What is the next step from HD 560s?

Submitted by cronuss t3_zyo3ed in headphones

I've tried at least 10 pairs of headphones over the last two years. While the 560s isn't perfect, none of them in the under $350 range have compared. Even the HD6XX that people love, it just sounded crushed and like the sound was at one point in my face/head.

Every time I listen to the 560s I am blown away by the detail, soundstage, imaging, wide sound, vertical and horizontal, and just total goosebumps. Moreso, just the detail and separation is incredible. I can hear each individual instrument, where and how they are recorded, etc.

So... what is the next step? I wouldn't mind a TINY bit more warmth and less harshness/fatigue. But I don't want to lose the detail, soundstage, separation, etc.

Opinions? HD660S?

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[deleted] t1_j26y3we wrote

[deleted]

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cronuss OP t1_j2741r9 wrote

Doesn't have to be, but these aren't perfect, and I would assume my hifi journey doesn't end at $200 headphones, but maybe it does?

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chrews t1_j276wdz wrote

You will never find a „perfect“ pair of headphones because it doesn’t exist. Taste (and ear shapes) are really individual and expectation is also a huge factor. If someone tells you that a certain headphone you have hasn’t got a lot of resolution you might believe it even if it’s not true.

It’s about making compromises and knowing your own taste.

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Philcollins_sucks t1_j27995h wrote

It absolutely does not end at 560s lol. Reddit has a hard on for “cheap is endgame nonsense”. Go for focal clear as a significant step up from 560s

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ThatLastGenGamer t1_j28gsec wrote

My immediate question exactly.

I've been in the hobby for a few years now and have had several mid-fi big guns like HD 650, K712 Pro and others. Sold mostly everything except my original HD 598 SR (still the ones who get the most use because of gaming) and Porta Pros. Eventually bought a pair of 560S for music paired with my K5 Pro. Never looked back, never feel any need to upgrade anymore. They really are spectacularly competent, defined and resolving. I like them infinitely more than I did the 6 series and honestly you get to a point in the hobby where you're just spending money out of curiosity with very little payoff.

I realise this is easier said than done but do try to appreciate and be content with what you have if it is factually already top tier.

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ostuniman t1_j278ks7 wrote

HD800s. Its incredible. Otherwise you will keep buying mid grade headphones and not like them. Why do that?

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MrCatsoup t1_j27wme9 wrote

I disagree, just because HD800S are higher end headphone doesn't mean it'll be better than mid grade, or that OP will like them by default. This hobby is all about doing your research and finding a sound that you like, not the price of the headphones. I've owned severe cans that were better than HD800S (at least to me) at a fraction of the price. Plus, HD560S is <$200, HD800S is $1000 even buying used. The jump is way to big to justify.

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ostuniman t1_j2a93wg wrote

Then whats a good under $500 headphone that takes on hd800s? For fps gaming and edm music.

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LyKosa91 t1_j2b6a0s wrote

Given their mediocre bass extension, I would have said the HD800S is a poor choice for EDM. I also don't get why people seem to think the widest possible soundstage is an advantage in competitive shooters, because it's not, its really not.

But to answer your question based solely on those two points, DT1990 pro.

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ostuniman t1_j2b7m27 wrote

Ah man, I never heard of these when I was shopping a few months ago. I went by reviews from Josh Valour, DMS, Resolve, Crinacle and they all recommended HD800s for fps gaming.

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LyKosa91 t1_j2be4s2 wrote

Gaming in general, sure, from an immersion perspective a wide soundstage is great. But specifically in the context of competive FPS, its really not that important, in fact I personally find an overly diffused soundstage can be detrimental at times.

It's worth remembering that pro players are more often than not running IEMs or even standard gaming headsets. Also, the guys you mentioned aren't competitive gamers, in fact, crinacle himself has made this exact point, not so much specifically regarding soundstage, but just generally that it really doesn't matter that much beyond having a neutral/bright leaning sound signature.

It's all preference at the end of the day, there's nothing wrong with the 800S, but if you're spending over a grand on a pair of headphones in the hope that they'll make you win games more often, you're gonna be disappointed... And poorer.

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ostuniman t1_j2bhhvn wrote

Its a mix of non fps games too. It sounds good. The main reason I got HD800s was the loose fitting. Not clampy. It feels like nothing on my head.

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superNoid t1_j27tofa wrote

Stick with the 560S, it’s incredible.

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Larry52795 t1_j26zfmg wrote

Detail, soundstage and separation, sounds like ananda or edition xs.

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bolhoo t1_j273854 wrote

I went from a 560s to an Ananda and it was quite the upgrade. Though I have to say that I don't think they would be in the same upgrade line if this was a tech tree from a game or something. I find the Ananda much more relaxed with no treble peaks and a huge space where the music happens. The 560s is sharper and a little fatiguing, but I sense a soundstage that seems more faithful with what the mix wants to show. That being said, Ananda all the way. I can't hear the sennheiser for a long time because it's so sharp now.

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MichaelEmouse t1_j28d0ao wrote

Have you tries the Arya? How do they compare?

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IAmAgainst t1_j29g41o wrote

I have the 560s and the Aryas and the latter make the 560s sound quite cheap in comparison. I think the 560s sound great and I love them for regular use, but if I'm listening to the Aryas and switch to the 560s, the difference is night and day. Obviously that doesn't happen unless I intentionally want to compare them.

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cronuss OP t1_j2745pz wrote

>Ananda

Thanks, I'll look into it. Quite the jump in price, though! Maybe someday down the line.

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kachoo_ t1_j27p2w4 wrote

Edition XS is equal to the Ananda in most respects and can be found at around $400

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Larry52795 t1_j274fvo wrote

The edition XS is basically same headphone but using stealth magnets which give it more bass but a bit less soundstage. Ananda has good bass but is lacking sub bass. You can also find both of these headphones second hand for alot cheaper than on their retail websites.

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Nex1349 t1_j27zudq wrote

Try out Sundara. I found it to be similarly balanced in sound to 560s but much more exciting and 3d sounding. Costs 300€.

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Open-Dig2504 t1_j26yw54 wrote

Beyerdynamic DT1990

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rj104 t1_j27mh1w wrote

As much as i love them, i wouldnt say they weren't fatiguing.

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MrCatsoup t1_j27wwhf wrote

If you find the trebles to be overwhelming, you can try swapping the pads with Dekoni Velour. Those did the trick for me for a perfect sound. Whereas the balanced pads made the bass muddy and analytical pad made the treble unbearable. Dekoni Velour is like a balance of both, you retain the good bass but it's not muddy anymore and the treble are tamed so it's no longer sibilant.

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Open-Dig2504 t1_j2c4vzs wrote

Further to that: I use a bottlehead crack amp and for me it's the perfect balance. Soundstage bass impact, mids, details of the headphone - and the warmth and body of the tube amp. This combination had me stop the never-ending upgrade twitch :-)

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Dust-by-Monday t1_j270dvm wrote

Went from 560s to 660s… no regrets! The 660s slap the heck out of the 560s. No contest. Haven’t touched my 560s since. That would be my suggestion for the next step

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cronuss OP t1_j2749n5 wrote

Can you compare/contrast the differences? I didn't like the 6XX. They are nice, and I'm sure people love them, and maybe someday part of my arsenal, but different category. But I assume 660 is much different

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Dust-by-Monday t1_j274m2w wrote

The 660s have insane imaging and better soundstage than the 6XX, and the 660s are more detailed. The 660s is still a laid back relaxing sound and sound quite a bit warmer than the 560s which I like very much. The music also has depth and body to it which I found missing in the 560s

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jbhatnagar00 t1_j27fsu0 wrote

Is the 660S still the “3 blob” imaging though where sound can only be in front and to the sides? The 6– series is known for that. I’m wondering because is the Focal Clear OG worth it over the 660S for $500-$600 more?

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ku1185 t1_j28ck04 wrote

I don't get the 3 blob staging off the 660s, but still similarly small. Got the 3 blob on the 600 and 58x though.

OG Clears have similar overall presentation in that it's mid-forward and small stage, but imo quite different otherwise. It's much more intense in character and doesn't have much of that smooth and pleasant timbre of the 6x0's.

Clears have more wow factor with its punchiness and detail, but also was less forgiving and more fatiguing.

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Rogue-Architect t1_j27uq9l wrote

Too similar to the 6XX for you like like them most likely. Edition XS would be the move based on what you described. Don’t be afraid to purchase second hand just make sure the person has some established trade credibility. Big time savings given most people in this hobby take very good care of their headphones and more than likely they have never left their desk.

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Zooka92 t1_j291jgf wrote

I cant agree with that, I think the HD560s is in nearly everything better than the HD660s. The Hd560s has bigger soundstage, better imaging and better bass extension and sounds overall way more correct/neutral to my ears. The build quality and comfort are better on the HD660s tho.

I love the HD660s for movies, podcasts, videos, everything thats vocal focused. It has a kinda warm/neutral tuning that is just easy to listen to.

But for music and especially gaming i prefer the hd560s. The hd560s has so much better soundstage, imaging and depth perception than the hd660s, its not even close. The HD660s can image very well but its small stage and relaxed treble make it quite bad for gaming, especially if a lot of things are happening at the same time.

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Dust-by-Monday t1_j29sjte wrote

Different preferences I guess. The 560s are way too bright for me. However, I don’t think the 660s are lacking in detail, they’re just more relaxed and easier to listen to. They sound natural to me.

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IMKGI t1_j28faaf wrote

800S

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IAmAgainst t1_j27sjdt wrote

I've been wanting to upgrade mine after I recover from a series of big expenses and the dt 1990 pro is what I have in mind.

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Gofa_Kirselph t1_j27tsu4 wrote

That would be the HD 700. I have both and the 700 is better in every way, except the 560s has better sub bass. That being said, the 560s are surprisingly close to the 700 and apparently the 660s uses the same drivers as the 700. I think you should try the 660s in person before committing.

EDIT: Forgot to mention that the HD 700 are discontinued unfortunately. The 660s are similar but idk if the soundstage is similar as well. In that case, the HD 800s would be better for you, if soundstage is a priority.

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[deleted] t1_j27ya15 wrote

I came from 560s and i had a very long journey. A 660s would sound muffled to you (maybe).

At the end i climbed from Hifiman XS to Hifiman Ananda to Arya. All excellent Headphones and the Arya are the first Headphones that I'm to 93,45% sure this is Endgame.

PS.: The HD700 sound amazing with Auto EQ. If you get them for ~300-400 second hand, try them. I think they are your cup of tea.

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BehaveWithClass t1_j2868gn wrote

I recently upgraded from the HD560S to a Focal Clear, you can look at my recent posts for some opinions, or ask here for anything you‘re cutious about (I‘ve also tried a few Hifimans and then some)

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blackrao t1_j289ryy wrote

Audeze mm-500

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vezzanator t1_j28epnt wrote

If you don't mind some pretty heavy EQ, the koss esp 95x with oratory eq is one of the best headphones I've heard and they're not that expensive. Sure they look and feel cheap and build quality is atrocious and they break a lot but they sound incredible. They do need EQ though they sound weird and compressed without it. Being electrostatic they take EQ really really well. Genuine no questions asked lifetime warranty as well.

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Adventurous_Pain_689 t1_j28esda wrote

So, from sennheiser you have a few choices, the 6xx, 600, 650, and 660s. The 6xx, 600, and 650 have a darker tone and definitely need an AMP. 660s is great with or without and AMP and personally I like the 660s the best. I highly suggest the focal elex since you like the sennheiser house sound. You’d notice the difference between the 660s and focal elex pretty quick.

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GeeLee80 t1_j28ydzl wrote

Try EQ before making a decision. My 560S sounds much better with proper EQ. I use a Qudelix-5K with the 560S EQ and love the results. I run the Qudelix-5K connected to a Schiit Magni 3+B and this setup is excellent.

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D00M98 t1_j29ofpm wrote

If you want large soundstage, but ok with lean mids and recessed vocals. Try Hifiman Sundara and Edition Xs.

If you want forward vocals, excellent imaging and separation, but ok with smaller soundstage, then try HD660s. Note that imaging and separation are related, but those are not the same as soundatage.

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anaf28 t1_j29qaf4 wrote

IMO the Sundara is a good upgrade, it has deeper bass and a more energetic sound. I think the HD560s sounded too flat in comparison.

Another option is DT 900 Pro X. I think it sounds more enjoyable in pretty much everything.

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PlurPonce t1_j2a986y wrote

I went from 560s to k702. Haven't looked back.

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SecretThrowAway89 t1_j2bfphr wrote

Please tell me more, I've been intrigued by the AKG 7 series and currently have HD560S. Why did you choose the 702 instead of the 712? Do you EQ? Why do you prefer the 702 over the HD560S?

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PlurPonce t1_j2byoo8 wrote

I considered the 712, but the I heard they lose a little bit of detail due to the freq curve having more bass. Others have said EQ'ing the 702 can emulate the 712 if thats what youre going for. Ultimately it was because I got the 702's for a steal, but! Subjectively, I love concerts so the HUGE (some say unnatural) soundstage these provide are second to the 800s. Currently I have them running off the schiit magni/modi stack with peace EQ harman curve but to my preference and theres just something with the way they sound that others headphones dont reproduce. Ive tried the 560S, hd600, sundara, cheaper headphones like the sph9500, pc38x, m50x and koss kph30i's and I sold most of them because I kept grabbing the 702's.

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Regular-Mousse7841 t1_j2b3fac wrote

Frankly, my two cent is try and get variety rather than upgrades.

It can be open & closed, or on ear & over ear, Dynamic & Planar

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ishmeister t1_j2d8n24 wrote

Your next step should be to try some EQ. The HD560S is really good with EQ.

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iplaydrunk99 t1_j2837ou wrote

Tygr 300r if you like a fun sound but also great for gaming and BETTER imaging and soundstage than any HD 6XX series below

Instead of "next step" maybe a different flavor?

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Jmo04 t1_j283xqj wrote

Saw someone suggesting the hd800… meh, I wasn’t a fan when I tried it especially compared to the 660s. It just sounded so much thinner and less engaging. If you can stomach a focal clear then sure. If you don’t care about subbass then try a 660. The meze 109 was fantastic also. Something cheaper might be the edition XS however I think you might want to eq it since vocals might sound a bit thinner than what you are used to and the oratory preset works really well

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ProphetNimd t1_j28viku wrote

I went from the 560S to the 600 and they're basically perfect to my ears.

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