[Ichos]

Bass on these is well extended, tight and controlled with excellent layering.
Not too full bodied though since it is on the leaner side of things.

 

[NOMOS]

At this point I will throw in a quick comparison with the Hifiman Sundara:
Just like the HD 560s the Sundara are very detailed headphones. Open-back, too, but with planar-magnetic drivers instead. And with great detail retrieval, too!
Yet, in my opinion the Sundara are less detailed than the 560S and are a (tiny) bit more loose in the bass section. I am running the Sundara on the same player (Shanling M5s) on the balanced out with 300mW@32Ω. However, the Sundara are a lot more enjoyable and more comfortable to listen over long periods. Overall they are less bright than the HD 560S.

The Sundara is the 2020 Version?

 

[theMUKe]

The Sundara is the 2020 Version?

Haven’t asked Hifiman but since I ordered them only beginning of this year it should clearly be the latest revision.

 

[NOMOS]

Your description fits well with Frequency response comparison
of the two Headphones . Blue Line is 560S .

 

[striker333]

I have 560s since 2 month now and using ZEN DAC v2 with it but with bass boost on and some heavy bass songs the left driver buzzing but not the right one I tried tighten the screw but with no luck .the problem is I cant send it back to Sennheiser even if they accepted the cost of this gonna be half of the headphone or maybe more so any help will be appreciated . btw the buzzing gone if I put something on the air way but doing this gonna change signature of the left side to the other one besides that not supposed to happen I think because that is not normal. and sorry about my English .

 

[SchwizzelKick66]

Still love these headphones. To me they are truly neutral, almost a perfect reference headphone. They tell it like it is and will reveal the quality of recordings, as well as show the sound signature quirks of your other headphones lol.

My ONLY gripe about these is the plastic headband, as I've mentioned previously. If these had the pleather wrapped headband of the 599, they would be borderline perfect. Unfortunately the plastic headband scratches so ridiculously easily, I've had mine since release and there are just a ton of scratches and blemishes on the headband at this point, and I baby my headphones. It's not a deal breaker, just a bummer.

 

[morningcrow]

I’m an audio newb with a small budget, but a recent move from a home to a duplex has me wanting to take a bigger step into headphones.

I’ll be listening to music primarily from my laptop and from an Audio Technica AT-LP120XUSB turntable (currently run through a Yamaha RX-V579 receiver, with a busted headphone jack).

Headphones:
Wanting to stay around the $200 range and leaning towards picking up the Sennheiser 560s this week, as a solid/reliable all-around option for a variety of music.
I love drum heavy bands like Brutus ( Brutus - SUGAR DRAGON (Live in Ghent) - YouTube ) and would like vocals to sound great. Love Sigur Ros, Radiohead, Counting Crows, psych rock like the Oh Sees and more stripped back music with a focus on vocals and lots of live albums and quality bootlegs. Hoping the 560s will be a good fit.

DAC / AMP:
This is where i'm most uncertain on what I need. Seems obvious I need at least a cheap amp & dac to get the most out of the 560s. Any recommendations on what I should look for that would allow me to use my 560s with both my turntable (which has a phono preamp) and laptop? Hoping to stay somewhat close to $100-$150 for now, so maybe a amp / dac combo? Is there something that would work for this? Would the FiiO K5 Pro DAC and Headphone Amplifier work for what I need?

 

[shampoosuicide]

Quick and dirty notes re. the 560S and KISS-modded HD 6XX, highlighting their respective areas of competence / defining characteristics / relative differences:

HD 560S:

• Sub-bass extension; tight, quick, and defined low-end
• Airier presentation
• Crisper, more energetic treble
• Clarity
• Neutral; monitor-like
• Cleaner sounding
• Imaging
• Drier; more 'etched'
• Versatility

HD 6XX KISS

• Midrange tonality
• Timbre
• Dimensionality
• Realism
• Rendering of atmosphere / ambience
• Warm, organic, mellow

Chain: Spotify Premium on Mac > iFi ZEN DAC V2 7.2c > iFi 4.4mm-XLR > Gustard H10 (1.4W @ 300 ohm)

 

[Foulcher]

Hello,

As a lover of my old (broken) Sennheiser RS130 RF headphones, I purchased the HD560S because I was not satisfied by my AKG 712 Pro and I must say that I am REALLY pleased with them. I really found the clarity I had with the RS130 and which I did not found with Sennheiser RS185 which are warmer (that is why I also skipped the 600 series, I had the intuition that the 560S would appeal me more).

Paired with Cayin HA-1A Mk2 tube amp at 65-150 ohm setting, they goes from (very) good headphones to heaven-sounding (it adds a bit more presence in basses and a feeling of reverb/more body/presence/live effect). It also makes them a bit less "dry". As a vocal lover, they sound just right...and in fact perfect so that I do not even see what I could improve. The funny thing is that these headphones are very cheap... It seems that I just like the "simply flat without unecessary refinment" of cheap headphones.

I still use my AKG for orchestral music (like videogames) since I love the details they provide on these (HD560S are less good in this department, but because I almost only hear music with vocals, i.e. mostly pop they are by far my favorite)

I somewhat considered HD569 to use at work, do they have the same sound character than HD560S ? If I had closed-back headphones with a sound close to these, I would be very happy.

 

[volly]

Hello,

As a lover of my old (broken) Sennheiser RS130 RF headphones, I purchased the HD560S because I was not satisfied by my AKG 712 Pro and I must say that I am REALLY pleased with them. I really found the clarity I had with the RS130 and which I did not found with Sennheiser RS185 which are warmer (that is why I also skipped the 600 series, I had the intuition that the 560S would appeal me more).

Paired with Cayin HA-1A Mk2 tube amp at 65-150 ohm setting, they goes from (very) good headphones to heaven-sounding (it adds a bit more presence in basses and a feeling of reverb). It also makes them a bit less "dry". As a vocal lover, they sound just right...and in fact perfect so that I do not even see what I could improve. The funny thing is that these headphones are very cheap... It seems that I just like the "simply flat without unecessary refinment" of cheap headphones.

I still use my AKG for orchestral music (like videogames) since I love the details they provide on these (HD560S are less good in this department, but because I almost only hear music with vocals, i.e. mostly pop they are by far my favorite)

I somewhat considered HD569 to use at work, do they have the same sound character than HD560S ? If I had closed-back headphones with a sound close to these, I would be very happy.

I'm glad you're enjoying the HD560s, I think Sennheiser really got it right this time! Yes....Tube these babies, they absolutely love tubes! I've currently keep them on my Bifrost/Valhalla 2 stack permanently!

A closed back variant with all the same attributes would be an instant buy for me!

HD569 - By the Godfather of Headphone Gurus.

They really do look like twin's - HD560s / HD569

Enjoy!

 

[Foulcher]

I'm glad you're enjoying the HD560s, I think Sennheiser really got it right this time! Yes....Tube these babies, they absolutely love tubes! I've currently keep them on my Bifrost/Valhalla 2 stack permanently!

A closed back variant with all the same attributes would be an instant buy for me!

HD569 - By the Godfather of Headphone Gurus.

They really do look like twin's - HD560s / HD569

Enjoy!

Thanks for the video, I will probably buy these. At 109 euros the HD569 even cheaper than the HD560S so it is probably a safe bet considering the video plus it has a microphone which is quite rare on this kind of headphones, so it seems also functionally perfect at work !

I will add it to my birthday list, I had no ideas to submit now I have one.

 

[Lespectraal]

A month in and these are the headphones for me. They sound clear and covers the whole frequency range the way I like it. Gaming and movies have been a treat on it and most of all comfort is top notch. Even after purchasing an Ananda I just like how the midrange is being portrayed in these headphones and I switch between the two frequently. Plus it's all black, my favorite color. Sennheiser did good on these.

 

[theMUKe]

A month in and these are the headphones for me. They sound clear and covers the whole frequency range the way I like it. Gaming and movies have been a treat on it and most of all comfort is top notch. Even after purchasing an Ananda I just like how the midrange is being portrayed in these headphones and I switch between the two frequently. Plus it's all black, my favorite color. Sennheiser did good on these.

Also for me they seem to be more balanced after more burn in time. So definitely required!

Currently I am running the 560S on an Hiby R3 Pro Saber on balanced out. Treble is no longer an issue, might be the player though.

Don’t have the Ananda but thought of getting them. Would you mind providing some more detailed comparison?

 

[Lespectraal]

Also for me they seem to be more balanced after more burn in time. So definitely required!

Currently I am running the 560S on an Hiby R3 Pro Saber on balanced out. Treble is no longer an issue, might be the player though.

Don’t have the Ananda but thought of getting them. Would you mind providing some more detailed comparison?

The Anandas are definitely a step up technically wise, with better bass extension and volume, a more precise imaging, and also better details. I use them with particularly well recorded and when I'm watching movies. The HD 560S have more presence in the mid range, so music with lots of acoustic material on it and voices in particular are times when I switch to it. Podcasts are also where I use the HD 560s more with. I think as far as the soundstage goes, they are both quite equal, only the Anandas give a better sense of up vs down, compared to the HD 560s. I play games like Battlefield V with its Binaural audio mode and I seem to hear footsteps the same with either headphones. Just that I can hear whatever that is above or below me slightly clearer with the Anandas, so planes that zoom above me and people running around trenches below make me look up or down respectively more readily with the Anandas than I do with the HD 560s.

 

[volly]

The Anandas are definitely a step up technically wise, with better bass extension and volume, a more precise imaging, and also better details. I use them with particularly well recorded and when I'm watching movies. The HD 560S have more presence in the mid range, so music with lots of acoustic material on it and voices in particular are times when I switch to it. Podcasts are also where I use the HD 560s more with. I think as far as the soundstage goes, they are both quite equal, only the Anandas give a better sense of up vs down, compared to the HD 560s. I play games like Battlefield V with its Binaural audio mode and I seem to hear footsteps the same with either headphones. Just that I can hear whatever that is above or below me slightly clearer with the Anandas, so planes that zoom above me and people running around trenches below make me look up or down respectively more readily with the Anandas than I do with the HD 560s.

I have the Hifiman Edition X ( OG) and can say the 560s and Edition X are both par as one of my favorite out of the lot! The midrange is where both just get right for me, I often think of the Edition X as a Super HD600. I will say, imho, the HD560s images better than the Edition X. I've recently upgraded my Edition X earpads to full Pleather and that has helped in both imaging and bass response but I still believe the 560s hold it's own.

In Australia, you can grabbed a 560s for about 250 Aussie dollars (A2A), for what you're getting it's just a banger of a headphone! My Elears sound more rounded in the sound stage but is a tad more dynamic but again another high tier headphone compared to the 560s. I've yet to hear the HD660s but will probably grab one soon!

My advice on "anyone" wanting to dip their toes in to this rabbit hole of a hobby, then give the 560s a listen, it may do you over for a long while before moving on but then....what is there really to move on too!? I love and respect both the Edition X and HD560s, could go either way!