The Short Answer
The Sennheiser HD 560S is a 120Ω dynamic headphone that Sennheiser rates at 110 dB SPL at 1 kHz from 1 V. Run the numbers and it needs about 1 V RMS and 8 mW for 110 dB peaks — which is what a decent phone dongle or laptop jack already provides. Among the audiophile Sennheisers, this is the one that genuinely works without an amplifier.
So the honest recommendation has two halves. If the HD 560S is plugged into an Apple dongle or a reasonable laptop jack and you listen at sane levels: you are not missing much, spend nothing. If you listen loud, play dynamic material, or want the chain to grow with a future headphone: a Schiit Magni
or JDS Labs Atom Amp+
($99–$109) adds 12+ dB of headroom, and a FiiO K7
($149) does the same while replacing your DAC too.
What you should not buy for this headphone: an OTL tube amp. The section below explains why the pairing that flatters the HD 600 actively harms the HD 560S.
For the headphone itself: it’s the budget pick in my classical music guide and the top overall pick under $200 .
The Power Math
The arithmetic I use in every pairing guide, applied to the HD 560S:
- Sennheiser’s spec: 110 dB SPL at 1 kHz, 1 V — that’s 110 dB/V directly. (In dB/mW terms: 110 − 10·log10(1000/120) ≈ 101 dB/mW.)
- Voltage for 110 dB peaks: 1.0 V RMS. Current: 1.0/120 = 8.3 mA. Power: ~8 mW.
- With 6 dB of headroom (2× voltage): 2.0 V, ~33 mW.
- Output impedance ceiling (Z/8 rule): ≤15Ω to keep the frequency response as tuned.
Compare that to the HD 600’s 2.45 V requirement and the whole story is visible: the HD 560S sits on the easy side of the phone-output line, the 300Ω Sennheisers sit beyond it. The general theory is in What is headphone impedance? and Do I need a headphone amp? .
Sources vs the Requirement
Requirement: 1.0 V for 110 dB peaks, 2.0 V for comfortable headroom. Figures are manufacturer specs or ASR measurements; “derived” means calculated from a published voltage.
| Source | Available into ~120Ω | Headroom vs 1.0 V | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phone jack / generic dongle | ~0.5–1 V typical | −6 to 0 dB | Quiet-to-adequate; varies by device |
| Apple USB-C dongle | ~1 V (ASR measurement) | ~0 dB | Reaches level, zero reserve |
| Laptop / motherboard 3.5 mm | ~1 V typical, Zout 1–30Ω+ | ~0 dB | Works if Zout is low; some jacks color the bass |
| JDS Labs Atom Amp+ | ~11 V swing (JDS) | ~+21 dB | Effortless |
| Schiit Magni Heresy / Magni+ | ~8–11 V derived from Schiit’s power specs | +18 dB or more | Effortless |
| FiiO K7 (single-ended) | ~8 V derived (FiiO) | ~+18 dB | Effortless |
| Topping DX3 Pro+ | ~8 V derived (Topping) | ~+18 dB | Effortless |
| Schiit Asgard 3 | ~13 V derived from 600 mW @ 300Ω | ~+22 dB | Effortless |
Two honest readings of this table. First, every desktop amp is so far past the requirement that “which amp has enough power” is a solved question at $99 — differences between them on this headphone are output impedance (all fine), noise floor (all inaudible), and ergonomics. Second, the unamplified row isn’t a disaster the way it is for the HD 600: ~0 dB headroom means the average level is fine and only the loudest dynamic peaks compress.
Why Not a Tube Amp
The famous Sennheiser-plus-OTL-tube pairing — Darkvoice 336SE, Bottlehead Crack — works because the HD 600 and HD 650 are 300Ω with an impedance peak far above that. An OTL amp’s output impedance of 30–120Ω against 300Ω+ produces a gentle, mostly pleasant bass lift.
Against the HD 560S’s 120Ω, the same output impedance is a third to a full multiple of the headphone’s impedance — far beyond the 15Ω ceiling. The voltage divider now swings hard with the headphone’s impedance curve, and the result is response deviation you can hear as loose, uneven bass, not gentle warmth. If you want a softer, weightier HD 560S, the Schiit Asgard 3 gets you a mild version of that with none of the electrical downsides. The background theory is in tube amp vs solid state .
Complete Chains at Three Budgets
| Budget | Chain | Total | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0 | Existing dongle/laptop jack | $0 | Legitimate with this headphone; upgrade when you notice peak compression |
| ~$100 | Laptop USB → Atom Amp+ or Magni | ~$99–$109 | Fixes headroom; DAC later if ever |
| ~$150 | FiiO K7 (USB in) | ~$149 | One box, done — the most common endpoint |
| ~$250 | Topping E30 II → Atom Amp+ | ~$200 | Separates for the upgrade-path minded |
Product links:
What Changes vs the Other Sennheisers
- HD 600 / HD 650 (300Ω): genuinely need a desktop amp; tubes are a legitimate flavor. Guides: HD 600 , HD 650 .
- HD 58X (150Ω): sits between — closer to the HD 560S’s easy side. Guide: HD 58X .
- HD 560S (120Ω): works unamplified, improves modestly with $99, and should skip tubes. You just read the guide.
Final Recommendation
Run the HD 560S from whatever you own for the first month. If you never hear the loudest passages flatten out, you’re done, and the money belongs in music or a future headphone. If you do, buy an Atom Amp+ or Magni — or the K7 to solve DAC and amp at once — and consider the chain finished. This is one of the cheapest headphones to drive properly in the entire mid-fi catalog; treat that as the feature it is.
Related: Best headphones under $200 · Best headphones for classical music · Headphone amp reviews, ranked · How I test