The Sennheiser HD 569 may not satisfy buyers who crave ear-throbbing bass and sparkling highs—these are neutral-sounding bona-fide audiophile headphones. But the HD 569 sounds great and, best of all, it sells for a very reasonable price.

In addition, the fact that this headphone is designed to work with smartphones might put it a notch above the other headphones in the 5 Series. While it is definitely our cup of tea, it all hinges on your listening tastes.

We have a hard time thinking of anything as much fun for $180 as Sennheiser’s gorgeous HD 569.

Build quality, comfort, and styling are simply superb. Synthetic suede ear pads over plush memory foam and "just right" ergonomics makes this a great headphone for long listening sessions at work without being disturbed by, or disturbing neighbors.

The Sennheiser HD 569 headphones are exceptionally comfortable and deliver a rewardingly rich and clear audio experience.

The Sennheiser HD 569 are closed headphones that score with brilliant, loud sound, make a chic, ergonomic appearance and, last but not least, also have call acceptance and speech function for smartphones. The workmanship, wearing comfort and handling of the HD 569 are also good. The dominant heights of these headphones offer many advantages, ranging from depth to stereo impression, giving the playback signal a strong three-dimensionality. Only resonances in the bass range cloud the overall positive sound impression. All in all, the Sennheiser HD 569 are a good choice, especially for those who are looking for all-round headphones that deliver a brilliant sound with differentiated mid-range and treble, both in front of the TV and on the PC/console, as well as on the road.