SRH1540 is probably the best Closed Back headphone I have heard - definitely expensive - but bloody awesome flagship from one of the best Headphone brands 'Shure'. Was lucky to get it for $200 AUD (YES $200AUD from a guy who didn't use it since he bought , for last 2 years)
I too love the 1540 but don't like the headband. I bought one of those wool type headband covers and lined it with a long strip of cotton, much more comfortable.
Yup, the 1840 is excellent; I've had a pair for the last 6 years or so. I have just bought the 1540 for noise isolation and I feel they sound fairly similar...
The Z7's were actually the second most uncomfortable headphone I had ever worn. I have pretty large ears that would touch the metal mesh, which really hurt after 45 minutes of use. It's a shame since the build was amazing and the sound respectably unique to say the least. Completely unrelated but I think you would love the Final Sonorous VI Lachlan. From your reviews, it seems like your kind of sound.
I like shure 1540 quite a lot. Very light. Very good sound that I like. Large ear pads which is very important to my bigger than average ears. BTW, try master&dynamic MH40. It's quite unique. Very exciting sound. Would like to see your review on MH40.
The carbon fibre accents on the 1540 is what makes these headphones a sceptical choice for me, instead of a 100% buy. I cannot get over it, yet I know that these headphones will overall be the best for me... The Z7 I cannot buy for it has no alcantara or velours earpads, my skin is too damn sensitive to tolerate leather or pleather.
Hey Lachlan, can you share your thoughts on using ASIO or WASAPI? Do you personally use these software tools with your media player in combination with a DAC/AMP setup?
1540 is NOT nicely built, and is ABSOLUTELY built shabbily: Build quality on the 1540 is a nightmare; I've had connection problems, rattling problems, and after like a year, the strips of pleather on the headband came off after about a year. There's a reason why the sound is virtually unbeatable for the pricepoint of the 1540, because everything I just said went wrong with the Shure 1540 has happened with TWO pairs. Despite them being the best headphones I've ever tried in its price-range, and are also the only ones that don't cause headphone fatigue after several hours of use. I take utmost care of my products, and am not reckless with EQ/AMP settings, only use them with my desktop computer when messing around with music, and I still have had these problems. I'm on this video because after 2 pairs of headphones showing their cheap build quality and ridiculous unreliability, I am looking to replace them with something better or at least on-par that's closed-back in design. I'm no longer under warranty for the headphones, and I tried directly contacting support and their repair department to get a rough estimate as to what it would cost for them to replace the drivers, and they continuously refused to cooperate with my inquiry. This is a huge annoyance because I bought the headphones when they were $550 CAD, and now they have jumped up to $650 CAD. I'm not exactly thrilled at the idea of spending money to send them in, only for them to potentially surprise me with a repair bill of $400. Unfortunately, it seems as though the Z7's are a bust in this category, and I'll need to continue to find a new pair of headphones. The Audeze LCD-2 Closed Back were SO good, but I couldn't wear them for more than 30 minutes without immense pain; I even bought a mannequin head to accurately break them in, and the clamp force was still way too much - paired with the weight of the LCD2's, it just amplified the fatigue.
Good video, can't believe they upped the price of the Z7 here ouch. We really need to get rid of Tony Abbott. Still loving my Z7, don't think I'll ever sell it.
I had the Shure and own the X2. Different type of headphones, but to my ears the 1540 sounded boring and recessed in the mids. I have not had the time to listen carefully to the X2, but to my ears they sound better, like the Sennheiser HD600 but with more bass, the HD600 sound more natural to me, but the X2 are cheaper than the Shure and Senn and are built as well or even better.
Yo Lachlan, might seem a little out of place but do you think the Sol Republic Master Tracks are good, or should I stick with my sort of old Sennheiser Hd 429?
Hello lachlan, out of curiosity, how would you compare the sound of the Audio Technica ATH-MSR7 and ATH-ES700? Which sounds better in your opinion? And cheers for the great depth in the reviews.
hey lachlan what earphones would you reccomend with a similar sound signature to these headphones besides the shure se 215 (ive owned those alr) the audio technica ath im04 or sony xba A3? would love to hear your thoughts :)
A little out of topic but could you do a review of the meelectronics m6 pro, or someone who own the m6 pros and the shure se 215 standar edition and tell how the m6 pro sound compared to the se 215 standard, thanks in advantage
600+ for the srh1540?!?! A local dealer in sg was selling BNIB authentic ones for 249 on a discount and 399 (iirc) for normal price! Man the prices there are insane!
Hey Lachlan, am I remembering incorrectly when I suggest that you did in fact upload an M70X review? Have you at least heard them if I am? How do you think they compare to the new Momentum wireless?
I got pretty good offer on SRH1540, along with: Sennheiser Amperior Beyerdynamic T51i Audio-Technica ATH M70X What should I choose? I'm kind of all music genre listener, does not like sibilance and too much bass, prefer relax non-fatigue sound, but need to hear more crushing and energetic high.
Hey Lachlan you have me a bit torn. I was ready to purchase a pair of Sennheiser HD700 (used) but I'm curious about these 1540's!? I know one is closed & the other is open but both are in the same price points which would you choose first 700's or the 1540's?
I always wanted to own the 1540. Too bad they are still out of my budget. But considering I can get the z7 for less, I might actually save up for those instead.
hei lachlan, do you still keep your 1540? there is a deal in shop near my place for 300$. how do you think? for additional info, I have t50rp mk3 and honestly I satisfied with it.
Like I said in another video of Lachlan's, Sony are mainstream company with mainstream tuning technics, (mainly to ease fatigue = warm, smooth). A company like Shure will take the lead every time and obliterate the Sony line up in detail extraction and almost all technical aspects. Enjoy the Shure, Lachlan!
Hey Lachlan, i have a question, which one of the following headphones would you recommend: Shure SRH-1540, Sennheiser Momentum 2.0 over ear, Bang and Olufsen H6, Bose SoundTrue Around-Ear? Im looking to buy some overear headphones which are good and comfortable, would you recommend anything else? Thanks
***** The 1540 is a completely different class of headphone than the other three - it's really designed for home use. Is this for home use or portable?
hey lach, I recently bought the Denon MM400, and think they are fantastic. I would love to see your opinion on them, so if you are interested, check them out. you will not be disappointed!
How would you compare Shure SRH-1540 vs. Sony MDR-Z7 vs Beyerdynamic DT 1770 Pro? I'm looking for a Closed back headphone to use with an Apogee Groove in an office setting, and I mainly listen to electronic music.
+Jeff See hmm. I think the 1540 is a safe choice, but I don't love the headband design for long term comfort. The DT1770 I think would sound even more stellar and is more immediately comfortable, but it weights quite a lot more and I can't speak to its long term comfort. The Sony is probably the most comfortable for long term wear but I think it sounds weakest, particularly in the bass performance.
Have you tried the 1770s and think they are better? I've heard mixed reviews and cannot tell by sound demo's I have found online. Since I have the Apogee Groove 250 ohm doesn't bother me, and the price is similar.
lachlanlikesathing hope the purchasing choice will be posted here. think this is an interesting comparison being my genre of choice is ragga jungle,breakcore,techstep. all extreme high energy electronic music. very hard to pick headphones for these genres. took over a year to land on the fostex THX00PH. got lucky having never heard before such a expensive purchase. they are great for high energy music. when bass boost is turned on, the sub frequencies act like vibrators. the treble is crispy. the midrange is forward. the phones are tuned and refined at the same time. when opened up can see the vents and ports. tylls headphone measurements proves all the offensive peaks were removed like the 6-8k the sennheiser 800 was known for. the tried and true suspension system is a plus. and the looks are the best of all. study tylls measurements is the only advice. find the graphs that match the purplehearts. always was interested in the dt770 80ohm. never seen a-periodic tuning in a headphone. recently purchased the hifiman he400. the blue ones. they are great as well for electronic. they do need way more power then currently own. would be nice to see how bass boost reacts when properly amplified. all else same as the fostex with deeper bass. and leeks more. from the reviews watched on the headphones your researching, something similar to the beyerdynamics. extended bass, flat to deep down around 10 to 20hz. possible boosted below 100hz. forward mids ramp up to 3.5k. then dip at 8k for sibilance. then 10k peak. extended energy still until 20,000hz.this is what have found to work for heavy electronic music
I search for headphones to have when I'm out and when I'm on computer or just chilling and listening to music. And I'd like a case/bag following with like the Beats Solo 2 or they should at least be flipable(if u know what I mean, smaller when not using) max 200€, good bass and no matter if wired or wireless. What do you recomend? Thanks in advance! (Sorry for my bad english)
*Dont has to be huge bass but a bit at least? Anything that matches my criterias? If not find something that dont have the bag or us just good for the price. And I dont want really big ones.
Just wondering if someone could recommend headphones for me. I have been using my ath-m50's for 4 years now and I love them but I'm looking for an upgrade. I mainly listen to edm and trap. I set a budget of 250$ any help would be great.
+lachlanlikesathing I'm looking for a pair of headphones with more bass I have been looking at the beyerdynamic dt770, custom one pro plus, and the ath-ws99. Any recommendations?
Jacob Ouellet Go with the custom one pro then you can set the bass to a level that you like. If you are in australia addicted to audio has them on sale for $228 which is a pretty good price.
***** Have you gotten your hands on a pair of modded th600/900? The tune up from Mark at Lawton Audio massively improves the 600s and does good the 900s as well.
Hnmm... I like bright sounding headphones, so these might not be for me. I have a feeling that I'm going to love the hd800 but I have no idea if I want to spend so much money for a pair of headphones...
***** I have the HD600 and the DT990 :) I would like better bass extention and i would prefer crispier highs (with the HD600.) I also have a pair of the sennheiser Urbanites, but i find them too thick sounding... Grado is out of my list because of their lack of comfortability. AKG could be an option, but most of them are too mid-forward for me (never tried one, i'm just looking at the graphs) The K550 seems like a great pair of headphones, but if i remember correctly you said it's a bit grainy sounding. :\
theodoro89 Have you looked into the Philips Fidelio X2 yet? The sound signature is similar to the HD600 but to my ears with exactly what you are looking for: Better bass extension and crispier (rather more detailed-feeling) highs.
The 1540 was def meant to be used by working professionals, thus the abundance of easily replaceable parts, extra cables, and pads, plastics, instead of premium materials that would cost a fortune to repair. Great headphones, but a bit too tame for me. They definitely struck me as something geared toward someone who would have to wear headphones 8 hours a day as part of their job, insofar as they weren't very exciting in any area, and they were exceptionally comfortable for long listening sessions. Also exceptionally accurate. Def a pro vs consumer model comparison here.
I want to preface this comment with the absolute understanding that I'm about to be a dick. Yay! It's being a dick time. lol.. please laugh with me. I may sound angry or cruel, conceded or arrogant... but it's cultural. It's just fun to be blunt. Firstly, it's pronounced "zee". I'm American, which means I'm entitled to my racist/nationalist/whatever_the_fuck ignorance. That's what we're known for. Secondly, both headphones are closed which means both headphones are attempting to isolate the listener from outside noise. If not, why the fuck would you be a closed headphone?! However, both headphones do things that are detrimental to being a closed headphone. The Shure uses, breathable, alacantara pads. The Sony has ridiculous bass ports. Therefore, both headphones are stupid. Thirdly, I don't care about your AMAZING DEAL that you got for these headphones. You paid over $1000 for both of these headphones. Who gives a shit?! I mean, I'm sure you're proud of yourself for getting in on these at an advantageous time, but honestly, omitting this information would make you appear more committed to your youtube channel. Had you lied and said that you paid the full, ridiculous price, for each of these headphones, I would have respected you're judgment even more because it means you are that much more interested in giving a comparative impression. Fourthly, midbass hump sucks, right?! I mean, midbass is fucking terrible. I hate midbass. You agree, right? Midbass hump ALWAYS bleeds into the vocals and makes any recording sound like shit. You and I both know this, and it's not just a personal opinion. It's a fucking fact. Our ears aren't distinct from the rest of the world. People who claim sound is entirely subjective are ridiculous. Therefore, the Shures are DRASTICALLY superior to the Sony in this category. Just say it. Fifthly, I think you and I differ on upper mids and lower. female, treble. To me, this frequency makes vocals sound sibilant and annoying, where you enjoy this and find it bright and engaging. I like darker, v-moda m-100-esque, headphones. You like m50, bright sounding, headphones. That is a personal opinion. You say that you like both. I think you are compensating. I say, you prefer the female vocals on the Sony. That's how i read you. Correct me if I'm wrong. I just want you to know, there is nothing wrong with that. In the future, just say it! Just be honest with me. Don't get me wrong, you're honest with the objective characteristics. I just feel as though you are holding back on your personal perspective. I, for one, enjoy hearing your personal opinions. It makes you relatable, from a youtuber and human perspective. I'm not criticizing your analysis. I'm criticizing your approach to, "not trying to offend," people who might disagree. I understand that you made claims about the m50 and m50x headphone that have now become controversial. And honestly, I don't think you said anything about those headphones that are controversial... but people are crazy. The simple point that I'm trying to make is, don't fear being controversial. Give your honest analysis, and then fuck the trolls... the end. You're the shit. You know what you're talking about. People that have a problem with that need to check themselves at the door. Sixthly, you said both headphones have a "very wide sound stage". Perhaps prefacing that statement with, "for a closed headphone" would be beneficial for the average consumer. They're still closed headphones, even if they fail at being closed headphones. The sound stage will not even come close to a Sennheiser HD 600 or 650, which is in their price range. The sound stage will not come close to an AKG 7xx or a BeyerDynamic 990, which is in their price range. The Sound Stage will not come close to a HiFiMan HE-400 or 500, which is in their price range. Both of these headphones are priced retardedly high. Just say that. There are better headphones, for the price... for whatever purpose you are looking for. You say they are a good all-rounder, but honestly, you can buy two headphones for two distinct purposes for less than these. Basically what I'm trying to get at is, why should anybody buy either of these headphones? Honestly, and I don't mean to be cruel, as far as I can tell, nobody should ever buy either of these. Is that wrong? The fact that I don't know should indicate the flaw in this video... on a fundamental level. The fact is, there are better headphones than the 1540, for whatever your purpose happens to be.
ThoseWhoStayUofM Hmm. I don't really know what to make of this comment and I kind of get that you are constructively criticising rather than complaining but I'll just address a few of your points. Your comment got eaten by the spam filter for a month :P1) I told people the price not to brag about the deal, but just to make it clear the circumstances under which I bought the headphones so there would be no accusation of foul play. I think it's material for people to know when a reviewer gets a substantial discount on something that may not have been available to the general public, or when the discount may be large enough to change their perception of the product. It's all part of being transparent. 2) I like a healthy amount of mid-bass. It is subjective to a degree. That's why people have endless debates about this stuff. I also like headphones that can be lean in the mid-bass. I like a lot of things. 3) I thought female vocals stand out more on the MDR-Z7 but I could take it or leave it compared to the 1540. It's like the Z7's special sauce. 4) A closed headphone produces completely different bass transients from an open headphone (unless it's an orthodynamic). You can hear it and you can see it in the graphs. The internal damping characteristic of a closed headphone (even with ports) is completely different with a closed headphone - the pocket of air behind the headphone changes the way the driver oscillates, which is why closed headphones tend to get a stronger bass response compared to open headphones. The trade off is that you get backwave reflection from the closed headphone returning into the ear rather than exiting out of the back like with an open headphone, so you get that resonance. So you end up with a completely different sound. That's why there's a perfectly good reason to have a closed headphone with ports, and you can prefer a closed headphone not simply because of the isolation. I think the Sony is overpriced but the Shure seems priced fine to me. I think it's very competitive with the K712 while getting a completely different kind of sound. Anyway, thanks for your comment, I appreciate the time you took to write it. I don't think I was holding back that much in this video because I genuinely liked aspects of the Z7 and I really like the 1540 a great deal. When I really don't like something, trust me, I'll tell you :)
I never understood why idiots keep pronouncing the last letter of the english alphabet " zed". The letters "e" and " d " were already addressed as separate letters in the damn alphabet. Also there is no ZED in then naming scheme of the this model of Sony headphones. It isthe same with z87, z97, z170 chipsets on intel motherboards, titan z, and any other "z"naming schemed name of a product. Why are canadians and brits so ate up with a villain from the 90's show power ranger's second season? It's pathetic.
+tpcs Um, you Americans originated from Europe - Denmark, the UK etc. I'm pretty sure somewhere down the line, you guys got lazy and started fucking around with what was perfectly good English back in the day. This was probably in the Victorian era mind you as language got very complex, very fast Edit: Okay so that was just half of the story. If you look up the etymology of the letter Z, you'd have found out it came from the Greek letter Zeta which was then seen in France with Zede before finally becoming Zed. This was 1000's of years ago mind you. However, Zee, was only introduced in the 1600's.
+David Chen Agreed. It's called English for a reason, not American. OP should think about what he's saying before he opens his mouth. Also, a little fun fact: "Z" never used to be the last letter in the English Alphabet. There actually used to be 27 letters in the Alphabet with the last one being what has become known as the Ampersand or (&). The ampersand character actually came from the latin word "et" meaning "and" which over time when written, became less like two letters and more like one letter until it became the symbol we know it to be. This got placed into the alphabet and earned it's name from it's position as the last letter to be said. When saying the alphabet out aloud it used to read "W,X,Y,Z and per se and" - meaning 'and by itself is and'. The phrase "and per se and" was then adopted for it's name - Ampersand.
Ro-Tang Clan People who are trying to correct the person who is already correct should stop being lazy and actually type out the ENTIRE NOUN. Otherwise you're just talking to yourself like a moron. Move on kid. I'm not your therapist.
tpcs I wasn't correcting anyone, I was agreeing with what David Chen said. In regards to your "and actually type out the ENTIRE NOUN" comment, "zed" is the phoenetics term for the letter, just like every other letter in the alphabet. "tee", "dee" or "ess" are just a couple of examples of this. "Otherwise you're just talking to yourself like a moron." If you had noticed, my comment wasn't actually targeted towards you; I was talking *about* you, not *to* you.
Thanks for this review Lachlan. I've had my SRH1540s for a little over a month now and I absolutely love them.
SRH1540 is probably the best Closed Back headphone I have heard - definitely expensive - but bloody awesome flagship from one of the best Headphone brands 'Shure'. Was lucky to get it for $200 AUD (YES $200AUD from a guy who didn't use it since he bought , for last 2 years)
I too love the 1540 but don't like the headband. I bought one of those wool type headband covers and lined it with a long strip of cotton, much more comfortable.
Eagerly waiting for your full review of Shure SRH1540
You are a great reviewer! You should try to get your hands on a highend headphone set for reference purposes, like a STAX system.
great video once again,Have you considered trying the shure 1840 open headphone as i would love to hear your take on them?
You should check out the open back counterpart of the 1540; the 1840.
Yup, the 1840 is excellent; I've had a pair for the last 6 years or so. I have just bought the 1540 for noise isolation and I feel they sound fairly similar...
The Z7's were actually the second most uncomfortable headphone I had ever worn. I have pretty large ears that would touch the metal mesh, which really hurt after 45 minutes of use. It's a shame since the build was amazing and the sound respectably unique to say the least.
Completely unrelated but I think you would love the Final Sonorous VI Lachlan. From your reviews, it seems like your kind of sound.
I like shure 1540 quite a lot. Very light. Very good sound that I like. Large ear pads which is very important to my bigger than average ears.
BTW, try master&dynamic MH40. It's quite unique. Very exciting sound. Would like to see your review on MH40.
shure 1540 is incredible amazing sound! but the headband in annoying if you have curly hair because it get caught n the adjustment thing :(
The carbon fibre accents on the 1540 is what makes these headphones a sceptical choice for me, instead of a 100% buy. I cannot get over it, yet I know that these headphones will overall be the best for me... The Z7 I cannot buy for it has no alcantara or velours earpads, my skin is too damn sensitive to tolerate leather or pleather.
Hey Lachlan, can you share your thoughts on using ASIO or WASAPI? Do you personally use these software tools with your media player in combination with a DAC/AMP setup?
Awesome review! I have been viewing every single one of your videos, and I seriously feel that you deserve much, much more views.
Keep it up XDDD
Su Yuzhou Thank you, appreciate it!
I would like to see more comparison
videos like this one .
1540 is NOT nicely built, and is ABSOLUTELY built shabbily:
Build quality on the 1540 is a nightmare; I've had connection problems, rattling problems, and after like a year, the strips of pleather on the headband came off after about a year.
There's a reason why the sound is virtually unbeatable for the pricepoint of the 1540, because everything I just said went wrong with the Shure 1540 has happened with TWO pairs.
Despite them being the best headphones I've ever tried in its price-range, and are also the only ones that don't cause headphone fatigue after several hours of use.
I take utmost care of my products, and am not reckless with EQ/AMP settings, only use them with my desktop computer when messing around with music, and I still have had these problems.
I'm on this video because after 2 pairs of headphones showing their cheap build quality and ridiculous unreliability, I am looking to replace them with something better or at least on-par that's closed-back in design.
I'm no longer under warranty for the headphones, and I tried directly contacting support and their repair department to get a rough estimate as to what it would cost for them to replace the drivers, and they continuously refused to cooperate with my inquiry. This is a huge annoyance because I bought the headphones when they were $550 CAD, and now they have jumped up to $650 CAD. I'm not exactly thrilled at the idea of spending money to send them in, only for them to potentially surprise me with a repair bill of $400.
Unfortunately, it seems as though the Z7's are a bust in this category, and I'll need to continue to find a new pair of headphones. The Audeze LCD-2 Closed Back were SO good, but I couldn't wear them for more than 30 minutes without immense pain; I even bought a mannequin head to accurately break them in, and the clamp force was still way too much - paired with the weight of the LCD2's, it just amplified the fatigue.
Good video, can't believe they upped the price of the Z7 here ouch. We really need to get rid of Tony Abbott. Still loving my Z7, don't think I'll ever sell it.
Lach I would really appreciate a response if you get a chance. How does the Fidelio X2 compare to the 1540? would you pick the x2 over the 1540's?
TheFijianGuy the x2 are open... not really comparable
I had the Shure and own the X2. Different type of headphones, but to my ears the 1540 sounded boring and recessed in the mids. I have not had the time to listen carefully to the X2, but to my ears they sound better, like the Sennheiser HD600 but with more bass, the HD600 sound more natural to me, but the X2 are cheaper than the Shure and Senn and are built as well or even better.
How do they compare to audio-technica ath-w5000?
Thank you for the great review!
Btw, have u ever tried momentum 2.0?
lmjpeter I have, briefly. I'll have some comments soon!
btw one of my big gripes with z7, is that its a bit on the heavier side for me and it feels like a sauna after half an hour
Yo Lachlan, might seem a little out of place but do you think the Sol Republic Master Tracks are good, or should I stick with my sort of old Sennheiser Hd 429?
Hello lachlan, out of curiosity, how would you compare the sound of the Audio Technica ATH-MSR7 and ATH-ES700? Which sounds better in your opinion? And cheers for the great depth in the reviews.
I'm afraid I don't have the ES700 to compare anymore!
hey lachlan what earphones would you reccomend with a similar sound signature to these headphones besides the shure se 215 (ive owned those alr) the audio technica ath im04 or sony xba A3? would love to hear your thoughts :)
A little out of topic but could you do a review of the meelectronics m6 pro, or someone who own the m6 pros and the shure se 215 standar edition and tell how the m6 pro sound compared to the se 215 standard, thanks in advantage
love my srh1540!
600+ for the srh1540?!?!
A local dealer in sg was selling BNIB authentic ones for 249 on a discount and 399 (iirc) for normal price! Man the prices there are insane!
Wait no sorry that was the open backed version... SRH1840 I think
Sean Podolski That's still pretty insane!
Former 1540 owner here, they're really nice! However, I recently sold them and bought the HE-560 :P
Hi ive been looking for some over ear closed back headphones in the $100-200 range. I prefer a neutral sound and a detachable cable. Any suggestions?
WOOO a new video!!
they are both good
But only thing is I hate the dual cable
rather one cable on the left that goes into the headphones
It allows the user to get a cable for a balanced amplifier.
Hey Lachlan, am I remembering incorrectly when I suggest that you did in fact upload an M70X review?
Have you at least heard them if I am? How do you think they compare to the new Momentum wireless?
David Karlsson I uploaded a first impressions review, but not a full review. The M70X sounds quite different and leaner than the Momentum series.
So, if I'm standing between the new momentum wireless and the m70x, which one would you opt for? :)
Did you get a chance to hear the open-back SRH1840? If so, how does it compare to the 1540's?
I got pretty good offer on SRH1540, along with:
Sennheiser Amperior
Beyerdynamic T51i
Audio-Technica ATH M70X
What should I choose? I'm kind of all music genre listener, does not like sibilance and too much bass, prefer relax non-fatigue sound, but need to hear more crushing and energetic high.
+wim1983 ive heard the m70x can be a little fatiguing but if you can find some where where you can go listen to them
Hey Lachlan you have me a bit torn. I was ready to purchase a pair of Sennheiser HD700 (used) but I'm curious about these 1540's!? I know one is closed & the other is open but both are in the same price points which would you choose first 700's or the 1540's?
1540s. *Do it.*
Any chance to see you go planar magnetic by see you giving your thoughts of: the OPPO PM-3 or Audeze EL8?
I will have some thoughts on the PM-3 soon :)
I really really love the Z7 fantastic, get the Philips Fidelis X2 phenomenal! I love it already compared to the hd650
Have you try ultrasone performance 880? How does it differant from z7?
I always wanted to own the 1540. Too bad they are still out of my budget. But considering I can get the z7 for less, I might actually save up for those instead.
GrumpyKitten How much do they cost where you are?
***** 450€ for the z7, 560€ for the 1540.
GrumpyKitten Ah! That makes more sense.
hei lachlan, do you still keep your 1540? there is a deal in shop near
my place for 300$. how do you think? for additional info, I have t50rp
mk3 and honestly I satisfied with it.
This is coming several years too late, but 300 dollars is an absolute steal for the package you get with the 1540. I hope you purchased it in the end.
nice review Lach, looks like neither gonna fit my interests !
Why didn't you pick up the TH600 like you wanted before?
Like I said in another video of Lachlan's, Sony are mainstream company with mainstream tuning technics, (mainly to ease fatigue = warm, smooth). A company like Shure will take the lead every time and obliterate the Sony line up in detail extraction and almost all technical aspects. Enjoy the Shure, Lachlan!
Hey Lachlan, i have a question, which one of the following headphones would you recommend: Shure SRH-1540, Sennheiser Momentum 2.0 over ear, Bang and Olufsen H6, Bose SoundTrue Around-Ear?
Im looking to buy some overear headphones which are good and comfortable, would you recommend anything else?
Thanks
***** The 1540 is a completely different class of headphone than the other three - it's really designed for home use. Is this for home use or portable?
***** Portable
hey can you do a review of sms audio's sync dj pro?
hey lach, I recently bought the Denon MM400, and think they are fantastic. I would love to see your opinion on them, so if you are interested, check them out. you will not be disappointed!
What about Beyerdynamic T5p?
Please review Sennheiser HD800..
where i can get these earphones in sydney?
Can you review Sennheiser hd 598?
How would you compare Shure SRH-1540 vs. Sony MDR-Z7 vs Beyerdynamic DT 1770 Pro? I'm looking for a Closed back headphone to use with an Apogee Groove in an office setting, and I mainly listen to electronic music.
+Jeff See hmm. I think the 1540 is a safe choice, but I don't love the headband design for long term comfort. The DT1770 I think would sound even more stellar and is more immediately comfortable, but it weights quite a lot more and I can't speak to its long term comfort. The Sony is probably the most comfortable for long term wear but I think it sounds weakest, particularly in the bass performance.
Have you tried the 1770s and think they are better? I've heard mixed reviews and cannot tell by sound demo's I have found online. Since I have the Apogee Groove 250 ohm doesn't bother me, and the price is similar.
I really like the DT1770. I would have bought a pair if not for the weight. I think for electronic they would be darlings.
lachlanlikesathing hope the purchasing choice will be posted here. think this is an interesting comparison being my genre of choice is ragga jungle,breakcore,techstep. all extreme high energy electronic music. very hard to pick headphones for these genres. took over a year to land on the fostex THX00PH. got lucky having never heard before such a expensive purchase. they are great for high energy music. when bass boost is turned on, the sub frequencies act like vibrators. the treble is crispy. the midrange is forward. the phones are tuned and refined at the same time. when opened up can see the vents and ports. tylls headphone measurements proves all the offensive peaks were removed like the 6-8k the sennheiser 800 was known for. the tried and true suspension system is a plus. and the looks are the best of all. study tylls measurements is the only advice. find the graphs that match the purplehearts. always was interested in the dt770 80ohm. never seen a-periodic tuning in a headphone. recently purchased the hifiman he400. the blue ones. they are great as well for electronic. they do need way more power then currently own. would be nice to see how bass boost reacts when properly amplified. all else same as the fostex with deeper bass. and leeks more. from the reviews watched on the headphones your researching, something similar to the beyerdynamics. extended bass, flat to deep down around 10 to 20hz. possible boosted below 100hz. forward mids ramp up to 3.5k. then dip at 8k for sibilance. then 10k peak. extended energy still until 20,000hz.this is what have found to work for heavy electronic music
I search for headphones to have when I'm out and when I'm on computer or just chilling and listening to music. And I'd like a case/bag following with like the Beats Solo 2 or they should at least be flipable(if u know what I mean, smaller when not using) max 200€, good bass and no matter if wired or wireless. What do you recomend? Thanks in advance! (Sorry for my bad english)
*Dont has to be huge bass but a bit at least? Anything that matches my criterias? If not find something that dont have the bag or us just good for the price. And I dont want really big ones.
Is this for home use or portable?
***** Maybe some home use. But most for portable
I want to buy affordable bass earphones, is Audio technica cks55x a good choice.
I have soundmagic e10 but they dont have that bass.
SHR 1540 vs DT 770, just do it :)
Lachlan how do 1540s compare to M100s in bass?
+Aras Aslan m100 has much more bass, is tighter at higher volumes but m100 bass can occasionally intrude on mids.
1:40 did he just say unpossible?
yes! it was unpossible to believe at first :) but it happens in speech - you are going for one word, and change your mind halfway through.
How many headphones you have right now compared to last year?
Wahyuddin Wahab Don't make me count them -__- I'm going to have a big sell off pretty soon.
***** Would love for you to do a thingcast of the headphones you're selling and its been a while since your last thingcast
does the noise leak out of the Z7 due to its vent?
Alfred Hendrik surprisingly littlem.. however u can hear ur surrounding clearly. So sound isolation is nothing
1540's $599 from Addicted to Audio?! $660 for me now
Just wondering if someone could recommend headphones for me. I have been using my ath-m50's for 4 years now and I love them but I'm looking for an upgrade. I mainly listen to edm and trap. I set a budget of 250$ any help would be great.
Jacob Ouellet What are you looking for to improve over the M50?
+lachlanlikesathing I'm looking for a pair of headphones with more bass I have been looking at the beyerdynamic dt770, custom one pro plus, and the ath-ws99. Any recommendations?
Jacob Ouellet Go with the custom one pro then you can set the bass to a level that you like. If you are in australia addicted to audio has them on sale for $228 which is a pretty good price.
***** Thanks man, that's what I was leaning toward to.
Does that mean that, the shure srh1540 has less durability due to the cable? Compared to the z7?
1:35 Umpossible!? ;-)
Have you tried the fostex th600 or th900?
Joe d I have, repeatedly. I like them both very much but the top end treble on the TH600 is just a little TOO much.
***** Have you gotten your hands on a pair of modded th600/900? The tune up from Mark at Lawton Audio massively improves the 600s and does good the 900s as well.
Omg!! How am I suppose to afford any of these!! I checked Amazon for the Z7's and its $680!!🙀 my god
+TwerkingTacoGaming (Keoni) you could check out Mad dogs
TwerkingTacoGaming used market man
Hnmm... I like bright sounding headphones, so these might not be for me. I have a feeling that I'm going to love the hd800 but I have no idea if I want to spend so much money for a pair of headphones...
Have you tried the K612 or DT880?
Grado
also try Q701
***** I have the HD600 and the DT990 :)
I would like better bass extention and i would prefer crispier highs (with the HD600.)
I also have a pair of the sennheiser Urbanites, but i find them too thick sounding...
Grado is out of my list because of their lack of comfortability.
AKG could be an option, but most of them are too mid-forward for me (never tried one, i'm just looking at the graphs)
The K550 seems like a great pair of headphones, but if i remember correctly you said it's a bit grainy sounding. :\
theodoro89 Have you looked into the Philips Fidelio X2 yet? The sound signature is similar to the HD600 but to my ears with exactly what you are looking for: Better bass extension and crispier (rather more detailed-feeling) highs.
the Sony's will get sweaty very quickly
Yay!
Hello lach
The 1540 was def meant to be used by working professionals, thus the abundance of easily replaceable parts, extra cables, and pads, plastics, instead of premium materials that would cost a fortune to repair. Great headphones, but a bit too tame for me. They definitely struck me as something geared toward someone who would have to wear headphones 8 hours a day as part of their job, insofar as they weren't very exciting in any area, and they were exceptionally comfortable for long listening sessions. Also exceptionally accurate. Def a pro vs consumer model comparison here.
EQ...?
***** Should give the Phillips Fidelio X2s a listen whenever you get the chance. Think you'll like them.
Zeke Adebayo I tried them in Hong Kong! They are great, I do like them.
Beoplay H6!!!
Ugh I hate MMCX cables lol.
I guess they don't spin around on ear guides...
First!
Hrmmpfff!
Hey its you guy
your hand is blocking the picture too often
The headphones aren’t changing though. 😂
I want to preface this comment with the absolute understanding that I'm about to be a dick. Yay! It's being a dick time. lol.. please laugh with me. I may sound angry or cruel, conceded or arrogant... but it's cultural. It's just fun to be blunt.
Firstly, it's pronounced "zee". I'm American, which means I'm entitled to my racist/nationalist/whatever_the_fuck ignorance. That's what we're known for.
Secondly, both headphones are closed which means both headphones are attempting to isolate the listener from outside noise. If not, why the fuck would you be a closed headphone?! However, both headphones do things that are detrimental to being a closed headphone. The Shure uses, breathable, alacantara pads. The Sony has ridiculous bass ports. Therefore, both headphones are stupid.
Thirdly, I don't care about your AMAZING DEAL that you got for these headphones. You paid over $1000 for both of these headphones. Who gives a shit?! I mean, I'm sure you're proud of yourself for getting in on these at an advantageous time, but honestly, omitting this information would make you appear more committed to your youtube channel. Had you lied and said that you paid the full, ridiculous price, for each of these headphones, I would have respected you're judgment even more because it means you are that much more interested in giving a comparative impression.
Fourthly, midbass hump sucks, right?! I mean, midbass is fucking terrible. I hate midbass. You agree, right? Midbass hump ALWAYS bleeds into the vocals and makes any recording sound like shit. You and I both know this, and it's not just a personal opinion. It's a fucking fact. Our ears aren't distinct from the rest of the world. People who claim sound is entirely subjective are ridiculous. Therefore, the Shures are DRASTICALLY superior to the Sony in this category. Just say it.
Fifthly, I think you and I differ on upper mids and lower. female, treble. To me, this frequency makes vocals sound sibilant and annoying, where you enjoy this and find it bright and engaging. I like darker, v-moda m-100-esque, headphones. You like m50, bright sounding, headphones. That is a personal opinion. You say that you like both. I think you are compensating. I say, you prefer the female vocals on the Sony. That's how i read you. Correct me if I'm wrong. I just want you to know, there is nothing wrong with that. In the future, just say it! Just be honest with me. Don't get me wrong, you're honest with the objective characteristics. I just feel as though you are holding back on your personal perspective. I, for one, enjoy hearing your personal opinions. It makes you relatable, from a youtuber and human perspective. I'm not criticizing your analysis. I'm criticizing your approach to, "not trying to offend," people who might disagree.
I understand that you made claims about the m50 and m50x headphone that have now become controversial. And honestly, I don't think you said anything about those headphones that are controversial... but people are crazy. The simple point that I'm trying to make is, don't fear being controversial. Give your honest analysis, and then fuck the trolls... the end. You're the shit. You know what you're talking about. People that have a problem with that need to check themselves at the door.
Sixthly, you said both headphones have a "very wide sound stage". Perhaps prefacing that statement with, "for a closed headphone" would be beneficial for the average consumer. They're still closed headphones, even if they fail at being closed headphones. The sound stage will not even come close to a Sennheiser HD 600 or 650, which is in their price range. The sound stage will not come close to an AKG 7xx or a BeyerDynamic 990, which is in their price range. The Sound Stage will not come close to a HiFiMan HE-400 or 500, which is in their price range. Both of these headphones are priced retardedly high. Just say that. There are better headphones, for the price... for whatever purpose you are looking for. You say they are a good all-rounder, but honestly, you can buy two headphones for two distinct purposes for less than these.
Basically what I'm trying to get at is, why should anybody buy either of these headphones? Honestly, and I don't mean to be cruel, as far as I can tell, nobody should ever buy either of these. Is that wrong? The fact that I don't know should indicate the flaw in this video... on a fundamental level. The fact is, there are better headphones than the 1540, for whatever your purpose happens to be.
ThoseWhoStayUofM Hmm. I don't really know what to make of this comment and I kind of get that you are constructively criticising rather than complaining but I'll just address a few of your points. Your comment got eaten by the spam filter for a month :P1) I told people the price not to brag about the deal, but just to make it clear the circumstances under which I bought the headphones so there would be no accusation of foul play. I think it's material for people to know when a reviewer gets a substantial discount on something that may not have been available to the general public, or when the discount may be large enough to change their perception of the product. It's all part of being transparent.
2) I like a healthy amount of mid-bass. It is subjective to a degree. That's why people have endless debates about this stuff. I also like headphones that can be lean in the mid-bass. I like a lot of things.
3) I thought female vocals stand out more on the MDR-Z7 but I could take it or leave it compared to the 1540. It's like the Z7's special sauce.
4) A closed headphone produces completely different bass transients from an open headphone (unless it's an orthodynamic). You can hear it and you can see it in the graphs. The internal damping characteristic of a closed headphone (even with ports) is completely different with a closed headphone - the pocket of air behind the headphone changes the way the driver oscillates, which is why closed headphones tend to get a stronger bass response compared to open headphones. The trade off is that you get backwave reflection from the closed headphone returning into the ear rather than exiting out of the back like with an open headphone, so you get that resonance. So you end up with a completely different sound.
That's why there's a perfectly good reason to have a closed headphone with ports, and you can prefer a closed headphone not simply because of the isolation. I think the Sony is overpriced but the Shure seems priced fine to me. I think it's very competitive with the K712 while getting a completely different kind of sound.
Anyway, thanks for your comment, I appreciate the time you took to write it. I don't think I was holding back that much in this video because I genuinely liked aspects of the Z7 and I really like the 1540 a great deal. When I really don't like something, trust me, I'll tell you :)
Sony MDR-ZED7 or MDR-Z7? LOL
Z=Zed=Zee. Euro/US English
I never understood why idiots keep pronouncing the last letter of the english alphabet " zed". The letters "e" and " d " were already addressed as separate letters in the damn alphabet. Also there is no ZED in then naming scheme of the this model of Sony headphones. It isthe same with z87, z97, z170 chipsets on intel motherboards, titan z, and any other "z"naming schemed name of a product.
Why are canadians and brits so ate up with a villain from the 90's show power ranger's second season? It's pathetic.
+tpcs Um, you Americans originated from Europe - Denmark, the UK etc. I'm pretty sure somewhere down the line, you guys got lazy and started fucking around with what was perfectly good English back in the day. This was probably in the Victorian era mind you as language got very complex, very fast
Edit: Okay so that was just half of the story. If you look up the etymology of the letter Z, you'd have found out it came from the Greek letter Zeta which was then seen in France with Zede before finally becoming Zed. This was 1000's of years ago mind you. However, Zee, was only introduced in the 1600's.
+tpcs TL;DR. The English invented English. They are the most accurate with it. Americans are too lazy
+David Chen Agreed. It's called English for a reason, not American. OP should think about what he's saying before he opens his mouth. Also, a little fun fact: "Z" never used to be the last letter in the English Alphabet. There actually used to be 27 letters in the Alphabet with the last one being what has become known as the Ampersand or (&). The ampersand character actually came from the latin word "et" meaning "and" which over time when written, became less like two letters and more like one letter until it became the symbol we know it to be. This got placed into the alphabet and earned it's name from it's position as the last letter to be said. When saying the alphabet out aloud it used to read "W,X,Y,Z and per se and" - meaning 'and by itself is and'. The phrase "and per se and" was then adopted for it's name - Ampersand.
Ro-Tang Clan People who are trying to correct the person who is already correct should stop being lazy and actually type out the ENTIRE NOUN. Otherwise you're just talking to yourself like a moron. Move on kid. I'm not your therapist.
tpcs I wasn't correcting anyone, I was agreeing with what David Chen said.
In regards to your "and actually type out the ENTIRE NOUN" comment, "zed" is the phoenetics term for the letter, just like every other letter in the alphabet. "tee", "dee" or "ess" are just a couple of examples of this.
"Otherwise you're just talking to yourself like a moron." If you had noticed, my comment wasn't actually targeted towards you; I was talking *about* you, not *to* you.
Hey Lachlan for some reason your audio is different in the sense of very muffled!!! What changed?
Great review as usual.
And you are like 15 years old that only know MP3 compressed music right?
Jay Bizz And how do you know that ?