Shure SRH840 Professional Monitoring Headphones

MMM MMM Good

I listened to several head phones while on vacation in NYC. On returning home I wanted to do an extended listening to the Beyerdynamic and Sennheiser head phones. My local high end shop was closed so I proceeded to the Sam Ash down the street. They didn't carry the Beyerdynamics in the store. The sales guy said he used them in his home studio because they are very detailed and allow him to hear everything in a mix. He said he didn't like them for... Show More casual listening because they were too analytical and were not conducive to musical enjoyment. I only heard them briefly in NYC and thought that might be the case with extended use but boy were they comfortable to wear. Using my iphone I compared two Sennheisers models the HD 280 Pro and HD 380 Pro. I Preferred the HD 380 Pro, he then recommended I compare those with the Sure SR840 and SR440. My expectations were low. In years past my opinion of most of Shure's equipment was that it sounded muffled and unmusical. Lately though some of their stuff has impressed, so I gave them a listen. First up I chose some recordings that are overly bright and for me can easily cause the Bleeding Ear sensation. Musical detail is a wonderful thing but if you can only listen to a small population of well recorded music (because anything less requires pain killers) what's the point. The Shures presented the brightness but less aggravating so. Somehow these phones were able to dig into to the mix and find the bass line and provide a measure of musical balance more so then the Sennheisers. Next up I played some tunes that have exaggerated bass. These tunes cause lesser phones to turn to mud costing the song its musical flow and propulsion. The Shures didn't hide the big bass but I could easily distinguish the bass guitar from the bass drum and or bass synthesizer. Again the phones dug into the mix and presented the mid and treble information in a far more balanced and musical fashion then did the Sennheisers. On well recorded songs you could hear how well recorded the music was but not in a distracting way. The Sennheisers sounded more distant i.e. at what sounded like the same volume I would have to expend more energy to hear the music through the Sennheisers however the Shures were more relaxing making the music easier to enjoy, more accessible. Both Shure models are cut from the same sonic cloth having a very clear yet musical sound to them. However the SR840 were just more so and worth the price difference to me. Remember that this comparison was done using my iphone 4 to drive the phones. Introducing a headphone amp may have dramatically changed my preferences however I had no desire to lug an amp around with me. To my ears the iphone does not have the musicality of the ipods, so it was important to me that the new headphones were musical and easy to drive when plugged directly into the iphone. The Shures did that. At home the Shures sounded good out of the box and only got better with some break in time. They are comfortable for a closed back design and I can wear them for extended periods without getting sweaty. I actually have come to appreciate the coiled cord. It does not get tangled like straight cords. I have a fairly big head and the phones are at the end of their adjustment but still fit. On bigger heads it could be an issue.Show Less

Reviewed on B&H Photo Video

Shure 840

"The mid of" traditionally good for dynamic emitters, but still sometimes felt a kind of "detachment" sound, particularly on vocals. Bass soft, springy, pleasant and very powerful, vibrant, but not the subwoofer, delicate, crisp, fast and structured even compressed compositions. In general, such a "weight distribution" frequency gives great head, drive, but at the same time the sound is not lost in the fusion and harmony. The sound is embellished... Show More, but within the allowed: record mixed by data headphones probably will not sound much indistinguishable from "live" sound. Ear cups are dense, but soft, provide excellent sound insulation, sufficient, perhaps even for the Moscow metro, the more so because of its low resistance and good sensitivity headphones good "swing" and portable players. The stereo at "Shure" average width of monitor headphones with good localization "of imaginary sound sources." In order to achieve the required involvement in listening to music, in my opinion, from the "Monitor" requires a larger volume of sound Very noticeable sibilance and compression artifacts, which, on the one hand, good for studio use headphones, but on the other - not very useful to listen to music in your library when there are recording is not very good quality. Sound. This bright headphones, and they perfectly reproduce the medium and treble. If you want to listen to some black-metal - you obviously do not need it, but, for example, power-metal sounds amazing in them. Advantages: When nothing is playing is created (not the most pleasant) feeling of vacuum, but in a closed type of headphones is the norm. In conjunction with Focusrite 2i2 card is fully open the sound range for the entire frequency spectrum. In the first few days of listening corrected mistake in the project. The set comes a twisted cord and detachable pouch for the headphones (nice addition). But I repeat - the sound quality is perfectly realized. No boomy bass. Sounds heard all at a glance. Honest monitor sound, correct the frequency response, with no apparent peaks. Thus not only suitable for the studio, but also for home use. Volume, "natural" sound. Excellent frequency balance! Excellent sound insulation. Disadvantages: Twisted cable and an amateur. Pulls uncomfortable recorded ... Brittle. Very fragile. They are designed for stationary use, and preferably do not carry them, and if you are still and are willing to walk with them down the street - forget about it. Ergonomics - landing on his head, and the weight - could be better. By the weight of the headphones and their landing on the head I have to get used to for a long time, but after a couple of weeks of use, this disadvantage is not observed.Show Less

Reviewed on ThomannMusic.com

Another Superlative Product From Shure

These headphones are accurate, balanced, detailed, smooth and seem to disappear into the music. Rock, soul, classical, jazz, they faithfully reproduce the entire spectrum of sounds from the tiniest percussive shimmer, to the lowest pipe organ notes, and every breath and enunciation of the human voice. Imagine for a second that you are standing on the sidewalk outside of a nightclub with live music. You can hear the music being played inside the c... Show Morelub. Now, you pay your cover charge and step inside the club. This is the sensation the SRH840 headphones give you when you first hear them. Plus, the headphones are built like a brick doghouse. All of Shure's products are built to military spec, and these are no exception although they are as a result, rather bulky and heavy. I am extremely satisfied with the SRH840 headphones and recommend them without reservation. Check out Electric Lady by Janelle Monae for a superbly recorded and produced album. The SRH840s will make you say Wow!Show Less

Reviewed on B&H Photo Video

Shure SRH840

I bought this pair of headphones about 1.5 years ago, and I must say that it is amazing value for money! Usage: I have been using them daily ever since I started recording about a year ago, and they hold up really well. Sound: The sound out of these headphones is of amazing quality, and all frequencies are, at least in my opinion, equally audible. Positives: - it’s one of the cheaper headphones out here, but don’t let that fo... Show Moreol you, the sound quality is amazing! - Amazing sound quality - They’re really comfortable, even when worn for long periods of time! I also have a first generation pair of Beats Solo HD, and with those start to get uncomfortable after longer periods of being worn. Negatives: - None, these headphones are simply amazing! This was my first purchase with Thomann evet, and everything went smoothly, since then I have bought more items from here, and never had any issues! Great job Thomann!Show Less

Reviewed on ThomannMusic.com

Good overall

I compared the srh840 and srh940 side by side. They both very light but the 940 is more comfortable thanks to being slightly bigger (so it doesn't touch my ears while the 840 does) and the material used in the hearpads feels a lot better to me. Build quality wise they seem to be even with again the 940 taking the lead since it doesn't have the driver cable exposed like the 840. On the sound the 940 definitively is brighter and more detailed on th... Show Moree mid to high frequencies but still very good on the low end. The 840 sounded as good as the 940 on the low end but not as detailed on the highs. Both have excellent sound and are very detailed in general so if you source is poor, you'll figure out pretty soon. At the end I chose the 940 because I preferred the highs and the added comfort. They both are excellent and I recommend listening to both.Show Less

Reviewed on B&H Photo Video

Great closed back headphones

Great set of closed back headphones from Shure. They are also foldable so they will fit in cases taking up much less space. The ear pads are easily replaceable while the rest of the headphones seem very sturdy and therefore durable. Unlike some other headphones, the ear pads are the only part which seems to be prone to suffer from wear and tear. The only small problem with these headphones is that they will feel uncomfortable at first and will ta... Show Moreke some time for you to get used to them especially for prolonged use? however this problem will fade relatively quickly as indeed you do get used to them! Do not let this deter you from getting these headphones since these are really good quality headphones. Being closed back they can be used for vocal recordings, however, they are also very useful in monitoring and mixing applications.Show Less

Reviewed on ThomannMusic.com

Perfect

This headphones are amazing. I'm happy I bought the Shure SRH840. Are very confortable and the sound is incredible, feels so clean and detailed, I can listen every single detail even things that I could not hear with previous good headphones that I had in the past. Worth the money, somethings the cable can get in the middle and become a bit annoying after being connected hours playing guitar with this things in your ears but nothing that changing... Show More of angle or position can become better. I think if the spiral cord could just start 50cm after will be much more confortable, probably this won't be a problem for people who going to play guitar and listen though the headphones. Great quality and sound.Show Less

Reviewed on ThomannMusic.com

excellent multi purpose headphones

I've used these headphones for all kinds of studio applications as well as just listening to music at home. Decent flat response, great isolation and very comfortable to wear for long periods of time. they're built pretty solid too so they'll stand up to some punishment. You can't really go wrong at this price. My only gripe is that they come supplied with just a coiled cable which is fine when they're being used for recording applications as mon... Show Moreitors where you may be moving around, but if you're sat at a desk for a while mixing or editing the coiled cable can start to feel quite heavy. would be nice to have the option to switch to a lighter, straight cable without having to buy one seperatelyShow Less

Reviewed on ThomannMusic.com

Realistic studio headphone with clear and detailed sound.

Bought the Shure SRH840 mainly for studio use, especially mixing but also for listening while recording as a complement to the monitors. The Shure SRH840 gives a balanced impression and the sound is clear without feeling forging the sound. These are important features especially for the mixing procedure. Overall it feels lika a high quality headphone, but it is necessary to a bit careful attaching the cable to the headphone. The attachment could ... Show Morebe a bit of weak point if you treat it careless, but as long as you take good care of your headphones it shouldn't be any problem. With that said, the Shure SRH840 is mainly suitable for studio usage and not for live or stage performances.Show Less

Reviewed on ThomannMusic.com

Very good affordable headphones

I have been using these for a couple of years, and I really like them. It's hard to find anything bad to say, except perhaps the bass response could be just a little bit deeper... They are quite comfortable to wear, but I have to take them of every 2 hours or so, when they start to feel a bit heavy on my ears. But this is not necessarily a bad thing, considering that you should always take breaks and let your hearing relax, when doing sound ... Show Morework. :) I have taken good care of them, but still they seem very durable. After 3 years of use, they still look like brand new. I use them for mixing and recording. Recommended for anyone on a budget!Show Less

Reviewed on ThomannMusic.com

Excellent range, isolation

I've used a number of pairs of headphones over the years in the $200 range, including some great Sony models and some by AKG. I use them for recording and mixing audio at a computer, for bands or video. These are among the best in this price range, and the extra pair of pads is nice because all headphones wear out with heavy use (I use them several hours a day). They are comfortable to wear even with glasses, and I don't get bleed unless they're up very loud recording something quiet. I have used them in a professional studio as well (lower end models often don't have the impedance to match.)

Reviewed on B&H Photo Video

Nice reference headphones even though they're closed back

Was looking for good reference headphones for under 200 euros closed back headphones with more less flat response. Although they aren't as comfortable as I'd expect, I keep having to move them otherwise they hurt the top of my head, Although the material is some kind of plastic they are very robust and seem quite durable. Really like the way they sound, very prominent mids and crisp highs., just enough bass (not "dressed" up). i would say they've got a nice open sound stage. I find them pretty good as reference when I can't use my studio monitors.

Reviewed on ThomannMusic.com

Multi-Platinum Producer with 30+ years

I've been making music all my life. I've had the opportunity to work with cheap stuff and the most expensive stuff... I just need it to work, period. I needed to finish mixing a project but we just had a new baby, so monitors were out. I took a chance and bought these headphones and I have to say... AMAZING accurate representation of what's REALLY going on in the record. If it's there, it's there... if and it's not... turn it up. DEAD ON representation. I'm never using my monitors for mixing again... just playback!

Reviewed on B&H Photo Video

Good quality phones for monitoring

They are flat and very defined allowing you to hear a great level of detail in your recordings. They also don't spill much sound and isolate quite efficiently due to the closed ear covers. They confortable enough and allow you wear them for a few hours straigh without fatigue altough they can be hot in the summer. The only criticism would be the fact that the leather started to get damaged early on and the second ear cover included in the pack is already showing too many signs of wear as well.

Reviewed on ThomannMusic.com

Great pair of cans

This is a great pair of cans. The only issue with these is that they are bit heavy, and the ear pads can get sweaty on hot days. Other than that, I didn't find them uncomfortable per say. I saw a lot of reviews in which people commented on the fact that the head pad was awfully uncomfortable -- perhaps Shure has taken care of this issue since then, because I haven't found it a problem. Overall the build quality is really, really good, and the sound is amazing.

Reviewed on ThomannMusic.com

hurt my head

I purchased these about a year ago to be my first real headphones. (Audiophile friends had mocked my cheap habits.) Unfortunately, I've can't enjoy using these headphones because they are actually painful to wear. The headband has a bizarre design whereby any adjustment of the earpiece position makes the headband wider and shorter, causing unpleasant pressure on top of my skull. I just don't like wearing them, regardless of how good their sound may be.

Reviewed on B&H Photo Video

Great headphones for mixing!

I've purchased the Shure SRH840 3 months ago, since then I've been using it on a daily basis. I mainly use them for mixing, mastering, and listening to music, and this can does an outstanding job! Basses are thick, the midrange is singing and the trebles are very bright, while the sound is crystal clear in total. Great sound and comfort, and the built quality is massive. Can't ask for more, higly reccomend this fair pair of cans. Thank you Thomann!

Reviewed on ThomannMusic.com

Cannot be beat for the money

I use these for personal use. Sometimes with a computer, the hi-fi, iPod etc. I've had several sets of cans over the years and at this price point, I've never found anything as good. There is better for more money but there are worse at this point. They just sound great. I've not found anything I'd change besides the line being exposed on the phones. I'd have liked Shure to bury it in the plastic.

Reviewed on B&H Photo Video

Monitor headphones

These headphones are accurate, balanced, detailed, smooth and seem to disappear into the music. Rock, soul, classical, jazz, they faithfully reproduce the entire spectrum of sounds from the tiniest percussive shimmer, to the lowest bass notes, and every breath and enunciation of the human voice.They are comfortable to wear and as ever the quality is outstanding.

Reviewed on ThomannMusic.com

Decent studio monitoring headphone

I have been using this SRH840 for a good while now and I use these mainly for recording and mixing. I really like its precise and flat response. I'm also using AKG K271 Studio and really like its sound but I alway end up using SRH840 for the final mixing check up as it has much low end in my opinion. Also they're sturdily built and fits very comfortably.

Reviewed on ThomannMusic.com

Good Headphones

I really like those headphones!! The low frequencies might be not present enough, I usually have to mix with less low frequencies than I would hear with those headphones. However, this is a problem many headphones have (sometimes with the low, sometimes with the high frequencies). But they provide a ver detailed sound, I like them!!!

Reviewed on ThomannMusic.com

The sound is crystal and balanced! When i first out these ones on my head i was shocked. Pure sound. Also very comfortable. But unfortunetly i get badly soldered cable with my headphones and i want to return them. but anyway shit happens. I recommend this headphones

Reviewed on ThomannMusic.com

Decent studio headphones

These headphones are very good but not excellent, slightly lacking in bass, and sounding a little clinical. The upper midrange is a little forward, and not as engaging as some others at this price. Good for in studio recording, but not for checking mixes.

Reviewed on ThomannMusic.com

Great pair of headphones

I use them for live sound in theater and for bands, good flat response decent noise cancellation the one fault i have is, they tend to be too tight and push in at the sides of your head after a while of wearing them

Reviewed on ThomannMusic.com