Love my dt880. Had them for a while now. First more expensive headphones I own. After trying a bunch of different headphones I have to say that I am amazed at how much variation there is in both sound, comfort and material. So many options.
Hey metal, can you also briefly mention the comfort of the headphones with glasses on in your future reviews? Maybe also how glasses affect the sound or isolation...
Your soundstage description was great! Definitely DT770 / Custom Studio / COP > K55X > M50/SRH840. Also with some jerry-rigging you can fit the 7506 headband onto the SRH440/840s.
I own them he ..is right they ,,crack all the time although Shure jet replacing them becuz of the warranty but they kept cracking I won three pairs they kept cracking stay away !!!! They sound good though but they kept breaking I’m gonna do a review and show it but this was a good review spot on!!
I have them for about three years now. I think you nailed the sound! There is a bump at around 100hz and another one at the higher mids. Therefore on some records ( but only ocassionaly) drum-bases and trumpets can sound little boomy / pitching. Other than that - i find the sound superb. Detailed, balanced, warm and clear at the same time - and full!All genres and instruments sound enjoyable on them. Not super-analytical, they add some colour to the sound, but it makes them a touch warmer, that's why i like them. The comfort: the ear pads are nice - very soft and wide, and encompass the whole ear. But the headband is heavy and crappy, the plastic bracket can break very easy. Minе hasn't so far, but I am extremely careful. It is just ridiculous that Shure keep producing them for so many years with this obvious design flaw!
Hi Metal 571, thanks for the review. I had the shure 440 and enjoyed them for everyday listening. I did enjoy them unfortunately i sold them. Would you think these would be an better upgrade from the Shure 440 ? Thank you
Hi mate, I enjoy your new review format! I enjoy how you go into detail so much, but if it would save you time, you could also aim for 4-5 minute videos. Quick and dirty question: Top 2 recommendations for an open back headphone used for long session piano playing? (jazz/cello) Top 2 recommendations for a closed back headphone? Within the range of €100-200 Thanks for the videos!
Had the 940 i really loved those. Reminded me of how genelec monitors are voiced. Mine had absolute crap build though. I used them in the office only and they cracked in the plastic after about 1,5 years of daly use. To compare i had my hd-25 both at the office and on gigs for 8 years of heavy use before i whore those out (and then it was the springs in the connectors that broke). Also the new format rocks !
Last time I tried a 940 was at the last NY CanJam and the resolution was awesome, didn't really like any of the 1x40 models from Shure by comparison. Should see if I can get a 940 in for review eventually
This thing broke on me 2 times in 2 years. I wouldn't recommend due to the godawful headband extension. Mine would normally get little cracks and after a while the can will completely fell off, I constantly need to repair them with epoxy. Now I am in the search of a different pair because I will spend more repairing this than getting a brand new pair. They sound really good tho.
I have both and the SHR1840 is better in every way (sound, comfort and build quality is superb - look brand new after 3 years). It has less bass, but the quality is much better, you just need to EQ it. There is no slam at all though, it doesn't go deep. I bought the Focal Clear about 2 years ago and it's in a different league, but in my opinion - SRH1840 is worth the money. No regrets.
Had a pair for many years. Really great headphone but it's really heavy and they have an issue where they crack at the lower headband. Also they gave me quite the hotspot on the good ole noggin after a while. Regarding the pads, they are shallow but really nice, and you get a replacement pair in the box.
I really like the sound quality of 840, but have big problem with fatigue during use. This was my first headphone, so I don't know if that's a common problem with closed setup.
Had to put a zip tie under the headband on the slide adjustment to keep them from moving every time I take them off or put them on. Also the band is not very comfortable on your head, they are a little heavy .
Great review, I was actually thinking on buying these since here they're around 85€ but now I'm not so sure. I'm actually wanting to buy a pair mainly to listen to post-rock, ambience, prog-metal, that sort of thing. Are these good enough for that? I've seen reviews also of the ATH-M40X (also 85€) and the Senheiser HD559 (70€) for example, but I can't really decide on one under 100€.
Hey, Metal, what headphones(100-120$ for used) good for thrash, progressive, heavy metal, some alternative and doom. I like detailed and fast sound, with wide soundstage and good separation. But i dont like flat and too much harsh sound, need emotions and involving. Planing to use them with fiio e10k or something little bit more solid.
@@metal571 how come MAX Setting says its not good for mix/mastering? I'm so confused and some people do also says that Yamaha hph mt5 is more neutral.. So what you think? Still k371? I need to make a choice.. 😅
Because max is a Moller Diffuse Field fan so he thinks it's probably too dark lol. Never heard that Yamaha. Countless people have asked about it, I have no idea.
Can you make a review of the Presonus HD9 headphones? No one has ever hesrd about the presonus headphones which less people made a review about it but some in a different languages. I was looking for a Presonus hardware but the interface I wanted to get is the avid MBOX and connecting to Presonus monitors.
Does the HD599 and HD600 sound similar as in sound signature? I recently tried the hd599 and wasn't completely satisfied and i'm wondering if giving the hd600 with amp a shot. Can someone enlighten me on this one?
Hi, I use the SRH840 as my primary headphone and they've been the best I've found for my taste so far in terms of sound quality and comfort... Do you know any headphones similar to the SRH840 with a more present sub bass and just ever so slightly toned down treble? I should mention that I've used the SRH1540 and they are far too fatiguing for me, and the mids are too far back for my taste. I tried the DT1770 as well and that was too treble forward.
@@metal571 Thank you, I'll look into them. I did try the Denon TH610 and wasn't fussed about them but I'm not sure how similar it sounds to the TH-X00.
I went from the 840 to modded a t50rp mk2, which are closed except for a tiny bass port. They need some bigger earpads to bring out the sub bass though.
I have 840s and on my pair the pleather on the headband is disintegrating. I compared them back to back with the Nighthawks just now and Nighthawk top end is more rolled off but still don't hear the "grain" you speak of.
Because it clearly outresolves every closed back I've tried under a grand so far. Weird, last I checked the K553 was around 200 USD and 840 went for around 150.
@@metal571 Not on amazon Canada. They want almost $400 CAD for them. I will consider getting a pair though after I look around for a better price. Thx.
Invest in some lighting and a backdrop. Get the giant mic and pop screen out of your face. You aren't recordings the vocals for your new album. They have special mics for this that don't have to be directly between you and the camera.
@@metal571 Sort of what I thought you'd say. However, you underestimate the connection between content and presentation. It may seem irrational to you, but people will take enjoy your content a lot more--and take more from it--if a dim bulb isn't making you look pasty, yellow-green with random Walmart furniture in the back. People also might find the creepy ASMR voice (a product of your giant condenser mic 2-inches in front of your mouth) a bit off-putting. You put a lot of work into your content. Packaging matters. Just remember, "WWJD." Jude is arguably the most successful headphone-related RU-vidr. But I do enjoy your content and wish you success. Consider this constructive criticism. You're doing videos, not podcasts; it's AV, not A. You are ignoring V.
I have actually come to a similar conclusion in that I don't know why I'm leveraging youtube for this channel, except for a few seconds worth of showing what the headphone looks like, since most of the content is audio anyway. I understand your concern and my reaction was a little snappy since this wasn't the most enjoyable comment to wake up to in the morning. I don't plan or ever intend to be a "big" youtuber, don't make much money off of this channel, and am the furthest thing from a professional cinematographer, so things may be like this for quite some time before I decide to invest more into the video side of things rather than headphones and a measurement system. As for the weird color, most of it is due to the wall color of this room. Just the way it is - I'd have to repaint the whole thing to even begin to get the lighting "right", which will be a long time before I get around to it. Clearly most of the subscribers only occasionally talk about presentation of the content and are more interested in what I have to say, so for now it's a non issue. I'm not pewdiepie nor do I ever want to have "big name" looking video quality. I just don't have the time or drive to bother with that stuff, or it would be fixed already. Maybe this will help put things into perspective.
Not sure I can help you if you don't know what a specific Hz or kHz range sounds like. Honestly though I am aware of this problem for the majority of "normal" people out there trying to understand what the hell I'm talking about so eventually I do have planned a video attempting to describe the audiophile adjectives
No, not at all. Frequency responses have a ton of dips and peaks in them and every headphone has flaws. My job is to make sure the end user knows about all of the perceived colorations, resolution level, imaging and soundstage quality before buying. This is not a trivial task for a 2 minute video.
The 550III were dreadful, the worst of dozens of headphones I've heard or owned, I sent them back to Austria. Of my current 6 headphones, in this prices bracket, and closed-back, MT5's all the way. I know metal571 has a view on the Yamaha's - doesn't like their mid-timbre, not sure if he's really closely listened to the MT5's though - or compared them to monitor speakers such as Neumann KH120's.
I do? Haven't heard those particular headphones, but other Yamaha "monitoring" headphones I tried had laughable detail retrieval. The LSR305 is very close to the reference sound I look for.
@@metal571 ...when I said the Yamaha's, it was in reference to a reply you gave me a while back - 'I heard a line of those Yamahas recently, all of them had something tonally wrong going on'. The MT8's have no place in my usage, too much up top ...and confused (I haven't tried the 'old' MT7's). The MT5's while somewhat dark, are very steady, listenable, powerful, forward mids, very wide stereo, detailed and don't exhibit low distortion at higher volumes. They are, to me, very very addictive; amazing as I have so many more expensive headphone's sitting idle. Swapping from other brighter headphones their darkness may take some brain adaptation to get used to, but once you tune in, they are very level, tight and monitor like. I wish I could give the MT5's a prize for their viscerally present low-mids!! - at least to raise some awareness of them. The JBL monitors are very good in the lower price range - you think the AKG 550III are similar - when you take the headphones off and engage the speakers? I just found the 550III way out, they actually seemed to raise the pitch of music! - and were really really confused, I couldn't mesh them into my studio work (nor just listening). You might not like the MT5's but as a closed-back they are my go-to, while as an open-back the DT1990's (with the 'more holes' B-pads - yes I know that's an unpopular choice - but the A-pads seemed confused to me, too clumped up-top) - but yep the DT1990 have less warmth ...yet a more useful (though sometimes gratingly unfriendly) criticism. When I like the DT1990's they are the best, though however good they are, they have a pushed-apart metallic ship-yard sound ...which by comparison - the MT5's are velvet punch seduction ...so your ears keep going back to them. Z seems to like the SRH840's more than you, I was just wondering if it's worth giving them a go (I wouldn't send them back unless they were faulty) - but in the price range I doubt they would be better than my MT5's? Anyway glad to see classic headphones being reviewed now, not just the latest.
*NOTICE, SPREAD THIS MESSAGE* Clavinet Junkie is Arnold Schwarzenegger I'm trying to lure him out by leaving one of his quotes on each video he makes .. but he hasn't taken the bait yet Join my effort in unmasking him by practicing the same tactic
Former SRH840 user here. I HATED these headphones. Not for the sound, the sound quality was absolutely lovely. And the comfort was great. But the build quality was worthless. Every time without fail, the earpieces would just snap right off after 2-3 months of daily use. I ended up purchasing an extended warranty from the local audio store, and used them to replace the headphones no less than 6 times. Eventually the store owner just refunded me the whole cost, and directed me to the much more durable M50x. Which didn't sound QUITE as nice, but they lasted me several whole years of being worn 10-12 hours a day, every day. I do not recommend anything by Shure.
As someone who used to have the SRH840, I agree that they sounded nice but were built like shit and broke. Eventually, I found the Beyerdynamic DT770 Pros (250 Ohms). They have a similar sound signature, perhaps more detailed, but with far better build quality. Every part in it is even replaceable. I would recommend anyone considering the SRH840s look at the DT770 Pros instead.
Great review. I also felt it is like a closed HD600 with some better extension on both ends. I am not really picky on the soundstage size as my favorite headphones are still the M50x, even having ones that are technically better. I think both are great studio monitors with different pros and cons. The only downside of these is comfort, the headband is ridiculously heavy and stiff. They fall off your head very easily. If they solved that issue these would be a no-brainer!
Could you do the Shure SRH1540? Im looking forward for an high end closed back and im going insane trying to decide. I don't want to waste money if it's not worth it. I was going to get the DT1770 to replace my DT770 but im no longer sure. I've got the DT770 600 ohm, the special manufaktur version they used to do back then. Unfortnately it stopped working from one side.
Love this concise format! I've always liked your reviews. You don't talk about pads and modifying headphones which is professional approach. I mostly appreciate the EQ presets that you give when doing a review because you take the time to hear and make them, I know what a time killer that is, for me anyway. I've searched for your review of ATH-M40X but didn't find one. If I remember correctly you've said you would do one in a previous video. I own them and would like to hear your thoughts on the sound and EQ presets. I don't seem to favorite only one preset. Also if/when you do the review for the M40x, I would like to see what you compare them to. I see you have the M40x in your list I hope you will get your hands on a pair soon. I am sorry I live in Europe and sending you my pair is not a viable option. Anyway, love to have you back posting videos. I think 10-12 mins is more than enough when reviewing headphones. Anyone can figure out comfort and build quality in a snap when buying a pair but sound is way more harder to get an onest oppinion in the store.
I always thought of it as similar to a lack of resolution but instead of out right missing information it's just that the information there isn't as clean as it should be.
Sharp valleys in the frequency response, distortion, and ringing have all ended up sounding like grain to me in different headphones. But yeah it's pretty nebulous.
No acoustic engineer I've talked to can seem to give me a straight answer on this FWIW. Since headphones are minimum phase, for the most part the impulse response is directly linked to the FR measurement, so they always tell me it's not the csd or the impulse response settling time, which I still find a bit odd. Sankar says it's the impulse response that is improving with his thin film high end planar models, but the research would seem to contradict that. So I can't really define grain from measurements, or at least, not yet. Only from what I hear
A good metaphor for grain would be the experience of driving a car on a smooth road vs driving on a gravel road. Grainy treble doesn't peak consistently but instead, constantly flutters up and down around the frequency range.
Perfect closed studio cans. Build of v moda Replaceability of a beyer or hd25 Comfortability of a 770 Isolation of a 380pro Sound of the 840 but with a bit less mid bass
Any closed headphones(under $250) for casual listening for a treble sensitive listener ? I purchased M50X and returned them back after a few days. I decided to keep hd380( for their passive isolation) 380s are maybe good for monitoring but not good for listening for pleasure... I've watched your koss porta pro review, and I said to myself; man, that is the sound I had been looking for - warm, relaxed, smooth, non-fatiguing... Only I want it in closed back cans. Thanks for all those excellent reviews.
Discovered you a few weeks ago. Like what your doing and how your doing it. Thanks! I've been using the HD 280Pro for many years and looking for a closed headphone under $300 that provides more comfort while providing a bit more bass and crisp/clear highs. Any recommendations? Sony MDR-1AM2, while great with comfort and decent with bass seems a bit dark and dull. ATH-MSR7b is bright, and crisp, maybe a bit too much. Was hoping the SRH840 might be the one but it appears I will keep looking.
Hey metal571. Can u recommend me a good neutral closed back headphone in the same price range? The SRH840 is reaaallyy not durable.. and i dont want to buy a second one. Love your vids/reviews
@@metal571 tnx. I'm asking because recently I purchased HD58x and I'm really not satisfied (they are so agressive for my ears, maybe because of forward mids, idk really), and want to sell it for something more fun with better low and and decent detail and soundstage. not sure what to do
@@antonkokic it's pretty new and I just found out about it recently lol. People are obsessed with 58X because it does sound decent for a first headphone and doesn't strictly require an amp. The 6XX is much better though but its mids are even more forward
