Pros & Cons
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- Excellent audio performance.
- Impressively lightweight despite large size.
- Exceptionally comfortable.
- Ships with two detachable cables, a replacement pair of earcups, and the sturdiest hard-shell headphone case we've ever seen.
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- No inline remote control or mic on either cable.
- Not for booming bass lovers.
Shure SRH1540 Specs
| Connection Type | Stereo 3.5mm |
| Type | Circumaural (over-ear) |
Most headphones we test tend to have a moderate-to-intense bass response, so reviewing a pair like the Shure SRH1540 ($499.00 at Amazon) almost comes as a shock. Few headphones can extend down as low as 5Hz and yet deliver accurate bass response that doesn't boost the low-end into blowing out the rest of the mix. The sound signature of the SRH1540 is all about accuracy and balance; you'll hear even the lowest of bass levels if they're present, and the vocals will remain crisp and clear. This is about presenting a clear picture of the mix, something few headphones are intended to do these days, so don't expect exaggerated bass response. This is a serious purchase at $499, but mix engineers and music lovers alike will not be disappointed with what they hear. The SRH1540 earns our Editors' Choice award easily.
Design
Shure's designs have always tended visually towards the utilitarian rather than the flashy, though the black-and-silver SRH1540 manages to throw in a little flare on top of its simple looks with carbon fiber panels on each earcup. Despite a massive frame, the SRH1540 is deceptively lightweight at 10.1 ounces; compared with the recently tested, heavy-but-comfortable Blue Microphones Mo-Fi, it feels light as a feather. The light weight is partially responsible for the SRH1540's very comfortable feel—but a major factor is the overstuffed, super-plush earpads. The pads are covered in Alcantara, a composite material that feels like an expensive cross between velvet and fine leather.The very flexible headband is also sufficiently padded, and the adjustors on both sides lock in a wonderfully effective manner; once you get the right fit for your head, the SRH1540 won't be slipping out of place over time. Visual markers or click-stops on the headband would have been nice, but the lock is secure and fits so precisely that it isn't entirely necessary. The detachable cables connect to either earcup with snap-in connections. Once they're in, they will stay in place unless you are actively trying to remove them.
Though the SRH1540 ships with two detachable cables, neither has an inline remote or mic. The implication seems clear: These headphones are for listening to music, not talking to friends. It's an odd choice, however, since one cable could have been equipped with a remote and one not, a common configuration for headphones recently.
The SRH1540 ships with replacement earpads, a luxurious inclusion that the price seems to warrant. The earpads, aside from being comfortable, also passively block out a notable amount of ambient room noise. A 1/4-inch headphone jack adapter is also included, along with the largest, most heavy-duty hard-shell headphone case we've encountered in recent memory. This case would eat up a large portion of any carry-on bag, but if you must travel with the SRH1540, Shure has ensured that the headphones will stay protected.
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Performance
The SRH1540 is a phenomenal pair of headphones for reference listening. When we talk about audio purists seeking flat response, this sound signature is precisely what we're referring to. Bright, crisp, dynamic headphone pairs are a rarity in this modern era of boosted bass. With the SRH1540, you hear all the bass parts clearly down to the deepest lows, just without the artificial impression that subwoofers are hidden inside the cups. This sound signature is more or less the opposite approach of the aforementioned Blue Mo-Fi, which also provides quality audio, but of a different sort. Both headphone pairs are excellent, but while the Mo-Fi is coated in a sheen of highly sculpted, dramatic highs and rich lows, the SRH1540 is decidedly focused on balance throughout the entire frequency range.On a track with tremendous sub-bass content, like The Knife's "Silent Shout," the SRH1540 delivers a clear picture of the deep lows without the booming intensity of most headphones with boosted bass response. You get a strong sense of the intense low-end, but the crisp vocals and high-mids in general rule the spotlight.
Bill Callahan's "Drover" gives us an even better sense of the SRH1540's sound signature. His vocals retain a crisp edge and their rich baritone presence, while the drums are delivered with a subtle bass presence. Again, the sound here is crisp, but not without low-end. There's an articulate low frequency presence; it just takes a backseat to the high-mid edge of the vocals and guitar strumming.
On Jay-Z and Kanye West's "No Church in the Wild," the attack of the kick drum loop gets the perfect amount of high-mid presence so that it cuts through the dense mix, while the loop's sustain gets a subtle bass presence. The sub-bass synth hits that punctuate the beat are not delivered with the earth-shaking presence they often have on heavily bass-boosted pairs. Instead, like the electronic drum hits on "Silent Shout," the bass presence is clear, round, and well-defined without being overpowering. It's worth noting that on another Jay-Z and Kanye West track, "Otis," I heard another sub-bass synth part with more clarity than I've ever heard it before: a note that's so low, most headphones can't accurately reproduce it. It doesn't sound intense through the SRH1540, but the extended frequency response of the headphones allows it to be heard when many other models can't touch it.
Classical tracks, like the opening scene in John Adams' "The Gospel According to the Other Mary," get about as flat a response as you can get. There's low frequency presence, for sure, but it's very subtle compared with most options we test. Thus, the lower register strings and percussion take a bit of a backseat to the vocal performances, higher register strings, and percussion. It's an accurate sound that purists will embrace, but it's perhaps a bit clinical for some listeners.
If you're looking for a sound with more bass presence in this price range, the Blue Microphones Mo-Fi has plenty of bells and whistles, but also sounds quite good, while the Sennheiser HD6 Mix ($149.95 at Guitar Center) provides a wonderful balance of bass and treble. If you're on a budget, something similar to the flat response sound of the SRH1540 can be found in far more affordable headphone pairs, like the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro ($69.99 at Amazon) or the Akai MPC Headphones ( at Amazon) . If you have the budget, however, and want a headphone pair that can reach down to the depths of the lowest bass frequencies and deliver them without any exaggeration, the Shure SRH1540 is an ideal pair. These headphones are an excellent tool for both analyzing a mix and critical listening. They present almost zero embellishment, and are a purist's dream. While not for everyone, the SRH1540 earns our Editors' Choice for its dedication to accuracy.
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