[R-Audiohead]

Quote:

Oh I thought someone said it would be $999, but maybe that was wrong. Anyway I really hope it's below $800. If it compares to LCD2/HD800 even slightly, something like $500 would be a Shure sell for me and I'm sure many many others here . 

This is more the price I am dreaming about.  Anything above that is likely out of reach for me ATM

 

[achristilaw]

I'm so done chasing the "flagship" statements of other vendors. The last phone-go-round in 09' had many an interesting entry but the Music tally still came up short (IMO). I had performance and/or ergonomic issues with all of the latest and greatest. A nice $500.00 phone to reset the performance price ratio would be a pipe-dream perhaps....but a very nice pipe-dream.

 

[Rocksteady]

From what I have seen so far, I'd say they were designed to compete more along the lines of the hd600/650, k701, and dt880pro. I would like to see the srh1440 at something like 349 and srh1840 at 399 or 449. Heck, maybe they're open-backed alternatives to their similarly model numbered closed-back models, like AT's ad700/ad900, and will be priced slightly above those. If the overseas pricing are any indication though, then I am way off. Also, they've got those fancy cases and packaging too, which might add another $100 in perceived value to the overall product. Furthermore, it seems like companies are willing to radically change their marketing strategies from what they have done in the past. Like akg(harmon) and their k3003 or the audeo pfe 232. Face-palms and eye-rolls all day if I see something like "Shure SRH1840: For Audiophiles Only."

 

[ac500]

> Heck, maybe they're open-backed alternatives to their similarly model numbered closed-back models

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No I'm pretty sure this is not the case. Did you watch the video presentation thing? They have some special ring design or something (as you can see audio/mechanical engineering is not my thing), a new design for them as I understand it.​

 ​

Also if the Japanese pricing is correct, and it's around $900 USD, there's no way it's competing with HD650/DT880/etc., or it will fail miserably due to being 3x the cost.
 
Even if Shure abandons their good price/performance ratio with the SRH1840s, it will HAVE to compete favorably with LCD2s and HD800s etc. simply due to competition. If they DO keep their price/performance ratio, it could defeat HD800s and be one of the best in the world.
 
But we'll have to wait and see.

 

[R-Audiohead]

Quote:

> Heck, maybe they're open-backed alternatives to their similarly model numbered closed-back models

 ​

No I'm pretty sure this is not the case. Did you watch the video presentation thing? They have some special ring design or something (as you can see audio/mechanical engineering is not my thing), a new design for them as I understand it.​

 ​

Also if the Japanese pricing is correct, and it's around $900 USD, there's no way it's competing with HD650/DT880/etc., or it will fail miserably due to being 3x the cost.
 
Even if Shure abandons their good price/performance ratio with the SRH1840s, it will HAVE to compete favorably with LCD2s and HD800s etc. simply due to competition. If they DO keep their price/performance ratio, it could defeat HD800s and be one of the best in the world.
 
But we'll have to wait and see.

Converting the price to USD will not reflect what the real price ends up being in the US, I feel.
 

 

[ac500]

Well unless that Japan -> USD = $900 somehow gets reduced below $400, it's still way too expensive to compete with HD650s. Even at $500 it's placing itself to compete above the price range of all the former flagships - HD650 DT880 K701 etc. etc., and as such it will need to outclass all of them to be worth it.
 
Anyway... this thread it pretty much pointless at this point until January or whenever Jude gets around to releasing a review.

 

[TheWuss]

Quote:

I'm so done chasing the "flagship" statements of other vendors. The last phone-go-round in 09' had many an interesting entry but the Music tally still came up short (IMO). I had performance and/or ergonomic issues with all of the latest and greatest. A nice $500.00 phone to reset the performance price ratio would be a pipe-dream perhaps....but a very nice pipe-dream.

You nailed it, man.
There's no single headphone out there that is without fairly significant problems. 
Pick your poison.
 
That doesn't mean I would turn down the opportunity to hear the SRH1840. 

 
 
 

 

[Beagle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ac500 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
The SRH1840 isn't exactly cheap either at $1000

It's $1000?!?! That is insane. You can get an LCD-2 for that.
 

 

[Rocksteady]

Yeah, I re-watched that video presentation and looked over the "coming-soon" stuff on their website just after my last post. Like another poster in this thread, something over $500 will likely be out of reach for me. I'm a lot more interested in this headphone if it's around $500. I knew that that open back alternative thing was a long shot and I did mention the overseas pricing being an indication of performance and cost in my last post.
 
The reason I see it being competitive in the the hd650 region is that those headphones have been around awhile, the srh1840 could be something new and interesting at that category. Also just looking at the specs (weight, freq. response) and pics, that's just what it looks like to me. Aren't the lcd2s planar? Audeze always seemed to me like a niche or boutique sort of brand. Shure is a "professional" brand, they make microphones and monitoring equipment. Like Sennheiser, AKG, and Beyer. The HD800 has a very unique driver design that is large, and has a wide frequency response. Maybe it will be placed between the hd650 and hd800. Shure could release another headphone later to compete more directly with the $1000+ headphones. All I'm saying is that in my estimation, the srh1840 is not it. As far as I know the official price in the USA is TBA and Shure could be gauging consumer interest to determine their pricing strategy. People who have heard the headphone are staying silent and are definitely in a better position to say what these headphones are actually competitive with. Until the headphones are released and more people heard them, then all we can do is speculate.
 
Most of the information presented in the video seemed kind of obvious except where he was talking about that pole-piece thing. Was he saying "vented-center pole-piece"? Whatever it was, it had me intrigued. Is that sort of design unique to only the srh1840? Is that something like beyer's tesla driver? Perhaps that is a reason it could be in the realm of $900. I wish he could have talked about that a little more and that the picture was clearer.
 
The marketing copy on the website has some interesting word-choices. Like, "unparalleled acoustic performance" and "custom-crafted design". "Ideal for mastering or critical listening applications" seems pretty right on message with the shure brand too.
 
There's also a couple other videos on youtube for the srh1840, but they're not in english. Anyone know what they're saying?

 

[ac500]

>  Shure could release another headphone later to compete more directly with the $1000+ headphones.
 
Let's not forget they're releasing two headphones here, one for around $500 and one for around $900 *going by Japanese prices. I think it's safe to say that they're then simultaneously competing in the $500 and $1000 price range (therefore beyond HD650, and beyond LCD2), unless US prices MASSIVELY drop like 50%.

 

[John In Cali]

I could see $800 being right. It leaves them room to release their real flagship, the 1940 at ~1200 that will compete with the HD800 but cost less.
It seems that they are now making audiophile not professional products with their new open backed headphones.

 

[ac500]

> the 1940 at ~1200 that will compete with the HD800 but cost less.
 
You're making me sad.
 
There is        NO        reason headphones need to be this expensive, unless they contain diamonds or gold in the construction.
 
 

 

[John In Cali]

> the 1940 at ~1200 that will compete with the HD800 but cost less.


You're making me sad.


There is        NO        reason headphones need to be this expensive, unless they contain diamonds or gold in the construction.

I agree but that is how much they can charge and make money from so they do.

 

[Satya]

This sounds the cost of attending college: a friend of mine works in the admissions office for a pricey private school, and at a recent staff meeting the question was thrown out:" when will the price stop going up and up for basically the same product?"  The Dean's (honest) answer: when people stop paying it!   In a growth market like headphones, I reckon that time is not yet anywhere near... 
 
Quote:

I agree but that is how much they can charge and make money from so they do.

 

 

[roma101]

Quote:

> the 1940 at ~1200 that will compete with the HD800 but cost less.
 
You're making me sad.
 
There is        NO        reason headphones need to be this expensive, unless they contain diamonds or gold in the construction.
 
 

Agreed, dammit.