Shure SRH840

I have had 2 pairs and both have stopped working, these aren't professional headphones and I'd stay away from them if you want to keep them longer than a year of professional use. 
 
Spend your money on something better than these. Shame on you shure

Ok I have been using a pair of these for several years.
 
I logged on because there are way too many positive reviews of these things.
 
Firstly: everything I mix on these is significantly slanted to the top end. If I let myself go and just do what sounds natural then I totally mix down the bass. These don't have anywere near a flat natural response imo. You hear a much louder bass than is really present in the track.
 
The sound is good, crisp and detailed all the way up however.
 
Secondly: these are really not as durable as you would expect for the price range: after several years of moderate use these things are a sight to see:
 
a) both sides have snapped at the flexible junctions above the speakers. They both snapped at seperate times and are now sticky taped together.
 
b) the pads that go around the speaker bits were never tight enough and constantly falling off. They have been sticky-taped on now for several years.
 
c) the minijack tip snapped off inside a laptop a year ago. I soldered a new jack on. Unfortunately the laptop socket was permanently damaged by the experience.
 
d) the headphones never had as much grip as they should have - they are often falling off - i don't have a particularly small head. taping the junctions together with stickytape actually improved this problem
 
ok so I have really tested these things and I don't think they are the quality that you really expect from shure.
 
the main issue is the bass response however, i have really had to teach myself to unnaturally boost the bass a couple of dbs otherwise I endlessly mix with too much treble.

So I'm not going to try to impress you with my resume or be unnecessarily verbose here...
 
I'm having a little trouble justifying the purchase of these cans after a few hours of playtime - I'm not a staunch believer of burning in, but I'll give it a shot and amend if there is a change.
 
They are dark, too dark for my tastes. There is no sparkle, low highs are emphasized here which leads me to...
 
The mids are combative and aggressive, constantly fighting for the spotlight, it turns to noise when playing a complicated piece.
 
They are boomy - there's lots of boom, enough to shake them off my head (since they already seem to want to slide off) bass is all in the high and middle of the spectrum, its punchy and taught but there isn't any depth.
 
 
If you are strapped and you must stay under 160$ then these could be considered a good value. If you can spend more, go for something else...I definitely am.

For less than $200 you won't find a better pair of headphones for studio use. I wouldn't recommend these to anyone who isn't going to be using them in a studio. You can't really take them with you and there's much more "fun" hi-fi headphones for home use. But if you need a cheaper super flat pair of cans to check mixes and/or monitor sound, this is your choice. They do lack a bit of punch so placing kick drums is a bit of trial and error in these things. At higher volume sub-bass tones rattle them up a bit in a bad way. These are the reasons I'm not giving 5 stars. Other than that, they're a great buy. 

 
I would have preferred a hard carrying case for the headphones, but, when you consider the cost of these cans, the soft carrying bag is acceptable. I plan to eventually buy the hard carrying case that is included with the headphones that are one model number higher because I emailed Shure customer support and I was told that the SRH840s and the SRH940s are the same size so the 840s should be able to fit in the case that was designed for the 940s.
 
 
The cable isn't as nice as the cable that came included with my new Ultrasone Go headphones (which have a lower MSRP) and you can't replace it with just any cable. The cable has to be replaced with one of those cables that you twist to lock into the ear cup. I would like to mod these so that regular 3.5 mm plugs will go into both the left and the right ear cups, but I'm not savvy enough to do it myself and I don't know if there is anybody that would be willing to do that for me. I haven't looked but, if I end up going through with this mod, I hope to find a cable that is braided and also has the three buttons and mic. I should mention that with my new Ultrasone headphones, I don't have to take the case off of my phone to plug them in, whereas with my Shure headphones I do.
 
 
The headphones themselves are comfortable to wear for hours, especially if you replace the pleather ear cushions with velour cushions like I did. I paid 25$ for a pair of HPAEC940 velour ear cushions (I don't remember how much shipping costed me) and attached them to my ear cups and they made the headphones feel hundreds of dollars more expensive. I couldn't recommend replacing the pleather ear cushions with velour more.
 
The headband (just like the stock ear cushions) is made from pleather. I plan to eventually buy an article of velour baby clothing from Burt's Bees Baby to cut up and use to replace the pleather headband of these headphones. Why Burts Bees Baby? Their velour products are made from 100% cotton that also happens to be organic. If replacing the pleather ear cushions with velour improved the perceived value of these cans by 'hundreds of dollars' in my mind, I can't wait to see the difference when I replace the headband with velour.
 
 
Songs listened to:
 

1. 'Apprehensive' by Kelly Bailey
2. 'Bass String' by Kelly Bailey
3. 'Valve Theme [Extended]' by Kelly Bailey
4. 'Hard Technology Rock' by Kelly Bailey
5. 'N.Y. State of Mind' by Nas
6. 'An der schönen blauen Donau, Op.314' (more commonly known as 'The Blue Danube') by Herbert von Karajan and the Berliner Philharmoniker
7. 'Excursions' by A Tribe Called Quest
8. 'Buggin' Out' by A Tribe Called Quest
9. 'Scenario - LP Mix' by A Tribe Called Quest
10. 'Everything Remains Raw' by Busta Rhymes
11. 'Woo Hah!! Got You All In Check' by Busta Rhymes

 
I compared the sound of these headphones to the sound of my Ultrasone Gos and my 840s sound a little more airy than the Gos do, but there isn't a big difference in the sound signatures of these headphones to my ears. I blame the impressions that I have of the sound of my two pairs of headphones on the placebo effect, but since other people on this website believe that they are actually hearing differences in the sound of different products, I gave my subjective impressions of the sound. I'm sorry that I couldn't give a more detailed description of the sound of these headphones than that.

I bought these headphones primarily for listening to Hiphop/Rap music. Theyre not bad for hiphop but definitely electronic and alternative come off as much clearer ( more comfy then beats, sound doesnt leak but beats do sound better with rap music). The music comes out clear, clearer than Beats By Dre Solo Hds. Bass is good, deep,  can handle it well, I suggest customizing the bass with the itunes equalizer . The highs can be alittle scratchy at first. High snares can come off as really annoying though ( Swimming Pools by Kendrick Lamar, i cant even listen to that song in these) In all, these headphones sound great and I am going to purchase an amp soon and believe that will help. I use the Shures for my Ipod Touch and Macbook Pro. They work fine with both, gold tipped. I have used them before with recording equipment and the music does come out significantly better than the standard ipod jack, very adjustable fits any head.  Is it worth it? Worth it- if you record music, into alternative, rock... Not worth it - want to listen to rap/hiphop, have a small head

After burn-in and listening to them for a hundred hours or so, plus live mix time this is my perspective on their audio.
Coming from Sennheiser HD280 Pros and Shure SE215s, these seem to be amazingly balanced. 
They have the incredible Shure warmth and vocal clarity, but still extend their highs extensively. I have always found problem frequencies in all the other headphones I use, like the HD280 Pros have the weird 200Hz lump which is a constant annoying humming espesh during live sessions, biggest turn-off for me. But the SRH840s seem to be perfectly matched to the system I work with. Boominess when there is, sibilance when there is. Simply great monitoring cans for a large-ish system.
 
And the detail! Basically, if I can hear the string slap in the third minute of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite and hear pages turning throughout the masterpiece, I am completely satisfied.
The soundstage is OK. It's not amazing and a tad forward at times which you'd least expect, but those incredible highs help spread it out.
The cans do well above average for most genres but there are times you wish you had something more like the Beyerdynamic DT880 Pros or AKG 701's with a lot more air and breath to them simply because they're open, but then again, these ARE meant for professional use, and open cans would be damn annoying when you're trying to PFL/solo anything live with 90dB of background noise.
 
I seriously have been on the hunt for the best live monitoring headphone and can't find anything better for even double or triple the price.
 
There is a lot of plastic on this can, but the back of the inner circle driver housing is metal, adding to that definition I mentioned earlier while the outer casing is plastic adding to that Shure warmth. The main headband of the phone is metal based, simply because plastic will never have the same kind of elasticity, but the frame that holds the earcups is pure plastic because of the rigidity required to hold the shape.
 
I do have to complain about a few things though, mainly design-wise. Most significant is probably due to my big head. When using my HD280 Pros, dropping each side to its maximum length causes only the bottom half of my ears to be covered, but with the SRH840's I have to drop them down the whole way for them to perfectly cover my ears. Now you might ask, "then what's the problem?" As a Sound Engineer I am trained in my thinking to always have a little headroom for everything. Save some for a rainy day, that kind of thing. It's already at its limit and that leads to another problem.
This one would the be smaller cables leading to earcup. Because the side lengths are at maximum, these smaller cables are almost at full stretch and I don't know how good the strain relief is, but if there was ever to be some serious snaggage, it could mean the death of the sound in the right earcup.
 
These cans are also the heaviest, and the 4m of coiled cable doesn't help either. But it does fold away quite neatly, with the cable detachable. Too bad it doesn't fold flat.

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As an amateur hi-fi enthusiast I'm certainly no head-fi expert, but that won't stop me from saying that the Shure SRH840 professional monitoring headphones are a sweet sounding set of cans.

I don't think I’ve ever owned a pair of headphones or in-ear monitors that cost me more than $25 up until two years ago when The Spirited Uncle M officially introduced me to premium sound with a gift of HiFiMan Re-Zero IEMs. Having only known Skullcandy’s boomy bass and the harsh highs of cheap Apple, Samsung, Sennheiser and Sony IEMs before then, the HiFiMan’s exposed me to reference-quality sound.

Unfortunately, over the last year my ear canals have become very sensitive to IEMs and extended listening is simply intolerable. Since my 9 to 5 cubicle-life is unbearable without music, I needed to find a closed-back, on- or over-the-ear headphone that would give me the same, if not better, sound as the HiFiMan Re-Zero at a price that seemed sensible for a set of hi-fi cans that will primarily live on my office desk.

As usual, I started scouring the Internet in search of the perfect headphone that would deliver exceptional sound quality, comfort, value, and performance even when powered by mobile devices and crappy business-class PCs. Thanks to hundreds of glowing reviews on Head-Fi.org, the Audio Technica ATH-M50 and ATH-EWS9, Beyerdynamic DT1350 and Sennheiser HD25-1 II all made my shortlist. After debating about exactly how much I wanted to spend vs. claimed performance, I had pretty much decided to enter the head-fi world via a refurbished model of the Audio Technica ATH-EWS9 to stay in my mid-range budget when some further comparison reading revealed the Shure SRH840 as a notable alternative to each of the above models. 

The Shure SRH840 are described as “professional monitoring headphones” designed for “professional audio engineers and musicians” and “optimized for studio recording and critical listening.” So when I found a new, sealed set for $145 delivered vs. the normal $199 retail price, I decided to just go for it.

Unboxing the SRH840, it was immediately evident that Shure intended for buyers to rock these cans for years to come. The build quality and included accessories are just what you would expect from a legendary name in the pro audio world. These headphones come with an extra set of replacement ear cup pads, a leather (pleather?) carry bag, a detachable/replaceable coiled 10 ft. oxygen-free copper cable terminated with gold-plated plugs, and a 1/4” gold-plated adapter for amplifier headphone jacks. Despite being constructed of mostly thick plastic, the SRH840 headphones retain a robust feeling that instills confidence that they’ll hold up to day-to-day use whether you’re in the office or at the studio.
 

The Sound

Straight out of the box I plugged the SRH840s into the front panel of my NAD C 326BEE integrated stereo amp to give them a go with John Coltrane’s Giant Steps played through a Sony DVP-S9000ES SACD/DVD player. Immediately I noticed a significant jump in richness and warmth compared to the Re-Zero IEMs I was accustomed to. Coltrane’s sax sounded lush and accurate, with a full forward presentation that’s likely aided by the slight boost in bass and mid-range frequency response. Despite this, Paul Chambers’ bass never sounded boomy or muddied, in fact the bass was clear, punchy and easy to follow—just how it should be. I’m certainly no bass head, but I do appreciate a clean low-end rumble, and the SRH840s definitely deliver, even with no break-in time. Added to that, the sensitive notes, like Jimmy Cobb’s jazz brushes circling the snare drum maintain clear separation and presentation even when things got busier.

 

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Shure says that the SRH840’s “Precisely tailored frequency response (claimed 5 Hz - 25 kHz) delivers rich bass, clear mid-range and extended highs,” and I would certainly have to agree. Whether I was playing jazz classics like Coltrane and Miles Davis, or blasting the Deftones and Pearl Jam, I had no trouble sitting back to enjoy entire albums right from the get-go. And now with about 70 hours of play, the 40mm neodymium drivers have noticeably loosened up and expanded the very clear, accurate, warm, and non-fatiguing dynamic range. Even normally harsh-sounding heavy rock was pleasing to listen to. In fact, I’d say that while these headphones maintain excellent detail, they’re also very well balanced; the high notes smoothly roll off just enough to relieve poor recordings of their harshness that makes them sound better than you’d expect. I think it will be easy to listen to these for hours on end, which is exactly what I was hoping for.
 

The Fit

Being a full-size circumaural (around-the-ear) headphone constructed of thick plastics, these certainly have some heft to them. These cans weighed in at 376 grams without the cable on my scale. Despite the weight, I was comfortable wearing them for upwards of two hours straight. I have a relatively small oval head (21”), and the clamping tension was just about right. My ears fit perfectly inside of the cups and I had no discomfort from the pads, albeit they do get warm.

Thanks to the closed-back design, thick pads, hinged and swiveling ear cups, and nearly ideal clamping tension, the SRH840s seamlessly coupled to my head, providing good background noise isolation and no noise leaks. Even when laid on my desk with the pads together there’s only the slightest bit of leakage, which makes these perfectly acceptable for use in the workplace or other quieter environments. 

My only complaint so far is with the headband. Possibly because of my head-size, the headband tended to slide around or fall off if I tilt my head too far forward or back. This may not be an issue if you have a larger head, but these wouldn’t work for me if I planned to use them on the go. Secondly, the headband did put some uncomfortable pressure on the top of my head. The contact point is small, so it may be a matter of bending the band into place to distribute the weight more (which seems possible) and letting the pads soften up, but occasional repositioning is a must for me for the time being. 
 

Final Thoughts

Overall I am happy with this purchase. As my first “hi-fi” headphone, the SRH840 will serve as a reference point for future purchases, but I am more than pleased with the sound quality and price vs. performance. Plus, with their very good frequency response range, 102db sensitivity, and 44-ohm impedance, these are easy to drive with mobile devices and standard sound cards, and the clarity and response only gets better when mated with a stereo amplifier. If you’re looking for a beginner audiophile-grade headphone with an accurate and balanced sound, rich dynamics, solid construction, and a quality name stamped on it that won't break the bank, the Shure SRH840 professional monitoring headphones may fit the bill.

 

***Extended Listening Update***

After about two weeks of continual use at the office, I am happy to report that these cans have only improved in sound quality and comfort. The drivers seem fully loosened up and are simply delivering a clean, well-rounded sound with nice bass extension and little coloration. If anything, the highs are slightly recessed, so these lean to the warm or dark side of neutral, but are overall very pleasing to listen to regardless of the genre of music (at least to my ears). As for comfort, the headband has definitely gained flexibility and the padding has naturally softened up with use. While the thick headband is certainly still felt on top of my head, the pressure is felt far less than it was, and I have no problems wearing these for slightly longer periods. For all-day use some mods may be helpful.   

Ive had these headphones for about 2 weeks now and they are starting to break in quite nicely. I do use a nice DAC and Amp to help power these cans. They are only 44ohm headphones so they dont require much to power but a dedicated source can really improve the sound of the headphones i've found rather then playing them straight off the device. 
 

 

 
Highs -
Sound very nice, the treble is sweet and has a very nice and neutral sound to it. They can be a tad bright but that can be a good thing for some people. 
 
Mids -
Is where these cans shine, the vocals are amazing. I have a pair of beyerdynamic dt 770 pro 80ohm and i love those for heavy bass like dubstep type music but these put them to shame when it comes to mids. The dt770s are a great headphone dont get me wrong but in most of my everyday listening, i pick the shures over the dt770's. the mids are very forward and enjoyable to listen to
 
Lows and bass -
tight bass, not over powering. The bass is present and can have a nice boom to them with an amp but not like the DT770's. The bass is very clear and does not bleed into the sound spectrum. I still enjoy dubstep and rap and heavy bass songs on these headphones but if you want a super boomy sound they wont be at the top
 
a few cons -
they are heavy and at first i didnt like how they clamped on my head so tightly but they do ease up and are nice to wear for a long period of time. 
They are VERY bulky, they look and sound GREAT but they are a tank.They do fold in which helps for transport but they are not a small item. 
 
Overall - 
I really really enjoy these headphones, they are very easy and not fatiguing to listen to for long sessions. They have a great sound for less than $200, i am still breaking them in completely but as they stand right now i really love them. They pair well with a SS amp and a good DAC. I use Schiit Audio Modi and a Fiio E9 to power these.

Sadly I'm saying goodbye to my SRH840's (as I move further up the SQ ladder) - but the experience has been memorable, and for an entry point to 'quality audio', I can give this model a very big endorsement.

UPDATE 25/4/13 - repurchased - didn't realise how good these were until I had to spend time away from them!

Product Description

The Shure SRH 840 is a closed circumaural full sized headphone, that has a detachable single-sided cable, and is the former flagship of Shure's headphone range (since superceded by the SRH940).



Shure describes the 840 as:
"Designed for professional audio engineers and musicians, the SRH840 Professional Monitoring Headphones from Shure are optimized for studio recording and critical listening."

Technical Specifications

- Transducer type : Dynamic neodymium magnet
- Driver size : 40 mm
- Sensitivity (1kHz) : 102 dB/mW
- Impedance (1kHz) : 44 Ω
- Max. input power (1kHz) : 1000 mW
- Frequency range : 5 Hz - 25 kHz
- Net weight (without cable) : 0.7 lb (317.5 g)
- Length of cable : 3 meters (9.84 ft)
- Type of cable : Detachable coiled oxygen-free copper
- Plug : Gold-plated 1/8" (3.5 mm) stereo mini jack

Accessories
The SRH840 comes with a very good accessory packaging including:
- Replacement pleather ear-pads
- Threaded 1/4 inch adaptor
- Soft pleather carrying bag


Design, Build Quality and Comfort
The Shure SRH840 is built almost entirely of plastic - but despite that, these are incredible well built, and IMO you would have to do something out of the ordinary to break them.  The cups fold inward so that the headphones become completely collapsible - great for traveling - and the cable is detachable and replaceable.


They do have a couple of design flaws - which I haven't found a problem - but which IMO detract from the package overall.  The first is the wires from the cups to the headband - which are external, and quite thin.  Whilst I've had no issues with these wires, I have also been very careful with them.  They're an appendage that could have been easily made internal - and been one less thing to worry about.  The other issue is the overall weight of the headphones.  These are on the heavy side - especially after you add the weight of the coiled cord.  Apparently a portion of the headband is a solid piece of rubber which is quite heavy - and could have been substituted for something a little lighter.

On the comfort side - despite the weight - I've found the SRH840 to be exceedingly comfortable, and I've worn them for hours at a time.  They clamp and isolate very well.  The pleather pads are very soft (they're different than the SRH440 pads - a lot superior).  Warning though - views on comfort of the SRH 840 are very mixed.  Some have found their headband uncomfortable - pressing in one spot on the head.  Something to be aware of - although I have had no issues.

Sound Quality

A lot has been said about the Shure SRH840 - and for pure enjoyment, I have found the overall SQ as warm, reasonably detailed, and very, very smooth.

The SRH840's strengths are in the mids - and these cans absolutely excel with female vocals and also acoustic.  The high end has a little sparkle without being sibilant - but the mids are what really continues to shine through for me.  I've also found them wonderful for jazz, and especially for progressive rock.  Porcupine Tree is simply breathtaking.

The bass on the SRH840 is punchy and very present.  These will not suit bass-heads, but I find the bass enjoyable without being over the top.  The 840's do not extend overly deep IMO, and they do have  a mid-bass hump, which can make them a little boomy from time to time (only on certain tracks) - but overall the bass is reasonably well defined.

The 840's do not have a large soundstage - typical of most closed cans - but clarity and separation of instruments is handled pretty well.

The 840's do not require an amp. Some have suggested that they do benefit from one with slightly increased definition and clarity. I'll let each individual decide on that for themselves.



Conclusion

Although Shure marketed these as monitor / studio headphones - I'm not sure they got the target market right.  What I would say is that for musical enjoyment across a wide range of genres at this price point ($129) they would be extremely hard to beat.  These cans IMO are ideal for pure enjoyment of music - either straight out of your DAP, or amplified for a little extra lift.  If I had to sum them up in a couple of words I would "smooth" and "balanced".  I use the word balance more in an all purpose sense rather than a frequency range sense - these cans are great with most genres you throw at them.

I will miss them.

This pair is perfect for listening, especially after broken in. The first few days were hell, but after that, it was blissful. I cannot go a week without picking these up and listening to something.
 
My set up is a Fiio E6 and I also have a L3 line-in for my iPod Classic (6th Gen). While I would love to upgrade from these headphones, I don't know how much better I can get while being able to detect the difference (luckily for me, I suppose )
 
Anyway, there is a reason these are so highly rated throughout the community. Don't just take my word for it.

Shure SRH840, are a value filled set of extraordinary headphones, worth every single coin you spend on it. The bass register is perfect for any genre of song you play through you phone/computer/mixing desk etc. Whether you are listening to Bob Dylan or Jeff Buckley; or if you're listening to Amaranthe and Suicide Silence, the EQ balance is perfect for everything.
 
They are very well designed for recording and playback, and are very useful for listening back to your own recordings you do whether it's through a MIDI file, D.I. output or through a professional mixing desk, these headphones are what you're looking for.
 
Sitting in the passenger seat in the car with my wife for three hours, the Shure SRH840 headphones provide constant comfort around the ears and refrain from giving you a headache from the constant pressure against the vein and arteries around your head.
 
Recommended 10/10 for anyone who is looking for a well-epuipped pair of headphones which highly live up to the price they sell for. Definitely worth it!!
 
Rating: 9.4/10

Packaging:
Classy box, easy to open, nicely presented.
 
Comfort:
Earcups are perfectly comfortable and they fit wonderfully. Hours long listening sessions are still perfectly comfortable.
 
Design:
The design of these is really cool in that the band is entirely flexible, but the practical application is diminished because of it. It makes the headphones extremely top heavy, so you cannot really move much at all while wearing these. For example, they are annoying to use while doing housework, or even putting your shoes on, because if you lean your head forward at all they will slide forward and eventually fall off. In this regard, the design of the SRH DJ 750 is more comfortable and usable for this (although you absolutely need an amp to power those). Also, the stock cable is an overly long and bulky 3.5m coil. They offer a straight cable sold separately, but this is also too long and bulky for comfortable 'pocket use'. The stock cable is really suited for studio/desk use only. I did like the removable cable design though, makes for nice easy storage-oh, and they come with a very nice carrying bag and they fold into it very easily. Finally, although they look good, I think they could look better. Shure will really dominate the market once they make their headphones look as good as the Dre Beats, because they already sound a thousand times better!
 
Sound:
Beautiful and perfectly balanced, with a huge soundstage that makes you hear every single element of the music. Bass is strong but not overpowering, mids are velvety smooth and rich, and the treble shimmers above-the sound on these really amazed me. It is important to note though that these isolate VERY little noise, despite their significant looking ear cups. To enjoy these on, say, the El (as I tried to do), you pretty much have to max out your volume.
 
Value:
Tough to beat. Strictly concerning sound, they absolutely kill my stepdad's $300 Bose Quiet Comfort 3's, and practically make fun of other entries in their class and price range.
 
Overall:
Know what you're buying: these are studio-type, stationary-use-only headphones. If that's what you're looking for then look no further, because these sound incredible and are comfortable for hours at a time and you probably won't find anything better at that price.

I really,really like these cans. Using an Android based smartphone as my source unit (FLAC,OGG and MP3s via neutron MP) these cans really sound solid. The highs are very detailed without being overly bright. Bass is not overwhelming,but solid. If its on the track its there,if its not its not. Simple as that. The mids are very open and clean,but lack that little warmth (think Grado house sound). Where thats a good or bad thing is up to you. I personally like many cans that other people claim have a dry sound (like Etymotics). I got a really good deal on these (B-stock from headroom) and couldnt pass them up. For $200 there may be other options you might want to consider,however.

Bought them for 200$ couple of years ago. In terms of sound - nothing comes close for the price.
Bass is gentle and rather lean, but very accurate and when equalized can get very deep.
The mids are warm and delightful while high are crisp and clear but nor overdone. As the title says the sound is extremely balanced, although personally I prefer a darker, deeper color overall.
Sound leakage is quite minimal but they are too bulky and do not sit tight enough on the head for day to day commuting. 

These are very good headphones. If you don't need "basshead bass", just accurate , crisp bass , then these are for you.
Although they are comfortable around the ears, they are very heavy, not too big of a deal imo, the quality of sound and overall design of the headphones makes it alright.
Amp is not really required due to the low ohms on these too.
 
I opted to return them tho, as the bass was not powerful enough and they were too heavy.
if they had basshead bass and werent so heavy, they would be perfect.

Hey. This is going to be a review of the Shure SRH840. Now, these are Shure's 3rd headphone in the '40 series. They are for everyone, including regular people and studio professionals.
 
To start off, i am going to talk about the overall value and what you get when you purchase these. In my honest opinion, these are worth the $200 price tag. While the design is a bit bulky, and you can't really use these in public because they will get you strange looks when you walk around. Regardless of that, these are still great headphones. They are made out of plastic, and i am not talking about cheap plastic, i'm talking about the high quality stuff. They feel very solid and sturdy when you hold them in your hands. You get a high quality coiled audio cable, a fake leather carrying pouch, an extra set of ear pads, and a screw on quarter inch adapter. While the carrying pouch does more carrying than protecting, i find it to be appropriate due to the rock solid plastic that these headphones are made out of. The cable has a detachable mechanism that locks in once you insert it into the headphones and give it a quarter twist. As most of you may know, the headphones have exposed wires, which is a turn off for me, because it may get caught on something and rip out, thus ruining the headphone.
 
In terms of comfort, i have to say that these are really great! My ears completely go inside the ear cups and the clamping force is at the right level to where the headphones feel secure on my head. The ear cup size is pretty large, so it should fit around pretty much everyone's ears.
 
The sound of these headphones is really excellent, especially for a $200 headphone. The bass is accurate and punchy, so not boomy or muddy. It is at a level where you are able to listen to any genre of music and still be satisfied with what you hear. The midrange/vocal region is really great. You are able to hear vocals perfectly and they never get harsh, or hard to listen to. When a singer drops to a low note, you can hear it with perfect E's and when it picks up, you hear it. I would say that female vocals are more satisfying to listen to than male vocals because they don't give you listening fatigue as much as male vocals do. The treble is extended and quite present. Now, these are not bright, in my opinion. Treble extension is good, and drums and cymbal crashes sound amazing to me. I listen to a lot of rock and metal music, and these headphones perform quite well with those genres.
 
Are these the best $200 headphones ever? i have no idea. But, they are well worth the money if you plan on picking these up. You can find them online, or at guitar center, and they typically run for 180 to 200 dollars depending on where you get them. So, thank you Shure for making these amazing headphones, and thank you to everyone for checking out this review.  

To give you an idea of where I'm coming from I have owned JH audio JH5 IEMs, Fostex T50rps, and Audio Technica ATH-M50x's. My Fostex T50rps were issued to me at audio engineering school and were what I used as reference for a long time and I loved their natural mids. My JH5's are also very flat as far as IEMs are concerened. i was not a fan of the ATH-M50x's (owned them for about an hour before returning and getting these Shures).
 
 
I'll keep this short and sweet. The sound is very neutral but at the same time not too flat. If anyone has ever been in a studio these don't sound like Yamaha NS10's. I'll give the Fostex that comparison tho. These sound flat/neutral but with a little bit of a relaxed midrange. They're still great for reference but you can really enjoy listening to music through these as well. I originally bought these because they were the winner of Dave Rat's headphone quest (He is the FOH engineer for the Red Hot Chili Peppers and if he recommends something live sound guys listen). And now I see why he recommended them. He actually compares the sound of a PA in an arena with some test music to the sound of the same test music going through these headphones because they sound that good. I'm so excited to be listening to these right now!!!!
 
I'm using this without a headphone amp into a macbook. and/or iPod. I will also take these with me to my cruise ship when I return from vacation (I am an audio engineer for Carnival Cruise Lines).

Keep in mind I am using a sony discman model number D-E456CK from late 1999 as source and no amp to speak of except the one in the discman itself.  For classic rock like Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd no problem what so ever but for aggressive stuff like Opeth's still life album or an Iron Maiden or even Judas Priest album you may want to look at a different can anyway.
 
But also keep in mind I don't own an external amp currently or even have one at my whim at the moment.  I personally think even a decent enough cheap amp {around $200} will do wonders for the sound by opening up the low bass and evening out the mids.  I do not personally believe that an external amp will do nothing for the sound however that may just be my opinion I could very well be wrong.   But I don't think I am mistaken in any way.

This is a very very early review (just a few days from my purchase).
Reason I bought this can is to invest in some home entertainment hub for myself. Initially choosing M50,
but it's out of stock when I tried the demo set over and over and was about to make the purchase. sad.
 
Then I changed my mind, go for SRH840. Turned out to be not bad. Compared to M50, this can is seriously discolored (what I mean was, the bass is flat, the mid is clear, and the high is just flat, nothing outstanding). Although i still think i would like the more "fun" M50, which is quite bassy and colored (monitoring? I don't know, more towards entertaining). But SRH840 gives me a great chill on what I always wanted - DETAIL. This can is a detail monster.
 
I'm not even qualified to be called audiophile. Just someone who enjoys occasional music. But I love what I heard. The road not taken was M50, maybe next time (after 5 or 10 years later), I'll find something fun (Maybe too late? Haha.)