Upgrade from Hd560s?

Headphones Headphone Discussion / Help
1

I find myself in an interesting dilemma. In sound, due to my years of experience in this business, every time I realize that spending 200 euros more or 300 euros more is not synonymous with improvement. Generally, the extra expenses on headphones go 60% to materials, 20% to sound in terms of technicalities and/or clarity, and 20% that is perceived as a placebo.

Having said that, I have a question. Considering that I want to improve my HD560s (an underrated over ear) in terms of soundstage, better cleanliness in all frequencies and a better image… to listen to ambient, classical, chill out dance, vocal music and pop from the 80s-90s Should I spend €150 for a hifiman 400se, €350 for a hifiman sundara or look for the hifiman edition xs for €500? I have also seen the Sivga Phoenix, the Hd660s or even some rarer option but I don’t know if I will find an improvement with those models.

2

I’d say look at some of the Hifiman stuff, Ananda, Sundara, Edition XS, HE560. If you want to stick with Senns, the 660s would be another. Also, if you can find a good deal used, the Elex with some pad swapping can be a very very good headphone for the money IMO.

1 Like
3

Do you already have a decent amp, because that would otherwise work against most hifiman HP

Otherwise relevant for your music could be something like a used ad 1000x or 2000x maybe?

4

Sundara, ATH-R70x.
Using an amp?

5

I have dac, a powerful dac dongle and a desktop one but with the hd560s I have been using a high end mobile from 2020 and a laptop and it is more than enough. At half power they sound fine.

6

An edition Xs is much better than Sundara?