Sennheiser HD560S Review (Headphone)

[Berwhale]

Sennheiser have 20% off this week-end, I couldn't resist a pair of HD 560S for £80...

HD 560S | Sennheiser United Kingdom

Discover the unique acoustic performance of our HD 560S audiophile headphones. Zero distortion ✓ Rich bass ✓ Clear treble ✓ Now available from Sennheiser!

www.sennheiser-hearing.com

 

[Jeromeof]

Sennheiser have 20% off this week-end, I couldn't resist a pair of HD 560S for £80...

View attachment 436785

HD 560S | Sennheiser United Kingdom

Discover the unique acoustic performance of our HD 560S audiophile headphones. Zero distortion ✓ Rich bass ✓ Clear treble ✓ Now available from Sennheiser!

www.sennheiser-hearing.com

It saddens me when I see this Irish / EU price with the same link:

 

[Berwhale]

It saddens me when I see this Irish / EU price with the same link:
View attachment 436796

How strange, it's €170.00 on the German store, but still £99 in the UK. My unit, purchased on the UK store, is being shipped from Germany!

When I purchased my refurbished HD 660 S from Sennheiser, it also came from Germany but I don't think the stores were separate back then (this was in 2020)

 

[iGmole]

I just bought this yestersay for about 120€ including a one hour delivery from a local Very Big Store. Out of the box it sounded pretty good, but needed some bass so I made a bass shelf. I sweeped strong, narrow Q boosts around to find any offensive frequencies (age old mixing trick) and landed at 4500hz and 7500hz which I attenuated slightly, with a narrow Q.

Interestingly, I tried that ~2k boost as suggested in the review but did not like at all, so I guess all is good out of the box around there.

I'd say this was a fantastic purchase for not a lot of money. It is my first open back headphone and I mostly bought it to hear my violin over a backing track when I use a violin mute (toddler sleeps - you mute the violin). Turns out it sounds really nice. Hahaa! Happy days!

 

[Count Arthur]

How strange, it's €170.00 on the German store, but still £99 in the UK. My unit, purchased on the UK store, is being shipped from Germany!

When I purchased my refurbished HD 660 S from Sennheiser, it also came from Germany but I don't think the stores were separate back then (this was in 2020)

It's almost like supply and demand and the free market aren't even real!

 

[phoenixsong]

I just bought this yestersay for about 120€ including a one hour delivery from a local Very Big Store. Out of the box it sounded pretty good, but needed some bass so I made a bass shelf. I sweeped strong, narrow Q boosts around to find any offensive frequencies (age old mixing trick) and landed at 4500hz and 7500hz which I attenuated slightly, with a narrow Q.

Interestingly, I tried that ~2k boost as suggested in the review but did not like at all, so I guess all is good out of the box around there.

I'd say this was a fantastic purchase for not a lot of money. It is my first open back headphone and I mostly bought it to hear my violin over a backing track when I use a violin mute (toddler sleeps - you mute the violin). Turns out it sounds really nice. Hahaa! Happy days!

Looks like your method of searching for offensive frequencies is highly effective. 4500Hz and 7500Hz pretty much matches the resonances revealed in the CSD plot within this review https://diyaudioheaven.wordpress.com/headphones/measurements/brands-s-se/hd-560s/

 

[iGmole]

Looks like your method of searching for offensive frequencies is highly effective. 4500Hz and 7500Hz pretty much matches the resonances revealed in the CSD plot within this review https://diyaudioheaven.wordpress.com/headphones/measurements/brands-s-se/hd-560s/

Ah, confirmation feels like a win! The only problem with that method is that sometimes, the offensive frequency is in the material so you end up EQing the song and not the headphone, so to speak. So one must be very careful and repeat the process over many a song. Perhaps noise could be used, I've never tried.

But the trick itself is very easy to do and the bigger the problem, the stronger the ringing tone at the problem frequency when you hit the spot with the boost. With the 560S the problem frequencies were not that problematic to begin with (well done, Sennheiser), so it took some time to land at those frequencies.

 

[Robbo99999]

I just bought this yestersay for about 120€ including a one hour delivery from a local Very Big Store. Out of the box it sounded pretty good, but needed some bass so I made a bass shelf. I sweeped strong, narrow Q boosts around to find any offensive frequencies (age old mixing trick) and landed at 4500hz and 7500hz which I attenuated slightly, with a narrow Q.

Interestingly, I tried that ~2k boost as suggested in the review but did not like at all, so I guess all is good out of the box around there.

I'd say this was a fantastic purchase for not a lot of money. It is my first open back headphone and I mostly bought it to hear my violin over a backing track when I use a violin mute (toddler sleeps - you mute the violin). Turns out it sounds really nice. Hahaa! Happy days!

Looks like your method of searching for offensive frequencies is highly effective. 4500Hz and 7500Hz pretty much matches the resonances revealed in the CSD plot within this review https://diyaudioheaven.wordpress.com/headphones/measurements/brands-s-se/hd-560s/

Probably less likely that New Version HD560s would have troublesome peak in 7500Hz area and also less likely at 4500Hz. Following a couple of converted measurements I did on Old Version (first pic) and New Version (second pic), and note the frequency response is the faded line in the background as the bold highlighted line is after EQ, and the Target Curve there is Harman 2018:
Old Version:

New Version:

I suppose the peaks can still be there for some people up at 8000Hz, but I think Sennheiser have tried to address the treble peaks up there, ie flattened them out a bit. Old Version is definitely more peaky in my samples.

Note: these are not genuine GRAS rig measurements, but converted miniDSP EARS rig measurements (so "GRAS Style Measurements"), but for comparisons sake they are valid between Old Version & New Version.

 

[iGmole]

Probably less likely that New Version HD560s would have troublesome peak in 7500Hz area and also less likely at 4500Hz. Following a couple of converted measurements I did on Old Version (first pic) and New Version (second pic), and note the frequency response is the faded line in the background as the bold highlighted line is after EQ, and the Target Curve there is Harman 2018:
Old Version:
View attachment 438420

New Version:
View attachment 438421

I suppose the peaks can still be there for some people up at 8000Hz, but I think Sennheiser have tried to address the treble peaks up there, ie flattened them out a bit. Old Version is definitely more peaky in my samples.

Note: these are not genuine GRAS rig measurements, but converted miniDSP EARS rig measurements (so "GRAS Style Measurements"), but for comparisons sake they are valid between Old Version & New Version.

I think I have the new version (new headband fabric and 1.8m cable). I end up attenuating frequencies around there often, and it could be some resonance in my ears as well as the headphone. Anyway, with those small attenuations these sound very good to me. At their price I had to vote "great".

 

[metal1500]

I end up attenuating frequencies around there often, and it could be some resonance in my ears as well as the headphone. Anyway, with those small attenuations these sound very good to me. At their price I had to vote "great".

Can you suggest a simple PEQ to attenuate the tremble, and increase bass by a few db. Something simple that don't change the sound too much like oratory

 

[iGmole]

Can you suggest a simple PEQ to attenuate the tremble, and increase bass by a few db. Something simple that don't change the sound too much like oratory

Well, this is what I use with my HD560S. I did this by ear and please don't take it for gospel. But it works for me and the headphone is basically perfect (except, being open, sub bass won't go loud no matter what you do). Because the new version of the 560S don't appear to have measured spikes at my cuts it's probably just my anatomy/hearing so don't expect miracles

 

[andymcbain]

Well, this is what I use with my HD560S. I did this by ear and please don't take it for gospel. But it works for me and the headphone is basically perfect (except, being open, sub bass won't go loud no matter what you do). Because the new version of the 560S don't appear to have measured spikes at my cuts it's probably just my anatomy/hearing so don't expect miracles

View attachment 439867

I used that EQ all the time in my music production back in the day. Loved it! I think it’s a free VST now.

This would be my approach to EQing a headphone too… as much as is needed but as little as possible.

 

[iGmole]

I used that EQ all the time in my music production back in the day. Loved it! I think it’s a free VST now.

This would be my approach to EQing a headphone too… as much as is needed but as little as possible.

It is the only EQ I've seen on a touch screen that is not infuriating to use so I like it

Yeah, I like keeping stuff simple as well, when it comes to EQ. With a good headphone you can do that, and with a bad headphone the curve will look like the spine of a politician.

 

[brydon10]

I bought a pair on a sale (it's the 1.8m cable version). I feel the HE400SE has a 'higher resolution' sound overall - comparing both with no EQ applied.

 

[metal1500]

Well, this is what I use with my HD560S. I did this by ear and please don't take it for gospel. But it works for me and the headphone is basically perfect (except, being open, sub bass won't go loud no matter what you do). Because the new version of the 560S don't appear to have measured spikes at my cuts it's probably just my anatomy/hearing so don't expect miracles

works great but still too bright in some heavy metal tracks. is it wrong to put a high shelf filter in the entire treble range (starting on 1khz) for that?

 

[andymcbain]

works great but still too bright in some heavy metal tracks. is it wrong to put a high shelf filter in the entire treble range (starting on 1khz) for that?

1khz seems a little low but there’s no rules. Tune it to how you like it. I’m a fan of shelving filters!

 

[iGmole]

works great but still too bright in some heavy metal tracks. is it wrong to put a high shelf filter in the entire treble range (starting on 1khz) for that?

Like @andymcbain said, 1khz is quite a low frequency to choose for a high shelf filter to tame the treble. But, like he also said, if it sounds good it's not wrong at all. What I would advice though, is to make a small adjustment and sit on it for a while. In my circle of amateur* and professional sound people we called it "the poop ear effect" when you get stuck EQing a track making constant changes and never feeling like it sounds good.

Then the next day you realise it was perfect all along without EQ or with the first little adjustment you made.

*I am amateur, just to clarify

 

[metal1500]

I tried some options to tame the treble:
1) Filter from DIYAudioHeaven
PK Fc 7500 Hz Gain -4.0 dB Q 1.0
2) Lower Q at 5kz
PK Fc 4750 Hz Gain -3.0 dB Q 2
3) Oratory Eq but remove bass filters (im not a fan of harman bass on open back)
I dont think any is better than others, i switch based on the song

 

[iGmole]

I tried some options to tame the treble:
1) Filter from DIYAudioHeaven
PK Fc 7500 Hz Gain -4.0 dB Q 1.0
2) Lower Q at 5kz
PK Fc 4750 Hz Gain -3.0 dB Q 2
3) Oratory Eq but remove bass filters (im not a fan of harman bass on open back)
I dont think any is better than others, i switch based on the song

EQing per song sounds a bit like the problem is not the headphone tuning, but the mix and master differences of your music

Also, I noticed that the HD560s sounds best - for me - when I extend the headband so that the cups are as low as I can set them without sacrificing comfort. It is slightly darker that way.

Anyway, a certain @solderdude was kind enough to sell me one of his filter things for the HD560s and dangit the headphones sound nice now when I plug them into, well, anything really, like this Lenovo Tab Plus headphone out.

 

[Punkcouple]

Good morning everyone!

I am a new user of this forum and a new and happy owner of these headphones.

Headphones that I only use late in the evening to play PS5 games and watch movies. I do not have an experienced ear, but I am already very very satisfied (I am coming from Beyerdynamic 770 Pro).

Granted that I connect them to the headphone output of my Denon x3800h receiver, which has a graphic equalizer to set, can you recommend the best ones to apply for these headphones?

The settings allow me to make changes to the following values:
63 Hz / 125 Hz / 250 Hz / 500 Hz / 1 kHz / 2 kHz / 4 kHz / 8 kHz / 16 kHz

I hope you can help me, thank you!