2020 has been an exciting year for the German audio manufacturer, a year in which it celebrated its diamond jubilee. Since its founding in 1945, Sennheiser has brought us the HD 414 in 1968, the HD 25 in 1988, the HD 800 is 2009 and on the 24th of September, it brought us the HD 560S.
By naming this pair of headphones the HD 560S, it does seem that the company is reviving the legacy of the HD 560 series which was first introduced way back in 1989 with the HD 560 Ovation, two years later in 1991, it was succeeded by the HD 560 Ovation II which was the last of the series until the introduction of the HD 560S.
It might be too early to name the HD 560S amongst the legendries. However, there is something unique about the HD 560S, and if I were asked to sum up the HD 560S in one word, the word would be: Insightful.
Design & Build
At first glance, the HD 560S looks just like another pair of HD 500 series headphones, inheriting the euro-styled look and feel of the series, which has not really changed since the introduction of the HD 555, except for the design of the grille, which has evolved over a period of 16 years across three generations. The HD 560S sports a grille that features a discrete logo of its maker, styled similarly to the one found on the HD 660S.
With the chassis almost entirely made of black opaque plastic, the headphones are light-weighted, weighing in at just 240 g. Coupled with thick and soft earpads and headband cushions wrapped in velour, a plush textile soft-to-the-touch ensuring comfort is not compromised despite its affordable price. During the review process, the HD 560S were extremely comfortable, and have had them on for hours without feeling any fatigue. Although I must point out that fresh out of the box, the headphones’ clamping force is a bit heavier than most, so if one’s head is sensitive to that, one might want to stretch them out a bit.
Equipped with an all-new 38 mm dynamic driver on either ear cups. Its alignment is angled to recreate the optimal triangular listening position to channel the audio directly into the ears using the company’s E.A.R. (Ergonomic Acoustic Refinement) technology.
The HD 560S arrived in box packaging, which is aligned with their packaging design of late. Inside the box, one would find a pair of HD 560S headphones, a 3 m cable terminated with the 6.3 mm plug, a printed copy of the safety instructions and regulatory information for the headphones, and a 6.3 mm to 3.5 mm adapter to allow one to connect the headphones to one’s portable digital audio players or any other audio device with a 3.5 mm single-ended jack.
Overall, the HD 560S have a minimalistic and modern look that is right up my alley, bearing in mind that these are not a luxurious pair of headphones. The build is sturdy, functional, and worthy of association with the Sennheiser brand name.
Part 1: Introduction, Design & Build
Part 2: Sound Quality
Part 3: Product Specifications
Part 4: Review Ratings, Summary
