HD 560S Open-Back Over-Ear Wired Headphones, Black

Look, I am absolutely not an audiophile. I don't make music, and I usually just watch YouTube reviews until my brain melts. I’m just a guy who plays first-person shooters on PC, usually sticking to IEMs. However, I bought these headphones for one hyper-specific reason: Rainbow Six Siege. Let me tell you, these are an absolute game-changer. The open-back design makes the audio so clean and crisp that it feels like cheating. I can pinpoint exactly where glass is breaking or what direction a roamer is sprinting from without the sound getting muddy. My in-game spatial awareness skyrocketed. I've since started using them for racing games and everything else, too. The Build & Comfort: The Cord: It is ridiculously long. You could practically jump-rope with it, which is awesome for PC setups. Comfort: The foam earcups and headband are incredibly plush. I can play for hours without my head feeling like it's locked in a vice. Durability: Yes, it is made of plastic. No, it is not "dollar store" plastic. I have accidentally gravity-tested these multiple times on my floor, and there isn't a single scratch or crack. Plus, the stealthy all-black grill looks sharp. ⚠️ TWO HUGE PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS: THERE IS NO MICROPHONE: I’ve seen people complain about this online. Read the box, folks! If you want to trash-talk your teammates, you will need a standalone mic. YOU WILL HEAR EVERYTHING: Because they are open-back, sound goes both ways. If you have a blue-switch mechanical keyboard that sounds like a machine gun, or a loud roommate, you will hear them. Luckily, once the game volume kicks in, I easily drown it all out. Verdict: For the price, these offer top-tier performance without forcing you to sell a kidney. If you want a massive competitive edge in shooters like Siege, buy these immediately. 10/10.

These are outstanding headphones at any price, and an unbelievable value at their typical ~$150 street price. I'm a recovering headphone addict and these have been good enough to help me stay sober. I think if your budget is up to $300 and you don't want to fuss around with amps and DACs and other gear considerations, these are probably the best "plug 'em into anything" headphones I've ever owned. They're light, they're comfortable for average-sized heads (though see more below), and they sound great playing any content from any source. Highlights: - Value: I've owned a lot of headphones (including perennial darlings like the HD600+650 and Audio-Technica ATX-M50 and higher-end stuff like the Audeze LCD-X and Focal Clear) and honestly, the headphone world is a perfect case study for the Law of Diminishing Returns. In other words, you can spend $150 on the 560S and get 75% of the sound quality that's even possible, or spend $1500 to get to like 85%. For most people, this is the sane stopping point. - Weight: the all-plastic build lets these float on your head at 280g (9.9 oz). For comparison, the Hifiman Sundara (another highly regarded pair of <$300 headphones) weighs 379g (13.4 oz). Three ounces may not sound like much, but over the course of hours, you really feel every ounce that's sitting on your head. - Easy to drive: I use these plugged directly into a PS5 controller and they get plenty loud at roughly 50-60% volume. I've tried them with different combinations of amps and DACs as well, but such gadgets are totally unnecessary to get the most out of the 560S. - Perfect audio for gaming: the wide soundstage is great, as is the sharp treble for picking out things like voices, footsteps, and gunfire. These are very popular with FPS players, and I can see why. I don't play PvP games, but they've saved me from many a cheap off-camera attack with their amazing positional audio cues. The nicest surprise on these is the bass, which is meatier than you'd expect for open-backed headphones. Unfortunately, because of the proprietary cable jack, I had to buy a kooky adapter (ASIN: B07Z2MPW61) so I could use the V-Moda BoomPro mic I had lying around for voice chat. The overall setup is a bit klunky but almost certainly outperforms popular gaming headsets. - Surprising noise isolation: these are by no means going to block out the outside world like a pair of closed-back headphones, but there are enough layers of stuff inside them between the grille and your ear that you're not going to hear everything around you with them on. Lowlights: - Oddball connector: I despise proprietary connectors, and Sennheiser's 2.5mm recessed jack with a twist lock is one of the most obnoxious on the market. What they lose in compatibility with other cables is by no means gained in security—who cares if your headphones unplug at the earcup when subjected to intense force? - Not very comfortable for big heads and big ears: although the design of these is generally compared to the HD500 line, having owned the absurdly comfortable HD598SE, I can say these don't come close. They clamp kind of hard and worse, the earpad foam is thin and when it flattens out (immediately), it presses the driver units against the cartilage of my ears. Fortunately, I was able to modify these with some third-party 3d-printed adapter rings so I could use bigger, cushier pads from Brainwavz. Now I can use them for 4+ hours without major discomfort. This may not be an issue if you don't have big ears like I do. Also worth noting is that some styles of glasses will be agony with these. - Not as nice for music: the things that make them perfect for games (accentuated high frequencies) make them a riskier proposition for music. Your mileage may vary, of course, but these can be pretty spicy for certain instruments and effects. All in all, despite the added hassles and costs to make these comfortable for my anatomy, I'm still very happy with them and don't think I could do better for my use case (plugged directly into PS5 controller with an inline mic) at any price. For their usual price of $150-180, I can't see what anyone could complain about. Thanks for reading!

These Sennheiser HD 560S open-back headphones provide an incredible listening experience. The soundstage is wide, and the audio clarity is outstanding, making them perfect for detailed listening and professional use. They are lightweight and very comfortable for long sessions. These are easily some of the best headphones in this price range, and I highly recommend them to any audiophile.

My Use Cases: - Gaming ~50% - YouTube/TV ~25% - Listening to or analyzing Music ~15% - Podcasts and audiobooks ~ 10% Praiseworthy Comments: - Most (I say most because some songs just sound too harsh) music is well balanced, with every instrument distinguishable and vibrant. I love listening to music in these, and if I have live recordings that I’m editing they help me pick out every listless detail with ease. - FPS games with a focus on awareness sound crisp, clear and atmospheric. I can’t comment to how the sound stage compares to other headphones, but I had the HyperX Cloud II’s before this and I would say they are similar. Being able to pick out details more clearly on the 560S really gives it the edge though. - I can barely feel it on my head. It is so light and it really is comfortable to me. I don’t think the clamping pressure is too big and I have more of a round head. ** I can play a video or a podcast while I’m playing a game and I’m able to distinguish both audio sources. I couldn’t do this on my Cloud II’a as they were just too muddy and I couldn’t hear either well. For me this is actually really huge as I play casual games, or sweaty games and I like listening to a podcast, news, or YouTube. - they look nice. Really simple aesthetic. Not bulky, wide, or different colors/textures. Noteworthy Criticisms: - the treble clarity and levels were overwhelming at first. I turned down the volume a good amount but my ears were tuned to different headphones. My Cloud II’s used some pleather ear pads and the bass was a bit stronger because they were closed back. The 560S is so open back you can hear yourself talk while listening to music. So the sound is just different from the cloud II’s. - I tried some “sheep skin” ear pads with these headphones and the clarity was lost. I got used to the clarity of the lows, mids and treble and I had a hard time adjusting to the sheep skin pads. I’ll try them again, and I’ll play around with the EQ but idk if I’ll want to switch from the velour. - even though they look good they feel cheap. I am going to take care of these, but I don’t necessarily think plastic can take a beating like metal components can. They will stay at my desk at all times so I’m not worried. - lack of lower end bass. You can hear the bass, the tone of the bass, and they clarity of the notes but there aren’t a lot of sub frequencies pushing through. I like this now, but it took some time to adjust. - no mic for gaming. I hardly meet anyone online anymore anyways, (sadly) so doesn’t change much for me. Final Thoughts: For $140 it’s hard to go wrong with these if your looking for a set with mid range audio quality. They are light, have a clean aesthetic, have ample clarity, and can be EQ’d (if that’s your thing) to some degree. I would recommend this to someone that analyzes their audio, or more specifically you are paying attention to a lot of different details in whatever it is you are listening to. Don’t buy these if you just want a pair of gaming headphones or you don’t know what is best for you. You may not like the sound.

I have Hifiman edition XS, DT 990 pro X, audeze Maxwell, Truthear Pure IEM and Nove pro wireless and gave the wired version to my son. I wanted to Try Sennheiser without spending a ton more on all this. Running the Fiio K11 R2R amp for reference. So these arrive. Pulled them outta the box. Light plastic build but don't feel too cheap for plastic. Expand n pull out band fews times... feel kinda tight. Tad strong on the clamp force. Feel it'll get better with time. Overall nice looking but with a not cheap but basic look. Senn logo gives away they are not cheap quality.ear pads are sorta shallow. My tiny ears touch inside. Not bothered after few minutes. Overall happy so far. The cable has a nice feel. It is different than what I saw on all the reviews. Don't have the big bulky adapter anymore. It's about a 8ft cable, maybe 6ft and terminates to a screw off 1/4 to 3.5mm both gold plated. Cable has a rougher silicone feel. I like it... Nice plia le cable. Not too shabby. Plug into k11 and crank on some Neil young. I notice rich bass. Extends deep into the sub range. I love that. I'm kind of a bass head, well I like a nice sub bass anyways. These sound great though. Highs are clear n clean. Mids and vocals pop and sound separate. The spread of sound is amazing. I do gaming too and can't wait to try these out. I've given them 4 stars because of the cheaper build and smaller ear pads. Overall these headphones for 159 was a steal IMHO. I'm glad I gave Sennheiser a chance. These seem like a great do it all headphone for PC gaming and music.

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)).

Pros: Love how it sounds, very comfortable once it's broken in while staying secure enough for headbanging, 2.5mm lock-in to 3.5mm with 1/4in adapter aux cable is mercifully replaceable, stock cable lasted 2 and a half years before beginning to cut out (be careful to not just buy regular plain 3.5mm to 3.5mm aux replacement cables), came with screw-in adapter that happens to be perfect for my 1/4 inch aux system, lock-in mechanism works well. Cons: Bass has to be bumped up pretty high on eq if you hate quiet bass (and probably isn't for you in general if that's what you want out of it), stock cable doesn't get knotted up but it does get twisted up, if you aren't aware, open-back means that for what you main gain in sound you will lose in privacy: there is significantly more sound leakage than regular closed back headphones. Overall: Love the sound and comfort of these things. So far, no sign of them breaking anytime soon unlike my first half-decent headphones, the SHP9500, which eventually broke apart and had issues with being too loose to stay on head. If you buy these, I recommend stretching them over a textbook or something overnight to skip the initial tightness of the headband. Do not buy if you love a loud bass or dislike sound leakage.

I was in what felt like an endless quest for the perfect set of over-ear headphones for my personal needs... every time I would think I landed on the perfect one, I would find something about it that I hated, or I would find other users' testimony online that would scare me away... ultimately, I landed on these for a number of reasons. I needed a set of cans that would, first and foremost, not lie to me when trying to mix/master. I also wanted something with a bit less of a claustrophobic feel to them. I already had a set of pretty good closed-backs that I use primarily for tracking bass and guitar, and while they are great for that, they were a bit too "exciting" in sound to give me an accurate representation of the rest of the track. I also just get a bit of anxiety wearing closed backs for long periods of time: I just dislike the lack of awareness around me. I also wanted, as an added bonus if possible, something that would also be able to be used for general listening and gaming. By extension, I wanted something that was going to be comfortable to wear for long periods of time... With all of those requirements in mind, it seemed like every headset I came across would excel in one or two of those categories, but always fell short in another... Not wanting to compromise, it seemed like the more research I did, the more it became clear that this HD 560s was probably the closest thing I was going to get to checking off all of those boxes, and after stalling for a few weeks, I finally decided to pull the trigger... I am SO glad I did. These things sound incredible. I immediately noticed issues with the mix of a few songs I have been working on. Once I put these on, it was like a fog was lifted from the music and I could hear everything with much more clarity, and I was able to get a mix that was significantly better and more clear as a result. I also love the nature of open-back headphones. I can still hear if someone knocks on my door, and the sound just kind of has a more "roomy" feel to it. It ALMOST sounds more like I am listening a well-treated room than isolated cans. They are also very comfortable to wear, even for long periods of time. I have a large head, and I wear glasses so it's not unusual for me to get a headache after awhile wearing headphones, but these seem to be a lot more forgiving than any of the past sets I have used. I should also mention that these don't need a crazy headphone amp to drive them. Just about anything should push the drivers without much issue at all. Finally, I can confirm that for casual listening, these are pretty great as well. Sound is crystal clear, and if you feel like you want a more "exciting" sound, you can always achieve that with some EQ adjustments. As for gaming, while this wasn't the primary reason I purchased these, I will say I was pretty shocked when I started using these for my online Warzone sessions. Thanks to the aforementioned flat EQ curve, bass isn't blown out, which means a lot of the sounds that used to dominate the sound mix are far less obnoxious, and the wider-feeling sound stage really does give me a LOT more fine details on directional audio cues like footsteps. All of that is to say that I think I landed on my very favorite headphones ever. I could have spent a fair amount more, and truthfully, I have a few other headphones that were FAR more expensive, and they honestly do not sound as good as these... and it's really not even close. The plastic build doesn't scream expensive, but they don't need to: I can't see them when they are on my head anyway. I do not believe the plastic makes these any less durable than anything else. They seem very well made and I would expect these to hold up for years to come. Considering the price, these headphones are about the easiest recommendation ever. If you want clarity, comfort, and a little bit of versatility, these are it. Stop looking. You found them. One last thing I wanted to point out: based on ALL of the reviews of these that I watched prior to purchasing, I expected an obnoxiously long 10' cable with a weird pig-tail dongle if you wanted to use them with a 3.5mm jack... I was surprised to find that the cable that mine came with was a more standard 6 foot cable that terminates in a 3.5mm jack and a nice adapter to 1/4" that screws on. To be honest, I was slightly disappointed with the shorter cable length, but I think MOST people are going to actually see this as a plus. They must have changed what they ship these with since all of the reviews from when they first starting selling these.

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

Very nice and more detailed information about the recorded music from the source. Very glad to have this headphone. One small suggestion to the company please provid the cable with latest "C". All are good 👍. Keep it up.

Non mi è mai successo prima con Amazon, di ricevere un ordine con caratteristiche contrarie alla descrizione posta sulla pagina web dell'oggetto messo in vendita. Premessa: la cuffia è stata descritta come in "condizioni pari al nuovo". Una cosa inaccettabile: aperta la busta di contenimento: 1. la scatola presenta segni di usura 2. aperta la scatola, non trovo la custodia (credo in spugna o altro materiale) che dovrebbe contenere la cuffia per proteggerla. 3. l'ascolto della cuffia è stato ovviamente soddisfacente. In queste condizioni ho disposto comunque e immediatamente il reso.

Excellent headphones, just like new. The best sound you can get for this price.

I’ve owned the Sennheiser HD 560S for a little while now, and after extensive listening, I can confidently say they’re phenomenal for their price, especially once you give them the right setup. My current chain is: → iFi Zen DAC 3 (running balanced output via 4.4 mm Pentaconn) → Geekria balanced cable → HD 560S. Right away, the balanced drive made a huge difference. The slightly forward treble that many people mention (around 5–6 kHz) is now perfectly controlled, still wonderfully detailed and airy, but smoother, less harsh, and far less fatiguing on long sessions. The soundstage is spacious and precise, with vocals centered beautifully and instruments layered out wide. The bass is also surprisingly well-extended for an open-back at this price. It’s tight and articulate, not bloated at all, and now feels even more defined with the extra headroom from balanced. Comfort? Initially, they clamp a bit firm out of the box, but they break in nicely after some use. I can wear them for hours without any discomfort. Conclusion: For anyone who wants an open-back headphone that delivers genuine audiophile performance without the typical $1,000+ investment, the HD 560S is a total winner. Paired with a balanced DAC/amp, it absolutely shines, giving you silky highs, controlled bass, and an immersive soundstage that keeps you listening for hours. Highly recommended.