I have decided to return mine. I bought the 660S again and ultimately I like it better.
The New HD 560S: Linear Acoustics at a Breakthrough Value
- Thread starter Sennheiser
- Start date
deadchip12
100+ Head-Fier
A local store let me know they just got 1 pair in stock. Gonna go there and try tomorrow. Very excited!
deadchip12
100+ Head-Fier
Just came back from testing the 560s at the store.
*Background:
I have owned a pair of phillips fidelio x2hr as my first open back for about a year and although I really like the sound signature of these, I'm currently looking for a replacement that has better imaging/details with more or less the same wide soundstage and also is less heavy/more comfortable on the head. Before, I used to test the 660s and the 800s at the store and compared them against my x2hr. I was not impressed with the former. I liked the design and the light weight of the 660s, but the shallow pads with non-angled drivers touched my ears a little bit and the soundstage was too narrow even with binaural tracks. I didn't hear much of an improvement in details/clarity or imaging either. The 800s though were great. The soundstage was so wide it's crazy, the pads were so large and deep and the headphones themselves were so light it was amazing. Things also sounded very clear on those. But the price was well above my budget so nope. Now there’s a lot of hype surrounding this hd560s pair with claims that the soundstage is substantially wider than the 6xx series with a price tag of $200 so I told myself I had to get my hands on one of those for testing.
DISCLAIMER:
I don’t consider myself an audiophile, and I only spend 1.5 hours with this pair so don’t let my impressions deter you from buying them or trying them out yourself. Also, I’m not a native English speaker and I typed all of this out kinda quick so I apologize for any mistakes.
*First impressions:
Build & Design:
I mentioned several times on this thread that I loved Senn headphones design in general and the design of this pair in particular, but seeing them today in person, I’m not so sure anymore. They looked kinda plain and flimsy. Putting them next to my x2hr, the hd 560s were like a toy. They certainly didn’t feel premium on my hand. That said, the silver lining was they were very light versus my x2hr which strained my neck after a long session of usage.
Earpads:
When I looked at the earpads I immediately went “uh oh”. They didn’t look that bigger or deeper than the ones on the 660s (though measurements say otherwise). When I put them on my head, it felt cramped kinda like on the 660s (maybe a little bit less due to the now angle drivers but still not roomy like the pads of the x2hr). I sighed and thought “man, the soundstage on these is gonna be the same narrow crap”. Is it though?
*Sound:
I brought a few tracks to the store for testing; some are binaural and some are normal stereo. I’m gonna list them down below along with my impressions of the 560s on each track versus the x2hr. My dac amp is Sound Blasterx g6.
Binaural tracks:
Since I mostly use headphones for gaming and movies, I want to test the headphones’ ability to realistically reproduce binaural/surround sound, which is very important for an immersive experience. The first 3 tracks below are from DR. CHESKY’S Ultimate Headphone Demo Disc, and the last one is the famous Yosi Horikawa - Bubbles track.
“When the Saints Go Marching In”:
This track is all about trumpet and drum performance. This was one of those “oh crap” moments on the 560s. With the x2hr, I could tell the drumming came from somewhere in front of me to the right. Putting on the 560s, I could literally point the finger to the direction of the drumming and even estimate the distance to it. It may sound cliché but I’ll be damned it’s like there was an invisible drummer sitting in the same room right there playing drums. I was gobsmacked. First time I felt that power of strong stereo imaging. And the drumming sounded really distinct on the 560s too, unlike on the x2hr it kinda blended into the background, so instrument separation seemed to be astounding on the 560s. One thing I don’t understand is why I didn’t get the same impressions on the 660s before. I thought that pair being a lot more expensive were supposed to beat the cheaper 560s in the imaging department? Now regarding soundstage, it was equally surprising. The ability to accurately pinpoint the direction and distance of sound on the 560s seemed to make the perceived soundstage more life like and in a way, wider? The x2hr felt wide but somewhat ambiguous. Regarding the sound of the trumpet, which was directly above and behind both ears, there was not much difference. Both sounded good but sometimes too harsh (given the very realistic uncompressed nature of the recording, this was to be expected)
“Drum and Bell_ Walk around the Mic _ Test”
This track has one person hitting a drum and ringing a bell while walking around you. Again, I could pinpoint the location of said person better with the 560s, although this was not as big of a difference as in the first test. I think the test itself was also not perfect with somehow messed up imaging. The soundstage on the 560s still remained competitive vs the x2hr. Solderdude from DIY Audio Heaven was not wrong in his review saying the stereo imaging on this pair is much wider than the 6xx series and approaches hd800 territory. I’m quite impressed.
“Height_ Left Channel Bell _ Test”
This track is to test height channel with a person ringing and gradually raising a bell above the listener’s head. This was the second “oh crap” moment with the 560s. The change in altitude of the bell is noticeably more apparent on them compared to the x2hr. This is gonna be useful with dolby atmos games where height channel is present.
Yosi Horikawa – Bubbles
This one was a bit different. The x2hr did better with this track. There was more distance between the dropping objects and my ears on the x2hr. On the 560s, they were seemingly directly behind my ears. The overall sound felt wider and fuller on the x2hr, maybe not night and day vs the 560s but I realized on certain tracks and with certain types of sound the x2hr did have some soundstage advantage (more on this later). Imaging was more or less the same on both I think.
Non-binaural, normal stereo tracks
The Dark Knight OST - Why So Serious
This track is mainly to test bass. Starting from 3:26, there are some bass notes that are very quiet. With headphones that have tight and defined bass, those notes can be heard and feel thumpy. I used to test this track on a closed back vs the x2hr and surprisingly the x2hr outperformed the closed back. On the closed back the notes were barely audible and didn’t feel thumpy at all. (“muddy” bass?). Today, the bass notes sounded more of less the same between the 560s and the x2hr. Another thing to note: at 1:09, the sound travels quickly between 2 ears from one to another for 10-20 seconds. When the sound reached one ear, again it felt further from that ear on the x2hr vs the 560s. The 560s seemed to respond well to binaural tracks (the 660s didn’t) but with traditional stereo tracks like this, in my opinion, the small earcups created less room for the ears to breath and the result was a more closed in sound field.
Daft Punk - Lose Yourself To Dance
With the x2hr, you are more engulfed in the music (maybe because it is more bassy?). The 560s sounded thin and sterile in comparison. Not as exciting and airy.
*So, in a nutshell, compared to the x2hr, the 560s have:
Flimsier and less premium build
Lighter weight -> less strain on head and neck
Smaller ear cup -> less comfortable for the ears
Noticeably better imaging and instruments separation
A soundstage that is more realistic and as wide or even wider with the right binaural/surround tracks but less wide with normal stereo tracks
Kinda the same bass quality but less bass quantity. Not much different midrange and treble but don’t trust me on this one.
Maybe better details/clarity (just maybe. Need to spend more time with them in a quieter environment)
Overall, probably a less musical sound signature
At the end, I walked out of the store with a heavy heart. I didn’t purchase the 560s. If the earcups on them were as big as on the x2hr, I probably would have bought them in a heartbeat, but who knows how the sound would have changed if they did. The soundstage was way better that I had expected but I’m still worried that games and movies may still sound less exciting on these if I bring them home given the less bassy & more analytical sound signature.
*Background:
I have owned a pair of phillips fidelio x2hr as my first open back for about a year and although I really like the sound signature of these, I'm currently looking for a replacement that has better imaging/details with more or less the same wide soundstage and also is less heavy/more comfortable on the head. Before, I used to test the 660s and the 800s at the store and compared them against my x2hr. I was not impressed with the former. I liked the design and the light weight of the 660s, but the shallow pads with non-angled drivers touched my ears a little bit and the soundstage was too narrow even with binaural tracks. I didn't hear much of an improvement in details/clarity or imaging either. The 800s though were great. The soundstage was so wide it's crazy, the pads were so large and deep and the headphones themselves were so light it was amazing. Things also sounded very clear on those. But the price was well above my budget so nope. Now there’s a lot of hype surrounding this hd560s pair with claims that the soundstage is substantially wider than the 6xx series with a price tag of $200 so I told myself I had to get my hands on one of those for testing.
DISCLAIMER:
I don’t consider myself an audiophile, and I only spend 1.5 hours with this pair so don’t let my impressions deter you from buying them or trying them out yourself. Also, I’m not a native English speaker and I typed all of this out kinda quick so I apologize for any mistakes.
*First impressions:
Build & Design:
I mentioned several times on this thread that I loved Senn headphones design in general and the design of this pair in particular, but seeing them today in person, I’m not so sure anymore. They looked kinda plain and flimsy. Putting them next to my x2hr, the hd 560s were like a toy. They certainly didn’t feel premium on my hand. That said, the silver lining was they were very light versus my x2hr which strained my neck after a long session of usage.
Earpads:
When I looked at the earpads I immediately went “uh oh”. They didn’t look that bigger or deeper than the ones on the 660s (though measurements say otherwise). When I put them on my head, it felt cramped kinda like on the 660s (maybe a little bit less due to the now angle drivers but still not roomy like the pads of the x2hr). I sighed and thought “man, the soundstage on these is gonna be the same narrow crap”. Is it though?
*Sound:
I brought a few tracks to the store for testing; some are binaural and some are normal stereo. I’m gonna list them down below along with my impressions of the 560s on each track versus the x2hr. My dac amp is Sound Blasterx g6.
Binaural tracks:
Since I mostly use headphones for gaming and movies, I want to test the headphones’ ability to realistically reproduce binaural/surround sound, which is very important for an immersive experience. The first 3 tracks below are from DR. CHESKY’S Ultimate Headphone Demo Disc, and the last one is the famous Yosi Horikawa - Bubbles track.
“When the Saints Go Marching In”:
This track is all about trumpet and drum performance. This was one of those “oh crap” moments on the 560s. With the x2hr, I could tell the drumming came from somewhere in front of me to the right. Putting on the 560s, I could literally point the finger to the direction of the drumming and even estimate the distance to it. It may sound cliché but I’ll be damned it’s like there was an invisible drummer sitting in the same room right there playing drums. I was gobsmacked. First time I felt that power of strong stereo imaging. And the drumming sounded really distinct on the 560s too, unlike on the x2hr it kinda blended into the background, so instrument separation seemed to be astounding on the 560s. One thing I don’t understand is why I didn’t get the same impressions on the 660s before. I thought that pair being a lot more expensive were supposed to beat the cheaper 560s in the imaging department? Now regarding soundstage, it was equally surprising. The ability to accurately pinpoint the direction and distance of sound on the 560s seemed to make the perceived soundstage more life like and in a way, wider? The x2hr felt wide but somewhat ambiguous. Regarding the sound of the trumpet, which was directly above and behind both ears, there was not much difference. Both sounded good but sometimes too harsh (given the very realistic uncompressed nature of the recording, this was to be expected)
“Drum and Bell_ Walk around the Mic _ Test”
This track has one person hitting a drum and ringing a bell while walking around you. Again, I could pinpoint the location of said person better with the 560s, although this was not as big of a difference as in the first test. I think the test itself was also not perfect with somehow messed up imaging. The soundstage on the 560s still remained competitive vs the x2hr. Solderdude from DIY Audio Heaven was not wrong in his review saying the stereo imaging on this pair is much wider than the 6xx series and approaches hd800 territory. I’m quite impressed.
“Height_ Left Channel Bell _ Test”
This track is to test height channel with a person ringing and gradually raising a bell above the listener’s head. This was the second “oh crap” moment with the 560s. The change in altitude of the bell is noticeably more apparent on them compared to the x2hr. This is gonna be useful with dolby atmos games where height channel is present.
Yosi Horikawa – Bubbles
This one was a bit different. The x2hr did better with this track. There was more distance between the dropping objects and my ears on the x2hr. On the 560s, they were seemingly directly behind my ears. The overall sound felt wider and fuller on the x2hr, maybe not night and day vs the 560s but I realized on certain tracks and with certain types of sound the x2hr did have some soundstage advantage (more on this later). Imaging was more or less the same on both I think.
Non-binaural, normal stereo tracks
The Dark Knight OST - Why So Serious
This track is mainly to test bass. Starting from 3:26, there are some bass notes that are very quiet. With headphones that have tight and defined bass, those notes can be heard and feel thumpy. I used to test this track on a closed back vs the x2hr and surprisingly the x2hr outperformed the closed back. On the closed back the notes were barely audible and didn’t feel thumpy at all. (“muddy” bass?). Today, the bass notes sounded more of less the same between the 560s and the x2hr. Another thing to note: at 1:09, the sound travels quickly between 2 ears from one to another for 10-20 seconds. When the sound reached one ear, again it felt further from that ear on the x2hr vs the 560s. The 560s seemed to respond well to binaural tracks (the 660s didn’t) but with traditional stereo tracks like this, in my opinion, the small earcups created less room for the ears to breath and the result was a more closed in sound field.
Daft Punk - Lose Yourself To Dance
With the x2hr, you are more engulfed in the music (maybe because it is more bassy?). The 560s sounded thin and sterile in comparison. Not as exciting and airy.
*So, in a nutshell, compared to the x2hr, the 560s have:
Flimsier and less premium build
Lighter weight -> less strain on head and neck
Smaller ear cup -> less comfortable for the ears
Noticeably better imaging and instruments separation
A soundstage that is more realistic and as wide or even wider with the right binaural/surround tracks but less wide with normal stereo tracks
Kinda the same bass quality but less bass quantity. Not much different midrange and treble but don’t trust me on this one.
Maybe better details/clarity (just maybe. Need to spend more time with them in a quieter environment)
Overall, probably a less musical sound signature
At the end, I walked out of the store with a heavy heart. I didn’t purchase the 560s. If the earcups on them were as big as on the x2hr, I probably would have bought them in a heartbeat, but who knows how the sound would have changed if they did. The soundstage was way better that I had expected but I’m still worried that games and movies may still sound less exciting on these if I bring them home given the less bassy & more analytical sound signature.
Thanks for the impressions!
You see, this was my dilemma initially as well. Comparing two fairly different headphones back and forth, especially when you know one of them intimately and the other is new, is not a good idea. I did this on day one with the Verums and initially felt mixed, but it was only when I put the Verum aside and focused on the 560S, they began to shine in their own way, and then when I went back to the Verum after a while I could appreciate the differences more objectively.
So if you can, try listening to them for some time, without immediate direct comparisons. Because then your brain never truly adjusts to the new sound. This is why shows are oftentimes also not reliable, from my experience. I continue to maintain the Verum does some things better, it is mellower, more natural and can stage and separate things better, but the 560S has such a coherent, dynamic presentation that is quite addictive I think, and the soundstage actually feels better after a bit.
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deadchip12
100+ Head-Fier
I did go through all the tracks with the hd560s first before starting to compare them against the x2hr. I feel that I need to spend more time with them though in a less noisy environment. The store was not an ideal place for testing. Sadly we don't have sites like Amazon here where we can order stuffs, try them out at the comfort of our home and send them back if we don't like them.
Second unpleasant moment with these cans...connected to the Chord Mojo.
Songs:
Thomas Newman - Dead already
All Saints - Never ever
Tool - Right in two
Massive Attack - Unfinished sympathy
Cardboard Fox - Girls chase boys
Dido - Sand in my shoes
Was afraid the HD 560S would highlight how digital sounding the Mojo is and they did. Also sounded quite thin.
Switching to the Dragonfly Red connected to Beyer A20 amp with an Audioquest Big Sur cable, gave a smoother weighty sound. The HD 560S enjoying the extra power.
Songs:
Thomas Newman - Dead already
All Saints - Never ever
Tool - Right in two
Massive Attack - Unfinished sympathy
Cardboard Fox - Girls chase boys
Dido - Sand in my shoes
Was afraid the HD 560S would highlight how digital sounding the Mojo is and they did. Also sounded quite thin.
Switching to the Dragonfly Red connected to Beyer A20 amp with an Audioquest Big Sur cable, gave a smoother weighty sound. The HD 560S enjoying the extra power.
deadchip12
100+ Head-Fier
1 day after testing and I already miss the 560s... hearing that pinpoint imaging was an eye opening (or should I say ear opening) experience. Maybe after my x2hr break (probably never lol) I will get the 560s.
GearMe
Headphoneus Supremus
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It's OK (encouraged in Head-Fi tbh) to own both!
deadchip12
100+ Head-Fier
Looks like in almost every 560s review there is a comment near the end saying: "check out the sundara, it's better than the 560s in all aspects" haha. Well I would, if it didn't look that ugly for my taste.
Quite.
Still doesn't take away from the praise given to the HD 560S.
Price and reliability reputation are also in its favour.
deadchip12
100+ Head-Fier
Sure. Watching the above review makes me want to wear the 560s again and test some more. ugh. Can I just have Amazon in my country please?
cel4145
Headphoneus Supremus
Plus, such claims about the Sundara ignore that the mids in the HD560S are a bit more linear and the deep bass extension is better.
deadchip12
100+ Head-Fier
I plan to retest the 560s at another store soon (kinda awkward to come back to the previous store to test a 2nd time). This time I'm not gonna do any comparison or any specific audio test. Will be just me and the 560s with some great music for 1-2 hours. This is to check the enjoyment factor of the headphones.
Edit: btw, my dac amp is the sound blasterx g6. Should it be at low gain or high gain for this next test session? In previous testing, low gain seemed to provide high enough volume for this pair already so I'm not sure switching to high gain this time will bring about any benefits?
Edit: btw, my dac amp is the sound blasterx g6. Should it be at low gain or high gain for this next test session? In previous testing, low gain seemed to provide high enough volume for this pair already so I'm not sure switching to high gain this time will bring about any benefits?
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