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Head to head · for music listening
HIFIMAN Sundara vs Sennheiser HD 560S
More people recommend the HIFIMAN Sundara overall (79 vs 35). None of the 17 comments that name both says outright which one to buy, so read the loves and complaints and decide by taste.
- Comments naming both
- 17
- Say they own both
- 1
- Choose the Sundara
- 0
- Choose the HD 560S
- 0
Preference evidence:Limited0 explicit choices among 17 comments naming both.What the levels mean
Counted across 12 review videos, harvested Sep 2026. A comment counts as a choice only when it says so in plain words (prefer X over Y, upgraded from Y to X); questions never count. Quotes are whole sentences of 12 words or fewer, linked to where they were said. How we count.
 |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical price | $179cheaper | $180 |
| Overall rank | #7higher | #20 |
| People who recommend it | 79more | 35 |
| Say they own it | 109more | 36 |
| Mentions | 806more | 384 |
| Type | open-back planar wired | open-back wired |
| Known for | Planar detailHomeAmp helps | AccurateHomeFirst serious pair |
| Best for | The planar most often recommended under $200, by people who already have, or will buy, a small desktop amp. | Recommended as the safe first serious open-back for accurate music listening at home. |
| Buy | Amazon · $179 | Amazon · $180 |
#7 overall
HIFIMAN Sundara
1 of the 17 comments naming both come from people who say they own this one.
What owners love
- Planar speed and detail that people say is unmatched at the price
- Good soundstage and imaging; responds well to EQ
- Frequently on sale or open-box direct from HIFIMAN, which is how many owners bought it
- Comfortable and clean; several owners say they stopped shopping after buying it
The complaints
- Needs a proper amp or DAC/amp; weak from a phone
- Older units had driver failures and some people call HIFIMAN build and quality control poor
- Tuning takes getting used to; a couple of listeners simply do not like planars
In their words
“I bought the Sundara on your recommendations and really love it”
A commenter under Sundara v 660S v 1990 (Under $500 Headphone Comparison) (Joshua Valour) · Feb 2020
“I got my Sundaras at a crazy price, and I love them”
A commenter under The Best Deal in Audio... Period. (Joshua Valour) · Nov 2024
“I use the sundaras and i would recommend them”
A commenter under Why Do All Streamers Use These Headphones? (Dagwummy) · Jul 2023
#20 overall
Sennheiser HD 560S
1 of the 17 comments naming both come from people who say they own this one.
What owners love
- Still the default open-back under $200 on Head-Fi; the 2024 thread asked if anything had replaced it and nobody named a clear successor
- Neutral, accurate sound that works across genres
- One Steve Hoffman owner calls it the most comfortable audiophile headphone he owns, out of five pairs
The complaints
- No microphone, so it fails for people who also want calls
- Plain plastic build
- Neutral tuning can feel unexciting to bass lovers
In their words
“My Daily driver Headphones are the Sennheiser HD 560S open backs”
A commenter under Open vs Closed Back Headphones for GAMING - Which Is Best? (Hardware Canucks) · Jul 2019
“I do love my HXX from Massdrop/Senny, even more than the HD560S”
A commenter under The Headphones Everyone Needs To Own (DankPods) · May 2026
“The Senneheiser HD560s are my favourite headphones already”
A commenter under Sennheiser HD 560S Review in FIVE MINUTES: Best BUDGET AUDIOPHILE headphones? (SoundGuys) · Oct 2023
Questions people ask about this pair
Every answer is built from the counts on this page, not from our own listening.
- Is the HIFIMAN Sundara better than the Sennheiser HD 560S?
- None of the 17 comments naming both says outright which one to buy. Overall, 79 people recommend the HIFIMAN Sundara and 35 the Sennheiser HD 560S. Read what owners love and complain about below and decide by taste.
- Which is cheaper, the HIFIMAN Sundara or the Sennheiser HD 560S?
- The HIFIMAN Sundara is cheaper: $179 against $180 when we last checked. Prices move, so the buy buttons show the live price.
- Which do more people recommend, the HIFIMAN Sundara or the Sennheiser HD 560S?
- The HIFIMAN Sundara: 79 people recommend it against 35. On the site-wide leaderboard the HIFIMAN Sundara is #7 and the Sennheiser HD 560S is #20.
- Do people own both the HIFIMAN Sundara and the Sennheiser HD 560S?
- Yes. 1 of the 17 comments that name both come from people who say they own both pairs. 1 say they own the HIFIMAN Sundara and 1 the Sennheiser HD 560S.
- What do owners complain about on the HIFIMAN Sundara and the Sennheiser HD 560S?
- The most repeated complaint about the HIFIMAN Sundara: needs a proper amp or DAC/amp; weak from a phone. About the Sennheiser HD 560S: no microphone, so it fails for people who also want calls. The full lists are on each side below.