Review: Shure SRH840A Studio Monitor Headphones

Sound Quality

These headphones have a bright and fairly balanced sound quality to them and I found them to be quite usable in many different situations. I put my pair through a good 40 hours of burn in before using them since I read that these can sound a little off when brand new.

The frequency analysis shows that we can expect a fairly flat frequency response with a little roll off in the sub bass, along with some spikes and dips as well as a roll off in the high end. My experience with these feels in line with this.

The highs are nice and clear and add brilliance to the sound. I found the high end to sound really good with most things I listened to. Even though the highs feel forward on these headphones, I didn’t experience any harshness or anything that made me feel like it was too much, it felt just right. Hi-hats sizzled and details in the high end from various music I listened to sounded very clear.

The mid range sounds really good as well. My ears can sometimes be overly sensitive to resonance in the 4k range, but I didn’t experience any of that here. I was able to crank up the volume and not have any of the mid range fatiguing my ears. At the same time, the mids sounded really clear and I was hearing good details in both recorded music and from my electronic drum kits. I noticed vocals have very good presence as well, and nothing in the mids sounded subdued.

The low end sounds clear and punchy but not overly powerful with sub bass. I tend to like a little more bass than these offered, but it’s not to say that the bass was bad. Bass guitars and kick drums sounded really good and came through well in crowded mixes. Low end sub bass struggled to have presence with some of the hip-hop and electronic music I listed to, and it took a little EQ boost to compensate.

The spaciousness and sound stage is decent. For closed back headphones, the spaciousness is better than I expected. The sound stage has sufficient range from left to right and the spaciousness was more obvious to me with electronic drums that any music I listened to. The electronic drums sound well-placed from left to right within the stereo field as I play around the kit.

Clarity is really good. I found these to be exceptionally clear headphones for their price. I liked all the details I was hearing in both music and with electronic drums. I didn’t really run into any muddiness with anything I listened to.

Overall the sound is really good for studio and mixing purposes. The detail and clarity throughout the frequency range and the flatter frequency response make these a great option for studio work for their price.

Casual listeners may or may not like these. People who like very strong sub bass will probably find these to be a little lacking in that regard. Those that like a more balanced and smooth sound without over-emphasis in bass will likely find these to sound really good for most types of music.

Electronic drummers will likely find these to be a very nice pair of headphones. I know I did, they’ll probably stay in my immediate rotation for now as far as headphones go. I liked how these sounded when plugged into a drum module. They bring out a really good sound with all of the drum modules and kits I’ve used.

Closed Back Design

These are closed back headphones meaning that they will offer a little bit of passive noise isolation. This can help keep others from hearing what you are listening to, and can block out some environmental noise when you are wearing them.

The noise isolation is pretty average but it’s nice to have, especially if you’re using them in a noise space.

For electronic drummers, the noise isolation is welcome since it helps to block out some of the sound of sticks hitting the pads and helps you get more immersed in the drum sounds coming from the module.

Comfort

These headphones offer a good amount of comfort and I’ve not experienced any major negatives while wearing them.

The ear cups feel good and fit a little large on my ears while creating a good seal, which I like. The fit is snug but not overly tight, so they don’t slip around if I move around a bit. The headband is comfortable and has good padding.

The ear cups swivel a little bit forward and 90° backwards. This helps them fit snugly and you can also lay the ear cups flat if you have these around your neck.

The only negative in terms of comfort is that I wish these had one or two more clicks available on the size adjustment. I have my headband extended all the way on both sides and they fit just right. I’m unable to wear these with a hat since they can’t adjust any larger.

Build Quality

I think these feel like they’re well built, but they use mostly plastic in the construction, which is the major drawback. Even the yokes are made from plastic. But they feel like a thicker, stronger plastic like the type used on my clips for drum mics. And those are pretty much indestructible even when being flexed and bent.

The swivel on the ear cups is solid and with the simplicity in design it doesn’t feel like something that will wear out any time soon.

The padding on the headband is really nice and the stitching on the headband covering looks sharp. The ear cup material feels good when wearing these and not cheap.

Even though they’re non-collapsible, I don’t feel uncomfortable putting these in my backpack, and I haven’t had any issues with crushing or breaking during transport. I have a feeling they’ll hold up for a while since they’ve held up well after dragging these between home and the studio repeatedly.

The Cable

These headphones come with a 3 meter straight cable. The cable has a 3.5mm plug and a 1/4″ adapter. The cable attaches to the bottom of the left ear cup and can be removed which is nice.

The long, straight cable is great for electronic drumming. It gives you some freedom of movement and lessens the chance that you’ll accidentally jerk around the cable when it’s plugged into a drum module. It might feel a little too long for casual listeners who are looking to plug their headphones into a phone in their pocket.

Are These Headphones Good For Electronic Drumming?

We think these headphones are a great pick for use with electronic drum kits. They check all of our boxes in terms of what to look for.

• The sound quality is great and drums sound clear and punchy.
• The sound stage is plenty good enough to properly present a stereo drum kit and to represent the positioning of the drums and cymbals from left to right.
• The noise isolation is good enough to help you focus more on the sounds of the drum module rather than the sounds of the sticks on the pads.
• These headphones are plenty comfortable and can be worn for longer periods of time.
• The long, straight cable is also ideal for use with electronic drums.

Technical Specifications

The Verdict

These are an excellent option for great sounding studio headphones. They offer a really nice sound and good comfort.

There really aren’t any major weaknesses in the sound quality and it’s hard to find something that doesn’t sound good on these headphones. They also offer all the positives that we look for in electronic drumming headphones. The only potential drawback is the somewhat limited sizing extension on the headband for fit. We recommend these for anybody that needs a good pair of headphones for around $150 for the studio or for playing drums and other electronic instruments.