Shure SRH 940 impression and support thread

[kiteki]

 
The EX600 and EX1000 are probably much better for Jazz, but for pop and industrial I think the SRH 940 is better, as a vague assessment.

 

[gelocks]

I find nothing "sterile" about the 940s!
Don't know what kind of music are you listening to but just played:
 
Mastodon - The Czar: Usurper/Escape/Martyr/Spiral
Karis - Manecumbe
Jon Cleary & the Absolute Monster Gentlemen - When you get Back
My Chemical Romance - Planetary (GO!)
Circa Survive - Dyed in the Wool (acoustic)
Kaskade and Martina of Dragonette - Fire in your New Shows (Innerpartysystem)
 
everything is so lively and tasty with, of course, the emphasis on the lovely mids and
highs (love the trumpets/trombone in the Karis track)... bass extension is great (especially on the Kaskade track)
that I don't know where you guys get that these cans are NOT musical or sterile.
 
Have compared these SAME tracks on my Senns HD600s and most of them I prefer to listen
to them on the Shures. So... maybe you are choosing "sterile" tracks to test these...
 
 
P.S. Archos 7 --> JDSLabs Cmoy (bass boost NOT active) --> 940s

 

[kiteki]

 
Yeah, there is nothing sterile about the SRH-940.
 
Pianist just has weird opinions, he is from Mars, don't worry about it, he even called the RE-272 "clinical".
 
 
 

 

[Brooko]

Lets just accept we all hear differently.  I really loved the 940s on modern Jazz  - esp female vocal (Krall, Gardot, Melua etc).  I really don't like them on classic acoustic rock - Clapton, Nils Lofgren.  For me it just doesn't sound 'right' - and I don't know what it is - but I suspect it's the subdued mid-bass, and the emphasis on the highs.
 
WRT Pianist's comment - I actually find the mids and upper mids to be quite warm (almost like listening to my DT880s with the PortaTube)  - but the highs do at times sound a little dry - so I can relate to that.
 
Funny thing is that I think the Alessandros I own have similar mids (especially through the PortaTube) - but I find their highs and bass a nice balance - and perfect for classic rock.
 
Personally - I think (to my ears at least) that the 840 did sound more 'natural' - just a little boomy in the mid-bass, and not quite extended enough in the lower bass.  If Shure develop another model at any stage, I'd love to see something between the 840 and 940 sound signature (take the best from both) - and wrap it inside the Beyer comfort/build.
 
That's my thoughts on it anyway.  The thing is nobody is right or wrong here - I find it quite funny reading some of the definitive statements issued (ie if you're not enjoying them you must be listening to the wrong music, wrong amping, wrong quality - or you just simply 'suck' etc).  For the record - all of the tracks I was listening to were HQ rips and in FLAC format.
 
And if the HD800 sound the same as these *rolls eyes* (I will have to try for myself sometime) - then I can cross that can off my list.
 
940's go in the post to their new owner tonight.  Like I said in an earlier post - I don't think I'll miss them.  Looking forward to the HD600s arriving now.

 

[oldshoe99]

 
The EX600 and EX1000 are probably much better for Jazz, but for pop and industrial I think the SRH 940 is better, as a vague assessment.

Most of my pop tracks are crap, so, ummm, caveat emptor.

 

[oldshoe99]

Lets just accept we all hear differently.  I really loved the 940s on modern Jazz  - esp female vocal (Krall, Gardot, Melua etc).  I really don't like them on classic acoustic rock - Clapton, Nils Lofgren.  For me it just doesn't sound 'right' - and I don't know what it is - but I suspect it's the subdued mid-bass, and the emphasis on the highs.
 
WRT Pianist's comment - I actually find the mids and upper mids to be quite warm (almost like listening to my DT880s with the PortaTube)  - but the highs do at times sound a little dry - so I can relate to that.
 
Funny thing is that I think the Alessandros I own have similar mids (especially through the PortaTube) - but I find their highs and bass a nice balance - and perfect for classic rock.
 
Personally - I think (to my ears at least) that the 840 did sound more 'natural' - just a little boomy in the mid-bass, and not quite extended enough in the lower bass.  If Shure develop another model at any stage, I'd love to see something between the 840 and 940 sound signature (take the best from both) - and wrap it inside the Beyer comfort/build.
 
That's my thoughts on it anyway.  The thing is nobody is right or wrong here - I find it quite funny reading some of the definitive statements issued (ie if you're not enjoying them you must be listening to the wrong music, wrong amping, wrong quality - or you just simply 'suck' etc).  For the record - all of the tracks I was listening to were HQ rips and in FLAC format.
 
And if the HD800 sound the same as these *rolls eyes* (I will have to try for myself sometime) - then I can cross that can off my list.
 
940's go in the post to their new owner tonight.  Like I said in an earlier post - I don't think I'll miss them.  Looking forward to the HD600s arriving now.

They're not exactly the same as the 800 - the signature or balance is very close, but just imagine a 800 with the earcups shrunk down and the angled drivers closer and straight into your ears, and that should be a good clue.

 

[gelocks]

 
Quote:

Lets just accept we all hear differently.  I really loved the 940s on modern Jazz  - esp female vocal (Krall, Gardot, Melua etc).  I really don't like them on classic acoustic rock - Clapton, Nils Lofgren.  For me it just doesn't sound 'right' - and I don't know what it is - but I suspect it's the subdued mid-bass, and the emphasis on the highs.
 
WRT Pianist's comment - I actually find the mids and upper mids to be quite warm (almost like listening to my DT880s with the PortaTube)  - but the highs do at times sound a little dry - so I can relate to that.
 
Funny thing is that I think the Alessandros I own have similar mids (especially through the PortaTube) - but I find their highs and bass a nice balance - and perfect for classic rock.
 
Personally - I think (to my ears at least) that the 840 did sound more 'natural' - just a little boomy in the mid-bass, and not quite extended enough in the lower bass.  If Shure develop another model at any stage, I'd love to see something between the 840 and 940 sound signature (take the best from both) - and wrap it inside the Beyer comfort/build.
 
That's my thoughts on it anyway.  The thing is nobody is right or wrong here - I find it quite funny reading some of the definitive statements issued (ie if you're not enjoying them you must be listening to the wrong music, wrong amping, wrong quality - or you just simply 'suck' etc).  For the record - all of the tracks I was listening to were HQ rips and in FLAC format.
 
And if the HD800 sound the same as these *rolls eyes* (I will have to try for myself sometime) - then I can cross that can off my list.
 
940's go in the post to their new owner tonight.  Like I said in an earlier post - I don't think I'll miss them.  Looking forward to the HD600s arriving now.

Too bad you decided to get rid of the 940s BEFORE getting the HD600s. I would have love to hear your side-by-side impressions between these 2 (seeing that I have both also) but that might be a little difficult now (unless you wrote some notes on specific tracks?! ).

P.S. BTW, we might hear differently but there are things that are definitely distinguishable, especially with different
headphones (Amps I find EXTREMELY difficult to differentiate.). Shure sound signature can definitely be pointed out. But I guess
it's all about preference. I would prefer to read a sentence saying: "I find x cans are sterile because I played so and so tracks and
compared to X and X headphones, these I just don't like." than just reading: "these are sterile..."
 

 

[kiteki]

 
The HD800's and the SRH-940's do not sound alike.
 
That is my form of a "definitive statement" as Brooko put it.
 
As for FLAC and quality recordings, I think that's overrated, I remember a guy saying he wasn't enjoying the Westone 4's and people are like "you better be using FLAC and good recordings", honestly I think the genre of music and the DAC/source you are using is 10 times more decisive than bitrate or recording quality, imho.
 
 

 

[kiteki]

 
 
Btw I think the SRH-940's the A2000X's and the Tesla T5p's are all in the same "school" of sound, I'm not sure about the HD800's.... they are close but not as close as the others... from my brief session those are my thoughts.
 
Then there is the LCD-2 and the Edition 10 that are in their own school I think... and then the Stax school that sounds very different than dynamic drivers.

 

[oldshoe99]

 
The HD800's and the SRH-940's do not sound alike.
 
That is my form of a "definitive statement" as Brooko put it.
 
As for FLAC and quality recordings, I think that's overrated, I remember a guy saying he wasn't enjoying the Westone 4's and people are like "you better be using FLAC and good recordings", honestly I think the genre of music and the DAC/source you are using is 10 times more decisive than bitrate or recording quality, imho.
 
 

Unfortunately a definitive statement that doesn't say anything isn't really definitive. I have both the 800 and 940 sitting side by side, waiting for a listening recommendation with specific tracks, which (very interestingly) nobody is willing to suggest. So, my much more definitive statement with direct comparisons says "They are basically the same except for soundstage."

 

[Brooko]

Quote:

 

Too bad you decided to get rid of the 940s BEFORE getting the HD600s. I would have love to hear your side-by-side impressions between these 2 (seeing that I have both also) but that might be a little difficult now (unless you wrote some notes on specific tracks?! ).

P.S. BTW, we might hear differently but there are things that are definitely distinguishable, especially with different
headphones (Amps I find EXTREMELY difficult to differentiate.). Shure sound signature can definitely be pointed out. But I guess
it's all about preference. I would prefer to read a sentence saying: "I find x cans are sterile because I played so and so tracks and
compared to X and X headphones, these I just don't like." than just reading: "these are sterile..."
 

Unfortunately had to make the choice between the DT880s and the Shures (which one to keep) - the one sold partly funded the HD600s.  I would have liked to hang onto them for certain genres - but for me the DT880s with the PortaTube just sound better - more complete - and cover a far wider genre bass.
 
Interestingly enough, my wife also prefers the Beyers & had my parents visiting for my daughters 8th birthday.  They only listened for a few hours - but in the end I almost had to check Mum's bag before she left this morning.  She absolutely loved the Beyers - wasn't so enamoured with the Shures.  We all hear differently ......
 
I agree with what you're saying re different set-ups - mine is listed in my sig (and I constantly update it).  I use mainly my desktop - E7/E9 or iPod4 via PortaTube.  I've already documented several times (I know just generally - perhaps I should have listed particular tracks) what I listened to and what I liked.  My music collection is very eclectic and varied.
 
Generally -
SRH 940 winner at - modern jazz (mine mainly female vocal - Krall, Gardot, Melua, Norah Jones etc), general female vocals indie/pop/folk (Adele, Anna Nalick, Corrs, Hannah Trigwell, KT Tunstall, Florence & The Machine, Sinead O'Connor, Sia - to name a few of the many), classical (most of my small collection is Tchaikovsky - esp violin concertos).
SRH 940 didn't particularly like with - acoustic rock (Clapton, Nils Lofgren, Bryan Adams), classic rock (afore-mentioned + Don Henley, GooGoo Dolls, Aerosmith etc), alternative rock (Pink Floyd, Porcupine Tree, Seether (unplugged), Pearl Jam).  They just didn't gel with me for these genres.  Maybe I'm spoilt with the Alessandros.
 
For all of the above - the DT880 does doe them all well (for me).  I've only had the DT880s for about 2 weeks longer than the 940's.
 
Hope this helps explain a little.

 

[Pianist]

Quote:

 
Yeah, there is nothing sterile about the SRH-940.
 
Pianist just has weird opinions, he is from Mars, don't worry about it, he even called the RE-272 "clinical".

 

 
I no longer think of RE272 as clinical BTW. I changed tips to large double flanges and they sound very full, rich and musical now. I wouldn't call them warm or lush, but they are very realistic sounding. Definitely better to me than the SRH940, but then again - I might not have spent enough time with the Shures to really get to know their sound well.
 
Also, I must say that I don't crave a warm and lush sound. I hate headphones with too much bass. I hate headphones where the mids are pushed too forward. I generally like a balanced sound, but don't mind if its a bit on the cold or warm side. I love my FX700 which has lots of bass and treble. I love my RE0 which many around here find cold and clinical as well. I love my DT880s which many label as too dry and boring. And I think RE272 has amazing bass whereas most call them bass light and lacking low end. I found the SRH940 simply unacceptably cold sounding to my ears however. Even ER4 and DT880 250 and 600 Ohm unamped sound fuller and more musical to me. No kidding, I wonder if there was something wrong with my Shures. Maybe it was one of the fake ones.
 
Quote:

Unfortunately had to make the choice between the DT880s and the Shures (which one to keep) - the one sold partly funded the HD600s.  I would have liked to hang onto them for certain genres - but for me the DT880s with the PortaTube just sound better - more complete - and cover a far wider genre bass.

 
lol Damn, and I just sold my DT880 250 Ohms today to get... the SRH840s instead. I must be crazy, but going from memory the SRH840 does sound better at least out of weak sources. I still do have my DT880 600 Ohms though. I don't think I will ever get rid of those. Well, at least not until I can afford a T1.

 

[extrabigmehdi]

Quote:

I find nothing "sterile" about the 940s!
Don't know what kind of music are you listening to but just played:
 
Mastodon - The Czar: Usurper/Escape/Martyr/Spiral
Karis - Manecumbe
Jon Cleary & the Absolute Monster Gentlemen - When you get Back
My Chemical Romance - Planetary (GO!)
Circa Survive - Dyed in the Wool (acoustic)
Kaskade and Martina of Dragonette - Fire in your New Shows (Innerpartysystem)

Interesting, I  always like to discover new  music. Listened on youtube, not hard to figure out that (despite the quality of videos) some of these song sound great on the srh940.
 
Quote:

 
Have compared these SAME tracks on my Senns HD600s and most of them I prefer to listen
to them on the Shures.
 

 
Now try with some jazz or ambient music. I'm sure you'd prefer your hd600.   I much prefer my hd595 for this kind of music,  so I think sennheiser headphones are best when looking for some "smoothness", and soundstage.
 
Quote:

Lets just accept we all hear differently.

 
I  think we listen to very different things too. That's why I've made you a suggestion to listen to different artist/music genre.  I  was not convinced by your long list of artist  you showed me to demonstrate you eclectic tastes, because it just seems far from what I'm usually interested in.  But you don't need to change your tastes, changing your headphone will be easier. 
 
Quote:

  I really loved the 940s on modern Jazz  - esp female vocal (Krall, Gardot, Melua etc).

I listened to Melua on the sh940, and it's more enjoyable on the hd595. So I guess you'd like your hd600 even more.
 
Quote:

but I suspect it's the subdued mid-bass, and the emphasis on the highs.

Probably.  But on lot of music this is quite fine. 
 
 
Quote:

Most of my pop tracks are crap, so, ummm, caveat emptor.

Did you know that pop is an abbreviation from popular ? It's the music industry that killed the genre.
 

---

 
Now suggesting some music that will blow your mind with the srh940 (in a good or bad way, I  don't know) :
 

 ​

 

[gelocks]

 
Quote:

Unfortunately a definitive statement that doesn't say anything isn't really definitive. I have both the 800 and 940 sitting side by side, waiting for a listening recommendation with specific tracks, which (very interestingly) nobody is willing to suggest. So, my much more definitive statement with direct comparisons says "They are basically the same except for soundstage."

LOL!
Why would you wait for people to suggest tracks!?!
Well, I can suggest a couple... if you like... (even though I'm pretty sure I WONT ever buy the 800s!!! lol)
 
Shiny Toy Guns - Ghost Town (or Le Disko)
Robi Rosa - My Eyes Adore You
Esperanza Spalding - Knowledge of Good and Evil
Louis Armstrong and His All-Stars - Honeysuckle Rose
 
 

 

[extrabigmehdi]

Quote:

 

LOL!
Why would you wait for people to suggest tracks!?!
Well, I can suggest a couple... if you like... (even though I'm pretty sure I WONT ever buy the 800s!!! lol)

 
He meant tracks that will make the differences between hd800  & srh940 obvious (because it's almost same, according to him).