Summary#
The Sennheiser HD 560S is an open-back over-ear audiophile headphone with reference-neutral tuning, 120-ohm drivers, and oval velour earpads. Critical listening, mixing reference, and long sessions at sub-$200 — without coloration or fatigue.
At a Glance#
Product : Sennheiser HD 560S
Brand : Sennheiser
Best For : Audiophiles, home producers, and mixing engineers who want flat reference response on a tight budget
Form Factor : Open-back, circumaural (over-ear), wired with detachable 3m cable
Buy Now : 🇺🇸 Sennheiser HD 560S on Amazon US | 🇩🇪 Sennheiser HD 560S on Amazon DE
Key Highlights:
- Reference-tuned neutral response reveals mix flaws other headphones hide
- 120-ohm drivers run loud and clean from a phone, no amp required for casual listening
- Oval velour earpads contour to the ear for fatigue-free 4+ hour sessions
- Open-back design produces wide, speaker-like soundstage with natural imaging
- Detachable 3m cable with 6.3mm jack plus 3.5mm adapter included
Who Should Buy This#
The HD 560S hits a sweet spot for listeners who want studio-grade neutrality without paying $300-500 for the HD 600 series. Sennheiser tuned this pair flat — bass extends to 6Hz without a hump, mids stay forward and uncolored, treble is detailed without sibilance. Competing reference cans in the $300-450 range (HD 600, Beyerdynamic DT 880 600-ohm) sound similar but cost twice as much and need an amp.
Perfect for:
- Home producers and bedroom mixers who need an honest reference to spot muddy low-mids and harsh highs before exporting
- Audiophiles upgrading from gaming or consumer headsets who want to hear what reference actually sounds like under $200
- Office workers and writers who do 6-8 hour listening days and need lightweight, non-fatiguing comfort
- Classical, jazz, and acoustic listeners who value soundstage width and instrument separation over thumping bass
Design & Build Quality#
The HD 560S keeps Sennheiser's familiar mid-range plastic chassis — same shell family as the HD 5XX series — finished in matte black with subtle silver accents on the earcup grilles. It feels light at 240g, which matters when you wear them for hours, but the trade-off is that the construction won't survive being thrown in a backpack unprotected. The headband padding is generous and the clamping force is moderate — firm enough to stay put, loose enough to forget you're wearing them.
The oval velour earpads are the standout. They're shaped to follow the ear's natural geometry rather than circling it tightly, which keeps your lobes from rubbing against the inner baffle. The pads are user-replaceable when they wear out (a common complaint with sealed-pad headphones in this range). The detachable 3m cable terminates in a 6.3mm plug, with a screw-on 3.5mm adapter in the box.
Key Features#
Reference-Neutral Tuning#
The HD 560S targets the diffuse-field reference curve — meaning no bass boost, no V-shape, no hyped treble. Bass extension reaches a usable 6Hz, but the level stays flat with the mids rather than overpowering them. This is what mastering engineers and reviewers mean when they say "honest" headphones. You hear the recording, not the headphone's signature.
If you're coming from Beats, Sony XM5, or any consumer can, the HD 560S will sound thin or boring at first. Give it a week. You'll start noticing room reverb tails, vocal sibilance, and bass-guitar fingering noise you never knew was on the recording. Once you adjust, going back to colored headphones feels like wearing tinted sunglasses indoors.
120-Ohm Drivers — No Amp Required#
Most reference headphones in this tier need a desktop amp. The HD 600 is 300-ohm. The DT 880 ships in 250-ohm and 600-ohm versions. Both struggle off a phone or laptop. The HD 560S is 120-ohm, which sits in a friendlier zone — it gets loud enough on a MacBook Pro headphone jack, an iPhone with a USD-C dongle, or a budget DAC like the Apple dongle ($9) or FiiO KA1 ($30-50).
That said, it scales with better amplification. Pair it with a $100-150 desktop amp/DAC (JDS Atom, Schiit Magni, FiiO K7) and you get tighter bass control and a wider soundstage. The takeaway: it's amp-friendly without being amp-dependent.
Open-Back Soundstage#
Open-back means the rear of the driver vents to the air rather than into a sealed cup. This trades isolation for soundstage. Music sounds like it's around you rather than between your ears — closer to listening to studio monitors than headphones. Stereo separation is wide, instruments occupy distinct positions, and large orchestral or live recordings breathe.
The trade-off: zero isolation. Your roommate hears what you're listening to, and you hear them. Don't buy these for the train or a shared open-plan office. They're a home and quiet-room headphone.
All-Day Comfort#
At 240g with oval velour pads and moderate clamp, the HD 560S disappears on your head. The pads breathe — no sweaty ears after a 4-hour mixing session. The headband distributes weight evenly so there's no hot-spot on the crown. This is the difference between a headphone you tolerate and one you forget you're wearing.
Glasses wearers — the velour pads are forgiving here. The pad surface doesn't grip the temples like leather pads do, so frame pressure is minimal.
Detachable Cable, User-Serviceable#
The cable connects via a proprietary 2.5mm twist-lock connector at the left cup. Replacement cables are available from Sennheiser ($20-40) and from third-party sellers in shorter lengths or balanced terminations. The included 3m cable is studio-length — overkill for desk use but ideal for couch listening.
The earpads pop off with a quarter-twist. Replacements run $25-40. This matters for longevity — most $200 headphones become unusable when the pads disintegrate after 2-3 years.
Technical Specifications#
Driver Type : Dynamic, 38mm
Acoustic Principle : Open-back, circumaural
Impedance : 120 ohms
Frequency Response : 6 Hz – 38 kHz (-10 dB)
Sensitivity (SPL) : 110 dB at 1 kHz / 1 Vrms
Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) : <0.05% at 1 kHz, 100 dB SPL
Weight (without cable) : 240 g (8.5 oz)
Cable : 3 m detachable, twist-lock connector
Connector : 6.3 mm (1/4") plug + 3.5 mm adapter
Earpad Material : Oval velour, replaceable
Warranty : 2 years
Pros & Cons#
Pros:
- Reference-flat tuning with no bass hump or treble harshness
- 120-ohm impedance runs cleanly from phones, dongles, and laptops without a dedicated amp
- Oval velour pads stay cool and comfortable for 4+ hour sessions
- Wide open-back soundstage with precise instrument imaging
- User-replaceable pads and detachable cable extend usable life past 5 years
- Sub-$200 pricing undercuts the HD 600 ($380-450) and DT 880 600-ohm ($300+)
- Wide frequency response from 6 Hz to 38 kHz with sub-bass extension that matches the mids
Cons:
- Open-back leaks sound in both directions — useless for office, transit, or shared spaces
- All-plastic chassis feels less premium than the metal-accented Beyerdynamic DT 880
- 3m cable is unwieldy for desk use, no shorter cable in the box
- Neutral tuning will sound "thin" or "boring" to listeners coming from bass-heavy consumer headphones until ears adjust
- No carrying case or pouch included at this price
Final Verdict#
Buy it. The Sennheiser HD 560S delivers genuine studio-reference sound at a price point where most competitors are still bass-boosted consumer fare, making it the clearest entry into honest listening under $200.
Our recommendation: Pair it with a $30-50 USB-C DAC like the FiiO KA1 or Apple dongle for clean output from a phone or laptop. You'll get 90% of the experience that desktop-amp setups cost $400-600 to assemble. Pick one up: 🇺🇸 Sennheiser HD 560S on Amazon US | 🇩🇪 Sennheiser HD 560S on Amazon DE