Sennheiser HD 560S vs Sony WH-1000XM5

107 facts in comparison

Based on 4,179 Reddit opinions. HD 560S leads by 35 points.

4.2K opinions
HD 560S leads by 35pts
Reddit's Pick
Sennheiser HD 560S
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.

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VS
Sony WH-1000XM5
50%
D
Based on
1,901 Redditors

Sony WH-1000XM5

~$248
1,088 opinions

tldr; Latest Sony wireless. Better ANC, worse folding. Iteration, not revolution.

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Sound QualityComfortValueBuild QualityFeatures
🎵SOU
😌COM
💰VAL
🔧BUI
FEA
67
Points
52
Points

Score by Category

Sound Quality
80%50%
Comfort
62%41%
Value
95%71%
Build Quality
71%10%
Features
43%92%

Why is Sony WH-1000XM5 better than Sennheiser HD 560S?

  • Better features (92% vs 43%)
  • Best Sony ANC
  • Doesn't fold flat
  • Refined sound
Based on 7,900 Reddit opinions
Clear Winner

Reddit prefers the HD 560S

Winning by 35 points (85% vs 50%)

Better sound quality
Better comfort
Better bass
High confidence (7,900 mentions)

💬Reddit Sentiment

Based on 7,900 Reddit mentions

Overall Rating

HD 560S
8.5/10
5,999 mentions
Sony WH-1000XM5
5.0/10
1,901 mentions
SOUND QUALITY
HD 560S8.0/10
Sony WH-1000XM55.0/10
COMFORT
HD 560S6.2/10
Sony WH-1000XM54.1/10
BASS
HD 560S5.3/10
Sony WH-1000XM54.5/10
BUILD QUALITY
HD 560S7.1/10
Sony WH-1000XM51.0/10
VALUE
HD 560S9.5/10
Sony WH-1000XM57.1/10
FEATURES
HD 560S4.3/10
Sony WH-1000XM59.2/10
⚔️

Head to Head

Head to Head

HD 560S: 5|Sony WH-1000XM5: 1
Sound QualityHD 560S
HD 560S80%
Sony WH-1000XM550%
ComfortHD 560S
HD 560S62%
Sony WH-1000XM541%
BassHD 560S
HD 560S53%
Sony WH-1000XM545%
Build QualityHD 560S
HD 560S71%
Sony WH-1000XM510%
ValueHD 560S
HD 560S95%
Sony WH-1000XM571%
FeaturesSony WH-1000XM5
HD 560S43%
Sony WH-1000XM592%
HD 560S85%
Sony WH-1000XM550%
Clear winner - HD 560S leads by 35 points

Key Specs

SpecSennheiser HD 560SSony WH-1000XM5
Form
Open-back, over-ear
Impedance
120 ohms
48 ohms (1 kHz, wired, power on)
Frequency Response
6 Hz - 38 kHz (-10 dB)
4 Hz - 40,000 Hz (JEITA)
Sound Pressure Level
110 dB (1kHz, 1 Vrms)
Thd
< 0.05 % (1kHz/90 dB SPL)

Key Highlights

Sennheiser HD 560SWinner
📐 Neutral analytical
💰 Budget friendly
🎧 Mixing capable
⚠️ Less musical
Sony WH-1000XM5
📶 Best Sony ANC
⚠️ Doesn't fold flat
🎵 Refined sound
💰 Premium price
Some users report issues (29% negative)

Topic Battles

HD 560S: 4|Tied: 0|Sony WH-1000XM5: 1
🎵Sound Quality
HD 560S wins
HD 560S
80%
Sony WH-1000XM5
50%
😌Comfort
HD 560S wins
HD 560S
62%
Sony WH-1000XM5
41%
💰Value
HD 560S wins
HD 560S
95%
Sony WH-1000XM5
71%
🔧Build Quality
HD 560S wins
HD 560S
71%
Sony WH-1000XM5
10%
Features
Sony WH-1000XM5 wins
HD 560S
43%
Sony WH-1000XM5
92%

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

Best Praise
+81 pts
[half off MSRP, $100 off actual market price](https://www.thomannmusic.com/intl/sennheiser_hd_560s.htm)
r/headphones
View
Top Criticism
+10 pts
I thought the 560s were unbearably clampy tbh
r/headphones
View
3 more quotes available below

What Redditors Say

Best praise vs top criticism for Sony WH-1000XM5

Best Praise
+53 pts
I guess I’m the odd one out, but I really liked my XM5. Served me strong for more than 2 years and multiple oversea flights and long distance trips, not to mention daily commutes. I like how light and silent the design was, where as the XM4s always creaked. It’s good to see that they went back to a folding design, the xm5 case was too damn large. I just hope the tuning continues to improve as it did with the XM5 over the previous generation.
r/headphones
View
Top Criticism
+45 pts
NOT the XM5. The non-folding design has backfired and those hinges are prone to breaking.
r/headphones
View
3 more quotes available below

📈Historical Price Data

Sennheiser HD 560S
Sony WH-1000XM5
$210$280$350$420Apr '25May '25Jun '25Aug '25Sep '25Oct '25Nov '25Jan '26Feb '26Mar '26Low: $179.95Low: $278.99
Sennheiser HD 560S
All-time low: $129.95(2024-10)
$30 below 90-day avg
Sony WH-1000XM5
All-time low: $248(2025-11)
$79 below 90-day avg

Which is Better?

Sennheiser HD 560S Wins
85%
560S
vs
50%
WH-1000XM5

Sennheiser HD 560S leads by 35 points based on 7,900 Reddit opinions.

Why HD 560SWinner
  • Better Value for Money (95% vs 71%)
  • More discussed (5,999 vs 1,901)
Why Sony WH-1000XM5
  • Better Features (92% vs 43%)

❤️The Love/Hate Breakdown

Sentiment Breakdown

44%Positive
Positive
44%
Neutral
48%
Negative
8%
Based on 5,999 Reddit opinions

Sentiment Breakdown

28%Positive
Positive
28%
Neutral
43%
Negative
29%
Based on 1,901 Reddit opinions

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, Sennheiser HD 560S or Sony WH-1000XM5?
Based on 7,900 Reddit comments, Sennheiser HD 560S is the preferred choice with 85% positive sentiment vs Sony WH-1000XM5's 50%. Sennheiser HD 560S leads by 35 percentage points.
Should I buy Sennheiser HD 560S or Sony WH-1000XM5?
If you want the safer choice based on community sentiment, Sennheiser HD 560S has stronger approval ratings (85% vs 50%). However, Sony WH-1000XM5 may still be better depending on your specific needs, budget, or use case.
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 Sony WH-1000XM5?
Reddit users highlight: Best Sony ANC. Doesn't fold flat. Refined sound. With 1,901 mentions and 50% approval, it remains a popular alternative.
How many Reddit reviews were analyzed?
This comparison analyzed 7,900 Reddit comments: 5,999 about Sennheiser HD 560S and 1,901 about Sony WH-1000XM5. 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.

4,179 Reddit opinions analyzed · Last updated 4/15/2026