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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 a more natural listening experience for music and home use, consider the Sennheiser 560S, as these have an open-back design and score higher in this respect. However, they lack a microphone, are not wireless, and are not suitable for use during exercise or air travel due to their open design and lack of noise isolation. On the other hand, the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones offer better portability, active noise cancelling for quieter listening in noisy environments, and a long battery life which makes them versatile for use in various settings including travel and exercise. They are also wireless, have an in-built microphone for calls, and support app customization, at a somewhat higher price. Choose the Sennheisers for dedicated music listening in quiet environments, or go with the Sonys for a good all-round headphone that can adapt to many situations, including noise cancellation for travel and wireless convenience. 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
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Sony WH-1000XM5
- Very good for air travel
Key differences
Music
9.5
8.2
The Sennheiser 560S is best in class for music, while the Sony WH-1000XM5 is very good.
Gaming
6.9
5.6
The Sennheiser 560S is only fair for gaming, while the Sony WH-1000XM5 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.1
6.0
The Sennheiser 560S is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Sony WH-1000XM5 is only fair.
TV and Video
9.1
5.8
The Sennheiser 560S is excellent for TV and video, while the Sony WH-1000XM5 is poor.
Noise Reduction
2.5
9.1
The Sony WH-1000XM5 is excellent for noise reduction, while the Sennheiser 560S is poor.
Battery
N/A
40.3 Hours
The Sennheiser 560S does not have a battery. The Sony WH-1000XM5 has 40.3 hours of battery life.
Cost
$180
$398
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The Sennheiser 560S has a price of $180 and the Sony WH-1000XM5 costs $398.
Build Quality
8.0
8.8
The Sony WH-1000XM5 and Sennheiser 560S both have very good build quality, though the Sony WH-1000XM5 has somewhat better build quality.
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Key similarities
Phone Calls
5.1
5.5
The Sony WH-1000XM5 and Sennheiser 560S are both poor for phone calls.
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How the Sennheiser 560S and the Sony WH-1000XM5 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Sennheiser 560S | Sony WH-1000XM5 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$180 | $398 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Sennheiser | Sony | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 1, 2020 | May 1, 2022 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wired + Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 9.5/10 | 8.3/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.1/10 | 5.6/10 | |
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 | 6.3/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | N/A | 40.3 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | N/A | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | N/A | 3.5 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | N/A | 5.2 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 2.5/10 | 9.1/10 | |
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 | 8.5/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8.4/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 244.9 Grams | 249.4 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | N/A | Integrated | |
Waterproof Rating | |||
Waterproof Rating | 0 | 0 | |
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 WH-1000XM5
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Dig into reviews and images
Headphonesty
Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir | February 2023
"The Sony WH-1000XM5 are the best Sony Bluetooth headphones so far and one of the most well-rounded Bluetooth headphones around. Look no further if you need class-leading ANC with a mostly inoffensive sound signature. Just be ready to pony up the price premium."
Get a great deal on the Sennheiser 560S or the Sony WH-1000XM5
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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