Short answer: the Shure SRH440A. It ranks #169 of 216 over-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 3.0/5, at $109. The Sennheiser ACCENTUM ranks #181, rated 2.9/5, at $99.95, $9.05 cheaper, a saving that is not big enough to make up the sound-quality gap.
The case for the Shure SRH440A: Bass is lifted about 3 dB below 60 Hz and 5.6 dB from 60 to 200 Hz, which gives kick drums and bass lines a strong punch. The catch: The low end is heavy enough to add warmth and some boom to the lower mids on bass-heavy music.
The case for the Sennheiser ACCENTUM: Active noise cancelling, a long 50 hour battery, aptX HD support and a wired option make it a practical everyday headphone at 0.5 lbs (222 g). Watch for: A 7 dB dip near 4.3 kHz and a presence band about 2.4 dB low push vocals back and soften detail.
Buy the Shure SRH440A. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $9.05 you would save on the Sennheiser ACCENTUM does not close the gap.
Want more options? Browse the full Headphones rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Shure SRH440A | Sennheiser ACCENTUM | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $109.00 | $99.95 |
| Ranked | #169 of 216 in Over-Ear Headphones | #181 of 216 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 60 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) | 56 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.73 dB standard deviation | 2.78 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.32 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -1.51 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+1.8 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+5.0 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wireless and wired |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Impedance | 44 ohms | - |
| Sensitivity | 105 dB/mW | 106 dB SPL (1 kHz / 0 dBFS) |
| Weight | 0.7 lbs (311 g) | 0.5 lbs (222 g) |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 22kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 10Hz - 22kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Drivers | - | 1 x 37mm dynamic |
| Active Noise Cancelling | - | Yes |
| Battery Life | - | 50 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.2 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD |
| Built-in Microphone | - | Yes |
| IP Rating | - | None |
Related Headphone Comparisons
How Shure SRH440A compares with other leading options:
- Sennheiser HD 280 Pro vs Shure SRH440A
- Anker Soundcore Space One vs Shure SRH440A
- Razer BlackShark V2 Pro vs Shure SRH440A
- Shure SRH440A vs Audio-Technica ATH-AD500X
- Sennheiser ACCENTUM vs Audio-Technica ATH-AD500X
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 SRH440A: $109.00 Amazon eBay
Older model: the Shure SRH440 (ranked higher, rated 4.6/5). See every Shure SRH440 generation.
Pros: Bass is lifted about 3 dB below 60 Hz and 5.6 dB from 60 to 200 Hz, which gives kick drums and bass lines a strong punch. The midrange is close to target, within about 1.3 dB, and the response is fairly smooth with a standard deviation under 3 dB in oratory1990’s measurement. At 44 ohms and 105 dB/mW it runs fine from a phone, and the closed back isolates from outside noise.
Cons: The low end is heavy enough to add warmth and some boom to the lower mids on bass-heavy music. A 3.9 dB dip near 4.1 kHz recesses vocal presence, while treble above 10 kHz sits about 3.5 dB over target. It is wired only with no microphone listed, and the Anker Soundcore Space One has a higher rating with wireless and noise cancelling.
Full Shure SRH440A review and specifications →
| Back | Closed |
|---|---|
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.73 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 22kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 60 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 44 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 105 dB/mW |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+1.8 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.32 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.7 lbs (311 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -5.3 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 | -0.5 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 160 Hz | -5.5 dB | 0.47 |
| Peak | 4,109 Hz | +5.0 dB | 3.87 |
| Peak | 1,427 Hz | +2.5 dB | 0.85 |
| Peak | 310 Hz | +5.5 dB | 2.14 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -4.0 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 51 Hz | -0.6 dB | 1.71 |
| Peak | 88 Hz | +0.7 dB | 2.65 |
| Peak | 189 Hz | -0.5 dB | 3.16 |
| Peak | 5,300 Hz | -0.7 dB | 6.00 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Sennheiser ACCENTUM: $99.95 Wireless B&H Photo Video eBay
Pros: Active noise cancelling, a long 50 hour battery, aptX HD support and a wired option make it a practical everyday headphone at 222 g. Sub-bass sits about 6 dB above target and reaches down to 20 Hz, a good fit for listeners who like a warm, bass rich sound. Its 2.78 dB standard deviation is smoother than many headphones at its price.
Cons: A 7 dB dip near 4.3 kHz and a presence band about 2.4 dB low push vocals back and soften detail. It has no IP rating for water or sweat. The Anker Soundcore Space One is rated higher and costs less.
Full Sennheiser ACCENTUM review and specifications →
| Released | Oct 2023 (3 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Active Noise Cancelling | Yes |
| Back | Closed |
| Battery Life | 50 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Connection | Wireless and wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.78 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 37mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 22kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 56 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| IP Rating | None |
| Sensitivity | 106 dB SPL (1 kHz / 0 dBFS) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+5.0 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.51 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.5 lbs (222 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -5.6 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 | -4.5 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 571 Hz | -1.6 dB | 0.18 |
| Peak | 1,870 Hz | +5.7 dB | 2.57 |
| Peak | 4,181 Hz | +5.4 dB | 3.61 |
| Peak | 33 Hz | -2.0 dB | 1.01 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -5.9 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 3,003 Hz | -1.9 dB | 4.46 |
| Peak | 8,989 Hz | +3.3 dB | 0.91 |
| Peak | 5,774 Hz | -3.0 dB | 5.50 |
| Peak | 3,777 Hz | +0.4 dB | 2.96 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons