Sennheiser HD565 service and appreciation thread

Edit 4 June, 2012:

I started this thread looking for information on how to change the headband pad of the HD565 ovation, but as no-one seemed to know (including the folks at Sennheiser!) I had to do the work myself.

Since my admiration for this modest headphone has grown I decided to transform it to an appreciation thread. I hope Head-fiers, former and present owners of the HD565 ovation and everyone who appreciates excellent reproduction of music will contribute to the thread, a place where we can exchange listening impressions and information about this underrated headphone which I listen to more often than the HD600 or AKG K701, to name two comparable models.

Let's start sharing!  / mdr30

The headband pad of my 565s has totally deteriorated and according to Sennheiser there is no replacement available. It seems to me that the headband is quite similar to the 580, 600 and 650 models, so I wonder if these headband pads might fit?

Only thing is I haven't figured out how to remove the old one. There is a plastic lock at each end which probably can be opened - but how?

The ear pads are for a fact the same as the 580, 600 and 650 models, but again I haven't been able to remove them. Believe me, I've pulled as much as I dared, but they won't move. Do I pull at the pads themselves, or between cup and plastic rim? 

Information would be greatly appreciated.

Please all HD580, HD600 and HD650 owners: check your headphones and see if headband & fitting look similar to the one in my pictures of the HD565.

Would be a great help!

Be careful - I broke the black plastic lock (super glue will probably fix it) on the headband. This piece encircles the steel band, so one should try to pry it open from headband's outside - not the side the headband pad is on.

Figured out how to remove the ear pads - a firm grip on the inside of the pad and then pull - and the headband pad as well.

So I decided to share my experiences of the latter in one quick lesson.

Unfortunately, Sennheiser do not keep the original HD565 and HD265 headband pads in stock. The ear pads are identical to the HD580, HD600 and HD650, but the the headband pads of said models are not as long as the HD565/265.

The HD600 and HD650 headband pads ($10-15) will do, however, with a simple modification.

Upper HD650, lower HD565 (deteriorated foam, flat).

Start by gently prying with a knife between headband and plastic lock on the outside of headband (not between plastic and metal).

Eventually it will come loose from the headband.

Now you can remove the metal band cupholder from the headband, and - by pressing the metal tongues - remove the metal band from the lock. Next step is to remove the old headband. To make up for the shorter length of the HD650 pad I cut out some plastic spacers, as it were from a minced meat package.

So, with the headband open at one end, first slide in the plastic spacer.

Then the headband.

Then you put the plastic lock in place at the other end of the headband, and finally insert the metal band cup holder. Voilà:

One of Sennheiser's most underrated and best "bang for the buck" headphones ever is back in business. Precision of left to right instrument placement in the proper recording is stunning.

Very favourably, as I recall. Basic driver and cup design are similar, although the HD565 is a slightly more "closed" construction - se grill and cup - and impedance is 150 ohms as opposed to the 300 ohms HD600.

I wouldn't say the one is better than the other without doing a proper comparison, but the HD565 can compete for sure. I don't think it was fairly evaluated in the 1990s when amping was still in its infancy. Today we see the HD600 and HD650 (kings now dethroned) in another perspective as well, in the shade of the HD800.

All I can say is try it for yourself - this is some mighty fine performer.

They show up every now and then on the second hand market. I got my mine on ebay.de for $60.