[KC33]

1540s are Great at Low medium volumes but break up at higher volumes apogee groove drives them well with clarity
They are very musical I like my PM 3s better for edm and electroica however The pm3 make my head snap with better bass and PRAT

I read that these "break up" at high volumes from another poster as well. It's quite possible I've never reached volume levels for this to happen but I listen to music fairly loud and never experienced it. 

 

[nicholars]

I do notice it, its not terrible but it is noticeable, in a way it is a good thing that they sound worse at loud volumes because it stops you listening too loud and making yourself deaf.

 

[antz123]

@drbluenewmexico
 
Thank you for explaining this ...

 

[Delance26]

This distortion seems to be related to the amp in my opinion.  I used the fiio e09k for a long time with these, but recently upgraded to the m9XX about a month ago.  The m9XX greatly reduced higher level distortion.  I honestly did not noticed the distortion until I switched and the resolution was much better at higher levels, mostly less bass bloat. 

 

[doctorjazz]

I haven't listened to the 1540 in a while, but didn't notice the break up. It's all personal taste, of course, bit I didn't love the Oppo headphones I auditioned (I believe it was a higher model, though, PM1)

 

[kimvictor]

  I read that these "break up" at high volumes from another poster as well. It's quite possible I've never reached volume levels for this to happen but I listen to music fairly loud and never experienced it. 

 
 

  I do notice it, its not terrible but it is noticeable, in a way it is a good thing that they sound worse at loud volumes because it stops you listening too loud and making yourself deaf.

Actually, it starts to change its signature slightly around 85db, Which is not considered too loud. Though yeah, for prolonged listening sessions, the level that the 1540 sounds bad is a tad bit loud.

 

[neilmanalo]

I need a headphone for monitoring, my current monitor HP is the Audio Techinica ATHM50X, how does the 1540 compare against it?

 

[waveSounds]

  I need a headphone for monitoring, my current monitor HP is the Audio Techinica ATHM50X, how does the 1540 compare against it?

 
There's really no comparison. The M50X is a good can but the 1540 is the daddy. It's often overlooked here in the 'audiophile' realm, but it is highly regarded amongst studio professionals. I've linked to a couple of reviews where the reviewer actually uses them primarily for monitoring -
 
http://ehomerecordingstudio.com/best-recording-studio-headphones/#closedback
 
http://tapeop.com/reviews/gear/99/srh1540-headphones/
 
I don't use them for monitoring, but they are my main headphone and come with me on my daily commute to the office. I've thought about different headphones a few times but have yet to find any that suit my needs as well - sensitive enough to be driven from my phone, closed, comfortable and rugged.
 
I eschew the social norms of what is considered to be an acceptable 'portable' headphone and often wear these on my commute, and the other times I opt for in-ears and these are in my bag, I just chuck them in without any case and they still look the same as when they first came out of the packaging.

 

[iCupboard]

Hey there! I was wondering if I like the cold signature of The AKG K550, would I like the Sound of The 1540? I had the SRH 840 but disliked the Sound immensely. I am wanting to Go for anothet k550 or this one.

 

[SoundTown]

Hey all, I know this thread is a little old, but I've been considering the SRH1540 for a while now, and would like some input.
I've demoed the 1540 once before and really liked it, since my sonic preferences tend to tilt a little to the warmer side. That said, I truthfully wouldn't have minded a tad bit more liveliness in the treble. On the other hand, I also have pretty sensitive hearing, which is why I don't like harsh or splashy sounding cans like the AKG K612 or unmodded Grados for example.
With my treble sensitivity yet desire for some extra treble energy in mind, are there any suitable alternatives to the 1540 around its price? Closed headphones are preferred. For open cans, I'm probably going to go for the HE400i in the future, so I don't necessarily need recommendations for the open route.
Also, just an addition, I live in Singapore, so some of the more obscure brands like MrSpeakers aren't going to be a viable option for me - I want to be able to demo them easily. That's why I didn't consider the Alpha Dogs.
Thanks in advance for any input you can give!

 

[Delance26]

It honestly sounds like the 1540 are a very solid option for your taste in music.  It has a warm tilt, but a little sparkle in the treble to give the music character.  I am curious what sort of amp/dac you are using cause that can also play a role.  I currently use the m9XX and it pair very well with the 1540 by tightening the bass and giving the treble some air. 
 
As for other headphones, you could consider a beyerdynamic as their house sound is generally V-shaped, which is what you seem to want from a headphone based on your description.

 

[SoundTown]

  It honestly sounds like the 1540 are a very solid option for your taste in music.  It has a warm tilt, but a little sparkle in the treble to give the music character.  I am curious what sort of amp/dac you are using cause that can also play a role.  I currently use the m9XX and it pair very well with the 1540 by tightening the bass and giving the treble some air. 
 
As for other headphones, you could consider a beyerdynamic as their house sound is generally V-shaped, which is what you seem to want from a headphone based on your description.

 
I know the 1540 matches my music preferences very closely. Based on memory, I liked pretty much everything about the headphones except that I thought it could use a little more sub-bass and, of course, some treble energy. Other than that, I thought the 1540 was pretty much the HD600 but closed and actually having mid-bass - in other words, a very nice headphone.
I currently use the Fiio Q1 DAC/Amp, just the portable budget option from Fiio. I'm probably going to upgrade to a K1 + (insert amp here) in the future.
As for the options from Beyerdynamic, I've tried the DT880 and DT770 and really liked them both. I might be selling one of my current headphones soon to get one of them, probably the DT770.
I've also tried the T70, which I see you have, and my dad owns the T90. Didn't like the T70, unfortunately, and the T90 I do like, but is pretty far from my personal preferences for daily use.
You are right in the sense that I do like a V-shaped sound, probably why I liked the DT770/DT880 on demo. That said, I'm looking for something smoother, which is why the 1540 landed on my radar and seems to have stuck there as one of my top contendors.
Let me know if you can think of any other closed alternatives to the 1540 that fit my preferences (more sub-bass, more treble energy). However, I think I'm going to resign myself to the fact that other than planars, there's nothing in the SRH1540's price category that'll quite be what I'm looking for in a closed set of cans.

 

[maheeinfy]

I know the 1540 matches my music preferences very closely. Based on memory, I liked pretty much everything about the headphones except that I thought it could use a little more sub-bass and, of course, some treble energy. Other than that, I thought the 1540 was pretty much the HD600 but closed and actually having mid-bass - in other words, a very nice headphone.
I currently use the Fiio Q1 DAC/Amp, just the portable budget option from Fiio. I'm probably going to upgrade to a K1 + (insert amp here) in the future.
As for the options from Beyerdynamic, I've tried the DT880 and DT770 and really liked them both. I might be selling one of my current headphones soon to get one of them, probably the DT770.
I've also tried the T70, which I see you have, and my dad owns the T90. Didn't like the T70, unfortunately, and the T90 I do like, but is pretty far from my personal preferences for daily use.
You are right in the sense that I do like a V-shaped sound, probably why I liked the DT770/DT880 on demo. That said, I'm looking for something smoother, which is why the 1540 landed on my radar and seems to have stuck there as one of my top contendors.
Let me know if you can think of any other closed alternatives to the 1540 that fit my preferences (more sub-bass, more treble energy). However, I think I'm going to resign myself to the fact that other than planars, there's nothing in the SRH1540's price category that'll quite be what I'm looking for in a closed set of cans.

SRH840

 

[SoundTown]

SRH840

I've demoed the SRH840 once and can't remember why, but I didn't like the sound. Maybe I'll try them again along with the SRH940, there's a store that carries them not far from where I am.
That said, I've also read the SRH840 and 940 have long-term build issues like the headband and ear cups cracking. Not sure how severe it is though.
Thanks for the reminder of those headphones though. Will definitely reconsider at the very least.

 

[KC33]

Has anyone heard these with a balanced output? I was thinking about getting a cable and trying them with the Fiio X7 AM3 module.