Sennheiser HD560S Review (Headphone)

[staticV3]

SergeiF, if you can't use a parametric eq on your device here is the settings for graphic eq, though you have to be able to enter values manually, I'm not sure you can do that very well by eye

Dropbox

www.dropbox.com

That GEQ preset is incompatible with AIMP's non-standard built-in GEQ.

If Sergei wants to use EQ presets, then he'll have to either switch to another music player, or use Equalizer APO.

 

[staticV3]

Спасибо, завтра попробую установить

You can download Equalizer APO here: https://sourceforge.net/projects/equalizerapo/

Attached below is oratory1990's PEQ preset for the HD560S (Link).

After you have installed Equalizer APO, please put this .txt file into C:\Program Files\EqualizerAPO\config.

In the Equalizer APO Configuration Editor, add a Preamp (-5.5dB) and below that, an Include configuration file block.

Load the .txt and it should look like this:


Then you can toggle the Include block On and Off and listen if you like the change.

You can click on the green arrow inside the Include block and a new window will open where you can fine tune the preset.

You can find instructions for this in the oratory1990 PDF linked above.

 

[SergeiF]

у меня так

 

[SergeiF]

unusual sound, similar to anti-aliasing, you can hear even more, the volume is not annoying

 

[jemenfous]

Great. I have now applied. This sounds great already. I liked your EQs better than EqualizerAPO which is very bass heavy and loosing some mid bass clarity. What is the Preamp level you would suggest? I am still using -5.4 dB from Oratory. At the end, this is how the EQ looks like. Can you please confirm? Tomorrow, I will do long hearing sessions to see if my ear hurts.

Preamp: -5.4 dB
Filter 1: ON PK Fc 20 Hz Gain 4.10 dB Q 0.5
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 160 Hz Gain -1.3 dB Q 1.0
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 1173 Hz Gain -1.0 dB Q 2.0
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 1813 Hz Gain 2.8 dB Q 2.0
Filter 5: ON PK Fc 3320 Hz Gain -2.1 dB Q 3.5
Filter 6: ON PK Fc 3870 Hz Gain 3.6 dB Q 2.0
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 4520 Hz Gain -3.7 dB Q 3.0
Filter 8: ON PK Fc 5280 Hz Gain -2.3 dB Q 3.0
Filter 9: ON PK FC 6800 Hz Gain 4.1 dB Q 2.0
Filter 10: OFF HS FC 10000 Hz Gain 4.1 dB Q 2.0

New version owner of hd560s here. Using this eq aswell and I like it a lot. No fatigue. Preamp -4,1.
Set with mathaudio headphone eq when using foobar and set with parametric eq when using poweramp. Great results.
Thanks for sharing this.

 

[Robbo99999]

New version owner of hd560s here. Using this eq aswell and I like it a lot. No fatigue. Preamp -4,1.
Set with mathaudio headphone eq when using foobar and set with parametric eq when using poweramp. Great results.
Thanks for sharing this.

(He didn't share it. It's my New Version HD560s EQ.)

 

[jemenfous]

(He didn't share it. It's my New Version HD560s EQ.)

Works really good, thanks. Sorry for not giving you credit, I did not dive enocugh into the thread.

 

[Robbo99999]

Works really good, thanks. Sorry for not giving you credit, I did not dive enocugh into the thread.

That's alright, I'm mainly pleased that you've found the EQ of New Version HD560s to be useful/good. It does seem that there are some solid trends in differences between New Version & Old Version HD560s.

 

[phoenixsong]

I just received the new version which I got for about $120USD brand new. It is really good for the price. In this stock iteration (do take with a pinch of salt because of potential unit variation concerns), I, who am averse to bright/thin sounding drivers and treble spikes, did not encounter any unpleasantness during my listening tests. At most, certain sections of the treble appeared noticeably bright or forward, and the cymbals in a couple of tracks sounded a little rough and unnatural, but that *could be the fault of those tracks rather than these headphones. I do prefer a little more solidity/boost in the subbass, but it is still quite enjoyable as is. Overall, I would rate them 8/10 with regards to stock sound quality factoring in my preferences, and more with bonuses from performance to price value, drivability, comfort and design/build quality

*re-worded for clarity

 

[Robbo99999]

I just received the new version which I got for about $120USD brand new. It is really good for the price. In this stock iteration (do take with a pinch of salt because of potential unit variation concerns), I, who am averse to bright/thin sounding drivers and treble spikes, did not encounter any unpleasantness during my listening tests. At most, certain sections of the treble appeared noticeably bright or forward, and the cymbals in a couple of tracks sounded a little rough and unnatural, but that could be as much the fault of those particular tracks as it is the headphones themselves. I do prefer a little more solidity/boost in the subbass, but it is still quite enjoyable as is. Overall, I would rate them 8/10 with regards to stock sound quality factoring in my preferences, and more with bonuses from performance to price value, drivability, comfort and design/build quality

New Version HD560s is definitely my best headphone at stock, so I'm not surprised you're giving them a good rating after listening to them at stock.

 

[phoenixsong]

New Version HD560s is definitely my best headphone at stock, so I'm not surprised you're giving them a good rating after listening to them at stock.

Indeed, it is a welcome change as the original HD560S exceeded my tolerances for bright treble

 

[Robbo99999]

Indeed, it is a welcome change as the original HD560S exceeded my tolerances for bright treble

If I remember I just found the Old Version HD560s tonality to be too bright, I don't really recall "pain", so it wasn't piercing, just too bright overall. Bass is better extended and slightly higher quantity than the Old Version HD560s. That's one reason why I bought the New Version HD560s, I was hoping I'd be able to use it at stock for general tasks so to speak, and it is certainly the best headphone I've listened to at stock, apart from maybe the Truthear Zero Blue IEM, but that was just a brief experimentation - I don't use IEM's due to wax buildup.

 

[phoenixsong]

If I remember I just found the Old Version HD560s tonality to be too bright, I don't really recall "pain", so it wasn't piercing, just too bright overall. Bass is better extended and slightly higher quantity than the Old Version HD560s. That's one reason why I bought the New Version HD560s, I was hoping I'd be able to use it at stock for general tasks so to speak, and it is certainly the best headphone I've listened to at stock, apart from maybe the Truthear Zero Blue IEM, but that was just a brief experimentation - I don't use IEM's due to wax buildup.

Interesting that you mentioned the Truthear Zero Blue I have been loving my Zero 2 iems, but their tonality is close to my HD58X's and not so much the HD560S's, so for slightly more technical/detailed listening needs the HD560S works better

 

[ivayvr]

I never saw them at this price CAD 179.95 same as American price in USD but in Canadian $!

Amazon.ca

 

[sharock]

If I remember I just found the Old Version HD560s tonality to be too bright, I don't really recall "pain", so it wasn't piercing, just too bright overall. Bass is better extended and slightly higher quantity than the Old Version HD560s. That's one reason why I bought the New Version HD560s, I was hoping I'd be able to use it at stock for general tasks so to speak, and it is certainly the best headphone I've listened to at stock, apart from maybe the Truthear Zero Blue IEM, but that was just a brief experimentation - I don't use IEM's due to wax buildup.

Interestingly, I saw a comment from Oratory that he's measured 18 units so far and hasn't observed any differences before/after 2022.

 

[Robbo99999]

Interestingly, I saw a comment from Oratory that he's measured 18 units so far and hasn't observed any differences before/after 2022.

I don't think he worded it like that, I've had discussions with him about it and his stance is that the variation of where the New Version Units sit is within the variance seen in the Old Version - which means that even with his information it doesn't discount an average trend difference. He wasn't receptive when I talked about average trend differences if I remember rightly, I think he ignored it or something. Either way, the New Version pads are softer than the Old Version pads and this affects frequency response, so there are physical differences between the headphones that has to create a difference. It's quite possible though that some New Version headphones sit closer to the Old Version frequency response than some other units, due to unit to unit variation, but I'm confident that there are average trend differences between them.

 

[sharock]

I don't think he worded it like that, I've had discussions with him about it and his stance is that the variation of where the New Version Units sit is within the variance seen in the Old Version - which means that even with his information it doesn't discount an average trend difference. He wasn't receptive when I talked about average trend differences if I remember rightly, I think he ignored it or something. Either way, the New Version pads are softer than the Old Version pads and this affects frequency response, so there are physical differences between the headphones that has to create a difference. It's quite possible though that some New Version headphones sit closer to the Old Version frequency response than some other units, due to unit to unit variation, but I'm confident that there are average trend differences between them.

Close enough

 

[Robbo99999]

Close enough

View attachment 387753

To say that there is no trend is not what myself & solderdude have measured, and I don't go along with that.

 

[solderdude]

And also not when considering the inside information I got from someone in Sennheiser that stated small changes in the driver had been made which seems to have been verified by measurements. The differences are small but noticeable and could be seen as 'within production tolerance' when looking at 18 separate drivers but when averaging older and newer models a difference can be observed that fits the description of the (silent) changes that are made in the driver.
At first I got the usual info: "only cable and headband are changed' but later on I got different info when I made inquiries about some of my measurements.
Not going to attach private conversations. Just mentioning there were silent changes.

see discussion from here:

New version of Sennheiser HD 560S (!)

All used. That throws a bit of a spanner in the works in terms of reliability due to pad wear when viewed without further qualification, because every single one of my measurements I've shown on here for all my HD560s have been with new fresh pads (apart from my Unit 1 Old Version, but I've...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[Mr Swing King]

I really didn’t like the original HD560S. It was just too bright for me and it felt like listening to music in a very uplit room. A Beyeresque sort of Sennie presentation that probably makes sense for someone gaming who wants to hear footsteps and such.
When the HD400 Pro was launched, I couldn’t help myself and ordered one..and much to my surprise it sounded completely identical to the HD560S. Playing around with a blindfold and not being able to distinguish which was which…and ended up selling them off fairly quickly afterwards.
Fast forward to when the new HD560S was launched. Thought it basically was the same headphone with a shorter cable and new headband. I decided to give it a shot on the backbone of the above thread and quickly found myself digging the presentation. Slightly warmer and to me a more realistic presentation.
At the time the HD400 Pro was on sale and my curiosity got the best of me and I ordered one. Wouldn’t you know it, back came the bright light of the original HD560S and it was very obvious in a direct a/b listening test. My buddy who also wasn’t a fan of the original HD560S absolutely hated the HD400 but like me found himself digging the new HD560S.
Sure this is pure anecdotal proof from two headphone-coconuts, but to us the difference was immediately noticeable.
I recommend checking out the 400 Pro if you already own the new HD560S and see what’s what.
To me personally it makes perfect sense for Sennheiser to slightly alter the HD560S so as they didn’t offer up two identical sounding headphones.