New version of Sennheiser HD 560S (!)

[cattaneogm]

Hello, i'm new here, i read through all the pages, and wanted to understand if soundstage and imaging are also different between old and new version? thanks in advance

 

[Robbo99999]

Hello, i'm new here, i read through all the pages, and wanted to understand if soundstage and imaging are also different between old and new version? thanks in advance

Not really, I can't say I've noticed a difference. I use them EQ'd to the same target though, so that helps reduce differences too, because it's likely frequency response related too rather than just physical design of the headphone.

 

[jurgu]

Sennheiser updated their official replacement pad from the HD559 (Article No. 572287) to the HD 598 SR (Article No. 575209) pads.

On the product site of the HD559 (572287) pad they say that the pads will produce a warmer sound with the HD560s.
On the product site of the HD598 (575209) pad they say the pads will produce a more analytical sound with the HD559.

Some time ago I posted measurements in this thread of how the HD559 pads produce a quite different sound than the stock pads on my HD560s and concluded from that that there is no suitable replacement pad or that there might be quite some variation in the pads. Other users thought the pads i got might were fake. Turns out that their replacement pad listing/recommendation was probably just wrong from the beginning (or at least for the time period when i checked their site for replacement pads).

So if you get replacment pads for your HD560s, make sure its the correct one.

 

[Robbo99999]

Sennheiser updated their official replacement pad from the HD559 (Article No. 572287) to the HD 598 SR (Article No. 575209) pads.

On the product site of the HD559 (572287) pad they say that the pads will produce a warmer sound with the HD560s.
On the product site of the HD598 (575209) pad they say the pads will produce a more analytical sound with the HD559.

Some time ago I posted measurements in this thread of how the HD559 pads produce a quite different sound than the stock pads on my HD560s and concluded from that that there is no suitable replacement pad or that there might be quite some variation in the pads. Other users thought the pads i got might were fake. Turns out that their replacement pad listing/recommendation was probably just wrong from the beginning (or at least for the time period when i checked their site for replacement pads).

So if you get replacment pads for your HD560s, make sure its the correct one.

From the website it seems that the following one is the one to get for the HD560s as it says it's already included with the delivery of an HD560s, which I take to mean they're saying it's the stock pad:

Velour earpads for HD 500 series, analytical tuning

Earpads for HD 500, one pair. (Specific models only.) Technical data: Surface: velour Contains one pair of earpads For open-back headphones Color: brown or black Sound tuning: analytical Compatible with: Sennheiser HD 505 (original) Sennheiser HD 550 (original) Sennheiser HD 559 (more...

eu.sennheiser-hearing.com

 

[adelaidestevens]

Sennheiser updated their official replacement pad from the HD559 (Article No. 572287) to the HD 598 SR (Article No. 575209) pads.

On the product site of the HD559 (572287) pad they say that the pads will produce a warmer sound with the HD560s.
On the product site of the HD598 (575209) pad they say the pads will produce a more analytical sound with the HD559.

Some time ago I posted measurements in this thread of how the HD559 pads produce a quite different sound than the stock pads on my HD560s and concluded from that that there is no suitable replacement pad or that there might be quite some variation in the pads. Other users thought the pads i got might were fake. Turns out that their replacement pad listing/recommendation was probably just wrong from the beginning (or at least for the time period when i checked their site for replacement pads).

So if you get replacment pads for your HD560s, make sure its the correct one.

I knew it, I bought the 572287 pads that everybody said to buy as well but they never sound quite the same as the stock ones on the 560s. Glad we got some clarification from Sennheiser altho it's too little too late

 

[L5730]

Insanity! These dropped to £89.99 at Argos for Black Friday, but no stores had any #suspicious However, the smiley tick platform had 'em.
Shame, as I simply don't need any more. Bought my Mother some and she enjoys them :thumbup:

 

[Robbo99999]

Insanity! These dropped to £89.99 at Argos for Black Friday, but no stores had any #suspicious However, the smiley tick platform had 'em.
Shame, as I simply don't need any more. Bought my Mother some and she enjoys them :thumbup:

They were also the same price on Amazon for a while too - in fact they're still that price (£89) - I just checked! It's about the cheapest you can get them, very good price for such a headphone!

 

[Mandelbrot]

Hi!

I´m going to order a pair of Sennheiser HD 560s. I guess it´s going to be the New Version. I need a EQ profile for reaching the most flat response possible because i´m going to use the headphones for electronic music production and sound design. Can anybody help me,please? I am a complete beginner. Thank you!

 

[Robbo99999]

Hi!

I´m going to order a pair of Sennheiser HD 560s. I guess it´s going to be the New Version. I need a EQ profile for reaching the most flat response possible because i´m going to use the headphones for electronic music production and sound design. Can anybody help me,please? I am a complete beginner. Thank you!

I'd recommend the one in my post here:

New version of Sennheiser HD 560S (!)

Hey again! I used the AutoEQ import tool available in EqualizerAPO w/ the Peace UI - looks like it is quite jank. Here is attempt #2! I hope I got this right this time! Should I move your settings to the front bands (1, 2, 3), or leave oratory1990's settings as bands 1-10? Does that make a...

www.audiosciencereview.com

It acknowledges the differences between Old Version & New Version & is for the New Version headphone. It's sort of based on the Oratory EQ but translated based on me measuring a number of Old Version (3 units) & New Version units (2 units) on my miniDSP EARS measurement rig to work out the differences between Old & New Version. Solderdude saw similar frequency response correlations when he measured a number of old version units vs new version units.

 

[Mandelbrot]

I'd recommend the one in my post here:

New version of Sennheiser HD 560S (!)

Hey again! I used the AutoEQ import tool available in EqualizerAPO w/ the Peace UI - looks like it is quite jank. Here is attempt #2! I hope I got this right this time! Should I move your settings to the front bands (1, 2, 3), or leave oratory1990's settings as bands 1-10? Does that make a...

www.audiosciencereview.com

It acknowledges the differences between Old Version & New Version & is for the New Version headphone. It's sort of based on the Oratory EQ but translated based on me measuring a number of Old Version (3 units) & New Version units (2 units) on my miniDSP EARS measurement rig to work out the differences between Old & New Version. Solderdude saw similar frequency response correlations when he measured a number of old version units vs new version units.

Thanks Robbo99999.
Is this setting for Harman Curve or for flat frequency response?

 

[solderdude]

That depends on what you would call 'flat'.
Some would call the Harman target 'flat'.

Is that supposed to me mimicking a 'flat on axis' measuring speaker in an average room, in an anechoic room or conditioned listening room, do you mean big studio monitors in a control room or near-field speakers EQ'ed 'flat' or to some target room curve ?
Do you mean on a specific test fixture referenced to some of the current 'targets' ?
Do you mean 'flat' to your ears on some specific listening level ?
Measured flat to a specific seating on a specific fixture ?

This is the problem with using the word 'flat' in headphone response.
It does not really exist... there are many different kinds of fixtures and multiple targets for multiple fixtures.

 

[Sukie]

Oratory has revised his PEQ settings for HD560S. Any thoughts?

 

[Mandelbrot]

That depends on what you would call 'flat'.
Some would call the Harman target 'flat'.

Is that supposed to me mimicking a 'flat on axis' measuring speaker in an average room, in an anechoic room or conditioned listening room, do you mean big studio monitors in a control room or near-field speakers EQ'ed 'flat' or to some target room curve ?
Do you mean on a specific test fixture referenced to some of the current 'targets' ?
Do you mean 'flat' to your ears on some specific listening level ?
Measured flat to a specific seating on a specific fixture ?

This is the problem with using the word 'flat' in headphone response.
It does not really exist... there are many different kinds of fixtures and multiple targets for multiple fixtures.

Thanks,solderdude. I´m sorry, i am so newbie about this. I use the word "flat" for a sound with no coloration in any frequence and suitable to use in studio and production enviroment, but i know it´s a more complex and subtle subject. I am a classical musician, but i have to learn a lot about sound science.

 

[Mandelbrot]

Oratory has revised his PEQ settings for HD560S. Any thoughts?

In the comments, Oratory says that he can´t find any sound difference between what people call "old" and "new" version

 

[solderdude]

There is a difference but it is very small so most probably won't notice, perhaps not even side by side.
A small difference in brightness.

HD560S is perfectly usable as is but I would recommend to lower the 5kHz presence a few dB.
For recording purposes I would not recommend to add more bass, perhaps unless you want to listen below studio reference levels (80-85dB average).

 

[Sukie]

There is a difference but it is very small so most won't notice, perhaps not even side by side.

Oratory's new settings look a little different from his 2024 settings. This must be down to the units he's measured. The pre-amp is now -10.0 instead of -5.4 due to the extra sub-bass boost.

 

[solderdude]

When downloading the files one seems for HD505 and the other one for HD560S.
Note the huge difference in bass lift (hence the -10dB preamp).
Not a good idea to lift the sub lows that much unless you are a sub-basshead (the result in the audible range is the same tonally but makes a jump in level.

As can be seen the raw measurements are the same but the EQ is different.
Perhaps @oratory1990 can explain (maybe a different EQ calc program ?)

 

[Mandelbrot]

There is a difference but it is very small so most probably won't notice, perhaps not even side by side.
A small difference in brightness.

HD560S is perfectly usable as is but I would recommend to lower the 5kHz presence a few dB.
For recording purposes I would not recommend to add more bass, perhaps unless you want to listen below studio reference levels (80-85dB average).

Thanks a lot,solderdude. How can i do this in Peace Eq?

 

[Mandelbrot]

Oratory's new settings look a little different from his 2024 settings. This must be down to the units he's measured. The pre-amp is now -10.0 instead of -5.4 due to the extra sub-bass boost.

I think this is also different from Auto EQ Oratory´s setting. Am i right?

 

[Robbo99999]

Thanks Robbo99999.
Is this setting for Harman Curve or for flat frequency response?

I find it represents my Anechoic Flat reference speakers that I have in my living room pretty well. I'd say just start with that EQ without overthinking too much about it. (It's a Headphone Harman EQ 2018 Over Ear Target - the one that Amir uses on this site & also Oratory).