We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-02 · 8 min read · Independent comparison
If you want genuinely open, spacious monitoring sound for critical listening and mastering, choose Shure SRH1840; if you need a hands-free two-person wireless intercom for working crews, choose Solid Signal Eartec Ultralite PRO16.
These two products share almost nothing except the word "headphones" on their listings. One is a wired, open-back studio monitor built for people who sit still and listen hard. The other is a wireless full-duplex intercom system built for people who move around and talk constantly. Comparing them is really a question of what job you're hiring them to do.
• Shure SRH1840's biggest strength: Individually matched 40 mm neodymium drivers in an open-back, circumaural design — the recipe for a wide stereo image, natural sound and deep "depth of field" that matters in mastering work.
• Shure SRH1840's biggest trade-off: It's fully wired, needs external amplification to shine, and open-back means it leaks sound both ways — no isolation, no portability, no wireless freedom.
• Solid Signal Eartec Ultralite PRO16's biggest strength: Two-person, hands-free full-duplex communication across roughly half a mile, expandable to 16 headsets with no hub or base station.
• Solid Signal Eartec Ultralite PRO16's biggest trade-off: It's a communication tool, not a music tool — single-ear, RF wireless, and it only pairs with other PRO16 headsets.
• Pick the Shure if you're mixing, mastering or doing critical listening in a quiet room and you care about stereo image and tonal accuracy.
• Pick the Eartec PRO16 if you work in pairs — boat crew, drone operator and spotter, photographer and assistant — and you need to talk nonstop without pressing anything.
The SRH1840 is Shure's flagship open-back headphone, and the spec sheet reads like a mastering tool. The 40 mm dynamic drivers are individually matched, which in plain terms means the left and right units are paired closely enough that the stereo image stays stable and centered — exactly what you want when you're making decisions about panning and balance. Frequency response is listed at 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz, the full audible range, and the tuning is described as smooth, extended highs with accurate bass rather than a boosted, "fun" curve.
The open-back, circumaural design is the whole point here. Because the earcups aren't sealed, air moves freely and the soundstage opens up — wider stereo, more depth, a more natural sense of space than a closed headphone can give you. The cost is obvious: sound leaks out and the outside world leaks in. There's no noise control at all on this model, so it belongs in a quiet room, not on a train.
Physically, Shure built this thing to last. Aircraft-grade aluminum alloy yokes, stainless-steel grilles, a steel driver frame with a vented center pole piece (which the spec sheet says improves linearity and reduces internal resonance), and a dual-frame padded headband that's fully adjustable. The cable is a detachable dual-exit design with gold-plated MMCX connectors and Kevlar-reinforced oxygen-free copper — meaning you can replace the cable instead of the headphone if it ever fails. At 65 ohms, it's designed to be driven by external headphone amplification, so plan on a decent amp or interface. In the box you get two detachable cables, a threaded ¼-inch gold-plated adapter, a zippered hard case, and a spare pair of velour ear pads.
Buy it if you're mastering, mixing or doing serious critical listening in a controlled space and you want an open, natural presentation with replaceable parts and a two-year warranty behind it.
Skip it if you need isolation, wireless freedom, a built-in mic, or you plan to drive it straight from a phone with no amp.
The Eartec Ultralite PRO16 is a completely different animal. It's a wireless intercom system for two users out of the box, expandable up to 16 headsets, and it runs on full-duplex audio — which means both people can talk at the same time, like standing next to each other, with no button to press and no push-to-talk. Range is listed at up to half a mile, and because the transceivers are self-contained in the headsets, there's no hub or base station to set up. You charge the batteries, turn them on, and you're talking.
The design is single-ear, over-ear, with the other ear left open. That's deliberate: you keep one ear on your environment while staying in conversation — you hear the engine, the wind, the dog, the alarm. The boom mic rotates to whichever side you prefer and mutes automatically when you flip it up, which is a small detail that matters a lot when you need to cough, sneeze or say something you don't want broadcast.
Battery life is listed at 10 hours of continuous use — a full workday — and the batteries pop in and out by hand with no tools, so a spare pair brings a dead headset back in seconds. The kit includes a main headset, a remote headset, two rechargeable LX950Li lithium polymer batteries, a two-bay charger, a padded softside carry case, and cleaning wipes. It carries a one-year manufacturer warranty.
The use cases in the spec are specific and worth taking at face value: boat captains coordinating with crew, drone operators syncing with a spotter, photographers calling instructions to an assistant, coaches working with a sideline partner, off-road riders on a trail. Anywhere two people need to talk continuously across distance, this replaces shouting and hand signals.
Skip it if you want to listen to music, need a wired connection, or already own Eartec UltraLITE Classic or UltraLITE HD gear — the PRO16 pairs only with other PRO16 headsets.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for critical listening and mastering → Shure SRH1840. Matched drivers, open-back design, 20 Hz–20 kHz range.
• Best for hands-free team communication → Solid Signal Eartec Ultralite PRO16. Full duplex, no buttons, up to half a mile.
• Best for soundstage and stereo image → Shure SRH1840. That's the entire reason open-back circumaural designs exist.
• Best for long shifts away from a desk → Solid Signal Eartec Ultralite PRO16. 10-hour battery with swappable packs.
• Best for durability and repairability → Shure SRH1840. Aluminum yokes, stainless grilles, detachable MMCX cable, spare ear pads, two-year warranty.
• Best for situational awareness → Solid Signal Eartec Ultralite PRO16. The single-ear, open-ear design keeps you aware of your surroundings.
• Best for quiet-room use only → Shure SRH1840. It has no noise control and leaks sound in both directions.
• Best for scaling a crew → Solid Signal Eartec Ultralite PRO16. Expandable to 16 headsets with no hub.
• Best for a single buyer who wants one pair of headphones → Shure SRH1840. The PRO16 is sold as a two-headset system for a reason.
In my opinion, these aren't competitors — they're answers to two different questions, and the right pick depends entirely on your job. If you're a producer, engineer or serious listener who wants an open, natural, wide-sounding headphone for mastering and critical work, I'd buy the Shure SRH1840. It's the more capable audio tool, and the matched drivers, replaceable cable and two-year warranty make it a long-term piece of gear. If you're part of a two-person crew that needs to talk continuously across distance, I'd buy the Solid Signal Eartec Ultralite PRO16 — the Shure simply cannot do that job, and no amount of audio quality changes it. Buy for the task, not the category.
FAQ
how to open back headphones work
Open-back headphones use earcups with grilles instead of sealed shells, so air moves freely between the driver and the outside. That lets sound radiate outward, which reduces internal resonance and creates a wider, more natural soundstage — the SRH1840 uses stainless-steel grilles and a vented center pole piece exactly for this. The trade-off is that sound leaks out and ambient noise leaks in.
They're headphones designed for studio and mastering work where isolation isn't required, prioritizing accuracy and stereo image over blocking outside sound. The Shure SRH1840 is a classic example: circumaural, open-back, 65 ohms, and designed to be driven by external amplification rather than a phone. You use them in a quiet room, not on a commute.
what are the best open back headphones
That depends on your budget and what you're driving them with, and I won't pretend one answer fits everyone. What I can say is that the SRH1840's case rests on individually matched 40 mm neodymium drivers, a 20 Hz–20 kHz range, and a durable aluminum-and-stainless build with a detachable cable. Check the current price on Amazon and compare the specs against your amp and your room before deciding.
are open back headphones better
Better for accuracy and soundstage, worse for isolation — so it depends on where you listen. In a quiet studio, the open design gives you a more natural, spacious presentation, which is why the SRH1840 is aimed at mastering. In a noisy or shared space, or anywhere you need to stay aware and wireless, a system like the Eartec Ultralite PRO16 is the more sensible tool.
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