Sure, you know Shure, the audio company best known in the consumer realm for its line of high-end,
in-ear buds. The company's moving out, introducing three new over-the-ear headsets said to offer "professional" audio quality at prices that are a fraction of some of the
other cans we've seen lately. The SRH240 are the lowest-end, intended for "consumer listening devices" (i.e. that knock-off MP3 player you got down on Canal Street) and expected to sell for under $60. Next up is the SRH440, positioned for console and DJ use, and available for under $100. Finally there's the high-end SRH840, featuring "reference-quality frequence response" and plenty of other hyperbolic traits for a retail price of $199.99. The three should cover most listeners' budgets and, while the demure styling won't win over the
Skullcandy crowd, anyone looking for a solid value in listening isolation will surely want to tune in when these hit the streets the next few weeks.
posted July 21st 2009 6:42AM
Shure headphones for under $60? Bargain of the year. Too bad I bought some Sennheisers a week ago.
Some?
"Too bad I bought some Sennheisers a week ago."
damn dude you make it sound like Shure is way better or something wtf? My HD212 sennheisers costed AU$120 but sounded better then similiar $200 Bose headphones...
Sennheiser is the shit.
...
No.
No, just because they're better than Bose does not make them "the shit".
FWIW, I have no golden ears, but I love my Shure E2's... and their customer service is top-notch.
E2's certainly are nice, but you guys should really look around a bit, find yourself a pair of HD-595s, totally pwn all of those (can't speak for the new Shure's obviously). Seriously the best sub-$500 headphones I've ever heard, especially when hooked up to a total bithead.
You can find them on Amazon for about $160 or so, but I bought mine for $130 brand new a few years ago- best deal ever IMHO. Really can't praise them enough. Sennheiser service really top notch, too.
Moron, the HD 595 is open can, don't compare it to a closed one.
did anybody reviewed its quality yet ?
Just search head-fi.org. Jude did a review of the top end one I think. They were announced like 3 months ago.
Here's a video talking about these new headphones:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2w0Mc2OJ1_w
I love the detachable cable! I wonder if you can use *any* 1/8" cable? The included coiled Shure cable looks like it has some kind of locking mechanism.
It would be nice to use a shorter cable... sometimes I want a short, non-coiled cable when standing behind my camcorder on a tripod.
From what I understand, there are no plans on Shure's end to manufacture additional cables to supplement/replace the long coil cable for the SRH840... aka sad news for anyone wanting to use the headphones in portable gear. I also understand that the cable connections are proprietary.
Calling all modders?
Either way, those $200 840's seem like a pretty good deal to me. These things are priced to sell.
Its been said that the SRH440 with the SRH840 pads are more neutral than the SRH840.
You get what you pay for.
Offtopic :
Can some company please make a decent pair of bluetooth stereo heaedphones !!!!!!!!!
i'm looking at you shure ;)
Just dont make them too ugly :D
Yeah sure, just not with the Bluetooth though.
Audiophile do not bluetooth want.
Simple closed headphones from Shure? Sounds like a winner to me.
So, do we finally have some serious competition for Sennheiser HD-600 and HD-650?
Seeing how these Shures are closed headphones (as opposed to the HD600/650's open design), I wouldn't think so. In the future though, maybe? For now, more competition for Denon, etc.
Looks like Sony 7506/7509~lol
Well, my dachshund just ate my Sennheisers (she's been an expensive dog) so it's nice to see one more option coming on the market. Time to google some reviews.
bLue for Left, Red for Right? More headphone manufacturers should be color-coding their earpieces so that way we're not staring intently looking for the minuscule "L" and "R" letters hidden somewhere on the sides.
How will I fit them in my ear canal?
Quantum Physics?
LOL would have snarfed if i had anything.
I wonder how these compare to the low-priced Grado SR60's. I currently use Shure IEMs, and was thinking about trying out cans next. I was pretty much settled on Grado SR60 or SR80s, but I'd love to see how these stack up.
The SR60's are a legend. I'd stick with them for the best bang-for-buck, and would only reconsider if I wanted closed headphones.
Ok, so what's the difference between open/closed? Just comfort and ear-hotness? I know the open ones can kind of leak sound, but I don't blast my music so that's not a concern.
@jake
Open cans are more for audiophiles who complain that closed headphones ruin the music.
Well, I'm trying to be an audiophile poseur, so Grados it is! Also, I feel comforted that the Grados are much heralded. The low-end versions of these seem to be getting crapped on everywhere, which isn't good.
i miss my e series shures so much. lost em, and dad won't let me have his despite the fact that he doesn't use em. when i see his outside teh carry case i CRY
I took all three of these sets for a test drive at InfoComm last month.
840's - Very nice. I can't imagine anyone being disappointed with these cans. Great sound across the full spectrum, reasonably flat and a pleasure to listen to. I wouldn't put them above my Beyerdynamic dt770 pro's, but it is very close. Yes, they are danceable!
440's - For $125, these are OK. They didn't impress, but then again, when i tested them, the 840's became the reference set. And compared to the 840's, these are mediocre at best. Decent set for the price, but nothing that is going to blow your mind at this price. Which is what I was hoping for / expected from shure.
240's - Avoid. These were pretty craptastic. Compared to other $75 sets, they are probably decent, but when you do a side by side by side with the two other models, these are not good. $50 extra won't break the bank, so if you HAVE to have shure, get the 440's. Or test out some AKG, Sennheiser, Beyerdynamic sets.
It's also worth noting that these are all closed headphones. So any comparison to open sets (specifically Grado) or IEM's is silly.
The DT770s are fantastic headphones. I would think pros would still go with Beyerdynamic or AKG instead.
I'll stick with buying Shure mics for now until they get some balls and post the frequency response curve on their website for all to see.
I'm sorry Engadget, but from a pro-audio point of view these headphones are junk. I think it was a mistake for Shure to list these under the pro audio section in the first place. Looking at the frequency response, build quality, 44ohm impedence (eww), and that stupid coiled cable that we all hate...these are not for pro's.
The rest of you who think they are good, go look at Beyerdynamic, AKG, and please for the love of god stop comparing things to Bose.
+1
Sennehisers are still kings when it comes to uncoloured smooth sound
Fair enough, but to clarify is that an absolute statement or relative to pricing?
Yeah, I agree. I have a pair of HD280s and they are very good for the price.
But my brothers Beyerdynamic DT770s are the best I've ever heard.
I love my Beyer 770's. They sound even better after I paired them up with the Asus Xonar Essence STX sound card. I love'em.
How can you form a decent opinion of the 'phones if you've never actually heard them? You may not be impressed with the specs, but dismissing them outright is ridiculous. The build quality looks good to me, and coiled cables are actually pretty useful for studio use when you can't stay within 1 metre of the output. The fact that the best 'phones you've ever heard are DT770s pretty much says it all... I'm not saying they're awful; there are just many, many, many more headphones which blow them out of the water.
@ Tom Clague
Just to point out, my DT770's are my first step into the world of mid to high level headphones. I was able to pick up a pair of the 250 ohm version for $140 brand new so I jumped on them. I know for a fact they aren't the best sounding cans available, but they are definitely the best sounding ones I've had the pleasure to use. I was upgrading from a pair of Bose Triports.
The only bad thing about them is they've started me on an expensive path. Now I'm wanting to try out higher end headphones and that is not going to end well for my wallet...
@Tom Clague
Scroll up one comment and you will see that I gave a listening test on all three of the new Shures, compared to the DT770, 80 ohm.
The D770's are not the best headphones in the world, agreed. But as far as sub $200 closed headphones go, they don't have much competition. The AKG's, Sennheiser, Shure's in that range all fall short of the Beyerdynamics.
Again, I am limiting this to closed-air headphones. open-air is a whole other ballgame, apples and oranges.
How are these junk from a pro audio standpoint? Impedance means very little, its just a number that can give you an idea of how difficult it is to drive. You also need to look at the sensitivity, but even that won't absolutely tell you anything.
And sorry, but if DT770 Pros are your reference then you really don't know what to look for in high end audio. The 250ohm 770 Pros I had were maybe worth $100. They were nowhere near flat and had exaggerated, bloated bass. Honestly, they would be a joke to use in anything but a jam session for pro audio. Notice that the 440s are the ones actually aimed at real audio work? Is it a surprise that they're pointed out (by people who have actually heard them) to have the flattest/most neutral response?
Sennheiser and AKG make some good headphones, but by no means are they the end all be all, they're just different flavors (and you should really try out multiple brands and models before you declare anything "the best" even for yourself).
@ Hooterman:
Sorry if it seemed as though my reply was aimed at you; it really wasn't! I was replying to Alex, so sorry if I sounded like an arse.
@ windex:
Just saw your comparison; good stuff! Had the Shures you tested been worn in at all, or were they fairly fresh? There seems to be a fair bit of competition for sub $200 'phones; it's just that most of them are pretty crap! I have a pair of HD280s for commuting/ listening in areas where open 'phones aren't welcome and, whilst they're fine, I've been looking to upgrade them for a while. I'm kinda wishing that these headphones are awesome, as that would make my decision so much easier...
Funny that you compare $500 headphones to these.
i'll have to keep these in mind. i have a bad habit of throwing mine across the control room or booth after a couple of bad takes.
new headphones are cheaper than anger management classes :)
love my sennheiser hd590's
Go and check out the v-JAYS from www.jays.se instead. I have had them for 1 week now and they really blow me away!
I wish more people would make wireless headphones.
All the (commercial) wireless headphone systems I've heard have HORRIBLE quality...
More than half of them are not even stereo.
So no, wireless isn't ready for headphones.. There's also the problem of battery life.
How are these things compared to Bose Quiet comforts? I have one for my iPhone for several months now and I love it.