[conquerator2]

Let's all agree that the way 560s handle bass in general is simply spectacular. The blend of enjoyable and audiophile, coupled with amazing texture and details.
I did not hear this on the HE-6s... The bass always remained halfway tight and lacked oomph [hence their setup dependency!]

 

[drheadphone]

Agreed. Incredibly neutral and controlled bass. Just like its mids. And like its highs. Dare I say the "neutrality king" of under $1000 headphones?

 

[zxc]

  It is.  Maybe I didn't state that quite right, that transition is much more discernible with the 560's.

I agree. The entire bass region has a lot more texture and definition on the HE-560. Though I've not been able to find a single thing (high or low) that I can hear on the HE-560 but not on the HD600. I must have listened over a hundred tracks so far. There's been several times I said "Aha, this should be difficult for HD600 to reproduce", tried and it was there, each and every time.

 

[preproman]

  Let's all agree that the way 560s handle bass in general is simply spectacular. The blend of enjoyable and audiophile, coupled with amazing texture and details.
I did not hear this on the HE-6s... The bass always remained halfway tight and lacked oomph [hence their setup dependency!]

 
As always Luke - you're spot on..

 

[zxc]

  Let's all agree that the way 560s handle bass in general is simply spectacular. The blend of enjoyable and audiophile, coupled with amazing texture and details.
I did not hear this on the HE-6s... The bass always remained halfway tight and lacked oomph [hence their setup dependency!]

Honestly, I am somewhat disappointed with the bass quantity. I was expecting the same quantity of bass as the HE-500, with improvements elsewhere. But that's not been the case. Of course, I am not talking about the deepness, texture, definition, etc. Just quantity. Yeah, quality is important, but so is quantity. I know I'll be repeating myself, but even the HD600 puts out more bass than the HE-560 at some tracks, and HD600 is hardly a basshead headphone. HE-560 is not as bad as the HD800 as far as bass quantity goes, but it's barely adequate, at least for me.

 

[jamato8]

  I took a break from listening to the new HE-560s and spent most of yesterday using my HD800s. I still find the HD800 a tad more comfortable, but the HE-560 is amazing. Definitely my 2nd most comfortable headphone. I was also listening to some of my favorites on the HD800 and thought I'd try the same playlist on the HE-560s - this one stuck out - amazing sub-bass, but then again, it's the same on the HD800s:
 
James Blake - Limit To Your Love
 
 
 
Some other amazing music (on both the HE-560 and HD800):
 
Shelby Lynne - Just A Little Lovin' (DSD)
 
So much good music, so little time to listen....
 
Dale

I read this and then put on Shelby Lynne through the Chord Hugo. Yep, great low and what I call tuneful bass. The 560's go low and handle it well. Great stuff! I like the cymbals and the delicacy as well. I remember when Barbary Streisand did this back on a sixties recording, "Stoney End" with music by Laura Nyro , who Streisand did not credit as she should have, but that is another story. 

 

[conquerator2]

 
Honestly, I am somewhat disappointed with the bass quantity. I was expecting the same quantity of bass as the HE-500, with improvements elsewhere. But that's not been the case. Of course, I am not talking about the deepness, texture, definition, etc. Just quantity. Yeah, quality is important, but so is quantity. I know I'll be repeating myself, but even the HD600 puts out more bass than the HE-560 at some tracks, and HD600 is hardly a basshead headphone. HE-560 is not as bad as the HD800 as far as bass quantity goes, but it's barely adequate, at least for me.

I agree the way it gauges bass is a bit of a mystery for me... But to me, it does it correctly.
In songs where I expect it, I get it. Then there are songs where I think the bass should hit a bit harder but it does not...
All the information is encrypted in the song - the mastering, the amount of bass, etc. A neutral headphone [presumably on a neutral setup] "reads" this and reproduces it. It doesn't add [warm] or substract [bright] or emphasizes [either].
The way I see it, there're songs where we expect bass that either is not supposed to be there, as intended by the artist or the song is mastered towards a bright or warm signature, which is then reproduced accurately by neutral headphones, with neutral gear...
 
What's your setup btw?
Also, send me links to songs where you think the bass is lacking and let me evaluate it for the same of it, if you want :]
 
Cya in the morning guys 

 

[conquerator2]

As always Luke - you're spot on..

Thanks Darryl.
I have no reason to doubt the 6s ability to surpass the 560 but their setup synergy is a big con for me, unless one wants to focus their setup around a single headphone, thus a big 560s strength.
And that's not factoring in the amazing comfort gain... Man, those are the most comfy headphones I've ever used so far.
I'll be getting the SA31SE amp for these, using the C2 in DAC mode most likely... Untill I eventually reach for the NFB7 one day

 

[zxc]

  I agree the way it gauges bass is a bit of a mystery for me... But to me, it does it correctly.
In songs where I expect it, I get it. Then there are songs where I think the bass should hit a bit harder but it does not...
All the information is encrypted in the song - the mastering, the amount of bass, etc. A neutral headphone [presumably on a neutral setup] "reads" this and reproduces it. It doesn't add [warm] or substract [bright] or emphasizes [either].
The way I see it, there're songs where we expect bass that either is not supposed to be there, as intended by the artist or the song is mastered towards a bright or warm signature, which is then reproduced accurately by neutral headphones, with neutral gear...
 
What's your setup btw?
Also, send me links to songs where you think the bass is lacking and let me evaluate it for the same of it, if you want :]
 
Cya in the morning guys 

My amp is a PPA with OPA 637's, diamond buffers, and a 24V linear power supply. DAC is the Yulong D100 mk2.
 
I am starting to think that the mastering of most tracks were done so to optimize the listening experience on average gear, and then some tracks plain suck on accurate gear like the HD800 and HE-560. I don't know. Either way, not good for me.
 
I wish we had this conversation before, than I'd give you the track names. I've been switching between HD600 and HE-560 back and forth gzillion times an hour for the past couple of days. I need to stop doing that. My fingers getting thicker exercising on the Neutrik locking headphone jack...

 

[zxc]

About the cable, I do like the shorter length. It's just right for me. All the others were just too long. And don't forget, the shorter the cable, the better the sound quality (all else being equal). The best cable is no cable  

 

[zxc]

And about the comfort, no doubt these are awesome. But I think HD800 still wins by its 'soft as a baby butt' alcantara pads and the sheer volume inside the cups compared to the HE-560.  

 

[d4nim4l]

  About the cable, I do like the shorter length. It's just right for me. All the others were just too long. And don't forget, the shorter the cable, the better the sound quality (all else being equal). The best cable is no cable  

 
Initially I was disappointed with the length, but once I worked the coiling out it is plenty long for me.

 

[AgentXXL]

  And about the comfort, no doubt these are awesome. But I think HD800 still wins by its 'soft as a baby butt' alcantara pads and the sheer volume inside the cups compared to the HE-560.  

 
+ 1000! I love the comfort of the new 560s but my HD800s still take the prize for best comfort ever. 
 
Dale

 

[TMRaven]

 
It just hits lower there for a short moment before disappearing altogether.

 
Are you referring to the lowest bass note that starts at 2:21?  The youtube video has an extra sound effect at 2:24 but that's not part of the recording of the song I have on my iTunes for whatever reason.  I guess I have an extended mix or something.

 

[zxc]

Are you referring to the lowest bass note that starts at 2:21?  The youtube video has an extra sound effect at 2:24 but that's not part of the recording of the song I have on my iTunes for whatever reason.  I guess I have an extended mix or something.

Maybe, I just listened to the YouTube video.