Shure SRH440 Headphones

[Cylphio]

Just ordered. The boosted sub on the k371 masks the already weak upper mids section, i cannot bear the lack of body of the 361 on the mids, i hate the midbass bloat of the 840 and m40 and m50x, so I hope this to be the obvious upgrade for me. I'd like to buy the aeon noire, but the price is too high for me

 

[solderdude]

Just ordered. The boosted sub on the k371 masks the already weak upper mids section, i cannot bear the lack of body of the 361 on the mids, i hate the midbass bloat of the 840 and m40 and m50x, so I hope this to be the obvious upgrade for me. I'd like to buy the aeon noire, but the price is too high for me

EQ couldn't fix your objections ?

 

[Cylphio]

EQ couldn't fix your objections ?

I already said how I like your contribution to the headphone listening world. Thank you.
I think you can understand my repulsion to software eq. For me it's a kind of disrespect for the instrument and the work behind that.
I like to plug my headphone to every source I have and expect more or less the same result. The brain can accomodate a lot.
I already found some almost perfect headphones:

- The hd560s is near to my goal, and for me they are absolutely superb.
- The Moondrop Blessing 2 is my reference for an intense listen
- The Ety's er2se can give me a reference in some studio works.

But I'd like to have a closed workhorse for my work in the ships (the sub rumble in the cabin cancels some bass on the open cans). Don't you think the new headband is very handsome? It can almost compete with your modification...

 

[solderdude]

Ah yes, I am also always on the lookout for headphones that sound good out of the box or with just some small help.
Most ASR members EQ the crap out of everything but they are tied to gear that can meaning a phone, tablet, PC, laptop or device with parametric EQ.

I too don't want to be dependent on that either.

The new 440A and 840A do look better. The cloth headband won't flake like the original one. Buy some 840 pads and you are very close to the SRH840 (pads are thicker)

Haven't seen any measurements yet.

 

[Cylphio]

Ah yes, I am also always on the lookout for headphones that sound good out of the box or with just some small help.
Most ASR members EQ the crap out of everything but they are tied to gear that can meaning a phone, tablet, PC, laptop or device with parametric EQ.

I too don't want to be dependent on that either.

The new 440A and 840A do look better. The cloth headband won't flake like the original one. Buy some 840 pads and you are very close to the SRH840 (pads are thicker)

Haven't seen any measurements yet.

ART Midi's guy says the bass is more, but next week i will post my direct impression.

The following list is made from the headphones I had, for each one i could draw a fr graph, and mostly beacause of your work:

1-Shure E2C 3/5

2-Sony MDREP50 2/5

3-Sony MDREX700 2,5/5

4-Sennheiser CX300 II 2/5

5-Sennheiser HD380 PRO 3,5/5

6-Sennheiser IE7 4,5/5

7-Sennheiser IE8 3,5/5

8-Yamaha EPH100 4/5

9-Shure SE215 3/5

10-Rha MA450i 2,5/5

11-Rha MA750i 4/5

12-Creative Cal! 4/5

13-Akg K271 mkII 3/5

14-Audio Technica ATHM50s 3,5/5

15-Akg K167 Tiesto 4/5

16-Rha CA200 2/5

17-Meliconi HP100 1,5/5

18-Beats Pro 2/5

19-Akg K550 4/5

20-Sony MDR1R 3,5/5

21-Pioneer SEA1000 3/5

22-Ultimate Ears UE6000 3,5/5

23-Shure Srh940 4,5/5

24-Sennheiser HD25 alu 4/5

25-AKG K81dj 3/5

26-AKG K518dj 3,5/5

27-AKG K545 4/5

28-Sennheiser CX3.00 2,5/5

29-Sony MDR-EX650ap 2/5

30-TDK ST-750 2,5/5

31-Shure SE425 4/5

32-Sony MDR-100AAP h.ear on 4/5

33-Sony XBA-C10 2,5/5

34-Hifiman RE400 4/5

35-Skullcandy Crusher 3/5

36-Sennheiser Momentum 2.0 oe 2/5

37-Philips Fidelio M1 mkII 4/5

38-VE Monk plus 3/5

39-Sennheiser HD598SE 4/5

40-Audio Technica ATH-CKS550i 3/5

41-Akg Y50 3/5

42-Marshall Mid Bluetooth 3/5

43-Philips Fidelio S2 4/5

44-Brainwavz B100 4,5/5

45-Marshall Mode 3,5/5

46-Audio Technica ATH-E40 3,5/5

47-AKG K712 Pro 4,5/5

48-Koss KSC75 4/5

49-Sony MDR-EX110 3/5

50-Akg K518 LE 3,5/5

51-Sony MDR-EX110ap 2,5/5

52-Marshall Mode EQ 3,5/5

53-Beyerdynamic DTX350M 3/5

54-Marshall Monitor Bluetooth 3/5

55-Akg K845BT 4/5

56-Yamaha HPH-PRO500 3,5/5

57-Koss KPH30i 4/5

58-Yamaha HPH-MT8 4/5

59-Koss PortaPro 3,5/5

60-Koss PortaPro X 3,5/5

61-JVC HA-S160 Flats 3/5

62-Philips SHL3505 Fixie 2,5/5

63-Fiio FH1 2,5/5

64-Brainwavz B200 2/5

65-MeeAudio Pinnacle P1 4/5

66-Sony MDR-1AM2 Black 4/5

67-Sennheiser HD58X Jubilee 3/5

68-Koss KSC75 X 4/5

69-Beyerdynamic DT880 Pro 250 Ohm 4/5

70-VE Monk plus mic 3,5/5

71-Audio Technica ATH-M40X 3/5

72-Audio Technica ATH-M40X DEKONI sheep 3,5/5

73-Sennheiser Momentum 2.0i AE 3,5/5

74-Fiio FA1 4/5

75-AKG K612 PRO 4/5

76-Philips SHL3565 3/5

77-Pioneer HRM6 3/5

78-Audio Technica ATH-M50X blue 3/5

79-Beyerdynamic DT770PRO 32 Ohm 4/5

80-Marshall Major III 3,5/5

81-Sennheiser HD300 3,5/5

82-Panasonic RP-HTX80b 1/5

83-Sennheiser HD4.40 BT 3,5/5

84-Sennheiser HD599SE 4/5

85-Pioneer SE-MS7BT 2/5

86-Alessandro MS1 3,5/5

87-Sony WH-H900n h.ear on 2 2,5/5

88-Sony MDR-7506 3/5

89-Beyerdynamic DT770PRO 80 Ohm 4/5

90-Marshall Minor II BT 4/5

91-AKG K371 4,5/5

92-AKG K245 3,5/5

93-AKG K240MKII 4/5

94-Beyerdynamic DT990PRO 250 Ohm 2,5/5

95-Beyerdynamic DT880PRO 250 Ohm 4,5/5

96-Sennheiser HD2.10/HD100 4/5

97-Sony MDR-1AM2 Silver 4/5

98-Brainwavz Koel 4/5

99-Apple AirPods Pro 4,5/5

100-Creative Aurvana SE 4,5/5

101-Tin HiFi T4 4,5/5

102-Beyerdynamic DT770 PRO 32 Ohm 4/5

103-Philips SHP9500 4/5

104-Koss KSC75 Yaxi Pads and Porta Pro's headband 4,5/5

105-Koss Porta Pro 4/5

106-AKG K712 PRO Slovakia 2020 (Defective)

107-Sennheiser HD6XX balanced 4/5

108-AKG K361 2/5

109-AKG K371 4,5/5

110-Apple Earpods 3/5

111-Sennheiser HD380 PRO 3/5

112-Sennheiser HD25 Basic Edition ‘20 3/5

113-Sennheiser HD600 2019 4,5/5

114-Sennheiser HD25 <2019 3,5/5

115-AKG K275 3,5/5

116-Beats Solo Pro 3,5/5

117-Moondrop Starfield 4,5/5

118-Sony MH-755 4/5

119-Sennheiser HD206 2/5

120-Philips Fidelio X2HR 3,5/5

121-Beyerdynamic dt770 80 Ohm rodata 4,5/5

122-Moondrop Aria 2 4,5/5

123-Sony MDR-7510 4/5

124-Sennheiser HD560S 4/5 (dective

125-Beyerdynamic DT880 Edition 250 Ohm 4/5

126-Beyerdynamic DT1990 PRO 4,5/5

127-Audio Technica ATH-M50X Sheep Pad 3,5/5

128-Sennheiser HD25 Copper Cable 4/5

129-Sennheiser IE40 PRO 2,5/5

130-AKG K702 4/5

131-AKG K702 memory 4,5/5

132-Hifiman Sundara 5/5 (defective)

133-AKG K371 revision 4,5/5

134-Audio Technica ATH-R70X 4,5/5

135-Moondrop Blessing 2 occ cable 4,5/5

136-Sennheiser HD560S 5/5

137-Etymotic ER2SE 4,5/5

As you can see I put a small number just to rank them. Obviously these are models I bought and sold during my 11 years in the hobby. The evaluation is mostly related on the tonal balance and the tolerable deviation to achieve sone technical illusions like soundstage and transients.

 

[solderdude]

Hifiman Sundara 5/5 (defective)
Sennheiser HD560S 5/5

So these were your favorites.
Interesting to see where you rate the 440A. It would have to be improved a lot compared to the 440 I owned.

 

[Cylphio]

So these were your favorites.
Interesting to see where you rate the 440A. It would have to be improved a lot compared to the 440 I owned.

Yes, they are. The holographic image is better on the 560 for me. I tend to prefer dynamic headphones due to the lesser resonance and because I sometime can't bear that strange "wall of sound" sensation sometime happen on planars. I hope that the the improvement on srh440 will not only be on bass. Time will tell. What closed do you prefer?

 

[solderdude]

The ones that stayed were modified DT1770, Audeze Sine (different pads + filter) and modified Pro4000. (the stock Pro4000 is terrible)
Closed on-ear is EQ' ed DT1350. After an hour or so physically less pleasant to wear. Not a headphone I would recommend (it is a tricky one with substantial production spreads and comfort as well as seal issues.

 

[Cylphio]

The ones that stayed were modified DT1770, Audeze Sine (different pads + filter) and modified Pro4000. (the stock Pro4000 is terrible)
Closed on-ear is EQ' ed DT1350. After an hour or so physically less pleasant to wear. Not a headphone I would recommend (it is a tricky one with substantial production spreads and comfort as well as seal issues.

And stock?

 

[solderdude]

None but did contemplate the AEON closed for a while.
I suspect the upper midrange dip would annoy me perhaps and when I considered it they were above what I was willing to spend.

 

[markanini]

I keep coming back to the OG SRH440. With some light EQ they have a immersive thickness that's addictive.

 

[markanini]

Where are the SRH440 owners at? With some light EQ it has a very lush replay, not typical for closed back. I'd bring it with me everywhere if I could. I like them so much I got a headband cover with extra padding for longer listening sessions.

 

[Seta Seta Pop]

Here! I am a proud owner of a 440 that I use at the office. I love it. More than 840 and 371

 

[markanini]

Here! I am a proud owner of a 440 that I use at the office. I love it. More than 840 and 371

I could picture it, I heard 840 at my friends studio many times. AKG K371 was very impressive when I had it, but hard for me to get consistent seal. So I'm glad SRH440, with light EQ, is serving well by sounding great.

 

[Deleted member 60987]

I've been looking for a new set of headphones in the <$200 range. Every once in a while, I'll peruse the ranking section of the compiled AutoEq results:

https://github.com/jaakkopasanen/AutoEq/blob/master/results/RANKING.md

Right now the Shure SRH440 (currently $79) are the #2 ranked headphones out of almost 400 models.

Can anyone comment on the SRH440? There doesn't seem to be too much discussion about them yet here on ASR.

Almost sold them yesterday because they don't have the highest neutrality rating, have a crappy loose build, exposed wires and a decent resale value, but soundwise? Out of 12 headphones sound the best to me. They are really good drivers. Comfortable. Great highs and midrange, good lows.

 

[Deleted member 60987]

Techflex branching out into headbands. Never thought I'd see the day.

How about those freaking exposed wires? Sounds great but how much would it take to F*ck up 440s?

 

[Doodski]

How about those freaking exposed wires? Sounds great but how much would it take to F*ck up 440s?

A snag would be deadly I imagine but otherwise it could be OK as compared to conductors in a headband that is unseen we can't see how they executed the wiring of the head band/arch.

 

[Deleted member 60987]

A snag would be deadly I imagine but otherwise it could be OK as compared to conductors in a headband that is unseen we can't see how they executed the wiring of the head band/arch.

I'm just glad that DJ wanted the M40X yesterday instead of the 440s. Yes, they have a lower neutrality rating than all my other headphones, save the AKG K52, but they do, in fact sound pretty damn good. Are they ideal for mixing? No, but not bad. That microphones company does know something about audio. They've been in it a while. I imagine Neumann headphones are very good too.

 

[Deleted member 60987]

So these were your favorites.
Interesting to see where you rate the 440A. It would have to be improved a lot compared to the 440 I owned.

What didn't you like about the 440s? A bit harsh? Crappy build? I love the sound but it has flaws.

 

[Doodski]

I'm just glad that DJ wanted the M40X yesterday instead of the 440s. Yes, they have a lower neutrality rating than all my other headphones, save the AKG K52, but they do, in fact sound pretty damn good. Are they ideal for mixing? No, but not bad. That microphones company does know something about audio. They've been in it a while. I imagine Neumann headphones are very good too.

The mic company? You mean Audio Technica or Shure? I have never heard a Shure headphone but I read good things about it for whatever that's worth. The Audio Technica are bulletproof I have been told.