Headphone Reviews

Shure SRH1540
About a meter and half long cord terminating in a 1/8" TRS with the Sennheiser/Sony/AKG type screw adapter but missing the 1/4" adapter. Tyll, look in your parts drawer. I like these screw adapters because effectively they create a captive 1/4" plug. Don't forget to use Stabilant 22 on all contacts to enhance reliability.

Cables are in a "Y" configuration with one coming off each ear. It's hard to know which ear is which channel due to a difficult-to-read black-on-black label embossed on the can. But you can always stick a bit of masking tape on one ear to know which is which. I favor cans where the cable comes off of one ear because they don't get in your way as much and the convention seems to be the left channel. However, my Audeze are "Y config" so I must not mind too much.

Shure's in-ear headphones have a great reputation but I have no previous experience with their over the ear phones. These have a generous circumaural oval pad which is pretty comfortable and overall lightweight so I'll give the comfort rating a B.

Listening note: A Rose For Emily, Glass Hammer, from the album Three Cheers for the Broken Hearted. BK master, 2496. Glass Hammer is a classic-style prog rock group deservedly with a lot of fans. I've mastered nearly all their albums. This is an epic cut and should sound big, rock/orchestral in quality and beautiful.

Sensitivity is very close to the reference Audeze cans. These have a round, warm character with good lower midrange and good bass down to at least 60 Hz. But the bass definition is a bit resonant, I wonder if it's because the sound is bouncing around the larger than usual ear cavity between the can and the pinnae. Well, these cans would be great except for one fatal flaw: Everything above, say, 6 kHz sounds muted. The music has lost its depth and extension. These cans are just too dull. What a pity, I was ready to love these for the excellent midrange and decent bottom. I'd give you $150 for these but I bet they go for over $200. I would also be willing to try an EQ with these because they do so much right below about 2 kHz. So if you have a good equalizer and if you can get them for $150, then go for these!

Bottom line: Oy vey! These are $499 at B&H, overpriced. I really can't give them better than a B grade for overall sound and I think there are far better headphones at a much lower cost, so why bother to even EQ these?

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Product page for Shure SRH1540.