Sennheiser HD 560S, Open back reference-grade headphones for audio enthusiasts, Over Ear , Black

The Sennheiser HD560S has quickly become my favourite pair of open‑back headphones. The sound is incredibly clean and detailed, with a wide, natural soundstage that makes everything from music to gaming feel more immersive. The mids are crystal clear, the treble is smooth without being harsh, and the bass is tight and accurate rather than bloated. Comfort is excellent — the headphones are lightweight, the pads are soft, and I can wear them for hours without any pressure or fatigue. Build quality feels solid and reliable, exactly what you’d expect from Sennheiser. What really takes these headphones to the next level is pairing them with the Moondrop Dawn Pro 2. The Dawn Pro 2 drives the HD560S effortlessly and brings out even more clarity and separation. Bass becomes more controlled, vocals sound more lifelike, and the overall presentation feels more open and dynamic. It’s a perfect match if you want to get the absolute best out of the HD560S. If you’re looking for a neutral, detailed, and extremely comfortable headphone — especially when paired with a good DAC like the Moondrop Dawn Pro 2 — the HD560S is an outstanding choice. Coming from the arctis nova pro and the corsair wireless max. The sennheiser's feel so much better, even though they are the cheaper ones. For competitive games like Apex, Valorant, CSGO, Overwatch or any title where sound is crucial. These headphones are a beast.

Bought these for critical listening and mixing. And they do an *excellent* job. For once, I think the "reference grade' soubriquet is justifiable. There's minimal attempt to enhance high and low frequencies here. You'll hear things in your favourite albums that you never noticed before. For a home studio enthusiast, they're perfect. Sure, they're mostly plastic, but in a typical home studio you can get away with that. They're not likely to get thrown around and abused. And the flip side of that is that they're very light and comfortable. A bit of a tight clamping force but this seemed to subside after a week or so. The nominal impedance of 120Ω - quite a bit higher than most consumer-grade headphones - means that you might find them a bit quieter than other headphones you've heard, but it's also rather unlikely that you'll experience sound colouration from higher-impedance outputs. Just turn the volume up a bit. I've had no problems whatsoever driving them plenty loud enough from any devices from audio interfaces to iPhones. For the current price of around £90, buying these is simply a no-brainer. You'll be glad you did. Solid five stars, no question.

I’m not an audio engineer, and I don't know what "imaging" or "linear frequency response" means in the real world. I just wanted a great pair of wired headphones for listening to music, watching movies, and casual gaming at my desk without spending a fortune. After using the HD 560S for over 6 months, here is an honest breakdown. The Sound (The Good Stuff) If you are coming from cheap earbuds or standard Bluetooth headphones, these will blow your mind. The Clarity: You will hear things in your favorite songs you literally never knew were there. Background acoustic guitars, subtle breaths from the singer, or a random triangle in the back—sound great. The "Space": Because these are "open-back" headphones, the sound doesn't feel trapped inside your skull. It feels like the band is playing in the room right in front of you. A slight, expected negative....As they are open-back, they leak sound: The outside of the earcups is literally a metal mesh grille. If you turn the volume up, the person sitting next to you can hear your music clear as day. They don't block noise: You can hear everything happening around you. If your roommate is vacuuming, you will hear it. Do not buy these for commuting, noisy offices, or library sessions. These are strictly for a quiet room at home. Gaming & Movies: Absolutely incredible. Because the sound feels so wide, playing games like Call of Duty or Valorant, CS2 feels like a cheat code. You can pinpoint exactly which direction footsteps are coming from. Movies sound cinematic and grand. Build & Comfort Feel: To be honest, they feel a bit like cheap plastic out of the box. They aren't luxury leather, but they are incredibly lightweight. Fit: The ear pads are a nice, soft velour material. The clamping force is a little tight at first (it squeezed my head a bit), but it loosens up after about a week of use. Now, I can wear them for a 4-hour gaming session with my glasses on and totally forget they are there. 🔌 Do you need a special amplifier (Amp)? The short answer is No! They plug right into my PC motherboard and my laptop, and they get plenty loud. You don't need to spend extra money on fancy audio equipment to enjoy these. (Note: The cable it comes with is a bit long, which can be a plus or a negative). The long answer is, they do sound louder, (if that's what you're looking for) with a DAC/amp, As a sidenote, If you are listening on a PC, I recommend getting a free software equalizer such as Equalizer APO and pair it with the Peace Equalizer. These both help fine tune the sound on the headphones to get exactly the right listening experience from your headphones.

I bought the Sennheiser HD 560S headphones because they’re often described as “studio reference” headphones, and that’s exactly how they present themselves straight out of the box. The tuning is clean, neutral, and impressively accurate. If you want to hear a mix as it really is, warts and all, these deliver. That said, my first impression was that they sounded a little flat. The detail was there, but the presentation felt restrained, and the wide, airy soundstage I expected from an open‑back design wasn’t quite as expansive as many reviews suggested. A lot of reviewers mentioned pairing them with a headphone amp, I decided to try a relatively inexpensive Esynic amp. What a difference. With proper amplification, the HD 560S suddenly opened up. The dynamics improved, the bass gained authority without losing accuracy, and the soundstage finally stretched out in the way I’d been waiting for. They went from “technically solid” to genuinely engaging. If you’re considering these headphones, I’d strongly recommend budgeting for even a modest amp. The HD 560S are clearly designed to perform at their best when properly driven, and once they are, they absolutely come alive. A fantastic choice for anyone who values accuracy and detail, just make sure you give them the power they deserve.

I recently purchased both of the above headphones, first the AKG K702 (an interim pair of K271, that I returned) and now the Sennheisser 560S. OK, the unboxing experience. They come in a cardboard box with a picture on the outside, no inspirational guff on the packaging, unlike the AKG K702. The headphones and attached cable are wrapped in a protective sleeve. There's a warning leaflet that tells you not to play them too loud, which is surprising as Sennheisser's parent company make hearing aids: they might benefit from users with hearing loss. If you want a better experience, go and buy Apple or Beats. The cable is detachable, but I didn't try, there's not much point, unless you have killed it. It's now shorter than a lot of ones that you see in reviews, around 2 metres, and terminated in a 3.5mm plug with a gold plated 6.3mm screw on adapter. There's a velcro cable tie supplied if you need to shorten it. The AKG has a longer, also detachable cable with a mini XLR plug, with plenty of 3rd party alternatives available. Comfort: well, there's the issue of clamping force, they are certainly a firm fit, but that helps with bass response. It's not uncomfortable, just tighter than others. I love velour pads on earphones, they don't crumble and shed their coatings like vinyl ones do after contact with skin oils. The ear pads are lovely and soft, encompassing the whole ear. The headband is comfortable, also being covered in padded velour. The AKG K702s possibly have the slight edge on comfort, but with the saucepan lid sized earcups and coat hanger aeathetic, it's achieved by you looking ludicrous- don't be seen in public with them! Sensitivity: I was A/B testing them on my Marantz CR611 all in one unit with CDs a source. The AKG phones needed a lot more driving, as they have a much higher impedance, needing 36 volume units, the Sennheisser's were happy at 30 or less. I would imagine they would work well with a phone or tablet without needing an external amplifier. They will be quite happy with the headphone socket on most integrated amplifiers. Sound, well two very different characteristics. The Sennheisser's seem to generate a lot of bass energy, there's a definite 'thump' there. There's not just loads of the stuff in a muddled mess like cheaper cans. The AKGs seem bass light in comparison, but there's greater detail and sharpness, just not loads of it. Mid range, well, vocals seem the same on both, plenty of detail on both. Treble, let's start with the AKGs, well they excel here, with detail on cymbals, high piano notes, pizzicato violin, brushed drums. They can sound very bright and forward. Lots of percussion on older recordings can sound 'fizzy'.On a good recording, the detailing here is amazing, and gives a fantastic opening up of the acoustics of the original room. Treble on the Senn's is less forward and pushy; if I was settling down for a relaxing evening with a book they would be my choice. The AKGs would be there demanding your full attention like a needy toddler. Sound stage; despite the engineering that is supposed to make you feel that all the action is in front of you, I reckon there's still that between your ears effect. The AKGs definitely have the edge here giving you a sense of the recording Room acoustics, and a more 'outsife your head' experience. The open back elephant in the room. Both pairs leak sound like a sieve. At low volume, both pairs allow you to hear ambient noise clearly, you can converse with someone in the room easily, but be aware that they can also clearly hear your music. People wearing ear buds and stepping in front of me as I commute is a pet hate. Maybe wearing open back headphones would stop people doing that? Like I said, very different products, both top quality. There's a lot of hype over the 560s, and strangely the 702s are ignored by most hi fi folk. The brightness of the AKG compared to the fuller bass of the 560s is worthy of consideration. You will look less silly wearing the Sennheisser in public; but that said, neither pair is suited to working out in the gym.Overall it depends what you are listening to. Jazz, piano, female vocals- AKG. Synth pop, electronica, rock, pop, bad recordings Sennheisser. Both pairs will sit on cheap IKEA metal stands next to my main hi fi, to be put on as needed. They are both similarly priced, see if you can get to audition both, or at least read lots of reviews.

I am coming form Bose QC, which are known for their comfort. To my surprise, these are more comfortable for me during long listening sessions. The lightweight is noticeable and the larger ear cups with the velour ear pads were nice additions. The clamping force felt tight initially, but it loosened and felt comfortable after less than a day. The relatively long cable was good for my setup and also improved usability. I did keep it on the unlocked position to ensure that I wouldn’t drag my laptop with me if I forgot I was wearing them, preventing a disaster (which was needed a couple of times previously:) ). The sound is clear and the open-back makes it better for reducing listening fatigue. For gaming, the sound and stage were excellent in COD warzone to track footsteps, noticeably improving my gameplay. For enjoyment and immersion when listening to music or watching movies, the bass was unfortunately lacking. Coming across the Oratory EQ settings was very useful, however, and substantially improved the ‘fun’ factor when using these headphones. Overall, great and versatile headphones.

It’s my first time using a pair of headphones with an open back. Didn’t take long to get used to their sound and being able to hear what’s going on around me. They’re very comfortable and after using an EQ and getting my settings just right they’re great. TLDR; For the price (£99) they’re definitely worth it!

I've used a range of headphones for 45 years but never really paid more than £50 for a pair. I knew I was missing out on something and the HD 560S seemed to get consistently good reviews at a price I was willing to go for. Here's the result: As a home recording guy I have always trusted my cheap headphones for a decent balance but nothing so far has given me the full stereo span that I was expecting to hear. The HD 560S's do. I was really pleased with the results of one track proving that I didn't need to keep updating my gear. Just get a decent pair of headphones. I listened to a selection of tracks on my Fiio X5 through a Fiio HD preamp. Here's the results: 1. My own recording produced a good bass without too much rumble and a fantastic stereo spread. All instruments were much clearer than on any other headphones I have (beyerdynamic, AKG etc) 2. Message In A Bottle - The Police (More treble evident. Really brings out the flaws in the recording) 3. We Rock - Dio (Better separation of instruments) 4. Hocus Pocus - Focus (sounds better than I've ever heard it. Strange choices of stereo in some places) 5. Magnu - Hawkwind (the two drummers are separated in a way I've never really been aware of before and are quickly lost in the mix. The vocals come across too loud on these headphones compared to my Beyerdynamics) 6.Ommadawn - Mike Oldfield (I am hearing other instruments I had not noticed before. Very subtle but far more audible than on any of my previous headphones. The classical guitars sound really crisp. The bass parts are deep but not overbearing) I haven't tried these on my Onkyo amplifier yet. One thing I would like to add is that these headphones are quite tight and i have a small head (going from every other pair of headphones I have owned) so these might feel a little tight fitting for some. Although tight they are not uncomfortable. The cable is connected to a 1/4 " jack with an extended 3.5mm adapter. I guess this is a good idea as the connection to a larger plug is more substantial than to a 3.5mm and the adapter is 1/4" socket to 3.5mm with a short length of cable, giving enough flexibility for portable devices such as my Fiio HD preamp. I'm certainly not disappointed and will be looking to spend this kind of money again next time. Thank you Sennheiser.

I got this over 6XX as I hated dealing with a Y-split cable and did not want to spend additional money on a dac and amp (also couldn’t wait for dac amp to arrive as my old 579 broke). I loved the 579 performance (great clarity, pretty neutral sound) and durability (tho it peeled a lot) which it lasted for a decade. Hence I decided to get this based on reviews and how it seems like my old 579 with improved headband cushions. The velour seems to be less breathable and my ears get slightly warmer (it might just be because it is new tho as my old ear caps were worn out and on verge of falling apart) Audio wise it is usual good quality sound, clarity and accurate reproduction of voices from YouTube videos, movies on Netflix from my PC, Apple Music (Lossless/high quality download). The soundstage is open and wide making this great for gaming as well when listening for footsteps in fps etc

Great for natural sound. Great for mastering but not monitoring, for obvious reasons. Great entry headphone for audiophiles.

Excelentes, cómodos, se tardan un par de días en ajustarse ya que viene un poco cerrados. El sonido fenomenal, escuché detalles que nunca había notado en la música, compré incluso unos segundos para regalárselos a mi padre.

These headphones are as great as RTings & Audiosciencereview measurements indicate -- and even better! Are they perfect in fidelity sound reproduction? Not quite: drop off in bass below 100 Hz (faced with more distortion if trying to compensate, eventually limited by dynamic drivers hitting stops), some peakiness in 3~10 kHz frequency range, messy phase response. Don't ever try to let them reproduce anything below 60 Hz at high loudness. But the comfort!!! The "openness"! "Soundstage"! You put them on, listen to ambience or voice captured by a Rode NT2000 microphone connected to TOPPING E2x2 OTG audio interface (better use high gain on E2x2 headphone output, which still has very good SINAD BTW) -- and you can barely tell the difference between live sound and that coming through the headphones... any good/great closed-back 'phones that I tried could not match that. Of course, closed-backs like AKG K371 are handy when a singer wishes to monitor her voice live: much better isolation to outside world. But I feel the Sennheiser HD 560S are far more accurate and detailed for voice, female voice in particular. Comfort is the first and the greatest thing you notice right away. Like others say: you put these headphones one, and soon forget they are there. I wanted to give them a "4" mark due to somewhat patchy frequency and phase response, not great PRTF, and other small flaws (like distortion at LF, build quality, looks, etc), but given the level of comfort and price, I think there isn't a better deal than these.

From build quality to sound quality, this product is super. Extremely recommended to audiophiles. Due to it's nearly flat frequency response you can also use it as monitor headphone for mixing purpose. Because of open back headphone there's no noise cancellation so you need silent room. Keep it away from dust