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Sennheiser HD 650 vs HD 560S

More people recommend the Sennheiser HD 650 overall (152 vs 35). None of the 41 comments that name both says outright which one to buy, so read the loves and complaints and decide by taste.

Comments naming both
41
Say they own both
4
Choose the HD 650
0
Choose the HD 560S
0

Preference evidence:Limited0 explicit choices among 41 comments naming both.What the levels mean

Counted across 22 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.

At a glance the better number on each row is highlighted
Sennheiser HD 650Sennheiser HD 560S
Typical price$345$180cheaper
Overall rank#1higher#20
People who recommend it152more35
Say they own it213more36
Mentions1,403more384
Typeopen-back wiredopen-back wired
Known forVocalsJazzRelaxedAccurateHomeFirst serious pair
Best forThe one headphone almost everyone in the hobby has owned; recommended as the safe buy for long, relaxed music sessions.Recommended as the safe first serious open-back for accurate music listening at home.
BuyAmazon · $345Amazon · $180

#1 overall

Sennheiser HD 650 (also sold as Drop HD 6XX)

6 of the 41 comments naming both come from people who say they own this one.

What owners love

  • The single most-recommended headphone across every forum read: warm, smooth and easy to listen to for hours
  • Scales with better amps; several owners run it on expensive tube amps and say it keeps up
  • Female vocals and mids that owners describe as amazing
  • The Drop HD 6XX version sold for $199-220 for years, which made it the default first audiophile headphone

The complaints

  • Needs an amp; from a phone it sounds flat
  • No real sub-bass
  • Clamp is tight on big heads
  • Some find the slight bass tilt less balanced than the HD 600; soundstage is small

In their words

#20 overall

Sennheiser HD 560S

4 of the 41 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

Questions people ask about this pair

Every answer is built from the counts on this page, not from our own listening.

Is the Sennheiser HD 650 better than the Sennheiser HD 560S?
None of the 41 comments naming both says outright which one to buy. Overall, 152 people recommend the Sennheiser HD 650 and 35 the Sennheiser HD 560S. Read what owners love and complain about below and decide by taste.
Which is cheaper, the Sennheiser HD 650 or the Sennheiser HD 560S?
The Sennheiser HD 560S is cheaper: $180 against $345 when we last checked. Prices move, so the buy buttons show the live price.
Which do more people recommend, the Sennheiser HD 650 or the Sennheiser HD 560S?
The Sennheiser HD 650: 152 people recommend it against 35. On the site-wide leaderboard the Sennheiser HD 650 is #1 and the Sennheiser HD 560S is #20.
Do people own both the Sennheiser HD 650 and the Sennheiser HD 560S?
Yes. 4 of the 41 comments that name both come from people who say they own both pairs. 6 say they own the Sennheiser HD 650 and 4 the Sennheiser HD 560S.
What do owners complain about on the Sennheiser HD 650 and the Sennheiser HD 560S?
The most repeated complaint about the Sennheiser HD 650: needs an amp; from a phone it sounds flat. About the Sennheiser HD 560S: no microphone, so it fails for people who also want calls. The full lists are on each side below.

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