Bought the HD 560S this week for 150 dollars USD. Highly impressed. Then I watch this video and start wondering if I made the right decision. Come to find out the sundaras are 2x the price. From the sound of it, they aren’t 2x better. I’ll be keeping the 560S. Thanks for this vid.
I also just recently went with the 560s for $150 too. I wanted the Sundara's but couldn't get over the price being twice as much. That and I feel that driving the Sundara's would be a bit tougher and require a bit better amp/dac than I have (which would then drive the price even higher).
@@Kirathian1234 560S for $150 here too. Running off my cheapo UMC22 Behringer mixer with my mic and direct-monitoring. Excellent pairing. Gets plenty loud in Windows and still can use a mic. The 560S also pairs with the V Moda line-in mic that replaces the cable which is another great option. 560S blows my DT 770 Pro 80 ohm (at least on this mixer) out of the water.
Correct, at best the Sundara is like 30% better in terms of pure resolution, and about 80% better in terms of membrane speed... It's better, but not twice as good, for sure... The 560S is a good choice, i own both, i daily drive the Sundara. :)
Just tested them side by side, and for me, I just preferred the Sundaras overall, although it was very close, and for some music, I preferred the 560s. I rarely listen to music for several hours in one stretch, and with that, found both to be comfortable. However, whilst they may be what people consider in the same price bracket, the Sundaras are still twice the price of the 560s, and the difference in sound was not enough for me to keep the Sundaras. They are both very good headphones, I don’t think most people would be disappointed in either.
@Somadri Chatterjee I am about to send my 400se back after 1 Year of use (my 5th replacement). The sound got worse due to some parts inside the driver becoming loose. I absolutely love their sound signature but those quality issues seem to happen far too often in the realm of Hifiman. I had enough though, I will get my money back to order the 560s.
That "2 coins rubbing together" is the distortion coming from the bass guitar. I actually love that style of distortion, it's become really popular in death and prog metal lately. Sauce: I mix metal music
I have a narrow head and really appreciate the fit on the 560S. It's a standout feature for me. These fit like a glove. None of the gaming headsets I've worn with "ski band" elastic will stay put. The 560S are glued to my head and I forget they're on. Now for sound, they are excellent. For $150 you cannot go wrong here. Another HUGE benefit of the 560S is the ability to plug in a $20 V Moda microphone and use it for gaming. You have the best of both worlds.
Responding to my comment here, I V-shape EQ'd and amp'd my 560S and these things rip now. Once I heard how much difference the EQ made and how well it retained its clarity, my search for better pretty much stopped.
Nice review , interesting that you find the 560s smooth in treble , for me its borderline sibilant. Also the comfort on my 560s were good for me, I wore them for probably 8 hrs on first run and yes it was a little clampy for me at first but they are more comfortable after a giving them a little stretch!
@@Dantido To my mind people should be doing this anyway. That music you're listening to was mastered by some very clever engineer, usually using good studio monitors. At the low end these will be something like Yamaha HS8s or moving upwards, something like PMCs or Linns. Go take a look at their response curves, they never wander more than a couple of dBs from flat over the normal human hearing range, except at the crossovers. Once they're satisfied with the tonality, clarity and balance of everything in the mix, they'll then export the track. You then get it and play it back through your headphones on your system with no EQ and expect it to sound good. It wont, you can't take their perfectly mixed file, apply the comparatively god awful response curve of your headphones over it and expect it to maintain the timbre of the instruments, relative volumes in the arrangement and overall tonality. So, first step should always be to EQ out that curve, it's what Graphic EQs were invented for after all. That way, you get to hear what the audio engineer heard, or as close as possible, so that you know you're not missing anything when you tweak to your taste. The true measure of a set of headphones is whether they have the drive latitude to permit EQing out the curve. HD560S's dont at the low end, I'm wearing a set right now. They wont take moving the sub-bass/bass end of their native curve very well. Compare this to HD650s and it's a whole different ball game, they have way more range, right across the board. You often hear the term "Sennheiser Veil", it doesn't exist. It's a comment made by people who think Graphic EQs are for adding "Rock" or "Classical" profiles to music or other marketing gimmicks for simpletons, god help us! What do they think the mixing engineer did in the studio when they were creating the track? EQs are correction/calibration devices, intended to iron out inconsistencies in the end to end system (i.e from the instrument in the studio to your ears) and make the reproduction as close to perfect as practically possible. EQ was applied at mic to correct for their response curve, EQ was applied in the mixing to achieve the true reproduction and people dont think they need it their end when they use a set of headphones that the mixing engineer can't possibly know you're using? Once you've got as close to flat in your headphones as possible, then you dont touch that EQ, ever, unless you change headphones/speakers or you think the mixing engineer did a crap job, then you tweak it a little to your taste. But remember those original EQ settings you established so you can go back to them and realise why that engineer gets paid shitloads to EQ stuff and you dont.
I’ve been looking for reviews on which to buy and just realized the day this was uploaded was the night I was scrutinizing youtube for a comparison between these, funny how that works.
I also have both and found them very similar. Although I find the HD560S to be more comfortable due to the lighter weight and oval earcup, and its clamp quickly loosens up. The Sundara headband has this presence that I just can't ignore, and my big ears have to be "fit" into the round earcups, meaning it pinches on the top and bottom of my ears. My only complaint about the HD560S is the bump in the back of the earcup that keeps touching the outer-rear tip of my ears and that bothers me. People with large ears will have this problem as well. Despite the discomfort, I find myself preferring the Sundara almost all the time. It just sounds more "alive" to me, more textured; while the HD560S almost has a lifeless feel to it. So the HD560S has more or less become my podcast/conference headphone, and the Sundara for music and entertainment. (I use both on iFi ZEN DAC+CAN.)
Try placing the HD560s as far back on your ear as possible. Almost to the point of them pressing on your ear's "Tragus". I think you'll have a revelation regarding them :)
Holy crap, "Lifeless"! While I agree sound is subjective, this is sort of a ridiculous statement that 560s is lifeless in comparison. It's quite frickin good and really detailed even if not better than Sundara on every aspect.
@@RavikantRai21490 it may be for him, sound is subjective you see. I’d consider headphones lifeless if they render bass badly/not present/less, so I may term HD560S lifeless. I have the 560S btw. I like how they sound, but budget cans sound more lively than them wrt bass.
You stretch the 560s on a few books for 3 or so days, and they they become so comfy, you can wear them for 12h straight, and you will completely forget they're on your head. So the clamp force being an issue is only true when they're brand new.
I have had both. The Sundara clamps hard too and is significantly heavier. It hurt my neck after an hour or two. BUT... if this doesn't bother you the Sundara is one of the clearest sounding headphones I have ever tried.
Great video. You've just saved me £250 as I was thinking about getting the Sundaras (already have the hd560s). I find the hd560s comfortable over long periods (must have a smaller head, although I think it's pretty big :) ), and the characteristic differences you describe (agree with everything you said about the hd560s), would not warrant a benefit for me. Sub earned.
The sundara is an amazing sounding headphone for sure, however they lack in durability especially the pads. For my money the senns would be my pick even though I love the hifiman sound just for the durability
Good thinking. I Own both, and i've had to deal with the Sundara's withering pads, and shtty cable solder connections too... had to Buy new pads from Dekoni Audio and new cables from Hart Audio. Brought the price up a bit. And i can notice that the glue of the headband connections having loosened, luckily the silver portions are metal, and are still holding it together via suspension alone, but the glue that kept them properly positioned on the plastic is not holding anymore. xD Luckily the headband lasts long enough worth re-purchasing, but, i wonder if i could get a different headband somewhere... I'd love some swivel on these cups... :O I've googled but i can't seem to find any...
I was also surprised the 2 haven’t been compared considering their prices and general tonal qualities. The 2 were at the top of my list and I ended up very happy with the sundaras. I love the “punchy” characteristic they provide.
I have both of these hp's. I would say if your listening to them on the THX 789, they will both sound pretty similarly accurate, but kinda too neutral. The 560S really doesn't have the liveliness as the Sundara has. Sundara to me, is much higher caliber headphone. The scalability on the Sundara is amazing as you provide more power for it. The 560 not so much..reminds me of the Senn HD 58x. Went from Schiit Magnius, (Very similar neutral sound to the 789), to the Schiit Jotunheim 2, and the warmer sound from the Jotunheim just transformed the Sundara to whole another level. Very good synergy with the Jotunheim 2/Sundara combo, especially with balanced cables.
I recently got into hifi and it was kind of obvious to which one I should buy since I don't have any amps. I feel like its obvious the sundaras will sound better at their fullest potential they should for $150 more but if you have no equipment for it, its still gonna cost at least about 200 more dollars for the sundaras and balanced cables alone on top of a good amp. Ive heard the 6xx is way better for scaling so if you do have a ton of amps or plan to go that way in the future you should probably buy that one instead for basically the same price but I think its awesome these headphones compete with each other, though there's probably a clear winner, I think the point of the HD560s is for beginners and how good you can get it to sound at such a low price compared to the competition, kind of like the 58x
@@Ronnie-Bagpipe tbh if you already have apple earphone or android freebies, i suggest getting a dac/amp first. Even with those earphones, the difference that an amp could make is stupidly noticable. Better separation, more details, you will hear a lot more. You dont need a balanced amp (this is usually only important if you use long cables), you just need something strong enough to drive your headphone. Imho, these headphones sundara, hd6xx hd660s, will truly shine if you have a dac/amp
@@Ronnie-Bagpipe The planar magnetic driver is much superior in my opinion in reproducing details and for the price nothing beats them. I come from using Stax electrostatic headphones (currently SR009, my first one was SR-34 I got in my teens) and the Sundara does better in the bass but has similar qualities of resolving abilities.
Can you do the same for Sennheiser HD 490 Pro vs Hifiman Ananda? Its the big brothers of both of them. Some gaming test would be nice. Cause both of them are a lot recommended
I found some HD560s in a pawn shop for $30 and they work great just have a few scratches on the back grating of them, I’m so happy I found them for such a price
With my large head, I was able to get my 560s adjusted to near-perfect comfort with some overnight stretching using my books. I wear them roughly 14 hours a day they don't feel like they are on my head anymore.
Great video answering my questions about whether or not the Sundara would be an upgrade to the 560s or not. I own the 560 and really love them and wonder what a possible upgrade to them would be - "the next step" if you will, to improve on their type of sound. If you'd make a video on that topic at some point I'd be grateful! 😊
I just went through this same choice. I bought both. Returned the Sundaras. There was just not enough there to justify the extra $150. Also comfort wise, with larger ears, I kept getting them pinched at the top no matter how I tried to fit them, paired with the weight after about an hour it induced headaches (this is what happened to me personally so just speaking from my point of view). The 560s clamping pressure is like a vice on your head but I've been stretching them out. I might try some other pads that I have lying around as well.
@@yoyi8285 The Sundara is roughly 30% better resolving ability (Super Nano Diaphragm advantage), and about 80% better texture presentation (Planar advantage, better "attack" and "Kick" and whatever have you). Is this worth the extra 150 bucks? Depends how the individual sets their values... To me, the Sundara is worth it over the 560S, as the Sundara is the cheapest option for such a high upgrade degree, it rests so comfortably right ON the threshold of diminishing returns, without crossing over it. It's the perfect open-back headphone, imho. That being said, i ALSO own a 560S, it's certainly not a bad choice, and a 560S will last you 10+ years, it's well worth the purchase too. They're both excellent choices, and i suppose i would recommend the 560S for people that want a long-term option... And would recommend the Sundara for people that want that bit of extra fidelity in their audio, and risk having a product that might not last as long as a Sennheiser would. I've owned my Sundara's for about a year ish now, they're still working, but i've had to replace the Pads ( With Dekoni Audio pads) after 1 month of use, and i've had to replace the default cable because they had a soldering defect (With Hart Audio cables)... So the Sundara is a bit of a modding project... So far it seems that Hifiman Spared every expense on the least important things, just so they could sell a high quality driver at an affordable price.
The thing with that Sennheiser clamp is that over time it loosen up and then the clamp is barely noticeable and you can wear them for hours. So stretch them if you want that to go away quicker. The Sundara's are a lot more in price though. Talking 80% more.
Sundara's are also like a 30-40% increase in performance... so is that 80% price increase with that 30-40% audio quality increase? That's up to the individual to decide, i guess.
@@Eugenetra7 well ,there's a lot of factors to consider what headphones are "better"... I mean being tuning and resolution, you also have to consider build quality and durability, etc.
From a musican who records and mixes point of view, I have not tried the Sandaras because of all the build quality issues and the still relitivly poor warrenty, I decided to give them a miss. I purchased the 560s. I still need to give them more time but first impressions are. If you are looking for a mixing headphone and do not plan on using them to travel lots then these are a great headphone. We can fuss about where the highs are tipped here and the low end there. But the bottom line? for £140 you can get a set of reference headphones thats in the ball park as headphones that cost twice the price and even higher. These headphones will tell you how your mixes are really sounding and the small margines we are talking about are margines your own ears can be trained to work with as you get more used to the headphone. Generaly they will sound as good as the mixes pumped into them.
Thanks for the comparison! I have the 560s and really enjoy them. Paid half the price of the Sundara's Gonna take the money saved and get a set of DT 770's and call it quits. Don't need 20 Cans sitting around not being used
I have both and I guess I'm crazy, but I find my HD560S quite actually more spacious and pretty wide compared to the Sundara. My Sundaras are the new one, the revised with more bass, don't know if that makes a difference.
I agree. My sundara is also the new revision. It arrived several days ago. I'm not sure for imaging but soundstage is definitely smaller than 560s. It makes some songs more enjoyable on the 560s, for example this one: ua-cam.com/video/QuIflRajVvw/v-deo.html&ab_channel=InsideOutMusicTV
@@ivanaylov303 i can confirm my Sundara have better details, more slam, can reproduce a bigger "scale" (like of you listen to movie soundtracks) and does have more bass, is a little less brighter. I find metal way more enjoyable on the sundaras, but some tracks have some more spark and is more lively on the hd560d.
@@ivanaylov303 btw Riverside rocks, Wastelands is pretty good too. I suggest you to try Steven Wilson's prog album, like The Raven That Refused to Sing
@@LandsPlanes I think sundaras is a "better" headphones for music in general, but keep in mind you really need an amplifier to use them properly. HD560 is bright and have e very thight and light bass (they go deep tho). I find them enjoyable with EQ, if you won't EQ I say skip them for general music listening, cause they are going to slap any imperfection in your face while not make you tap your feet. They are great for critical listening and to listen stuff like acoustic, jazz and classical. With EQ I enjoy even metal with it. HD560 are great for gaming tho, since they have a cool soundstaging. If I had to keep one I would keep the sundaras, but ONLY with a decent amp.
I went from the Sennheiser/Drop HD58x to Sundara. And after listening back and for for a bit, I sold the Sennheisers to a friend and kept the Sundaras. I found them to be much more detailed through-out the frequencies, a bit better soundstaging as well. And though both are comfortable the Sundaras were much more so, even with my glasses on. I also wear a size 8 hat, so recommend them for larger heads. All testing was done through my Little Dot mk2 with NOS tubes in it, and with both factory and after market cabling.
Both are very good though. The 58x is easier listening but less of that hi-fi sound. I've listened to a friend's AMT-1's and the Sundara basically sounds like them but with no room related issues. The 58x sounds like an older pair of good air suspension speakers, just soft on the top and warm. I go back and forth between them. I didn't like the anemic bass of the hd600.
I have had the HD 599 Se for more than 3 years (bought for 130$ CAN on amazon, they drop to that price 1-3 time per year)(using sound Dts + a little Custom EQ is what i found out to be better in the most use case) and recently bought the Sundara (413$ CAN )+ JDS LABS Atom stack, i do notice some advantage for both, but they sound very similar in many case. FOr someone who just want to enjoy a good overall listening experience with quality Mid/high/treble go with an HD 5xx, it's really worth it
Ive had my hd599 with a hiby fc4 dac for 4-5years now there the perfect headphone for the right price i test lots of super expensive headphones at a shop and there on par just as great not a bigger anuff improvement to justify the price jump hd599 and letshuoer S12iems hiby fc4 are all you need for a audiophile top notch sound quality without breaking the bank
5:53 this sent me after looking for headphones to buy for 2 days and seeing those graphs that you need a sound engineering degree to understand everywhere
Another good video. However, I would argue that the Sundara is not the Hifiman entry level planar; that goes to the HE400I. I could be wrong because I don't have the prices in front of me, but I think the 4SX and 5sx are also lower priced. That being said, this is still an excellent comparison.
You are right. Sundara is not the entry level in Hifi man's line up. It is Midfi He400i 2020 /He400se - Entry level Sundara - Mid Fi Ananda - Upper Mid Fi Arya - Hi End He1000se/ He1000v2 - Premium Hi End Susvara - TOTL
@@Hari-kx2er I'd still consider them entry level range. Under $500 is usually entry level pricing. Entry is the HE5, Sundara, HE560, and all the HE400 variants. For midrange you have the HE1000, HE6SE, and Ananda. For the high range, you have the Shangri-la, HE1000, and Susvarna. Arya is in that grey area of mid to high range.
@@kalel33 Your classification has a number of problems. 1) He1000 (whether V2 or Se) is significantly more expensive than Ananda, so putting them both as midrange headphones is misleading. They are also very different from a sound quality consideration as well 2) He400 series is mostly only half the cost of Sundara. There are many people in this world who start their audiophile journey with headphones costing less than 200$ and that is why I consider that entry level and not 350$ or 500$. 3) Putting only a Susvara or Abyss 1266 or Shangri La as High end headphones is not exactly right. These are better described as TOTL headphones. A tier even above high end. Even among audiophiles only a miniscule percentage gets to buy them. Of course, if somebody is so rich they can even say that any headphone that costs less than 1000$ is entry level. P. S: Actually you made the mistake of putting he1000 in both midrange and high end categories. However, thanks for your feedback 👍
@@Hari-kx2er Yeah, HE1000 should have been in only the high range. I would consider under $500 to be entry level audiophile headphones. There's nothing wrong with them and many of them hit above their weight. $500-1k is mid, and over $1k. I have the Focal Elex and they are twice the price of your Sundaras but that doesn't make them high range.
@@kalel33 Dude, you don't have to advertise that you own a headphone twice the cost of the one I own😂😂. A lot of people own more expensive headphones than me and I have no problem with that. I have only tried here to give as precise a classification of headphone tiers as I can. I have no problem even if you are in possession of all the TOTL headphones in the world such as Susvara, Shangri-la, Abyss 1266 etc
Haven't heard the hd599 but I would recommend the HD560s. I got a friend (noctiskeyboards on instagram) into this hobby with the 560s/schiit fulla 4 and he's never going back to a headset for music lol
Using the 560s with ifi dac and can. The xbass and 3d buttons on the CAN are interesting to play around with. The addition of CAN definitely adds to the experience with more power. Had issues with Windows not recognizing the DAC, instantly solved by removing the third-party power supply that had added. Leave the power supply to the CAN now and just power the DAC via USB! Working perfectly.
I just tried both of them today, I'd say it's 70% there. Might need an amp/dac for HE400se and slight EQ to make it sound even more closer to Sundara but for less than half the price. I'd say go for it.
Really good video man. I bought both to try them out and so far after a few hours of listening, the Sundara's just feel .... boring? The HD560S bring out the vocals to the front with such clarity that that I find really pleasing when listening. I am having a tough time deciding. I have yet to test them in gaming which is another reason for the purchase (also got some dt990s to test here but those are for sure getting returned). While I want to keep both, I know I will end up just picking a favorite and the other will collect dust. So far I am leaning towards the 560s.
@@chrysio7 I have not noticed it but I am not overtly sensitive to treble (or I enjoy it who knows). I am running them with the oratory eq setting though, but even without it I did not have any issues. I also listen to a lot of indie folk and acoustic music that leans heavily on the vocals so these have been pretty perfect for me.
@@bananastuff2840 had both 560s and sundara, returned 560s, sundara are bright (too mutch) but not harsh and sibilants, I like them equalized (oratory set or just with the integrated amp tune hig shelf -3/4db plus low shelf +2/6db 50hrz) but they are also good without eq. In comparison 560s have better bass extension for sure, sundara provide more details, 560s have have more natural timbre maybe but those peaks are horrendous and unnaturals. I listen every kind of music, watch movies etc., soundstage good on both, different imaging experience, 560s have some defined areas from where sound come, sundara has more organic scene (that reason I find more easy to locate sounds trough 560s)
Strange how people hear things completely different. I'm not exactly pro audiophile, just got into headphones late 2020, but I'll do my best to explain what I hear between the two. I've had the sundaras for about 7 months and just recently picked up the 560s. I eq both for bass as they're both lacking bass imo but both respond very well to eq. With eq the sundaras have better fuller deeper bass, but 560s bass still sounds really good. Still highly prefer the sundaras for edm or anything bass heavy, especially with the slam. I find the 560s to have significantly better imaging and wider sound stage meaning sounds can sound further away and theres more range between far away sounds and close sounds, however the sundaras have a sound stage that sounds more full like a better range of sounds around your head where as the 560s soundstage is more on the sides of your head and a bit forward. Sundaras are both gentle and impactful. A lot of slam and the mids and highs sound very clean and smooth. High mids/low treble area can be a bit shouty to me on the 560s. I don't find the sundaras shouty at all. I really enjoy the 560s but the treble at times can sound grainy. There are certain tracks that honestly sound like shit because of the grainy highs but this is not present on all tracks. A lot of tracks sound amazing with the 560s but certain audio just sounds like shit. The best example of this is in the game overwatch with the 560s the game sounds like someone threw a bunch of metal bb's inside a tin can and shook it around. Sounds like absolute shit. But then other games I prefer the 560s over the sundaras. Don't get me wrong I'm not saying the 560s has bad treble, on the right audio the treble can sound very detailed and pleasing, it's just sensitive to poorly recorded audio I guess. The sundaras have buttery smooth treble with a little eq pulling down 8000hz 1.5db and tends to smooth out poor audio. Everything sounds good on the sundaras. Overall I think the sundaras are a more capable headphone and better for a wide variety of music and games, but the 560s is an absolute steal for $200. With the right audio they sound fantastic and they do have things that the sundaras don't like pin point accurate imaging and wider stage. All my listening is done through an atom amp. I'm curious how much of a difference in what we hear is due to the gear we are listening on or just our ears.
@@sauce8277 I've had the treble cannons known as the DT1990-Pro headphones. I returned them after a few weeks and got the Sennheiser HD660s instead. What I've come to find is that regardless of how poorly a track is recorded, only some headphones will make it sound "harsh", others will still expose the faults but not be harsh sounding at all. So as far as I'm concerned, a harsh sound is more of a headphone fault than a recording fault
@@klipk7296 I went with the HD 560's. I can say they possibly have the issues people are saying? Since I am not degreed in that area I tend to more so examine the logic that people put out and see if they are even honest with themselves on the data. Either way, I think they are very honest although, I understand now why people say speakers are better choice. If people are looking for mixing headphones, I think they are probably worth it over more expensive. If they are not satisfied with multi-use for gaming and mixing and want blow-your-mind gaming headphones, this is not it.
Fast-forwarding over a year after this video, and these are still among the most recommended open-back cans for detail retrieval, but preferring a warmer overall signature, I got the Dan Clark Aeon X Open for a $399 sale price at Drop, and I'm very pleased with the decision. I also tried out Senn's 660S, on sale for $299, but I was way more impressed with the Aeon X, so I returned the 660S. Granted, they may not be $100 "better" than Sundara or 660S, but the build and sound signature are more to my liking, and IMO a great deal when on sale (reg $529).
An amazing headphone that I've owned for 5 years. Such a rich sound across all frequencies. For their asking price of $279+-, there's not really anything that quite matches them in overall sound quality. Yet, one thing that I'd love to see is a serious revision. The M1060's are 500g headphones and considering they launched over half a decade ago now, I'd love to see Monolith put some serious R&D behind their planar technology to reduce the weight and also utilize lighter weight materials such as carbon fiber for the headband structure. I'd also love to see them create a new comfort band that's actually comfortable. At least 3x the width but, include memory foam within it and utilize suspension system to reduce overall head pressure. The standard strap included now is garbage. Overall, the M1060 is long overdue for a serious overhaul. Still my favorite cans to this day.
Not sure what the price difference is in the US but here in the UK if I look on Amazon the Sundara is GBP 299 whereas the 560 is GBP 169. Is it really worth almost double the price? By the way I do not own either of these phones so no axe to grind here. I have the HD660s, but my favourite brand is Beyerdynamic. I have the the DT1990 pros and they are really special but the best value ones in my opinion are the DT150 and DT250 (250 ohm versions)............ Old School but for the money I absolutely love them!!
The amps I use by the way are Graham Slee Solo UL DE in my main set up and on the go I use the Voyager and Bitzie (plus the Earmen Eagle and FIIO BTR5)
I went with the X2HR, but after getting a DT880 I really cant recommend them. Everyone said bass is superb, but after having another presentation, bass is overblown, and treble is harsh and sibilant on the X2HR...
Mmm, depends on what you listen to. HD560s are the most neutral, the Sundaras are in the middle (and more cold, metallic sound), and the X2HR have the most hyped sound (but generally warm).
Where I live I would have had to pay over twice as much for the Sundaras, so the comparison became a moot point (especially since I needed two pairs for watching TV with the SO). 159e for the Sennheiser, 359e for the Sundara. Though I would have preferred a little more warm sound overall, I'm not a sucker for more base. Sennheisers were certainly clearer than my old Mad Dogs.
They are almost 3 times the price here in the UK. Just picked up 560S for £107 from Sennheiser direct and Sundara are £299 so not even the same ball park.
@@syedinsaf7481 I am really enjoying them. I use them on my PC for music, video and gaming connected via a FiiO K5 Pro DAC. For just over £100 they were a bargain.
@@P1Fanatic The thing is, I have just used 30$ headphones all my life, now I got a job and stuff, and wanna jump into audiophile world and according to my research 560s is a great entry point
Questions- If the sundara has such great soundstage and imaging, couldn't you eq them to match the 560s notable ability to be great for gaming?? What happens with these when you plug into amp and send each of these some serious bass?? (wondering I used to carry a mini 'm-audio bass-traveler' amp powering $70 Klipsch R6 reference on ear headphones on the go and they would flawlessly outperform skull crushers)
Even if you try to match the sound signatures, there's still a difference in timbre because of planar vs dynamic. And I'd say both could handle bass pretty well!
Sundara is like upper midrange, lower highrange, in terms of audio quality, basically entry level to the highrange... For most casual consumers though, it's THE ENDGAME headphone, due to how affordable it is, in relation to the audio quality it gives you. Sundara actually measures Better than the Ananda, lol.
are you sure the HD560s grills are plastic? sorry to be such a nerd about this but i could swear they were some light metal, when i had them for a week
I own both of these now, the Sundara simply resolves better, the "hype" comes from how fast the membrane moves, and how accurately it's able to replicate the feeling of impact in the original audio recording, which also helps with recreating high resolution audio. That impact, that oomph, is something the HD 560S simple can't replicate, it'll play a sound, but the impact from it, the texture from that sound, is smoothed out and made to sound bland and uninteresting, due to how thick the driver membrane is. Which is why i reach for the Sundara more... I keep the 560S around in case my Sundara breaks, but i'm definitely using the Sundara as my daily driver until it breaks, lol. xD EDIT: It should also be noted that the Sundara in particular NEEDS EQ to not sound naggy in the 6kHz region. Easily dealt with, with parametric EQ like "Equalizer APO" which is free... So if you are thinking about using the Sundara on anything except your computer, forget about it, if you're picky enough about sounds to want to buy a Sundara over an HD560S, then that 6kHz region WILL bother you. So Sundara is only appropriate for PC-use, not appropriate for use on your vinyl player, or CD-player, or music-streamer... Not unless those options have a very competent EQ set-up. The Sennheiser sounds better without EQ.
@@Kylosgrande Not always... Sometimes a dac has mild amplification properties, depends on the dac, but most of the time, it's just a signal processing unit that ensures that the audio signal maintaints as much quality as possible as it's translated from digital to analogue signal, and doesn't amplify anything. You're gonna need a "dac/amp" (a unit that is both-in-one), or you're going to need to buy an amplifier with the dac, if you want that extra volume headroom. As for the EQ, you need to download a software or something, that allows you to alter the qualities of the audio-signal going OUT of your computer... I use windows, so i have zero idea what options you have as an apple-boi. xD I can tell you one thing though, personally, i use Equalizer APO, it's totally free, and i've set it to alter the sound signals created by "Realtek Digital Output" in my sound options... Works like a charm for me. The trick is to learn how to use the EQ software, that is arguably the hardest part of the entire setup. xD
I wouldn't buy the 560s for intense beat-oriented music, transmitting energy is not their forte. Haven't heard the other ones unfortunately. If you're interested in closed-backs take a look at the AKG 371, they might suit you and they cost almost half the price.
@@chuckolatte600 hi and thank you for the comment but I bought the 599 for 100€. As my first hi fi headphones they're awesome and didn't regret it at all!
Chuckolatte has just earned PERMANENT respect for referencing "Thunderhorse" in context with audio characteristics! I wonder what your feelings on the staging and other aspects of "Murmaider" between these two headphones was? "Swords? Check!!" LOL For that song I enjoy the performance of my Sundaras only second to my Modhouse Argons. My Sennheisers just don't do the audio effects justice like those two headphones do.
Do you still own them both? I'll buy my first headphone and I don't know which one to go. I'm watching a lot of reviews and I saw a lot of people complaining about the Sundara's contruction quality, they say that's bad. If I send you a song, would you tell me in which one you felt more confortable listening?
Yeah I think so too. I can see it being uncomfy for like certain types of heads, but the pads and headband shape they use are very very cozy. Id say the specific area it'd bother someone is the pressure at the top of the earcups, but that improves significantly after like a week of wearing them
TBH, since I don't have time to game as often, I just put on whichever lets me wear them for hours on end without comfort issues. Every HP I choose to keep I like soundwise, so I'm not a big stickler
hi all. Firstly, nice review. Thank you for this. Secondly, I don't have a dedicated dac / amp yet (was considering the JDS atom+ stack but that's a chunk of money) but, having both an HD599 and HD58x, i was considering planars as a next step / contrast, etc. I understand they are typically quick headphones and convey timbre well. Is that crudely accurate? Having said this, the HD560s have been getting so many good reviews, i am very tempted by them. They're also superbly priced IMO. I don't have the hd6xx and don't live in the US, so getting from drop is not so easy. I suspect if i got the HD560s, i'll find them relatively samey to my other Sennheisers but from the sounds of things, they will be the best of the grouping? I understand their soundstage is wider, imaging is more accurate and there's better bass frequency extension. They also don't have the 3 blob experience. I'm not a bass head at all - i like stuff to be represented, if it's there, and don't say no to a bit of sub-bass :D I do like midrange, which is probably why i enjoy the Sennheiser experience. I've considered an AKG. I gather the k702 is pretty good but haven't heard them (or the k701, 712, 7xx etc). I game, so soundstage and imaging are valuable / appreciated but i wouldn't want those factors distorting my music appreciation. I listen to a wide variety of genres. A fair amount of EDM (D&B, progressive house, techno etc), yet really like rock of various sorts (e.g. please don't hammer me for this but i like the Foo Fighters echoes album hugely - i think it's a good test of headphones too because some of the tracks have very soft vocals and acoustic guitars but have to handle more 'energetic' tracks too), nu rock, SOAD, king buffalo, post-hardcore, psychedelic, all the way to Gillian Welch and then ambient stuff like Marconi Union. I do have a concern about hifiman products and their build quality/reliability (i heard they improved matters with the deva) and suspect i will need an amp to get the most from planars (aside from them historically needing some oomph to drive them, though i do have a vague understanding regarding low/high impedance and sensitivity and that the sundaras are more tolerant of low power sources). Then there are the LCD1s, which i heard are very good 'cheaper' planars. Overall, i know there's a huge breadth in pricing of the headphones i've mentioned (huge for me anyway - in the UK the LCD1 are £400 and i can get the HD560s for £150). Then there's probably the need for an amp (e.g. if i got an HD6xx). Sigh. Any help would be appreciated.
ik this comment is 2yrs old and you don't need help anymore, but for anyone in a similar position, just buy a used dac/amp (both built into one) for example very near me i found an ibasso DC05 for 20 euro, which would be 69 new and has a great dac + enough juice to run the hd560s at 115DB which will give you permanent hearing damage after 15 minutes. and it's not like on headphones where i get wanting to buy new because it's a bit gross to buy used for some (i'm broke so i don't mind but i get it), but there's literally nothing wrong with buying a used dac/amp, with amps, both solid state and tubes, either it's broken or it works like new, they don't wear, get dirty, and if it was a good amp in like 1990 then it's also a good amp now, good audio stays good. hope this helped someone
@@tatacraft791 in case you or anyone else are interested, I actually bought a second hand creative G6 (official B stock from creative). It appeared to take all the boxes for me, given I exclusively use headphones and wanted a mic in. Don't really use any of the other functionality. I found it the creative software didn't really add any significant value and was very bloaty The mic voice modulation is fun but not very good. I'm just putting up with not having an EQ To my ears, the sound is excellent. In terms of price to performance, I don't feel i can get close to the £60 it cost
@@tatacraft791 thanks for this. I wrote a response and it's disappeared :\ Thanks for the recommendation. Basically ended up with a creative G6 dac amp. Bought official B stock from Creative @ £60 Price to performance IMO is unmatched. e.g. mayflower arc mk2 is £223 (and i'd need to ship from USA) and it's extremely difficult to get Schiit stock like the fulla E and Hel in the UK (and they're £150 and £245) Despite being ostensibly a gaming product, the G6 DAC AMP performance, i believe, is well regarded. All i really wanted was headphone dac amp (i've no speakers) and a mic in I looked at other products like the x3, x4, x5 etc (100% needed a mic in and modmic brought its own issues to overcome) I rejected them because the software is reportedly very flaky and super XFI is hit / miss and i can get reasonable 3d sound through win 10 Although i game, i'm not that fussed about spatial sound (windows sonic works very well with stuff like cod 2019) Therefore, stuff like sbx and scout mode aren't important to me I didn't like the creative bloat that comes with the G6, so don't use it. Aside from the EQ, it doesn't offer me anything IMO I'm still using my hd58x but have enough juice to get other headphones Am still tempted by planars, just to try something different. Might be interesting to try AKG and one still has timeless products like the HD600, HD650, HD560s, HD6xx etc to try (though i suspect they will probably sound relatively similar to what i've got already).
@@chuckolatte600 I have hd58x and was hoping to find something with more color on the mids and lows without losing the details in the highs. I think I might stop looking it seems like a rabbit hole and I’m very discouraged lol
I couldn't afford the Sundaras, but bought the he400se, and got the grill mods, and bought the 560s as well, both with balanced cables. Still comparing, but at the moment, the Hifiman headphones are winning, the sound is rich, but detailed. The grill mods make a real difference.
Thanks for the great video. I purchased the 560S. They blew me away. I know what the tracks I used to audition the phones are supposed to sound like and the 560S were shockingly good and did those tunes justice. However, I sent them back as I have a tiny head and the 560S just did not fit me. I've just got Sundaras. They're 95 % of the way there. Unfortunately, I don't have the 560S to A/B with the Sundaras and I have just changed my amp/DAC too so I need a little more time to get to know them. However, the Sundaras fit well and thus far sound brilliant. Thanks again for your video. It really helps to hear someone elses thoughts comparing these two phones.
@@uglitor define "better". I don't have much experience with the 598 but I'm aware of how it compares to a 560s and the ways that it could be considered "better". I would say it'd be useful to know what you want more of from a headphone. Better imaging? Bigger sound stage, etc.? I still have my 560s and love it. It's not my primary music listening headphone unless I'm listening on tubes. Regardless, it always pleases.
If you watch the video without sound, it's a review of headphone shaped maracas.
LMAO
You should have seen me dancing to those maracas
😂
Bought the HD 560S this week for 150 dollars USD. Highly impressed. Then I watch this video and start wondering if I made the right decision. Come to find out the sundaras are 2x the price. From the sound of it, they aren’t 2x better. I’ll be keeping the 560S. Thanks for this vid.
this is the correct analysis
Got it for $135. Returned the Sundaras. Easy decision.
I also just recently went with the 560s for $150 too. I wanted the Sundara's but couldn't get over the price being twice as much. That and I feel that driving the Sundara's would be a bit tougher and require a bit better amp/dac than I have (which would then drive the price even higher).
@@Kirathian1234 560S for $150 here too. Running off my cheapo UMC22 Behringer mixer with my mic and direct-monitoring. Excellent pairing. Gets plenty loud in Windows and still can use a mic. The 560S also pairs with the V Moda line-in mic that replaces the cable which is another great option. 560S blows my DT 770 Pro 80 ohm (at least on this mixer) out of the water.
Correct, at best the Sundara is like 30% better in terms of pure resolution, and about 80% better in terms of membrane speed... It's better, but not twice as good, for sure... The 560S is a good choice, i own both, i daily drive the Sundara. :)
I really like what you did at 6:18 so people can keep in mind what place of the song you are talking about
Hands down the best review I've seen in a while: funny but not clowny, deep but not boring. Keep it up, my man!
Just tested them side by side, and for me, I just preferred the Sundaras overall, although it was very close, and for some music, I preferred the 560s. I rarely listen to music for several hours in one stretch, and with that, found both to be comfortable. However, whilst they may be what people consider in the same price bracket, the Sundaras are still twice the price of the 560s, and the difference in sound was not enough for me to keep the Sundaras. They are both very good headphones, I don’t think most people would be disappointed in either.
Hifiman is notorious for quality issues.
@Somadri Chatterjee I am about to send my 400se back after 1 Year of use (my 5th replacement). The sound got worse due to some parts inside the driver becoming loose. I absolutely love their sound signature but those quality issues seem to happen far too often in the realm of Hifiman.
I had enough though, I will get my money back to order the 560s.
That "2 coins rubbing together" is the distortion coming from the bass guitar. I actually love that style of distortion, it's become really popular in death and prog metal lately.
Sauce: I mix metal music
It's definitely "different," I like it too haha
I have a narrow head and really appreciate the fit on the 560S. It's a standout feature for me. These fit like a glove. None of the gaming headsets I've worn with "ski band" elastic will stay put. The 560S are glued to my head and I forget they're on.
Now for sound, they are excellent. For $150 you cannot go wrong here. Another HUGE benefit of the 560S is the ability to plug in a $20 V Moda microphone and use it for gaming. You have the best of both worlds.
Responding to my comment here, I V-shape EQ'd and amp'd my 560S and these things rip now. Once I heard how much difference the EQ made and how well it retained its clarity, my search for better pretty much stopped.
The amount of work you put into these videos is incredible. If I could like it 100 times to boost the algorithm I would
Nice review , interesting that you find the 560s smooth in treble , for me its borderline sibilant. Also the comfort on my 560s were good for me, I wore them for probably 8 hrs on first run and yes it was a little clampy for me at first but they are more comfortable after a giving them a little stretch!
If that's the case, it's easily fixable with an EQ profile.
oratory1990's EQ profiles are magical. Try them out.
Sennheiser put out a newer smoother revision. there are measurements on the net, that easily show where the different perceptions are coming from
@@Dantido To my mind people should be doing this anyway. That music you're listening to was mastered by some very clever engineer, usually using good studio monitors. At the low end these will be something like Yamaha HS8s or moving upwards, something like PMCs or Linns. Go take a look at their response curves, they never wander more than a couple of dBs from flat over the normal human hearing range, except at the crossovers. Once they're satisfied with the tonality, clarity and balance of everything in the mix, they'll then export the track. You then get it and play it back through your headphones on your system with no EQ and expect it to sound good. It wont, you can't take their perfectly mixed file, apply the comparatively god awful response curve of your headphones over it and expect it to maintain the timbre of the instruments, relative volumes in the arrangement and overall tonality. So, first step should always be to EQ out that curve, it's what Graphic EQs were invented for after all. That way, you get to hear what the audio engineer heard, or as close as possible, so that you know you're not missing anything when you tweak to your taste. The true measure of a set of headphones is whether they have the drive latitude to permit EQing out the curve. HD560S's dont at the low end, I'm wearing a set right now. They wont take moving the sub-bass/bass end of their native curve very well. Compare this to HD650s and it's a whole different ball game, they have way more range, right across the board. You often hear the term "Sennheiser Veil", it doesn't exist. It's a comment made by people who think Graphic EQs are for adding "Rock" or "Classical" profiles to music or other marketing gimmicks for simpletons, god help us! What do they think the mixing engineer did in the studio when they were creating the track? EQs are correction/calibration devices, intended to iron out inconsistencies in the end to end system (i.e from the instrument in the studio to your ears) and make the reproduction as close to perfect as practically possible. EQ was applied at mic to correct for their response curve, EQ was applied in the mixing to achieve the true reproduction and people dont think they need it their end when they use a set of headphones that the mixing engineer can't possibly know you're using? Once you've got as close to flat in your headphones as possible, then you dont touch that EQ, ever, unless you change headphones/speakers or you think the mixing engineer did a crap job, then you tweak it a little to your taste. But remember those original EQ settings you established so you can go back to them and realise why that engineer gets paid shitloads to EQ stuff and you dont.
I wanted this comparison. And, when you made a comparison... then its a dream come true 😀
I’ve been looking for reviews on which to buy and just realized the day this was uploaded was the night I was scrutinizing youtube for a comparison between these, funny how that works.
Yes. Thank you so much
@@aaronmiller7587 Well it only worked for you so congrats.
Your voice is so soothing. ASMR material rn
BEST, SIMPLE, REVIEW ON PLANET EARTH
THANKS FOR AMAZING WORK!
I would take the bass slam of the Sundara
Just what i was looking for. Great video
I also have both and found them very similar. Although I find the HD560S to be more comfortable due to the lighter weight and oval earcup, and its clamp quickly loosens up. The Sundara headband has this presence that I just can't ignore, and my big ears have to be "fit" into the round earcups, meaning it pinches on the top and bottom of my ears. My only complaint about the HD560S is the bump in the back of the earcup that keeps touching the outer-rear tip of my ears and that bothers me. People with large ears will have this problem as well.
Despite the discomfort, I find myself preferring the Sundara almost all the time. It just sounds more "alive" to me, more textured; while the HD560S almost has a lifeless feel to it. So the HD560S has more or less become my podcast/conference headphone, and the Sundara for music and entertainment. (I use both on iFi ZEN DAC+CAN.)
Try placing the HD560s as far back on your ear as possible. Almost to the point of them pressing on your ear's "Tragus".
I think you'll have a revelation regarding them :)
Holy crap, "Lifeless"! While I agree sound is subjective, this is sort of a ridiculous statement that 560s is lifeless in comparison. It's quite frickin good and really detailed even if not better than Sundara on every aspect.
@@RavikantRai21490 it may be for him, sound is subjective you see. I’d consider headphones lifeless if they render bass badly/not present/less, so I may term HD560S lifeless. I have the 560S btw. I like how they sound, but budget cans sound more lively than them wrt bass.
I got the Sundara paired with the Asgard and I love it! 😍
@Fisher Man i prefer the Liquid spark pared with the Dragonfly cobalt
Schiit magnius and Modius
@@momow4023 Is there a difference when you use Dragonfly cobalt alone?
@@ivanaylov303 There should be a massive difference, since the Dragonfly doesn't have an amp.
Thanks a lot for this review! Excellent comparaison!
You stretch the 560s on a few books for 3 or so days, and they they become so comfy, you can wear them for 12h straight, and you will completely forget they're on your head. So the clamp force being an issue is only true when they're brand new.
I have had both. The Sundara clamps hard too and is significantly heavier. It hurt my neck after an hour or two. BUT... if this doesn't bother you the Sundara is one of the clearest sounding headphones I have ever tried.
Not sure if you will see this but what type of DAC/AMP would you recommend for the 560s?
Great video. You've just saved me £250 as I was thinking about getting the Sundaras (already have the hd560s). I find the hd560s comfortable over long periods (must have a smaller head, although I think it's pretty big :) ), and the characteristic differences you describe (agree with everything you said about the hd560s), would not warrant a benefit for me. Sub earned.
The sundara is an amazing sounding headphone for sure, however they lack in durability especially the pads. For my money the senns would be my pick even though I love the hifiman sound just for the durability
Good thinking. I Own both, and i've had to deal with the Sundara's withering pads, and shtty cable solder connections too... had to Buy new pads from Dekoni Audio and new cables from Hart Audio. Brought the price up a bit.
And i can notice that the glue of the headband connections having loosened, luckily the silver portions are metal, and are still holding it together via suspension alone, but the glue that kept them properly positioned on the plastic is not holding anymore. xD
Luckily the headband lasts long enough worth re-purchasing, but, i wonder if i could get a different headband somewhere... I'd love some swivel on these cups... :O
I've googled but i can't seem to find any...
I was also surprised the 2 haven’t been compared considering their prices and general tonal qualities. The 2 were at the top of my list and I ended up very happy with the sundaras. I love the “punchy” characteristic they provide.
Oh yeah. Can't go wrong with either. All-stars all the way.
I have both of these hp's. I would say if your listening to them on the THX 789, they will both sound pretty similarly accurate, but kinda too neutral. The 560S really doesn't have the liveliness as the Sundara has. Sundara to me, is much higher caliber headphone. The scalability on the Sundara is amazing as you provide more power for it. The 560 not so much..reminds me of the Senn HD 58x. Went from Schiit Magnius, (Very similar neutral sound to the 789), to the Schiit Jotunheim 2, and the warmer sound from the Jotunheim just transformed the Sundara to whole another level. Very good synergy with the Jotunheim 2/Sundara combo, especially with balanced cables.
I recently got into hifi and it was kind of obvious to which one I should buy since I don't have any amps. I feel like its obvious the sundaras will sound better at their fullest potential they should for $150 more but if you have no equipment for it, its still gonna cost at least about 200 more dollars for the sundaras and balanced cables alone on top of a good amp. Ive heard the 6xx is way better for scaling so if you do have a ton of amps or plan to go that way in the future you should probably buy that one instead for basically the same price but I think its awesome these headphones compete with each other, though there's probably a clear winner, I think the point of the HD560s is for beginners and how good you can get it to sound at such a low price compared to the competition, kind of like the 58x
Maybe need burn in? if yes how many hours?
@@Ronnie-Bagpipe tbh if you already have apple earphone or android freebies, i suggest getting a dac/amp first. Even with those earphones, the difference that an amp could make is stupidly noticable. Better separation, more details, you will hear a lot more. You dont need a balanced amp (this is usually only important if you use long cables), you just need something strong enough to drive your headphone.
Imho, these headphones sundara, hd6xx hd660s, will truly shine if you have a dac/amp
@@Ronnie-Bagpipe The planar magnetic driver is much superior in my opinion in reproducing details and for the price nothing beats them. I come from using Stax electrostatic headphones (currently SR009, my first one was SR-34 I got in my teens) and the Sundara does better in the bass but has similar qualities of resolving abilities.
@@LandsPlanes Burning in is snake oil, its a placebo effect, or your ears got used to the sound.
Can you do the same for Sennheiser HD 490 Pro vs Hifiman Ananda? Its the big brothers of both of them. Some gaming test would be nice. Cause both of them are a lot recommended
Disagree about comfort.
The HD 560S would sit snug but comfortable from the first time I put them on and breaking them in lowers the clamping force.
I found some HD560s in a pawn shop for $30 and they work great just have a few scratches on the back grating of them, I’m so happy I found them for such a price
With my large head, I was able to get my 560s adjusted to near-perfect comfort with some overnight stretching using my books. I wear them roughly 14 hours a day they don't feel like they are on my head anymore.
Great video answering my questions about whether or not the Sundara would be an upgrade to the 560s or not. I own the 560 and really love them and wonder what a possible upgrade to them would be - "the next step" if you will, to improve on their type of sound. If you'd make a video on that topic at some point I'd be grateful! 😊
I have both keep the 560s.
I just went through this same choice. I bought both. Returned the Sundaras. There was just not enough there to justify the extra $150. Also comfort wise, with larger ears, I kept getting them pinched at the top no matter how I tried to fit them, paired with the weight after about an hour it induced headaches (this is what happened to me personally so just speaking from my point of view). The 560s clamping pressure is like a vice on your head but I've been stretching them out. I might try some other pads that I have lying around as well.
Full disclosure, the guy in the video doesn't really know what he's talking about. xD
@@yoyi8285 The Sundara is roughly 30% better resolving ability (Super Nano Diaphragm advantage), and about 80% better texture presentation (Planar advantage, better "attack" and "Kick" and whatever have you).
Is this worth the extra 150 bucks? Depends how the individual sets their values... To me, the Sundara is worth it over the 560S, as the Sundara is the cheapest option for such a high upgrade degree, it rests so comfortably right ON the threshold of diminishing returns, without crossing over it. It's the perfect open-back headphone, imho.
That being said, i ALSO own a 560S, it's certainly not a bad choice, and a 560S will last you 10+ years, it's well worth the purchase too. They're both excellent choices, and i suppose i would recommend the 560S for people that want a long-term option... And would recommend the Sundara for people that want that bit of extra fidelity in their audio, and risk having a product that might not last as long as a Sennheiser would.
I've owned my Sundara's for about a year ish now, they're still working, but i've had to replace the Pads ( With Dekoni Audio pads) after 1 month of use, and i've had to replace the default cable because they had a soldering defect (With Hart Audio cables)... So the Sundara is a bit of a modding project... So far it seems that Hifiman Spared every expense on the least important things, just so they could sell a high quality driver at an affordable price.
The thing with that Sennheiser clamp is that over time it loosen up and then the clamp is barely noticeable and you can wear them for hours. So stretch them if you want that to go away quicker.
The Sundara's are a lot more in price though. Talking 80% more.
Sundara's are also like a 30-40% increase in performance... so is that 80% price increase with that 30-40% audio quality increase? That's up to the individual to decide, i guess.
@@MyouKyuubi I would go for the better option without any hesitation. You don't buy headphones everyday.
@@Eugenetra7 well ,there's a lot of factors to consider what headphones are "better"... I mean being tuning and resolution, you also have to consider build quality and durability, etc.
From a musican who records and mixes point of view, I have not tried the Sandaras because of all the build quality issues and the still relitivly poor warrenty, I decided to give them a miss. I purchased the 560s. I still need to give them more time but first impressions are. If you are looking for a mixing headphone and do not plan on using them to travel lots then these are a great headphone. We can fuss about where the highs are tipped here and the low end there. But the bottom line? for £140 you can get a set of reference headphones thats in the ball park as headphones that cost twice the price and even higher. These headphones will tell you how your mixes are really sounding and the small margines we are talking about are margines your own ears can be trained to work with as you get more used to the headphone. Generaly they will sound as good as the mixes pumped into them.
Thanks for the comparison! I have the 560s and really enjoy them. Paid half the price of the Sundara's
Gonna take the money saved and get a set of DT 770's and call it quits. Don't need 20 Cans sitting around not being used
similar plan as you. 1 open back, 1 closed back.
Id recommend DT250 over 770 any day, much better value and neutral sound with detachable cable, 770 is just hyped up
@@davemaverick8438 I had 770 250 ohm version, even if I sold them they are worth the price in closed back category
I have both and I guess I'm crazy, but I find my HD560S quite actually more spacious and pretty wide compared to the Sundara.
My Sundaras are the new one, the revised with more bass, don't know if that makes a difference.
I agree. My sundara is also the new revision. It arrived several days ago. I'm not sure for imaging but soundstage is definitely smaller than 560s. It makes some songs more enjoyable on the 560s, for example this one: ua-cam.com/video/QuIflRajVvw/v-deo.html&ab_channel=InsideOutMusicTV
@@ivanaylov303 i can confirm my Sundara have better details, more slam, can reproduce a bigger "scale" (like of you listen to movie soundtracks) and does have more bass, is a little less brighter.
I find metal way more enjoyable on the sundaras, but some tracks have some more spark and is more lively on the hd560d.
@@ivanaylov303 btw Riverside rocks, Wastelands is pretty good too. I suggest you to try Steven Wilson's prog album, like The Raven That Refused to Sing
For you which is better for casual gaming and music like edm, ambient and vocal music (imagine both same price).
@@LandsPlanes I think sundaras is a "better" headphones for music in general, but keep in mind you really need an amplifier to use them properly. HD560 is bright and have e very thight and light bass (they go deep tho). I find them enjoyable with EQ, if you won't EQ I say skip them for general music listening, cause they are going to slap any imperfection in your face while not make you tap your feet. They are great for critical listening and to listen stuff like acoustic, jazz and classical. With EQ I enjoy even metal with it.
HD560 are great for gaming tho, since they have a
cool soundstaging.
If I had to keep one I would keep the sundaras, but ONLY with a decent amp.
I own both cause I'm deeply fascinated the planar magnetic style of the sundaras
What songs/genres/sound signatures do you prefer with the Sundaras, if you don't mind?
Thank u for this unique review good luck with your channel :)
I went from the Sennheiser/Drop HD58x to Sundara. And after listening back and for for a bit, I sold the Sennheisers to a friend and kept the Sundaras. I found them to be much more detailed through-out the frequencies, a bit better soundstaging as well. And though both are comfortable the Sundaras were much more so, even with my glasses on. I also wear a size 8 hat, so recommend them for larger heads.
All testing was done through my Little Dot mk2 with NOS tubes in it, and with both factory and after market cabling.
Both are very good though. The 58x is easier listening but less of that hi-fi sound. I've listened to a friend's AMT-1's and the Sundara basically sounds like them but with no room related issues.
The 58x sounds like an older pair of good air suspension speakers, just soft on the top and warm. I go back and forth between them. I didn't like the anemic bass of the hd600.
I have had the HD 599 Se for more than 3 years (bought for 130$ CAN on amazon, they drop to that price 1-3 time per year)(using sound Dts + a little Custom EQ is what i found out to be better in the most use case) and recently bought the Sundara (413$ CAN )+ JDS LABS Atom stack, i do notice some advantage for both, but they sound very similar in many case. FOr someone who just want to enjoy a good overall listening experience with quality Mid/high/treble go with an HD 5xx, it's really worth it
Ive had my hd599 with a hiby fc4 dac for 4-5years now there the perfect headphone for the right price i test lots of super expensive headphones at a shop and there on par just as great not a bigger anuff improvement to justify the price jump hd599 and letshuoer S12iems hiby fc4 are all you need for a audiophile top notch sound quality without breaking the bank
5:53 this sent me after looking for headphones to buy for 2 days and seeing those graphs that you need a sound engineering degree to understand everywhere
Hope you get to test out the Meze 99 Classics one fine day. Great channel, keep up the good work my man!
Thanks! Mmm, those aren't really on my horizon but you never know ;)
Uses Tank by the seatbelts as an example.
me: I see you are a man of culture as well
Another good video. However, I would argue that the Sundara is not the Hifiman entry level planar; that goes to the HE400I. I could be wrong because I don't have the prices in front of me, but I think the 4SX and 5sx are also lower priced. That being said, this is still an excellent comparison.
You are right.
Sundara is not the entry level in Hifi man's line up. It is Midfi
He400i 2020 /He400se - Entry level
Sundara - Mid Fi
Ananda - Upper Mid Fi
Arya - Hi End
He1000se/ He1000v2 - Premium Hi End
Susvara - TOTL
@@Hari-kx2er I'd still consider them entry level range. Under $500 is usually entry level pricing. Entry is the HE5, Sundara, HE560, and all the HE400 variants. For midrange you have the HE1000, HE6SE, and Ananda. For the high range, you have the Shangri-la, HE1000, and Susvarna. Arya is in that grey area of mid to high range.
@@kalel33 Your classification has a number of problems.
1) He1000 (whether V2 or Se) is significantly more expensive than Ananda, so putting them both as midrange headphones is misleading. They are also very different from a sound quality consideration as well
2) He400 series is mostly only half the cost of Sundara. There are many people in this world who start their audiophile journey with headphones costing less than 200$ and that is why I consider that entry level and not 350$ or 500$.
3) Putting only a Susvara or Abyss 1266 or Shangri La as High end headphones is not exactly right. These are better described as TOTL headphones. A tier even above high end. Even among audiophiles only a miniscule percentage gets to buy them.
Of course, if somebody is so rich they can even say that any headphone that costs less than 1000$ is entry level.
P. S: Actually you made the mistake of putting he1000 in both midrange and high end categories.
However, thanks for your feedback 👍
@@Hari-kx2er Yeah, HE1000 should have been in only the high range. I would consider under $500 to be entry level audiophile headphones. There's nothing wrong with them and many of them hit above their weight. $500-1k is mid, and over $1k. I have the Focal Elex and they are twice the price of your Sundaras but that doesn't make them high range.
@@kalel33 Dude, you don't have to advertise that you own a headphone twice the cost of the one I own😂😂. A lot of people own more expensive headphones than me and I have no problem with that. I have only tried here to give as precise a classification of headphone tiers as I can. I have no problem even if you are in possession of all the TOTL headphones in the world such as Susvara, Shangri-la, Abyss 1266 etc
Would you recommend the hd560s to a newcomer in the Hifi world? I am considering 2 options , hd560s or hd599. Which one do you recommend me ? Thanks
Haven't heard the hd599 but I would recommend the HD560s. I got a friend (noctiskeyboards on instagram) into this hobby with the 560s/schiit fulla 4 and he's never going back to a headset for music lol
Comfort is user dependent of course. For me the 560s fits perfect
Using the 560s with ifi dac and can. The xbass and 3d buttons on the CAN are interesting to play around with. The addition of CAN definitely adds to the experience with more power. Had issues with Windows not recognizing the DAC, instantly solved by removing the third-party power supply that had added. Leave the power supply to the CAN now and just power the DAC via USB! Working perfectly.
i hope you review Sundara vs HE400se
some people say He400se is like 80% of Sundara
Hmm. Perhaps
I just tried both of them today, I'd say it's 70% there. Might need an amp/dac for HE400se and slight EQ to make it sound even more closer to Sundara but for less than half the price. I'd say go for it.
Add these the latest Sundaras or the old Sundaras?
These are both completely different headphones both worth owning and bringing incredible value imo
Didn't seem so according to the video lol
Yeah one is a planar and one is a dynamic. To say these headphone are similar is to be high
I mean in the case of the Sundara you might as well be renting them, but I'm sure they'll be "worth owning" while they last
Really good video man. I bought both to try them out and so far after a few hours of listening, the Sundara's just feel .... boring? The HD560S bring out the vocals to the front with such clarity that that I find really pleasing when listening. I am having a tough time deciding. I have yet to test them in gaming which is another reason for the purchase (also got some dt990s to test here but those are for sure getting returned).
While I want to keep both, I know I will end up just picking a favorite and the other will collect dust. So far I am leaning towards the 560s.
Did you have problem with treble on 560s that some people are talking about?
@@chrysio7 I have not noticed it but I am not overtly sensitive to treble (or I enjoy it who knows). I am running them with the oratory eq setting though, but even without it I did not have any issues. I also listen to a lot of indie folk and acoustic music that leans heavily on the vocals so these have been pretty perfect for me.
@@chrysio7 i have, also tried oratory eq but still sibilants, only way for me to safe listen trough this headphones is setting a high shelf eq -6db
Which one did you end up keeping? What music do you listen to?
@@bananastuff2840 had both 560s and sundara, returned 560s, sundara are bright (too mutch) but not harsh and sibilants, I like them equalized (oratory set or just with the integrated amp tune hig shelf -3/4db plus low shelf +2/6db 50hrz) but they are also good without eq. In comparison 560s have better bass extension for sure, sundara provide more details, 560s have have more natural timbre maybe but those peaks are horrendous and unnaturals. I listen every kind of music, watch movies etc., soundstage good on both, different imaging experience, 560s have some defined areas from where sound come, sundara has more organic scene (that reason I find more easy to locate sounds trough 560s)
Was this a 2020 and later version of the sundara?
I believe it is a 2020 version, yep
How is the instrument speration compared to Sundara?
Separation better on hd560s
Strange how people hear things completely different. I'm not exactly pro audiophile, just got into headphones late 2020, but I'll do my best to explain what I hear between the two. I've had the sundaras for about 7 months and just recently picked up the 560s. I eq both for bass as they're both lacking bass imo but both respond very well to eq. With eq the sundaras have better fuller deeper bass, but 560s bass still sounds really good. Still highly prefer the sundaras for edm or anything bass heavy, especially with the slam. I find the 560s to have significantly better imaging and wider sound stage meaning sounds can sound further away and theres more range between far away sounds and close sounds, however the sundaras have a sound stage that sounds more full like a better range of sounds around your head where as the 560s soundstage is more on the sides of your head and a bit forward.
Sundaras are both gentle and impactful. A lot of slam and the mids and highs sound very clean and smooth. High mids/low treble area can be a bit shouty to me on the 560s. I don't find the sundaras shouty at all. I really enjoy the 560s but the treble at times can sound grainy. There are certain tracks that honestly sound like shit because of the grainy highs but this is not present on all tracks. A lot of tracks sound amazing with the 560s but certain audio just sounds like shit. The best example of this is in the game overwatch with the 560s the game sounds like someone threw a bunch of metal bb's inside a tin can and shook it around. Sounds like absolute shit. But then other games I prefer the 560s over the sundaras. Don't get me wrong I'm not saying the 560s has bad treble, on the right audio the treble can sound very detailed and pleasing, it's just sensitive to poorly recorded audio I guess. The sundaras have buttery smooth treble with a little eq pulling down 8000hz 1.5db and tends to smooth out poor audio. Everything sounds good on the sundaras.
Overall I think the sundaras are a more capable headphone and better for a wide variety of music and games, but the 560s is an absolute steal for $200. With the right audio they sound fantastic and they do have things that the sundaras don't like pin point accurate imaging and wider stage.
All my listening is done through an atom amp. I'm curious how much of a difference in what we hear is due to the gear we are listening on or just our ears.
Can eq fix the treble on hd 560s entirely or mostly?
Wait. If the 560’s sound worse with worse recorded audio….wouldn’t that mean they are more accurate?
Or just worse quality?
@@sauce8277 I've had the treble cannons known as the DT1990-Pro headphones. I returned them after a few weeks and got the Sennheiser HD660s instead. What I've come to find is that regardless of how poorly a track is recorded, only some headphones will make it sound "harsh", others will still expose the faults but not be harsh sounding at all. So as far as I'm concerned, a harsh sound is more of a headphone fault than a recording fault
@@klipk7296 I went with the HD 560's. I can say they possibly have the issues people are saying? Since I am not degreed in that area I tend to more so examine the logic that people put out and see if they are even honest with themselves on the data. Either way, I think they are very honest although, I understand now why people say speakers are better choice. If people are looking for mixing headphones, I think they are probably worth it over more expensive. If they are not satisfied with multi-use for gaming and mixing and want blow-your-mind gaming headphones, this is not it.
Fast-forwarding over a year after this video, and these are still among the most recommended open-back cans for detail retrieval, but preferring a warmer overall signature, I got the Dan Clark Aeon X Open for a $399 sale price at Drop, and I'm very pleased with the decision. I also tried out Senn's 660S, on sale for $299, but I was way more impressed with the Aeon X, so I returned the 660S. Granted, they may not be $100 "better" than Sundara or 660S, but the build and sound signature are more to my liking, and IMO a great deal when on sale (reg $529).
have you tought about getting the monoprice monolith m1060? i'd like your review and comaparisions of that
An amazing headphone that I've owned for 5 years. Such a rich sound across all frequencies. For their asking price of $279+-, there's not really anything that quite matches them in overall sound quality. Yet, one thing that I'd love to see is a serious revision. The M1060's are 500g headphones and considering they launched over half a decade ago now, I'd love to see Monolith put some serious R&D behind their planar technology to reduce the weight and also utilize lighter weight materials such as carbon fiber for the headband structure. I'd also love to see them create a new comfort band that's actually comfortable. At least 3x the width but, include memory foam within it and utilize suspension system to reduce overall head pressure. The standard strap included now is garbage. Overall, the M1060 is long overdue for a serious overhaul. Still my favorite cans to this day.
Were can you get a longer cable for the Sundara
Here u go: amzn.to/3JgQBRK
I have the HD598 for a couple years now and I really like it. Is the HD560S a decent upgrade overall or more of a sidegrade?
Let's put it this way, if your 598 still works just fine... You'll be fine.
whats best for competative gaming movies and music
Not sure what the price difference is in the US but here in the UK if I look on Amazon the Sundara is GBP 299 whereas the 560 is GBP 169. Is it really worth almost double the price? By the way I do not own either of these phones so no axe to grind here. I have the HD660s, but my favourite brand is Beyerdynamic. I have the the DT1990 pros and they are really special but the best value ones in my opinion are the DT150 and DT250 (250 ohm versions)............ Old School but for the money I absolutely love them!!
The amps I use by the way are Graham Slee Solo UL DE in my main set up and on the go I use the Voyager and Bitzie (plus the Earmen Eagle and FIIO BTR5)
560S is GBP 129 now in UK. Decided I couldn't argue with that so have just ordered me a pair.
Today was a headphone puppet show
What is the point of the comparison. Here in greece the Sundara cost 3x the price of the senns.
Good job. Thanks.
I am a newbie and I have been trying to decide on my first budget (under $200 or so). Can't decide between 560s, Hifi or X2hr...
I went with the X2HR, but after getting a DT880 I really cant recommend them. Everyone said bass is superb, but after having another presentation, bass is overblown, and treble is harsh and sibilant on the X2HR...
Mmm, depends on what you listen to. HD560s are the most neutral, the Sundaras are in the middle (and more cold, metallic sound), and the X2HR have the most hyped sound (but generally warm).
Which one of these is better for me? I will use these for gaming/ listening to music. As well as normal daily use
around the 6 minute mark, there is a piece of debris on your desk. I sat up quickly as I thought a couple of pixels had died on my monitor 😂
Dude, do you have a brother who has a channel called mindsmash, you and that guy sound crazy similar. Thanks for the comparison btw 👍
nah, I don't lol. thanks!
I’d like to see what you think of the new version HD600
I might pick one up in the future, just to compare them in and out.
Where I live I would have had to pay over twice as much for the Sundaras, so the comparison became a moot point (especially since I needed two pairs for watching TV with the SO). 159e for the Sennheiser, 359e for the Sundara. Though I would have preferred a little more warm sound overall, I'm not a sucker for more base. Sennheisers were certainly clearer than my old Mad Dogs.
They are almost 3 times the price here in the UK. Just picked up 560S for £107 from Sennheiser direct and Sundara are £299 so not even the same ball park.
@@P1Fanatic Hey how's your experience so far?
@@syedinsaf7481 I am really enjoying them. I use them on my PC for music, video and gaming connected via a FiiO K5 Pro DAC. For just over £100 they were a bargain.
@@syedinsaf7481 I forgot to say super comfortable. Very lightweight so barely feel them on.
@@P1Fanatic The thing is, I have just used 30$ headphones all my life, now I got a job and stuff, and wanna jump into audiophile world and according to my research 560s is a great entry point
your paint skills are just as good as audio skills
Questions-
If the sundara has such great soundstage and imaging, couldn't you eq them to match the 560s notable ability to be great for gaming??
What happens with these when you plug into amp and send each of these some serious bass??
(wondering I used to carry a mini 'm-audio bass-traveler' amp powering $70 Klipsch R6 reference on ear headphones on the go and they would flawlessly outperform skull crushers)
Even if you try to match the sound signatures, there's still a difference in timbre because of planar vs dynamic. And I'd say both could handle bass pretty well!
@@chuckolatte600 thanks! 👍
Isn't Sundara considered midrange yet? HE400 is like a third of the price of Sundara.
Is Ananda the first step of midrange from Hifiman?
Sundara is like upper midrange, lower highrange, in terms of audio quality, basically entry level to the highrange... For most casual consumers though, it's THE ENDGAME headphone, due to how affordable it is, in relation to the audio quality it gives you.
Sundara actually measures Better than the Ananda, lol.
are you sure the HD560s grills are plastic? sorry to be such a nerd about this but i could swear they were some light metal, when i had them for a week
I own both of these now, the Sundara simply resolves better, the "hype" comes from how fast the membrane moves, and how accurately it's able to replicate the feeling of impact in the original audio recording, which also helps with recreating high resolution audio.
That impact, that oomph, is something the HD 560S simple can't replicate, it'll play a sound, but the impact from it, the texture from that sound, is smoothed out and made to sound bland and uninteresting, due to how thick the driver membrane is.
Which is why i reach for the Sundara more... I keep the 560S around in case my Sundara breaks, but i'm definitely using the Sundara as my daily driver until it breaks, lol. xD
EDIT: It should also be noted that the Sundara in particular NEEDS EQ to not sound naggy in the 6kHz region. Easily dealt with, with parametric EQ like "Equalizer APO" which is free... So if you are thinking about using the Sundara on anything except your computer, forget about it, if you're picky enough about sounds to want to buy a Sundara over an HD560S, then that 6kHz region WILL bother you.
So Sundara is only appropriate for PC-use, not appropriate for use on your vinyl player, or CD-player, or music-streamer... Not unless those options have a very competent EQ set-up.
The Sennheiser sounds better without EQ.
The texture you get on the drums at the start of Darkness by The Police with these headphones is insane.
@@jvwMUSIC The Sundara? Try "Dracul - Infected Mushroom" 31 seconds in, the bass begins, and it's like a massage for your earholes.
@MyouKyuubi found a fellow IM gigachad, they are the kings! Just ordered a sundara to get to the next level.
@@nmcdo9739 *flex*
@@Kylosgrande Not always... Sometimes a dac has mild amplification properties, depends on the dac, but most of the time, it's just a signal processing unit that ensures that the audio signal maintaints as much quality as possible as it's translated from digital to analogue signal, and doesn't amplify anything.
You're gonna need a "dac/amp" (a unit that is both-in-one), or you're going to need to buy an amplifier with the dac, if you want that extra volume headroom.
As for the EQ, you need to download a software or something, that allows you to alter the qualities of the audio-signal going OUT of your computer... I use windows, so i have zero idea what options you have as an apple-boi. xD
I can tell you one thing though, personally, i use Equalizer APO, it's totally free, and i've set it to alter the sound signals created by "Realtek Digital Output" in my sound options... Works like a charm for me.
The trick is to learn how to use the EQ software, that is arguably the hardest part of the entire setup. xD
Hi! For you which one has a bigger soundstage and sound more detailed?
New Fantasia offers a balanced XLR for this Sennheiser HD 560s so you can run them balanced
Sundara all the way. Worth the price difference.
How about the Beyerdynamic DT880 600ohms? Is it on par with the 560?S
Haven't heard the DT800 yet. Hopefully I can get my hands on some Beyers for a Beyer Saga lol
I have both and I prefer the sound of hd 560 s i could’ve saved money but i bought in the hype of sundara’s 😢
For anyone watching the 560s has a different cable now with the attached 1/4 adapter instead
Where did you get the headband cover for hd 560s?
Ordered it on eBay for like $9. Just look up "wool headband for HD560s" or another of the HD5xx line
I'm between HD 560s, 599 and x2hr. Can't really deside which one. I mostly listen to rock, metal, pop and hip hop. If anyone can help I'm all ears
I wouldn't buy the 560s for intense beat-oriented music, transmitting energy is not their forte. Haven't heard the other ones unfortunately. If you're interested in closed-backs take a look at the AKG 371, they might suit you and they cost almost half the price.
@@Spin3l3ssJ3lly Got it, I'll take a look about the akg. Thank you for your answer.
@@Anto94_GR I second that. The HD560S are excellent, but exciting is not a word I'd use. Sundaras have more hype to them.
@@chuckolatte600 hi and thank you for the comment but I bought the 599 for 100€. As my first hi fi headphones they're awesome and didn't regret it at all!
@@Anto94_GR Ah well yeah, at that price point you REALLY can't go wrong haha. Congrats, and welcome to the club :)
My planned lineup is 6xx, Sundara and probably the Fostex or a similar good closed back HP.
Mmm. Now that's a balance!
@@chuckolatte600 6xx first and quickly just in case with all the goings on at Sennheiser
Can i use them
For
Ps5?
Chuckolatte has just earned PERMANENT respect for referencing "Thunderhorse" in context with audio characteristics! I wonder what your feelings on the staging and other aspects of "Murmaider" between these two headphones was? "Swords? Check!!" LOL For that song I enjoy the performance of my Sundaras only second to my Modhouse Argons. My Sennheisers just don't do the audio effects justice like those two headphones do.
I see you are a man of culture as well
@@chuckolatte600 Cowboy Bebop has a crazy sound track and a great vibe. I immediately added it to Tidal before I forgot...lol
Do you still own them both? I'll buy my first headphone and I don't know which one to go. I'm watching a lot of reviews and I saw a lot of people complaining about the Sundara's contruction quality, they say that's bad. If I send you a song, would you tell me in which one you felt more confortable listening?
I thought the 560S was comfy?
Yeah I think so too. I can see it being uncomfy for like certain types of heads, but the pads and headband shape they use are very very cozy. Id say the specific area it'd bother someone is the pressure at the top of the earcups, but that improves significantly after like a week of wearing them
not to me.
Is the HD 560S a good upgrade for those who have the HD 598? It is, let's say, 40% better in music?
Not sure, haven't heard the HD598...
What's your go to headphone for gaming ?? Besides the hd800
TBH, since I don't have time to game as often, I just put on whichever lets me wear them for hours on end without comfort issues. Every HP I choose to keep I like soundwise, so I'm not a big stickler
Hifiman Ananda or Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Open or Lcd2c?
Not sure, haven't tried the Aeon 2o yet
hi all. Firstly, nice review. Thank you for this.
Secondly, I don't have a dedicated dac / amp yet (was considering the JDS atom+ stack but that's a chunk of money) but, having both an HD599 and HD58x, i was considering planars as a next step / contrast, etc. I understand they are typically quick headphones and convey timbre well. Is that crudely accurate?
Having said this, the HD560s have been getting so many good reviews, i am very tempted by them. They're also superbly priced IMO.
I don't have the hd6xx and don't live in the US, so getting from drop is not so easy.
I suspect if i got the HD560s, i'll find them relatively samey to my other Sennheisers but from the sounds of things, they will be the best of the grouping? I understand their soundstage is wider, imaging is more accurate and there's better bass frequency extension. They also don't have the 3 blob experience. I'm not a bass head at all - i like stuff to be represented, if it's there, and don't say no to a bit of sub-bass :D I do like midrange, which is probably why i enjoy the Sennheiser experience.
I've considered an AKG. I gather the k702 is pretty good but haven't heard them (or the k701, 712, 7xx etc).
I game, so soundstage and imaging are valuable / appreciated but i wouldn't want those factors distorting my music appreciation. I listen to a wide variety of genres. A fair amount of EDM (D&B, progressive house, techno etc), yet really like rock of various sorts (e.g. please don't hammer me for this but i like the Foo Fighters echoes album hugely - i think it's a good test of headphones too because some of the tracks have very soft vocals and acoustic guitars but have to handle more 'energetic' tracks too), nu rock, SOAD, king buffalo, post-hardcore, psychedelic, all the way to Gillian Welch and then ambient stuff like Marconi Union.
I do have a concern about hifiman products and their build quality/reliability (i heard they improved matters with the deva) and suspect i will need an amp to get the most from planars (aside from them historically needing some oomph to drive them, though i do have a vague understanding regarding low/high impedance and sensitivity and that the sundaras are more tolerant of low power sources). Then there are the LCD1s, which i heard are very good 'cheaper' planars.
Overall, i know there's a huge breadth in pricing of the headphones i've mentioned (huge for me anyway - in the UK the LCD1 are £400 and i can get the HD560s for £150). Then there's probably the need for an amp (e.g. if i got an HD6xx). Sigh.
Any help would be appreciated.
ik this comment is 2yrs old and you don't need help anymore, but for anyone in a similar position, just buy a used dac/amp (both built into one) for example very near me i found an ibasso DC05 for 20 euro, which would be 69 new and has a great dac + enough juice to run the hd560s at 115DB which will give you permanent hearing damage after 15 minutes.
and it's not like on headphones where i get wanting to buy new because it's a bit gross to buy used for some (i'm broke so i don't mind but i get it), but there's literally nothing wrong with buying a used dac/amp, with amps, both solid state and tubes, either it's broken or it works like new, they don't wear, get dirty, and if it was a good amp in like 1990 then it's also a good amp now, good audio stays good.
hope this helped someone
@@tatacraft791 in case you or anyone else are interested, I actually bought a second hand creative G6 (official B stock from creative).
It appeared to take all the boxes for me, given I exclusively use headphones and wanted a mic in.
Don't really use any of the other functionality.
I found it the creative software didn't really add any significant value and was very bloaty
The mic voice modulation is fun but not very good.
I'm just putting up with not having an EQ
To my ears, the sound is excellent.
In terms of price to performance, I don't feel i can get close to the £60 it cost
@@tatacraft791 thanks for this.
I wrote a response and it's disappeared :\
Thanks for the recommendation.
Basically ended up with a creative G6 dac amp.
Bought official B stock from Creative @ £60
Price to performance IMO is unmatched.
e.g. mayflower arc mk2 is £223 (and i'd need to ship from USA) and it's extremely difficult to get Schiit stock like the fulla E and Hel in the UK (and they're £150 and £245)
Despite being ostensibly a gaming product, the G6 DAC AMP performance, i believe, is well regarded.
All i really wanted was headphone dac amp (i've no speakers) and a mic in
I looked at other products like the x3, x4, x5 etc (100% needed a mic in and modmic brought its own issues to overcome)
I rejected them because the software is reportedly very flaky and super XFI is hit / miss and i can get reasonable 3d sound through win 10
Although i game, i'm not that fussed about spatial sound (windows sonic works very well with stuff like cod 2019)
Therefore, stuff like sbx and scout mode aren't important to me
I didn't like the creative bloat that comes with the G6, so don't use it. Aside from the EQ, it doesn't offer me anything IMO
I'm still using my hd58x but have enough juice to get other headphones
Am still tempted by planars, just to try something different.
Might be interesting to try AKG and one still has timeless products like the HD600, HD650, HD560s, HD6xx etc to try (though i suspect they will probably sound relatively similar to what i've got already).
Add HiFiMan HE400SE to comparison. Btw, don't add # to tags. It could affect your SEO..
Ah, I see. I'll look into it!
@@chuckolatte600 I second this. I think 400se would be more of a direct competitor to the 560s
I’m comparing these for immersive gaming. Any feedback any think this makes sense as a immersive gaming pick haha
I wouldn't say either of these have a wide enough soundstage to call them "immersive" though both can def be used for gaming
@@chuckolatte600 I have hd58x and was hoping to find something with more color on the mids and lows without losing the details in the highs. I think I might stop looking it seems like a rabbit hole and I’m very discouraged lol
Pleather is a deal breaker. When it starts peeling, it's the worst thing ever.
Can you make a comparison between 560s and 660s
nice review...any chance you can compare HE-560 against sundara?
Perhaps. I kept the Sundaras for my personal collection so I can definitely get to that at some point!
After so much Sundara, I am buying them!
what about bass from the momentum 3? does it beat with the bass from both from the video in depth, deeper, clean and rumble shaking? plz reply
I couldn't afford the Sundaras, but bought the he400se, and got the grill mods, and bought the 560s as well, both with balanced cables. Still comparing, but at the moment, the Hifiman headphones are winning, the sound is rich, but detailed. The grill mods make a real difference.
Sundara with 4 pin XLR (Balanced)
MASSDROP X SENNHEISER HD 58X JUBILEE
Sundaras all day 👌
Put some ZMF hybrid perforated pads and a powerful amp and it becomes a 2k headphone. This headphone is a gem!
I told you!
@@mattrismatt yes sir!
Do you have a link for the specific model you are referring to?
@@mattrismatt Do you have a link for the specific model?
@@ziikzaaak Give me a few days. I'm experimenting with other ZMF earpads and will report my findings.
Thanks for the great video. I purchased the 560S. They blew me away. I know what the tracks I used to audition the phones are supposed to sound like and the 560S were shockingly good and did those tunes justice. However, I sent them back as I have a tiny head and the 560S just did not fit me.
I've just got Sundaras. They're 95 % of the way there. Unfortunately, I don't have the 560S to A/B with the Sundaras and I have just changed my amp/DAC too so I need a little more time to get to know them. However, the Sundaras fit well and thus far sound brilliant.
Thanks again for your video. It really helps to hear someone elses thoughts comparing these two phones.
Actually a difference of 5% is inperceivable by humans so either you're talking out your ass or it's bigger than that
@@kisu_ve625 thanks for your keen, scientific insight.
@@iComment87 anytime kiddo
I want to upgrade from my HD598 to something better. Out of these two, which one would you recommend now when you've had some time to compare them?
@@uglitor define "better". I don't have much experience with the 598 but I'm aware of how it compares to a 560s and the ways that it could be considered "better". I would say it'd be useful to know what you want more of from a headphone. Better imaging? Bigger sound stage, etc.? I still have my 560s and love it. It's not my primary music listening headphone unless I'm listening on tubes. Regardless, it always pleases.