Short answer: the Shure SRH840A. Both are rated 3.5/5 for sound quality (#127 and #131 of 216 over-ear headphones), and the Shure SRH840A costs $169 against $193 for the Sony MDR-CD900ST, and with sound quality even, the cheaper one is the better buy.
The case for the Shure SRH840A: Bass is big, with sub-bass about 3.9 dB and bass about 5.3 dB above target, which suits hip hop, EDM and pop where weight matters. The catch: The bass boost of 5.3 dB can bleed into the low mids and cloud vocals and bass guitar.
The case for the Sony MDR-CD900ST: The bass and mids are close to target, with bass within 0.3 dB and low mids about 1.8 dB up, and the 63 ohm, 106 dB/mW design is easy to drive. The tradeoff: Sub-bass is about 8.7 dB under target and the highs roll off, with treble 4.5 dB low from 6 to 10 kHz and air 6.8 dB low above 10 kHz.
Buy the Shure SRH840A. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $24 less than the Sony MDR-CD900ST.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Shure SRH840A | Sony MDR-CD900ST | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $169.00 | $193.00 |
| Ranked | #127 of 216 in Over-Ear Headphones | #131 of 216 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 71 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) | 70 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.25 dB standard deviation | 2.59 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.99 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.76 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+2.6 dB at 30 Hz) | Falls 6 dB below target at 50 Hz (-12.0 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 40mm dynamic | 1 x 40mm dynamic |
| Impedance | 44 ohms | 63 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 102 dB/mW | 106 dB/mW |
| Weight | 0.6 lbs (273 g) | 0.4 lbs (200 g) |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 25kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 5Hz - 30kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
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- Cooler Master MH752 vs Shure SRH840A
- Shure SRH840A vs FiiO FT1
- Cooler Master MH752 vs Sony MDR-CD900ST
- Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro X Limited Edition vs Sony MDR-CD900ST
- Sony MDR-CD900ST vs Fairphone Fairbuds XL
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 SRH840A: $169.00 Amazon eBay
Older model: the Shure SRH840 (ranked higher, rated 4.3/5). See every Shure SRH840 generation.
Pros: Bass is big, with sub-bass about 3.9 dB and bass about 5.3 dB above target, which suits hip hop, EDM and pop where weight matters. Treble and air are lifted too, about 2 dB and 4.5 dB over target, adding sparkle and a sense of detail. At 44 ohms and 102 dB/mW sensitivity it runs well from a phone, and the closed 273 g design isolates.
Cons: The bass boost of 5.3 dB can bleed into the low mids and cloud vocals and bass guitar. A 4 dB peak near 11.9 kHz can make cymbals and sibilance a little splashy. Overall tilt is warm, so listeners who want an accurate, neutral balance will find it colored.
Full Shure SRH840A review and specifications →
| Back | Closed |
|---|---|
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.25 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 40mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 25kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 71 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 44 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 102 dB/mW |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+2.6 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.99 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.6 lbs (273 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -3.3 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 | -1.4 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 1,254 Hz | +2.3 dB | 0.60 |
| Peak | 121 Hz | -3.6 dB | 0.71 |
| Peak | 5,403 Hz | -3.1 dB | 2.76 |
| Peak | 4,270 Hz | +3.9 dB | 4.65 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -4.6 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 46 Hz | -0.4 dB | 1.73 |
| Peak | 251 Hz | +1.2 dB | 3.63 |
| Peak | 170 Hz | -0.7 dB | 3.14 |
| Peak | 418 Hz | -0.6 dB | 2.84 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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Sony MDR-CD900ST: $193.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: The bass and mids are close to target, with bass within 0.3 dB and low mids about 1.8 dB up, and the 63 ohm, 106 dB/mW design is easy to drive. The lightweight 200 g closed back isolates well, and the neutral midrange has long suited monitoring work. Peaks are small, the biggest being 0.2 dB below target near 3.5 kHz.
Cons: Sub-bass is about 8.7 dB under target and the highs roll off, with treble 4.5 dB low from 6 to 10 kHz and air 6.8 dB low above 10 kHz. That leaves the sound thin at the bottom and dark on top, with little rumble or sparkle. A 5.9 dB dip near 6.2 kHz and a 2.4 dB dip in the upper mids also push vocals back.
Full Sony MDR-CD900ST review and specifications →
| Released | 1989 (37 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.59 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 40mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 30kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 70 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 63 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 106 dB/mW |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 50 Hz (-12.0 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.76 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.4 lbs (200 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.6 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 | +7.0 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 78 Hz | -3.6 dB | 0.76 |
| Peak | 1,982 Hz | +6.7 dB | 1.54 |
| Peak | 866 Hz | -2.9 dB | 0.18 |
| Peak | 6,984 Hz | +5.3 dB | 1.05 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | +5.4 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 3,934 Hz | -1.1 dB | 2.86 |
| Peak | 7,718 Hz | -2.8 dB | 3.68 |
| Peak | 5,807 Hz | +1.6 dB | 4.16 |
| Peak | 188 Hz | -0.6 dB | 2.64 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons