Short answer: the Sennheiser HD 569, though neither ranks well in its class. It ranks #209 of 216 over-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 1.6/5, at $129.95; the Audio-Technica ATH-G1 ranks #214, rated 1.0/5, and costs $189, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 216 over-ear headphones; for better sound, the Sennheiser HD 550 ranks #6 at $199.95.
The Sennheiser HD 569 is the better-sounding pick. A wired closed-back headphone with a built-in microphone. The catch: Treble from 6 to 10 kHz is about 5 dB low and presence is down 4 dB, with an 11.7 dB dip near 10 kHz, so the sound is dull and veiled.
What the Audio-Technica ATH-G1 does well: It is a closed-back gaming headset with a built-in microphone, so it isolates from room noise and handles voice chat without a separate mic. Watch for: A preference score of just 7 in crinacle’s measurement is among the furthest from the preferred target of any over-ear, so music sounds heavily colored without EQ.
Buy the Sennheiser HD 569. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Audio-Technica ATH-G1 and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
Want more options? Browse the full Headphones rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sennheiser HD 569 | Audio-Technica ATH-G1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $129.95 | $189.00 |
| Ranked | #209 of 216 in Over-Ear Headphones | #214 of 216 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 28 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) | 7 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 3.97 dB standard deviation | 5.13 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -2.31 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -2.76 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+1.9 dB at 30 Hz) | - |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 38mm dynamic | 1 x 45mm dynamic |
| Impedance | 23 ohms | 45 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 115 dB SPL/V | 101 dB/mW |
| Weight | 0.7 lbs (300 g) | 0.6 lbs (250 g) |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 28kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 5Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
Related Headphone Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Sennheiser HD 569:
- Sennheiser HD 550 vs Sennheiser HD 569
- Sennheiser HD 600 vs Sennheiser HD 569
- Sennheiser HD 505 vs Sennheiser HD 569
- Sennheiser HD 650 vs Sennheiser HD 569
- Sennheiser HD 599 vs Sennheiser HD 569
Prices on this page were last checked October 11, 2026 at 4:59 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
The Two Headphones In Full
Sennheiser HD 569: $129.95 Amazon eBay
Pros: A wired closed-back headphone with a built-in microphone. A 23 ohm impedance and 115 dB sensitivity make it very easy to drive from a phone. A bass lift of about 5 dB suits listeners who prefer a warm, bassy sound.
Cons: Treble from 6 to 10 kHz is about 5 dB low and presence is down 4 dB, with an 11.7 dB dip near 10 kHz, so the sound is dull and veiled. The warm tilt and bass emphasis can make mixes sound heavy. At 300 g, wired only, it is rated below the Logitech G Pro X and the Jabra Evolve 40.
Full Sennheiser HD 569 review and specifications →
| Back | Closed |
|---|---|
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 3.97 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 38mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 28kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 28 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 23 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 115 dB SPL/V |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+1.9 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -2.31 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.7 lbs (300 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.2 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | -0.4 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 79 Hz | -7.0 dB | 0.60 |
| Peak | 10,000 Hz | +4.2 dB | 0.26 |
| Peak | 4,676 Hz | +3.2 dB | 5.65 |
| Peak | 818 Hz | -1.9 dB | 1.41 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -2.2 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 280 Hz | +1.7 dB | 2.28 |
| Peak | 2,195 Hz | +2.0 dB | 2.24 |
| Peak | 3,255 Hz | -3.5 dB | 4.88 |
| Peak | 154 Hz | -1.1 dB | 2.14 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Sennheiser HD 569 vs HIFIMAN HE-R9
- Sennheiser HD 569 vs Audio-Technica ATH-A990Z
- Sennheiser HD 569 vs Logitech G Pro X
- Sennheiser HD 569 vs Beyerdynamic DT 770 M
- Sennheiser HD 569 vs AKG K271 MKII
- Sennheiser HD 569 vs Sennheiser HD 820
- Sennheiser HD 569 vs Sennheiser HD 599
- Sennheiser HD 569 vs Sennheiser HD 650
- See all 11 comparisons
Audio-Technica ATH-G1: $189.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: It is a closed-back gaming headset with a built-in microphone, so it isolates from room noise and handles voice chat without a separate mic. At 250 g it is light for an over-ear, and 45 ohms with 101 dB/mW lets it run from a controller, phone or laptop jack.
Cons: A preference score of just 7 in crinacle’s measurement is among the furthest from the preferred target of any over-ear, so music sounds heavily colored without EQ. The AKG K271 MKII costs about the same and is rated well above it.
Full Audio-Technica ATH-G1 review and specifications →
| Released | Jul 2019 (7 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 5.13 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 45mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 7 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 45 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 101 dB/mW |
| Tonal Tilt | -2.76 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.6 lbs (250 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.4 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | -2.2 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 198 Hz | -10.5 dB | 0.58 |
| Peak | 2,422 Hz | +6.0 dB | 0.26 |
| Peak | 345 Hz | +9.7 dB | 1.99 |
| Peak | 979 Hz | -5.9 dB | 0.84 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -3.4 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 2,653 Hz | +2.2 dB | 1.83 |
| Peak | 3,939 Hz | -4.0 dB | 4.17 |
| Peak | 7,114 Hz | +3.2 dB | 5.38 |
| Peak | 1,563 Hz | -1.4 dB | 3.22 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons