[doctorjazz]

Pics of my 1540s. Both have the (very high-quality) leatherette headband available from that Amazon seller. I use it to protect the apparently non-replaceable OEM pad. Be aware that it does take up some vertical space, and the Shure is a bit vertically challenged as it is. If you have a short head like me it will be fine, but if you're Peyton Manning then fuggedaboutit (go pick up some Yamaha Pro 500s instead, I loved their SQ but even at minimum extension they just flopped forward on my head.)

The 1540 on the right has the Alpha pads. First off, the pads are of superb quality, but I can't recommend them for the 1540. The problem is the angle is just too steep. Whether or not I have them angling forward or backward, the fit is not good, because the cups are almost dead-on in the horizontal direction, and so is the side of my head. I tried the suggestion made above about rotating them so they angle upward or downward, but then my ears don't fit because the cutout is rectangular, not square or circular... and I have medium-big ears (for example, the V-Moda M100 stock pads are very uncomfortable on me.) Oh well. I did not really notice a big sonic or isolation difference anyways, pressing the cups against my head to simulate a good fit. However I do love the genuine leather material, although the 1540 OEM pads are still excellent.

I am curious if the unangled Leather Dog pads fit better. Luckily MrSpeakers forgot to send me the third pair of Alphas I ordered, so I emailed him asking to send me a pair of Leather Dogs instead. I'll be keeping the two Alpha pairs in case they fit better with other cans I may own in the future.

I was trying to find the post with the Amazon seller of the wrap above, think that might help me as well, have a small head, often hard to get fit that doesn't flop. Couldn;t find it-could anyone post the link again? Thanks

 

[Stereolab42]

I was trying to find the post with the Amazon seller of the wrap above, think that might help me as well, have a small head, often hard to get fit that doesn't flop. Couldn;t find it-could anyone post the link again? Thanks

 
Search Amazon for "Replacement Upgrade Headband" and it's the only result.

 

[DJDREEM]

Doe the alpha pads help with the dryness of the 1540?

 

[wildseu]

I sold my srh1440 a month ago. what do you think of the bass of 1540 compared with 1440?

 

[kimvictor]

  I sold my srh1440 a month ago. what do you think of the bass of 1540 compared with 1440?

Much much better

 

[TheAdmiralty]

  Thanks!
 
Pondering is the best part of head-fi! I always ponder for hours before buying a gear. Don't we all wish we had all the money we want, so that we don't have to ponder?

Maybe, but then we wouldn't have reason to ponder aloud here at Head-Fi.  It wouldn't be fun to go straight to a $20,000 setup and not experience everything else up to that point. 

 
I think I'm going to put in an order for the 1540s shortly (as in tonight or tomorrow) and see how I like them.  As much as I'm tempted to drop a little more on the A-Dogs, the phrase "polite treble" is really bothering me, just because of how hot I've heard the treble acting on my good old 940s.  Their cold analytical balance has really grown on me.  I feel like it would take a long time to adjust to that, and while I'm aware the 1540s still have a much different signature, I'm expecting it to at least be half familiar.
 
So, unless something changes my mind pretty quickly, I'll be dropping off my own opinions of the 1540 in the near future.

 

[Kowalski74]

Hi,
 
For all I have read about the SRH1540 I think it is like a closed version of the Philips Fidelio X1. Their graphs in Innerfidelity are pretty similar. I have made an image (with Gimp) with the combined graph of both cans and you can see the similarities 
 
SRH1540: red and blue
 
Fidelio X1: green and grey
 

From 70Hz to 7KHz are almost identical. Above that, there are only small variations, but overall similar. The main difference is in the sub-bass region, below 60Hz where the Shure has more bass presence.
 
The rest of the graphs are similar too, showing a bit more emphasis in highs in the X1 and more sub-bass in the Shures.
 
What do you think? Have anyone heard both headphones to compare them?
 
I am asking this because I have the X1 but I need a good closed and full-sized can with decent isolation. I have sold the D7000 because of its null isolation and because I'm used to a warmer sound (I have also the HD650, Momentum, Focal Spirit Classic and Professional). The D7000 sounded a bit thin in the mids and bright to me, aside of its great bass.

 

[Byrnie]

Hi,

For all I have read about the SRH1540 I think it is like a closed version of the Philips Fidelio X1. Their graphs in Innerfidelity are pretty similar. I have made an image (with Gimp) with the combined graph of both cans and you can see the similarities 

SRH1540: red and blue

Fidelio X1: green and grey



From 70Hz to 7KHz are almost identical. Above that, there are only small variations, but overall similar. The main difference is in the sub-bass region, below 60KHz where the Shure has more bass presence.

The rest of the graphs are similar too, showing a bit more emphasis in highs in the X1 and more sub-bass in the Shures.

I find that to be very interesting and I never realized that. I have two friends who own the X1 so I really need to hear them.

 

[Trance_Gott]

Has someone compared these to US Sig DJ?

 

[gelocks]

  Hi,
 
For all I have read about the SRH1540 I think it is like a closed version of the Philips Fidelio X1. Their graphs in Innerfidelity are pretty similar. I have made an image (with Gimp) with the combined graph of both cans and you can see the similarities 
 
SRH1540: red and blue
 
Fidelio X1: green and grey
 
 
From 70Hz to 7KHz are almost identical. Above that, there are only small variations, but overall similar. The main difference is in the sub-bass region, below 60Hz where the Shure has more bass presence.
 
The rest of the graphs are similar too, showing a bit more emphasis in highs in the X1 and more sub-bass in the Shures.
 
What do you think? Have anyone heard both headphones to compare them?
 
I am asking this because I have the X1 but I need a good closed and full-sized can with decent isolation. I have sold the D7000 because of its null isolation and because I'm used to a warmer sound (I have also the HD650, Momentum, Focal Spirit Classic and Professional). The D7000 sounded a bit thin in the mids and bright to me, aside of its great bass.

 
Haven't heard the X1s. but if they are similar to Shure's previous SRH840s, I feel the 1540s are a better version of those.
BTW, if you want "decent" isolation, and cans that don't leak sound, the 1540s might not be the best option unless you listen at mid to low sound levels. It's a bit better than the Dxxx series from Denon though, but they are no Alpha Dogs/Ultrasone Sig Pros/DJs.

 

[Kowalski74]

   
Haven't heard the X1s. but if they are similar to Shure's previous SRH840s, I feel the 1540s are a better version of those.
BTW, if you want "decent" isolation, and cans that don't leak sound, the 1540s might not be the best option unless you listen at mid to low sound levels. It's a bit better than the Dxxx series from Denon though, but they are no Alpha Dogs/Ultrasone Sig Pros/DJs.

 
Mmm, I haven't heard the SRH840 so I don't know.
 
I don't mind the leakage. I only want to be isolated from external sounds and noise: the family, the kids, the TV, the cat, etc.

. The Denons are almost opened in this regard. If the isolation of the Shure is similar to the Focals (their graphs at Innerfidelity resemble each other) then it is ok to me.
 
By the way. There have been people saying that the SRH 1540 could be considered the closed version of the HD650. I haven't heard it, but I don't think so (u-shaped vs n-shaped).  I think that the closed version of the HD650 is the Focal Spirit Classic, adding a flat low end. I have both.

 

[gelocks]

I didn't had the HD650s, but the HD600s... SRH1840s those do sound like the HD600s... the 1540s have too much mid-bass to really sound like the HD600s at least. Mids on both are excellent.
 
Hope you like them!! (and report if you do... or don't! )

 

[Byrnie]

   
Mmm, I haven't heard the SRH840 so I don't know.
 
I don't mind the leakage. I only want to be isolated from external sounds and noise: the family, the kids, the TV, the cat, etc.

. The Denons are almost opened in this regard. If the isolation of the Shure is similar to the Focals (their graphs at Innerfidelity resemble each other) then it is ok to me.
 
By the way. There have been people saying that the SRH 1540 could be considered the closed version of the HD650. I haven't heard it, but I don't think so (u-shaped vs n-shaped).  I think that the closed version of the HD650 is the Focal Spirit Classic, adding a flat low end. I have both.

I believe I was the one that said that and keep in mind that it was during my first impressions.

 

[Stereolab42]

   
Haven't heard the X1s. but if they are similar to Shure's previous SRH840s, I feel the 1540s are a better version of those.
BTW, if you want "decent" isolation, and cans that don't leak sound, the 1540s might not be the best option unless you listen at mid to low sound levels. It's a bit better than the Dxxx series from Denon though, but they are no Alpha Dogs/Ultrasone Sig Pros/DJs.

 
I don't understand why people think the 1540s leak more than other cans. If one wants to believe Tyll's measurements, they isolate as well as or better than any other headphone:
 
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/ShureSRH1540.pdf
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/UltrasoneSignaturePro.pdf
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/BeyerdynamicDT770.pdf
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/VModaM100.pdf
 
Also, when I personally compare their leakage vs. my other phones, a DT770 Pro and a JVC SZ2000, the 1540s are at least as good. What am I missing?

 

[DJDREEM]

I've got the HD650 and had the 1540 and I can't see how anyone can say the Shure are a closed HD650. The HD650 has lush, beautiful mids with a nice strobg bass. The 1540 has grainy, dry mids with some brightness with an even stronger bass. I think the 1540 and X1 comparison is accurate.

The Mad Dog is more of a closed 650 although neither the MD or 1540 are as good as the 650.