Description
About this item NEW & IMPROVED FEATURES – Developed upon the same foundation of the SRH440, the new SRH440A Monitoring and Recording Professional Headphones deliver superior audio plus a new design and improved features from the old SRH440. SUPERIOR & RELIABLE AUDIO – Transparent, natural sound signature provides detailed accurate audio across an extended range. WORK WITH ALL PROFESSIONAL AUDIO DEVICES – Enhanced frequency response, impedance and power handling are optimized for performance with all professional audio devices. ULTRA-COMFORTABLE & EASY PORTABILITY – Ultra-comfortable lightweight headband provides superior comfort for extended use. Adjustable headband and collapsible construction provide comfort and portability. SLEEK & DURABLE DESIGN – Sleek, durable design looks great on camera and withstands the rigors of constant use. Over-ear closed-back circumaural design rests comfortably over the ears and reduces background noise. LONG DETACHABLE LOCKING CABLE – 3 m (10 ft.) Detachable straight cable provides plenty of length and easy storage and replacement. IN THE BOX – Detachable cable, threaded ¼” (6.3 mm) gold-plated adapter and FREE two-year warranty.
The SRH440A Professional Studio Headphones deliver enhanced detailed frequency response with accurate audio for podcasting, home recording and critical editing/mixing. The consistent and uncolored sound response provides a very accurate representation of the sound, making it ideal to take the best of the talent in a podcast or recording session. The increased isolation, the longer straight cable and the new design look great on camera.
Thomas W. Holman –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great set for the filmmaker on a budget.
Pros:Flat audio output, so no artificial boosting of bass or treble ensures that I know what I’m hearing is accurate. Threaded 1/4″ adapter, comfortable for long periods. The soft case is well built and has a nice feel, but I feel like I might have preferred a hard case. Sturdy, coiled, locking detachable cable means no accidentally yanking the cable out while moving around.Cons:Not a fan of the 2.5mm proprietary jack to hook the cable up to the headphones. This means I can only use the cable that came with, and should something happen to that I’m up a very lonely creek.I have to disconnect the cable to fold them up all the way. This could have been remedied by a little extra design work on the folding bits, but I guess this way means some extra protection from damage to the jack while transporting.I do worry a bit about the longevity of the wires. Instead of being routed through the headband all the way, they stick out at the points where the headband is adjustable, and they could get snagged on something.Other thoughts:There’s no active noise cancellation, but they create a nice enough seal around the ears that it doesn’t become necessary. Passive cancellation also means I won’t hear any inaccurate sound pickup while recording. I’ve had active sets that actually scrub out the signal coming through the wire because it’s the same waveform as the outside noise. That is not a good attribute when trying to find the best mic placement.The only time I’ve had bad audio from these is plugging into my laptop. But I’d excuse even that, since laptops have notoriously noisy signal from the headphone jacks. When I’m at home, I run an HDMI out to my TV anyway and have that decode the audio. Gives me a cleaner signal and I can edit my audio way better.Bottom line:It’s the best deal I’ve seen for professional studio-quality headphones. This is a set for those looking for accurate audio representation, not music fans looking for orgasmic bass response. Given that, though, I still hear nuances in my music that I hadn’t been hearing before.
8 people found this helpful
Aventus –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Absolutely worth it for music
Before buying these cans, I was using a pair of Sony MDR-V6’s for about a year. I loved them, and still do somewhat, but they were lacking quality on vocals especially and had overly bright highs. I got these to try to alleviate those problems.They sound excellent in general, but I’ll go over the different ranges real fast:Highs: Very crisp and true, although with a very select few songs (most noticeable with Not Afraid by Eminem) they can be shocking and fatiguing. Honestly, it shouldn’t be a problem at all for most people and I could potentially just blame my sound card for driving high highs.Mids: I don’t notice as much in general with mids, but they’re fine. Vocals are clean and beautiful.Lows/Bass: These headphones are not meant for bassheads who basically want jackhammers duct taped to their eardrums, but they definitely can push out some clean and loud bass. I noticed that the bass increased a LOT after burn in. It was fairly quiet to begin with but after something like 20 hours of playing music the bass really came out and impressed me.When I ordered these they were about $69, which is incredible value for ‘phones of this caliber. All I can say is that any entry to mid level audiophiles should enjoy the headphones after the burn in and normal people will hear them as godly. The impedance isn’t that high so portable players can drive them, and where other people complained about comfort, they’re actually NOT bad. It might just be me, but these are actually quite comfortable as is. I might invest in the SRH-840’s earpads just to increase bass, but I can easily wear these for long periods of time without a problem. Sometimes they’ll push my glasses a bit forward but again it’s not bad at all.I totally recommend these for listening to music. Maybe not for monitoring, but definitely for music. Order them and enjoy them!
4 people found this helpful
Benjamin Turivas –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best ive ever had
Tho saying they are the best ive ever had is not to big of a deal since before this the most expensive earphones ive had where 20 dollars i can say that the sound quality is way above average. They feel and look like they will last me for years. They are Very comfortable and I love that you can make them more compact for transport and that you can unplug the cable that connects to the computer from the earphones.As a new person to higher end earphones im quite impressed with the amount of volume this things can pump! At 30% audio is higher than most other cheap earphones ive tried at 100%. i think they can almost sound louder than my on-board speakers. clarity of sound is perhaps about as good as i can imagine. Bass seems incredible, i think it was only limited by the mp3 format, if i knew where the disc was in my house i bet it would sound even better (tho not considerably).The bad would be purely (in my opinion) on some design points. Tho its understandable that the cable connecting the earphones to each other shows externally i feel like theirs a high possibility at some point of it breaking somehow. In another thought it also looks pretty cool 🙂 makes me look more wired :P.The other bad would be that it dosen’t block as much sound as I hoped it would. but its still blocks a hell of a lot out.I tried these with Classical music violin concerto from vivaldi (from cd) and electronic from infected mushroom (mp3) for this review.Ive used them for about a day and i already think its one of the best things i could have spent my money on. “VERY WISE SPENDING” i would say 😛 ive already demoed it to 3 other people and they also think they are awesome.I guess i might edit this post in the future(if i can) if i have any problems with them…. or if i cant stop praising them 😛
4 people found this helpful
vacuouswaffle –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Detachable cable! Also quite respectable sound. Possibly fragile.
Purchased these headphones back in May 2012 as they were the cheapest headphones that had a detachable cable. I’m not a big audiophile, but these headphones sound good, and I’ve had too many pairs of Sennheisers die on me from faulty cables.As of this writing (Dec 2013) the cable still has no issues. I have, however, broken one of the joints in the headband that allow the cups to fold/articulate for comfort. I was able to superglue an extremely tiny plastic piece together and rebuild the headphones almost as they were. This patch has held for a few months, but I expect this point of failure will be the death of these headphones. This same weak point maybe the source of several of the 1-star reviews. I do emphasize tiny: There are two screws in a couple mm wide piece of plastic that hold the joint together, and supergluing the plastic together without accidentally glueing the join shut was quite infuriating.I still will keep the review at 4 stars, despite having to do a repair since I like how these headphones sound, find them otherwise comfortable, and frankly, my other headphones (mostly Sennheisers) have all died entirely far sooner than these, all from their integrated wiring.Last thought: The coiled cable that comes with this is quite long. It can easy stretch 7-8 ft, but after that it starts to pull an awkward bit of tension. I find though this is a good length for desk usage since you can stand up and stretch without needing to take them off.
One person found this helpful
R. Frangiamore –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Beautiful studio quality audio; only one flaw.
I *love* my new 440’s. They’re exactly what I was looking for in a circumaural design.Pros:-Frequency response is phenomenal. Only a hardcore audio engineer could find a flaw in these.-Removable cable! I think this is an undervalued attribute. If the cable accidentally gets cut, you can just replace it for about $10. It locks into the left earpice, is think and beefy, has a big fat strain relief on the plug end, and has a useful coil in the middle. A 1/4in adapter screws (yes, screws) onto the end.-Closed design: When fit snuggly on your head, there is very little bleed out. I can listen loud without fear of disturbing others in a quiet room. Good external noise cancellation, too, although this was not expected.Cons:-The cushions. They were WAY too shallow for my head. That is to say, they fit *around* my ears just fine, there’s just not enough *depth* inside. My ears would get squished up against the sharp plastic grill inside because the cushions were not think enough. There is a very, very thin layer of material which goes over the drivers, but not enough to make a difference.*** Worth noting: I told Shure about the cushions and the pain that I was enduring when wearing these, and inquired about buying a thicker pair of pads. They responded the next day and shipped me a pair of pads from their most expensive headphones (880’s, I think?). These are MUCH better, featuring a slightly squisher and thicker pad, as well as a nice thick layer of foam stuff which covers up the plastic grill. KUDOS TO YOU, Shure!!!!Highly recommended, as long as you can get your hands on the better pads. Or, if you have really small ears which don’t stick out from your head too far.5 stars, because of the Shure customer service.
9 people found this helpful
Trey –
5.0 out of 5 stars
If you have a bigger head then be careful.
I bought this shure mic and you can’t adjust as much as you think. Otherwise sound quality is amazing on the headset at least. I use the Shure mic with the Shure MV7.
AmateurHi-Fier –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Affordable, Balanced Headphones
I bought these headphones after looking at headphones for a few months. I bought them for their ability to deafen every sound outside of the cups. They’re closed, meaning they don’t have as great of a soundstage as open cans, but the soundstage is definitely large.First of all, I had these cans running at a bit of a higher volume than normal(I didn’t have them blasting, but had the volume up maybe 10 percent.) for a full day and a half straight. I listened to them for a few hours of that time, but I had other things to do. Also, I’ve had them for about a month now.The sound quality at any frequency of these cans is superb. I haven’t been able to distort them with my iPhone or my laptop at any percentage of volume. I’ve equalized these cans to try it, and I have to say it doesn’t work well although I dislike equalizing anything.My biggest complaint in sound is that the bass feels strange to my ears. I’m used to having bass hit me from woofers from my component system, and from subwoofers. The bass range is good for speakers not based on bass(pun intended) and that’s always good. After listening to these phones solely for 5 or so hours, I got accustomed to the bass and found it to be rich.The reason for the 4 stars in comfort is because of the headband. The bottom isn’t cushioned enough, and after extensive use(5 to 6 hours), my head started to become sore. Even if I stopped listening to them for an hour or two, after putting them back on for another hour, I felt the pain again. I’ve decided to extend the cups more than usual, and fit the cup to my ear while moving the headband further back on my head, and it’s been working well.
Bob –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great headphones for Audiophiles on a budget
When I first started using the SRH-440s, I was a little bit underwhelmed. After burning them in, they were spectacular.SOUND1. They are very well balanced, the highs aren’t too high, the lows aren’t too low. Everything is in harmony with each other.2. The bass is perfect and there when it should be.3. The noise isolation is very effective. Jumping from a pair of noise-cancelling Bose or the well branded Beats to these is barely noticeable. You won’t get distracted by any outside noise.4. I recommend burning these in, when I first got them sometimes the same sound or song would sound different. Now everything sounds pretty good and consistent, so I would definitely burn them in before regular use.COMFORTI got the SRH-840 pads as suggested by other comments. Haven’t used the 440 pads period. The 840 pads are very comfortable for long sessions. They are’t very heavy and won’t weigh you down on their own, but the coil cable is long and adds a bit of weight. The band isn’t really noticeable, which is good. It sits comfortably on my head, and I have a big head. There is plenty of room for even bigger heads as well.VALUEThese headphones are an incredible value. They sound fantastic, are noise isolating (and compete with expensive noise-cancelling headphones), have a perfect amount of bass, are comfortable (especially with the 840 pads), and are under $100.If you’re just an amateur who wants a pair of headphones that an audiophile would find impressive but don’t want to break the bank, go with these.If you’re looking for a good set of monitoring headphones on a budget, look no further. These are an impressive set of headphones. go get em!
7 people found this helpful
Marc Bruno –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Shure are good headphones!: SRH440
I bought these headphones to replace a broken pair of ATH-M50 headphones. The ATH-M50 headphones sound great, but I wanted to see if these could perform just as well for a fairly cheaper price (about $50 cheaper. I got these for about $75). Here are my conclusions:- I found that the clarity of the SRH440 is equal to that of the ATH-M50.- The SRH440 has better sound dampening. Less sound escapes the earcups.- The SRH440 has an awesome detachable cable and has a strong build. These seem like they will last for a while.- The comfort level is on par, or even better than cans in this price range. Sliding adjusters make it easy to find the best comfort. The ATH-M50 swivels in more directions than the SRH440, but that does not take anything away from the 440s for me.- The ATH-M50 has stronger bass that also reaches lower levels, although statistically, the SRH440 has a wider frequency range which could reach lower lows than the ATH-M50.- The most significant difference to me is the sound stage (spatial interpretation of instruments). The ATH-M50 has a slightly recessed midrange that, In my opinion, gives the vocals a instruments a more natural and pleasing sound. This doesn’t take away how great the SRH440 sounds, but sometimes it feels a bit more in your head than spaced out.Overall, I rate these a 4 out of 5 because they outperform many headphones in this price range. The the only gripe I have about these headphones is that the soundstage is not that great.
2 people found this helpful
digital monkey –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Shure440 VS Sony MDR-V6
I own both Shure SRH440 and Sony MDR-V6. Other people’s comments helped me so I hope mine help you decided between the two. For the money, I would go with Sony MDR-V6. You can’t go wrong, for the price point it’s worth the money. Nothing to complain about, great sound, comfortable, light weight. The coil attached to the left ear cup can be heavy at times but this is the issue with all the coil cable headphones. When folded, it is pretty small and easy to transport. If you think you are bass inclined, just go with V6.Now for Shure440 – personally I like the sound of this headphone better. Caveat: I replaced mine with Shure880’s earpads. I highly recommend getting the replacement if you are going to spend money buying 440. It makes a substantial difference, much more comfortable and sounds better in my opinion. Shure440 separates sound better and has better sound stage. It has a bright warm tone that I personally like. To my ear, it is more neutral than the V6 – meaning it doesn’t really emphasize anything versus the V6 seems to have a slight emphasis on the bass. One more thing to complain about besides the stock earpads is the weight. It’s solidly built but a little heavy – for a long period of listening you will definitely wish it is lighter like MDR-V6.Both are very good headphones – if you do enough research you will find that these 2 comes up a lot as good headphones for under $100 price point. Each have their own personality and sound signature. I wouldn’t say they are similar at all. I keep MDR-V6 at work and the 440 for home listening.
9 people found this helpful
D. Click –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome pair of headphones
PRE ORDERMission:I bought these looking for a replacement for another pair of headphones for monitoring purposes.Attractions:The first thing that attracted me to the Shures was the claim of flat response obviously intended for the professional studio (as labeled). The second thing that attracted me to these headphones was the low price. Another thing that REALLY attracted me to these was the REMOVABLE locking cable. I’ve had trouble with previous headphone jacks that ended up with me having to go buy a new jack and stripping the cable to solder it on, so it seemed like a pretty sweet feature to save future trouble.Picking the Right Set of Cans:I was doing some research on good studio oriented headphones below(or at) the $100 price point. I came up finding these(Shure SRH440), the Sennheiser HD280 Pros, and the Sony MDR-v6’s and/or 7506’s. And obviously I came to choosing these. POST ORDERFirst Impressions:I had watched a few unboxing and review videos of the Shures just to see what I’d be getting, so nothing out of the box VISUALLY surprised me as I had seen it all already, but when I took them out of the plastic bag and actually held them in my hand myself, I was lovestruck. They are nice and heavy(in a good way) and VERY solidly built.Build:Like I said before, these are quite hefty in weight, but also in size. (Which I like a lot, but for those looking for smaller, lighter cans, I don’t think this is where you want to go) The plastics used on the headphones are very solid and of high quality. I guess I had taken the build of the previous set of headphones I was using as fair, so when I just grabbed the earcups and pulled them apart I was blown away with just how well these things were made.The headband is made of some flexible material covered in a synthetic leatherette, and feels sturdy yet moldable. It sits nicely atop the head.From what gathered from the few moments the stock earPADS were one the headphones before I took them off to replace them with some upgraded SRH840 pads I had bought at the same time as these, they were okay in quality. A tad stiff though.The cable is a nice, thick coiled one around 10 feet long that starts up on a SINGLE side of the headphones rather than a Y-cable, and terminates to a 3.5 mm/ 1/8 in gold plated jack.The jack itself has a threaded end to screw on the included 1/4 in (whatever the equivalent is in millimeters) adapter. The rubber/plastic on the end of it has a nice grippy part to it that makes it easy to hold and plug in to whatever you need to. A small detail, but I found it quite nice.Comfort:Like I said a short ways up in the previous paragraph, I bought a set of replacement earpads that normally go on the big brother of this product, the SRH840, on suggestions of other peoples experiences with these headphones. I tried them on with the stock pads before I swapped them and like people said, the pads were fairly stiff and shallow. Immediately thereafter I put on the other pads. They were thicker, softer, and more comfortable. The most noticeably difference I would have to say though is the padding on the INSIDE of the pads that cover the driver. It is much thicker and of better quality. So during long wearing sessions I can see these being much more bearable. I’ve also heard claims of the pads improving sound quality, but I didn’t actually listen to them before I swapped the pads so I can’t confirm them. ** I also have pretty prominent(sticky-outy) ears that usually become discomforted quite soon after putting on headphones, but these are (now anyways) deep enough with thick enough inner padding that it’s not much of a problem.The headband is quite “cushy” and forms rather nicely to the head. But sometims, when wearing them for a long time, the top of my head begins to get sore where it rests upon my head.These headphones are actually pretty tight gripping on my (seemingly) normal sized head. I like that A LOT, but I’m sure it bothers the hell of some people. I’ve heard people calling them loose, but they aren’t to me.Overall, they feel very nice to me sitting on my head.Now with what was my greatest fear about ordering headphones,Sound/Sound Quality:I have previously listened to studio oriented headphone and they seemed “canny” and fit the closed back headphone STEREOtype(pun), and I hate having to wait unnecessarily for things, so I was afraid of ordering these before actually listening to them under the cause that they would sound crappy. I’ll tell you right now, my fears were misplaced. The SRH440’s sounded pretty darn good on the first listen. I still haven’t burnt them in the full 100 or so hours suggested by many, but they sound great already. The highs are nice and crisp, the mids are warm and smooth, and the bass is lush and extended. I am currently playing pink noise and assorted sounds through them, and after a few of days(with breaks, don’t worry) hey, maybe they’ll sound even better.As far as isolation of outside noise goes, the Shures do it quite well. I’ll give you an example of how well they do it:I’ve had really loud music been playing through speakers in the other room, and I put these on as earmuffs to block out the sound. Obviously it didn’t completely shut out the sound, but made it quiet enough that it wasn’t unbearable to hear.The soundstage with these is actually pretty wide and spacey. Things panned hard left or right sound more spread apart than other closed back headphones. Now I haven’t heard a lot to compare to them (especially not open backed/open-air headphones which are supposed to have the broadest soundstage), but these headphones give me such an awesome stereo image when listening to music.If I had to describe these headphones in two words, it would be these:SUPERIOR VALUE.Well there’s my two cents. Haha, I hope I didn’t miss anything.Awesome headphones.
29 people found this helpful
Jay K. –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Looking for closed, full-size cans? This Shure sounds most accurate and neutral under $100.
I was recently in need of closed headphones with a $100 budget and curious about what the market offers. I thought I might share my findings with someone in a similar situation. The Shure SRH440 turns out to be the most accurate, neutral sounding closed cans among the eight headphone models that I have compared. Below is my review of these headphones.I am a speaker builder with measurement equipment, so I know what is neutral and undistorted sound. Unlike speaker systems, most headphones have no crossover or frequency response correction circuit. So, it is critical to be able to know how much such uneven responses affect perception of their sound with respect to accuracy and neutrality. I have good sense of it since I have been measuring sound. But I do not have proper equipment for headphone measurement, mostly importantly a dummy torso/head, nor am I willing to invest time in making a DIY setup. This is the reason why my search and audition have been limited to headphones for which measurement data exist, with some exceptions (see below). I made use of three different sources for the data: InnerFidelity.com, Headphone.com, and en.GoldenEars.net. While there is consistency within each site’s measurements, there is also inconsistency between them, due to different measurement conditions and compensation methods. So, I researched and took those into account.One may say we can use EQ to remedy irregular frequency responses. But EQ has its own limitations. Some minor EQ’ing can help, but headphones that need too extensive correction should be avoided. The foremost reason is the loss of dynamic range. Theoretically, with EQ you can only limit, not increase, dynamic range in a certain frequency band. On the source side, you lose digital bit depth, and on the headphone side, you suppress the driver’s efficient response range.Below is the list of headphones that I have auditioned (in the order of their street prices):- Tascam TH-02 ($30; no data available)- Panasonic RP-HTF600-S ($32; semi-open headphones)- Brainwavz HM3 / Incipio F38 ($35; no data available)- Tascam TH-2000 ($50; no data available)- AKG K518LE ($50)- Sennheiser HD 429 ($65)- Creative Aurvana Live! ($70)- KRK KNS 6400 ($85)- Shure SRH440 ($90)My DIY speaker system (it measures very flat) served as a reference with respect to tonal balance. I also own some open headphones like Sony MDR-MA900 and Sennheiser PX100, which also provided a baseline when I evaluated tonal balance of the headphones under comparison. I used a desktop headphone amp that has flat FR and reasonably low output impedance.I will give short, summarized impressions for each pair.Tascam TH-02 (no measurement data available)This is a really nice surprise. There is a little hump in the bass and midbass regions, and some wide, shallow dip in upper mids and lower treble (i.e., slightly polite presentation). Otherwise, these are relatively accurate headphones at a fraction ($30) of cost of headphones of comparable quality. Construction is good for the price. The pad size is between over-ear and on-ear, but comfortable enough.Panasonic RP-HTF600-S (semi-open headphones)Warm tone, deep bass. Treble is there, but upper mids and lower treble are lacking. Comfortable to wear. A good value, but not great for those looking for reasonably accurate sound.Brainwavz HM3 / Incipio F38 (no data available)Mid/upper bass ruins the sound which has otherwise good midrange-treble balance. Very uncomfortable to wear due to non-swivel cups.Tascam TH-2000 (no data available)Simply inferior to its younger brother TH02. Very dull and muddy presentation. The model uses the same ear cups as TH02 but contains different drive units. The driver may have better components but execution must be bad. Not worth the asking price.AKG K518LEYou need to remove the thick foam pad at the driver’s front (easily removable) to have better bass-to-mids balance. Even the pad removed, the phones still have bass-oriented sound, but not bad. Mids to treble balance is good. Somewhat similar sound signature to Tascam TH-02’s. But the TH-02 sounds a little more natural. The headband can be too small for some people. The clamping force is a bit above a comfortable level.Sennheiser HD 429Anothter pair of headphones with bass emphasis. Not overly bassy, though. But a bigger problem is treble, which is a little too polite to be neutral. I would not consider these headphones a good value.Creative Aurvana Live!Smooth and warm tone. Bass is somewhat loose at times. Treble has sparkles and at the same time sounds smooth. But relative to bass and treble, upper mids and lower treble are somewhat recessed, making the headphones’ sound colored. Some people may feel them musical and full, but I prefer the Tascam TH02 at a lower price. The appearance is very good, though, with some feel of high quality. Very comfortable to wear with memory foam pads.KRK KNS 6400It has much more neutral sound than the headphones described above. Mid- and upper bass is somewhat lacking, and treble is a little overly presented. Good monitor-type sound. But there is one problem with these headphones. They are not very efficient, which means their usability is limited—you need a desktop headphone amp or a high-current capable portable amp to make them sound good. A little too bright treble is a weakness, too.Shure SRH440Without doubt, these are the best of the bunch. Perceived dynamic range is unbelievably wide. These are in a different league in terms of clarity as well—perhaps, the KNS 6400 is close but also with weaknesses (see above). Treble is sometimes a little on the bright side, but not as bright as the KNS6400’s. Some people may find them bright with bright recordings, but the headphones should not be blamed for that. These produce very neutral and accurate sound. Bass is sufficient and often pleasantly strong in the mid- and upper bass regions, but deeper bass is not covered by these cans. Most music recordings do not contain this deep bass, anyway.I summarize my findings with the following top two picks:1. Shure SRH440: These are the headphones you can safely choose under $100 if what you are looking for is accurate, neutral sound.2. Tascam TH-02: This is a secret gem. At $30, you get really good closed cans. Its overall presentation is not as clear as the SRH440’s, but with their price factored in, you cannot complain. They are definitely in the same league as the AKG K518LE (foam pads removed) and the Creative Aurvana Live. It may depend on personal preference, but among the three, my pick is the Tascam. The Creative has a better look and feel, but I’d choose the Tascam for its sound.Another headphone model I wanted to include in my search was the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro ($90-$100), but after I listened to the Shure SRH440, I decided not to. According to HeadRoom’s measurements and many people’s common impressions, the HD 280 Pro has a little subdued treble compared to the SRH440 which has great mids to treble balance when compared to my reference speakers. The Sennheiser covers the lowest octave much better than the Shure, but that is not my priority.I also considered the Koss ProDJ100 because of good reviews, but ruled them out because of their measurements. Their response might be flat in fundamental tones from most instruments but not with harmonics due to a large dip around 5-6kHz. Some people may think they sound good, but there is no way for them to sound accurate and natural by my standard.
88 people found this helpful
Alex –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Budget Reference Headphones
I needed an upgrade to my old headphones that (admittedly) I got at a garage sale. Nice full size headphones but the cable was getting damaged and had that annoying volume control feature. I think its cool but at the same time stupid because I find it the first thing to go. I fought with them for a while until I finally had it. So I went looking for an upgrade that would cater closely to what I’m doing more nowadays, that is home/studio listening for enjoyment and music production. I live in a rather noisy area where I hear the fire trucks and ambulances coming and going regularly and among other things. So I needed a pair of closed-back headphones for isolation as I find the sound reproduction of noise canceling headphones to not be as accurate and nowhere near this price range. I also wanted a set that offered the replaceable cable and ear cups option as decent headphones can last a long time but these two parts always wear out before decent drivers do. Amazingly enough I discovered the Shure SRH 440’s. I got everything I was looking for. These are really nice headphones for what they’re designed for (e.g. home/studio listening). These might not appeal to people used to higher end equipment but as a start into the world of detail and sound resolution it’s wonderful for the price.There are drawbacks that I feel some people miss about these. These don’t have much bass impact (e.g. you don’t really feel an explosion so much as hear it.) The sound signature is a rich neutral (e.g. it strives for balance and clarity, middle of the road). They are not really made to be run by Iphones and Ipods. These guys need a little more power to drive them to their full abilities with a headphone amplifier. They sound good unamped but sound their best amped. One other thing is these sound particularly tight and bright out of the box. There’s nothing wrong with them because they need to be “broken-in.” Some people like the sound from the get go, but for me it took a little getting used to. Over time the drivers have been slowly relaxing and loosening up making it sound even better with time. If your looking for nice pair of headphones that will last and deliver great sound, these are a nice choice at this price bracket.PROS + Marvelous sound that is balanced and clear. – Even at really low volumes (while amped) I can still hear amazing detail. + Great isolation. – I don’t hear the traffic anymore with these on and I’m not cranking these. I listen at very moderate levels. + Removable cable for cable replacement. (Or to change to a higher grade audio cable) + Solid build. Can fold up for easy transport and storage. + Gold-plated Plugs (For signal efficiency.) 3.5MM with a screw on 1/4 plug. + Full-size over the ear cups.CONS – Shallow cushions – The rim of my ear rests against the drivers. Depending on position can become uncomfortable. – Shallow Headband cushion – There is some cushioning but mostly to cover up the inside parts. For me it gets a little uncomfortable in certain positions but once I find the spot I’m content.As these aren’t powerhouse audiophile headphones, they don’t require a serious amplifier to run them.If your a budding audiophile, spend a little more on your headphone amp and you’ll be happier for it.My experience (if you wish to know)Putting these on and turning on the music is like being transported. I found myself relishing music even more through these as I began to hear it in a whole new way. I enjoy all kinds of music from Metal, Classical, Folk, World, Electronic and Alternative. When I put on Vivaldi: Four Seasons (FLAC format), I couldn’t believe my ears. The clarity and beauty of this music resonated out of drivers with such detail. The descents and ascents of the lows to highs and back were a treat. String instruments sound incredible in these as well (Violin, Acoustic Guitar, Cello). One thing is you’ll notice the quality of your music more. You’ll hear the effects of the poor sound reproduction in the higher compression formats. However, you’ll also notice other parts of the music that cheaper headphones can’t reproduce when listening to CD’s. Some music will be more appealing in these than others. Mostly music that relies more on its musical detail (Classical, New Age, Flamenco) than impact.
9 people found this helpful
P. The Reasonable –
4.0 out of 5 stars
A great headphone for a great price
I was looking for a mid-range headphone that prioritizes on comfort. I am a programmer so I would love to wear headphone for hours without feeling much discomfort. Came across Shure SRH440 and I like it for multiple reasons.The sound quality is great. I am not a sound expert so I will let the others who know more work out the details. For me, all the music I’ve been listening to is very clear. You don’t need to turn high volume yet you will be able to hear most parts a song has to offer.The build is top-notch. Very sturdy. The material is definitely not cheap ones. I have been using it for a month or so with everyday use yet it stays like brand new. The coiled cable is such a great idea. I could get out of my desk and grab a drink in the fridge nearby with no music interruption. Furthermore, the headphone can be folded so it’s easy to store to the pouch that comes with the headphone. Great design!The last and the most important thing is comfort. Unfortunately the default cushion does not meet my expectation. The cushions start to squeeze my ears after an hour or so and it starts to feel really uncomfortable. Luckily, the replacement (http://www.amazon.com/Shure-HPAEC440-Replacement-Cushions-Headphones/dp/B002Z9JWZI/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1367854644&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=shure+srh440+ear+cushion) works out REALLY well. They look exactly the same and but the replacement cushions do not give me any discomfort after long session of wearing. Furthermore, they seem to block outside noise better so I can hear my music even better! I do not understand why Shure does not use the replacement cushions as the default ones. It would have been a five star if they do.Overall, great buy. I would really recommend you to buy the replacement cushions right away if you decide to buy the headphone though.
Jared Paulus –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very Good for the Price
I bought these 3 years ago. At the time, I got them for only $72. First off, these are very good headphones, especially for the price I paid. I find it pointless to try and describe specifics of sound quality to people on the internet, so I’m going to try to focus on other aspects of the headphones in this review. I’m going to touch on a few things I didn’t like about them first.- I did not like the coil cable. I’ve always had a hatred for coiled cables. Just a preference, not really a flaw since I know a lot of people like them. However, since the cable is removable, it can always be replaced with a straight one. I never cared enough to do that though. – I found these uncomfortable, and that is the main reason I no longer use them. They mostly just felt tight around my head, and I couldn’t wear them for long periods of time. For comparison, I also own an Astro A40 headset for gaming and a pair of Beats by Dre Studio headphones and both are much more comfortable to me.- This wasn’t a problem for me, but i didn’t like how exposed the wires are that lead into the ear cups. It seemed like it would be easy for something to rip them out or cut them accidentally. It does come with a leather bag to store them in, so if you plan on being mobile with these, I would advise using it.Sound quality wise, these are excellent and an overall great value. If this is would be your first pair of reference headphones, you’d be hard pressed to find a better deal. I no longer use these, but I gave these to a friend of mine and he loves them too. If you’ve only ever used the awful ear buds that came with your phone, you will be very happy. Keep in mind, if you only have 128kbps songs on your computer, or primarily listen to music from YouTube, don’t expect to be all that impressed. Bad quality music will only sound worse through these. It’s a lot like watching standard definition programming on a 60″ LED HDTV and expecting it to look better because your TV is so good.Also, I did buy a cheap amplifier after about a year of owning them and it did help out a little, especially since I like a little more bass in my music than these provide. Just remember, some people like these because of the mids and highs, and some people hate these for the lack of bass. Likewise, some people love Beats for their emphasis on lows, and some people hate them for their lack of quality mids and highs. It all comes down to what you want out of your music.Are these worth $300? No. Are they worth $150? I think so. Are they worth the $72 I paid? Absolutely.
2 people found this helpful
D. Korte –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Comfortable, true, clean sound
We use them for HD TV and YouTube going through a Denon receiver every day wearing eyeglasses.Very comfortable for sitting, not jumping around. Wear for hours without impressions on head.Nice large cups to fully fit over ears with generous headband that easily adjusts. No sweating.Sound is not enhanced, very true to source.Soft pads so does a good job of decreasing outside sounds though my $350 noise cancelling headsets do a better job at cancelling outside sounds.Wired, which I wanted. Nice large wire so sturdy.They are much better than my prior highly rated headsets at the same price point.I actually purchased two and these won over the new set and my old set.
One person found this helpful
John636 –
5.0 out of 5 stars
They sound great.
I am by no means a sound engineer nor do I have extensive experience in sound production. I am a vocalist and often record projects remotely for a production company. With that said… I’ve worn a shure headphone in every single studio I’ve been in. along with other brands but always at least one shure. These didn’t disappoint. IMHO build quality isn’t too bad. They sound amazing for what I use them for. My audio gets sent out to be mixed by other pros so I can’t comment on that level of sound quality as it pertains to these but they sound awesome. One more thing. They’re no more comfy than everything else and these are pretty comfy.I use pro logic on iPad along with Focusrite solo. They sound good. A little more bass for sure but not overwhelming in my opinion.
3 people found this helpful
allenmf –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sophisticated & Economical
I received these just before leaving on a week-long vacation, on which they got quite a bit of use.SOUND: I didn’t burn them in, but right out the box they sounded great. The bass tends to be weaker than I’d like on some songs, but on others is all-enveloping and punchy… so it obviously depends on the recording/compression/etc. On my iPod the sound was noticeably flat sounding… but plugged into the audio port on my MacBook Pro, they sound incredible. Spoken word is especially impressive, such as podcasts, movie trailers, etc. I mostly listen to electronic, trance, pop, new wave, and many “independent” artists… so I really wanted something that would bring out the vibrancy and depth of my library w/o making a $400+ investment. These do the job very, very well.DESIGN & BUILD: The only thing that really turned me off to these phones was the vinyl ear pads, which seemed cheap and out-dated – that is, before I opened the box. They are actually very soft, durable and of very good quality. The SRH 440s hug my head perfectly. The only discomfort I get is when they are on for long periods of time, as the lack of cushioning on the headband tends to be quite painful for me… but I find this only happens when they are sitting just a bit too far back on the top of my head, and so a quick adjustment alleviates it immediately. Like others have said, the build of the 440s is solid and made to last. The small wires that run from each earphone into the headband cause me to be more careful when handling them though… I’m just afraid I’ll snag them on something.OVERALL: These are my first over-the-ear headphones, and the sound and build is all of fairly high quality. I’ve owned some great sound systems, for example my previous car was an imported Volvo w/ Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound (I have never and have yet to hear a sound system so powerful and sophisticated, on the right night/day, that baby could take me to another galaxy lol) and I think I know sound well enough for my endorsement to be warranted and informed. For the price, these are an essential for either the casual listener or audiophile looking for a decent pair of headphones (and I supposed studio recording as well, as that is what they are made for).
2 people found this helpful
jesus arsenio omaña –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Sonido neutral excelente
Excelente opción de audifonos por este precio, bastante comodos, un sonido muy neutro ideal para editores.
Matthew P.Matthew P. –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good all-around headphones
Since I am a music producer and sound engineer, I definitely want to review this product in the real world scenarios. I got these headphones with the intention of them being a pair to use whenever a client would want to hear themselves as I would be tracking them. I already have a great pair of BEYERDYNAMIC headphones, that sound pristine and excellent. I did some side-by-side comparison, and the BEYERDYNAMIC’s do outperform these headphones slightly. Again, for the price on these headphones, the sound quality is very good and it’s not cheap sounding. For me, if I didn’t own a pair of expensive headphones that are top quality, these headphones sound pretty good to me. For the detailed differences, the top end is not as refined as my other headphones, and the low end is not as big. That’s probably due to the fact that my other headphones have a soft pairing around the ears, so it is very good with sound isolation. For these headphones, the bass I believe escapes a little bit because of the less sound isolating material. For the best of the best in equipment, there are just better headphones out there, that are worth spending the money to get the sound quality. As for the build quality, I have not worn them long enough to judge correctly if it would start to be uncomfortable after a while when wearing them. However, they look awesome, and in my book they are a 4.5 star product.
4 people found this helpful
Gonzalito –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing. Read further…
I have had these for about 3 months, and I can say wow. These have amazing fidelity, I believe that these are pretty good for headphones under $100, even though I bought mine for more than that. My only complaints are:- Comfort is an issue- Not much representation of bassPros:- Good for mastering acoustic inputs- Flat response- Amazing hi’s and mid’s- Detachable headphone cordAlthough I know that these are not able to replace large studio monitors, I thought they would at least come very close, and they do. But since these don’t have that much bass, it is hard to accurately raise or lower the volume. These cans are also not the most comfortable studio headphones you can find, pressure irritated the top of my head as well as the outer part of my ears. Build quality is solid, and the fact that the headphone cable (input) can detach from the headphone.As a home recording studio guy, these headphones have almost no sound leakage whatsoever, and they don’t move around too much if one moves their head. These are great for making music, recording vocals, even listening to music from your ipod, although I did mention that these are not the most comfortable headphones. Believe the telemarketing crap for these headphones, they have AMAZING high frequencies. These are probably best for mastering vocals and acoustic instruments, perhaps not for techno stuff, since lows are not that loud. These are very flat headphones, great if space or neighbors are issues. If not, then invest in some studio monitors instead, either way, your not throwing your money away.
Fritz4Bass –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Shure Headphones SRH440
I must admit this is the most pleasant surprise I’ve had in a long time ordering something based solely on revues without actually having the product tangible for my own personal inspection. The Shure SRH440 headphones perform far better than I would have imagined, and replacing my old headphones would have been done a long time ago had I known the audio quality of these headphones is as good as it sounds!For those who familiar with the following equipment I’ll describe my experience. I’m a musical composer using a Roland Fantom X-8 Workstation, and a Roland 1680 16 track dedicated digital recorder with Roland DS-90A powered near field monitors. Until I purchased the SRH440 headphones I primarily relied on the monitors for sound, and would use my other headphones only to avoid waking others in the house during late night/early morning composing and recording.However, the sound quality of the SRH440’s is so far superior to the old headphones and the near field monitors that I use them almost exclusively when performing these tasks now. One of the most pleasant surprises was hearing the left and right pan effect of playing the keys on my Roland Fantom X-8 just as you would on an acoustic piano: I really couldn’t tell before until using the headphones. I do plan on purchasing a more expensive pair of Shure headphones in the future only if their sound will surpass the sound quality of the SRH440’s with a highly noticeable difference in audio quality.Anyone considering a headphone purchase should definitely check out the SRH440’s for serious consideration!
One person found this helpful
darynn –
5.0 out of 5 stars
excellent pair of MONITORING headphones
I recently bought these headphones upon moving into dorms in college.What I was expecting:I am producing music, and that requires very accurate monitoring. I have my studio monitors, but since I live in a dense environment, sound is an issue. I bought these Shures because they are close-backed, neutral, and most importantly had good reviews.What I got:These cans are built very sturdily. You can literally feel the quality of it. It is also very conservative looking. It is for the most part comfortable, although it is NOT the most comfortable thing I have ever tried on. I think the ear cups are a little thin, but you probably can replace them with the 840 models’. I really like the coiled cord, since it makes storing it so easy and its just very convenient. The actual sound isolation is so-so in my opinion, nothing too great, but not too bad either. As for the sound quality, these cans were AMAZING! It allows you to hear every pin drop in your music, which I am very surprised considering its price range. Again, they are NEUTRAL, so if you are a hardcore bass head, you gotta crank up EQ or buy other headphones. However, I find these okay for listening (I listen to electro, house, trance) as long as you EQ.The verdict:Very very good bang for the $$. I am very happy with SHURE, as they live up to their name of legendary quality. These headphones are highly functional and durable, and I would recommend it to anyone who is into music production.
4 people found this helpful
David –
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good sound, poor design comfort.
While I’m no audiophile, I think the sound is very even and good quality. No goofy extreme bass and no high end hurting your ears. Everything seems very even.The build of the headphones in mediocre, however. They’re made of rickety plastic with an uncomfortable headband that I can only really wear for an extended period with a hat on. The earcups are very shallow so my outer ear is constantly pressed against the insides making my ear sore. The cups also have VERY minimal swivel. The cord is also a bit heavy, but its not too noticeable. Overall for the price they go for I’d say you can find something better. I got them for $80 and have a bit of buyers-remorse, $100~ is cheap for good headphones in the audiophile world I’m sure, but the luxury of the sound quality is outweighed by the discomfort of the product.
Aaron Gerhart –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Needs some mods..
The headphones themselves sound good, and I like the detachable cable. HOWEVER. The ear pads that came with them are abysmal. I bought replacement pads meant for the SRH840 and put those on instead. The sound, comfort, and noise cancellation got so much better. The only thing these still need is a way to make the headband a little more comfortable.
The Shadow Knows –
5.0 out of 5 stars
3 days in & I LOVE THEM!!!!
I’m not what most people would call an audiophile, but I do love my music. I listen to speed/thrash/death metal and lots of different genres of techno. There are a few other types of music thrown in there, but this is the majority of what I’ve listened to through these phones, so far.My previous pair of headphones were by Creative. They were not bad. But these Shures absolutely blow them out of the water! I’m hearing parts of the music I had never heard before. The richness of any song made with decent studio equipment is just awesome.I listen to music through my PC with a Creative X-Fi sound card. I know that this can introduce a lot of “noise” in the music. Frankly, I’ve never noticed it. The Shures do not amplify this, either (although, I may just be deaf to it…?).With the equalizer set to “flat”, I get very good bass from the techno, but the solos in the metal also sound really crisp. Also, the crushing power riffs in the metal are extremely satisfying.I just want to finish by saying that there have been several times while listening to music and doing something else (surfing the web or reading) I would stop what I was doing and just sit in absolute awe of the sound quality coming out of these earphones. These make me wish I had plunked down the cash for a quality pair of headphones much, much sooner in my life.I hope you enjoy them as much as I do, if that’s even possible. XD
8 people found this helpful
Joseph F. Bristow –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Sound for Music and Games
I have used these Shure headphones for music editing and gaming, and they are excellent for both. As studio headphones, the music part is not surprising, but the frequency response makes them excellent for gaming as well. They are comfortable over-the-ear headphones that I would purchase again if I had to (they should last a long time, depending on the quality of the ear pads).
mrodge in Nashville –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Seriously good headphones!
With anythin, there are pros and cons, So let’s start with pros:-Sound quality is amazing. Crisp highs, clear mids, and rich lows. Very well balanced.- Solid construction of the outer shell and ear cups- Love the ability to replace the cord by removing it from the headset!- No problems with fit. Very comfortable. I used them about 6-9hrs daily and never have an issue. I read that others complain about “head squeeze” but I am betting that they have not properly adjusted the sides accordingly. Not only can you adjust the length of the sides, but the cups rotate slightly as well to fit nicely around your ears.- Sound does NOT escape the earcups when on your head- fantastic for office use!Now the cons:- The only thing that is an issue is the weight of the cord. Like the fact that the long cord is coiled, but it is a slight nuisance.- Not much here in the style department. Not flashy. Very function-driven. I would wear these walkind down the street or anything… That said, I had to find something to complain about here.You have found these headphones because you are looking for something BETTER. Clarity and definition are important to you- as well it SHOULD be. Highly recommend these headphones to anyone wanting an audiophile-quality headset without paying $250.
4 people found this helpful
kpd –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sound is great
This was a gift for my husband. He kept telling me he didn’t need new he’d phones but I knew better. Ordered these and my husbands response was I love them, “I didn’t know what I couldn’t hear before” the change was amazing!
Alan –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best for under $100, better than the m-50
These are very analytical at times, and fast headphones. They do really well with all sorts of metal, rock, acoustic, classical, and even electronic. Throw any of your most complex and noisy songs at these headphones and they still still be able to separate everything out and let you listen to everything. As with most full sized headphones, this one is no exception, the 3D imaging is very good and among the best I’ve ever heard. They are comfortable, but not built from the best materials. They will survive multiple drops for sure, but they creak a lot, even when new. The plastics are decent, but the headband and earcup pleather isn’t from the highest quality sources. Also sometimes my ears can feel the dynamic drivers of the headphones! There is no headclamping tho! and they do fold up!Compared to the also really popular Audio Technica M-50, they sound much less colored and professional, but with distinctly dropped low end bass response. The M50’s probably are just a tad slower, so they are fine for metal and rock, but their treble is less smooth, the bass is at times too bumbped, and mids are clearly recessed. also soundstage and instrument separation is better on the shures. On the other hand, if sound quality is second only to build quality, go with the Audio Technica’s. They are clearly superiorly built. They are made form better materials and have better cushions, although the headclamping was quite severe for my slightly large head.
4 people found this helpful
vanalpaca –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Lasted 2 solid years of studio use
The extension part just broke while he was wearing them. But we liked them enough to reorder for the studio. I didn’t find a way to reach out to the seller to figure out if there was any warranty past 2 years without buying an extended warranty. We got daily use from them for 2 years in the studio. They also were well treated. No dropping or flinging them around. But I am from the generation that expects stuff to last forever. Very fast delivery times. We taped the earpiece back onto to the headband to hold it until the new pair gets here.
One person found this helpful
Jerry B. –
4.0 out of 5 stars
They’re Decent
I needed a backup pair for my workflow primarily for podcast purposes and I’m happy with these.
Distracted Engineer –
3.0 out of 5 stars
Some good / Some bad
I depend on others reviews so I will try to provide some objective data here to help. I try hard to sort through the reviews that are obviously “bandwagon” fans or uninformed opinions that don’t concur with the rest of the data so that is why I wanted to post my experience with these headphones.I purchased these at a friends recommendation that Shure makes a very good product. Reviews seemed to concur so I went ahead. I let thee “burn in” overnight as suggested by other reviewers when I received them. I played these from my computer at work, my mp3 player and my home laptop all with the EQ set to flat to determine if any of my issues were source related. Audio was both ripped mp3 and streaming audio from Spotify. I am by no means an audiophile, I just enjoy music. I had three reasons for this purchase: 1) help me focus at work. I am an engineer in a noisy cube farm. 2) travel – work has me on airplanes a few times a year. 3) Replace my creaking Acoustic Research headphones.Pros:- comfortable- blocks out more ambient noise than most. (not isolating or canceling) I was most impressed by this attribute.- very crisp and clear sound- removable cable locks in quickly- cable goes to only one sideCons:- small wires that go around hinge for each earphone made me constantly nervous whenever I handled them- bass is very week. no kick drum in rock songs and no real bass in rap songs.- although comfortable and sound blocking, they slip forward or back relatively easy when your head moves- They CREAK. This is my biggest complaint and actually the very reason I purchased them. My A/R noise canceling headphones creak and it drives me nuts. Movement, especially chewing, causes the plastic joints to creak and this is very noticeable.- Bag / pouch is extremely genericOther:- Cord seems durable but is very heavy due to the spiral- Construction seems more generic than I expected.Summary:Sound isolating quality creates a very nice listening environment and allows for lower listening volumes. Sound is very crisp and clear. A bit too much High (high frequencies – high hat, tinny sounds) and not enough lows (no low end reverb on bass guitar or kick drum in Rock). The lack of low frequencies and the creaking led me to return these in search of something more suited to my tastes. I won’t bad mouth these but can’t recommend them to everyone.Hope this helps. Good luck!
17 people found this helpful
Michael Keselman –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Incredible
The Shure SRH440 is the best set of over ear monitors I’ve ever heard for critical listening in the price range. I don’t think you can buy a better set of non-noise canceling cans for around $100. I think many headphones that cost $200 or less fall short of the sound quality. The build quality is sturdy, and I can tell I will have these headphones for a lifetime. Even not extended, they hug my very average sized head just right, and there’s plenty of slack for people with bigger heads. And they are comfertable for hours at a time, and the pads are soft pleather but, not the cheap stuff. Plus they are replaceable.They keep a fairly decent amount of sound out, if they were a little more snug they would keep more out, but even so walking down the street you have to try to get distracted by cars going by. If you’re from or have ever been on the T in Boston, you know how loud it is. With these things on my head, I can still hear the very muted grinding of the rails, but its hard to care when even on the quietest volume setting on my 80GB ipod classic the music is not only still very audible, it’s clear as day.The highs, mids, and lows are completley balanced like a flat equalizer setting, unbiased on there own and not effecting each others presence. I wouldn’t recommend them if you’re a bass junkie, because the base is very smooth and even for both electronic music or a big jazzy double bass. Whether on the lowest or highest volume on any device I’ve used it with, everything is extremely clear and life-like. All genres of music and talk. Listening to rock you can relearn what distortion is supposed to be, listening to classical you can hear the sweat on the soloist fingers as they slide around the strings, listening to stand up has that scratchy, sweaty pickup of a comedy club mono channel microphone.I bought these for an everything, every day user after enjoying the Shure SE210 in ear monitors for two years. I took a chance because I didnt know a lot about these phones, just that shure had not yet let me down. I must say, I am a customer for life.I cant even begin to imagine what the SRH840’s sound like, but I’m guessing for $200 they blow everything $350 and under out of the water.*Edit: Great shipping and service from Sarjo Wholesale Group.Thanks!
83 people found this helpful
Patrick –
2.0 out of 5 stars
Bass Completely Lacking
These are comfortable. They are cheap. But they do not sound anything close to “reference” from an iPhone/Apple Dongle DAC. My reference pair is the Sure SE846. I by no means expect the these perform on that level, but these legit sound only as good as the free buds that used to come with an iPhone. Mayne a little worse. No bass, no transparency in the highs. These sound completely dead like if you put a heavy blanket over a pair of speakers.Maybe they need an amp? But if your budget is $99 for headphones chances are you’re not also going to pay for a DAC/Amp combo. I got these for my son to use so I don’t have to listen to the silly YouTube videos he watches. He doesn’t care about sound (8yo) but says they are comfortable.Anyway, if I hadn’t thrown away the packaging I would return them and try something else.
Michael Evanko –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Works great
They are amazing perfect sound quality and noise cancellation. I was hesitant to spend the money but worth it in the end. I tried some cheaper brands none of them even come close to these.
One person found this helpful
Brad –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Sound Quality; HORRIBLY Uncomfortable
First off, these headphones sound great. Bass is slightly recessed, but still very present and well-reproduced, just not overpowering (if you’re used to headphones like the Beats By Dre, you might think that they have weak bass).Unfortunately, in order to make these headphones even remotely comfortable, you’re going to need to spend another $30 or so to modify them.The headband is made of not-terribly-soft rubber, wrapped in pleather. This is nowhere near as comfortable as an actual cushion. Since there is not much clamping force from the earpads, the headphones slide down and the band feels like it’s trying to make an indentation in the top of your head. My solution: I attached a Sennheiser HD580 headband cushion (Part Number H-52715) to the underside of the headband with velcro tape. It made them INFINITELY more comfortable.A lot of people complain that the earpads are uncomfortable. Personally, I didn’t think they were too bad, but I still went ahead and replaced them with SRH840 earpads (Part Number HPAEC840). They’ve given the headphones a nice cushy feel – though personally, I don’t think that the sound has changed noticeably (some have reported that it increases bass and mellows high frequencies). Softness-wise, the 440 pads could be likened to three-day-old bread; the 840 pads are like a fresh loaf of bread.After these modifications, my 440s are every bit as comfortable as the JVC HA-RX700’s they replaced, but with crisper sound and much better midrange reproduction.EDIT 10/4/11 – After a few months of use, these headphone remain comfortable with the modifications I made. However, I find myself wishing they had more bass. Enough so to it’s a bit annoying to me. Turning the volume high enough for decent bass results in overpowering ear-stabbing highs. Overall, the SRH440s are still more enjoyable than the JVC HA-RX700 for music, but I think the much-cheaper JVCs were actually a bit better for movies & gaming.
5 people found this helpful
James D PratherJames D Prather –
3.0 out of 5 stars
Build-quality holds back otherwise amazing sound
I’m writing this review six years after my purchase. I planned on writing it after a few years of wear, but forgot all about it. With that said, for anyone looking for a pair of headphones to last them a long time: look elsewhere.For anyone looking for sub-$100 headphones that sound more like $200-300 headphones: Shure has it, if you’re into modifying gadgets.These cans are heavy, as others have mentioned. The headband is terribly under-cushioned. The ear pads are thin and actually degrade the sound quality. You’ll need to replace them within the first year with either Shure’s 940 replacement ear pads or a third party like Brainwavz, which is what I bought.The hinges are the biggest problem with these headphones. I just stuck a piece of foam padding from leftover shipping material and made the headband very comfortable with the cushioned ear pads. The hinges need a complete rebuild, though. They are all plastic with a little metal hinge inside that allows them to turn to the sides a bit. They come nice and tight brand new. I would say after a few months of heavy use, or one year of casual use, they turn into loud, annoying, squeeky nuisances. You will first notice them while you are talking and eating. A few years later and they creek with every little head movement.That’s all to say IF you don’t accidentally break the hinges completely, as they are very fragile and probably would take just one drop or a moment of pressure while falling a sleep with them on. Considering how heavy the headphones are and how well-made the actual speakers/drivers are, this is a depressing fact I’ve had to accept early on.Also, the pleather covering on both the headband and stock ear pads will peel off within your first year. Sadly, the Brainwavz pleather is now peeling for me, too, after only 3-4 years of light use. I’m super meticulous about my electronics, I keep them away from dust and moisture, but still my headphones look trashed.My rating is a three only because the sound quality is so good. I would rate it as the best/most balanced in the under $100 range without hesitation. I still use these headphones even though they look like they came out of a dumpster and I have to sit still like a statue to avoid creeky hinges. I haven’t bought a new set because I use earbuds a lot more and I’m a poor dude, but it’s definitely getting close to donation time.Buy these headphones only if rebuilding/customizing electronics is your thing, the value is still there.
30 people found this helpful
Sean –
4.0 out of 5 stars
I bought these under recommendation by Crin. But Crin doesn’t listen rate build quality.
The drivers way above the price range for sure. They sound just about as good, if not better than my trusty old ATH-M40xs.The only problem with sound is that, because I have a wide head already and I’m stretching out the headband to the max, so much as a yawn will widen my head even further, making this headband emit cracking/popping and squeaking noises as it stretches, around 1.5x as loud as what I’m listening to. It’s really disruptive to movies and music. Metal-structure headbands generally don’t have this problem, in my experience.Now, they are my dedicated studio monitor headphones. Like the name intends lmao. The cracking and popping noises, although distracting, doesn’t mean it degrades driver performance so they’re still very useful for monitoring.
One person found this helpful
YetAnotherGeekBoy –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Nice Cans
These are very listenable, reasonably-priced headphones. I own these and, a Grado SR80i, and Sennheiser HD600 headphones. These are connected to a Nuforce Icon-uDAC2 headphone amp. In comparison with the similarly-priced Grado cans, the SRH440 are a sealed back design. The cable for the Shures has a coiled end and can be replaced. The Grados have a straight cable.You won’t hear much outside the Shures even at the lowest volume levels. This allows office mates to sneak up on you and the phone just disappears. Also, folks outside can’t hear much from your listening with the Shures unless you have the volume up THAT LOUD. Both the Shures and the Grados will play THAT LOUD (but you shouldn’t do that to yourself if you plan to keep your hearing).Both headphones are comfortable. I found the Shures have the edge with very plush pleather ear pads. In fact, the Grados can actually be somewhat uncomfortable with glasses on. The Shures give me “headphone hair” like no other headphone I have.Both headphones sound fantastic. I can’t imagine regretting purchasing either pair. And, while your experience will vary, I found the bass on the Shures to be preferable, the upper midrange on the Grados was smoother. The Shures have a flashy presentation compared to the Grados and their balanced sound. I have compared both to the HD600. The Grados are closer to the Sennheisers. So close, as a matter of fact, that it’s kinda difficult to justify the extra cash of the Sennheisers.So, if you’re looking for a pair of headphones for around $100, these are both excellent choices. The Shure SRH440 will give you isolation, comfort, and lively sound. The sound of the Grado SR80i is so smooth one could listen to them all day.
One person found this helpful
Sons of SPPhillips LLP –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great for beginners podcasts
Shure makes great products. These work great for podcasting for newbies. Affordable if your on a budget. I broke a pair & Shure replaced them within a week.
One person found this helpful
tj –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Best Sound for the Price, Makes Up for Poor Build Quality
Before I review these headphones, I must say something about their intended purpose. These are NOT designed for listening to music anywhere except sitting down in your home or in a studio. The cord is incredibly long and bulky, and the headphones are far from stylish. If you’re looking for headphones you can wear on-the-go, stop right here and go look for some in-ear-monitors or smaller sized headphones. If you are looking for the best sound quality you can find in $100 headphones, and don’t care much about anything else, this is probably the right place.Design Overview:These headphones are MASSIVE. These are my first pair of studio monitors and I was not expecting them to be as giant as they are. I have a normal sized head- These headphones look ridiculous on me and on larger heads, still seem pretty big. I am not a very fashion-minded person but even I think twice about taking these around. The headphones fold up for convenience, allowing them to fit in my backpack without too much trouble. The cord is one of my biggest gripes with the headphones. It is not on par with the quality of the rest of the headphone.Comfort:These headphones will hurt your ears and the top of your head after about an hour. I was very disappointed with the stock earpads, and the plastic headband is covered by what seems to be leather with little to no padding. About a month after I bought these, I ordered the replacement earpads from Shure’s higher end version of the product, the SRH-840, and slapped those onto my SRH-440. I am much happier with the comfort of these headphones with this 15 dollar investment.Cord:The only thing I like about this cord is that it is detachable and twists to lock into a jack on the headphone. I have a lot of issues with the stock cord. It is something like 10 feet long uncoiled, and even coiled up takes up too much space on my small computer desk. The cord is cheaply made, with the wires nestled into a plasticky tube that gets kinked up permanently much like a garden hose. Within three months the cord was unbearably tangled and did not coil up properly. With this stock coiled cord, it is impossible to go anywhere with the headphones as you have a large bundle of cord that barely fits into a pocket by itself, much less with an mp3 player. I replaced the cord with Shure’s straight cord, just to find the cord was still something like 8 feet long, and made of the same low-quality garden hose plastic. The best thing about this cord, how it locks into the headphone, also made it very hard to find a third-party, decent cord. After some hunting on eBay, I found a reasonable length cord made from decent material. I should not have to go through this much trouble to find a cord I can walk with, and don’t completely understand the appeal of a cord this long, unless you sit 10 feet away from your audio jack in a studio.Sound:I’m no audiophile, but I can tell you without a doubt that this is some of the best sound you can find in a headphone at this price range. Each instrument in your music becomes separate from each other, and much more clear. Low quality earbuds will bother you with how muddled they sound after listening to these cans. With a headphone amp such as the FiiO E11, you can even hear small details of each instrument that are difficult to describe. The sound of these headphones is never harsh, and the sound is warm but crisp. The only downside of the sound is a minor deficiency in bass. A lot of headphones have far too much bass, but these have the treble slightly overpowering. I’m not complaining- this is easy to fix with a small EQ adjustment.Conclusion:Overall, these are great headphones. I’m fairly picky about quality, and most likely, others won’t have as much of a problem with the design of these cans. The manufacturer was likely trying to keep the price down on these while still maintaining an entry-level audiophile sound. Thanks for reading my review, I hope it helped decide your purchase. Below is where I found my custom cord and earpads:Earpads found here on Amazon:Shure HPAEC840 Replacement Ear Cushions For SRH840 HeadphonesCable found on eBay:Replacement Audio Upgrade Cable for SHURE SRH840 SRH940 440 SRH750DJ Headphones
6 people found this helpful
Dan –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good balanced sound
I’m not a fan of ear buds these don’t need Bluetooth and can’t get lost very easily.
Amazon Customer –
4.0 out of 5 stars
I like it
Very nice sound. Full range is there, and everything is well balanced. Some of the best sounding cans I’ve tried. Relatively flat response, but not boring or bland. Still great for general listening. The bass tight and clean, and not over emphasized. Mids are full but not muddy. Highs are clear and rich, not harsh like cheap headphones. These are more comfortable than the 40x and 50x from Audio Technica, but still a little heavy, and they could use a bit more padding on the headband, perhaps. But still pretty comfy for a heavy duty pro set of cans. Ear pads are not that thick so there is some potential for tips of my ears to get sore eventually. Hopefully I can find a some thicker replacements. My only real complaint is the coiled cable that comes with them. It’s so short and heavy the audio source has to be really close to my head. Fortunately Shure sells a 2.5m straight replacement which I bought and now I can use these for recording and playing my digital piano. Isolation is decent enough, but I haven’t tried recording vocals with them yet. Build quality seems study enough for studio use. Headband is metal inside. But the cups don’t rotate so they are not as portable as DJ headphones. Overall I would recommend these to any producer or anyone else who works with audio professionally.
One person found this helpful
Spencer –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good headphones, Not so great bass
I bought this pair of headphones primarily on impulse, my Beats Solo had finally given out to poor use by a friend of mine and because I’m in college and speakers are not really an option considering my room layout. I felt it time, to invest in a new pair of headphones.I did a small amount of research before I bought these headphones and I found that most reviewers found a nice clear sound with these headphones and I commonly found a very high comfort rating from these headphones. What I failed to see (or ignored) was the somewhat poor bass response these headphones give right out of the box. This wasn’t a dealbreaker for me, it’s simply the fact that most of the music I listen to is either bass driven or has a high emphasis on bass.The build quality of these headphones is to be admired however. Aside from the exposed cable on the sides of the headphones, the build quality here is incredibly sturdy. It seems as though these headphones can survive a beating if need be, which considering that they are studio headphones, they really shouldn’t be. The headband of these cans is made of a high quality metal I believe, and they are able to stretch to fit all size heads. My head is fairly big and I found myself forgetting that these headphones were even on.The sound… The highs and mids are crisp and clear, without being harsh at all. The music surrounds you and I found sounds and instruments in songs I never knew were there. Songs actually became more beautiful through these headphones. Far better than the horrid muddy sounding beats I previously owned. However, out of the box, these headphones have ZERO bass, in some songs it’s nearly non-existent. With a a few (50) hours of burn in the bass comes out of it’s shell (somewhat) and the sound becomes fuller and more satisfying.For anyone working in a studio, these headphones are a must, the sound reproduction from a quality source is excellent. Every aspect of the music is alive and prevalent, (aside from the bass) and the soundstage is decent for this level of headphones. An amp may be required, but my iphone drove these fairly well.I would recommend these to those who work in a studio, or are not bassheads and are patient enough to burn in these headphones before forming an opinion on them. Very few headphones sound great out of the box.
3 people found this helpful
Road Warrior –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not bad – Probably priced about right
The Shure SRH440 headphones are sturdy and seem to be generally well constructed. As per the experience of many other reviewers, I found the ear cups and the headband to be quite uncomfortable (the headband began to pressure the top of my head almost immediately.)I have already replaced the ear cups with the Shure SRH840 models (available on Amazon for $14.49) and they do indeed provide a much more comfortable fit. I have also ordered a “Replacement Upgrade Headband Comfort Cushion Pad in Leatherette with snap locks” (not sold by Shure – but also available on Amazon for $8.95). The trouble is, my $99 headphones now have cost me over $125 with shipping. So what do you get for $125?The Pros:* Quality construction and durability * Fairly precise separation between instruments, and quite good vocal reproduction * Decent soundstage (a sense of the instruments and/or musicians being in distinct places on the stage) * Generally non fatiguing listeningThe Cons:* Ouch. Fairly extensive modifications necessary to make the headphones comfortable (at least for me). These are supposed to be “studio” headphones. What gives? * Overall pretty flat sound reproduction. Hearing these ‘phones will not knock you out of your chair – but they certainly won’t make you wince either. * Depending on the source, the highs can be both “bright” and “mushy”. This description sounds contradictory, but I feel it’s accurate. Cymbals, horns, and other instrumental treble can be somewhat harsh and tinny – but at the same time ill-defined and “smeared.”For those who are wondering, I’m powering these phones with an HRT Headstreamer headphone amp/DAC – so they should be getting sufficient boost (and digital music should be smoothed out).The Bottom Line:I may have been a bit harsh in my description of these ‘phones since I am used to the true audiophile-quality pair that I use for home listening. If you’ve been listening to your music and video on a pair of $14 earbuds, these Shures will be a very substantial upgrade, no doubt. For $99 bucks, they seem like a pretty decent deal – although when you add the expense of new ear cups and headband, it becomes a somewhat less obvious call. Other people really love these ‘phones – and after a “burn-in” period, I may find there’s more to enjoy.
7 people found this helpful
Eric –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent clarity, even before the burn-in. Plenty of bass response
I’ll preface this by saying that I don’t know if I should call myself an audiophile or not, but I definitely hear and appreciate quality. I can still hear the full range I should be able to and have tested that up to 20khz. It only got painful, not quieter. :)I received these headphones recently and have been trying them out for all kinds of music, from piano by Glass through Mozart through Daft Punk, The Glitch Mob, various top 40 tracks and various scores and soundtracks.Bass:I have read a lot of reviews that said that these headphones are light on bass. First let me add my two cents on that one. These headphones have plenty of bass. I have to wonder if the people who said it wasn’t really there have some minor hearing loss. Nothing against them, but if you value clarity and not just bass then these are probably the right pick for you. I have listened to Klipsch, and similarly priced Sennheisers and those were lighter on clarity and heavy on bass. In my personal opinion, too much bass can make even clear mids sound muddled.Clarity:These headphones, as others have pointed out, have really brought out color in the music and subtle details that are lost in most headphones and earphones I’ve listened to. You can hear everything, from the change of direction of a bow on a string to the click of the c or k sound in a singer’s throat. I’ve actually started listening for those details and have found detail within sounds in synth and artists like eDiT that I never knew were there. It enhances the visceral experience of the music.Burn-in:I haven’t burned these in yet and from what I understand, they will get even better when they do.Comfort:I can see that over long periods, the headband may not be the most comfortable thing in the world compared to some of the others that I’ve tried. It hasn’t been a problem for me though, but then again, it’s hard to find something that’s so uncomfortable that it bothers me without actually causing soreness or pain.Concerns:I am so far only a little concerned with the exposed wires just above each of the cans. These won’t be used outside the house though, so it may be just fine. It would worry me more if they were going to be used on the go.Portability:They’re not. Don’t even try.
2 people found this helpful
RumorHasIt –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Wow.
These headphones are pretty amazing. I may be a little biased as the headphones I was using prior to these were twenty dollar Sony’s, but I know good headphones when I hear them as I am constantly trying new headphones at music conventions and the like. These headphones are particularly perfect for country, folk, acoustic, and classic rock. I can literally hear Eric Clapton’s hands sliding up and down his neck as he plays Crossroads. Alison Krauss’s voice sounds more buttery than normal and I’m picking up small nuances and breaths in the Civil Wars songs that I never even knew existed. I listened to “Fool That I Am” by Etta (RIP) at least five times because it felt like I was REALLY hearing the song for the first time.These headphones have a very natural sound to them, even, but not boring. If you want something with a lot of bass, then these are not for you. The bass is good, but if you primarily listen to hiphop/dub step/new R&B and want a bass that is going to bounce your brain around, I’d pick up something else. However, if your iPod is filled with various artists and genres and you need a pair of headphones that will suit all your needs for just under a Benjamin, then these are perfect. I’m sure these headphones will only get better as I burn them in and I cannot wait.My only con with these headphones is that they are a little uncomfortable after about an hour of wear, but as they are literally fresh out of the box I’m sure they just need time to stretch and conform to my head. I have yet to pick up the 840 pads to replace the stock pads, but I am positive that this will only improve the response and isolation (isolation is very good btw. I use them to play drums and I can listen to my track at a normal volume and hear my drums with ease).Bottom line:If you want a very even EQ and good isolation then these are perfect.However, you want a very bass heavy pair of headphones, look elsewhere. I hear the Dr. has a pretty good pair :)Back to listening…
Jibrin suraju –
5.0 out of 5 stars
GOOD QUALITY
THEY REPLACED IT AFTER SENDING ME A WRONG ITEM, BUT YES SHURE HEADPHONES ARE THE BEST. I LOVE IT
One person found this helpful
Simon –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Clarity
Hi there. I first looked into these headphones after doing some research and came across Crinacle’s review system for hundreds of headphones, with these described as “reimagining the possibilities for an item in this price range” and I could not agree more. These are some of the most expensive headphones I’ve ever bought, and I think that they are 100 percent worth it. The clarity and distinction between different EQ ranges is amazing. Would absolutely recommend.
2 people found this helpful
Kevin Moulton –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome sound/build quality with one frustratingly awful design flaw.
Best sound quality headphones for the price. Neutral, accurate, and remarkably crisp sounding. It’s lacking a bit of bass, but it’s actually not that bad, only if you’re used to artificially boosted headphones will you be disappointed.My only problem, and why I deducted a star, is the build quality itself. It’s not flimsy or anything, even appears/feels to be pretty solid… and it would be aside from that GODDAMN EXPOSED WIRE connecting the left/right earcups. I’ve gone through 3 of these headsets now over 3 years from that cable going bad, and this will be my last one. I’m extremely careful with my headphones and they never leave my desk, just a long time of putting them on and taking them off and adjusting the band wears out that cable. It’s a super common problem among long term 440/840 owners, and I’m not interested in the DIY BS behind recabling the headset.When I can afford it my next headset is going to be a Shure 940, as that wire is fully enclosed unlike the 440/840. With that problem corrected it’d be the perfect headset and probably would last a really long time. Wire aside I love the way it’s purpose built for sound quality, and isn’t some fashion accessory.ALSO! If you do get these, I highly recommend you pick up the 840 earcups. Improves the sound a bit and the comfort is amazing. I wear them all day every day working.
3 people found this helpful
KingZo –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great sound
Great quality product.
audiodepth –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Overrall they are goood headphones!
theses headphones are just great. ive had alot of headphones…i have the beats by dre studios and compared with these..pick these if you want your audio to sound clear! Now these don’t have alot of base..these are not for people who want alot of base.. because i have noticed that the beats by dre have too much where you can barely hear the highs and lows. the shure srh 440s are good if you wont to use them for recording in the studio because the isolation on these headphones are far better then the beats by dre.. because i have noticed the beats by dre leaks the sound into your microphone then when you play it back you may hear some of the song in your vocals. Now the comfort on the headphones are pretty good they fit well on your head.. it also depends on what type of head you have as well.. but i would give the comfort on these headphones any where between a 8-9. i was expecting a little more from these headphones but overall they are goood quality headphones. for the most part they are sturdy they dont feel cheap just a all around good headphone. the only thing that may be a problem is the coil cord but you can always buy another cord if you dont like the coil cord but even though it can go pretty far for the length.and again if your a person that wants to hear your music clear with not too much base then these maybe the headphones for you but if you want alot of base this may not be the headphones for you
2 people found this helpful
dregz01 –
5.0 out of 5 stars
For comfort and easy listening….vs Sony MDR V6
I have both SRH 440 and Sony MDR V6 so I’ll just make the short comparison between them on this review.Sound Quality: They almost sound the same. MDR V6 being more detailed and brighter. SRH 440 giving a sound stage feel when listen music. I use my Sony MDR V6 for recording, playing piano, guitar, detailed editing and Shure SRH 440 for listening music, movies or even outdoors.Comfort: I’ll go for my SRH 440 on this. They have a bigger ear cups and it doesn’t rest on my ear tip (which is my only complain about the V6) I can wear them longer than V6. They are both warm at the ear when you wear them, and you will definitely know that they are there. Even SRH 440 is heavier than MDR V6, I found 440’s are more comfortable to wear anytime.Built Quality and Durability: Plus on SRH 440 here on two things…better leather-like material on the ear cups and detachable/replaceable cord. Other than that, I think there are both durable and will last a long time.CONCLUSION: SHURE SRH 440 sound quality is enjoyable, great for easy listening, it gives right lows and highs, not being too bright and easily powered by MP3 player(even the MDR V6) for portability. Comfort; I would say is the main purpose of this headphones. To me, MDR V6 and Shure SRH 440 serves a different purpose.I’m very happy and pleased with the purchase because of the comfort and feel of the 440s. But I’m thinking buying 750DJ or 840 for more lows because both 440 and V6 have almost the same lows(V6 a little better; would not even make a big or noticeable difference on regular listening). I’m considering SHURE headphones for my next purchase because of thier comfort..very big factor.
13 people found this helpful
redefind –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great seller, thank you…
Whoever I bought this from was great because they let me return it & I didn’t have to pay to have them intercept it from the carrier. What great customer service – very professional & friendly. I do own a pair of these, and wow, they are amazing. I e-mailed customer service, and apparently you can buy the earcups for the 840’s & those will give u better bass response. I’m not sure if you’d want it personally (Because they are so neutral already & that’s kind of the point), but that’s one area I had problems with when it came to mixing — otherwise they are really great at getting a good feel of how the landscape & mix sounds. I would say that these are the best for a neutral sounding mix. What you hear is what you get besides the bass which is a little weak in the mix, but that is ok too. Like I said, you can get the 840 cups, but I heard on the internet that these were purposely made neutral compared to the 840’s for mixing and monitoring. I might get the 840’s cups because the bass was a little weak in mixing & I made the bass a little loud and had to readjust the bass mix on stereo speakers (which is good to do anyways). So there you have it. Would recommend over the HD 280’s & basically anything else in this price range (have not compared to Sony’s 7506 but from a couple reviews they are at least equal with the 7506’s except maybe the bass but the tone is more neutral & even overall — I heard that the 7506’s are a little pronounced in the high mid’s).
Carmel Beetle –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Well made and great sound
I just received my new Shure 440’s. The first thing I noticed is that there’s no flimsy little wire sticking out of the ear piece, to which one connects the longer cable to the device (iPod or laptop). I’ve gone through two Bose OE (on ear) headphones over the past 2 years at $150 a pop. On both sets, that little connecting wire went bad. I’ll never waste my money again on Bose!These appear to be much better built. The cable plugs right into the ear piece; with no wimpy little wire to go bad. The 440’s sound great, which is the most important thing. Of course there is more sound control when listening to a laptop (MacBook Pro), as the equalizer can be adjusted to suit your wishes. However, they also sound great with my iPod. I’ve read that they can become uncomfortable with longer use. I’ll have to wait and see. If that’s an issue, I’ll just get the pads (for the Shure 880) recommend by others on this site. They’re about $19.I have to confess, I thought these were “on ear” not “over the ear”. I suspect they might get a bit warm in the warmer months. Since we don’t have too many of those in Maine, I guess I can get used to it. I’m sitting right next to a telephone, that was answered by my wife. I didn’t hear it ring, so they block out quit a bit of background noise. These sound every bit as good as the Bose OE’s that they have replaced. I like to listen to all sorts of music, and these will make it sound great for a long time, I’m sure!
GXZ –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Clear sound
Sound quality is good, clean, clear and low noise, but I feel not as comfortable wearing it as wearing some other high end headphones.
One person found this helpful
Thomas Denton –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great ‘phones
I bought these headphones for use with mixing live audio, recorded audio and using them as a guitar monitor. I also wear them at work from time to time to listen to music. I also wanted something that didn’t squeeze my head and give me a headache, and in-ear phones weren’t an option since they always make my ears hurt as well.As far as I can tell these Shure 440s are the best bang for your buck. They seem to be much higher quality than the comparably priced Sennheisers I was looking at. The only thing that worries me is the external wire to each ear piece. I have almost snagged it a few times putting them away. I love the little bag they come in, it’s great.I haven’t had these all that long yet, and I know alot of people say to burn them in, but I think they sound pretty good over all. I could go for just a little more bass in my music, but overall the balance is very good.These phones are comfortable for the most part, they don’t squeeze your head too much, but that also requires you to wear them directly over your head. This usually pulls my hair after awhile and does cause some discomfort, but not nearly as bad as some others do. The earcups are very comfortable and while they look to be too small to cover my big ears, they do it quite nicely! The material on the earpiece itself is very soft and doesn’t feel like cheap vinyl.
7 people found this helpful
Jon Anderson –
5.0 out of 5 stars
I am not an audiophile, but I have good things to say
So after doing some research on headphone/audiophile forums I came to decide on these. I have to skip over the part about technical aspects of sound. However I can say (with the SRH840 pads) these are very comfortable. They stay on my head when I am moving around and close out the outside noise well. Even when off they cancel out a good deal of outside noise. They grip my head but not too tight, just right. For the $80 I paid I think these are great, certainly in a league with my friends’ Beats by Dre and I paid way less. Some people say you would want to pick up an amp with these because of higher impedance but they are plenty loud for me even at lower volumes they do okay. If you are a nitpick about sound I would get an amp but if not they do great all alone.Summary: I’m not an expert, they are comfortable with the better pads from the SRH840 (Average without), sound fine without an amp, and are a great bang for your buck at $80.If you get these, MAKE SURE YOU A SET OF PADS THAT FOR THE SRH840, they literally take 30 seconds to change out and totally make these headphones fantastic, they are about an extra 15$, absolutely hands down worth it and I was on the fence about it when I ordered them.Let me be crystal clear here. If you buy these headphones, buy a set of replacement pads that are for the SRH840 to change out the stock pads, its worth it, trust me, I’m a guy on the internet.
Solarbird –
5.0 out of 5 stars
What you need for home or second studio
I bought these as monitor headphones for my small recording studio. I had another pair of isolation headphones, but these are better and the others are now backup units, or engineer units, because these isolate the monitor sound on performers _really_ effectively – sound goes in performers’ ears and _not_ your mics. If you’ve ever had a click track bleed through to your microphone – or even had to work to prevent it – get a pair of these and relax.And that’s with the standard pads, too – the ones that come with the 440. A lot of people swap out the higher-end pads for comfort, but I find these pads perfectly acceptable, and as before, the sound containment is just great. I haven’t had the weight problem others have mentioned, but I take my headset off whenever I can – too much headgear time can damage your hearing, and nobody needs _that_. I could see the top padding being inadequate for long-term wearing, though.These aren’t my listening-for-pleasure headphones, but that’s not what they’re for; they don’t do any of the sound sweetening you’re used to hearing on home headsets. But when mixing an album, _you don’t want that kind of help_. You want to sound good _without_ that, and that’s what these are for. They have the nice flat, even reference sound – similar to my studio flat reference speakers, tho’ not _as_ flat – which you need for recording. In short, they do what they say on the tin: they’re studio reference headsets. Not pleasure-listening headsets. And for that job, they’re great.
5 people found this helpful