[NickedWicked]

The lowlier HD560S actually sounds quite good too(it's supposed to have the NDH-30 drivers).

I saw an verdict that it is distorting and being subpar. I can't agree. That particular poster on whatever site used a LG V60 phone which can put out max 2.0V which is not very good with a 120 Ohm headphone. I'm using it right now with a headphone amp running on a 16V power brick which should have more voltage swing and actually it sounds quite clean and low distorting especially on modern bass heavy music. It can handle mega bass tracks without clipping even if it's not a bassy sounding can by itself. You can hear it's a cheap frame and not much damping, but the driver seems to do it's job and maintain control even at high SPL. It could actually really be that the cups on the NDH-30 are so much better damped etc making the main part of the difference. 5 times more expensive, but oh well, NDH-30 do sound better.

I think I saw something about the NDH-30 cups being made to minimize reflections causing diffraction distortion, the HD560S has nothing of the sorts and should have less precision if only because of that.

I thought they sounded very similar as well, I gave my 560S away to family. But while I had it it was a fantastic headphone for 150 or less on sale. It's like a mini HD 800S, the soundstage is not as wide, the imagining not as precise, treble not as refined and missed a bit of warmth and presence in the mid-range otherwise it is a pretty fabulous offering. It sounds very similar to the NDH 30, but the latter ultimately performs on quite a different level much closer to the actual HD 800S and rivaling flagships from other brands.

 

[rafaelo]

90£ for the 560s vs 100£ for 2 balanced cables for my 6## phones I have preferred the second option and returned this headphone back.

I am sad when I hear ND30 sounds close to that but it makes my choices much easier.

 

[Mike F]

I am sad when I hear ND30 sounds close to that but it makes my choices much easier.

But it doesn’t. Do yourself a favour and give the NHD 30 a listen. Assuming it sounds similar to the 560S because it has a variant of the same driver is like assuming the 660S2 will sound like the 700. Essentially, the same driver, but completely different sounding headphones.

 

[Mike F]

It sounds very similar to the NDH 30, but the latter ultimately performs on quite a different level much closer to the actual HD 800S and rivaling flagships from other brands.

@rafaelo something can sound similar, yet be completely different!

 

[rafaelo]

But it doesn’t. Do yourself a favour and give the NHD 30 a listen. Assuming it sounds similar to the 560S because it has a variant of the same driver is like assuming the 660S2 will sound like the 700. Essentially, the same driver, but completely different sounding headphones.

I heard that from other trusted sources as well. That the ND30 and 560s does sound alike at all. But people keep saying the sound is very similar and I am confused.

 

[rafaelo]

@rafaelo something can sound similar, yet be completely different!

Yes resolution, technicalities etc. It may also be that the driver is very different and we do not know it we just assume it they are very similar from what a Sennheiser sponsor said in the past.

 

[NickedWicked]

I heard that from other trusted sources as well. That the ND30 and 560s does sound alike at all. But people keep saying the sound is very similar and I am confused.

It is a bit difficult to explain, you can hear the drivers are rather similar yet they completely tightened up the bass, somehow gave the diaphragm a lot more stiffness and/or altered the damping causing it to sound a lot more faster and tamed the high-end with a certain material. I'm sure there are more under the hood changes regarding the driver, driver angles and the build around it. How Neumann for example fixed the mid-range to be full and incredibly balanced sounding is a mystery a me.

 

[rafaelo]

How Neumann for example fixed the mid-range to be full and incredibly balanced sounding is a mystery a me.

Exactly that. I did not like the mid-range of 560s at all.

This is a leap forward to be fixed when using the same driver. Big mystery to me as well.

 

[indigogo]

All headphones sound the same or similar to people without experience and knowledge with an average hearing level or lower)))
Maybe it's time to start listening to the opinions of people who have experience and knowledge and become several levels higher and more serious?)))
Or you can stay at the same level and continue to play children's games with everyone)))

 

[NickedWicked]

All headphones sound the same or similar to people without experience and knowledge with an average hearing level or lower)))
Maybe it's time to start listening to the opinions of people who have experience and knowledge and become several levels higher and more serious?)))
Or you can stay at the same level and continue to play children's games with everyone)))

Buddy, you listen to your headphones through mixers and recording hardware which are generally not all that great for headphones, spec and noise wise.

It’s getting pretty hard to take you serious…

 

[Luckyleo]

Buddy, you listen to your headphones through mixers and recording hardware which are generally not all that great for headphones, spec and noise wise.

It’s getting pretty hard to take you serious…

Getting there? Lol

 

[Harold999]

All headphones sound the same or similar to people without experience and knowledge with an average hearing level or lower)))
))

Maybe they are right and we have an OCD.

 

[indigogo]

Buddy, you listen to your headphones through mixers and recording hardware which are generally not all that great for headphones, spec and noise wise.

It’s getting pretty hard to take you serious…

Sorry buddy, this has been discussed a few times before - no expensive audiophile gear can match the headphone sound of the Sound Devices 888, 833, MixPre-10 II, MixPre-6 II
This is not pathetic ZOOM or TASCAM!
This is a completely different approach to sound with high-tech adult internals with real 32-bit technology and the best and cleanest preamps in the world. And believe me - these are not childish audiophile knick-knacks)))
It's enough just not to be lazy and spend a little time and look at these devices on the manufacturer's website.
The only thing that can be added is that all this has been compared many times with expensive audiophile equipment and it did not stand up to any comparison with Sound Devices!
For example, the RME ADI-2/4 Pro SE not reach out of this level of sound. Which is one of the best very serious professional and audiophile equipment that I also use in my work every day.
Therefore, when I write something, I know exactly what I am writing about and this is so!

 

[chesebert]

Sorry buddy, this has been discussed a few times before - no expensive audiophile gear can match the headphone sound of the Sound Devices 888, 833, MixPre-10 II, MixPre-6 II
This is not pathetic ZOOM or TASCAM!
This is a completely different approach to sound with high-tech adult internals with real 32-bit technology and the best and cleanest preamps in the world. And believe me - these are not childish audiophile knick-knacks)))
It's enough just not to be lazy and spend a little time and look at these devices on the manufacturer's website.
The only thing that can be added is that all this has been compared many times with expensive audiophile equipment and it did not stand up to any comparison with Sound Devices!
For example, the RME ADI-2/4 Pro SE not reach out of this level of sound. And also one of the best very serious professional and audiophile equipment that I also use in my work every day.
Therefore, when I write something, I know exactly what I am writing about and this is so!

My understanding is 32bit data path was implemented in order to reduce quantization errors and noise floor to arrive at a bit-depth equivalent of 24bit when you are processing and mixing different signals. I would argue 32bit is not sufficient for clean 24bit-equivalent final output and pro gear should really be at 64bit for best quality.

 

[indigogo]

My understanding is 32bit data path was implemented in order to reduce quantization errors and noise floor to arrive at a bit-depth equivalent of 24bit when you are processing and mixing different signals. I would argue 32bit is not sufficient for clean 24bit-equivalent final output and pro gear should really be at 64bit for best quality.

32-bit float ! ! !
Compared to fixed-point files (16- or 24-bit), 32-bit float files store numbers in a floating-point format. This is fundamentally different than fixed point, because numbers in these WAV files are stored with “scientific notation”, using decimal points and exponents.........32-bit float USB audio streaming – the only 32-bit float USB audio interface on the market
https://www.sounddevices.com/32-bit-float-files-explained/
An ultra-powerful engine comprised of three FPGA circuits and six ARM processors deliver the horsepower needed for the most complex tasks. FPGA-based audio processing with 64-bit data paths ensures the highest sound quality and reliability.......

But the most important thing for sound reproduction is not 32 bits - this is that in order to implement the technology of 32 bits floating back and forth, it is necessary to use the most high-tech and advanced DAC and preamplifier today. Which are inside Sound Devices)