The SR80E's highs and lows are boosted, making the sound detailed and punchy, and should result in a fun listening experience. This is enhanced by a wide soundstage and defined imaging that other headphones in the price category cannot match.
The highs are quite forward which brings out a lot of detail from the music. The mids, while not upfront, have nice presence and body to the music. The bass has good impact and is well-defined.
The SR80e works best for rock, country or live music, but can also perform well for classical music, EDM and similar genres.
The headband is only a piece of leather with a very thin metal sheet inside to give it structure, along with thin metal rods as gimbals for the plastic ear cups. Not only is it light, it's also quite portable too.
Some users may find the highs to be too much. This is especially true if used with music that have a lot of high frequency sounds or effects like cymbals for example.
These headphones leak a lot of sound which means that other people near you can easily hear what you are listening to. These are not the best to use if you are in a place where silence is important.
The SR80e's ear cups sit on top of the user's ears with just a thin foam piece acting as cushion. This can result in an uncomfortable listening experience, especially when worn for extended periods.
These sound great, but build quality might not be up to par with the sound. The headband is very thin while the ear cups are mostly made of plastic. If you are looking for headphones that look and feel premium then these may not be for you.
The 3.5mm plug is very large, and if you use a case on your phone, you won't be able to fit it in all the way. This can make the headphones sound off, or not produce any sound at all.
Th ear cups sport an open-back design, with mesh as the only covering on the driver. This gives a good sound stage which, while not very wide, is enough to give a feeling that the sound is coming from some distance away instead of just from beside your ears. This gives the music a more natural feel.
The bass stands out as it is full and has good extension. The mid-range may not be the most detailed, but there is a smoothness to it that gives the sound a warm and pleasing quality. There is a slight roll-off to the high frequencies yet detail and extension is still good . Overall, these headphones can give a fun listening experience that can work well with all genres of music.
The headband can easily be adjusted to fit a user's head. The assembly features sliding metal pieces which can easily be set to fit small to large heads.
Aside from headband adjustment, users can also adjust the clamping force of the ear cups using the Comfort Zone system. This changes how secure the ear cups attach to the headband, which results in either a loose or tight clamp.
The ear cups can be folded into the headband. This further reduces its already slim design into something that is much more compact. When folded down, these headphones can easily fit in small bags.
These headphones may look thin and flimsy, but are actually much more durable than their look suggests. The headband is made out of metal and can take some flex without snapping. The plastics used also exude a quality feel.
When used on the go, these headphones get extra protection from the included carrying pouch. This pouch looks simple and is made out of pleather, which should protect these headphones from scratches.
These are eye-catching headphones because of their retro design. The unusual shape of the driver case and the blue accents definitely make these look unique.
If you are looking for headphones that offer a lot of thump and a lot of detail then these are not for you. The headphone drivers are too small to create powerful and highly detailed sound.
The M40x can be used for casual music listening, studio tracking or on the go. The fairly balanced sound signature is versatile and works well with virtually all music genres. Build is solid, comfort top notch, with removable cables and foldable yokes for easy transport. This feature set is one of the best in the price range.
Sound signature is quite accurate, almost flat. Bass is much more controlled instead of boomy, while there is a slight elevation on the highs, resulting in extra energy and detail up top. These offer a nice middle ground between a fun sound and a more reference/analytical sound signature. This sound quality makes the headphones quite versatile as music enjoyment headphones or studio-use cans.
The over-ear, closed back design along with the thick pleather ear pads can block out quite a lot of ambient noise, and will help users to focus in on the music. These make the headphones great for travel or for mixing/monitoring use.
The M40xs feel solid and are known to be quite durable. The plastics used in the build do not easily flex or make creaks, giving the impression that these can last quite a long time.