Audeze MM-100 vs Shure SRH1540

Short answer: the Audeze MM-100. It ranks #139 of 216 over-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 3.4/5, at $399; the Shure SRH1540 ranks #144, rated 3.3/5, and costs $549, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.

The case for the Audeze MM-100: The 90 mm planar magnetic driver has an 18 ohm impedance and 98 dB/mW sensitivity, so it gets loud from a phone dongle or laptop without a dedicated amp. Watch for: Oratory1990’s measurement shows sub-bass about 6.6 dB below target, falling 6 dB short by 50 Hz, so deep electronic bass and organ notes lack rumble.

What the Shure SRH1540 does well: The smoothest of this group, with just 2.33 dB of deviation and a biggest dip of only 3.3 dB near 8.6 kHz, so treble is more even and cymbals keep their detail. Watch for: Upper bass sits about 5.1 dB above target, which adds warmth and some boom that can cloud kick drums and male vocals.

Buy the Audeze MM-100. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Shure SRH1540 and costs less, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.

Looking for alternatives? See the complete Headphones rankings.

Specifications Side By Side

Related Headphone Comparisons

More top alternatives to Audeze MM-100:

• Sennheiser HD 490 Pro vs Audeze MM-100
• Shure SRH1840 vs Audeze MM-100
• Focal Azurys vs Audeze MM-100
• Focal Azurys vs Shure SRH1540
• Shure SRH1540 vs Neumann NDH20

Prices on this page were last checked October 11, 2026 at 4:59 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

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The Two Headphones In Full

Audeze MM-100: $399.00 B&H Photo Video eBay

Pros: The 90 mm planar magnetic driver has an 18 ohm impedance and 98 dB/mW sensitivity, so it gets loud from a phone dongle or laptop without a dedicated amp. In oratory1990’s measurement the midrange tracks the Harman target closely from 200 Hz to 3 kHz, which keeps voices and instruments natural in tone. It suits listeners who prefer a warm, smooth presentation over an etched, bright one.

Cons: Oratory1990’s measurement shows sub-bass about 6.6 dB below target, falling 6 dB short by 50 Hz, so deep electronic bass and organ notes lack rumble. A deep 13.1 dB dip near 9.4 kHz and treble running nearly 7 dB low dull cymbals and air, and the open back leaks sound and blocks no outside noise. At 475 g it is heavy, and the cheaper Sennheiser Amperior rates the same.

Full Audeze MM-100 review and specifications →

Released	Apr 2023 (3 years ago)
Back	Open
Built-in Microphone	No
Connection	Wired
Deviation From Target	3.17 dB standard deviation
Driver Type	Planar magnetic
Drivers	1 x 90mm planar magnetic
Form Factor	Over-ear
Frequency Response	20Hz - 25kHz (Manufacturer specified)
Harman Preference Score	69 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ)
Impedance	18 ohms
Sensitivity	98 dB/mW
Sub-bass Extension	Falls 6 dB below target at 50 Hz (-6.9 dB at 30 Hz)
Tonal Tilt	-0.36 (negative is warmer, positive brighter)
Weight	1 lbs (475 g)

EQ preset to match the Harman target

Set a preamp of -6.0 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.

Filter	Frequency	Gain	Q
Low shelf	105 Hz	+5.6 dB	0.70
Peak	4,762 Hz	+5.8 dB	2.44
Peak	8,491 Hz	+5.9 dB	1.63
Peak	323 Hz	-1.8 dB	0.18
Peak	2,975 Hz	-6.0 dB	3.54
High shelf	10,000 Hz	-3.7 dB	0.70
Peak	1,028 Hz	-1.8 dB	2.24
Peak	1,883 Hz	+2.8 dB	3.79
Peak	551 Hz	+0.9 dB	1.17
Peak	1,401 Hz	-0.6 dB	1.23

• Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
  • AutoEQ results for the Audeze MM-100 (oratory1990 measurement)
• Head-to-Head Comparisons
  • Audeze MM-100 vs Focal Azurys
  • Audeze MM-100 vs Shure SRH1840
  • Audeze MM-100 vs Sennheiser HD 490 Pro

Shure SRH1540: $549.00 Amazon eBay

Pros: The smoothest of this group, with just 2.33 dB of deviation and a biggest dip of only 3.3 dB near 8.6 kHz, so treble is more even and cymbals keep their detail. Mids are within about 1.2 dB of target and treble sits close to it. At 286 g with a closed back, 46 ohms and 99 dB per mW, it works from a phone and isolates reasonably.

Cons: Upper bass sits about 5.1 dB above target, which adds warmth and some boom that can cloud kick drums and male vocals. Sound is warmer than the Harman target overall, so it suits listeners who like a bassy presentation more than neutral ones. It is wired only, and the Bose QuietComfort 35 II has a higher rating at a lower price with wireless.

Full Shure SRH1540 review and specifications →

Back	Closed
Connection	Wired
Deviation From Target	2.33 dB standard deviation
Driver Type	Dynamic
Drivers	1 x 40mm dynamic
Form Factor	Over-ear
Frequency Response	5Hz - 25kHz (Manufacturer specified)
Harman Preference Score	67 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ)
Impedance	46 ohms
Sensitivity	99 dB/mW
Sub-bass Extension	Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+0.5 dB at 30 Hz)
Tonal Tilt	-1.18 (negative is warmer, positive brighter)
Weight	0.6 lbs (286 g)

EQ preset to match the Harman target

Set a preamp of -3.4 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.

Filter	Frequency	Gain	Q
Low shelf	105 Hz	+1.9 dB	0.70
Peak	107 Hz	-5.7 dB	0.58
Peak	688 Hz	+1.7 dB	0.62
Peak	6,484 Hz	+2.0 dB	0.31
Peak	2,709 Hz	-2.3 dB	1.97
High shelf	10,000 Hz	-0.4 dB	0.70
Peak	4,812 Hz	+2.0 dB	4.68
Peak	5,940 Hz	-2.4 dB	6.00
Peak	40 Hz	-0.6 dB	2.05
Peak	60 Hz	+0.8 dB	4.03

• Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
  • AutoEQ results for the Shure SRH1540 (oratory1990 measurement)
• Head-to-Head Comparisons
  • Shure SRH1540 vs Focal Azurys
  • Shure SRH1540 vs Shure SRH1840
  • Shure SRH1540 vs Neumann NDH20