Audio Technica ATH-E40 Professional In-Ear Monitor Headphone

Where to start, well let me start by saying these are some good IEMs. Previously I had the Shure 215's, which unfortuantely started crapping out after two years. Comparing the two, the sound on the SE215s does not come close to the E40s.I have been listening to them for about 2 hours so far, and really like them. One of the best parts is the low impedance of the E40s which means my phone can power the crap out of them (the SE215s have a higher impedance) As for sound quality, at this early stage, compared to my tediously software flattened AKG K702s, the E40s have an impressive response time, meaning that the kick drums and snare hits really explode in rock or pop music. I listened to some Muse, and they rocked it impressively, with vocals getting a tad sharp at times.. although, this is early days so there is always some burn in which could smooth stuff out. I also only experienced this with Muse and a few others, but definitely not all vocal tracks, so I suppose one could put it down to the original mixing.In jazz however, the horns shine gloriously and punch you just the right amount, not so much that it hurts, but definitely enough to let you know they are there. There is also a lot of speed and detail in the bass response for double basses and the lower instruments. The instrument separation is also top notch. Pianos have the details of each key, which is rather nice, and don't tend to get muddy.In classical music, the part where they really shine is sound stage, there are times when I would prefer my AKGs frequency response over them, for lack of consistency across the range, however, it is definitely a compromise worth making, and hardly one of note. The sound stage on these things is hella impressive, like... hella impressive, they compete with my AKG's easily, a vastly superior headphone in almost all areas.For vocal music, there is an interesting turn which seems to occur on particularly highly placed male or female vocal lines, which isn't necessarily something bad, however compared to a completely flat response, I noticed a small dip around 1500-2000hz. Vocals do sit really nicely on the sound stage and don't pound into your head at all.Bass: Detailed, great response time, quick and aided by the sound stage providing good definition. Its quite an impressive headphone on descending bass lines in pop music, however tapers off a little towards 50hz and beyond. I think this can be cured by getting a premium fit, however, I don't really have a need to hear these frequencies due to my music tastes.Mids: A tad recessed, but still quick to the party and aren't over shadowed by anything, I wouldn't say the mids are lacking, they are just sitting comfortably doing their job. Great on the decent into the lower range, not apparent when it's not happening, but when it happens, its quite pleasant.High mids: A bit uneven, but in a very good way for the majority of music.Highs: Sitting perfectly doing their job, not fatiguing but not absent.Oh and by the way, the E40s sound great at lower volumes, if you are one of those people who likes to listen a bit softer. Not much detail is lost, unlike some IEMs. Fit wise, they aren't as terrible as some people make them out to be, perhaps that's just me. I found the stock tips suited me well, you just need to put them in right and they should be okay, if not, I hear some people have had good results with Sprial dot tips. I haven't felt a need to get them yet. The isolation is rather good, if they do fit you. Of course not quite as good as comply tips, but not much worse, and I don't feel like it affects much to do with the sound any way.In conclusion, these are better than my Shure SE215s, as for build.. I think you will struggle to find something apart from a Nokia Brick that is as indestructible as the SE215s, so the E40s don't win on that front. But, the feel like they would last a long time, and the cord should at least do a year under good treatment. It is removable after all. These are lively, that's for sure, but it's more to do with how quick they respond to the electrical signals rather than the frequency response. They don't sound wildly different to my flattened AKG's so that's a good sign if you are in the market for some IEMs on the flattish side. If you want something that will take an utter beating, go for the Shure SE215s. Get the E40's if you want something that sounds really good when you are out and about, at Uni, School or Work. I can't comment on how they perform in live music situations as I haven't been able to try them out yet, but I really think they would be great. The E40's are easily powered, and have the longevity of a headphone which you can have for several years.Well done Audio Technica.Edit: Okay guys, so I have had them around the place for the last little while and I feel like I have some more comments to make.Firstly, one thing I have noticed is that the vocal sharpness has somewhat fallen back into the mix a bit, which is fantastic for me. It makes everything much more pleasant.Another thing that hasn't changed and still impresses me, is the speed of the drivers, these things are faaast. They make my AKG K702s sound sluggish. The main thing you would notice this is in the attack of the instruments, drops (for dubsteb fans), articulation in jazz and instrumental music. Kick and snares sound pretty impressive and fast.Some more comments I have, when walking, these pick up wind noise if you don't get a good seal, which is kind of annoying, but it can be put down to the non negative profile of the IEMs rather than a sound flaw.I also ended up capitulating and ordering some JVC Spiral Dots, since everyone loves them, and I have to see if they can improve the sometimes annoying fit of these IEMs. Mainly when moving is this a problem, however if you are sitting at a desk you should be able to get by with the stock tips.EDIT: So I got my spiral dot tips, I can say they do indeed improve the sound, however many people say they improve the bass. I don't think that's true, I do think that because of the wider bore of the headphones they perhaps allow more air movement so you perceive more bass, or are more aware of it, however it doesn't drastically increase the level of bass. The high mids open up a lot and the boxy feeling of the stock tips is really apparent when swapping between them. They also fit better, are much shorter and apply less pressure in the ears, they also seem to stay in much better.EDIT: So I ended up having a problem after a few weeks, one of the earbuds stopped working. But stop! Don't be frightened and worried, I'm still giving these a 5 star rating because for when they did work they were great value for money and Amazon gave me a complete refund on returning them. I suspect that I just got a bad pair. I was treating them very well, but using them every day, still they shouldn't have broken. But since I don't see anyone else saying their pairs have also stopped working, I assume I just received a faulty pair and was a bit unlucky.So, unless you are reading this and have read other people also reporting the same thing, go for it, you wont regret it. All products will have some duds!

I was in the market for some IEM's so I could play live music with a band. I was going to get the tried and true Shure 215's, but was not ready just to go for it. I wanted to explore the market a little bit more. I knew the Shure's were exceptional for the price, but I did not want to go on the bandwagon either. Enter the ATH-E40's. To start, I already know the quality of AudioTechnica. I have some earbuds from them that have lasted years and the quality is outstanding for the price. And when I realized these IEM's were the in ear equivalent of the ATH-M40's I was deeply intrigued. After research the product online through demos and forums and AT's actual sight, I was highly impressed. But here was the deal: I do not demo them myself. It was a hundred dollar risk. But here is the result: superb.Build Quality (4.5/5): I love the build quality. High quality plastic around everything and the chord itself is very thick and will not break easily...unless you do something stupid. Is is at strong as Shure's line? No, not at all. But these will do just fine for someone who takes care of their stuff; no worries here.Design (4/5): I love the look of these. People reviewed saying they were big and bulky. Yes, they kind of are but they also make you look good when you wear them. The see through sides are a wonderful touch. The memory wire works better than Shure's, that is for sure (sorry I have been waiting to use this). The case is very good for protecting the product and keeps it looking professional. Where I give a knock is the earbuds. They are standard. That is it. And I have yet to find a pair that fit me superbly.Comfort (4/5): I was going to give a 3 out of 5 until I found that it was me that was causing the discomfort. Do not give up trying to find the right earbud and right position in the ear. It makes all the difference. Still, I wish it was easier to do for the price.Sound (5/5): I bet you guessed this didn't you? You smart person you. Anyway, the sound. What can I say? A wonderful flat response. That is a must for me and is why you go for IEM's in the first place. But the things you hear if you have never had them: it is a trip! The highs are not to sharp but are as clear as crystal. The mid's are very present and bring a whole new element to the sound table. The lows are punctuated, tight, and not overbearing. Many people complained here that the bass was weak. Here is my response: No it is not. The song is being played as it should be, if you have not equalized the song yourself. That is what it should sound like. What you are used to is pre-equalized headphones that, more often than not, boost the bass because everyone loves it. So stop it. I digress. The bass is not lacking by any means, however. It is still very much so there. And I love it. But the real winner hear is the whole soundscape. It is so real and present. It is as if, if the music is mixed well, I am right there with them. And I am not the only one to say this in a review.My concluding remarks are this: these IEM's are ones to not look over. They rival Shure 215's and are good looking to boot in a way that the Shure's are not. I recommend them fully. You will not be disappointed.

As other reviewers mentioned, the sound is very, very good. I will leave the technical analysis to others, but will say that the soundstage is incredible.The issue that the average wearer will likely encounter will have little to do with the sound, but rather the fit. The E40 has a short nozzle, and has equally-short silicone tips included. For some odd reason, there is a plastic "ring" shape at the base of the nozzle that is raised 2-3 millimeters, which works to smash against the lower cartilage of your ear and prevents you from getting a good seal.So, while the sound on these IEMs are great, ATH whiffed pretty bad on the fit and I'm not sure how many folks will want to fiddle with their IEMs every time to get a good seal. This is my 2nd time experiencing a bean-type IEM with significant fit issues, which makes me appreciate the thoughtfulness of the Westone fit even more.I'm waiting to see whether or not Comply tips will help, but am unsure how much that will help. You would need a tip that effectively elongates the nozzle so that the housing doesn't smash against your ear cartilage, and from what I've seen the Comply tips look shorter than what Westone provides. Unfortunately Westone does not manufacture tips that would fit the larger diameter nozzle on these IEMs.Update: Comply T500 tips arrived and installed. The fit is a little better, but still nowhere near the isolation I have gotten with Etymotic flange tips or Westone foam tips. The IEMs also vibrate slightly when in my ear, which I've never experienced with other IEMs. I'm guessing it's due to the poor fit, which lets the housing buzz a bit when it plays lower frequencies. As I said, if it fits you, you are going to be one happy camper.