Dan Clark Audio Expanse vs Sennheiser HD 560S: which needs more amplifier?

The Dan Clark Audio Expanse is 26Ω at 90.0 dB/mW; the Sennheiser HD 560S is 120Ω at 100.8 dB/mW. This page is only about what they ask of an amplifier — not how they sound, which no specification on either sheet can tell you.

The Dan Clark Audio Expanse needs 10.8 dB more than the Sennheiser HD 560S to reach the same loudness — 10 mW against 0.83 mW.

The numbers that decide it

SpecificationDan Clark Audio ExpanseSennheiser HD 560S
Impedance26 Ω120 Ω
Sensitivity90.0 dB/mW100.8 dB/mW
Sensitivity (voltage)105.9 dB/V110.0 dB/V
Power for 100 dB10 mW0.83 mW
Voltage for 100 dB0.51 V0.32 V
Current for 100 dB19.6 mA2.6 mA
Highest source impedance
that leaves them alone (one-eighth rule)
3.25 Ω15.00 Ω
Sources that reach 100 dB
out of 280
279280

Where the two part company

1 of the 280 sources has the power for the Sennheiser HD 560S but not for the Dan Clark Audio Expanse — Steinberg UR22C.

18 sources are low enough in output impedance for the Sennheiser HD 560S under the one-eighth rule but not for the Dan Clark Audio Expanse (Zoom AMS-22, Arturia MiniFuse 2, Arturia MiniFuse 1, 15 more).

279 of the 280 sources here reach 100 dB on both. That count is about power only — the output-impedance and hiss lines above are separate questions, and a source can pass this one and fail those.

Both pages in full

Each model has a page of its own with the full source list, the hiss estimate and the provenance of every figure above: Dan Clark Audio Expanse and Sennheiser HD 560S. Every figure on this page comes from what Dan Clark Audio and Sennheiser published, or is derived from it — what Dan Clark Audio publishes and what Sennheiser publishes, both counted.