The Aonic 40 is made of aluminum alloy and glass-filled nylon. | Image: Shure
Shure has expanded its headphone lineup with the release of the new Aonic 40. The Aonic 40 are a set of wireless over-ear headphones with adjustable active noise cancellation, Environment Mode, 40mm composite drivers, USB-C quick charging, and an estimated 25 hours of battery life with ANC turned on. Priced at $249, this new model sits below the current $299 Aonic 50 in Shure’s lineup — which earned a nod in The Verge’s best noise-canceling headphones of 2021 — and shares some features like a user-customizable EQ through the ShurePlus Play app.
While the Aonic 40 have a slightly revised look taken from their older sibling, with an aluminum build and a collapsible design, 2020’s Aonic 50 remain at the top of Shure’s wireless headphone line with larger 50mm drivers and 32-bit audio with LDAC support. The cheaper Aonic 40 have three levels of noise cancellation, with an Environment Mode to let in ambient sound — all accessible via physical controls. Shure’s claim of up to 25 hours of battery life is more than the Aonic 50’s estimated 20, putting them closer to popular competitors like the Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones and their estimated 30 hours of battery. The new headphones can also be used for phone calls and videoconferencing, utilizing dual beamforming microphones.
The Aonic 40 are available now in black and white / tan colorways and come with a carrying case, 3.5mm cable, USB-C cable, and a two-year manufacturer’s warranty.