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M-Audio Studiophile Q40 £109

The first thing that hits you about these closed-back headphones is their powerful, deep bass response.

Computer Music, Mon 19 May 2008, 4:49 pm UTC

Bomb the bass!

Bomb the bass!

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While the ability to reproduce even the lowest notes with clarity is admirable, the lower midrange is just too thunderous, which gets tiring.

The treble response is also a little reserved (or possibly seems it due to the beefy bass end), though they're good at revealing anomalies such as clipping.

The stereo image and handling of dynamics are also very nice, and they're easy to drive and fairly comfy.

You can fold the Q40s for portability, and there's a protective bag, which is welcome, since the build quality isn't brilliant - these don't quite feel like over a ton's worth of 'phones.

Worryingly, the fine wire running down each side looks like it will catch on something sooner or later and be tugged out, or even get trapped as you fold them up.

Although the Q40s make for an enjoyable listen, and are great for checking out what's going at the bottom end of a mix, it's a shame that they're just too tiring to listen to without some corrective EQ.

Verdict

There's just too much bass for these to be used as accurate monitor headphones.

MusicRadar rating:

3 of 5 stars

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MusicRadar rating

3 of 5

Pros

Good stereo image.

Cons

Bass heavy!

Verdict

There's just too much bass for these to be used as accurate monitor headphones.

Review Policy

All MusicRadar’s reviews are by independent product specialists, who are not aligned to any gear manufacturer or retailer. Our experts also write for renowned magazines such as Guitarist, Total Guitar, Computer Music, Future Music and Rhythm. All are part of Future PLC, the biggest publisher of music making magazines in the world.

Specification Show

Studiophile Q40

Price:
£109
Country of Origin:
USA
Year:
2008
Cord Style:
detachable, replaceable cable with 1/8” connectors
Headphone Style:
Monitor
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