HD 560 S Over-The-Ear Audiophile Headphones - Neutral Frequency Response, E.A.R. Technology for Wide Sound Field, Open-Back Earcups, Detachable Cable, (Black) (HD 560S)

TL;DR? The Sennheiser HD 560 S are extremely comfortable, lightweight, and easy to wear all day, with a secure fit that settles in nicely over time. Sonically, they offer outstanding value around $200 with an exceptionally neutral, well-balanced sound, wide soundstage, and strong resolution—making them excellent for critical listening, mixing, and mastering. --- These headphones are simply fantastic! For me, maybe the easiest headphones I have ever worn "all day." The clamp pressure is a bit tight out of the box, but not TOO tight. They WILL loosen up over time, so if you're sensitive to clamp, you might find yourself needing to "break them in." On some over-ear headphones, I can struggle in finding that "this is where they sit on my head" position. Beyerdynamic Headphones can sound great, but it can be annoying fiddling with how they sit on your head until you find the "just right" position. The HD560s? Easy. Put them on, adjust, and you're good to go! The materials here are what you expect! The earpads and headband are soft enough to comfortable, but firm enough to provide support. If you use them CONSTANTLY, you will eventually need to replace the earpads (1-2 years). The plastic is high quality, and there are nearly no metal parts. With that in mind: you could break these if you tried, but the plastic shouldn't fall apart any time soon. This makes them VERY lightweight, which is fantastic for comfort! SOUND: the single most important aspect of this product. These sounds good. Really Really good. I would argue that this is potentially the best sound you can get around $200. These are extraordinarily well-balanced. What does that mean? It means they are very very neutral. They are not hyped, they are not "exciting." They are perfect for checking a mix and more critical listening. These have enough resolution to pick out fine adjustments in sound (like slight tube saturation). The soundstage is wide without being "too much," allowing for a solid depiction of the "Stereo Image" without adding additional confusion. Overall? They sound incredible! Very Neutral; not too "warm," just the right amount of balance for critical listening. Overall? These are a fantastic choice for mixing and mastering. You can certainly use them for every day tasks as well, but some of the "punchy" or "crunchy" music might feel a little "anemic" under the microscope of the HD 560 S headphones. These are a true neutral. If you want to check balance? Pick these! The only scenario I have ever found myself "reaching for something else" is grabbing my Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X headphones for better resolution/ detail in the high frequency. The 900 Pro X are not as neutral (or wide) as the HD 560 S, but their additional top-end extension makes them solid for "sanity checking" high frequency information. For tracking and monitoring, I would reach for something else (ATH-M40x or DT770 (maybe the DT 900 Pro X, they are basically semi-open back)).

I'm not an audiophile or headphone expert. I played drums as a teenager and later took guitar lessons for 10 years, still play the guitar almost daily, and love music in general. Hard rock has always been my favorite genre. I use headphones with my PC while watching YouTube music videos and concerts and also while playing video games like Cyberpunk 2077, Skyrim, Diablo IV, etc. I also have a pretty big library of old and new music on a 7th gen iPod Touch (now discontinued) and do some critical listening with that. I had been using budget headphones like the Koss KTXPro1 and Logitech G333 gaming earbuds, but always wanted to try something considered as "audiophile" headphones. My son is somewhat of a headphone expert, so I reached out to him for buying guidance. His ideal headphones would be completely neutral, with no emphasis on either highs or lows. To start, he gave me a FiiO K3, which is a DAC/headphone amplifier. I didn't know I needed one, but he insisted. He also convinced me to download and install the open-source Equalizer APO application and its companion Peace UI component. It's a bit daunting for a newbie to get started with the headphone amp and equalizer software, but there are plenty of YouTube tutorial walkthroughs available. In a few hours I had the headphone amp and the Peace interface working, and had separate configurations saved for the Koss and Logitech headphones. I downloaded pre-configured settings for each pair of headphones, which are set with the preferred "Harman Curve". I had no idea about any of this stuff previously. By the end of that day, I had learned how to tweak and save additional configurations, and now could choose between multiple pre-sets for each pair of headphones. For example, I created a pre-set that boosted the bass, another that boosted the highs, and one that boosted both bass and highs while leaving the middle frequencies at the standard Harman curve settings. That allowed me to experiment and decide my own personal preferences for music listening. Just a primer - the headphone amp connects to the PC by USB, and it disables the built-in PC audio chip with a more powerful and clean signal. Then you plug your headphones into the headphone amp instead of the PC headphone input jack. Windows audio and volume is bypassed, so now the volume is controlled by the volume knob on the headphone amp. (You can turn off the headphone amp to listen through PC speakers or with the standard PC headphone jack.) With the headphone amp and equalizer software, both my Koss and Logitech headphones sounded better than ever and I was hearing details that I wasn't hearing before. I had heard of headphone amps before, but never thought they were necessary. I couldn't imagine not using one now. Then my son lent me his AKG K702 open back headphones to try. He likes them because they are pretty neutral. As he puts it, "you hear the music as the producer and engineer intended it to sound." The AKGs were the best headphones I had ever tried, hands down. I downloaded the pre-configured parametric EQ file for them and listened for a few days. I learned that I preferred a more bass-heavy sound, especially with the hard rock I usually listened to. (I am currently obsessed with a band named The Warning, but like many other artists including Spiritbox, Breaking Benjamin, Band-Maid, Evanescence, Muse, and older classic rock like Deep Purple, Pink Floyd, Zeppelin, Hendrix, and Van Halen.) Given that I liked a bit more bass emphasis, my son suggested the Sennheiser HD 560S. I love them. With the standard EQ configuration, the low bass is a little lacking for my taste. I want the bass drum emphasized. So I created a pre-set with the bass boosted at 52 Hz and left the rest of frequencies alone. Perfect! I created another pre-set with the same 52 Hz boost and an additional boost at 5K Hz. I have some high frequency hearing loss, so this compensates for that, and allows me to hear the cymbals a little better. Normally I listen with the bass boost pre-set only and can hear everything fine. The only minor gripe I have with the Sennheiser HD 5600S phones is the comfort level. The ear pads are soft and comfortable, and the clamping force isn't too much. But the headphones are somewhat bulky, especially compared to the Koss which are feather light and have almost zero clamping force. The Logitech earbuds are another story since they weigh virtually nothing and there's no clamping force. That said, I have used the Sennheisers for hours at a time and they're fine. You do forget they're on once you're immersed in the music or the game. I'll definitely choose the Sennheisers every time for critical listening. Occasionally I will use the Logitechs or Koss when watching non-music videos like interviews or product reviews, for the improved comfort level. Here's a good website for scientifically tested objective headphone ratings: https://www.rtings.com/headphones Definitely recommend the HD 560S as an entry level audiophile headphone. They're a tier above sub-$100 headphones for sure.

🎮 Gaming Audio & Positional Awareness These open-back headphones provide a wide soundstage and excellent imaging, which helps you accurately pinpoint footsteps, gunfire, and directional cues — a huge advantage in FPS games and competitive play. The neutral sound signature means you’re not getting exaggerated bass booms or bloated effects that can mask subtle movements, so distant enemies and spatial cues feel easier to locate than with typical bass-heavy gaming headsets. 🧠 Advantage in Competitive Play For titles where spatial awareness matters (like tactical shooters), the clarity and separation of sounds help you determine which direction an opponent is coming from and at what distance — making your audio cues more actionable than with many stock gaming headsets. 🎧 Comfort & Build for Long Sessions The headphones are lightweight and comfortable enough for extended sessions, so marathon gaming nights don’t feel fatiguing. However, keep in mind they don’t include a microphone, so you’ll need an external mic if you want to communicate in multiplayer games. 📈 Pros: • Great positional audio and imaging for competitive gaming. • Open design provides a natural, spacious soundstage. • Comfortable for long play sessions. • Wired connection means zero latency audio. 📉 Cons: • No built-in mic — requires a separate solution for voice chat. • Open-back design leaks sound and won’t isolate noise in busy environments. • Neutral tuning means less bass punch than some gamers might expect. 📍 Verdict: If you’re a gamer who prioritizes accurate audio cues and competitive awareness over booming bass or flashy RGB headsets, the Sennheiser HD 560S is a fantastic upgrade — especially for PC titles and competitive shooters. Just pair them with a dedicated mic and you’ve essentially got a high-performance gaming audio setup.

I consider these the best overall open back headphones I've owned. In the past I've used the HD600 and HD6xx from Sennheiser and the Beyerdynamic DT880, and they all did certain things very well but the lack of bass was frustrating. These lower priced Sennheisers don't have quite the sparkly treble of the others (in particular the Beyers) but have very satisfying bass and lower midrange that the others lacked, and for me personally this makes up for what they don't do as well. As always with headphones YMMV based on your personal preferences, but I prefer these to more expensive models. They're also lightweight and comfortable for long sessions. I find I notice the clamping feeling when I first put them on, but it fades almost immediately.

Clear and very tunable you your listening preferences. Open back allows sound to come through from your environment which is the trade off of having a better soundstage and more directional accuracy and allowing your ears to breathe and not feel over pressured during listening. Very light and comfy earpads that may be too warm for some being velour ear pads, but they are very soft and the headband is comfy as well. Good price for premium sounds.

From the dawn of time, every headphones set ever made has faced the same challenge: how to faithfully reproduce bass so the listener can clearly hear the beat without overpowering the mids or vocals, which muddies the audio. Nearly every review I've read online complains about these headphones' lack of bass. Those reviews are wrong. There's plenty of bass in these *if you drive them with the right source*. Their impedance is 120 ohms, which is much higher than even the legendary Sony MDR-7506's 63 ohms. Thus, if your source has insufficient power (which probably includes most phones and many laptops) you won't hear much out of them. However, they sound just right on my desktop PC through my Creative Sound Blaster AE-7 PCIe sound card. They're the 1st headphones of any kind in over 20 years I haven't had to boost the bass on at the source. At the same time, vocals are crystal. In fact, I'd say these headphones have the best vocals and definitely the best combination of bass and vocals of any pair I've owned. They're also super light, which is great for long periods of listening. I've seen some reviews questioning durability, but if you're physically breaking headphones the problem is YOU, not the headphones. Build quality (fit and finish) are superb. The velour earpads are super comfortable, though I worry about them getting stinky and grimy over time from sweat and skin oil. I really think AirWeave would have been a better choice at this price point, but I've only ever seen that material used in aftermarket pads. I really struggle to think of any drawbacks with these, but here are some: there's no carrying case for the headphones and nowhere to put the 1/4 inch adapter when it's not attached to the cable. Both are odd omissions on a ~$200 product in this category. Some people might not appreciate the plasticky feel, but again headphones are supposed to be on your head, not in your hand, and everything that comes in contact with your head is plush. As these are open back headphones, sound isolation isn't guaranteed. Others will be able to hear your music (though it's not as loud as you might think), and you might be able to hear them (cranked to the max, it's likely you won't). I'd comfortably call these the best headphones at their price point and perhaps up to $300, as they easily trump my Audeze Maxwells. If you're on the fence, have an amp, receiver, or dedicated sound card, and don't mind their open back config, pull the trigger. You'll love them.

I was skeptical because studio style headphones are a bit too bright and tinny in the high frequencies and NO bass. These are not that. These are much more friendly and natural sounding. And, oh my goodness! the well balanced clarity in every frequency range. These also have a huge sound stage and instrumentation. It feels like you are sitting in with the band (play Miles Davis "Kind of Blue"). I purchased other headphones like Beyerdynamic headphones, they were not the sound profile for me. I bought these to replace the Beyerdynamic are returning them. I'd buy these again, it was worth it. Amazon is telling me to write more details. So, i will add that they are incredibly comfortable and fit very well. I don't really care for earcups that touch my ear for long listening sessions. These are incredibly comfortable. A little warm but not bad. I purchased additional earpads that were cooler, so shop around. I hope you take a leap of faith and try them. You can always return them (thank you Amazon!). Oh and they have a plastic feel, but that's because they are plastic. However, they are well designed for the material they used. But that's what makes them light as air and relatively inexpensive. Enjoy!

Listening system: Streaming 24 bit/192khz 70s rock via Tidal connect through the Wiim Pro Plus streamer via optical connection to a 1mii DS601 dac analog to Denon AVR-x4500h (originally intended for little dot mk2 tube amplifier with upgraded matched pair russian tubes bought from Canada). I am returning these 560s headphones for a pair of massdrop x sennheiser HD 6XX Headphones. The massdrop x HD 6XX are similar to the sennheiser HD 650 headphones but cost significantly less from drop.com as they are branded as massdrop rather than Sennheiser and are about several hundred dollars less. The Sennheiser 560s headphones are great but my intention is to pair these headphones with a tube amp. The 560s headphones aren’t the best for tube amps, when compared to the HD 6XX headphones as the 560s headphones are meant to be neutral and analytical sounding for critical music listening and I am aiming for warm and lush vinyl like analog sound, which the massdrop x HD 6XX excel at when paired with a pure tube amp like the little dot mkii. The 560s headphones have 38mm drivers and 120 ohms making it easy to drive with a laptop or dac. The Massdrop x sennheiser HD 6XX (similar to the sennheiser HD650) have a 300 ohm impedance meaning it requires more power to reach its full potential so it greatly benefits from a dedicated headphone amp like the little dot mkii tube amp and has the same 42mm drivers as the HD650. In conclusion, the Sennheiser HD 560s headphones are designed for critical listeners and audiophiles on a budget. The Massdrop X Sennheiser HD 6XX headphones are designed for audiophiles, critical listeners, and enthusiasts. The sound signature from the 560s headphones are more neatral, with an analytical sound with tight bass, balanced mids, and smooth treble. The HD 6XX sound signature is warmer, with more musical sound and fuller bass, with rich mids, and smooth treble. The 560s is designed for critical listening, mixing, and mastering due to its high accuracy. The massdrop X Sennheiser HD 6XX is more premium as it has the same drivers as the HD650, weight, and feel, yet cheaper due to the branding, shorter cable, and color, and is designed to be more engaging for casual listening and genres that benefit from a slightly colored sound, like 70s rock. If you prioritize accuracy and detail, the HD 560S may be the better option. If you prefer a warmer, more enjoyable sound signature, the HD 6XX would be a great choice. Either way these two headphones are both great, in the end my goal is to listen to a warm, vinyl like sound, and enjoy the benefits of my upgraded tube amp so I ultimately decided to go with the sennheiser massdrop x HD 6xx headphones. That said, I loved listening to music in rock mode using the 560s headphones while connected to the denon AVR-x4500h, I did not have a chance to listen to the 560s headphones with my tube amp as it is on preorder and did not arrive on time for me to listen to the difference. Caution, both headphones do get warm around your ears during long listening sessions. Hope this helps you decide on what you are looking for in headphones and what application they will be used for and which is best. Thank you! I gave these headphones 5 stars as they sound amazing!