If you want lightweight, open-air headphones with a relaxed fit for webinars, choose Audio-Technica ATH-AD500X; if you need a more analytical sound for focused listening alongside webinars, choose Sennheiser HD 560S. Both are wired, open-back, over-ear headphones, so neither is a noise-cancelling wireless headset. The practical choice is between the AD500X’s airy comfort-oriented design and the HD 560S’s emphasis on neutral, detailed listening.
Audio-Technica ATH-AD500X vs Sennheiser HD 560S at a Glance
• Sennheiser HD 560S: Its angled driver arrangement and accuracy-focused tuning suit analytical listening; its open-back construction also lets outside sounds reach you.
• Choose the AD500X if you want a comfortable wired option for listening and webinars in a quiet room.
• Choose the HD 560S if you want a more analytical headphone for comparing recordings, using audio equipment, or listening closely to details.
• Both use a cable rather than Bluetooth, so neither is the best fit if you need wireless freedom or active noise cancellation.
The ATH-AD500X is an open-air, over-ear wired headphone built around 53 mm dynamic drivers. Its listed frequency range is 5–25,000 Hz, and Audio-Technica describes its sound in terms of natural reproduction, impactful bass, and clear vocal projection. For a webinar listener, the vocal emphasis is relevant: speech is a central part of calls, and this design is intended to give voices a prominent place in what you hear. That does not make it a headset with a microphone; the supplied facts identify it as headphones, not a microphone-equipped communications device.
Comfort is a major part of the AD500X’s appeal on paper. The self-adjusting 3D Wing Support Housing is designed to support the headphones without a conventional headband adjustment routine, while flexible raised-fabric earpads provide soft contact around the ears. Its honeycomb aluminum casing is described as lightweight, and the open-air design is intended to avoid a pressure-like sensation. Those features make it a sensible choice for someone who expects to sit through longer listening sessions at a desk and prefers a more open feel over a sealed cup.
How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-21 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
Who should skip it: Skip the ATH-AD500X if you need wireless use, strong noise isolation, or a built-in microphone for speaking on calls.
The HD 560S is an open-back, over-ear wired headphone designed around accurate, neutral listening. Its dynamic drivers have a listed frequency range of 6 Hz to 38 kHz, and Sennheiser describes the tuning as linear and analytical. In everyday terms, this makes it a better match for someone who wants to inspect recordings and hear differences across tracks, rather than choosing a headphone primarily for a warm or forceful presentation. The frequency range is a specification, not a guarantee that every listener will perceive every frequency.
Sennheiser’s E.A.R. angled driver alignment is intended to create a listening position similar to the triangular arrangement of speakers in a room. The company associates this with a wide, articulated soundstage. That design may appeal if you listen closely to music, compare mixes, or play games where sound direction matters. The velour earpads and ventilated open-back construction are also designed with extended listening in mind; the cups are intended to stay cool and avoid contact with the ears.
The HD 560S has a 120-ohm impedance and a listed sensitivity of 110 dB. It is supplied with a cable and an adapter, and its connection is described as a 6.3 mm jack with a 3.5 mm adapter. Those details matter when you’re planning to connect it to a computer, interface, or headphone amplifier: check that your device’s output and the included connector arrangement suit your setup. Like the Audio-Technica, it is wired and open-back, so it is not designed to cut you off from a noisy room. Its neutral, detail-focused character may also be more analytical than some listeners want for casual, bass-forward entertainment.
Who should skip it: Skip the HD 560S if you want a wireless headset, a closed design for noisy surroundings, or a headphone with a more comfort-first sound description.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
I would choose the Audio-Technica ATH-AD500X for webinars in a quiet workspace because its comfort-oriented support and stated vocal projection suit long stretches of listening to people speak. I would not mistake it for a call-center headset: it is wired, open-back, and not listed with a microphone. For analytical listening and careful music comparison, I’d choose the HD 560S instead. Neither is the answer if your priority is noise cancelling wireless headphones for webinars.
Before choosing either pair for meetings, consider what your room is like. Their open-back designs are intended to feel more natural and ventilated, but that design also means they do not provide the kind of isolation a closed or noise-cancelling headset is meant to offer. In a quiet home office, that may be a reasonable compromise. In a shared room, it can make it harder to focus, and others nearby may hear your audio.
Also think about what “for webinars” means in your setup. If you mainly listen to presentations and conversations, the AD500X’s stated vocal projection and comfort features make it an appealing match. If webinars are only one part of a broader routine that includes close listening, recording comparisons, or gaming, the HD 560S’s accuracy-oriented tuning and angled driver arrangement may matter more. Neither product’s supplied information describes a microphone, so plan on a separate microphone or the one built into another device if you need to speak.
Finally, check the cable connection against your computer, interface, or other audio source. The AD500X includes a 3.5 mm connector and a 6.3 mm adapter; the HD 560S is listed with a 6.3 mm jack and a 3.5 mm adapter. A cable can be reliable for a fixed desk setup, but it does restrict movement compared with wireless headphones. If that trade-off is central to your decision, neither is the best headband headphones for webinars in the sense of a complete, wireless communications headset.
No. Both are described as open-back or open-air wired headphones, and neither product information lists active noise cancellation. They are better suited to quiet listening spaces than noisy environments where blocking outside sound is essential.
The ATH-AD500X is described as having strong vocal projection, which makes it a reasonable choice if hearing presenters clearly is your priority. The HD 560S is described as neutral and analytical, so it may suit listeners who also want to examine music and other audio closely.
No Bluetooth connection is listed for either product. Both are wired, and neither is identified in the supplied information as having a built-in microphone, so you would need a separate microphone or another device’s microphone to speak.
Check whether your computer or audio equipment works with the included cable and adapter arrangement. The ATH-AD500X provides a 3.5 mm connector with a 6.3 mm adapter; the HD 560S is listed with a 6.3 mm jack and a 3.5 mm adapter.
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