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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If budget is a concern and you're looking for a solid pair of headphones for a variety of uses such as music and gaming, the Sennheiser 560S offers good value with quality sound reproduction. However, if you are an audiophile seeking a premium listening experience and are willing to invest more, the Focal Elex provides an exceptional audio quality that may justify the higher expense. The Elex is likely to excel in music listening, offering a more detailed and refined sound, while the 560S may have higher latency and less nuanced audio but at a significantly lower price point. Consider also the Elex's build quality and materials, which are indicative of its higher price range, compared to the more budget-conscious design of the 560S. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Focal Elex
- The Focal Elex has no clear advantages over the Sennheiser 560S.
Advantages of the Sennheiser 560S
- Best in class for music
- Excellent for TV and video
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
7.7
9.5
The Sennheiser 560S is best in class for music, while the Focal Elex is good.
Phone Calls
4.3
5.1
The Sennheiser 560S and Focal Elex are both poor for phone calls, though the Sennheiser 560S is somewhat better.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
7.1
8.1
The Sennheiser 560S is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Focal Elex is good.
TV and Video
8.3
9.1
The Sennheiser 560S is excellent for TV and video, while the Focal Elex is very good.
Cost
$749
$180
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The Focal Elex has a price of $749 and the Sennheiser 560S costs $180.
Build Quality
9.0
8.0
The Focal Elex has excellent build quality, while the Sennheiser 560S has very good build quality.
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Key similarities
Gaming
6.9
6.9
The Focal Elex and Sennheiser 560S are both only fair for gaming.
Noise Reduction
2.5
2.5
The Focal Elex and Sennheiser 560S are both poor for noise reduction.
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How the Focal Elex and the Sennheiser 560S compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Focal Elex | Sennheiser 560S |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$749 | $180 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Focal | Sennheiser | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2017 | September 1, 2020 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 7.8/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 4.4/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 6.9/10 | 6.9/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 8.4/10 | 9.2/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.3/10 | 4.5/10 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 2.5/10 | 2.5/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | N/A | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 8/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 450 Grams | 244.9 Grams | |
Waterproof Rating | |||
Waterproof Rating | 0 | 0 | |
Dustproof Rating | |||
Dustproof Rating | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Focal Elex
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Dig into reviews and images
Golden Sound
Golden Sound | October 2021
"The Focal Elex are an excellent pair of headphones for the money and a great all-rounder that will suit many tastes. They’re an easy recommendation for anyone looking for something comfortable, well built, that looks good, and will work with just about any genre."
Sennheiser 560S
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Headphonesty
Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir | March 2022
"Sennheiser made a near perfect pair of studio monitors with the HD 560S. Flat bass response? Check. Neutral and uncolored midrange? Check. Extended treble with a bit of lower-treble emphasis to highlight mastering flaws? Check. Fairly easy to drive? Check. Good soundstage and imaging? Check, and check."
Get a great deal on the Focal Elex or the Sennheiser 560S
About Sennheiser
A family-owned company, Sennheiser is a German, high fidelity, audio equipment manufacturer founded in 1945. Their consumer audio division is now owned by the Swiss hearing aid and cochlear implant manufacturer Sonova. Sennheiser offers a wide variety of, very high quality, audio equipment solutions, from headphones to earbuds, full sets of monitoring speakers, amplifiers and microphones. They also make what is widely regarded as the best, and most expensive, headphones in existence, the HE-1 Orpheus, costing a whopping $59,000 dollars.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
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About the Earbuds or Headphones team
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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Luis is a Mexico-based headphones expert. He’s been making headphone recommendations for five years and has close to 100 pairs in his personal collection.
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