CHANGSTAR: Audiophile Headphone Reviews and Early 90s Style BBS

  • December 31, 2015, 09:28:06 AM
  • Welcome, Guest
Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  
Pages: [1] 2 3

Author Topic: Shure SRH1840 Headphone Impressions and Measurements  (Read 9624 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Marvey

  • The Man For His Time And Place
  • Master
  • Pirate
  • *****
  • Brownie Points: +555/-33
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 6698
  • Captain Plankton and MOT: Eddie Current
Shure SRH1840 Headphone Impressions and Measurements
« on: August 17, 2012, 01:55:56 AM »

Finally got a chance to hear them. I know that our esteemed pirate MuppetFace likes them and thinks they are OK...

That being said, I think these are horrible. An absolutely disaster in mediocrity. NOw I didn't think they were that badly behaved in the treble - I know some people have had treble issues with them - but not me. The balance is OK. Bass seems rolled off below 80Hz, but rest of the spectrum seems decent with some rough patches in the upper mids and treble. I didn't listen long enough or use certain of my test tracks which I knew would expose treble ringing issues. The "cupped-in" effects of the open enclosure w/ reverberent plastic are clearly audible.

Again, my main beef with the SRH1840 is that they are simply LOW-FI headphones. Seriously, it sounds like Shure grabbed some random drivers off the shelf from Radio Shack and stuck them in there. They sound so junky to the point that the distortion (lack of clarity, low-fi'ness, lack of "fidelity", etc.) is obvious. The SR1840 are distortion generators. The build is not nearly as good as the sexy photos Jude posted on HF. The cups are plasticky. The SRH840 seem much better built in comparison. Also, the lack of swivel in the cups may be annoying for some users. The suede material on the pads is nice though. How much are these again?

I'll keep you guys hanging while I sneak a quick nap. Will take measurements afterward.


P.S. Someone needs to put these back on the Wall of Shame.
« Last Edit: August 17, 2012, 03:32:52 PM by purrin »
Logged

TMRaven

  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +34/-4
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 390
Re: Shure SRH1840 Headphone Impressions and Measurements
« Reply #1 on: August 17, 2012, 02:29:18 AM »

can we expect fireworks in head-fi 1440 and 1840 topic?

According to head-fi, 1840 is more resolving than hd800, so you must be wrong!

« Last Edit: August 17, 2012, 02:48:57 AM by TMRaven »
Logged

Anaxilus.

  • Dikus Beligerantis Analmorticus
  • Pirate
  • **
  • Brownie Points: +65535/-65535
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 577
Re: Shure SRH1840 Headphone Impressions and Measurements
« Reply #2 on: August 17, 2012, 03:20:27 AM »

can we expect fireworks in head-fi 1440 and 1840 topic?

According to head-fi, 1840 is more resolving than hd800, so you must be wrong!


If that's true, the 1440 must be like having Neil Pert right here drumming my nutz.  So real!!


Although, that is what it's like listening to them.
Logged
If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading - Lao Tzu

Marvey

  • The Man For His Time And Place
  • Master
  • Pirate
  • *****
  • Brownie Points: +555/-33
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 6698
  • Captain Plankton and MOT: Eddie Current
Re: Shure SRH1840 Headphone Impressions and Measurements
« Reply #3 on: August 17, 2012, 04:07:47 AM »

Shure SRH1840 Frequency Response CSD Waterfall Plots. It doesn't look bad so far. So what gives?



Why do these sound so low-fi? Hmm. Strange. Measurements not telling us why...
Logged

Marvey

  • The Man For His Time And Place
  • Master
  • Pirate
  • *****
  • Brownie Points: +555/-33
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 6698
  • Captain Plankton and MOT: Eddie Current
Shure SRH1840 Harmonic Distortion
« Reply #4 on: August 17, 2012, 04:14:33 AM »

Let's take a look at harmonic distortion... Bleh, Yuck. Explains everything.

Why are the odd orders (D3,D5) so high?
Logged

khaos

  • Powder Monkey
  • *
  • Brownie Points: +7/-0
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 64
Re: Shure SRH1840 Headphone Impressions and Measurements
« Reply #5 on: August 17, 2012, 04:16:05 AM »

To me, aside from the low-fi issue, the main problem I experience was the 2k-4k bump, a balance issue.
Logged

Marvey

  • The Man For His Time And Place
  • Master
  • Pirate
  • *****
  • Brownie Points: +555/-33
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 6698
  • Captain Plankton and MOT: Eddie Current
Re: Shure SRH1840 Headphone Impressions and Measurements
« Reply #6 on: August 17, 2012, 04:18:11 AM »

The 2-4kHz midrange emphasis without adequate bass enhanced the low-fi effect for me.
Logged

TMRaven

  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +34/-4
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 390
Re: Shure SRH1840 Headphone Impressions and Measurements
« Reply #7 on: August 17, 2012, 04:22:10 AM »

Very expensive Apple iBuds?

Tyll's graphs seem to confirm a very high distortion under 1000hz as well.  Yuck!
Logged

Anaxilus.

  • Dikus Beligerantis Analmorticus
  • Pirate
  • **
  • Brownie Points: +65535/-65535
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 577
Re: Shure SRH1840 Headphone Impressions and Measurements
« Reply #8 on: August 17, 2012, 04:36:02 AM »

Just wait for the 1440.... poo
Logged
If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading - Lao Tzu

gurubhai

  • Ortho Ninja
  • Mate
  • Pirate
  • ****
  • Brownie Points: +104/-0
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 317
Re: Shure SRH1840 Headphone Impressions and Measurements
« Reply #9 on: August 17, 2012, 04:51:16 AM »

There is no way I could have believed that a 45mm traditional driver would out resolve the 57mm ring radiator of HD800.
I am glad that I steered a friend away from these recently. :D
Logged
Pages: [1] 2 3