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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize comfort for long listening sessions and prefer a detailed, natural sound with an open-back design, Sennheiser 560S is an excellent choice, but keep in mind they're not portable and don't isolate noise well, making them less suitable for noisy environments. On the other hand, if you want portable, noise-cancelling earbuds with smart features like touch controls and speak-to-chat function, Sony WF1000XM4 is your go-to, though they may be more expensive. Remember that Sony's earbuds are also better for active use cases like commuting or working out, while Sennheisers are suited to home listening. 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 WF1000XM4
- Very good for air travel
- Best in class for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Gaming
6.9
5.6
The Sennheiser 560S is only fair for gaming, while the Sony WF1000XM4 is poor.
Phone Calls
5.1
6.7
The Sony WF1000XM4 is only fair for phone calls, while the Sennheiser 560S is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.1
10.0
The Sony WF1000XM4 is best in class for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Sennheiser 560S is very good.
TV and Video
9.1
6.0
The Sennheiser 560S is excellent for TV and video, while the Sony WF1000XM4 is only fair.
Noise Reduction
2.5
8.3
The Sony WF1000XM4 is very good for noise reduction, while the Sennheiser 560S is poor.
Battery
N/A
9.0 Hours
The Sennheiser 560S does not have a battery. The Sony WF1000XM4 has 9 hours of battery life.
Cost
$180
$220
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
The Sennheiser 560S has a price of $180 and the Sony WF1000XM4 costs $220.
Build Quality
8.0
8.9
The Sony WF1000XM4 and Sennheiser 560S both have very good build quality, though the Sony WF1000XM4 has somewhat better build quality.
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Key similarities
Music
9.5
9.0
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Sennheiser 560S to be best in class for music, while the Sony WF1000XM4 is excellent.
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How the Sennheiser 560S and the Sony WF1000XM4 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Sennheiser 560S | Sony WF1000XM4 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$180 | $220 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Sennheiser | Sony | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 1, 2020 | July 1, 2021 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 9.5/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.1/10 | 6.7/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 6.9/10 | 5.6/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 9.2/10 | 6/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.5/10 | 6.7/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | N/A | 9 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | N/A | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | N/A | 1.5 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | N/A | 5.2 | |
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 | 5.4/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8/10 | 8.9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8.4/10 | 8.9/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | N/A | Large | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 244.9 Grams | 6.5 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 WF1000XM4
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Dig into reviews and images
What HiFi?
What HiFi? | March 2023
"The headphones deliver a satisfying user experience, class-leading battery life, some of the best noise-cancelling we’ve heard in this category, and absolutely stunning sound quality."
Get a great deal on the Sennheiser 560S or the Sony WF1000XM4
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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About the Earbuds or Headphones team
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