Audio Technica ATH-E40 Review

Published Categorized as Vinyl Gear Guides

Introduction

Audio Technica might just be one of the most influential brands in the headphones industry, and today we’ve taken a gander at the Audio Technica ATH-E40 in-ear headphones. They’re formidable in all aspects, which is only to be expected from such a huge brand, but they surely don’t look like much at first sight. Let’s see if they’re actually worth the money.

Audio-Technica ATH-E40 Professional In-Ear Monitor Headphones

Pros:

  • Phenomenal treble section
  • Huge value for the money, though they’re not even that expensive
  • The package comes with a set of replacement ear tips
  • Comfortable to wear, even for longer periods of time
  • Little or no ear fatigue
  • Great passive ambient noise reduction with minimal sound bleeding out

Cons:

  • The bass is relatively weak and the highs aren’t pronounced enough
  • These headphones don’t look very impressive
  • In order to benefit from the great sound you’ll need to ensure a sealed fit

Sound Quality

Sonically, Audio Technica’s ATH-E40 in ear headphones perform great. Their frequency range is relatively normal, spanning from 20 hz to 20 kHz. However, there’s plenty of detail in the sound they put out, and the soundstage can be characterized as rich and abundant.

The immersive sound is only complemented by outstanding ambient noise reduction. Though passive, you’ll get to enjoy your music without outside interferences.

Audio Technica ATH-E40 Review

In terms of bass, E40 is just alright. There’s not too much of it, it’s not lacking, but it’s pretty far from being ‘strong’ or ‘deep’ even. The treble section is absolutely magnificent, although the highs are somewhat loose in comparison to the other two sections.

Now, in conclusion, the sound quality of Audio Technica’s E40 is way beyond average, but that’s as far as it goes. With a bit of extra bass and somewhat more accentuated highs, these would’ve been the perfect mid-priced earphones.

Build Quality

It’s fairly safe to say that Audio Technica seldom (if ever) wanted to prove a point in terms of aesthetics, though.  If we take a step back and look at one of their most famous models, the ATH M50x, it looks relatively basic but excels in performance like no other. Same can be said for ATH T2000.

That being said, it’s only natural that a model as small as E40 has relatively nothing to show for in this respect. However, in terms of durability, they’re pretty rugged. Of course, the bulk of the construction is comprised of plastic materials, but both the headshell and the cable are quite sturdy.

Related Read :Top Rated Audiophile Headphones

All things taken into consideration, we can, however, conclude that E40 was built for sonic performance, not exactly ‘to last’. There are no special reinforcement and no particularly durable material was used in the construction process to label them as ‘strong’, let alone anything more. If we’re to use numbers to describe E40’s build quality, a solid 8 out of 10 would be most appropriate.

Final Tones

Overall, Audio Technica is yet to ‘fail’ to provide quality. The Audio Technica ATH-E40 is a wonderful set of in-ear monitors, and although they’re not perfect, they’re well worth the money. Superb sound for the cash, a decently durable construction – what’s more to like?

So, if you are considering buying a decent pair of headphones for whatever your needs are, these may be the perfect ones for you. Audio Technica is a company that strives for innovation and improving its existing products, hence it is definitely a brand worth investing in. Hopefully, you now have a clearer idea about what set of headphones will be best suited for you.

By Robert Halvari

My name is Robert Halvari - audio engineer and a total audiophile. I love vinyl because it has that natural character which brings music to life. I've been using and testing vinyl record players for around 15 years and I'm sharing my love and knowledge of vinyl by publishing all I know at Notes On Vinyl

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