[myap2328]

 

What about the 1540s vs the Mad Dogs? I realized that with international shipping and everything, the Alpha Dogs are way too expensive for me.

The NAD HP50 may be another option to consider.

 
Is it just me or do I find the HP50 a little grainy sounding, or perhaps a little muffled. They do sound quite open for a headphone of that price though.
 
Cheers! 
Mitchell

 

[feverfive]

I think I've seen two references from different posters about using Alpha Dog pads w/ these.  How is the fit?  Do the Alpha Dog pads need to be modified to make them fit the SRH1540?

 

[Craigster75]

   
Is it just me or do I find the HP50 a little grainy sounding, or perhaps a little muffled. They do sound quite open for a headphone of that price though.
 
Cheers! 
Mitchell

They do lack microdetail, but are highly capable with just about everything else.

 

[myap2328]

 

Is it just me or do I find the HP50 a little grainy sounding, or perhaps a little muffled. They do sound quite open for a headphone of that price though.

Cheers! 
Mitchell

They do lack microdetail, but are highly capable with just about everything else.

I wouldn't spam the 1540 thread with my thoughts on the HP50 so this would be my last statement about them.

When I first heard them they do sound rather spectacular and for the price it's pretty darn amazing. But there were a few things that were just not up to snuff in my opinion such as the slightly lack of bass, and also it being muffled sounding. These two things are the dealbreakers when I'm looking for a new pair of headphones and earphones along with comfort.

But as usual, it may just be me but I did compare them with the usual suspects, m500, momentum, esw11ltd and none really impressed very greatly. Perhaps because I was using an 846 as reference. Oh well.

 

[Gbemiro]

Put some alpha pads on the 1540 and that bloated bass goes away. Bass emphasis remains the same... just with better quality.

While you say the Alpha has better quality bass... he may feel it to be a bit anemic if he's coming from something bassy like the 750DJs.

I'm only considering the Shure 1540s and Mad Dogs now. The Alpha Dogs + an amp are way over my budget.

 

[TwelveTrains]

  I'm only considering the Shure 1540s and Mad Dogs now. The Alpha Dogs + an amp are way over my budget.

The 1540's have incredible pads. In the field of comfort, I think the 1540's blow any leather/pleather headphone away. IMO.

 

[Gbemiro]

Hello.
Overall, No, I don't prefer the 1540s over the Alpha Dogs.
My review: http://www.head-fi.org/products/mrspeakers-alpha-dog-t50rp-mod/reviews/10136

I think the 1540s mid-bass is just a bit too bloated and if the song is really bassy, lower mids suffer. They are indeed fun, with very good mids and imaging though but if you want more accurate, the Alpha Dogs would be the way to go. Of course, you could also try the Mad Dogs. I feel they were bassier than the Alphas and the overall sound is very very good and accurate. It lacks a bit of air up top but other than that, they could do the job. Remember though that they need power to shine...

What are your thoughts on Mad Dogs vs Shure 1540s? And I know the Mad Dogs require more power. I will spend about the difference between the two on an amp if I go with the Mad Dogs.

 

[gelocks]

What are your thoughts on Mad Dogs vs Shure 1540s? And I know the Mad Dogs require more power. I will spend about the difference between the two on an amp if I go with the Mad Dogs.

 
Overall SQ: the Mad Dogs seem "warmer" to my ears and the highs seem more polite than the Shure SRH1540s. This might be due to the "flatter" response on the former. Mad Dogs bass seem to "hover" around a bit more giving the illusion of a "fuller" sound on the lower frecuencies (i.e. it's slower) while the 1540s mid-bass seem to be a bit increased and can sound a bit boomy and spread to the lower mids if the track is very bassy.

Mids are tastefully done on both headphones but I feel that the Mad Dogs fare better since the mids are more forward. Vocals for instance sound very good on the Mad Dogs. But were things get interesting is in the imaging/sound stage department. Since the Mad Dogs provide a bit of a more "closed-in"/narrower sound the more open sounding 1540 takes the cake and even though mids don't "feel" as forward due to more air and separation,
it is great especially with genres such as Salsa and Merengue.
 
Highs on both are extended but not at all emphasized like let's say the Alpha Dogs or other bright cans such as Shure 940s, Beyer T5ps, Yamaha MT220s, etc. etc. Though the Shure's are definitely more airy. Tonally both are similar as well. Listening to specific Piano pieces I sometimes sway more to the Mad Dogs way due to the more "intimate" setting but then I put something funky as Jon Cleary's "So Damn Good" which although piano is mostly A center piece, the Shure eats the Mad Dogs due to the very good instrument separation and a bit faster bass response. (fun track though and COMPLETELY RECOMMEND IT! ).
 
So basically at this point is up to preferences... I do like 1540s imaging as it reminds me of their 1840s which I found it excelled on this, but the Mad Dogs are a bit more "natural" sounding, more even and with more in-your-face mids.
 
Isolation: Mad Dogs win. They block outside noise better due to the AWESOME-ASS-KICKING Alpha Pads and noise leakage is very minimal. Not so with the Shure's. Seems the alcantara pads although making the headphone very comfortable it also makes sound leak more easily. So if you like to crank it up, the Mad Dogs fare a whole lot better.
 
Comfort: a Toss up. I LOVE the Alpha Pads (haven't tried those on the 1540s but I think member Change is Good has) and I feel the fit of the Mad Dogs is excellent. The Alcantara pads on the Shures are awesome as well and them not being leather, they don't induce much heat. But fit might be a problem. As some people have mentioned, the Shure's extend more outward than downward so not only do they look weird, depending on the shape of your head they might feel weird or even uncomfortable.
 
For the money, the Mad Dogs are an EXCELLENT buy. Though you still need to spend more $$ in amplification (this is going to be MY next step personally... I think I have the headphones I want at the moment) for them to really REALLY shine. Shure SRH headphone is excellent even from my FiiO X3, Cowon C2 and AK100 MK2!
 
For your preferences (Rock, Hip Hop) and budget I believe both headphones do well. I would probably go with the 1540s just because guitar crunch and instrument separation and a bit more airy characteristic but for Hip Hop I slightly favor the Mad Dogs! Again... this is a toss up... so I know I'm not making things easy for you! LOL
 
Maybe more members might be able to chime in, but this is how I feel. I feel both do a very good job overall so I guess it will come down to things like isolation, leakage, imaging preference, box contents, ease of driving them, etc. Also, you can look into other (and maybe even cheaper) alternatives such as: Shure SRH840s (I feel that the 1540s are an enhancement/refinement of these headphones), SoundMagic HP100, Audio Technica A900X (with better earpads if possible) and even the Monster N-Pulse (not the N-Tune) headphones. I have to say though that for "Rock"/Metal, etc. I actually prefer a bit more brightness with me headphones and both the 1540s and MDs have a warm tilt and more evenness throughout...
 
 
Thanks and Good Luck!!

 

[Gbemiro]

Overall SQ: the Mad Dogs seem "warmer" to my ears and the highs seem more polite than the Shure SRH1540s. This might be due to the "flatter" response on the former. Mad Dogs bass seem to "hover" around a bit more giving the illusion of a "fuller" sound on the lower frecuencies (i.e. it's slower) while the 1540s mid-bass seem to be a bit increased and can sound a bit boomy and spread to the lower mids if the track is very bassy.


Mids are tastefully done on both headphones but I feel that the Mad Dogs fare better since the mids are more forward. Vocals for instance sound very good on the Mad Dogs. But were things get interesting is in the imaging/sound stage department. Since the Mad Dogs provide a bit of a more "closed-in"/narrower sound the more open sounding 1540 takes the cake and even though mids don't "feel" as forward due to more air and separation,

it is great especially with genres such as Salsa and Merengue.

Highs on both are extended but not at all emphasized like let's say the Alpha Dogs or other bright cans such as Shure 940s, Beyer T5ps, Yamaha MT220s, etc. etc. Though the Shure's are definitely more airy. Tonally both are similar as well. Listening to specific Piano pieces I sometimes sway more to the Mad Dogs way due to the more "intimate" setting but then I put something funky as Jon Cleary's "So Damn Good" which although piano is mostly A center piece, the Shure eats the Mad Dogs due to the very good instrument separation and a bit faster bass response. (fun track though and COMPLETELY RECOMMEND IT! ).

So basically at this point is up to preferences... I do like 1540s imaging as it reminds me of their 1840s which I found it excelled on this, but the Mad Dogs are a bit more "natural" sounding, more even and with more in-your-face mids.

Isolation: Mad Dogs win. They block outside noise better due to the AWESOME-ASS-KICKING Alpha Pads and noise leakage is very minimal. Not so with the Shure's. Seems the alcantara pads although making the headphone very comfortable it also makes sound leak more easily. So if you like to crank it up, the Mad Dogs fare a whole lot better.

Comfort: a Toss up. I LOVE the Alpha Pads (haven't tried those on the 1540s but I think member Change is Good has) and I feel the fit of the Mad Dogs is excellent. The Alcantara pads on the Shures are awesome as well and them not being leather, they don't induce much heat. But fit might be a problem. As some people have mentioned, the Shure's extend more outward than downward so not only do they look weird, depending on the shape of your head they might feel weird or even uncomfortable.

For the money, the Mad Dogs are an EXCELLENT buy. Though you still need to spend more $$ in amplification (this is going to be MY next step personally... I think I have the headphones I want at the moment) for them to really REALLY shine. Shure SRH headphone is excellent even from my FiiO X3, Cowon C2 and AK100 MK2!

For your preferences (Rock, Hip Hop) and budget I believe both headphones do well. I would probably go with the 1540s just because guitar crunch and instrument separation and a bit more airy characteristic but for Hip Hop I slightly favor the Mad Dogs! Again... this is a toss up... so I know I'm not making things easy for you! LOL

Maybe more members might be able to chime in, but this is how I feel. I feel both do a very good job overall so I guess it will come down to things like isolation, leakage, imaging preference, box contents, ease of driving them, etc. Also, you can look into other (and maybe even cheaper) alternatives such as: Shure SRH840s (I feel that the 1540s are an enhancement/refinement of these headphones), SoundMagic HP100, Audio Technica A900X (with better earpads if possible) and even the Monster N-Pulse (not the N-Tune) headphones. I have to say though that for "Rock"/Metal, etc. I actually prefer a bit more brightness with me headphones and both the 1540s and MDs have a warm tilt and more evenness throughout...


Thanks and Good Luck!!

Thanks you very much; this was extremely helpful. It looks like the Shures have more of what I want (better instrument separation, better handling of distorted guitars, better soundstage, and a bit of bass emphasis) For some reason I don't like rock/metal distortion with brighter headhones. It might just be because I'm used to a darker sound.

Do they leak too much sound to wear in public though? I wont be using them in super quiet places; just at school and on busses.

I listened to the song you mentioned, and loved it; I'll be downloading it later.

Also, could you please give a few examples of songs where the bass can get boomy? If the bass is really boomy, that will be a deal breaker. That's the only thing I'm worried about with these headphones. I like a bit of bass emphasis, but don't want it to be boomy. For reference (if you've heard them), I found Monster DNAs way too bassy, and to have very uncontrolled and boomy bass. Jude from HeadfiTV described both the Monsters and Shures as having bass a bit north of neutral, and he considered both of them controlled. That made me think the bass would be too much for me on the Shures as well. In your opinion is the bass well controlled enough to never or just rarely be annoying? Not just in rap music, but also rock music with strong baselines.

Oh, and one last thing. I noticed on your profile it says you play guitar, although mostly accoustic. I do as well, but entirely electric. I read a description of that Mad Dogs where someone said they always tell other guitarists that the MDs sound as if you plugged your headphones into the player's amp. Do you find this true with the MDs or even the Shures, or do you not play enough electric to know?

Once again, thank you for your extremely helpful comparison. I'm sorry if I'm asking too many questions.

There may be a lot of mistakes in here. I'm posting on my phone.

 

[gelocks]

Do they leak too much sound to wear in public though? I wont be using them in super quiet places; just at school and on busses.

 
If that's the case, leakage might be "Ok"... still other people might hear the music if you crank it up too loud.
 

Also, could you please give a few examples of songs where the bass can get boomy? If the bass is really boomy, that will be a deal breaker. That's the only thing I'm worried about with these headphones. I like a bit of bass emphasis, but don't want it to be boomy. For reference (if you've heard them), I found Monster DNAs way too bassy, and to have very uncontrolled and boomy bass. Jude from HeadfiTV described both the Monsters and Shures as having bass a bit north of neutral, and he considered both of them controlled. That made me think the bass would be too much for me on the Shures as well. In your opinion is the bass well controlled enough to never or just rarely be annoying? Not just in rap music, but also rock music with strong baselines.

 
"Turnt Up" - Talib Kweli (it sounds so excellent on my Signature DJs! Lots of sub-bass)
"Travel Hymn" - Circa Survive
"This is the Hook" - Deadmau5
 
and I'm pretty sure some others. These are just a few I have written down. Also a couple from my usual test list which actually go into the mids a bit. Mad Dogs also "intrude" a bit but just giving that sense of "fullness" not "boomyness"... not sure if I can make this clearer or more descriptive though... lol I haven't tried the DNA nor the new DNA Pro's but Shure's bass is definitely elevated. Probably not to Monsters levels but I can say that it is the bassiest full-sized headphone from Shure and I have tried or owned almost all of them. I actually don't find them annoying at all, I think they are actually a fun pair of headphones but if you want something more neutral-ish, the 1540s would not be the way to go... but you are NOT looking for a neutral can either so...
 

Oh, and one last thing. I noticed on your profile it says you play guitar, although mostly accoustic. I do as well, but entirely electric. I read a description of that Mad Dogs where someone said they always tell other guitarists that the MDs sound as if you plugged your headphones into the player's amp. Do you find this true with the MDs or even the Shures, or do you not play enough electric to know?

Once again, thank you for your extremely helpful comparison. I'm sorry if I'm asking too many questions.

There may be a lot of mistakes in here. I'm posting on my phone.

 
Well it would depend on the amp and settings wouldn't it!
But I would actually not say that they sound as "clear" as an amp output... the Mad Dogs DO have a warm "veil" over their entire sound and their highs are a bit "soft" (which is why I often prefer a bit of brightness for rock/electric-guitar driven music). And so have the Shure's... So let's say your amp is set with a clean tone and a bit of overdrive/flanger on it and you plug the headphones with the hope that it will sound as "lively" as the amp output, it probably will not. Is that what you mean? I can't test because I don't have an amp but I guess that's what you meant?
 
 
Thanks.

 

[Gbemiro]

If that's the case, leakage might be "Ok"... still other people might hear the music if you crank it up too loud.


"Turnt Up" - Talib Kweli (it sounds so excellent on my Signature DJs! Lots of sub-bass)
"Travel Hymn" - Circa Survive
"This is the Hook" - Deadmau5

and I'm pretty sure some others. These are just a few I have written down. Also a couple from my usual test list which actually go into the mids a bit. Mad Dogs also "intrude" a bit but just giving that sense of "fullness" not "boomyness"... not sure if I can make this clearer or more descriptive though... lol I haven't tried the DNA nor the new DNA Pro's but Shure's bass is definitely elevated. Probably not to Monsters levels but I can say that it is the bassiest full-sized headphone from Shure and I have tried or owned almost all of them. I actually don't find them annoying at all, I think they are actually a fun pair of headphones but if you want something more neutral-ish, the 1540s would not be the way to go... but you are NOT looking for a neutral can either so...


Well it would depend on the amp and settings wouldn't it!
But I would actually not say that they sound as "clear" as an amp output... the Mad Dogs DO have a warm "veil" over their entire sound and their highs are a bit "soft" (which is why I often prefer a bit of brightness for rock/electric-guitar driven music). And so have the Shure's... So let's say your amp is set with a clean tone and a bit of overdrive/flanger on it and you plug the headphones with the hope that it will sound as "lively" as the amp output, it probably will not. Is that what you mean? I can't test because I don't have an amp but I guess that's what you meant?


Thanks.

It looks like I'm going with the Shures. I'll only try MDs if I end up returning them Shures. Thank you so much for all of your help.

It's gonna be funny pulling out the huge Shure case to use them in public. The case looks huge.

 

[gelocks]

It looks like I'm going with the Shures. I'll only try MDs if I end up returning them Shures. Thank you so much for all of your help.

It's gonna be funny pulling out the huge Shure case to use them in public. The case looks huge.

 
LOL!!! Yeah it is!
I never use Shure cases, normally use generic headphone bags.
 

*Check where the Shure's are resting...
 
Those I bought cheaply on eBay long ago and use them for most of my headphones. Either that or the Beyerdynamic case where the Alpha Dogs are resting in.
 
Good luck.
Hope you like your purchase!

 

[Gbemiro]

LOL!!! Yeah it is!
I never use Shure cases, normally use generic headphone bags.



*Check where the Shure's are resting...

Those I bought cheaply on eBay long ago and use them for most of my headphones. Either that or the Beyerdynamic case where the Alpha Dogs are resting in.

Good luck.
Hope you like your purchase!

Lol. I'm still gonna have to use the case. I only have a Shure bag made for their foldable DJ headphones.

Sorry; one last thing. Would the Shure's be too inaccurate for mastering music, or are they linear enough besides the bass?

 

[Change is Good]

Just came back from walking the dog and, man, was it chili outside!
 
Guess what kept my ears warm...
 

 

 

[feverfive]

  Just came back from walking the dog and, man, was it chili outside!
 
Guess what kept my ears warm...
 

 

 
Are those Alpha Dog pads?  If so, any modding needed to make them fit?  Sorry, I don't know different earpads very well by sight...