Edifier is not a well-known brand in the US but the Chinese manufacturer produced some decent audio products and you can easily buy them in the States now. I’m more surprised as their headphones and speakers are highly rated on Amazon and most of them have very affordable prices.
The Edifier H840 is my first product from the brand and I’m really curious to figure out how the low-budget headphones perform.
Unboxing Video
Design & Features
My initial impressions of the product are quite terrible. Firstly, I don’t like the clear plastic packaging because it is not so environmentally friendly and its sharp edges almost cut my fingers. Later when I took the headphones out of the box, I’m a little disappointed as the headphones feel cheap as most of the exterior are plastic. Besides, the audio cable is connected to both of the earcups, so the whole unit looks more cluttering when you place the headphones on the table. Notably, the cable is undetachable, so you will be in big trouble when it is broken.
Although Edifier stated that these are over-ear headphones, the earcups are not big enough to cover my ears and earpads are also thinner than most other headphones in the category. Fortunately, the H840 is extremely lightweight, so my ears are still comfortable after wearing it for about 1 hour.
Audio Quality
After a lot of disappointments in design and build quality of the Edifier H840, my level of expectation dropped dramatically when testing the sound quality. Surprisingly, the H840 doesn’t sound that bad.
I used the H840 in the last 2 weeks with my Macbook and iPhone 6S Plus. This is absolutely not producing a life like music experience, but it is quite fun to use, especially after you’ve used headphones with neutral tones for a while.
There are a lot of bass responses coming from the 40mm drivers and as you expected, the bass is totally overwhelming the mids and highs. Besides, the bass is not so tight and punchy. Therefore, you shouldn’t look for a clean and clear sound here. However, I know that a lot of music listeners will enjoy the sound and you also can use EQ to lessen the bass.
Conclusion
Pros
- Low price
- Lightweight
- A lot of bass
Cons
- Cheap materials
- Undetachable cable
- Not suitable for long listening session
The Edifier H840 targets the low-end market but it still has a lot of tough competitions from more popular brands like Sennheiser or Sony. The headphones are not bad but I will absolutely prefer a more fashionable pair.
Buy Edifier H840 Headphones on Amazon
Disclosure: We might earn commission from qualifying purchases. The commission help keep the rest of my content free, so thank you!
TaintedKane says
You are crazy for saying they are not suitable for long listening sessions. They fit over my ears and I wear them for at least 10 hours a day. On my commute to work, work, commute back and then at home. They are incredibly comfortable. I haven’t found a pair of headphones this comfortable and I’ve worn a ton of headphones in the past.
Tuan Do says
I mentioned the headphones are comfortable, but the overwhelming bass is just too much for me, that’s why I can’t use it for more than 30 mins per day in the last week.
Michael Scott says
That’s quite the testimonial, TaintedKane. You sure you don’t work for Edifier?
TaintedKane says
Nope I don’t work for em. I live in Canada. I was able to get a pair of these headphones from a friend that is state side since he recently picked up some Sennheisers, which I understand are very cool high quality stuff. I’ve been an IEM man myself for the past few years and have recently switched back over to headphones. The reason I left headphones was because I found them incredibly uncomfortable and shockingly I found IEMs more comfortable. Which is funny because most people find that to be the opposite from the people I’ve talked to. I use and still love my Monster Clarity HD headphones that also have a great bass. I tend to use headphones for a very long time. (My commute is 2 and a half hours one way then I listen to music and podcasts at work for 8 hours then commute back so I need something comfortable) I also love headphones that do have a great bass since I listen to mainly EDM and Hip Hop. I also have a Logitech G35 headset. I usually use that for gaming than music or anything else. Anyway that’s just my two cents. I get that everyone has an ear that’s different and mine is just more akin to something with a great bass since I listen to a lot of EDM and Hip Hop. Sorry if I came across as hostile or I’ve been paid off.
David Josh says
I would not regard myself as an audiophile (recovering – I spent some years of my youth misdirecting my hard earned capital to high end stereo equipment), but I find these headphones to be quite comfortable and the sound quality over all very good – anyone with reasonable expectations should be satisfied with this purchase. In an age of over priced and over done everything, my listening enjoyment is enhanced by the fact that I purchased a completely decent product for a great price. I would recommend anyone interested mostly on the music and not some ideal “experience” do the same.