Sennheiser HD 505 vs HD 560S

What published reviews say about each, where the two differ, and who each one suits.

Summed up from 16 published reviews

Sennheiser

HD 505

The Sennheiser HD 505 delivers a comfortable, spacious open-back sound with clear vocals at a good value, but suffers from bass lightness, sound leakage, and a plasticky build.

Best for: Home listening, vocal-centric music, long sessions
Skip it if: Need isolation, strong bass, portable use, gaming

PriceToday's price on AmazonView on Amazon

What reviewers say about the Sennheiser HD 505

Sennheiser

HD 560S

The Sennheiser HD 560S deliver accurate, spacious open-back sound and long-session comfort, but offer no isolation, portability, or modern features.

Best for: Critical listening, mixing, and quiet at-home music sessions.
Skip it if: You need isolation, portability, wireless features, or punchy bass.

PriceToday's price on AmazonView on Amazon

What reviewers say about the Sennheiser HD 560S

Affiliate link · we may earn a commission

Specs side by side

Spec	Sennheiser HD 505	Sennheiser HD 560S
Best for	Music	Studio, Music
Fit	Over-ear	Over-ear
Connection	Wired	Wired
Noise cancelling	No	No
Microphone	No mic	No mic
Ear cups	Open-back	Open-back

Rows where the two differ come first.

Where only one fits

use: HD 560SStudio

What reviewers like, and what they don't

Sennheiser HD 505

Comfortable, lightweight design for extended listening sessions 1 2 3 4
Spacious open soundstage with natural imaging 1 2 3 4
Detailed, balanced sound with clear vocals 1 2 3 4
Detachable locking cable for easy replacement 3 4 6
Open-back leaks sound, offers minimal isolation 1 2 3 4
Bass lacks punch and low-end substance 1 2 4 5
Build feels plasticky, not premium 1 2 4 6
Nonstandard 2.5mm cable limits replacement options 2 3 6 7

Sennheiser HD 560S

Detailed, natural, balanced sound suits critical listening. 1 2 3 4
Spacious soundstage presents instruments with precise separation. 2 3 4 6
Lightweight, well-padded design stays comfortable through long sessions. 1 2 3 4
Strong value for audiophile-leaning, reference-oriented performance. 1 2 5 8
Open-back leaks sound and admits ambient noise. 1 2 3 4
Wired-only design lacks Bluetooth and modern conveniences. 3 5 6 7
120-ohm impedance benefits from a capable amplifier or DAC. 2 4 5 6
Restrained, neutral bass may not satisfy bass-forward listeners. 2 6 7

Ranked in our guides

Guide	HD 505	HD 560S
Best open-back headphones	#2	#8

Sources

We don't test products ourselves. This page sums up 16 published reviews, read on October 23, 2026; each point above links to the reviews that make it.