Shure SRH440 Impression - Page 15

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5thDimension 

I need to know if the 440's are "out-of-the-box' compatable with ipod before i buy them.

I am not sure what you mean, since the SRH440 have no iPod/iPhone controls or microphone, however, the SRH440's are easy to drive. I use them straight out of the HP port on an iPhone 4 and I think they sound great with no need for additional amplification.

ok, but when you take them out of the box, can you plug them right into the ipod headphone port?

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5thDimension 

ok, but when you take them out of the box, can you plug them right into the ipod headphone port?

Yes. The SRH440 stock coiled cable is terminated with a "gold-plated 1/8" (3.5 mm) stereo mini jack". Also included in the box is a threaded 1/4" (6.3mm) adapter.

ok. thanks for the help. i appreciate it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gav007 

Ok I finally got around to taking pics of the re-modification, instead of using elastics to hold the hd600 headband cushion I used adhesive velcro tape.  I even cut off the extra flaps on the hd600 headband cushion to make it fit better and aesthetically pleasing.  Now I can wear the Shure SRH440 on my head for hours without any comfort issues, as well as wear them around my neck.  

 

Here are two pictures of the re-modfication:

 

 

Very nice! I'm interested in doing the same mod. Can you still fold them up with the headband cushion attached?

Quote:

Originally Posted by HK-47 

Very nice! I'm interested in doing the same mod. Can you still fold them up with the headband cushion attached?

I've done the same mod. You have to extend the cups all the way out to 10 and it's not a 100% perfect fit, but yes they still fold up.

Just wanted to post some more love for the 440. Just picked these up yesterday, and all I can say is wow! The best cans I've owned before these were the SR60i's, but I ditched those since they were open, and didn't fit my application well (quiet office). These rival those in sound, IMO, with better bass, and a closed design.

I'm listening on my iPhone 3GS and company-issued laptop with integrated soundcard (I know, I cussed, but hopefully this can be a testimony that these can/will sound good in everyday/portable/unamped applications). Listening on MOG, so no EQ settings, either.

-Sound is great. Sparkling highs (but not harsh), good textured mids, controlled bass, good soundstage. I heard someone describe these as 'cold' and that does come to mind a little bit while listening, but it works for me. Maybe they'll warm up some with more hours of play. The bass is there, but not booming. They do seem to roll off some, but that doesn't bother me. I feel like it will come in a little more with burn in as well. These things really seem to shine on electronic music. Maybe the 'cold' nature really helps. But electronic elements in songs are razor sharp and crystal clear, with awesome depth. Really impressed in that regard. Stuff like Deadmau5, Skrillex, and Tiesto really sound great.

-They are a little on the heavy side, as stated. Doesn't bother me as much since I'll be using these primarily at work in my cubical.

-The stock pads are a little uncomfortable. But servicable. I have the 840 pads on order already 

-The detachable, coiled cable is sweet. Plain and simple. The coil is great for me since I don't need a ton of cable length. 

-If you are looking for tons of bass, look elsewhere. Don't expect these to hold water to the Sony XB series in terms of bass, as stated previously. The 440s are balanced. They absolutely have more bass than the SR60i's, IMO. I like/need bass, but I also HAVE to have the mids and highs clear/crisp...and these deliver.

So if you don't have high end audio sources, don't be afraid of getting these. Another +1 for some great $100 closed headphones!

just got some too, to early to really say but i dont find them cold sounding at all! i think they could even be described as warm... ive ordered the HD600 headband pad, next are 840 pads. although the stock pads are not that bad.

i even think they could use a boost in the highs (treble head here)

using iPod classic 7G rockboxed > Fiio L3 > Fiio E11 no EQ or bass boost.

The stock pads aren't that bad at first, but after a year mine got as hard as plastic. They ended up cracking and chips of pleather fell of. I went for the SRH940's velour pads. The difference in comfort was quite shocking, to be honest. 

So why did you order the HD600 headband and not the HD650's? I thought the ergonomic of the HD650's headband made it superior to the HD600's. Though I never tried any of them, I like to think that the hole in the middle of the band is a good idea. I placed an order for the HD650's headband on January 31 and I still haven't got them. They've been B/O at Sennheiser Canada ever since. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by randomkid 

I went for the 600 as others ha good experience with it. How did the velours affect sound?

Honestly, I didn't spot any significant difference. The only difference I noticed was a better seal. Since the velour pads were softer than the stock pleather ones, they hugged my head better and therefore had better isolation.

I think Shure got it right with the SRH940's pads. They are not made a 100% of velour. The inside of the cups is actually pleather, with 4 holes punched into this part. I suspect they were tuned to a specific sound, but I can't tell what the goal was. I'm guessing they tried to minimize the impact of velour pads on the bass response. All I know is they are great, and definitively an upgrade for the 440.

Note that the reason I got the 940's pads was not to change the sound of my 440. The stocks pads on my 440s were scrap after only a year of use. I had to replace them anyway. I went for the 940 hoping they would be better quality and more comfortable than the stock 440 pads. I was not disappointed.

New, I'd say they are the same depth. The thing is, my stock pad got "compressed" down, so after a year of use, yes the new pads were deeper. But still nothing compared to AKG pads. I had to place half-ring of foam under them to make the back of the pads deeper. No need to make the front of the pad deeper. Angling them will lower the clamping force and move the sound stage forward.

Some day I'll have to make a thread about all the modifications I did to my SRH440. I just need a real camera first.

Pictures of my SRh440 at it's current state :

The pads are the SRH940's velour pads. They are the same form factor, so they are a perfect replacement. After getting used to the AKG Q701's amazingly deep cups, I had troubles coming back to the SRH440 as my ear lobe did touch the mesh inside the cup. I recycled a plastic dish used by butchers and fishmongers for this task. The bottom of the dish is almost flat and a nice 4mm thick. (That's 5/32 of an inch for those weird countries still using this out-dated unit) For those who don't know what I'm talking about (or their markets uses something different), those dishes are made of brittle foam. It's hard and very light, but breaks easily. I cut C shapes out of the dish, using the cushions as a guide. I actually had to cut the C shapes in two so I could fit them inside. (If you do that, Be sure to make a perfectly square cut, else the foams won't stay in place) This addition was enough so that my ears no longer touched the bottom of the cushions. Using C shapes instead of full rings is actually a compromise between deeper cups and stronger clamping force. As a plus, it angles the drivers, which did move the sound stage forward. Pushing the drivers away from your ears will widen the sound stage and tame that "in your face" sound. 'Might not be for everyone.

I sewn a piece of packing foam to the headband. This is supposed to be temporary. I placed an order for Sennheiser HD650's headband pads at the end of January but still haven't received them. Been Back Order ever since.  I'll be taking the headband apart when I receive the Sennheiser pad.

Sound wise, the only mod I did was to remove the plugs from inside the drivers. See http://www.head-fi.org/t/456493/shure-srh440-foam-plug-mod for more information and pictures. You can also read my impression of this mod on the second page of the thread. In short, if you like the SRH440 but would like more bass, this is the mod to do. I don't know if I'm a bass head or something, but I don't find this modification to ruin the sound with bloated bass. But then it might be that I'm using the 940's pad, which helps tightening up the bass. Or it could be that I'm using an amp, which I believe is not the norm with the 440.. Maybe I should try the stock pads see how it sounds.