Sennheiser HD560S Review (Headphone)

[roladyzator]

Maybe the Hifiman HE400SE, if you have a good warranty / return situation in your country.

 

[SMJH]

Maybe the Hifiman HE400SE, if you have a good warranty / return situation in your country.

Yea that's the thing, huge risk if I import, the prohibitive fees would essentially leave me with no sensible return/warranty options.

EDIT: Wow, planar open-backs on a budget, definitely on my radar, I'll have to check their build quality and QC practices before even thinking about importing 'em though.

 

[staticV3]

Any "meta" under $400 for lack of a better word?

7Hz Zero:2 honestly.


Bass response, distortion, and headroom that are nigh unmatched by full-sized headphones.

 

[SMJH]

7Hz Zero:2 honestly.
View attachment 463375

Bass response, distortion, and headroom that are nigh unmatched by full-sized headphones.

Insane IEM, though I should've mentioned my interest for over-ear open-backs only.

 

[SpinifexV]

Guys, HD560S/HD400 Pro, HD490 Pro, or something else?
I heard that the 560S and 400 Pro are essentially the same. Price delta is not an issue, nor is EQ. They will be run with EQ APO on Windows pretty much exclusively, aiming for perfect target match. By the way, I tend to listen at high volume levels, and love me a good droning bass reproduction, so distortion must be at a minimum as well.
Oh and HD 6-- is not available in my country, with the only other brand offering competing products under USD 500 being Beyerdynamic.

I tried the HD 560S and it was an immediate no for me, for two reasons:

- Clamping force was too high;
- Treble was too strong.

I just bought the new HD 505, which corrects both of these issues. The newer HD 550 is very similar, but the HD 505 price was reduced for Prime days. That said if neither of those points are an issue for you, the HD 560S is cheaper.

Otherwise, you can also check out the Fiio FT1 Pro. It's a darker/more bass extended headphones than the Sennheisers.

 

[roladyzator]

Clamping force can be a dealbreaker.
With my Sennheiser HD 700, I've got the Dekoni Elite Velour pads which are quite a log thicker than the original pads.
The clamping force was not all that unpleasant, but psychologically the nice soundstage effect of the HD 700 disappeared for me.

@SMJH Are the AKG K702 an option for you?
I recall they reacted very well to bass boost (I'm talking 10 or more DBs in the sub-bass for occasional listening to 2000s drum and bass).

 

[SMJH]

Are the AKG K702 an option for you?
I recall they reacted very well to bass boost (I'm talking 10 or more DBs in the sub-bass for occasional listening to 2000s drum and bass).

They're available, but don't look too hot here:

AKG K702 Review

The AKG K702 are great, comfortable headphones for critical listening, but are mediocre for everyday casual use. Their open design doesn't block any noise and le...

www.rtings.com

 

[roladyzator]

They're available, but don't look too hot here:

AKG K702 Review

The AKG K702 are great, comfortable headphones for critical listening, but are mediocre for everyday casual use. Their open design doesn't block any noise and le...

www.rtings.com

They do get some love in the community for the comfort and soundstage (although that might not happen for you).
They're not enjoyable for me without EQ, too bass-light and shouty in the midrange.
With EQ they're good, but they should be the same price or less expensive than the HD 560S to make sense.
Their price is quite variable depending on the country.

 

[Robbo99999]

Guys, HD560S/HD400 Pro, HD490 Pro, or something else?
I heard that the 560S and 400 Pro are essentially the same. Price delta is not an issue, nor is EQ. They will be run with EQ APO on Windows pretty much exclusively, aiming for perfect target match. By the way, I tend to listen at high volume levels, and love me a good droning bass reproduction, so distortion must be at a minimum as well.
Oh and HD 6-- is not available in my country, with the only other brand offering competing products under USD 500 being Beyerdynamic.

Sweet, skimming the headphone reviews here, I don't see anything noteworthy from Beyer at this price point, but am oblivious to other competing brands. Is there anything much better than a 490 Pro, that could be well worth the import fees in your opinion?

Any "meta" under $400 for lack of a better word?

I'd be a bit hesitant to get the HD490 if you like bass as Amir didn't find the bass very good after EQ, here's what he said:
"I started with bass and initially put in a PEQ as to not boost infrasonic spectrum. While the sound was much warmer and fuller now, the bass lacked the impact I get when I listen to Sennheiser HD 650 with EQ for example. So I changed that to a shelving filter but it made little difference in that regard. Expect bass to be "tight" but not deep and substantial."

'Sennheiser HD 490 Pro Headphone Review'

Apr 21, 2024

This is a review, detailed measurements, listening tests and equalization of Sennheiser HD 490 Pro open back headphone. It was kindly drop shipped to me and costs US $399.

The headphone is ultra light courtesy of plastic composite that manage to also feel extremely solid. The included cord feels like premium silicone material. It even has a little coil next to the connection to the headphone as to offer some slack in case of hard pull. Overall there the look and feel matches the "Pro" designation at its price point.

A set of velour pads came installed on the headphone...

• amirm
• Replies: 400
• Forum: Headphone & IEM Reviews & Discussions

• 

In fact I'd recommend the HD560s if you like bass because it takes bass EQ very well in my experience, I've got 4 units of them, and in my experience vs my other headphones they are nearly joint best headphone for bass after EQ, with HE400SE planar headphone being number one for bass by small margin. Oratory measured one of my HD560s units and he came up with a lot lower distortion figures than Amir's measurements, so I don't know what's up with that but I do know the bass in the HD560s is very good after EQ, and following is the distortion measurement of my HD560s from Oratory:

 

[SMJH]

I'd be a bit hesitant to get the HD490 if you like bass as Amir didn't find the bass very good after EQ, here's what he said:
"I started with bass and initially put in a PEQ as to not boost infrasonic spectrum. While the sound was much warmer and fuller now, the bass lacked the impact I get when I listen to Sennheiser HD 650 with EQ for example. So I changed that to a shelving filter but it made little difference in that regard. Expect bass to be "tight" but not deep and substantial."

'Sennheiser HD 490 Pro Headphone Review'

Apr 21, 2024

This is a review, detailed measurements, listening tests and equalization of Sennheiser HD 490 Pro open back headphone. It was kindly drop shipped to me and costs US $399.

The headphone is ultra light courtesy of plastic composite that manage to also feel extremely solid. The included cord feels like premium silicone material. It even has a little coil next to the connection to the headphone as to offer some slack in case of hard pull. Overall there the look and feel matches the "Pro" designation at its price point.

A set of velour pads came installed on the headphone...

• amirm
• Replies: 400
• Forum: Headphone & IEM Reviews & Discussions

• 

In fact I'd recommend the HD560s if you like bass because it takes bass EQ very well in my experience, I've got 4 units of them, and in my experience vs my other headphones they are nearly joint best headphone for bass after EQ, with HE400SE planar headphone being number one for bass by small margin. Oratory measured one of my HD560s units and he came up with a lot lower distortion figures than Amir's measurements, so I don't know what's up with that but I do know the bass in the HD560s is very good after EQ, and following is the distortion measurement of my HD560s from Oratory:
View attachment 463414

Thanks for the insights. I got the chance to try out the HD 400 Pro and found them to be cheap feeling, and uncomfortable. 490 Pro's fit and finish + ergo are so much better. I may have to look elsewhere for an all rounder then. Maybe Beyers, but with aggressive EQ to tone down the exaggerated highs they're so deadset on delivering...

 

[solderdude]

Thanks for the insights. I got the chance to try out the HD 400 Pro and found them to be cheap feeling, and uncomfortable. 490 Pro's fit and finish + ergo are so much better. I may have to look elsewhere for an all rounder then. Maybe Beyers, but with aggressive EQ to tone down the exaggerated highs they're so deadset on delivering...

HD490 pro are indeed much more confortable.

Sound-wise (tonality) the HD560S is right between the HD490 producer and HD490 mixer.

 

[usern]

Thanks for the insights. I got the chance to try out the HD 400 Pro and found them to be cheap feeling, and uncomfortable. 490 Pro's fit and finish + ergo are so much better. I may have to look elsewhere for an all rounder then. Maybe Beyers, but with aggressive EQ to tone down the exaggerated highs they're so deadset on delivering...

I have 560S and DT 700 Pro X - Beyerdynamic feels a lot heavier and less comfortable.

Seems like people who do not have comfort problems with 560S are blessed - good sound, low cost, light and not sweaty. Cheapness feeling is quite subjective as well, my pair is going strong after almost 5 years with heavy daily use. Just recently ordered new pads with free shipping from Sennheiser even!

 

[SMJH]

HD490 pro are indeed much more confortable.

Sound-wise (tonality) the HD560S is right between the HD490 producer and HD490 mixer.

At the end of the day I'm coming from a low end sub 100 USD "DJ" closed back. Bass for days, but 0 clarity. The only reason I'm ditching them is because of my recent speaker upgrade. Honestly I can't stand these cans' lack of detail anymore. I'm sure any of these decent open-backs would do fine, and that's about it honestly. HD560s/HD400 Pro is a no-go ergonomically, too bad, guess I'm cursed to pay more.

 

[Chagall]

HD560s/HD400 Pro is a no-go ergonomically, too bad, guess I'm cursed to pay more.

I'll just mention the Aune AR5000. It's a bit finicky - its tonality changes depending on how it's positioned on your ears, but Amir measured it and it performed well with EQ, even calling it a potential alternative to the HD6xx series. As always, YMMV.

 

[SMJH]

I'll just mention the Aune AR5000. It's a bit finicky - its tonality changes depending on how it's positioned on your ears, but Amir measured it and it performed well with EQ, even calling it a potential alternative to the HD6xx series. As always, YMMV.

Ah, wouldn't life be so much easier if HD 600 or 6XX were available in my country! Did lots of shopping around locally today:

From Sennheiser, we have HD 400 and HD 490 Pro.
From Beyerdynamic, we've got DT 800 up to 1990 Pro MKI.
From Neumann, I do have access to the NDH 30.
And finally, we have the K702 from AKG, and the ATH-AVA400 from Audio-Technica.

And, I am not joking, that is it. Those are my only open-back options.

 

[Robbo99999]

Ah, wouldn't life be so much easier if HD 600 or 6XX were available in my country! Did lots of shopping around locally today:

From Sennheiser, we have HD 400 and HD 490 Pro.
From Beyerdynamic, we've got DT 800 up to 1990 Pro MKI.
From Neumann, I do have access to the NDH 30.
And finally, we have the K702 from AKG, and the ATH-AVA400 from Audio-Technica.

And, I am not joking, that is it. Those are my only open-back options.

Hmm, if the K702 is cheap in your country it could be worth a gamble but I'd recommend my EQ with it (details explained at following thread):

'AKG K702: a valid alternative EQ to Harman Curve for you to try'

Feb 18, 2023

I'd like to offer you all an alternative EQ to the Oratory EQ, it's still done to the Harman Curve but it's using a different set of measurements. Oratory's measurement for the K702 has changed by a large amount over the various versions of pdf's he's released for it, and for my 4 units of K702 (at least) it's going in the wrong direction, with his measurements getting darker which in turn is resulting in his EQ's being brighter than the earlier versions.

Following is how his published measurement has changed from his first version compared to the latest version, the latest version is the...

• Robbo99999

• 

I think it's great with EQ, and does bass fine albeit not as good as the HD560s, but better bass than HD600/HD800. The thing is though you're likely gonna need to solder the wires back on in the earcups as the solder has failed on every K702 I've ever put a large number of hours into - you might get a year or three with careful use then you have to solder the wires back on in the earcups and then for me they don't fail ever again after I've soldered them back on. The factory solder is rubbish. Unit to unit variation might be a bit high too based on my own measurements and others I've seen on internet. I'd only buy it if you want to gamble and they're not expensive in your country, but I think they're a headphone with a lot of potential - soundstage & just overall. What country do you live in? How come so few headphones available, really?

 

[SMJH]

What country do you live in? How come so few headphones available, really?

Lebanon, middle east. It is what it is. The market's been dry ever since our economy collapsed about 6 years ago. You should see musicians, oh dear, they have to import everything from abroad as suppliers essentially gave up, paying exorbitant import fees atop high shipping costs for heavy instruments in the process.

 

[Robbo99999]

Lebanon, middle east. It is what it is. The market's been dry ever since our economy collapsed about 6 years ago. You should see musicians, oh dear, they have to import everything from abroad as suppliers essentially gave up, paying exorbitant import fees atop high shipping costs for heavy instruments in the process.

Well I think the HD560s out of the ones you've listed, but you can't wear it because uncomfortable, so then a gamble could be the K702 with my EQ if you don't care that it's a gamble. HD490 Pro wouldn't be disastrous and is less of a gamble, but Amir wasn't particularly impressed with the bass, and I imagine that is more expensive than the K702 in your country too. So, gamble or safer.

 

[SMJH]

Major disappointment. I got the chance to try out the HD 400 Pro at the shop today, with my own music, and found the soundstage to be nothing special, at all. It sounds nothing like a proper speaker soundscape, don't know what I was expecting out of headphones.

I played some Steely Dan, Brubeck, Nat King Cole, Patricia Barber, the usual... As well as some unusual picks that help me determine dynamics and bass clarity:
A broken Heart Can Mend by Alexander O'Neal,
Phantom II by Justice,
The very start (drums) of Undone – The Sweater Song,
Amrita by Simon Phillips.

In the end, it looked like I much preferred the sound isolation you get out of closed backs.

And now for the real kicker: My favorite pair I got to try out? The Beyer 770 Pro X LE. Yup, a complete 180 of what I thought I'd be liking!

 

[Robbo99999]

Major disappointment. I got the chance to try out the HD 400 Pro at the shop today, with my own music, and found the soundstage to be nothing special, at all. It sounds nothing like a proper speaker soundscape, don't know what I was expecting out of headphones.

I played some Steely Dan, Brubeck, Nat King Cole, Patricia Barber, the usual... As well as some unusual picks that help me determine dynamics and bass clarity:
A broken Heart Can Mend by Alexander O'Neal,
Phantom II by Justice,
The very start (drums) of Undone – The Sweater Song,
Amrita by Simon Phillips.

In the end, it looked like I much preferred the sound isolation you get out of closed backs.

And now for the real kicker: My favorite pair I got to try out? The Beyer 770 Pro X LE. Yup, a complete 180 of what I thought I'd be liking!

If you're gonna be using the headphones with EQ, which is what you said in a previous post then there's not all that much point trying them at stock in a shop or wherever - you'd try them with EQ to your target curve of choice. But anyway, I don't know why you're even typing about your HD400 Pro listening experience when you previously said you know you can't wear them due to comfort issues, so there's a bit of a mismatch of logic going on here in some of your posts which is a bit strange, and maybe a little suspicious.