Shure SRH1840 vs Shure SRH1540

Short answer: the Shure SRH1840. It ranks #126 of 216 over-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 3.5/5, at $549; the Shure SRH1540 ranks #144, rated 3.3/5, at $549. With prices this close, go by the sound-quality ranking rather than the cost.

The case for the Shure SRH1840: The response leans neutral to slightly bright, with upper mids about 1.8 dB above target and presence and treble within about 1 dB, which makes vocals and instrument detail clear. Watch for: Sub-bass is about 7.5 dB under target and bass is about 1.8 dB low, so kick drums and bass guitar are thin and lack rumble.

Why pick the Shure SRH1540: 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. The tradeoff: 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 Shure SRH1840. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Shure SRH1540 at the same price, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.

Want more options? Browse the full Headphones rankings.

Specifications Side By Side

Related Headphone Comparisons

How Shure SRH1840 compares with other leading options:

• Neumann NDH30 vs Shure SRH1840
• Focal Azurys vs Shure SRH1840
• Shure SRH1840 vs Audeze MM-100
• Shure SRH1540 vs Neumann NDH20
• Focal Azurys vs Shure SRH1540

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

Shure SRH1840: $549.00 Amazon eBay

Pros: The response leans neutral to slightly bright, with upper mids about 1.8 dB above target and presence and treble within about 1 dB, which makes vocals and instrument detail clear. The preference score of 71 and 2.29 dB deviation reflect a smooth, even midrange and treble. It is an open back at 268 g.

Cons: Sub-bass is about 7.5 dB under target and bass is about 1.8 dB low, so kick drums and bass guitar are thin and lack rumble. A 4.4 dB peak near 3.1 kHz can make voices and strings sound forward or slightly harsh at higher volumes. At 65 ohms and 96 dB/mW sensitivity it benefits from a proper headphone amplifier, and the open back leaks sound. The Denon AH-D5200 earns a higher rating among its rivals. See headphone amps and DACs with enough power to drive it.

Full Shure SRH1840 review and specifications →

Back	Open
Connection	Wired
Deviation From Target	2.29 dB standard deviation
Driver Type	Dynamic
Drivers	1 x 40mm dynamic
Form Factor	Over-ear
Frequency Response	10Hz - 30kHz (Manufacturer specified)
Harman Preference Score	71 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ)
Impedance	65 ohms
Sensitivity	96 dB/mW
Sub-bass Extension	Falls 6 dB below target at 38 Hz (-7.5 dB at 30 Hz)
Tonal Tilt	+0.91 (negative is warmer, positive brighter)
Weight	0.6 lbs (268 g)

EQ preset to match the Harman target

Set a preamp of -6.2 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	+6.2 dB	0.70
Peak	3,060 Hz	-4.5 dB	1.40
Peak	581 Hz	+2.0 dB	0.95
Peak	4,732 Hz	+4.2 dB	3.22
Peak	180 Hz	-1.2 dB	0.82
High shelf	10,000 Hz	-1.1 dB	0.70
Peak	59 Hz	+0.5 dB	2.87
Peak	89 Hz	-0.2 dB	2.05
Peak	6,333 Hz	-1.0 dB	6.00
Peak	7,292 Hz	+1.3 dB	5.96

• Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
  • AutoEQ results for the Shure SRH1840 (oratory1990 measurement)
• Head-to-Head Comparisons
  • Shure SRH1840 vs Focal Azurys
  • Shure SRH1840 vs Neumann NDH30
  • Shure SRH1840 vs Audeze MM-100

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 Audeze MM-100
  • Shure SRH1540 vs Focal Azurys
  • Shure SRH1540 vs Neumann NDH20