Open-back headphones are a bit of an acquired taste. By allowing the sound to escape from the back of the 'phone rather than be 'fired' direct into the ear you get a literally more 'open' flavour.

Brilliantly precise monitoring experience

You won't want to wear them in public

When Shure first entered the full-size headphone market its first efforts were all closed-back designs that offered good noise isolation and that were suitable for use in studio applications.

From the makers of arguably the most well respected audio tools out there, most notably the SM58 microphone, Shure present the SRH1840 professional open backed headphonesRead the rest of this entry »

Shure has been on fire since they entered the professional headphone market in 2010. First up were the then-new Shure SRH840 and SRH440 headphones. We really liked the way they sounded and the comfort they provided.

My impression of the 1840 is: Bass does not roll off, but is slightly less than the Shure 940. Mids are excellent. Presence isn't as lively as most headphones like the 940 or a Grado or even the Senn 600 series. Highs are excellent.

Just a joy to behold when one listens to all nine Beethoven Symphonies or Coldplay's 'Life in Technicolour'. Perfect for acoustic music, folk, indie, alternative and any music where hearing the lyrics clearly completes the audio enjoyment.

Superb sound; design; comfort

None ( but you do need to change the cable and burnin or run the headphone for at least 3050hrs to remove the "Thin" feeling

Shure's SRH1840s are the ‘Goldilocks' of headphones. As in the fairy tale, these cans are ‘just right' – a confident and composed pair of headphones, their relatively mundane look masks the superb sonic quality they can achieve.

Excellent detail; insightful; confident; natural sounding; flexible build; comfortable

They really ought to be partnered with high-quality equipment

I n recent years, microphone giants Shure have been building up their range of high-quality headphones. In October last year, we reviewed their impressive top-of-the-range closed-back model, the SRH940.

They sound beautiful; Comfortable to wear for long periods

This sort of quality costs money

One of Shure's first open-back designs, the SRH1840 headphones are comfortable and light, and the sound will surely thrill demanding audiophiles.

The lightweight design and extra-comfy earpads of the Shure SRH1840 Professional Open Back Headphones ensure high comfort over long listening sessions; These ruggedly built headphones also come with an extra set of detachable cables and replacement earpads

These are expensive; stay-at-home or studio headphones

The SRH 1840 are use for critical listening to mix and mastering audio material. They are very neutral with a well define low end. At this time they are not fully burned in, but the translation between phones to speakers is great. Audiophiles will love them for their good retain price.