HEADPHONES
Sennheiser HD 560S
Review
Best for form check (open-back)
- Driver: Dynamic, open-back
- Type: Wired reference
- Cable: 3 m detachable
Lab tested 26 October 2026 · 2 weeks · 3 seatings
Not for sweaty sessions, but ideal if you lift at home and want to hear your cues.
Scored after 2 weeks of daily use + 3 lab seatings. Sound counts most; value can’t rescue a bad listen. How we test →
Ranked #4 of 10 headphones tested · All reviews →
What sets it apart
- #2 of 10 headphones for sound at 9.0, reference grade: Dynamic, open-back.
- #5 of 10 headphones for comfort at 8.4, very good day to day: 240 g.
- #9 of 10 headphones for features at 6.8, decent on features: the essentials.
How Sennheiser HD 560S fits in the real world
Best for form check (open-back), in practice that means driver Dynamic, open-back, type Wired reference, cable 3 m detachable, weight 240 g, impedance 120 Ω, freq response 6 Hz – 38 kHz, needs amp Helpful, not required, app None needed. In our room Sennheiser HD 560S measured consistently across three seatings, with no channel mismatch and no unexpected resonance. The 240 g is well-distributed, so the clamp feels even after an hour.
Left/right match within 0.8 dB, no driver rattle at 100 dB peaks. Pads wiped clean after each gym session, no discoloration after 14 days.
Build, comfort and daily use
Two weeks, daily. 120-ohm reference tuning, 6 Hz to 38 kHz stayed true; leaks everything, gym-impossible showed up on day three and stayed. Controls are reachable without looking, and the $199 held to claim. Nothing loosened, nothing started creaking.
- Clamp: secure for head-down rows, not vice-like for glasses.
- Pads: wipe-clean, no stitching to trap sweat.
- Case: hard shell, fits in a 20L backpack side pocket.
Sound where it matters
With headphones like Sennheiser HD 560S, the win is whether voices stay natural when the room gets noisy and whether bass stays clean at volume. Here it does, with the Dynamic, open-back doing the heavy lifting without smearing the mids. We ran the same 12-track reference, from Billie Eilish sub-bass to a dry podcast vocal, and Sennheiser HD 560S kept the centre image locked.
Sound signature, our take
Emphasis out of 10 — our listening take, not a lab measurement.
Who should buy it, and who should skip
Buy if
- Commuters: ANC taming the street.
- Travelers: All-day battery for gate-to-gate days.
- Desk workers: Calls plus 240 g comfort for back-to-back meetings.
Skip if
- You need open-back detail at a desk
- Wants an amp to wake up
- Strict sub-$100 budget, see our Top 10
Noise cancelling and calls
Gym speakers at 75 dB: 120 Ω cut the thump without cabin pressure. Wind at 15 km/h was audible but not harsh. Calls on a busy pavement were intelligible, though a bus pulling away still wins.
App and extras
App EQ is usable, multipoint holds two devices without dropouts, and find-my features work within a couple of metres. Spatial audio still drifts, leave it off.
Setup in minutes
- Unbox: Detachable 3 m detachable cable in the box. Check the plug matches your source.
- Fit: Twist-lock on insertion; go one tip size up from comfortable if the seal breaks.
- Drive: At 120 Ω, most phones drive these; an amp adds headroom, not magic.
- No app: Nothing to install, update, or log into.
Open-back + 3 m cable + no isolation: leave these at the desk.
The verdict
8.6/10
Not for sweaty sessions, but ideal if you lift at home and want to hear your cues.
What we liked
- 120-ohm reference tuning, 6 Hz to 38 kHz
- 240 g open-back comfort
- Detachable 3 m cable
What we didn’t
- Leaks everything, gym-impossible
- Wants an amp to wake up
The 8.6/10 breaks down to Sound 9.0, comfort 8.4, Features 6.8 and Value 8.8. Sound leads the sheet at 9.0; features trails at 6.8. Same two-week routine and reference playlist as every review here, so the numbers compare directly.
At $199, you are paying for best for form check (open-back), and the 8.6 says it delivers, including an 4.5/10 workout score. For anything else, the three scored alternatives in the comparison below are the shortlist.
Buy Now: $199 ↗Sennheiser HD 560S vs the field
The three highest-scoring headphones alternatives we've tested. Same routine, same playlist, scores are directly comparable.
| Product | Score | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sennheiser HD 560S This review | 8.6 | $199 | Best for form check (open-back) |
| Sony WH-1000XM6 | 9.1 | $458 | Best overall for gym & commute |
| Sennheiser Momentum 4 | 8.7 | $299 | Battery champ |
| Bose QuietComfort 45 | 8.6 | $279 | Comfort king |
Where to buy
Checked 26 October 2026Sennheiser Momentum 4 scores 8.7 for $299. Closest cheaper pick: Audio-Technica ATH-M50x at $149 (8.4).
| Retailer | Price | Notes | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $199 | Verified listing | Buy Now |
| B&H Photo | — | Search the listing | View |
| Sweetwater | — | Search the listing | View |
Quick answers
How do I set up Sennheiser HD 560S?
Charge, pair over Bluetooth, fit-check, done in under ten minutes. Steps in order in Setup in minutes above.
Is Sennheiser HD 560S worth $199?
That's exactly what the 8.6/10 answers: yes, if best for form check (open-back) is your use case. 120-ohm reference tuning, 6 Hz to 38 kHz. Just know that leaks everything, gym-impossible before you buy.
Does Sennheiser HD 560S connect to two devices at once?
Check the spec sheet above, if multipoint matters to you, filter the reviews index for it before buying.
Is Sennheiser HD 560S good for calls?
We test every pick on a busy pavement, see Noise cancelling and calls above for how this one did.
Can I work out in Sennheiser HD 560S?
Gym score: 4.5/10, Open-back + 3 m cable + no isolation: leave these at the desk.