Monoprice Modern Retro Over Ear Headphones (#16150)

Build​

These are closed back cans with a design reminiscent of AKG's K200 series. They come with a fairly long non-removable cable. In terms of comfort, they envelop the ears completely, but the pads are fairly shallow. Because of this, I've found my ears pressing against the rough, plastic grating thinly veiled behind the fabric inside the pads.

Sound​

Driving​

The Retros are very easy headphones to drive.

Soundstage​

The soundstage of the Retros doesn't go outside of the cups, but this isn't a significant issue since the cups are already fairly large.

Tuning / Detail​

These headphones have some serious bass, and while not necessarily muddy, the bass will take the lead in music played out of the Retros. The Retros have exceptional detail for the price, and are a great option for anyone willing to put up with the comfort issues.

At first glance one first thinks of AKG or Samson clones but these have their own character and performance is anything but similar to the above.

The Monoprice Retro is probably the best sub $30 headphone on the market today as of the time of this review I got them for $24 US.

The M retro offers cool style with a great V signature that has surprising soundstage for a closed-back headphone.
The mids are not the most impressive and highs are over emphasized but not to a ear drilling point for me
The Bass is punchy with some depth and at this price point it's just me nitpicking. The pads are actually better than my AKG M220 stock pads and new upgrade ones aren't necessary but improve isolation greatly.

Overall it's hard to find any one thing that's really wrong with these especially at this price point.

As im waiting for my Klipsch Heritage HP-3 to arrive in a day or 2, i had the Monoprice "M" Retro C's arrive today.
Ive been listening to them and thought i'd give you a quick idea of how i hear them, so that perhaps you would be helped to make a purchase decision if you are thinking about them......or have been.. (or should be).

So, lets jump in....

Box is generic B/W, and houses the gear. Nothing special, nothing sacred, just a supportive package entitled "Box"..

Headphone Comfort .... 7.9.. better then average... Headphones are light, pads are pleather and soften as you wear them.

The look of the headphones do not qualify as elegant but does qualify as functional as expected @this price.

Build quality is : 7.9

You get one gold adapter and the cable will remind you of basic Sennheiser HD600 wire. The connection is gold plated.

Sound Quality Overall Value rating : $199 USD

Who will like them? Everyone, as they are actually better sounding then i expected, and how so???

First all, the bass quality, is real quality, it extends, its warm, and its quite detailed.

Overall, the design of the freq response, is a (Consumer Profile) mild "V" shape, and i suspect with 10hr of burn + .... this is going to change as these dynamic drivers's overall sound will bloom a bit toward more MIDS.

Soundstage: Its quite impressive. There is no "claustrophobia" inside these headphone's sound, as the soundstage is much wider then you would estimate could be possible, regarding the cost of these headphones.

Midrange is pleasant & functional, but not overabundant, and i suspect that with a little break in, the MIDS will pop and what is already a nice sound will become a very nice sound....@this price.

Treble : Right out of the box its slightly etched but not sibilant. A bit of burn in is going to finesse the treble's upper edges.

I feel that its safe to say that for $25 USD, these are not going to disappoint the majority, and in fact will probably have you call into question why it cost so little to make good sound when everything else costs so much and you are lucky if it sounds good to YOU.

Also, if you are not thinking correctly and decide to have these compete with your collection of very expensive headphones, then you are making a mistake.
Dont do that.
Just let what they do quite well impress you, and be happy.

Final Tally......You want to know......."what do these sound like"..........And here is the answer.
They sound .... sorta.......like if you took the HD600 and mixed in a bit of Sony MDR-7506, then added the HD650's entire bass response, and finally adjusted all this into a mild "V" shape, and THEN you put all this (like magic) inside a closed set of $25 USD headphones.
Sounds kinda like that.
Buy them, enjoy them, and be glad Audio-Technica didn't make them and charge you $199 USD.
-
-

-

-

-