Shure’s SRH440A is a pair of closed-back monitor headphones.
Monitor headphones are headphones for hearing sound exactly as it is when you record or mix.
In this article we rate it on 5 criteria using only the specifications the manufacturer publishes, and show how it ranks among the 20 monitor headphones we compare.
Disclosure: This site takes part in affiliate programs. Specifications are as of the date we checked them and can change.
Score 3.2 / 5 (average of the 20 models compared: 3.6)
- Specs last checked
- 2026/10/19
- Type
- Closed-back
- Impedance
- 40Ω
- Weight
- 268g
- Upper limit
- 22,000Hz
- Price (store, date)
- Not disclosed
Figure: SoundBounty
Summary
Among the 20 monitor headphones, SRH440A is rank B. The ranks run S, A, B and C, and B is third from the top. Averaging the scores for each criterion (out of 5) gives 3.2.
Strengths
- Ease of driving (40 Ω, 4 points): You can easily get enough volume even from an audio interface or a smartphone.
- Suitability for recording (sound leakage) (closed-back design, 5 points): They leak little sound, so they can be used while recording vocals.
Things to keep in mind
- High-frequency range (22,000 Hz, 2 points): Checking very high sounds is modest among the products we compared.
- Lightness (268 g, 2 points): They are on the heavy side, so you may tire in long sessions.
Who it suits: judging from the specifications, it suits people who want enough volume from an audio interface or smartphone without a headphone amplifier; people who want less sound leakage while recording.
Main features of SRH440A
Closed-back headphones described as made for recording and mixing
They are over-ear closed-back headphones with 40 mm neodymium dynamic drivers. The manufacturer says they have a natural sound with little coloring, suited to editing in recording and mixing.
Foldable, with a replaceable cable
They fold flat. The cable is a locking detachable one (3 m, straight), so you can replace it if it breaks. A screw-on 6.3 mm adapter is also included.
Specifications
The frequency response is 10 to 22,000 Hz, the impedance is 40 Ω, the sensitivity is 97 dB/mW and the weight is 268 g without the cable.
Where it is useful
- Keeping the sound of the headphones out of the microphone while recording a vocal cover
- Wanting a tidy look when streaming or recording video
- Choosing your first pair of monitor headphones
Rating by criterion
Ease of driving: 4 / 5
Whether you can get volume without a headphone amplifier (impedance). The smaller the number, the easier they are to drive.
SRH440A: 40 Ω. That is a high rating among the products we compared. You can easily get enough volume even from an audio interface or a smartphone.
Low-frequency range: 3 / 5
How low a sound they can reproduce (the lower limit of the frequency response).
SRH440A: 10 Hz. That is a standard rating among the products we compared.
High-frequency range: 2 / 5
How high a sound they can reproduce (the upper limit of the frequency response).
SRH440A: 22,000 Hz. That is a modest rating among the products we compared. Checking very high sounds is modest among the products we compared.
Lightness: 2 / 5
The weight of the headphones. The lighter they are, the less they tire you over long periods.
SRH440A: 268 g. That is a modest rating among the products we compared. They are on the heavy side, so you may tire in long sessions.
Suitability for recording (sound leakage): 5 / 5
Whether they are closed-back, which leaks little sound. Less leakage means the headphone sound does not get into the microphone while you sing.
SRH440A: closed-back design. That is a high rating among the products we compared. They leak little sound, so they can be used while recording vocals.
The gray marks in the figure below (the dotted line on the pentagon) show the average of the 20 products we compared. Price is not part of the score.
How we score (Monitor headphones)
| Criterion | Basis | 5 pt | 4 pt | 3 pt | 2 pt | 1 pt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ease of driving | Impedance (the lower it is, the easier to reach a good volume from a small amplifier) | ≤32 | ≤40 | ≤55 | ≤100 | >100 |
| Low-frequency range | Lower limit of the frequency response | ≤5 | ≤8 | ≤15 | ≤20 | >20 |
| High-frequency range | Upper limit of the frequency response | ≥40000 | ≥30000 | ≥25000 | ≥22000 | <22000 |
| Lightness | Weight (cable excluded) | ≤200 | ≤220 | ≤250 | ≤290 | >290 |
| Suitability for recording (sound leakage) | Closed-back or open-back (closed-back keeps sound out of the microphone while you sing) | Closed-back | — | — | — | Open-back |
Scored only on the body specifications published by the manufacturer. Price and accessories are not part of the score. Ease of driving is compared by impedance (Ω), which every manufacturer publishes. The lower the number, the easier it is to reach a good volume from the headphone jack of an audio interface or a smartphone, so a headphone amplifier is less likely to be needed (sensitivity is shown in the table for reference). "Suitability for recording" scores closed-back headphones higher because the sound is less likely to leak into the microphone while you sing. If you choose open-back headphones for mixing, you can ignore this item.
SRH440A connection and getting started
| Connection | 3.5 mm plug (with a screw-on 6.3 mm adapter). Locking detachable cable (3 m) |
|---|---|
| In the box | Detachable straight cable, 6.3 mm adapter (2-year warranty) |
Checked on the manufacturer’s official pages on October 17, 2026.
Compared with other monitor headphones
Click a heading to sort. On a phone, the table scrolls sideways.
| Product | RankAvg. score | Type | ImpedanceΩ | SensitivitydB/V | Lower limitHz | Upper limitHz | Weightg | Price (store, date) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audio-TechnicaATH-M20x | A 3.4 | Closed-back | 47 | 109.3 | 15 | 20,000 | 190 | Not disclosed |
| Audio-TechnicaATH-M30x | A 3.4 | Closed-back | 47 | 109.3 | 15 | 22,000 | 220 | Not disclosed |
| Audio-TechnicaATH-M40x | A 3.4 | Closed-back | 35 | 112.6 | 15 | 24,000 | 240 | Not disclosed |
| Audio-TechnicaATH-M50x | A 3.4 | Closed-back | 38 | 113.2 | 15 | 28,000 | 285 | Not disclosed |
| Audio-TechnicaATH-M70x | S 4.2 | Closed-back | 35 | 111.6 | 5 | 40,000 | 280 | Not disclosed |
| Audio-TechnicaATH-R70x | B 3.2 | Open-back | 470 | 101.3 | 5 | 40,000 | 210 | Not disclosed |
| SonyMDR-M1 | S 4.4 | Closed-back | 50 | 115 | 5 | 80,000 | 216 | Not disclosed |
| SonyMDR-M1ST | S 4.8 | Closed-back | 24 | 119.2 | 5 | 80,000 | 215 | Not disclosed |
| SonyMDR-CD900ST | S 4.2 | Closed-back | 63 | 118 | 5 | 30,000 | 200 | Not disclosed |
| YamahaHPH-MT8 | B 3.2 | Closed-back | 37 | 116.3 | 15 | 28,000 | 350 | Not disclosed |
| YamahaHPH-MT5 | B 2.8 | Closed-back | 51 | 112.9 | 20 | 20,000 | 245 | Not disclosed |
| beyerdynamicDT 770 PRO 80Ω | A 4.0 | Closed-back | 80 | Not disclosed | 5 | 35,000 | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| beyerdynamicDT 990 PRO 80Ω | B 3.0 | Open-back | 80 | Not disclosed | 5 | 35,000 | 250 | Not disclosed |
| SennheiserHD 280 PRO | B 3.2 | Closed-back | 64 | Not disclosed | 8 | 25,000 | 285 | Not disclosed |
| SennheiserHD 25 | B 3.2 | Closed-back | 70 | Not disclosed | 16 | 22,000 | 140 | Not disclosed |
| ShureSRH440A | B 3.2 | Closed-back | 40 | 111 | 10 | 22,000 | 268 | Not disclosed |
| ShureSRH840A | A 3.8 | Closed-back | 40 | 111 | 5 | 25,000 | 273 | Not disclosed |
| AKGK371 | S 4.4 | Closed-back | 32 | 114 | 5 | 40,000 | 255 | Not disclosed |
| beyerdynamicDT 770 PRO X | A 3.8 | Closed-back | 48 | Not disclosed | 5 | 40,000 | 305 | Not disclosed |
| SonyMDR-7506 | B 2.8 | Closed-back | 63 | 118 | 10 | 20,000 | 230 | Not disclosed |
Specifications are the manufacturer's published values (checked October 19, 2026). Sensitivity is written differently by each manufacturer, so it is shown for reference; beyerdynamic and the Sennheiser HD 280 PRO do not publish a sensitivity.
Before you buy
- They are closed-back. They leak little sound, so they are also easy to use for recording vocals.
- The impedance is 40 Ω. The impedance is on the low side, so it is relatively easy to reach a good volume even from the headphone jack of an audio interface. For reference, the sensitivity (loudness per 1 V) is 111 dB/V.
Read next
- ATH-R70x: features and rating (rank B)
- HD 280 PRO: features and rating (rank B)
- K371: features and rating (rank S)
- MDR-CD900ST: features and rating (rank S)
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