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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize sound quality and have a quiet environment to enjoy your music, the Sennheiser 560S headphones, being over-ear and open-back, would be the better choice for their superior sound performance and comfort. However, they are not suitable for exercise, lack a microphone for calls and meetings, and are not portable. On the other hand, the Sony WF1000XM3 earbuds are a more versatile choice with good noise isolation, active noise cancelling for use during travel, a built-in microphone, and are more portable. They are better suited for use in a variety of environments and for taking calls, but they won't match the Sennheisers in terms of pure sound quality. 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 Sennheiser 560S
- Best in class for music
- Excellent for TV and video
Advantages of the Sony WF1000XM3
- Very good for phone calls
- Very good for air travel
Key differences
Music
9.5
7.5
The Sennheiser 560S is best in class for music, while the Sony WF1000XM3 is good.
Gaming
6.9
5.6
The Sennheiser 560S is only fair for gaming, while the Sony WF1000XM3 is poor.
Phone Calls
5.1
8.2
The Sony WF1000XM3 is very good for phone calls, while the Sennheiser 560S is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.1
8.7
The Sony WF1000XM3 and Sennheiser 560S are both very good for podcasts and audiobooks, though the Sony WF1000XM3 is somewhat better.
TV and Video
9.1
5.7
The Sennheiser 560S is excellent for TV and video, while the Sony WF1000XM3 is poor.
Noise Reduction
2.5
8.3
The Sony WF1000XM3 is very good for noise reduction, while the Sennheiser 560S is poor.
Battery
N/A
6.0 Hours
The Sennheiser 560S does not have a battery. The Sony WF1000XM3 has 6 hours of battery life.
Build Quality
8.0
9.0
The Sony WF1000XM3 has excellent build quality, while the Sennheiser 560S has very good build quality.
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Key similarities
Cost
$174
$180
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
The Sennheiser 560S has a price of $174 and the Sony WF1000XM3 costs $180.
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How the Sennheiser 560S and the Sony WF1000XM3 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Sennheiser 560S | Sony WF1000XM3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$174 | $180 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Sennheiser | Sony | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 1, 2020 | August 1, 2019 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 9.5/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.1/10 | 8.2/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 6.9/10 | 5.6/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 9.2/10 | 5.8/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.5/10 | 6/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | N/A | 6 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | N/A | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | N/A | 3.5 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | N/A | 5 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | N/A | 24 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 2.5/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | N/A | Yes | |
Android App | |||
Android App | N/A | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | N/A | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | N/A | 8/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8/10 | 9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8.4/10 | 7.9/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | N/A | Large | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 244.9 Grams | 9 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | N/A | Integrated | |
Shopping
Sennheiser 560S
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Dig into reviews and images
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."
Sony WF1000XM3
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Sound Guys
Lily Katz | November 2022
"Wireless earbuds are a dime a dozen, and the Sony WF-1000XM3 makes it easy to justify the cost. The design and comfort are good, and the connection strength is consistent. While the lack of aptX or LDAC support is a big drawback, DSEE HX processing improves low-quality audio files. If you want stylish active noise canceling (ANC) earbuds, the WF-1000XM3 needs to be at the top of your list."
Get a great deal on the Sennheiser 560S or the Sony WF1000XM3
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.
About Sony
Sony is a multinational corporation, based out of Japan, with over 75 years of experience in the consumer electronics industry. In the audio market, Sony has been a trendsetter several times throughout its history. In 1979 they released the first-ever portable music player, the Sony Walkman, followed by the Discman 20 years later. Today, Sony is one of the leaders in the wireless headphone and earbud market, especially in terms of Active Noise Cancellation technology.
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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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