My DIY speaker system (it measures very flat) served as a reference with respect to tonal balance. I also own some open headphones like Sony MDR-MA900 and Sennheiser PX100, which also provided a baseline when I evaluated tonal balance of the headphones under comparison. I used a desktop headphone amp that has flat FR and reasonably low output impedance. The SRH440 headphones are suited for use both at home or in the studio. Impedance, power handling and sensitivity are all calibrated for professional audio devices such as DJ mixers, mixing consoles and headphone amplifiers._ I know it may seem that I am a little down on the Shure SRH-440 headphones when it comes to sound quality, this couldn't be further from the truth. The sound quality is excellent it’s just that to me it is excellent in what I would want in a studio monitor headphone as opposed to a highly engaging listening device. In day-to-day use as my sole recreational daily driver, I could see myself easily demanding more from the Shure headphone when I just want to enjoy my tunes. This change of mind return policy is in addition to, and does not affect your rights under the Australian Consumer Law including any rights you may have in respect of faulty items. To return faulty items see our Returning Faulty Items policy. The Shure SRH440A Professional Studio Headphones from Shure provide exceptional sound reproduction and comfort. Optimized for home and studio recording, shure srh440 headphones reproduce accurate audio across an extended range. Impedance, power handling and sensitivity are all calibrated for professional audio devices such as DJ mixers, mixing consoles, and headphone amplifier. Includes carrying bag and threaded 1/4" (6.3mm) gold plated adapter.

These headphones are actually pretty tight gripping on my (seemingly) normal sized head. I like that A LOT, but I'm sure it bothers the hell of some people. I've heard people calling them loose, but they aren't to me. The padded headband and ear cups of the SRH440 provide comfort suitable for hours of uninterrupted use._ The sound on the SRH-440 is very balanced and neutral if a little boring. It feels almost cold. However one should remember here that the SRH-440 is designed primarily as a monitor headphone and these are traits that are preferred in music production with no one sound spectrum dominating the other.

Looking past aesthetics, there are other notable elements and improvements. The first thing that caught my eye was the removal of the exposed wires that were present on the original. While often not a huge issue, it is one less failure point to worry about. The overall sound is very good for the purpose of a monitor but if you want something a bit more fun, engaging, or intimate you had best look elsewhere. Shure SRH-440 HEADPHONES -CONCLUSION Without doubt, these are the best of the bunch. Perceived dynamic range is unbelievably wide. These are in a different league in terms of clarity as well---perhaps, the KNS 6400 is close but also with weaknesses (see above). Treble is sometimes a little on the bright side, but not as bright as the KNS6400's. Some people may find them bright with bright recordings, but the headphones should not be blamed for that. These produce very neutral and accurate sound. Bass is sufficient and often pleasantly strong in the mid- and upper bass regions, but deeper bass is not covered by these cans. Most music recordings do not contain this deep bass, anyway. One may say we can use EQ to remedy irregular frequency responses. But EQ has its own limitations. Some minor EQ'ing can help, but headphones that need too extensive correction should be avoided. The foremost reason is the loss of dynamic range. Theoretically, with EQ you can only limit, not increase, dynamic range in a certain frequency band. On the source side, you lose digital bit depth, and on the headphone side, you suppress the driver's efficient response range.

Mid/upper bass ruins the sound which has otherwise good midrange-treble balance. Very uncomfortable to wear due to non-swivel cups. The headband is made of some flexible material covered in a synthetic leatherette, and feels sturdy yet moldable. It sits nicely atop the head. Nonostante gli svariati problemi che ho avuto con il filo e l'attacco dello stesso alle cuffie(probabilmente dovuti ad uno stress troppo intenso a causa del peso del filo ed un uso non proprio in linea con l'obiettivo principale di questo genere di cuffie) le cuffie sono ottime, comode e nonostante un uso intenso i padiglioni sono ancora perfetti e lo stesso vale per l'archetto.The headband is quite "cushy" and forms rather nicely to the head. But sometims, when wearing them for a long time, the top of my head begins to get sore where it rests upon my head.

Anothter pair of headphones with bass emphasis. Not overly bassy, though. But a bigger problem is treble, which is a little too polite to be neutral. I would not consider these headphones a good value. Most of the design decisions have improved on the predecessor, but there is one change that some may not like. The previous version was fully collapsible, making it a breeze to transport. This newer model does fold flat but doesn’t collapse. Still decent for travel but not as convenient as the original. Common to both sets is the broad mid-range performance, expressing excellent vocal intelligibility and fine treble detail. This presentation is unforced though so, rather than pushing out a torrent of explicit in-your-face treble detail, they produce a hear-through quality, inviting you to look deep within your mix. Bass does not have heaps of quantity but is rich in quality it does not seem to slow the way many of its competitors do and while, as mentioned, it doesn't slam as hard as you will find on more fashion-orientated phones it still reaches satisfying levels for audio purists.

Material and handling

Personally, I love the design of the Shure SRH-440's they are not designed in any way to be fashion headphones. Rather the 440s are designed for their purpose and that is as a studio or home monitor. There is nothing too flashy about them, more so they are quite utilitarian in the looks department but one thing you do notice right away is they look classy. Like I said before, these are quite hefty in weight, but also in size. (Which I like a lot, but for those looking for smaller, lighter cans, I don't think this is where you want to go) The plastics used on the headphones are very solid and of high quality. I guess I had taken the build of the previous set of headphones I was using as fair, so when I just grabbed the earcups and pulled them apart I was blown away with just how well these things were made.