Does the 560S set the bar??

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[@ricco_g750]

My favourite sennheiser, honestly

[@garywright4510]

Great review. I've watched so many now in this one gave the most balanced perspective

[@cremersalex]

I agree with your findings. The 560S is the same headphone as the Sennheiser HD 400 Pro, which is meant for mixing and mastering. It's very linear with (regrettably) a slight tilt in the mid-range, which makes some recordings sound somewhat harsh or shouty. However, bass and stereo field are more impressive than my HD 600. I've noticed that the 560S is better or more suited for low volume listening. Edit: Apparently the frequency bump is somewhere around 6000-6500Hz so not really mid-range but rather lower treble.

[@Beatz-Pocket]

So the hd 400 are more for mixing and mastering ? Why you think that?

[@cremersalex]

@@Beatz-Pocket Sennheiser confirmed it. The 560S only looks somewhat different and it doesn't have a coiled cable (thank god).

[@danielsacilotto6235]

Yeah, they do seem to get muddy at higher volumes

[@NO_SIMP_ZONE]

Its not tilted in the midrange. It has slight emphasis in the lower treble which is probably the only caveat in an absolutely slam dunk purchase

[@cremersalex]

@@NO_SIMP_ZONE Yes, I equalize it at 6500hz. (-4dB) and then my main problem with this headphones goes away. I'm thinking of buying a passive filter for it.

[@thatchinaboi1]

My favorite pair of headphones. I use it for mixing, mastering, and general listening. Looking forward to the reviews on the new HD620s which is based on the same design as the 560s with angled transducers, but closed back.

[@Skeeb23]

Stay tuned them because I have them in house and will be dropping my review on launch day.

[@thatchinaboi1]

@@Skeeb23 Hope to upgrade from my Sennheiser HD300 Pro. They don't have good imaging and soundstage is very compressed.

[@DGardn100]

I bought these in January 2022. I like them a lot, but it's hard to get replacement pads, and impossible to find replacement headband cushions for them.

[@kywake8875]

There is in Aliexpress

[@guybuddy1]

@@kywake8875 True... although it's always a gamble with Ali stuff. I got some Sundara replacement pads, and they were good for a couple weeks but they started to come apart at the seems... wasn't worth the time and money.

[@AndrewUKLondon]

I've go the 560s and move them. Using them with a chord Mojo 2 was a perfect fit.

[@Blight-fp3vt]

The fact its detachable single left cord means you can put in a boom mic very cheaply - its a real positive for usability of the headphones.

[@bravestarr2001]

Nice sounding headphones for the price. Had mine about a year now. Build quality isn't great but I suppose you get what you pay for.

[@mitesh_naik]

This review was so nice 🙌

[@JudgeFredd]

Great review

[@argo117007]

You're wrong about the imaging on 560s. It has exceptional imaging. i tried all the hifimans up to arya none of them can touch the imaging on the 560 s. I had to buy a 660s2 because that was the only direct upgrade in imaging and overall sound

[@Skeeb23]

@@argo117007 fun part about this hobby, everyone is correct on their own opinion for how they hear it. I've read up that how the 560S fits each head can effect imaging. Seems strange, but I could see it. Better than the Arya is a big claim though, but hey, if you are happy with the 560S that is all that matters!

[@argo117007]

@@Skeeb23i am happier with the 660s2. Thanks and yes! I never hear anyone talking about how exceptionally pin point the 660s and s2 are. The hifiman generally has much more clarity and great left to right imaging. But they are lacking in z axis imaging. I think the lack of pin points of sound is just how the planars are. Imaging is simply impulse control and there is a slightly delay in the sound reaching one ear to depict panning, etc. This impulse control might just be one of the weaknesses of planars

[@laika25]

I was concerned about the ones I just got from Amazon since they came with the 1.8 m cable terminated in a 3.5 plug (as opposed to 3 m /6.5). But I'm guessing the shorter cable is an update?

[@MyouKyuubi]

pretty sure their senstivity is 110 dB/1 Volt, not mW. xD

[@bilxke8271]

hey man, i’m going to be using these nearly exclusively on my iphone and macbook air. on a rare occasion i might use them on my ps5. do you recommend an amp/dac in my case? if so i’d appreciate any suggestion as i know nothing about any of this lmao

[@Skeeb23]

These do take well to some power. You could go with something like an iFi Zen CAN or even a simple dongle DAC/amp device. Depends on how much you want to spend.

[@bilxke8271]

@@Skeeb23 thanks for the reply. i’m definitely inclined to go for a more budget friendly option, not crazy cheap, just somewhere where there’s good value for money.

[@Skeeb23]

@@bilxke8271 yeah you can find a lot of different options around $200 or less. You can find things around $100 too, but in my opinion if you can get to $200, it will open up better choices and power.

[@bilxke8271]

@@Skeeb23 thanks!

[@sengan2475]

What dac/amp combo would you recommend around $100-$150? Theres just so many!

[@Skeeb23]

I would look into iFi or FiiO products in that range. The Zen series for iFi. The FiiO KA7 looks pretty nice for the power you can get from it but you'd probably go closer to $200. May find an open box or used offering.

[@laowai2000]

Using iFi Dac and Can. Probably get away with just the DAC but the CAN definitely adds to the experience. Save your money and pick up 2nd hand.

[@TylersEclectic]

Good video!

[@Skeeb23]

Thank you!

[@Criticalmaze]

@@Skeeb23 isn’t the hd400pro the same as this with a different cable?

[@Skeeb23]

@@Criticalmaze According to what I've read up on it..yes it is. Different cable and slightly different aesthetic look. Higher price. To each their own on the version you would choose here.

[@luizengrazia5169]

Don't know if you ever tried them but...how would you compare this to AKG's K702? I can get a 702 in my country for about 40% less.

[@Skeeb23]

I haven't. I have a friend who owned the 702 and liked it quite a bit. I would look up any reviews and compare notes on both.

[@theaist1]

560c headphones for listening to music and the complex sound originally recorded. This is not for sports, travel, etc. They are not designed to please the average user. There are no flashing light bulbs, enhancers - jammers , there is no spectacular, but unnatural synthetic bass popular among young people.. the original recording оnly

[@FairSkys]

do u think i need an amp for these for footstep audio gaming and audio quality?

[@Skeeb23]

I think something above onboard motherboard sound is going to benefit you here. Footsteps are part of the frequency that can thump or sparkle..and to be able to hear more clear, a decent amp can open it up. Will it make you an instantly better gamer....that I doubt. I would recommend something like a Schiit Magni or even the Schiit Fulla for a simple solution. My biggest revelation in my audio journey was bringing amplification out of the motherboard and getting it externally. So much noise happens in your PC, and especially these days with even more juice and power flowing through with the components. Just my 2 cents of course. That being said, the 560S could be a great headphone to start with as you can add a better amp later to get more out of it.

[@FairSkys]

@@Skeeb23 i was looking at the topping DX1 do u think the schiit magni+ would be a better option or no

[@Skeeb23]

@@FairSkys well, the DX1 is a DAC/AMP combo. So if you need a combo, then you won't want the Magni. The Schiit Fulla would be another option for that albeit only $20 more. Also, the Schiit Hel has gotten many good reviews for what it can do. I have no experience with the DX1, so I can't tell you for sure. There is also the iFi Zen Air DAC...but I wasn't a huge fan of it. Also the iFi Uno, which I do enjoy though not the game mode. If you are wanting to go the gaming route, I recommend the Fulla/Hel.

[@FairSkys]

@@Skeeb23 i’m sorry i have no knowledge on this at all. If you just have the best one you recommend for footstep audio that would be really helpful. I don’t even know what they do.

[@Skeeb23]

@@FairSkys no worries at all. If you really want to go 560S then I would recommend the Schiit Hel. It has more power available for those headphones. Or the iFi Zen DAC. About the same price so that would come down to aesthetics. Both will allow you the detail you want for footsteps. If you don't go the 560S, the you can go with cheaper options of dac/amps more then likely. 560S is a great option though!

[@makunouchiippo816]

It seems like they are not a good choice if youre listening mainly to metal genre music? I read a lot of good stuff about these sennheisers but they seem to focus more on vocals which would be better for classic music and maybe stuff like jazz I guess? And the only good planar headphones in my price range (150€) are HifiMans which have quality control issues and need an amp. Then there are beyerdynamics dt 770 pro but I heard about the beyer peak and I think I am sensitive to it. I really don't know what could be a good alternative.

[@Skeeb23]

Depends. Since you are talking metal, what sound characteristic are you wanting? The 560 really should have an amp too in my opinion to bring the most out of them. Hell on tubes they can be something special.

[@makunouchiippo816]

@@Skeeb23 It's hard for me to answer that question properly because I am absolutely not an audiophile person. I just started reading about it a few days ago because my 12 year old audio-technica ATH-M30 are starting to fall apart and I want something that can last that long as well. But I enjoyed/I am enjoying the sound of my audio-technicas. There is just one problem sometimes with the sound. On some occasions (mainly when watching videos on KZbin where someone is recording with a microphone) I am getting a feeling as if someone uses an ice pickle in my ears. It looks like it is a certain frequency which triggers it but as I already wrote... I am no audiophile person so I don't know what exactly that is. Maybe I could've fixed it with an equalizer but I never used or tried one before. But with my next headphones I maybe should start doing it. For the amplifier situation: I heard and read that an apple dongle is in most cases enough. I can see and understand that the higher the ohm from the earphones the more you would need an amp. But I will use mine just for my desktop PC so something around 32 - 80 ohm should be enough.

[@Skeeb23]

@@makunouchiippo816 hey you're learning though, which is great! You're correct that I wouldn't choose a Beyer because that piercing you are referring to may be sibilant sensitive sound. Many Beyer's have that. I'll do some digging and can give you some good recommendations outside of the 560. The 560 does still sound great without an amp but it can be mid forward and shouty with vocals . So if you don't want that shout of metal vocals it may be too much.

[@makunouchiippo816]

@@Skeeb23 Thank you for your help and fast reply, really appreciate it! The sibilant sensitive sound you have mentioned could really be the thing I have mentioned. I read through it to understand what it is and it looks like that certain vocals like S or Z are triggering this issue. My actual audio-technica headphones don't really have that problem when I am listening to music. But I strongly felt it when watching videos, especially on KZbin and it is really annoying. So if you are telling me that most beyerdynamics do have this issue then I can put them from my "wishlist" I guess. Because you can't fix that with an equalizer I guess. It would change the rest of the sound from a song if I understand that right? So far I was only able to listen through sound demos. I know that this is not representative because in real life it will sound different. The problem here is that the stores in my location don't have most of these audiophile headphones. They just have the mainstream stuff like JBL or Bose for example. But I have to say that I really liked the sound from HiFiMan headphones in general, no matter which one I heard from sound demos. But here is the next problem: The quality control issues are an absolute no go for me. I don't want to spend every 2 years or so money for new headphones especially if you need an amp as well (although I don't think you have to get a new one for another pair of headphones). There are some headphones from people on reddit which are getting recommended over and over and in my price range these would be the following ones: 1.) Hifiman HE 400 SE / DROP + HIFIMAN HE-X4 (these seem to be almost similar) 2.) Beyerdynamics DT 770 Pro/880 Pro 3.) Sennheiser HD 560S (Maybe 15 years ago I had in ear headphones from Sennheiser and they were great but I never had the opportunity to listen to overear headphones from them) 4.) Philips Fidelio X2HR - I heard positive feedback about those especially for the actual price. But some people say the bass is too punchy which results in a muddy sound 5.) Audio-Technica ATH-50x - Also heard good things about these but most people saying that beyerdynamics DT 770 Pro are better by far. 6.) Meze 99 Classics - They seem to be good but are out of my price range sadly. 7.) AKG K371 - Someone recommended them to someone on reddit and said they might fit better if you are sensitive to the beyerdynamic peak although people on amazon mentioned sibilance issues as well. Also I read very often that the HiFiMan Sundaras are pretty good for metal because they are planar headphones. But they are also too expensive.

[@Skeeb23]

@@makunouchiippo816 Here is my suggestion...I would grab the HD560S simply because they are fantastic sound quality for the price you pay. I would absolutely recommend them over the X2HR you mentioned. If you buy off Amazon you will have at least 30 days to see what you think and return if you must. Or you could buy from headphones dot com as they have a 1 year return policy, just don't abuse that of course. The rest in your list I have not heard to be able to give a yes or no..the beyer I would caution for the sibilance issue though. The mid forward you get with the 560s may actually be something you would enjoy with metal. It's not sibilant and has some stage to it as well to...try it on live performances and you will see/hear.

[@DomBogey94]

Does it come with a mic? If you want to game?

[@Skeeb23]

No mic. You can get that fairly cheap depending on what you want to use. For strictly gaming, I'd go with the PC38X though from drop.

[@6643bear]

Hi great informative video, bought these recently mine has the 1/4 socket to 3,5mm dongle type lead, they sound petty good at this price point , seem lots of good reviews in this headphone. I also have an old hd575 with same impedance which also sound great too . Regards mark

[@legendredux1291]

any good replacement cables?

[@Skeeb23]

Hart Audio has some nice replacement cables. You can also go custom design with them too.

[@tm-sasanka]

These vs AKG K371?

[@thatchinaboi1]

Perceived FR depends on SPL. The Sennheiser 560s/HD400 Pro are flat to the human ear (Equal Loudness Contour) at Studio Reference Level. People who complain that the upper mids are a bit harsh are most definitely listening to the headphones at more than 87dB SPL average peak. Listen to the headphones at studio reference level and the so called harshness disappears. SPL is the one thing that people overlook when trying to evaluate headphones and speakers. This happens with audiophiles and so called experts.

[@danielsacilotto3196]

NIce video. I think a couple of things deserve mentioning. 1) While larger than the 600 series, the soundstage for these is still relatively narrow and cozy, and the instrument separation is not particularly good given their spatial narrowness. This makes these really unfit for music that is very busy or has a lot of elements going on at once, or music that benefits from large spatial openness. For example, I found these to be just a muddy mess when listening to big ensemble classical music or busy metal. They work best with well recorded music that is not overly busy. So they are not, as they are often touted to be, a "jack of all trades". Their imaging is meh, and the soundstage-separation is also not particularly good. 2) They are quite analytical, and following the 500 series pattern, do not have that thick veil from the 600 series, which sacrifices top and bottom presence for mid lushness. As a result, while they are more revealing, they are also colder and less "musical." They are neither bright, nor punchy, nor warm, not immersive-spacious, and as a result they can come across as pretty boring overall... they are just accurate and balanced. 3) The other downshot is that their analytical quality makes them very revealing of source quality, even if they are less picky when driving. If the recording is trash, these will make it evident. The 600s by comparison add that lushness that makes them more forgiving. Personally, I think these are a tad overrated. I would recommend them for analytical listening but not for musical enjoyment. I think depending on genre preferences there are more exciting options.

[@Skeeb23]

I understand where you are coming from. I do disagree with some of that for a couple of quick reasons. 1. Scale. They can scale a bit with different amps and can be fun on tubes being higher impedance. 2. Price. Remember these are just 150.00. Considering other options in this price it does make them ahead of quite a bit of competition. It still comes down to preferences and the subjectivity as so many other things in this hobby. Thank you for the detailed response though!

[@RavikantRai21490]

#3 is not a downshot at all for people who purposely go after this headphone. The imaging is not meh, instrument separation is actually really good, and I have heard the Sundara 2020 as well as 650 and 6xx, and while Sundara is better, this one is certainly not at all overrated. I think this is where the "audio is subjective" comes in. In fact, the way two people perceive sound can also have some differences if not a whole lot. I do wonder what kind of amp if at all did you plug this into.

[@danielsacilotto6235]

​@@RavikantRai21490 I was trying to identify qualities for those who don't yet know what the headphone is like, not for those who know and want it. I don't agree with the instrument separation being very good. I think it is superior to the 600/650, but those don't have the best instrument separation either, which I think is partly due to their moderate soundstage and burly mids. I think they are better suited for chamber music that music with many elements and that require openness. I have had the Fidelio X1 and X2, and while the imagining in those is not as precise and their timbre and tonality is less natural and balanced, they separate much better and sound less muddled with large ensembles. I haven't tried the Sundara, so couldn't comment on that.