I'm really loving these headphones. They have a very clear, balanced, and articulate sound, which I didn't expect at all coming from a compact, closed-back headphone that I picked up on closeout last year for an extremely low price. Fine details in audio files are resolved and can be easily picked out. There is solid bass and dynamics, and a decent amount of bass. Don't expect your eardrums to rupture from a bloated, exaggerated low-end, but what is there is quite punchy, tight, and controlled.
At this moment, I really can't pinpoint negatives to the sound signature. I normally prefer open-air headphones, and while the Allen & Heath XD-40 isn't as transparent or airy sounding as your typical open headphone, they still sound great. Some closed headphones I've owned in the past, listed off the top of my head, include Sennheiser PX-200, Audio-Technica ATH-A900, a portable AKG, a friend's modded Fostex, and a couple Ultimate Ears. I'm not a fan of closed headphones because I feel as though I can "hear" the enclosure, with more-or-less some amount of stuffiness or enclosure distortion that I normally find unpalatable--a quality I don't abide unless I absolutely need something for portable/noisy applications, where isolation is critical. With the XD-40, I do not seem to get that "closed-in" feeling as much as with other closed cans I've used.
One possible caveat to the sound is that these phones may need some form of amplification, or at least a headphone jack with a decent amount of juice, to bring out the bass and the fullness of the spectrum. I briefly tried these directly connected to a couple portable sources--a smartphone and a tablet--and it seemed somewhat anemic coming from straight out of those devices. On the flip side, they sound great plugged straight into my PC's (likely mediocre) Realtek headphone jack.
Build quality is very good and sturdy, with simple-but-effective hinges and joints designed in such a way that you don't expect the whole assembly to fall apart anytime soon. Despite being constituted of mostly plastic materials, none of the plastic parts are thin or fragile, and everything feels solidly designed and built; you can toss these things around and have a reasonable expectation of their long-term survival.
Comfort-wise, these fit well on my head due to the nicely adjustable headband and swiveling earcups (which rotate with the perfect amount of tension). The soft faux-leather padded headband and earpads also contribute to the comfortability factor. The soft earpads and adjustable swivel/angle provide a good seal on my ears, and thus I get very good isolation from outside sounds. Overall, a comfortable set of cans, perhaps with the ears getting a little sweaty under those sealed earcups with extended listening periods.
At this moment, I really can't pinpoint negatives to the sound signature. I normally prefer open-air headphones, and while the Allen & Heath XD-40 isn't as transparent or airy sounding as your typical open headphone, they still sound great. Some closed headphones I've owned in the past, listed off the top of my head, include Sennheiser PX-200, Audio-Technica ATH-A900, a portable AKG, a friend's modded Fostex, and a couple Ultimate Ears. I'm not a fan of closed headphones because I feel as though I can "hear" the enclosure, with more-or-less some amount of stuffiness or enclosure distortion that I normally find unpalatable--a quality I don't abide unless I absolutely need something for portable/noisy applications, where isolation is critical. With the XD-40, I do not seem to get that "closed-in" feeling as much as with other closed cans I've used.
One possible caveat to the sound is that these phones may need some form of amplification, or at least a headphone jack with a decent amount of juice, to bring out the bass and the fullness of the spectrum. I briefly tried these directly connected to a couple portable sources--a smartphone and a tablet--and it seemed somewhat anemic coming from straight out of those devices. On the flip side, they sound great plugged straight into my PC's (likely mediocre) Realtek headphone jack.
Build quality is very good and sturdy, with simple-but-effective hinges and joints designed in such a way that you don't expect the whole assembly to fall apart anytime soon. Despite being constituted of mostly plastic materials, none of the plastic parts are thin or fragile, and everything feels solidly designed and built; you can toss these things around and have a reasonable expectation of their long-term survival.
Comfort-wise, these fit well on my head due to the nicely adjustable headband and swiveling earcups (which rotate with the perfect amount of tension). The soft faux-leather padded headband and earpads also contribute to the comfortability factor. The soft earpads and adjustable swivel/angle provide a good seal on my ears, and thus I get very good isolation from outside sounds. Overall, a comfortable set of cans, perhaps with the ears getting a little sweaty under those sealed earcups with extended listening periods.
