Shure SRH840A-EFS

Looking for a closed back headphone to add to my setup of Sennheiser HD 650 headphones and Neumann KH120A monitors, I ordered the Shure cans along with several others.
I wanted a pair that can do what the 650 can not:
-Play audio with minimal bleed to the environment
-Being driven by handheld devices without an external amp.

I care a lot about the mid range and prefer a response that is as flat as possible, with enough detail for critical listening.

My head is fairly large and these are not a good fit for me.
The ear cups are not centered on my ears, even with the head band extended to the maximum, my ears rest low in the cups, touching the bottom.
The headband rests only on a narrow spot on the dome of my head and that starts digging in and creating a sore spot after a short while.

The build quality is decent, the sound profile is neutral enough for work, but there is enough of a V shape in the tuning that they also work for fun.

I did compare them to a series of headphones in the same class.
While I liked the bass and mids on the Sony 7506 a little better, the treble on the Sony feels harsh, while it feels well represented but not overly inflated on the 840A. The Sony are even smaller and have less comfort, though.
Compared with the Audio Technica ATH-M50X, the Shure are about the same weight, but they have much larger ear cups and sit better on the head. The ATH-M50X sound much like the Sony, but with less harsh treble.
On the AKG K-371, the bass tends to distort when you overdo it, also there is a hole in the midrange that feels like a blind spot.
The same was my experience with the Beyerdynamic DT-770 Pro (80 Ohms) and the Beyerdynamic DT-700 Pro X - both Beyers feel more comfortable and have a better build quality, but also, both have a scoop in the mids that feels like a blind spot to my ear where critical information is lost to me.

I do think that with a little bit more room on the head band, I might have kept these.

Comparing the accessories these come with with the competition, the contents of the box are a little poor. The cable is detachable, but there's only a single cable in the box. It's a long, straight one. The outer lining is very smooth, so there's minimal noise from it rubbing against clothing, but it's much too long for using them on the go. You can buy a coiled cable for them - for extra money. The carrying pouch is made of a shiny, faux leather that looks and feels very cheap, and there is a screw-on 1/8" to 1/4" TRS adapter included. Most other headphones in this price range came with multiple cables and better carrying pouches.

However, the reason I have to return these is not the quality or the sound, it's the fit.



+ Slightly elevated bass and treble, but not to the point where the mids are cancelled out.
+Lightweight, yet decent enough quality
+Good (not outstanding) detail
+Exciting enough for casual listening, detailed enough for work.

-Not the best fit if your head is tall
-Very little "case candy" in the bag.

Super guter Kopfhörer: sehr angenehm zu tragen, wertig verarbeitet und extrem stabil. Eignet sich hervorragend zum Musikhören, macht richtig Spaß. Klanglich sehr druckvoll mit sattem Bass – hat mich positiv überrascht.

Leider habe ich ihn speziell für die Aufnahme von E-Gitarren gesucht, und genau da liegt für mich die Schwäche. Durch einen deutlichen Mitten-Scoop wirkt der Sound zwar aufgeräumt und modern, Gitarren klingen dadurch aber etwas unorganisch und nicht natürlich. Schweren Herzens wieder zurückgeschickt und mich am Ende für ein anderes Modell entschieden, das fürs Musikhören weniger geeignet ist, Gitarren aber ehrlicher abbildet.