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Shure Srh1840Image © Amazon

Shure Srh1840

69/ 100
Good
HearWiki score

Priced about right

$500
typical price, USD
Still sold newupdated
Buy now onAmazon

At a glance

Brand
Shure
Type
Over-Ear
Fit
open
Connection
Wired
Noise cancelling
No
Released
2012

Score breakdowngood overall

Sound7.7
Value4.8

The HearWiki takeAI-condensed

The Shure SRH1840 is a lightweight, open-back wired headphone designed for studio use, featuring a 40mm dynamic driver and a remarkably flat frequency response that spans 10 Hz to 30 kHz. Its balanced connection capability and detachable cable make it a versatile tool for engineers, though its moderate impedance and lower sensitivity mean it performs best with dedicated headphone amplifiers rather than portable devices. While praised for its detailed sound and expansive soundstage, some listeners may find its lack of noise cancellation and non-foldable design limiting for on-the-go use.

What works

  • Exceptionally flat and neutral frequency response for accurate monitoring
  • Lightweight build with comfortable velour earpads for long sessions
  • Detachable cable and balanced connection option for flexible setups
  • Wide soundstage and clear treble detail enhance critical listening

What doesn't

  • High impedance and low sensitivity require a powerful amplifier
  • Not foldable, making transport less convenient
  • Open-back design offers no isolation from ambient noise
  • Performance may be compromised with lower-quality source gear

Paraphrased from published reviews & specs - not an original hands-on test. Our AI disclosure.

Specifications

Audio - Shure Srh1840
Driver40 mm dynamic
Driver typedynamic
Driver size40 mm
Drivers per side1
Frequency response10 Hz - 30 kHz
Impedance65 Ω
Sensitivity96 dB/mW

Where to buy

Retailers we matched to this exact model. Prices are periodic snapshots - the link always opens the retailer's current listing.

What the reviews said

4 source(s) feeding this product's score.

sonarworks.com

51

The reviewer praises the SRH1840’s build quality and says its frequency response is close to exceptionally flat, but concludes that severe third-harmonic distortion makes it unsuitable for critical listening.

Read the full review

tapeop.com

The reviewer found the SRH1840 essentially flat through the mids and highs, with no significant harmonic distortion in that range, and presents it as a strong open-back studio headphone.

Read the full review

whathifi.com

What Hi-Fi? describes the SRH1840 as highly detailed and enjoyable to listen to, but says it works best when paired with high-quality source gear.

Read the full review

What YouTube reviewers say

Video reviews we found, each condensed to its verdict. They do feed the HearWiki score, at a measured weight below what a published written review carries.

The consensus

Positiveacross 5 videos

Reviewers consistently praise the Shure SRH1840 for its exceptional comfort, lightweight build, and wide, accurate soundstage, making it a strong choice for mixing and critical listening.

Reviewers liked

  • Extremely comfortable and lightweight
  • Wide, accurate soundstage with excellent imaging
  • Neutral, detailed sound ideal for mixing and mastering

Reviewers flagged

  • Bass is understated and not punchy
  • Treble can be piercing or emphasize sibilance at times
  • Cable connector durability is a concern for some
10:44

Shure SRH1840 | neutrality at its best

Damir Franc31.8K viewsDec 2017

The reviewer finds the Shure SRH1840 to be an extremely neutral, comfortable, and lightweight open-back headphone, ideal for long listening sessions and studio monitoring. They consider it a worthy alternative to the Sennheiser HD 600, offering a wider soundstage and better comfort, though with less bass and sometimes piercing highs. Overall, they believe it is underrated and well worth its price.

3:41

SHURE SRH1840 BEST HEADPHONES EVER for mixing? Headphones Review

Mitch Michelle14.6K viewsDec 2017

The reviewer, Mitch, shares his experience using the Shure SRH1840 open-back headphones for mixing, which he received as a Christmas gift. He found them to be exceptionally accurate, with EQ curves that closely matched his studio monitors, making them a worthwhile $400 investment for anyone needing precise headphone monitoring. He notes a minor concern about the detachable cable connector's durability but overall highly recommends them.

8:40

Top of the Line! - Shure SRH1840 Headphones Detailed Review and Tests

askdrtk13K viewsOct 2022

The reviewer finds the Shure SRH1840 to be a highly accurate, well-built open-back headphone suited for critical listening and mastering, with excellent soundstage and imaging. They note a slight 10kHz presence boost that may emphasize sibilance but does not detract from overall accuracy. They consider it a strong value at $500, comparing favorably to the Sennheiser HD650 and Beyerdynamic DT1990, and would buy them.

7:59

Shure SRH1840 | Headphones Audio Test

Mad Steex5.8K viewsMay 2022

The reviewer finds the Shure SRH1840 headphones to be lightweight, comfortable, and well-built with metal parts. They praise the balanced, linear mids and smooth highs, noting the bass is slightly understated due to the open-back design, and recommend them for mixing, mastering, and hi-fi listening.

10:43

Shure SRH1840 review : Huge stage !! Blissful sonics 😍 @Shure

Eargasmic679 viewsSep 2025

The reviewer is highly impressed with the Shure SRH1840, praising its exceptional soundstage, imaging, and layering as standout features that surpass many headphones in its price range. While noting it is not a bass-heavy or reference-tuned headphone and has a slightly smooth treble, the overall sonic presentation is described as blissful and technically masterful, making it a strong recommendation for those prioritizing imaging over sharpness or punch.

Summaries are AI condensations of each video's own conclusion, not transcripts. Titles, thumbnails and view counts belong to their channels.

What owners say

A sample of buyer reviews, quoted as written. They aren't verified and they don't feed the HearWiki score - that comes from published reviews only.

These are my main headphones

These have been my main headphones for almost 2 years now. I moved from the 840s to these because I wanted open back headphones to save my ears. I was concerned about the bad reviews about the weirdRead more

Bought these by accident, but they are objectively good headphones.

For my setup I required something on the heavier side of bass and picked these up under misunderstood information and for what I needed it did not suit the bill. However, that being said. These areRead more

Important

These are not!! for any kind of bass music, hip-hop, rap, EDM, etc., because the bass is basically nonexistent. These are for natural music, rock, instruments, etc. Extremely clear sound, very comfy,Read more

Not a horrible product but in my opinion definitely not worth it

I liked the fact that they were comfy therefore they are good for long term use daily. However the sound quality just dosent hit for me they have a bit to much bass and lack HQ sound in all otherRead more

via Amazon customer reviews

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