Sennheiser HD560S Review (Headphone)

[Wendigo79]

I just ordered HD560s from the Sennheisers own web store. They were at discount with price €149. Includes delivery. At least in Europe has that discount. I consider that a bargain

 

[buscon]

I just ordered HD560s from the Sennheisers own web store. They were at discount with price €149. Includes delivery. At least in Europe has that discount. I consider that a bargain

Maybe check the sennheiser outlet too, I got my 560s for 119€, it is like new and with 2 years warranty

HD 560S Refurbished

The HD 560S indulges the audiophile evaluating their music’s entire journey through the audio path. This open-back headphone is tuned to reveal the truth in your music without sacrificing the gratifying bass response needed to reproduce complex modern music—all at a breakthrough value. Its...

eu.sennheiser-hearing.com

 

[jonbon]

After first buying m50x and returning them since I really did not like them, and some weeks of research I landed on an open box 560s.

For listening and some music production, no amp as of yet.

Treble does not bother me, some boost at 20 hz and I am pretty happy. There is much more room in my mix to add stuff, the m50x just sounded overly congested with 0 air at once. Output from my macbook pro drives them pretty loud, but i think an amp could add a cleaner bass.

Nonfatiguing sound, I really like it.

Now to buy a HE400SE to compliment, or not

 

[dante21]

After first buying m50x and returning them since I really did not like them, and some weeks of research I landed on an open box 560s.

For listening and some music production, no amp as of yet.

Treble does not bother me, some boost at 20 hz and I am pretty happy. There is much more room in my mix to add stuff, the m50x just sounded overly congested with 0 air at once. Output from my macbook pro drives them pretty loud, but i think an amp could add a cleaner bass.

Nonfatiguing sound, I really like it.

Now to buy a HE400SE to compliment, or not

i'm not sure the 400se would be a compliment

maybe something warmer like a 650?

 

[jonbon]

Wouldnt those be too similar?

Planar bass, planar details and soundstage should be a compliment?

I'll give it a listen.

 

[dante21]

Wouldnt those be too similar?

Planar bass, planar details and soundstage should be a compliment?

I'll give it a listen.

going by what people say about the 560s and 400se, both have a transparent and clynical sound, with good soundstage

the 650 is known for being darker, more relaxed, intimate and with a small soundstage. the opposite of the 560s

 

[Robbo99999]

Wouldnt those be too similar?

Planar bass, planar details and soundstage should be a compliment?

I'll give it a listen.

Planar doesn't mean more detailed though, I get more detail on average from my various dynamic driver headphones than I do from the planar HE4XX that I own.....after Harman EQ I'm talking, as I don't use them stock. The planar bass is definitely good though, and it sucks up bass EQ very well. HD560s does bass EQ very well though for the 3 units of HD560s that I own, so I don't think you'll be hankering after better bass really. It's hard to find a headphone that compliments an HD560s because an EQ'd HD560s does everything very well, so it's not like you can compliment it with another headphone that has opposite traits and obviously excels in other areas. I suppose though, a planar headphone is at least a different technology to your HD560s and should do bass as good as or potentially better than your HD560s in that area depending on which one you go for.....but the HD560s is such a good allrounder that it doesn't have any opposites to compliment it with.

 

[jonbon]

I actually had a listen to he400se, xs and h1000 already today.

No eq, JDS El amp (wow that volume knob is really great).

Did not really like the he400se, rolled off bass and treble it seemed.

Now the XS, that fullrange bass was another level. A little eq closer to harman would make it slamming, treble got a bit loud or harsh.
As for h1000, could not really hear anything that would justify the cost over xs.

So, coming home I was expecting to be dissapointed with the 560s.

Well. I wasn't. Minus the earth shaking bass, its really enjoyable.

So my next buy is a good amp.

 

[Steve Dallas]

I compared the 560S to the 600 over a period of about 1 week. While the 560 does have better sub-bass response, it is offset by the brightness between 4K and 10K. The extra bass is lost when I turn the 560 down to compensate--along with everything else below 4KHz. In the end, I chose the HD600.

Having said that, I imagine the 560S is one of the best values in headphones if a person has the ability to EQ them. I believe I would love them if I could pull that region down.

(I do not have the desire to EQ headphones on my main workstation, as it runs Dirac Live Standalone.)

 

[Robbo99999]

I compared the 560S to the 600 over a period of about 1 week. While the 560 does have better sub-bass response, it is offset by the brightness between 4K and 10K. The extra bass is lost when I turn the 560 down to compensate--along with everything else below 4KHz. In the end, I chose the HD600.

Having said that, I imagine the 560S is one of the best values in headphones if a person has the ability to EQ them. I believe I would love them if I could pull that region down.

(I do not have the desire to EQ headphones on my main workstation, as it runs Dirac Live Standalone.)

View attachment 202012

Makes sense! (me owning both)

 

[Alchemist_]

How the width and depth of the scene are compared. 560s and beyerdynamic dt 990pro

 

[solderdude]

That is a personal dependent thing. Not everyone hears the same 'headstage'. I have not seen clear (undisputed) correlation in measurements.
One would have to rely on observations of experienced people that can compare headphones in that aspect at the same time.
IMO the 560S is 'better' at thus than the 990 Pro assuming both are EQ'd to similar FR.

 

[Alchemist_]

That is a personal dependent thing. Not everyone hears the same 'headstage'. I have not seen clear (undisputed) correlation in measurements.
One would have to rely on observations of experienced people that can compare headphones in that aspect at the same time.
IMO the 560S is 'better' at thus than the 990 Pro assuming both are EQ'd to similar FR.

What's better than the 990?

 

[solderdude]

In what aspect ?
Comfort ?
Weight ?
Longevity, availablity of parts ?
EQ'ed or stock ?
Portable or desktop ?
open or closed ?
On-ear over over-ear ?
Price point.

 

[Alchemist_]

In what aspect ?
Comfort ?
Weight ?
Longevity, availablity of parts ?
EQ'ed or stock ?
Portable or desktop ?
open or closed ?
On-ear over over-ear ?
Price point.

no more than $500.
Open design.
Preferably an even balance.
Wide/deep stage.

I like shure 840, DT 250/250. But they are closed.
I also liked the scene in the 560S.

 

[solderdude]

The wide - deep stage thing is hard to define.
HD560S is better than average here but needs the 5kHz area lowered a bit.
Perhaps a second hand DT1990 (with treble peak removed) but headstage is not on par with HD560S IMO.

 

[Alchemist_]

The wide - deep stage thing is hard to define.
HD560S is better than average here but needs the 5kHz area lowered a bit.
Perhaps a second hand DT1990 (with treble peak removed) but headstage is not on par with HD560S IMO.

And how does the K712(K612) compare with the 560S.

 

[solderdude]

I would think the K612 (basically a K702 but with fixed cable) is better than the K712. Comfort of the AKG K712 is better though. The elastic bands giving up the ghost after a few years is a let-down.
I do not hear the often reported 'great imaging' of the AKG's.
Most likely the elevated 1-2kHz range in the K701/612 series is responsible for this into giving this impression to some.
To me the HD560S is better than the AKG's. I am sure others may disagree.

 

[Alchemist_]

I would think the K612 (basically a K702 but with fixed cable) is better than the K712. Comfort of the AKG K712 is better though. The elastic bands giving up the ghost after a few years is a let-down.
I do not hear the often reported 'great imaging' of the AKG's.
Most likely the elevated 1-2kHz range in the K701/612 series is responsible for this into giving this impression to some.
To me the HD560S is better than the AKG's. I am sure others may disagree.

560s k612 which one has more natural mids?

 

[nyxnyxnyx]

do anyone in this thread own hd560s and hd600/580/650?
I would love to see if anyone prefer 560s over the legendary 600 and in what fashion.