I bought the HE-560s based on listening sessions with the headphones below. I didn't listen to the HE-560 before buying them, I would most likely buy the HE-500s now based on what I know now. They are more dynamic and are resolving music better. Voices, guitars etc sound better as a result. -...

I've heard both the HE-500 and own HE-560. I find it hard to understand the listeniong fatigue comment about either. These are not bright headphones by any means, any Semheiser would be way more so.   I do find the HE-500s better than the HE-560s unfortunately ... better resolution, but the...

Man they are ugly!

  First of all thank you for letting me know how. And yes, they were quite litterally killing me, squeezing my head into a singularity. No way to enjoy the music.

How did you do it? Just got the HE-560s and they're killing me.

Did you try different software players? I find the Tidal app is pretty bad, not just noise level but audible compression effects. Have you tried foobar2000?

Well that is only possible if the software player supports Wasapi. Tidal doesn't currently. foobar2000 and JRiver MC does.

It is "normal" because that's how Windows works, but it's still bad.   Upsampling before the DAC is bad. Foobar2000 with WASAPI (and similar) will play the files without upsampling in windows and show the correct LEDs. The player needs to support it. Hoping ASIO or WASAPI support will be...

Hmm, it's all due to the windows mixer getting in the way.

Well it seems there is a bug or I don't get this. I set it to 24/192 (on a PC) and when I play the first song it turns on all three LEDs. The song is not 24/192, it's 24/96. It never switches to less LEDs after that.