Sennheiser HD560S

https://en-us.sennheiser.com/hd-560-s-audiophile-headphone-high-end-over-ear

https://diyaudioheaven.wordpress.com/headphones/measurements/brands-s-se/hd-560s/

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the-new-hd-560s-linear-acoustics-at-a-breakthrough-value.943107/

Looks like same shell as cheaper Senns from 500 series but with a “new” driver that looks more the equivalent of the 58X (or 660s?). In the diyah link the bass looks to be an improvment over 6XX like the 58X. This shell vs 6XX etc has less clamp and more space from driver as well as angled driver. Looks to sound more spacious and with more treble.

 

I heard something similar in that same looking headphone but it was white. Pretty warm and bassy but enjoyable. Just don't take it seriously. I don't remember what it was.

 

Kind of looks like they took a HD58X and made a poor man's HD700, but it might actually end up closer to the HD700 we wanted. FR looks closer to a HD58X mashup with HD600 and a small treble issue around 7K. The angled drivers and new driver coating sounds promising.

Price is right and Sennheiser hasn't completely let me down (Looking at you IE80 and HD485 )

 

Maybe the white one was a different model. The HD560S shouldn't be too warm/bassy. The midbass bump is a few dB lower than on the HD650 (from Frans):

 

Seems a natural successor of 559. (558 --> 559 --> 560)
I'd like to see a little lower price for its market position (considering 559 now sold for $99 new), but who knows. Honestly curious what 560 would bring to the table over previous 558-9 and more importantly 58x.

 

If nothing else, this thread caused me to exhume my old pair of 558's, never listened to them on more recent dac's and amps.
Damn they are comfortable and lightweight, the phone pads and headband have really held up well.
Look forward to impressions of the 560s.

 

hello,

"Although the HD 560S sound is rooted in the reference-level DNA of the beloved HD 660S..."

beloved HD 660S???

 

By the general public? Yeah they are probably selling pretty well. Lots of shills on YouTube. Remember that they are easier to drive than HD600/6xx, too.

 

And they sound really good on their own, too.

I get that people could be disappointed that it was only a side grade to the 6x0, after so many years, but it’s arguably been the case ever since the HD580...

The 660S look better than its predecessors and are easier to drive. At least there’s that...

 

Got the OK from Sennheiser to share their own measurements of the HD560S compared to the HD650

 

Because I was irritated by the fact that they didn't adjust for sensitivity I presumed others might be too so did a quick photoshop job and loosely aligned where it looked like it'd make sense.

It's still good to know how much more sensitive the new cans are, though. Seems about as efficient as the HD660S? Curious to get overlays of the 580S with the 660S.



HD560 = dotted blue
HD650 = red with random splotches of yellow

 

This is mostly in line with Solderdude's plots from DIYAH. Sennheiser's measurements clearly have quite a bit of smoothing applied, so unfortunately no way to determine any peakage in the lower treble. That's one of the things I like about Frans' measurements, the fact that he shows a version with no smoothing applied. My hunch is that there is a peak in the 5--7 kHz range that is responsible for the improved sense of macrodetail/sharpness on the HD560S (from early reviews). That's what Sennheiser did with the HD660S, and it would make sense for them to replicate it here. Kind of a party trick that makes people say they sound "detailed". But on a $200 can, sure, why not? Especially since it's comfortable and you can drive it with your phone. Sennheiser specs the sensitivity in a funny way, but it's something like 101 dB/mW, about the same as an HD600, but requiring much smaller voltage swings to reach the same SPL.

 

Sounds about right. Will make for a fun comparison to the 880 as well.

 

It seems Sennheiser's graph is measured by gras or some kind of iso-compliant dummy head mic with diffuse-field compensated and 1/3 octave smoothed, as I found a lot of similarity with the graph below.



And assuming my guess right and Senn did not hack on their side that much, it's interesting to see dramatic change in tonal balance between 599 and 560S although both presumably share the same enclosure structure (599 also have drivers angled).

I don't think it resolves any better than the current 58x or 660s -- same expectation for scalability. But apart from those points, I will probably look at this new model with more positive curiosity and hope than before.

Btw I didn't know 560S would replace the whole 5** lineup. So technically it should be viewed as a successor of 599.

 

Lots of raving reviews on youtube from not exactly credible sources. And why did they call it HD 560S? Different technology, different FR, but HD 560S lives up to the reputation of HD 560 Ovation that would be something. I recently got HD 560 Ovation in great shape and it is a pure joy of natural, clear sound with some quirks in the treble. With the HE500 velour pads, balanced Mogami cable with Furutech connectors, and from BHA-1 I like it so much I am inclined to buy HD 650S just because of the name.

 

They seem to forget about older models. They did this thing on 58x already now do it again in a slightly more annoying way. lol

Youtube reviews should be filtered out properly before taken seriously -- (1) things should not be sponsored (review sample or manufacturer-induced loaner tour included in sponsoring imho) (2) products tested sufficiently long (3) new toy enthusiasm well controlled.
Otherwise videos best served only for informing how things look (as video is kinda inferior to picture in fooling our eyes).

 

I received mine last night. I'm glad to say that they are an improvement on the HD58X Jubilee.

The HD560S Less aggressive and more cohesive than the 58X Jubilee with one of the better open-back FR's that I've heard. This headphone is "good"... that is the best way to put it. I'm guessing it is like a Borealis Lite. Starting from scratch, I'd pick this over the HD6X0, but I still believe the HD6X0 to be "better/different".

Nothing seems technically great, but it seems like a solid "good" headphone. I guess that puts it in the ranks of the "greats" though in my opinion. Not many headphones are just put them on your head "good"

It's strange enjoying something so vanilla. Much better than the PP8 vanilla though.

 

Thanks for the honest, non-embellished review.