If you want an ultralight, pressure-free open-air design that stays comfy through marathon sessions and long flights, choose Audio-Technica ATH-AD700X; if you need a neutral, analytical reference sound with a wider frequency range for critical listening and gaming, choose Sennheiser HD 560S. Both are wired, open-back, over-ear headphones with no noise cancelling and no battery — which matters a lot when you're thinking about airplane use. Neither is a Bluetooth travel headphone, so if you specifically want bluetooth headphones for airplane noise, you're looking at the wrong category. But if you want a wired set for in-flight movies, a portable amp, or gaming on a laptop after you land, these two are the head-to-head pair worth sorting out.
• Audio-Technica ATH-AD700X — biggest strength: the full open-air design and self-adjusting 3D Wing Support, which the spec sheet describes as producing no sense of pressure on the ears. It's the lighter, airier feel of the two.
• Audio-Technica ATH-AD700X — biggest trade-off: it's wired only, has no noise control, and its open-back build lets outside sound straight in — the opposite of what you'd want to block out engine drone.
• Sennheiser HD 560S — biggest strength: linear, neutral reference tuning with an angled driver alignment (E.A.R.) meant to recreate a hi-fi speaker triangle, plus a wider stated frequency range (6 Hz–38 kHz).
• Sennheiser HD 560S — biggest trade-off: at 120 ohms with 110 dB sensitivity it's more demanding to drive well than a low-impedance set, and it's also wired, open-back, and noiseless-cancelling-free.
• Who each pick is for: the ATH-AD700X suits buyers who prioritize a near-weightless, no-pressure fit for very long listening; the HD 560S suits buyers who want honest, analytical sound for mixing, A/B comparisons and positional gaming.
The ATH-AD700X is built around one idea: get the headphone off your ears and out of your way. The full open-air over-ear design is described as producing no sense of pressure on the ears, and the self-adjusting 3D Wing Support is a floating headband system rather than a clamp you tighten. There is no adjustment knob to fiddle with — the wings rest on your head and the earcups hang. For someone who wears headphones for hours, that's the whole pitch, and it's a genuinely different comfort philosophy from a traditional sliding headband.
How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-09 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
Buy it if: you want the lightest-feeling, least-clamping option of the two, you value the open, airy staging that open-back designs are known for, and you mostly listen at a desk or in a quiet room. Skip it if: you need isolation, you want wireless, or you're hoping to drown out airplane cabin noise — this headphone does the exact opposite.
The HD 560S is aimed at the analytical listener. Its design brief is linear, accurate reference sound tuned for extended sessions, with the angled E.A.R. driver alignment recreating the triangular listening position of a hi-fi loudspeaker setup. That geometry is the reason it's often discussed for soundstage — the goal is a wide, articulate presentation without needing to treat a room. The transducers are specifically tuned for accuracy, which is what makes it useful for comparing components, remasters, and file formats back to back.
The specs back that positioning. A 120-ohm impedance with 110 dB sensitivity and a stated frequency range of 6 Hz–38 kHz means it reaches lower and higher than the Audio-Technica on paper, and the higher impedance means it's happier with a proper source — a headphone amp, audio interface, or a computer with a decent output stage. The velour earpads are chosen so every contact point stays soft, and the ventilated open cup is designed to stay cool without touching your ears. Weight is listed at 240 g, so it's a light headphone by any standard, just not the featherweight the Audio-Technica is. It ships with a 6.3 mm jack plus a 3.5 mm adapter, a cable, and a manual.
Buy it if: you want neutral, honest sound for critical listening, mixing, or positional gaming where you need to pinpoint where a sound is coming from, and you're willing to pair it with a capable source. Skip it if: you want plug-and-play from a weak phone output, you need isolation, or you want a wireless travel set.
• Best for all-day comfort → Audio-Technica ATH-AD700X. The self-adjusting wing support and no-pressure open-air fit are its defining feature.
• Best for neutral, reference-grade sound → Sennheiser HD 560S. Linear tuning and angled drivers are the entire point of this model.
• Best for critical listening and A/B comparisons → Sennheiser HD 560S. It's explicitly tuned for accuracy and dependable component comparisons.
• Best for positional gaming → Sennheiser HD 560S. The angled alignment and analytical tuning are described as helping you pinpoint sound direction.
• Best for plugging into almost anything → Audio-Technica ATH-AD700X. At 38 ohms and 100 dB/mW it's the easier load; the 120-ohm HD 560S wants more current.
• Best for wide frequency coverage on paper → Sennheiser HD 560S. Stated 6 Hz–38 kHz versus 20 Hz–20,000 Hz.
• Best for cool, ventilated earpads → Sennheiser HD 560S. The velour pads and ventilated open cup are designed to stay cool without touching your ears.
• For airplane use → neither, honestly. Both are wired, open-back, and have no noise control, so they won't fight cabin noise. If that's your priority, look at active noise cancelling or low latency earbuds for airplane instead.
I'd buy the Sennheiser HD 560S. In my opinion, its neutral tuning, angled driver alignment, wider stated frequency range, and velour comfort make it the more versatile headphone for critical listening, gaming, and desktop use — as long as you feed it a decent source. I'd choose the Audio-Technica ATH-AD700X only if comfort is your single deciding factor and you want the lightest, least-clamping feel. And to be blunt about the airplane angle: if your real goal is quiet on a flight, neither of these is the answer — they're open-back wired headphones, not travel noise-cancellers.
FAQ
It's 120 ohms with 110 dB sensitivity, so it benefits from a headphone amp, audio interface, or a computer with a solid output stage. The ATH-AD700X at 38 ohms is far more forgiving of weak sources.
You can, but neither has noise cancelling or isolation, and both are open-back wired designs, so cabin noise will come right through. For flights, noise-cancelling Bluetooth headphones, a sweat resistant gaming headset for airplane travel, or low latency earbuds for airplane use will serve you better.
The Sennheiser HD 560S, with a stated 6 Hz–38 kHz, versus 20 Hz–20,000 Hz for the Audio-Technica ATH-AD700X. Whether you hear the difference depends on your source and your ears.
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