HiFiMan Edition XS vs Sennheiser HD 560S
106 facts in comparison
Based on 6,960 Reddit opinions. Close race—HD 560SSennheiser HD 560S edges ahead.
7.0K opinions
HD 560S leads by 3pts
VS
82%
B+
Based on
6,992 Redditors
HiFiMan Edition XS
~$209
3,869 opinions
tldr; Ananda alternative. Similar tier, different flavor. Great value planar.
Check pricesVS
Reddit's Pick
85%
A-
Based on
5,999 Redditors
Winner
Sennheiser HD 560S
~$149.95
3,091 opinions
tldr; Analytical budget king. Neutral, revealing, affordable. Mixing and critical listening.
Check prices🎵SOU
😌COM
💰VAL
🔧BUI
⚡FEA
63
Points
67
Points
Score by Category
Sound Quality
81%80%
Comfort
31%62%
Value
97%95%
Build Quality
12%71%
Features
74%43%
Why is Sennheiser HD 560S better than HiFiMan Edition XS?
- Higher Reddit score (85% vs 82%)
- Better comfort (62% vs 31%)
- Better build quality (71% vs 12%)
- Neutral analytical
- Budget friendly
- Mixing capable
Based on 12,991 Reddit opinions
Too Close to Call
Reddit prefers the HD 560SSennheiser HD 560S
Winning by 3 points (85% vs 82%)
Better comfort
Better build quality
Neutral analytical
High confidence (12,991 mentions)
💬Reddit Sentiment
Based on 12,991 Reddit mentionsOverall Rating
Edition XS
8.2/10
6,992 mentions
HD 560S
8.5/10
5,999 mentions
SOUND QUALITY
Edition XS8.1/10
HD 560S8.0/10
BUILD QUALITY
Edition XS1.2/10
HD 560S7.1/10
COMFORT
Edition XS3.1/10
HD 560S6.2/10
BASS
Edition XS8.5/10
HD 560S5.3/10
VALUE
Edition XS9.7/10
HD 560S9.5/10
FEATURES
Edition XS7.4/10
HD 560S4.3/10
⚔️
Head to Head
| Topic | Edition XS | HD 560S |
|---|---|---|
Sound Quality | 81% | 80% |
Build Quality | 12% | 71% |
Comfort | 31% | 62% |
Bass | 85% | 53% |
Value | 97% | 95% |
Features | 74% | 43% |
Category Wins
Edition XS: 2|HD 560S: 2
Head to Head
Edition XS: 2|HD 560S: 2
Sound Quality
Edition XS81%
HD 560S80%
Build QualityHD 560S
Edition XS12%
HD 560S71%
ComfortHD 560S
Edition XS31%
HD 560S62%
BassEdition XS
Edition XS85%
HD 560S53%
Value
Edition XS97%
HD 560S95%
FeaturesEdition XS
Edition XS74%
HD 560S43%
Edition XS
82%
85%
HD 560S
Edition XS82%
HD 560S85%
Close race - HD 560S edges ahead by 3 points
Key Specs
| Spec | HiFiMan Edition XS | Sennheiser HD 560S |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Open-back planar magnetic | — |
| Impedance | 18 ohms | 120 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 92 dB | — |
| Frequency Response | 8Hz-50kHz | 6 Hz - 38 kHz (-10 dB) |
| Diaphragm | NEO supernano Diaphragm | — |
Key Highlights
HiFiMan Edition XSWinner
💰 Value planar
🎵 Fun tuning
😌 Comfortable
⚠️ Build quality
Sennheiser HD 560S
📐 Neutral analytical
💰 Budget friendly
🎧 Mixing capable
⚠️ Less musical
Topic Battles
Edition XS: 1|Tied: 2|HD 560S: 2
🎵Sound Quality
Edition XS
81%
HD 560S
80%
😌Comfort
HD 560S winsEdition XS
31%
HD 560S
62%
💰Value
Edition XS
97%
HD 560S
95%
🔧Build Quality
HD 560S winsEdition XS
12%
HD 560S
71%
⚡Features
Edition XS winsEdition XS
74%
HD 560S
43%
Based on Reddit sentiment across 5 categories
📈Where They Rank
💬What Redditors Actually Say
What Redditors Say
Best praise vs top criticism for Sennheiser HD 560S
What Redditors Say
Best praise vs top criticism for HiFiMan Edition XS
Best Praise
+136 pts“Sorry everyone. I am really horrible at describing the sound and am very new to this hobby. I spent more time with the XS and the Arya Stealth. The XS seemed a bit warmer to me and the price made it worth it! The HE 1000Unveiled was beautiful sounding. Not as flat as the SE, it felt like it had a little more color in the tuning. That Unveiled would be my dream cans. I loved the Arya Organic too. They sounded huge! It felt like I was in a concert hall and could point out exactly where each instrument was coming from. Depth!, the bass was a little lacking, but it was clean. The Susvara had the best separation. Even better than the Organics to my ears. But they also felt distant, especially vocals. They were detailed. I hope this doesn’t make me sound like a dumbass. LOL. I think my next step up will be the organics.”
r/headphones
ViewTop Criticism
+38 pts“Sundara: 3x (L driver failure, R driver failure, headband faulty) Edition XS: 3x (L driver faulty, faulty headband, damaged grills) Ananda Stealth: was fine but sold Arya Stealth: has been great, def seems to have higher QC. I'm stopping at Arya Stealth. I think the lower models have really crappy QC and Hifiman doesn't care. It's prob cheaper to keep the corners cut like they are and replace them than to invest in better QC. You get what you pay for. Unfortunately with Hifiman they sound levels ahead of their price point, but build quality is shit. I've had probably 10 Sennheisers over the years and never had a single issue.”
r/headphones
View3 more quotes available below
Sentiment Over Time
HiFiMan Edition XS
Sennheiser HD 560S
📈Historical Price Data
HiFiMan Edition XS
Sennheiser HD 560S
HiFiMan Edition XS
All-time low: $209(2025-10)
Sennheiser HD 560S
All-time low: $129.95(2024-10)
$30 below 90-day avg
Which is Better?
Sennheiser HD 560S Wins
85%
560S
vs
82%
XS
Close race, but Sennheiser HD 560S edges ahead by 3 points based on 12,991 Reddit opinions.
Why HD 560SWinner
- 📐 Neutral analytical
- 💰 Budget friendly
- 🎧 Mixing capable
Why Edition XS
- Better Features (74% vs 43%)
❤️The Love/Hate Breakdown
Sentiment Breakdown
44%Positive
Positive
44%Neutral
48%Negative
8%Based on 5,999 Reddit opinions
Sentiment Breakdown
45%Positive
Positive
45%Neutral
45%Negative
10%Based on 6,992 Reddit opinions
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Sennheiser HD 560S or HiFiMan Edition XS?
Based on 12,991 Reddit comments, Sennheiser HD 560S has a slight edge with 85% positive sentiment vs HiFiMan Edition XS's 82%. The difference is small, so both are solid choices.
Should I buy Sennheiser HD 560S or HiFiMan Edition XS?
Both have similar approval ratings (85% vs 82%), so focus on specific features, pricing, and what matters most to you.
What do Redditors love about Sennheiser HD 560S?
Reddit users highlight: Neutral analytical. Budget friendly. Mixing capable. With 5,999 mentions and 85% approval, it's a well-regarded choice in the community.
What do Redditors say about HiFiMan Edition XS?
Reddit users highlight: Value planar. Fun tuning. Comfortable. With 6,992 mentions and 82% approval, it remains a popular alternative.
How many Reddit reviews were analyzed?
This comparison analyzed 12,991 Reddit comments: 5,999 about Sennheiser HD 560S and 6,992 about HiFiMan Edition XS. Data was sourced from headphones community discussions.
How accurate are these ratings?
Our sentiment analysis is approximately 80-85% accurate compared to manual review. Well-discussed products with many mentions tend to have more reliable scores than niche items with fewer data points.
Why trust Reddit over professional reviews?
Reddit users bought products with their own money and have no incentive to mislead. You're seeing hundreds of real opinions across different use cases, not just one reviewer's take. This crowdsourced approach surfaces both common praise and recurring complaints.
6,960 Reddit opinions analyzed · Last updated 4/16/2026