The Shure SRH840 wasn’t beaten with an ugly stick:  the whole ugly tree done fell on it.  Such is the effect of the heavy design, the clunky articulation, and the thick, gradual lines of the headphone.  But at $199, we’re willing to bet it’s still worth your money for the sound alone.

Shure SRH840 Review

The Shure SRH840 is big and made out of plastic.  It’s heavy as all get-out, to the point of being just a little uncomfortable.  There’s a removable, locking coiled cable, some replacement pleather earpads, and leatherette carrying pouch.

Comfort-wise, these headphones are a dog.  Heavy, cumbersome, and nowhere near easy on the eyes, this beast of a headphone is as ugly as they come.  The headband and earcups sport a decent pleather material that goes a long way in terms of comfort, but the sheer weight of these cans means you’ll barely notice the materials.  Instead, you’ll be stooping and hobbling under the weight of these things.

Sound-wise, though, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.  The SRH840 sports a frequency range of 5-25000 hertz and a 44 ohm impedance.   There’s a grand, sweeping sense of clarity and detail, with minimal distortion, and a not-overpowered low-end.  There’s no bleeding in the low-end, either, and the mids and highs remain articulate without anything becoming muddy or piercing.

Perhaps the most accurate thing I can say about this headphone is that it sounds relaxed, but has ample detail.  Not unlike the AKG K553 Pro, albeit with a removable cable and a slightly less-comfortable design.

So then, who is it for?  If you’re looking for a studio headphone with some mind-altering accuracy, you owe it to yourself to consider this model.  It’s like Audio Technica’s offerings, but slightly better.  Personally, I’d probably opt for the K553 because it seems more comfortable and I don’t sweat fixed cables, but if you can bear the weight, this headphone may be the smarter buy in the long run.

If you’re a basshead, there are better headphones out there.  And if you’re looking for a headphone that looks flashy and stylish and cool, you can probably pass this headphone up.

Interested? You can order a pair of Shure SRH840 at Audio46.