[shellylh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by koven /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've read many people's opinion that they prefer the SRH840 over D2000.

The SRH840 has a more neutral sound signature than the D2000 which many will prefer. Also, the D2000 do not isolate very well but they sound more open than the SRH840.

 

[Ub3rMario]

Yeah the 840 to me is a better headphone and that's saying a lot because I absolutely loved the d2000. I just wish the 840s were as comfortable as the d2000, otherwise it's a better can imo.

That won't be true if you're a basshead though because d2000's have awesome bass.

 

[moseboy]

...Alright, I just finished reading all the posts in this thread so far....

First, let me explain where I'm coming from. Up until this point, I've only been familiar with and interested in IEMs. You can see from my signature that I have the Sennheiser IE8 and the Shure SE530. (However, while I love my IE8, if I had to pick which IEM's sound signature I prefer, it would be the Shure's.) I've never owned a pair of full-sized headphones, and the best I've heard is my friend's HD600 being driven by a good DAC+amp (I can't remember which one). And it sounded good... but a couple things turned me off. First, I wasn't a huge fan of the overall sound: It (obviously) didn't have the Shure mids that I love, and it sounded kind of veiled and a little boring (to my ears). Second, it bothered and distracted me knowing that I could hear something with the HD600 on and not know for sure whether the sound was coming from the headphones or something else around me. (In other words, I'm one of those weirdos who prefers a closed can to an open one

.)

So now I am considering the SRH840, and after reading all of the posts in this thread, I am very intrigued. However, I found some contradictions along the way between what different people said that I hope some of you can explain for me:

1.) it's very comfortable; it's big, heavy, puts pressure on the top of your head, and falls off easily (all due to different head sizes, I guess),
2.) it's meant for studio monitoring; the SRH440 is actually flatter (according to carlseibert),
3.) it's very balanced and neutral; it has accentuated lows and a peak at 2 kHz,
4.) it sounds more like an open can; it really doesn't sound like an open can,
5.) it sounds much better with an amp; it doesn't scale well at all, and
6.) it's very engaging; it's... not engaging (

just personal preference I suppose).

But even with these conflicting remarks, I am still very interested in these headphones. I know I've missed out on some deals, but as of right now, even if I have to wait, where is the best place to get them for the lowest price?

Thanks

 

[redlinez33]

At first I thought they were not very comfortable and I had a problem with them falling off. Now after they have broken in and loosened up I can put them on a smaller setting. They are comfortable and dont fall off easily. They are a tad heavy though. After closer observation and after full breakin (well 100hours+) I notice they dont really need an amp (my mistake).. They sound good from an X-FI sound card for example. They work "ok" from a Zune player, but are horrible for plane travel. I tried and they sound bad, they lack bass. I guess the exterior noise drowns out the bass. They werent really designed for that though.

I am starting to warm up to the can, but I just bought the ATH-AD700 to test. I believe I am a fan of Audio Technicas sound signature, so Ill see when I get them.

 

[Skylab]

Moseboy, you'll never get universal agreement on ANY pair of headphones. Just read the HD800 threads

The great thing about the SRH840's is that unless you go for one of the crazy-low price deals, you can return them if you don't like them. So buy from an authorized dealer who offers a return policy, and give 'em a whirl. From your post, I bet you'll like them.

 

[uzi]

Well, thanks guys for turning me on to these cans. I got 'em for $150 from B&H (who have 'em in stock for $200). Basically, I called 'em and asked if they do price matching, told 'em about J&R (that they'll email the $150 price)... so they put me on hold and a few minutes later came back on and told me they'd do the $150. No tax and free shipping... they came on Friday. I'm about 45 hours into breaking these guys in, using medium volume and random shuffle on my music (along with occasion sessions of pink noise) to do the job.

I got these guys for use at work. We have a small and noisy office. I like my Grado SR60, but they're open cans and don't block a thing... nor do I want to add noise to the office in its more quiet moments. Granted the SR60 is perfect for home use where I can enjoy things at a low volume and still hear my baby cry. My Shure e4c are great and comfy and would very much be my work headphones, but a bit too slow to take in and out... not to mention the confused coworkers when they come up behind me and I don't respond. So yeah, I wanted a pair of closed circumaural cans to fit my needs.

They're not done being broken in, and I have to say that they do sound pretty good... especially for $150. I tend to listen straight off my Macbook Pro or my iPod, so this review is based on that. In general, my SR60 and E4c sound thin in comparison in terms of bass. The SRH840 does sound very even and the deep bass parts are ballsy. No major complaints across the whole range, but if I had to nit, I'd say maybe in the higher part of the mids, some things (but not all) sound a little scratchy for certain songs. Some things I listen to sound as good as I've heard them, but other things don't have the oomph that I've come to expect. On a quick jaunt through Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon", much of the album sounded fantastic... definitely worthy of a nice slow listen when I get back in the office. The noticeable exception would be during the solo of "Money", where things don't explode as much as I'd have hoped for... but still sounds quite good. Again, I'll reiterate that these aren't done being broken in. The point I'm trying to convey is that at best they're amazing and at worst they're above average. My ears have yet to be offended. The acoustic and classical music sounds great... it's almost as if the less impactful stuff gains some and the more impactful stuff loses a bit, but that's by no means universal. Should this change, I'll update the thread.

In terms of fit, it's a nice comfy fit on my head. The pads do go around my ears, though my ears touch the inside every so slightly. Wearing them for long periods so far have been comfortable. My ears do warm up (as expected), but it's not so bad, nor noticeable really 'til I take 'em off.

So yeah, all in all, I'm quite happy with the purchase, so thanks to all for the helpful reviews.

 

[jpstereo]

Gentlemen, I have about 100 hours on mine and I am absolutely thrilled with these. Granted they're a little heavy on the head but boy do these sound great. Smooth as silk - an absolute pleasure and a steal. I couldn't be happier. A great phone at a great price. Worth every penny!

 

[moseboy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skylab /img/forum/go_quote.gif Moseboy, you'll never get universal agreement on ANY pair of headphones. Just read the HD800 threads The great thing about the SRH840's is that unless you go for one of the crazy-low price deals, you can return them if you don't like them. So buy from an authorized dealer who offers a return policy, and give 'em a whirl. From your post, I bet you'll like them.

Right.... So, where would you recommend I buy them from?

 

[Skylab]

Well, Full Compass is a Shure dealer, and usually has pretty good prices.

 

[moseboy]

I don't wanna sound cheap, but the main reason I was interested in these is because it looked for sure like I could get them for under $150. $200 is a little steep for me. Is there any chance of that anymore?

 

[Matro5]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpstereo /img/forum/go_quote.gif Worth every penny!

I dont know how many hours I have anymore, but at this point, I have to agree. Easy to drive, unconcerned with genre, non-fatiguing - these phones are just easy to own. Listening to everything from yo yo ma to Brother Ali's new single to Steve Earle's Coppherhead and everything sounds big and clean...

 

[Matro5]

Quote:

Originally Posted by moseboy /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't wanna sound cheap, but the main reason I was interested in these is because it looked for sure like I could get them for under $150. $200 is a little steep for me. Is there any chance of that anymore?

Most of the time, to get a price below $199, you're going to have to call these places and actually talk to someone. Scary, I know. There's also an eBay seller mentioned in this thread who is willing to go lower, but I don't know if you're going to find anyone advertising a really low price after what happened to RMC Audio.

 

[Skylab]

The thing is, no authorized dealer is going to be able to advertise them lower than $199. That is Shure's Minimum Advertised Price (MAP). You will need to call if you want a lower price. Headroom is also an authorized Shure dealer with a return policy - you might try them too.

Edit - right, like Matro5 said

 

[Frank I]

I have the AKG701 and The Denon 1001. How do the Shures compare. Wilol they be in between or as good as the AKG. Has anyone compared the two.

 

[Frank I]

I have the AKG701 and The Denon 1001. How do the Shures compare. Will they be in between or as good as the AKG. Has anyone compared the two.