Being a closed-back version of the SRH1840s, you'll have maximum sound isolation for hours of comfortable listening. I found them to be smooth in the high frequencies to sound warm and musical overall--even at loud listening levels. With them I could hear deep into my mixes and I like them to check and compare subtle details in my mixes to what I hear from my analytical-sounding main monitors.

I prefer the soft ear pad material of the SRH 1540s rather than the typically used black leatherette material that, over time, easily gets tattered around my Tones 4 $ Studios. I also liked the way the main cable splits into separate left and right cables that snap into the individual drivers using color-coded gold-plated MMCX connectors--this is an audiophile touch that works for me.

The SRH1540s come with a ¼-inch gold adapter, a set of replacement ear pads and two sets of connecting 1.83-meter cables in a semi-rigid carrying case that keeps the whole kit together and protected. A great tool and good studio investment, the SRH1540 headphones sell for $499 MAP.