Sennheiser HD 560 S Over-The-Ear Audiophile Headphones - Neutral Frequency Response, E.A.R. Technology for Wide Sound Field, Open-Back Earcups, Detachable Cable, (Black) (HD 560S)

Wow! I love them. The bass is well balanced, detailed and extends very low. Mids/vocals are a bit forward just like I like. Treble is nice and detailed not harsh or sibilant to me. Excellent imaging and detail . Sound stage is good to.

I saw many people saying these headphones were great, especially for the price-range. I found them almost painful to listen to: extremely muffled and tinny - the cheap USB headset Ive had for 10 years sounds vastly more clear. I spent days trying to fix these: installing and reinstalling drivers, consulting tech support guides, etc. I talked to someone with a similar problem who said an external DAC had helped, so I bought one. Nothing made these headphones sound better, though. Now Im returning them. I saw a review here when I bought these saying what Im saying now. I should have listened...

Sound cancellation is bad only because they are open backs. If you have a noisy house consider something else. When first arrived the headphones were too tight on my head. I placed them on a kleenex box to stretch them overnight and they fight great now. Sound quality is amazing, and pinpointing certain sounds(for gaming purposes) they are better than all other hyperX headphones Ive had

Good sound, clear, good for games ( positionals) , Downsides: Clamp force is noticable for the first week or so ( gets better), the Cable IMO is too long

Love these headphones, replaced a set of HD 800S after changing those to a ZMF Aeolus for music listening. These headphones have great soundstage and allow you to pinpoint enemies very well

I am really picky when it comes to headphones--I want *exactly* what I had before (even though Im no expert on sound) so its really hard to shop...these are as good or better than the ones I got years ago that cost $350. Very happy with this purchase.

In brief:

My trusty Sennheiser HD 545s finally needed replacing. I purchased them in the mid 90s at Circuit City (remember them?) for around $200. Great return on investment! I started reading reviews for new headphones in that general price range that might be comparable (over ear, open back). As the Sennheisers lasted so long and I loved their sound, I focused my energy mainly on this brand. I found many reviews touting these HD 560S and pulled the trigger.

Listening to songs Ive heard live in small venues as a comparison, these headphones are all I could ever ask for. They stay true to the artist everywhere in the range; no independent sound signature is present.

I got a bass rumble on the right side. Disappointing, as it was aparant from the first day. I live outside the US.