A community for discussion around all topics related to headphones and personal audio.
Sounds is not as warm as it was on my last headphones
Well yes, the HD560s are pretty well known for their relatively neutral sound signature.
Soundstage is.. off
What I think you're experiencing is the difference between open back and closed back (Cloud 2) headphones. Your brain is "trained" to expect the Cloud 2 sound, so the difference with the 560s sounds off. Open backs generally have better soundstage than closed backs.
I had the same effect first 20 minutes putting on the hd600s i was like wtf is this did i waste my money. and then 1 hr later i was like holy shit okay now i hear it wow... went back the next day and sat for 3 hrs straight and i loved what i was hearing. love my hd600 because i also went from closed to open back. i just gave it time and that was it. no need for me to get an amp they are plenty loud with my lgv20 running uapp or poweramp depending on my mood.
Hello, I have the same comfort problem with the Sennheiser HD 560S/many other headphones.
That's why I mainly use IEMs (+ TWS adapters/Bluetooth adapters) these days since there's like this IEM Renaissance at the moment, so many good deals every week/month (new marketed hype trains cycle, lol).
Most of my headphones are just there in their headphones cases and collecting dust, sigh, consumerism and fear of missing out is too real.
Anyway, do you wear glasses or have a big head and so on? That may be the problem and sadly you have to specifically look for headphones known for their comfort. Which is unfortunate as nobody really mentions that factor or experience, lol.
For comfort with headphones, if you have a big head, ear piercings, glasses, et cetera, basically anything that will interfere with the seal/fit of the earpads, here's more info about headphones and glasses and workarounds it: https://www.reddit.com/r/HeadphoneAdvice/comments/zkjjcu/are_there_any_headsetsphones_that_are/j00kjt2/
As for the sound itself with the HD 560S, make sure you don't have any hair/etc. covering the earpads. Or like try wiggling the earpads to find an optimal position (sometimes this means the new angle of the earpads will be less comfortable but that's just how it goes, same thing with ear tips and IEMs). Oh and try different headband width/tightness/etc. For me I don't move around that much as I'm mainly at my computer and so I can make the fit more loose but if you are constantly going back and forth that can be a problem, so make sure to adjust it to your taste.
The soundstage of the HD560S can actually be good, same with the treble, and such things, and ya it's the bass that people often find lacking and so on.
Since you like EDM/hiphop/etc. or bassy music then you'll probably never be satisfied with the open back headphones and so you have to look for closed back headphones. It's just a physics/design/etc. reality. Some people really do try using parametric EQ to work around their open back headphones like you've done already right, so just make say a bass shelf and see if it helps. But ya it probably won't since people miss that closed back experience.
It's like the noise reduction, the boosted bass, etc. that's helping you get immersed sometimes with the sound of closed back headphones. On the other hand, for open back headphones users that lack of noise reduction and leakage of sounds (especially when they are listening at dangerously loud volumes) and so on are what enhance their experience. Atmospheric expectations.
Forgot if some of the people on squig.link have graphs of the newer closed back headphones (these are like rarely released or reviewed aside from the mainstream Bluetooth ANC closed back headphones) but they do have the newer open back headphones last time I checked. They have AutoEQ and so on there now, try matching the HD560S to other headphones known for bassy sounds. And ya use oratory1990's presets (https://www.reddit.com/r/oratory1990/wiki/index/list_of_presets) if you aren't already, same with (Peace) Equalizer APO, Neutron Music Player, UAPP, etc.
Sometimes IEMs/headphones will have drowned out vocals and so it can get tempting to raise the volume but after a while the brain will adjust to it since it's always looking to adapt. Unlike IEMs, earpads rolling with headphones is not as talked about anymore IIRC, so you have to just to bear with the stock earpads.
Aftermarket earpads can considerably change the sound, especially comfort too. Like some of us used to switch the leather/etc. to velour because we wanted better comfort and all that.
Anyway, just search up the reviews about Brainwavz, Dekoni, etc. earpads. Check Head-Fi/etc. for updated info as recently some people are saying Brainwavz earpads went even more downhill or something.
Unfortunately, yes $30 is a lot and so that's why stick to the well-known budget earpad brands on Amazon/etc. if you don't mind the sound/etc. changes that come with them in comparison to the stock earpads.
Sennheiser/HiFiMan/etc. have that same expensive pricing for their stock earpads, cables, etc. lol.
Personally despite enjoying a lot of the Sennheiser/HiFiMan/etc. open back headphones, I live in a loud busy area (even at midnight those random motorcyclists or car racers be flexing their mufflers constantly sometimes) and so even if my windows are closed, I need that noise reduction and so I can't enjoy them as much.
Check the threads below as your window/door/room/etc. is affecting your sound perception with the headphones. If you are able to listen in a quieter environment, then you may appreciate the strengths of open back headphones more. Unfortunately a lot of people in the world don't have quiet surroundings and so unless loud music is playing, people are tempted to drown out the external noises and this in turn causes a different sound experience. Basically try to listen at lower volumes first and then see how it goes for a while.
And ya sometimes it just takes like a week or so before going back to your older sets to understand the better clarity/details/etc.
Headphones, IEMs, and reducing PC/room noises: https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/12yxyqs/question_about_open_back_headphones/jhq4mj6/
Open back headphones and solutions to PC noises: https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/11dh2v9/is_there_anything_i_can_do_stop_hearing_my_own/ja8mltw/ and https://www.reddit.com/r/HeadphoneAdvice/comments/xpa9zd/pc_noise_with_open_back_headphones/iq2znjn/
How to maybe soundproof your room for better noise reduction/isolation: https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/10epr17/struggling_to_enjoy_my_headphones_in_noisy/j4t4qaw/
If you get (legit, the expensive heavy ones, not the light/cheap/etc. ones) blackout curtains and tape them, it should do some changes. Though actually even using those plastic film thermal insulation kits did nicely as the vacuum seal on the window reduced the sound a lot.
Those thermal insulation kits will help a lot with not needing to run the air conditioner (or heater) all the time, you can keep it on a timer if your AC unit has that option. Just make sure to achieve that good/perfect vacuum seal with the windows when it comes to taping it. There's also those door draft stopper or like foam you put at the bottom of the door, those can actually help quite a bit too with retaining the heat/cold, believe it or not.
I think your brain is just used to the sound and timbre of a closeback headphones with a much bassier response than the hd560's which is neutral give your brain a time to adjust and listen again to to hyperX then compare for sure it will sound muddy
Yeah all of this is subjective.
It's about finding something that's right for YOU
Neutral open back headphones can take some getting used to, it’s a whole different world than the mainstream staples which tend to be V-shaped, sort of overbearing sometimes bloated bass and very forward highs to compensate which can leave the mids mostly inaudible or bled into. These aren’t BAD headphones, they’re just different and the hobby is all about neutrality these days. The downside of V-shapes is that an enormous amount of detail and separation, imaging, etc is in the mids and you don’t get much mids I’m from them.
You might like the 599 SE, it’s inexpensive and has a V shape signature that’s less neutral than the 560. The emphasis is on mid bass and treble in an open back which is sort of unique.
The Philips X2HR is another option to consider, it’s a neutral listening headphone but emphasizes high bass with impeccable mids to give a sense of a stronger low end. Great musical headphone, it’s a popular choice for people transitioning into neural listening because it retains some “fun”.
You can check Crinacle’s rankings here and look for cans noted as a V-shape or U-shape, or ones he complains about it being too bassy because he’s a neutrality and Harman diehard. I wouldn’t pay attention to the actual rankings as much because of this if that sound just isn’t for you at present time. If you strike out on open backs, there are many closed back options that are more dynamic without the primary focus on being flat or on Harman.
I've heard or owned many, many permutations of open and closed back $100-$300 headphones, including every gaming headset under the sun. I have never heard the hd 560 personally but nothing comes anywhere close to the hd 650/6xx in this price range. They are an absolute steal.
I would go so far as to say I've been disappointed with every headphone and gaming headset in this price range *but* the hd 650/6xx and Hifiman Sundara. Especially closed backs in this price range are 'meh' IMO.
The only issue comes down to comfort and isolation. Maybe that's not working for OP?These days my living situation is too loud to enjoy open back so I've been daily driving IEMs for the isolation.. Truthear Hexa is great for $80USD, Moondrop Blessing is similar sound profile but better imaging.
I could see if your room is just too loud, not enjoying open-backs. I've moved to IEMs for this reason. Honestly you get way more bang for your buck with chi-fi IEMs.. Truthear Hexa kills any cheaper closed-backs.
Just my two cents.
The 6XX at its price (I’d throw the 600 in as well) and Sundara at any of its prices just wipes the floor with everything else in Mid-Fi as well as a lot of headphones higher up the ladder.
There’s some other notables like the Audio Technica ATH-R70x which is just a warmer 600 and the Shure headphones being textbook technical examples of their respective types, but outside of that you can skip everything else up through maybe the Aurorus Borealis, Focal Clear and not miss much. I have yet to hear a Hifiman headphone outright better than Sundaras minus the Susvara I haven’t heard though the Edition XV2 was close. I like the X2HR when it’s $100, the 599 when it’s $80 but for another $100-$200 you can get a headphone a person could easily retire on.
The 6XX at its price (I’d throw the 600 in as well) and Sundara at any of its prices just wipes the floor with everything else in Mid-Fi as well as a lot of headphones higher up the ladder.
There’s some other notables like the Audio Technica ATH-R70x which is just a warmer 600 and the Shure headphones being textbook technical examples of their respective types, but outside of that you can skip everything else up through maybe the Aurorus Borealis, Focal Clear and not miss much. I have yet to hear a Hifiman headphone outright better than Sundaras minus the Susvara I haven’t heard though the Edition XV2 was close. I like the X2HR when it’s $100, the 599 when it’s $80 but for another $100-$200 you can get a headphone a person could easily retire on.
My wife loves her APM and thinks my K612 sucks.
Most friends of mine have similar opinion after several tries.
I couldn't disagree more, but I do think their opinions are valid to them. People have different taste, and open back headphones sound might not be enjoyable to everyone.
You should try demoing the Focal Clear og.
Bro recommending $890 headphones when op spent $150-$200💀
You're probably used to the bass response in your cloud 2s and the unequal sound profile. Neutral headphones some people don't like because they're not as "fun" (in terms of their sound profile). Audiophiles like high fidelity sound reproduction. It includes reproducing sound without distorting or changing it, which nearly all headphones do to a large extent. Audiophile headphones do it to a much lesser extent. It can take some getting used to.
I went from the Gameone OPEN back to the 560s and I didn't like them much either.Too analitical and as a person who likes to listen to alot of music/videos/streams these headphones really reveal bad audio and put it on the front and there's aloooot of bad audio out there.
Also the earpads are too thin and the plastic creaks way too much.
The only thing I liked about the 560 was the soundstage but I still went back to my old headset.
THe hd599 is a great headphone, very little clam great soundstage for gaming. The hd599se is the same headphone it's on amazon for a good price ATM
You may like Beyerdynamic DT770 32 ohm.
I bought them because everyone recommended them, at first I thought they sounded a bit too analytical and lacked bass, even after using Oratory's EQ, that was 20 days ago, now, after regular listening to variety of genres, movies and games, I think it's the best headphone purchase I've made, dang I wish I had this kind of sound available anytime anywhere, sadly they're not very portable. Regarding the clamping force, you can use the box they came in to loosen the clamp, I've read about people doing this to fix their comfort issues.
I felt like my 560s was uncomfortably tight and clampy at first too, but you can stretch them out to loosen them up a bit. Take a bunch of books, slightly wider than your head, put the headphones over the pile, and leave them for a couple days to stretch.
A similar experience happened to me when I first used my SHP9500, you'll get used to it.
OP, you've had that experience because the HD560s are overhyped trash that reddit seems to love for some reason.
Give the Beyerdynamic DT990pro (250ohm) a try. Reddit hates these, but they're great.
Try stretching it out, so it can fit better, because I’m quite sure it’s a fit issue. If it still sounds bad then return it.
One thing beforehand: Others will tell you that your brain needs some time to adjust to the new sound from a new headphone. I could never understand this statement because it is simply not true. The moment you are listening to a new headphone (be it on a hifi store or from a friend) you will notice immediately the difference to your old headphones. These differences will not magically fly away the longer you are listening to the new headphone.
What you are experiencing is that you simply don't like the sound signature of the Sennheisers. They are flat, neutral and very analtical headphones with very little sub-bass. If you don't like that it means you prefer something that is more straight forward like an Audio Technica headphone for example. I also like this kind of sound signature way more and think that flat and neutral headphones sound boring if you're listening to things like metal and rock. So what you can do is to search for headphones that are v-shaped and have maybe a slight emphasize on the treble and midrange. Beyerdynamics might be too harsh but their midrange is also a bit recessed and muffled, sounds very strange.
tygr 300r if you want something warm and bassy
I’ve got the hd599se and I love them paired with a cheap fosi audio mini amp for pc. It’s got me curious zbout the 600’s or the 660S2’s but not sure they would be much better
They are a bit more detailed and more on the neutral side while the 599 is relative dark and more of a fun sounding headphone.
They are a bit more detailed and more on the neutral side while the 599 is relative dark and more of a fun sounding headphone.
Do they need to be overears? I got a pair of hd6xx and a pair of TruthEar zero:red IEMs at the same time and it made me appreciate how fuckin good iems are because $50 iems sound better than $200 overears
You can try stretching them over the box they came in overnight to loosen up the clamp
All your problems with the sound quality(music enjoyment, soundstage) of the HD560S simply boil down to them having less treble than the Cloud II. Use them exclusively for at least a week and then form an opinion. Your mind already has an idea of what the music SHOULD sound like and needs time to adjust, we call it "brain burn-in".
I own both the Cloud II and HD560S btw. If I switch to the clouds from any of my other headphones they sound like pure earrape, even though I used them for 8 years previously. It's all to do with what you're used to at the time.
Headphones are a subjective thing. Your ears might just prefer a warmer sound and not enjoy something neutral or analytical. Doesn't mean the 560S is bad, maybe it's just not for you. You have to spend some time in the audio hobby space to really figure out what you like and don't like.
That's what I personally dislike about this hobby even though you are absolutely right but I am finding myself in this position since the beginning of this year... Need a new headphone because my old one is falling apart after 13 years of usage and thought: "Well I will just read a few reviews and try to get some recommendations and the ones that are in majority will be the ones that I am going to buy."
Turned out that this is a really bad idea. You have to demo a lot of headphones in order to understand what you really prefer and this becomes a challenge if you don't have a good hifi store in your location. I don't have the option to test good brands so I tried to learn how to read frequency responses in order to narrow some options for me down but then there are so many contradictive opinions you can read about on the internet that you are slowly losing your mind because you are starting to despair.
It's really horrible.
Buy the ifi zen dac v2 and watch the sound transform
To be fair the original Kingston cloud 2s are solid for the price. They benefit nicely from an amp.
To be fair the original Kingston cloud 2s are solid for the price. They benefit nicely from an amp.
OP, sorry to say that the 560s will never satisfy you if you mainly listen to electronic music. I was in the same boat as you when I got mine, and even after making my own eq, you can get the 560s to kick, but not really rumble if that makes sense.
Luckily, I also listen to jazz a lot and 560s are great at that. I suggest you don't bother testing these for a month and just return these if you don't plan on listening to other genres in the future. Get a pair of closed backs (I got a pair of SHP8000, borderline subwoofers) and you'll never look back.
" Treble sounds kind of grainy,"
Perhaps Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO will bring that extra brightness