[wordfool]

they don't have that slightly weird mid range thing happening

 
Curious what you mean by the "weird mid-range thing"?! The mids on the 1770s are certainly more forward than most other Beyers, but "weird" is not how I'd describe them. 
 
In general, how do the 1540s differ from the 1770s in terms of bass? Is there an obvious difference or is it more subtle?

 

[shurealltheway]

Curious what you mean by the "weird mid-range thing"?! The mids on the 1770s are certainly more forward than most other Beyers, but "weird" is not how I'd describe them. 

In general, how do the 1540s differ from the 1770s in terms of bass? Is there an obvious difference or is it more subtle?

Good question. It's hard to explain. The mids on the 1770 just sound unnatural to me. It's not honky, but I'm just not a fan of the timbre created by these new Tesla drivers. In terms of bass, both the 1770's and the 1540's are fantastic. And for the record, I'm not hating on the Beyers. They're very good headphones. But comparatively speaking, I like the Shure's more. But what I do hate is the perfectly circle earpads on the Beyers. Can someone please send a picture of an ear to Beyerdynamic???

 

[taxidrivr]

do these ever go on sale anywhere? I have until Feb 1st to return and as much as I love them, the $500 price tag is instilling some sense of guilt and buyers remorse. thought to rebuy if they ever come down in price. 

 

[waveSounds]

Since buying my pair in Nov 2015 I've only seen their price increase; bought for £380 and now can't find them anywhere for less than £400. Weird. Your sense of returner's remorse would be greater than your current buyer's

 

[WhoIsThis]

Does anyone have any good cable recommendations? My current cables are starting to wear. I think that these are MMCX.

 

[SoundTown]

   
I use mine with a MoJo, Meridian Explorer 2, and - before buying the MoJo - the Explorer 2 feeding into a Little Dot MKII with upgraded tubes.
 
I've read that OTL amps aren't good for lower impedance headphones like the 1540s, but I like the sound.

 
Thanks for the input. I've also read that OTL amps aren't supposed to be well-suited to low impedance headphones, but have also read subjective impressions stating one low impedance headphone or another sounds enjoyable with a tube. Perhaps it's that sound signature is another factor affecting compatibility with tubes, not just headphone impedance, but I'm still pretty ignorant on the subject and will have to read more before deciding on whether to get some tube amp to pair with my SRH1540.
Thanks for your comments again, at least you're enjoying the SRH1540, whether it's in the way you're "supposed to" or not.

 

[davehutch]

Couldn't agree more. I sent back the $900 Bowers and Wilkins P9's because these sounded better for a fraction of the cost.

I'm looking at these two also. Can you elaborate on why you found the Shure's better?

 

[jb001e9634]

Got mine last week and using with Mojo. Only negative is that they do appear to lose the plot as the volume increases. Using only FLAC or better so hopefully not the quality of the files.

Not decided if they're a keeper yet. Considering Ether C hoping for same type of sound, improved overall quality and ability to handle increased volume.

Interested in any comparisons of 1540 and Ether C (ideally with Mojo).

 

[ShumDizzle]

As a former Ether C owner who downsized to the SRH 1540 when funds got tight, I can say that I enjoy both similarly when listening at moderate listening levels (which I do a lot, while studying) but that the Ether Cs do hold together a bit better at higher volumes (though they, too, can get bright, which is probably why Dan included the tuning pads). That said, I'd be hesitant to jump all the way to the Ethers with the new Aeon just announced by MrSpeaers, which have gotten an initial thumbs up from Tyll at Innerfidelity, but won't be shipping for another 3 months, which should be plenty of time to get to know your 1540s.

 

[Saxoleon]

Hey guys, I've been looking for a superb pair of headphones that I can pair with my Lenovo T550, my iPod 7th Gen, and occasionally my recording setup (which I'm not sure what it is because it's at work - pardon the ignorance). The 1540's look really nice and they seem like a decent first pair of cans, especially from what people have said in the pages and pages of replies in this thread.
 
I've stalked the site for some time and I've done some homework to compare the Shure SRH1540, the Sennheiser HD 650, & HD 700... and I just cannot decide. Closed back or Open? I want to get my first pair of Audiophile-grade headphones and I want to do it right. It seems like it's impossible to go wrong with any one of these three cans, but I need help in making a decision.
 
My daily drivers are currently the Bose QC2, and they're so old that the padding on the headband is flaking in chunks. They still sound O.K., but I'm wanting to awaken my ears with something good (like hearing a home theater for the first time).
 
Is the quality in the Shure worth the extra $$ vs the HD 700? Will they all be driven respectably by my iPod? Perhaps I'm not even looking in the right direction. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

 

[shurealltheway]

Hey guys, I've been looking for a superb pair of headphones that I can pair with my Lenovo T550, my iPod 7th Gen, and occasionally my recording setup (which I'm not sure what it is because it's at work - pardon the ignorance). The 1540's look really nice and they seem like a decent first pair of cans, especially from what people have said in the pages and pages of replies in this thread.

I've stalked the site for some time and I've done some homework to compare the Shure SRH1540, the Sennheiser HD 650, & HD 700... and I just cannot decide. Closed back or Open? I want to get my first pair of Audiophile-grade headphones and I want to do it right. It seems like it's impossible to go wrong with any one of these three cans, but I need help in making a decision.

My daily drivers are currently the Bose QC2, and they're so old that the padding on the headband is flaking in chunks. They still sound O.K., but I'm wanting to awaken my ears with something good (like hearing a home theater for the first time).

Is the quality in the Shure worth the extra $$ vs the HD 700? Will they all be driven respectably by my iPod? Perhaps I'm not even looking in the right direction. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

The 1540's are incredible headphones that hold their own to any other headphone in their price range and even above. And they're easily driven from a portable device. The Sennheiser 700 will not sound very good without an amp. So you have to decide what is right for you and your needs. If not needing an amp is at the top of your list, then it's a no brainer. Get the 1540's.

 

[Saxoleon]

With a name like 'shurealltheway', I sense that you might be Shure connoisseur.
 
If I were to get an amp for the 1540's for my iPod, it'd have to be portable. What would you recommend in that area? I'm not opposed to getting an amp, but I do have bills and school loans to pay from a rather puny paycheck (for now). I'd likely get the cans first, then the amp. It'd take some time to save, but I want to do it right.
 
Hypothetically speaking, if I were to grab the 1540's, which amp would go well with the iPod?

 

[markrw]

Got mine last week and using with Mojo. Only negative is that they do appear to lose the plot as the volume increases. Using only FLAC or better so hopefully not the quality of the files.

Not decided if they're a keeper yet. Considering Ether C hoping for same type of sound, improved overall quality and ability to handle increased volume.

Interested in any comparisons of 1540 and Ether C (ideally with Mojo).

In my experience, the 1540's ability to handle increased volume increases significantly with Alpha Pads over the stock Alcantara pads. In particular, the bass does not distort significantly at higher volumes with the alpha pads, unlike the Alcantara pads. I highly recommend the Alpha Pads for the 1540's!

 

[shurealltheway]

With a name like 'shurealltheway', I sense that you might be Shure connoisseur.

If I were to get an amp for the 1540's for my iPod, it'd have to be portable. What would you recommend in that area? I'm not opposed to getting an amp, but I do have bills and school loans to pay from a rather puny paycheck (for now). I'd likely get the cans first, then the amp. It'd take some time to save, but I want to do it right.

Hypothetically speaking, if I were to grab the 1540's, which amp would go well with the iPod?

You don't need an amp for the 1540's. The Sennheiser's are much harder to drive so those need an amp. But an amp won't hurt you either.

 

[HungryPanda]

I use a Topping NX5 with mine, it powers other headphones well too