Shure SRH 940 impression and support thread

[dweaver]

Ahhh cool, I have not owned or heard much of their music so will definitely check them out . Thanks for the tip.

 

[Akin]

I love how every topic goes off topic into another world, then someone comes and askes a question about the headphones, and everything is reset back to normal! 

 

[Beagle]

Normal? Head-Fi? 

 

[maverickronin]

Normal for head-fi?

 

[Akin]

Yeah true actually, that never happens lol!

 

[dweaver]

I have thrown up a review of these in the review section of the Head-fi But thought I would cust and past it here as well.
 
Closed design meets open sound goodness meets IEM detail?!
I was quite happy with the solidly built case and accessories that came with this headphone. I find the cables to be of decent quality and it’s nice to have a choice between a coiled and straight cable. If I had one wish though it would be for Shure to create a shorter thinner cable for use with portables and if they built in a microphone and IPhone compatible set of switches I would be ecstatic! If they make such a cable I will be the first one in the line waiting to buy it.
 
The ear pads are extremely soft and comfortable and I have no issues with clamp on these nor do I find them too loose on the old noggin either. I have actually fallen asleep with these on and when I woke up several hours later found the only discomfort I had was too much warmth in my ears. I also find I can slip them down around my neck comfortably when I want to talk to someone. But like others have commented I wish the cups didn’t face upwards as I too get paranoid something could get spilled into the drivers. The headphone is heavier than some I have owned but I took the one reviewers advice and wear these with the headband more forward on my head than tradition and find the headband does not bother me.
 
So how do these sound?
 
SRH-940 – Closed design meets open sound goodness meets IEM detail?!
 
Ok you’re asking yourself, has this guy flipped his biscuit? Who knows, maybe I have, but if I was to sum up the SRH-940 in one sentence, that’s what I think of.
 
Anyone who has followed my meandering path through head-fi land will know I have dabbled on both sides of the fence (full size versus portables/IEM’s) pretty heavily. I started out buying low end locally available IEM’s and portables and then gradually graduated to more expensive and online purchases. I then started to be intrigued by full size headphones and played around with a variety of headphones and bought my first desktop amp which I still use to today.
 
So what does my history have to do with my outlandish statement?
 
In my first forays into full-size headphones I was introduced to what a sound stage could be like and also what bass could be like as compared to what I was experiencing with IEM’s. I started with an AT AD700 and then upgraded to the AD900. In both cases I loved the sound but found the bass to be lacking and the midrange to either be to distant or to thin and the treble was just to strident and sharp for me (especially in the case of the AD900). So I then bought a pair of Sennheiser HD600 which was more satisfying in the bass and fuller in the midrange but I found the treble to just be wrong for cymbal and other percussive reproduction. I then bought a pair of Denon D7000 which I found to have fantastic bass and better treble than the HD600 but ultimately I found I just wasn’t listening to the D7000 enough to justify owning such an expensive headphone. Today I can see I also subconsciously missed the intimacy and detail I was getting as compared to a good IEM.
 
While I was going down my full-size headphone journey my IEM journey was also running rampant. I struggled to find what I wanted, vacillating between different signatures, being wowed then turned off by the extremes. Then finally realizing I liked lots of midrange and treble detail with good bass that did not intrude and muddy the sound. This part of my journey ran the gamut of a dozen or more mid-fi level IEM’s, to higher end gear like the Sennheiser IE8, Monster Turbine Pro Coppers, Earsonics SM3, Ultimate Ears Triple fi 10, VSonic GR07, Etymotic HF3. Note I include the HF3 and GR07 in the high end because despite their price or their limit on only having one BA (HF3) I feel they offer similar levels of technical proficiency and musicality to the other more expensive IEM’s on my list. I personally do not ascribe to the idea that expensive equal’s hi-fi.
 
I also went down a similar path with portable headphones but that path has been limited since I find portable headphones just don’t have enough of either full-size headphone qualities or an IEM’s portability and intimacy.
OK OK, I know what you’re thinking. When is this guy going to get back to his outlandish statement??
In a nutshell with all of my experience I think the SRH-940 give me the same type of detail I have received from my most detailed IEM’s while having the sound stage of an open headphone like the HD600 and the isolation of a closed back studio monitor.
 
I have even heard more details in some of my music than I have with any IEM I have owned. Some of that detail is annoying as it is obviously unintentional utterances or sound in the studio, but more often than not it’s intentional and adds to the experience of the music. More importantly I find myself incorporating the detail into the music rather than just being drawn to the detail itself, the detail sounds more organic than other detailed IEM’s and products I have owned. I also find this headphone more capable of transitioning in volume levels than most products I have owned. Songs that have subtle changes in volume and position are very well handled by this headphone. If someone is meant to sound like they are in the distance and to the right, getting louder until they are in the center the 940 handles this type of transition very well.
 
I’m a front row spectator… This headphone definitely places me in the front row. The cool thing is that front row can feel like a small jazz club or a large amphitheatre depending on the music but so far has not felt like the front row of an insanely raucous rock concert. But I’m definitely in the front row. So if anyone prefers being further back you might prefer a different headphone.
 
Let’s talk bass – The bass of the SRH-940 is very neutral with pretty much ZERO mid-bass emphasis. So for those listening to music that requires a lot of thump like dubstep, bass heavy electronic music, etc. you might want to audition these if possible or simply buy something else if you can’t audition these rather than take a chance. But for most classic rock, psychedelic rock, older hard rock, classical, jazz, country, new age, folk, and acoustic music the bass will most be adequate and if not just require a small EQ boost to become satisfactory. In my case I use a small bass boost from 1 at 500Hz to 5 DB at 32hz on my computer setup and almost exclusively listen to these with no EQ on my iPhone. I find the bass lacks the timbre and presence I have heard on the best headphones I have owned or heard but this area is not substandard it’s just not as good as the best. Do I wish it was as good as the best? The answer is of course YES, but only if it could be accomplished without affecting the rest of the sound.
 
Mmmmmm… Mids – This is where this headphone starts to truly shine. I have to be honest here. My musical preferences lie in the midrange and treble frequencies. I thought I was a bass-head but over the past few years I have either become or finally realized I am a mid/treble-head. But while I say that, I can also say with complete certainty I am not fond of strident or shrill mids or treble. The SRH-940 more than any other product I have tried seem to be able to balance the fine line between detail and transparency without making me want to remove the headphone if a song has sibilance in it. I also have never felt ear fatigue after using these. I have read these are great for female vocals and that is absolutely true but I think it’s a disservice to this headphone to think that is all they are good for. I find they handle all singing well along with any instrument that falls in the midrange spectrum. They are detailed without ever crossing the line into sounding artificial or overly aggressive. This might make them too polite for aggressive music genres like Death Metal etc. but I think that would only be for those who almost exclusively listen to those genres, in which case I suspect certain Grado headphones would fit the bill better. But if you are like me and have found it hard to get a signature that balances the warmer and smoother mids of a Sennhieser headphone like the HD600 and the aggressive Grado type mids, these might just do the trick for you. I also find the mids of the 940 to have none of the thinness I experienced with the Audio Technica AD900.
 
Treble – For me the treble of a headphone is where you separate the pretenders from the contenders. It is the one area that has to be done right and it’s the hardest area to get right. Personally I can’t stand overly bright treble, metallic sounding treble, tinny treble, or pingy sounding treble. It needs to have good decay and it needs to be detailed without sounding artificial. In my search for the most realistic sounding treble for cymbals I have heard, the VSonic GR07 has been the best… up until now. I feel the SRH-940 does an admirable job of cymbal reproduction, one that surpasses the GR07. The only full-size headphone I have truly liked for cymbals was the D7000 and I think the 940 is better than the D7000 in this area (mainly due to the D7000 being a bit too piercing). The 940 offers excellent detail and decay without crossing the line into artificial sounding or distracting.
 
So is this a giant killer? Should all HD800 owners sell their gear? Should Beyerdynamic just close up shop? No, but while this headphone may not a giant killer it is at least as good as any $3-500 headphone/IEM I have owned or heard. It deserves to be mentioned alongside the Sennheiser HD580-650 headphones, Audio Technica AD900/1000, AKG K701, and other upper mid-tier headphones, and it may offer a compelling argument against a few of the headphones in or around the $1000 mark, depending on mitigating factors such as genres listened to, need for isolation, ability to be played from portable sources, modest amplifier requirements, etc.
 
In my case, the fact I am willing to wrap the big cable this comes with when on the train or out walking the dog versus using a much simpler to manage high quality IEM just so I can get the better sound quality, is a HUGE statement about how much I like this headphone because in my case comfort and easy to use generally out-weigh sound quality for me (please don’t judge me too harshly!!).

 

[skyline315]

Thanks for the review, dweaver.  As a big fan of these headphones, it's refreshing to get a break from all the bashing

 

[dweaver]

Thanks Skyline315, the thread seems to have shifted away from positive posts to just bashing lately, it's almost an anti-SRH-940 thread LOL. I was glad Jude spoke up and clarified his position so people would stop throwing his name around as a reason to knock this headphone. I do get that it may be an acquired taste but they are not  bad headphone, just one that doesn't suite a few genre's very well.

 

[extrabigmehdi]

hi, so far it's the most positive review I've read.

 
Let me summarize all the critics/ "reviews" I've read. I  hope I  didn't miss/misinterpret anything (I  would edit otherwise).

1) these headphone are excellent .... but not for me.
2) excellent mids/highs, but the bass is just unacceptable... sold.
3) the bcasey effect: I  thought I  reached audio heaven, but now I  think it's hell.
The vocals are wrong when compared to hd25 (although I  prefer vocals on hd25, I  wouldn't dismiss the srh940
on that single factor).
4) I  listened to :  krk8400, koss dj 100, brainwavz hm5 etc .... and now think the srh940 are overpriced.
5) I  just prefer the older srh840, the srh940 are just  disappointing ( we know Tyle hated the srh940). The srh1840 is a bummer .
6) the highs are fatiguing, this headphone is for old people with hearing loss.
7) the srh940 is not a good all rounder.
8) let's not forget the banned oldshoe : the difference bewteen srh940 & hd800 is marginal, and doesn't justify the price difference.
9) me, but not only me : these headphones are sensitive to positioning, experiment with different position
before dismissing them. They can be a true gem. Even better: mod them, and increase depth of ear cups.
10)  dweaver: as good as any $3-500 headphone/IEM.  So good, I  prefer to use them in situations where IEM would be more convenient.
 

 

[skyline315]

I believe #10 should be credited to dweaver.

 

[extrabigmehdi]

Quote:

I believe #10 should be credited to dweaver.

corrected
 
 

 

[Shahrose]

My impressions: they're quite sensitive to positioning. It can mean the difference between bass and almost no bass. The treble is tipped up, but is pretty clean sounding. If your upstream gear is non-peaky and of good quality, and your positioning ideal, they're great headphones. For the price, a steal.
Detail and transparency is very good for any price range. Soundstage is average (as expected of a closed can), but imaging is quite good. Layering isn't bad either, but doesn't compete with the best (much pricier cans). Comfort/ergonomics are subpar IMO...not conducive to long listening sessions.
 
My prediction? Many will dismiss them without considering the positioning and the importance of using good ancillary equipment. Not really a prediction I guess, because I've already started seeing it.
 
Not to offend, but another problem with these kinds of low-priced headphones is it attracts more newbies who have little experience with the high-end stuff and no high-end reference points. Look at what the person has owned, what their preferences are, and how long they've been in the game. Don't trust every review out there...

 

[dweaver]

Quote:

hi, so far it's the most positive review I've read.

 
Let me summarize all the critics/ "reviews" I've read. I  hope I  didn't miss/misinterpret anything (I  would edit otherwise).

1) these headphone are excellent .... but not for me. Love this type of review especially when the reviewer is capable of truly being objective.
2) excellent mids/highs, but the bass is just unacceptable... sold. An excellent example of "this signature doesn't fit me".
3) the bcasey effect: I  thought I  reached audio heaven, but now I  think it's hell. I actually can see this happening for some people. I have certainly had headphones that I loved during the "honeymoon phase" only to grow to dislike their distinct signature. I don't think this will happen with the SRH-940 but if you look at my history of headphones and IEM's never say never LOL.
The vocals are wrong when compared to hd25 (although I  prefer vocals on hd25, I  wouldn't dismiss the srh940
on that single factor).
4) I  listened to :  krk8400, koss dj 100, brainwavz hm5 etc .... and now think the srh940 are overpriced. I have owned the HM5 (not enough extension in the treble and not as detailed in the mids) and have heard the KRK8400 (to much treble for me) and do think they offer a lot of bang for the buck but one suffers from an OEM form factor used by 3 different "manufacturers" all known for making lower cost headphones and one is just cracking into the headphone market, all factors that keep their prices lower.
5) I  just prefer the older srh840, the srh940 are just  disappointing ( we know Tyle hated the srh940). The srh1840 is a bummer . A case of someone just not liking the signature of the new headphone of a manufacturer they generally like. I know several head-fi members who love the HD650 and dislike the HD800 because of the difference in the signatures.
6) the highs are fatiguing, this headphone is for old people with hearing loss. This one made me laugh because I let 4 people at work try my 940 and the two that loved the 940 were old and the two that disliked it were young . But I disagree it's just because my hearing is going because I could not stand the KRK8400 due to it's treble (I literally ripped the headphone off my head a couple times due to pain caused by the treble) and have tried several Grado headphones that I had a similar response to treble and sharp midrange. But I do think the musical choice of older people generally will favour the SRH-940. I also think the volume level used plays a huge factor. In my case I usually listen to my iPhone at 1/4 to 1/3 volume with most IEM's and from 1/3 to 1/2 volume with the 940 so not very loud. At louder volumes I can see the treble being more disagreeable.
7) the srh940 is not a good all rounder. I disagree with this statement, these are a great all rounder if your primary music is classical, jazz, soft rock, classic rock, accoustic music, Celtic, country, New Age, and several other genres I can't think of off the top of my head, but OK  to poor headphones for genres requiring a heavy bass presence. So depending on whether your primary listening is in the first group or the second group will dictate if these are good for you. Personally I have never heard a headphone that is great at all genres so you just find the one that fits the most genres you like and either have a second headphone for those other genres or accept listening to them at less than ideal sound conditions.
8) let's not forget the banned oldshoe : the difference bewteen srh940 & hd800 is marginal, and doesn't justify the price difference. I will be at a head-fi meet on the 22nd where I will compare these to 2-3 HD800, a BD T1, and a several other high end headphones, so will offer my opinion on this controversial issue. I will also see if a few other head-fi members are willing to make some notes and opinions on this.
9) extrabigmehdi, but not only me : these headphones are sensitive to positioning, experiment with different position before dismissing them. They can be a true gem. Even better: mod them, and increase depth of ear cups. I still haven't trued the rope mod but will when I can remember to get rope . I %100 agree with the positioning of these being critical as well as headband position.
10)  dweaver: as good as any $3-500 headphone/IEM.  So good, I  prefer to use them in situations where IEM would be more convenient.
 

Wow, excellent summarization of the reviews. I have added my own comments in red above.
 
Quote:

My impressions: they're quite sensitive to positioning. It can mean the difference between bass and almost no bass. The treble is tipped up, but is pretty clean sounding. If your upstream gear is non-peaky and of good quality, and your positioning ideal, they're great headphones. For the price, a steal.
Detail and transparency is very good for any price range. Soundstage is average (as expected of a closed can), but imaging is quite good. Layering isn't bad either, but doesn't compete with the best (much pricier cans). Comfort/ergonomics are subpar IMO...not conducive to long listening sessions.
 
My prediction? Many will dismiss them without considering the positioning and the importance of using good ancillary equipment. Not really a prediction I guess, because I've already started seeing it.
 
Not to offend, but another problem with these kinds of low-priced headphones is it attracts more newbies who have little experience with the high-end stuff and no high-end reference points. Look at what the person has owned, what their preferences are, and how long they've been in the game. Don't trust every review out there...

 
Good points about who may be buying this equipment and why they might be disappointed with the headphone. As for comfort I actually found once I had the right position to wear these that they are not bad from a comfort perspective, not as good as the best but not below average in my opinion. As for the rest of your points I think they are pretty much spot on.
 
I can tell you these are selling better than I would have thought. When I bought my pair at a local music store they sold 4 pairs of these over the 2 days I was in the store trialing them.
 

 

[Brooko]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dweaver /img/forum/go_quote.gif
1) these headphone are excellent .... but not for me. Love this type of review especially when the reviewer is capable of truly being objective.
 
Wow, excellent summarization of the reviews. I have added my own comments in red above.
 

Thanks - I do try to be objective.  I still think with just a little sub-bass, these would have been excellent cans for me.  I agree with you on their suitability for jazz, female vocals, folk and most classical.  Unfortunately they never sounded 'right' for me with rock.  A cross between the 840 and 940 would have been really interesting .......
 

 

[Beagle]

Excellent review by dweaver. Hears them the same way I do. I particularly like the IEM reference...940 does have that smooth, seamless quality.
 
Yes, the SRH940 will sound pretty awful if you compare them to badly colored headphones that you happen to like. Makes me realize that there are way too many boomy, honky unrefined headphones out there. Headphones that make bad recordings and bad sources sound good.
 
Now it's on to the SRH1440...