HD 560S vs HD 6XX vs something else in the same class

[alexitx]

Been looking for high quality and affordable (~< €200) headphones for quite a while, but with specific features such as:

 

- Absolutely no leather or pleather that disintegrates over time

- Breathable fabric cushions

- Spacious fit around the ears

- Don't create bad pressure points

 

My ears start to hurt and sweat a lot after prolonged wear, so soft earpads and minimal weight is definitely a must. Don't need perfect seal, noise cancelling or any of that. I'm willing to give up some sound quality for better ergonomics and build quality. I also prefer flat neutral sound that works for everything from gaming to professional creative work.

 

Most of the Sennheiser HD series seem to fit the requirements and I often see them highly recommended. The biggest potential issue I see with open backs is that I use a condenser mic for VoIP, gaming and streaming, and leakage is a concern since my current HyperX Cloud Alpha sometimes leaks mids and treble at high volume (which I have set very rarely). I'm open to hearing a second opinion on that.

 

Right now I can get the HD 560S for ~$160/€150 from local retailers or the new HD 6XX for ~$230/€215 from drop.com. Prices are converted at the time of writing. Are these good value and is it worth the extra ~$70/€65 for the HD 6XX? If there are other options available in Europe around that price that fit the requirements I'll consider them too.

[Arcanekitten]

I am in the same boat as you. I have a condenser mic as well. I currently run the HD 6xx upgrading from HD 558's. I have not experienced any leakage nor the people around me, however also consider that it might be your mic picking up too much noise. It also might depend on the noise suppression build into the VoiP services you use (teams, discord, etc all have noise suppression settings.) From a comfortability standpoint the HD 6xx are spot on, I did however upgrade to the OEM full leather pads (also sold on (mass)drop) although the standard cloth/Alcantara ones are great as well. Because of the over ear design I can wear them all day and night if I wanted to but it of course again depends on your head size and ear location as that differs from person to person.

 

I also personally considered the Beyerdynamic DT 990's (pro) but ended up liking the neutral sound signature of the HD line up more.

[rice guru]

since your in europe I would recommend looking into the AKG k712 , 702 , 701 , 612 pro are also decent neutral and very comfortable options you may need an amp depending on which headphone. another option to look into is the Beyerdynamic Tygr Warm neutral very good value and is also very good for gaming. the 560s is fairly comfortable. sounds pretty good and is decent value very neutral . doesn't require an amp to drive will run well with a motherboard. good performance in music and gaming. the 650/6xx works best with an amp one of the best for music. has clamp but get very comfortable overtime.Is warm neutral. My favorite headphones for you use case is the HD 600, DT 880, and the hifiman Sundara all 3 of these I recommend an amp.

[alexitx]

3 hours ago, Arcanekitten said:

I also personally considered the Beyerdynamic DT 990's (pro) but ended up liking the neutral sound signature of the HD line up more.

3 hours ago, rice guru said:

since your in europe I would recommend looking into the AKG k712 , 702 , 701 , 612 pro are also decent neutral and very comfortable options you may need an amp depending on which headphone.

Thanks for the suggestions.

 

I see the AKGs are a bit lighter than the rest but I'm not sure if the stiff leather headband and the elastic bands will hold well in the long run, and they are also not available in any local retailers.

 

The DT 990 Edition / Pro look great as they seem to have larger earpads and are currently available locally for roughly the same price as the HD 560S. I see a lot of people criticize the treble and categorize them as "ear piercing", but since the HD 6XX, HD 560S and the DT 990 are all roughly in the same crinacle tier, is it that bad for sensitive ears in the upper range? I would prefer to test them all but most retailers in my country are quite grouchy with returns to put it lightly and they don't usually have samples.

 

I don't have an easy way to EQ right now as I'm using the built-in ALC S1220A in my MB. It can drive headphones up to 600 ohms though so that's not an issue. I have measured more than a few K with the external volume knob way down and it's still loud and crystal clear, but I plan on getting a mixer or at least a DAC some time in the future.

 

[saintlouisbagels]

1 hour ago, alexitx said:

The DT 990 Edition / Pro look great as they seem to have larger earpads and are currently available locally for roughly the same price as the HD 560S. I see a lot of people criticize the treble and categorize them as "ear piercing", but since the HD 6XX, HD 560S and the DT 990 are all roughly in the same crinacle tier, is it that bad for sensitive ears in the upper range?

I can vouch that the DT990 is very fatiguing and piercing. Returned mine after a couple of days.

The AKG K701/2 are also very bright, so I would not recommend them - owned mine for about a decade now.

 

Is there a reason why DT 770 Pro (80ohm) is not being considered? Some people say they're a little bright, but I strongly disagree.

They are closed-back while still retaining a large soundstage, and the bass is very satisfying without being bass-heavy or muddy.

At 80ohm, an amplifier is not recommended. Unless you have hearing issues, these can still go uncomfortably loud at max volume.

[rice guru]

5 hours ago, alexitx said:

Thanks for the suggestions.

 

I see the AKGs are a bit lighter than the rest but I'm not sure if the stiff leather headband and the elastic bands will hold well in the long run, and they are also not available in any local retailers.

 

The DT 990 Edition / Pro look great as they seem to have larger earpads and are currently available locally for roughly the same price as the HD 560S. I see a lot of people criticize the treble and categorize them as "ear piercing", but since the HD 6XX, HD 560S and the DT 990 are all roughly in the same crinacle tier, is it that bad for sensitive ears in the upper range? I would prefer to test them all but most retailers in my country are quite grouchy with returns to put it lightly and they don't usually have samples.

 

I don't have an easy way to EQ right now as I'm using the built-in ALC S1220A in my MB. It can drive headphones up to 600 ohms though so that's not an issue. I have measured more than a few K with the external volume knob way down and it's still loud and crystal clear, but I plan on getting a mixer or at least a DAC some time in the future.

 

Yes the 990 is very bright if you are sensitive to treble not as bad as many make it seem to be but still really bright if your not equipped. The treble can be very uncontrolled if you. Don't have a good amp to drive it. Which is why I reccomended the Beyerdynamic tygr which is a much easier to drive version ,cheaper , just as comfortable, and better tuned cause it's a lot more neutral than the 990. There are also no motherboard that can drive 600 ohm. Beyerdynamic 600 ohm ratings are also very deceiving what you must know are impedance measurements are taken at 1khz which is often the easiest frequency to drive. Here is the impedance drive of the dt 880 600 ohm. Beyerdynamics are often criticized for sounding loose and uncontrolled. But really the reason they are in the first place is because most people don't have an amp to drive them properly.i also have a very similar chip on my motherboard and gotta say not that impressed with itm was able to drive my 990 250 ohm but sounded much looser more uncontrolled that  on my dedicated amps. In regards to Beyerdynamic durability their great the headpads are comfortable and will last a long time

[Psittac]

Pads are a thing, don't be put off by pads that will wear out so long as they're replaceable.

[alexitx]

Okay, so I luckily managed to find and test the HD 600, 560S and the DT 990 Edition in a specialized audio equipment store today. The DT 990 indeed sounded strongly V-shaped and the mids were very muddy imo. Probably won't be pleasant for long sessions and gaming without EQ.

I really liked the neutral sound and comfort of the HD 600 and 560S, and didn't find that big of a difference between them aside from the slight bump in the upper range of the 560S. Now I'm mostly left to choose between those.

The HD 560S is currently €150 (-25% from €200), it's lighter since it's more plastic but the build quality feels lower. On the other hand the HD 600 is €280 (-30% from €400), it has slightly deeper cups for larger ears (enough for my ears to not touch the padding) and the build quality feels a lot better. Do these prices make sense since both are currently on sale and usually go for about €100-150 higher?

[Stan2292]

560s isn't bad. 6xx sounds way to dark for my taste. if you like neutural-ish sound, the akg k612 pro is excellent. it sounds very neutural, every audible region is present and it's below your budget assuming you alreayd have the proper equipment to power an 120ohm headphone. alternatively, search on second hand market for a pair of hd600. you should be able to find one in great condition for 200 pounds. again you'll need a decent amp to power it as its impedence is 300ohm.

[rice guru]

15 hours ago, alexitx said:

Okay, so I luckily managed to find and test the HD 600, 560S and the DT 990 Edition in a specialized audio equipment store today. The DT 990 indeed sounded strongly V-shaped and the mids were very muddy imo. Probably won't be pleasant for long sessions and gaming without EQ.

I really liked the neutral sound and comfort of the HD 600 and 560S, and didn't find that big of a difference between them aside from the slight bump in the upper range of the 560S. Now I'm mostly left to choose between those.

The HD 560S is currently €150 (-25% from €200), it's lighter since it's more plastic but the build quality feels lower. On the other hand the HD 600 is €280 (-30% from €400), it has slightly deeper cups for larger ears (enough for my ears to not touch the padding) and the build quality feels a lot better. Do these prices make sense since both are currently on sale and usually go for about €100-150 hig

Yeah pricing makes sense the 600 requires much more power than the 560s and generally to a more trained ear sounds more detailed than a 560s when properly amped. But if your not a out to get an amp and gaming is a priority in your use case from my experience the 560s is better in gaming performance anyway. Due to it's more precise imaging. If you also have trouble finding the differences between the 2 the 560s might just be the wiser move.