sound of the guitars more, it depends on the type of music I listen to.

I had once read that the HD560S were too analytical: now they are as fun as the HD599 but more precise and with a more balanced sound.

Thanks for the advice.
 
For me I've not noticed any clamping pressure differences between left & right earcup when wearing the headphones - they just feel the same on both sides.

(Theoretically there can't be any clamping force differences between left & right earcups, but I suppose the force can be distributed differently around the pad, but yeah I've not noticed any strange pressure points, both sides feel the same to me.)
 
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Hello! I'm having a hard time deciding between the HD560S, HD600, HD650. I am leaning towards the HD560S as I can get this one for the cheapest, but the HD600 and HD650 seems better built, therefore lasting a longer time, also they seem to sound smoother, more refined and less harsh, (or did the new version of the HD560S completely fixed those kind of spicy treble spikes?). I can get a new HD560S for around 120-130USD, a used HD600 for 190USD, or new HD650 for 250ish USD. For those, who owned them, which one appeals to you the most? Thank you in advance!
 
FWIW.

 
Hello! I'm having a hard time deciding between the HD560S, HD600, HD650. I am leaning towards the HD560S as I can get this one for the cheapest, but the HD600 and HD650 seems better built, therefore lasting a longer time, also they seem to sound smoother, more refined and less harsh, (or did the new version of the HD560S completely fixed those kind of spicy treble spikes?). I can get a new HD560S for around 120-130USD, a used HD600 for 190USD, or new HD650 for 250ish USD. For those, who owned them, which one appeals to you the most? Thank you in advance!
I've got the HD600 and the HD560s (both Old & New Versions). New Version HD560s is the better headphone from a distortion perspective (compared to HD600), less bass distortion whilst also having more deeply extended bass. New Version HD560s has less treble spikiness than Old Version. New Version HD560s for me is very well balanced at stock, so shares in some respects the same philosophy of the HD600 being a pretty well balanced headphone when used at stock. HD560s also has better imaging than HD600 in my experience. HD560s are sturdy headphones too, they're not poorly built - eventhough they're pretty much all plastic it's good quality construction. So for me it's a no brainer.
 
I've got the HD600 and the HD560s (both Old & New Versions). New Version HD560s is the better headphone from a distortion perspective (compared to HD600), less bass distortion whilst also having more deeply extended bass. New Version HD560s has less treble spikiness than Old Version. New Version HD560s for me is very well balanced at stock, so shares in some respects the same philosophy of the HD600 being a pretty well balanced headphone when used at stock. HD560s also has better imaging than HD600 in my experience. HD560s are sturdy headphones too, they're not poorly built - eventhough they're pretty much all plastic it's good quality construction. So for me it's a no brainer.
Appreciate it. I'll probably stick to the HD560S then. Are the mids on the HD560S close to the HD600's near perfect mids?
 
Appreciate it. I'll probably stick to the HD560S then. Are the mids on the HD560S close to the HD600's near perfect mids?
I've not swapped between them for a long time so can't comment on that fine detail, but both headphones have smooth frequency responses in those areas without major deviations from Harman, but with the New Version HD560s being a little bit more laid back in the 2kHz area. I think that actually helps make the New Version HD560s more balanced overall than the HD600 because HD560s doesn't meet Harman in the bass (and neither does HD600) and a little bit of a depression at 2kHz probably makes it more tonally balanced overall given that fact. The idea being that if you're not meeting Harman in the bass then you're probably not going to want to meet Harman bang on in the treble as it would make the tonality too bright - gotta balance the seesaw.
 
I am in same situation and leaning towards HD600, seems to have better treble respons, which im a sucker for.
Edition XS better again going by rtings,
but QC in Hifiman are worrisome!
 
I've not swapped between them for a long time so can't comment on that fine detail, but both headphones have smooth frequency responses in those areas without major deviations from Harman, but with the New Version HD560s being a little bit more laid back in the 2kHz area. I think that actually helps make the New Version HD560s more balanced overall than the HD600 because HD560s doesn't meet Harman in the bass (and neither does HD600) and a little bit of a depression at 2kHz probably makes it more tonally balanced overall given that fact. The idea being that if you're not meeting Harman in the bass then you're probably not going to want to meet Harman bang on in the treble as it would make the tonality too bright - gotta balance the seesaw.
Thank you!:)
 
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