Shure has made some incremental improvements on the original SRH840s. Let me know how you think they compare to the many new headphone options available in this $150 usd price range.
Thanks and I'm glad the audio tests were helpful. I personally prefer headphones with a very neutral response, but I do come across many headphones with a "tailored" sound like these. As you said, not for you either, but I'm sure (no pun intended lol) that many will like and even prefer their tone. I always hope the difference between the original recordings and the headphone captures translates over UA-cam and perhaps the measurements can help reinforce that as I know viewers are listening over everything from speakers to phones...Cheers!
Hi watched all your ATH-M50X, M40X, AKG 361 and Shure 840a. Your reviews are great yet simple. I love listening to musics and the beauty in instruments. I want to listen to the quality of music or sound of the instruments as the artist intended. I have variety of lossless audio files and a good dac but iam missing a good device to listen to them. Iam certainly not a bass head but just want to hear if its there like subtle bass, and if the musicians really wanted it to be there. I personally found that AKG 361 and ATH-M40x are not bass head and produce good sound but do they utilize hires audio and provide good listening experience. I repeat, i have nothing to do with music production and iam not musicians. I badly wants to enjoy good music. I love hearing to nice sounding musics. Sorry for my long essay. I hope you can suggest me a few. You doing great job🌈❤️🔥
Thanks and I'm pleased to help out. While human hearing is generally limited to the 20-20000Hz range, having headphones (or other playback devices) that reach beyond this range is desirable. The sound near the upper and lower limits of our hearing range produced by extended response playback devices generally has less coloration vs headphones the only cover the audible spectrum. This can contribute to more neutral audio reproduction and is well suited to hires audio files. Things can get very expensive very quickly, but my top pick for accurate headphones for hires while remaining under the $500 usd price point are the Sennheiser HD600 and they are often on sale for about $300 usd. They are an open-back design, and are therefore not ideal for noisy environments or when privacy is required. At half the price, the Sennheiser HD560s (also sole as HD400 Pro which I have reviewed) are an excellent value in a reference headphone. While not quite as extended as the HD600, the HD560s has a very respectable 6-38000Hz frequency response to help accurately translate extended hires audio into the audible spectrum. My budget pick would be the AKG K240 (either studio or mkii). They again are an open-back design that are very accurate given their affordable price. It can be more challenging to find a set of accurate closed-back headphones (if your require sound isolation) due to the physics of a closed-in earcup. The Audio-Technica ATH-M40x would be my recommendation as an affordable closed-back design. In a higher price range, for closed-back I like the Neumann NDH 20 (not the 30 as I find the low-mid bass a bit hyped). THe NDH 20 offer exceptionally accurate audio reproduction in a closed-back design, again, very suitable for hires listening. Hope this helps out!
@@askdrtk In this regard, iam so curious how will AKG K361 will perform for me. Since you were saying AKG K361 and ATH-M40X are both good for casual listening and AKG has better comfort. May i know how AKG is not suitable for me? Thanks for your precious time🙏🥲
The K361 have the advantage in comfort, while the M40x have a slight advantage in audio. Overall, I wouldn't hesitate to use the K361 for your application.
Thanks and I'm glad to help out! In this price range, the Audio-Technica M40x for closed-back and the AKG K240 for semi open-back are difficult to beat when looking for a neutral headphone that can help produce reliable mixes that translate well across a variety of playback devices. Going up in price, AT's R70x are outstanding reference grade headphones (I will have a review coming soon...) The "best" choice would also depend on the genre you are listening to.
@@askdrtk thanks for the reply. already watch your video regarding M40x review, it makes me satisfied with my purchase. looking forward to your R70x review
The go to headphone in the industry is the Sony. If you are looking for a flat natural sound for music engineering, editing studio sound so on. The original Sony MDRV6 are industry standard but are now recently out of production. You can still find them but price has jumped up but even a good used set would be great. The Sony MDR7506 Professional are the newer headphones but have been around many years already. Cost should be no more then $150 or less give or take. Amazon $81. (watch out for fake sony headphones) That is why when you watch a documenty or a TV show or news and the camera man picks up the sound engineer on camera, most of the time look close, there wearing the Sony 7506. I own both of the V6 and 7506. I do music editing and remastering and i always go back to my Sony's . The Shure headphones may be good but this review here did show that some frequencies were over emphasized. Don't want that. need flat sound to ear what the original sound was. Check out many reviews on the Sony's you will see there one of the best. I recently also purchased the Sony MDR1AM2 Wired High Resolution headphones for high res flac files. And i i also have a pair of the Sony Mdr-cd900st Studio Monitor that were only available in Japan. Used in many Japan studios. Hope that Helps Thanks
Hey @askdrtk! First of all thank ou for the rich content. I’m just getting in the audiophile world and your videos are helping a lot. I was wondering what headphones do you prefer. Is it the AKG k371 or the Shure SRH840a ? Thanks!
Thanks, I'm glad you are enjoying my reviews! While sound preference is subjective, I prefer the SRH840a between the two. For my the comfort and build quality of the 840a is superior and I find mids to be sunken back into the mix on the K371. For me, mixing is easier on the 840a as I find instrument detail well presented. Neither is optimal for imaging or soundstage, but for closed-back designs, the 840a has an edge on the K371. I Hope this helps out!
What i want is srh940 rehouse with that headband. No headphone can beat the srh940 whenever i wanna figure out the guitar part in any music that i couldnt get tab or score
Thank you for the rich content. Can u suggest Srh840A for ELeCtroniC Drums or is ther any better around this priCe.... Thank you for your Videos. How Good is ViC Firth SIH2 for Drums?
Hola tengo estos Shure SRH 840A y los utilizo únicamente para escuchar mi música. Mi pregunta es si estos audífonos soportan cables balanceados. Muchas gracias de antemano!
Please sir, for the love of God, please I need a comparison between shure srh 840A vs Senn HD650 without bias I am looking for a headphone that reveal flaws in recording something very natural with enough low end, and closeback too, I know everyone talking about HD 650 or HD 600 but am the type of person that knows there is something better than mainstream tells us, always some underdog or unpopular brand that is best, but just because everyone not talking about they by most ignored, NS10 was discovered like that, not even meant studio and not supposed to be flat or what you would think could help with mixing. Similarly, I want something that I can master with, I didnt say FLAT, because all mainstream ideas, such as you need flat this and that is nonsense, ns10 is not flat, someimes a raise high and mid frequencies will help in mixing so that a sibilant audio would be exposed whereas a neutral or flat will hide and make it not obvious enough, if you see how I see reality. Please I heard good things about the SRH 840a and I am thinking to get it over the HD because the Shure has better bass response and its said to be neutral enough, I hate the idea of bass missing in the HD 6 hundred series, and needing extra amp just to drive, plus its openback, which I saw someone try to mix them and still missing the depth you get from speakers in a room, so there goes out of the window, open back sounds like a speakers, nonsense, headphones closed or openback is not a speaker in a rooms, there are softwares that could do better to give us that sense of speaker in a room than just mere having an open back headphone. I want to hear the bass clearly, I want the mid forward, just like the HD650 but I want closed back so I can listen and not worry about leakage. Simple but funny, no one is searching for this, until I search it out? Why people wait like sheeple to follow what others say and cant find truth with their own judgement Please help the community and look for with headphone can what am saying here.Even the so called Harman curve is better than linear flat EQ, so that already tells you what a critical listening headphone should be like, so if you could go on a search and give us this revelation, you will be greatly rewarded, I am some guy been homeless and trying to make it life, I am not about to do the search and money nor UA-cam fame will let me check out and try even to mix with as many headphones as possible, for now am unable, but soon I might be on top of the world. Please help, been wathing almost 20 thousand videos and reading articles, but nothing convinced, till I watched a video of a Pro actual try to mix with HD 650 even with sonar works still did get a good result, Now I am like, lets find some real human who will search for the headphone king, I can easily do this project, but as at the time of this writing unable so please for the Love of God, help.
The 840a have more bass extension compared to the 840 while high frequencies are tamed down on the 840a vs 840, particularly around 10kHz. I would say the 840 have a small edge in terms of clarity, but for me it comes along with more listening fatigue over longer listening sessions. Hope this helps out!
Thanks for sharing your experience! I would agree, the 840 is a far more neutral set vs the 840a. Great choice for making critical decisions while mixing. Mixes on the 840 would translate well to other playback devices.
@@askdrtk As for "Fotigue at longer listening sessions" - Every closed back headphones are same! When you using closed back Cans, after 1 hour your ears start to get tired. For long-term listening, there are exist Open/semi-open headphones.
Yes, I agree open and semi-open back headphones are generally more comfortable for extended listening sessions. When I think about listening fatigue from headphones or speakers, I am more thinking about sensitivity to certain frequencies. All of us have inherent hyper-sensitivities to certain frequency and amplitude combinations. For some, the effect is barely noticeable, others experience a sense of tiredness, and in sever cases, some experience pain (a condition referred to as Hyperacusis). The combinations of frequency and amplitude are unique to each individual (biology), which is why one person may find a certain pair of speakers or headphones "fatiguing" while another does not. This is part of why we hear so many opinions on whether headphones or speakers are fatiguing or not, or even over-boosted, under-emphasized, or neutral. The debate seems more common in headphones that are very mid / high forward, although sensitivity to bass frequencies is also common. It is a good thing manufactures offer so many frequency response profiles so everyone can find a pair of speakers or headphones that are comfortable to listen to.
Thank you for the rich content. Can u suggest Srh840A for ELeCtroniC Drums or is ther any better around this priCe.... Thank you for your Videos. How Good is ViC Firth SIH2 for Drums?
Glad you enjoyed my review. The SRH840A have good passive noise isolation and are suitable for electronic drums. My usual goto recommendation in this price range are the Sennheiser HD280 Pro. They have very good isolation and are durable for regular use. The SRH840A have the edge in terms of comfort imo. The SIH2 offer good isolation, but I have found the sound more balanced on the HD280s… I hope this helps out!
@@askdrtk Thank You Very MuCh Sir... And in the meanwhile I have seen AkG K371 video of yours... I hope it's impressive. One thing you pointed out on K371 influenced me very much "AKG has put the Money primarily on Sound for K371" so this makes me to Lean on K371 for ELeCtroniC drums..... You suggestion is very valuable Sir... Please suggest me whether to opt for K371 for ELeCtroniC Drums / PerCussion ControLLer or not. You advice is important for me to finalize sir.
The K371/K361 have good isolation and will reproduce the full range of your drums. Their build quality is not as good as the HD280 Pro, but if you look after them they should last for a long time.
For Sound QuaLity and full frequency range which would you prefer sir? K371 vs Hd 280 Pro I have no idea how they sound. Sir my problem is when I edit tones from my PerCussion Controller ther is huge diffeence from the PA Speakers vs the headphones.... So which headphones articulate the edited tones that tranlated CLose to PA System. Thank you in advance Sir...
Shure has made some incremental improvements on the original SRH840s. Let me know how you think they compare to the many new headphone options available in this $150 usd price range.
What you measured is what I heard on this headphone. It confirms why I was disappointed. Brilliant!
Thanks and I'm glad the audio tests were helpful. I personally prefer headphones with a very neutral response, but I do come across many headphones with a "tailored" sound like these. As you said, not for you either, but I'm sure (no pun intended lol) that many will like and even prefer their tone. I always hope the difference between the original recordings and the headphone captures translates over UA-cam and perhaps the measurements can help reinforce that as I know viewers are listening over everything from speakers to phones...Cheers!
Solid review! Thank you for this.
Much appreciated! I'm glad to help out.
Hi watched all your ATH-M50X, M40X, AKG 361 and Shure 840a. Your reviews are great yet simple. I love listening to musics and the beauty in instruments. I want to listen to the quality of music or sound of the instruments as the artist intended. I have variety of lossless audio files and a good dac but iam missing a good device to listen to them. Iam certainly not a bass head but just want to hear if its there like subtle bass, and if the musicians really wanted it to be there. I personally found that AKG 361 and ATH-M40x are not bass head and produce good sound but do they utilize hires audio and provide good listening experience. I repeat, i have nothing to do with music production and iam not musicians. I badly wants to enjoy good music. I love hearing to nice sounding musics. Sorry for my long essay. I hope you can suggest me a few. You doing great job🌈❤️🔥
Thanks and I'm pleased to help out. While human hearing is generally limited to the 20-20000Hz range, having headphones (or other playback devices) that reach beyond this range is desirable. The sound near the upper and lower limits of our hearing range produced by extended response playback devices generally has less coloration vs headphones the only cover the audible spectrum. This can contribute to more neutral audio reproduction and is well suited to hires audio files.
Things can get very expensive very quickly, but my top pick for accurate headphones for hires while remaining under the $500 usd price point are the Sennheiser HD600 and they are often on sale for about $300 usd. They are an open-back design, and are therefore not ideal for noisy environments or when privacy is required. At half the price, the Sennheiser HD560s (also sole as HD400 Pro which I have reviewed) are an excellent value in a reference headphone. While not quite as extended as the HD600, the HD560s has a very respectable 6-38000Hz frequency response to help accurately translate extended hires audio into the audible spectrum. My budget pick would be the AKG K240 (either studio or mkii). They again are an open-back design that are very accurate given their affordable price. It can be more challenging to find a set of accurate closed-back headphones (if your require sound isolation) due to the physics of a closed-in earcup. The Audio-Technica ATH-M40x would be my recommendation as an affordable closed-back design. In a higher price range, for closed-back I like the Neumann NDH 20 (not the 30 as I find the low-mid bass a bit hyped). THe NDH 20 offer exceptionally accurate audio reproduction in a closed-back design, again, very suitable for hires listening. Hope this helps out!
@@askdrtk In this regard, iam so curious how will AKG K361 will perform for me. Since you were saying AKG K361 and ATH-M40X are both good for casual listening and AKG has better comfort. May i know how AKG is not suitable for me? Thanks for your precious time🙏🥲
The K361 have the advantage in comfort, while the M40x have a slight advantage in audio. Overall, I wouldn't hesitate to use the K361 for your application.
Great review! Thank you!
Thanks for this review, very helpful.
So what's the best neutral headphone do you recommend?
Thanks and I'm glad to help out! In this price range, the Audio-Technica M40x for closed-back and the AKG K240 for semi open-back are difficult to beat when looking for a neutral headphone that can help produce reliable mixes that translate well across a variety of playback devices. Going up in price, AT's R70x are outstanding reference grade headphones (I will have a review coming soon...) The "best" choice would also depend on the genre you are listening to.
@@askdrtk thanks for the reply. already watch your video regarding M40x review, it makes me satisfied with my purchase. looking forward to your R70x review
The go to headphone in the industry is the Sony. If you are looking for a flat natural sound for music engineering, editing studio sound so on. The original Sony MDRV6 are industry standard but are now recently out of production. You can still find them but price has jumped up but even a good used set would be great. The Sony MDR7506 Professional are the newer headphones but have been around many years already. Cost should be no more then $150 or less give or take. Amazon $81. (watch out for fake sony headphones) That is why when you watch a documenty or a TV show or news and the camera man picks up the sound engineer on camera, most of the time look close, there wearing the Sony 7506. I own both of the V6 and 7506. I do music editing and remastering and i always go back to my Sony's . The Shure headphones may be good but this review here did show that some frequencies were over emphasized. Don't want that. need flat sound to ear what the original sound was. Check out many reviews on the Sony's you will see there one of the best. I recently also purchased the Sony MDR1AM2 Wired High Resolution headphones for high res flac files. And i i also have a pair of the Sony Mdr-cd900st Studio Monitor that were only available in Japan. Used in many Japan studios. Hope that Helps Thanks
nice review
Thanks and I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Hey @askdrtk! First of all thank ou for the rich content. I’m just getting in the audiophile world and your videos are helping a lot.
I was wondering what headphones do you prefer. Is it the AKG k371 or the Shure SRH840a ?
Thanks!
Thanks, I'm glad you are enjoying my reviews! While sound preference is subjective, I prefer the SRH840a between the two. For my the comfort and build quality of the 840a is superior and I find mids to be sunken back into the mix on the K371. For me, mixing is easier on the 840a as I find instrument detail well presented. Neither is optimal for imaging or soundstage, but for closed-back designs, the 840a has an edge on the K371. I Hope this helps out!
Omg this is the exactly same question I have!!! Thank you @Matheusrabello310 for asking and Thank you @askdrtk for answering 🥹
840A在做工，用料，佩戴舒适性上确实较之前的840有了提升，但是他们似乎忘了监听耳机的本质。840A的调音甚至比旧款的840来说是退步的，非常糟糕的声音。感谢你的测试。
What i want is srh940 rehouse with that headband.
No headphone can beat the srh940 whenever i wanna figure out the guitar part in any music that i couldnt get tab or score
940s have great detail in the mids. I wonder if Shure might make a 940A model at some point... Cheers!
Hello brother is this good for recording purposes whether it has a good isolation?
Thank you for the rich content. Can u suggest Srh840A for ELeCtroniC Drums or is ther any better around this priCe.... Thank you for your Videos. How Good is ViC Firth SIH2 for Drums?
Hola tengo estos Shure SRH 840A y los utilizo únicamente para escuchar mi música. Mi pregunta es si estos audífonos soportan cables balanceados. Muchas gracias de antemano!
Of the best
Please sir, for the love of God, please I need a comparison between shure srh 840A vs Senn HD650 without bias I am looking for a headphone that reveal flaws in recording something very natural with enough low end, and closeback too, I know everyone talking about HD 650 or HD 600 but am the type of person that knows there is something better than mainstream tells us, always some underdog or unpopular brand that is best, but just because everyone not talking about they by most ignored, NS10 was discovered like that, not even meant studio and not supposed to be flat or what you would think could help with mixing.
Similarly, I want something that I can master with, I didnt say FLAT, because all mainstream ideas, such as you need flat this and that is nonsense, ns10 is not flat, someimes a raise high and mid frequencies will help in mixing so that a sibilant audio would be exposed whereas a neutral or flat will hide and make it not obvious enough, if you see how I see reality.
Please I heard good things about the SRH 840a and I am thinking to get it over the HD because the Shure has better bass response and its said to be neutral enough, I hate the idea of bass missing in the HD 6 hundred series, and needing extra amp just to drive, plus its openback,
which I saw someone try to mix them and still missing the depth you get from speakers in a room, so there goes out of the window, open back sounds like a speakers, nonsense, headphones closed or openback is not a speaker in a rooms, there are softwares that could do better to give us that sense of speaker in a room than just mere having an open back headphone.
I want to hear the bass clearly, I want the mid forward, just like the HD650 but I want closed back so I can listen and not worry about leakage.
Simple but funny, no one is searching for this, until I search it out?
Why people wait like sheeple to follow what others say and cant find truth with their own judgement
Please help the community and look for with headphone can what am saying here.Even the so called Harman curve is better than linear flat EQ, so that already tells you what a critical listening headphone should be like, so if you could go on a search and give us this revelation, you will be greatly rewarded,
I am some guy been homeless and trying to make it life, I am not about to do the search and money nor UA-cam fame will let me check out and try even to mix with as many headphones as possible, for now am unable, but soon I might be on top of the world.
Please help, been wathing almost 20 thousand videos and reading articles, but nothing convinced, till I watched a video of a Pro actual try to mix with HD 650 even with sonar works still did get a good result,
Now I am like, lets find some real human who will search for the headphone king, I can easily do this project, but as at the time of this writing unable so please for the Love of God, help.
If you know is difference on sound between SRH840 and SRH840a ?
The 840a have more bass extension compared to the 840 while high frequencies are tamed down on the 840a vs 840, particularly around 10kHz. I would say the 840 have a small edge in terms of clarity, but for me it comes along with more listening fatigue over longer listening sessions. Hope this helps out!
@@askdrtk I have 840 and I can say it is a amazing headphones for mixing and critical listening. Very detailed and neutral. I very Love this.
Thanks for sharing your experience! I would agree, the 840 is a far more neutral set vs the 840a. Great choice for making critical decisions while mixing. Mixes on the 840 would translate well to other playback devices.
@@askdrtk As for "Fotigue at longer listening sessions" - Every closed back headphones are same! When you using closed back Cans, after 1 hour your ears start to get tired. For long-term listening, there are exist Open/semi-open headphones.
Yes, I agree open and semi-open back headphones are generally more comfortable for extended listening sessions. When I think about listening fatigue from headphones or speakers, I am more thinking about sensitivity to certain frequencies. All of us have inherent hyper-sensitivities to certain frequency and amplitude combinations. For some, the effect is barely noticeable, others experience a sense of tiredness, and in sever cases, some experience pain (a condition referred to as Hyperacusis). The combinations of frequency and amplitude are unique to each individual (biology), which is why one person may find a certain pair of speakers or headphones "fatiguing" while another does not. This is part of why we hear so many opinions on whether headphones or speakers are fatiguing or not, or even over-boosted, under-emphasized, or neutral. The debate seems more common in headphones that are very mid / high forward, although sensitivity to bass frequencies is also common. It is a good thing manufactures offer so many frequency response profiles so everyone can find a pair of speakers or headphones that are comfortable to listen to.
Thank you for the rich content. Can u suggest Srh840A for ELeCtroniC Drums or is ther any better around this priCe.... Thank you for your Videos. How Good is ViC Firth SIH2 for Drums?
Glad you enjoyed my review. The SRH840A have good passive noise isolation and are suitable for electronic drums. My usual goto recommendation in this price range are the Sennheiser HD280 Pro. They have very good isolation and are durable for regular use. The SRH840A have the edge in terms of comfort imo. The SIH2 offer good isolation, but I have found the sound more balanced on the HD280s… I hope this helps out!
@@askdrtk Thank You Very MuCh Sir... And in the meanwhile I have seen AkG K371 video of yours... I hope it's impressive. One thing you pointed out on K371 influenced me very much "AKG has put the Money primarily on Sound for K371" so this makes me to Lean on K371 for ELeCtroniC drums..... You suggestion is very valuable Sir... Please suggest me whether to opt for K371 for ELeCtroniC Drums / PerCussion ControLLer or not. You advice is important for me to finalize sir.
The K371/K361 have good isolation and will reproduce the full range of your drums. Their build quality is not as good as the HD280 Pro, but if you look after them they should last for a long time.
For Sound QuaLity and full frequency range which would you prefer sir? K371 vs Hd 280 Pro I have no idea how they sound. Sir my problem is when I edit tones from my PerCussion Controller ther is huge diffeence from the PA Speakers vs the headphones.... So which headphones articulate the edited tones that tranlated CLose to PA System. Thank you in advance Sir...