Disclaimer and some info about me: I'm a 21 years old male. I've been listening to music since i was a baby, mostly through headphones. I like various genres, but especially metal(symphonic, gothic, trash, death) and rock. This is my first review, and i've never praticed critical listening. Also, i haven't a lot of gear to which compare the Monk, so, take my impressions with the proper grain of salt.
First off, the fit: although i'm no longer used to earbuds (haven't used one for at least a decade), i've had no real issues with the monk. I easily found the best way to wear them to get the best sound, almost right away. This with the foams on, i didn't even try them without the foams (doughnut foams), as i already know from past experiencies that without them i'm less comfortable.
Isolation: well, as this is an earbud, and a particularly open one, too, isolation is almost non-existent. The monks aren't a really good option for particularly noisy environments like trains and such.
Microphonics: without music, i can clearly hear the cable rub on my beard, and that's something i had never experienced. Also, swiping the fingers along the cable the noise is audible. But all of this is not too loud, in fact, with music playing, none of those noises are heard.
Build/Design: at first look, these are just another 5$ earbud, but the build is actually quite good. No fancy cables or materials, but the cable is thick enough to suggest it won't disintegrate after a month and doesn't feel too cheap, the jack is quite bulky and seems rugged enough, and has also a nice, long strain relief. The earpieces shells also seem quite durable.
Sound:
So, all in all, the monks are REALLY good. The sound is lush, spacious, and lifelike. It feels like listening to a pair of good bookshelf speakers. These are definitely smooth sounding, but still lively. The bass is good, imponent, but still quite punchy.
The monks are exactly the kind of earphones that one buys as a backup unit, but eventually ends up using as a main earphone. Something every audiophile should have in his rotation!
The package contains just the earbuds, two pairs or foams, and the two little flyers pictured here
First off, the fit: although i'm no longer used to earbuds (haven't used one for at least a decade), i've had no real issues with the monk. I easily found the best way to wear them to get the best sound, almost right away. This with the foams on, i didn't even try them without the foams (doughnut foams), as i already know from past experiencies that without them i'm less comfortable.
Isolation: well, as this is an earbud, and a particularly open one, too, isolation is almost non-existent. The monks aren't a really good option for particularly noisy environments like trains and such.
Microphonics: without music, i can clearly hear the cable rub on my beard, and that's something i had never experienced. Also, swiping the fingers along the cable the noise is audible. But all of this is not too loud, in fact, with music playing, none of those noises are heard.
Build/Design: at first look, these are just another 5$ earbud, but the build is actually quite good. No fancy cables or materials, but the cable is thick enough to suggest it won't disintegrate after a month and doesn't feel too cheap, the jack is quite bulky and seems rugged enough, and has also a nice, long strain relief. The earpieces shells also seem quite durable.
Sound:
- Bass: Well, these things deliver LOADS of bass, and not just in relation to other earbuds, but also when compared with quite a bit of IEMs. For example, the monks have quite a bit more bass than my se215, which are already a bassy IEM. Luckily, the bass is of good quality too. It's quite punchy, and for a earbud goes down low. There seems to be a bump in the mid-bass, that is usally fine, but with some tracks can get in the way. All in all, quite a good performance here;
- Mids: Lovely. These are the best mids i've heard to date. Even thought that mid-bas hump can sometime get in the way, the mids are really clear and lively. Really lifelike. On acustical tracks (well, the few i have, at least) the mids really shine. Vocals are so warm, present, yet it all feels really airy, spacious;
- Highs: I quite like the highs, now, keep in mind, i'm a bit of a treble sensitive guy, so i don't like particularly enhanced highs. The monk's highs are a bit recessed in relation to the mids, but not by much. They're also quite a bit more extended than the se215's one, for a comparison, and less recessed, too.
- Soundstage: really good. In comparison, the se215 feels quite a bit closed in, and congested.
So, all in all, the monks are REALLY good. The sound is lush, spacious, and lifelike. It feels like listening to a pair of good bookshelf speakers. These are definitely smooth sounding, but still lively. The bass is good, imponent, but still quite punchy.
The monks are exactly the kind of earphones that one buys as a backup unit, but eventually ends up using as a main earphone. Something every audiophile should have in his rotation!
