Before I start, I want to say that this is my first review here. Im not an expert, just a guy who has been enjoying and playing music all his life. Also, english is not my first languange so I apologize if the review doesn't meet the standards of this forum.
First a bit of a background. I already got some decent headphones open back headphones, but I was looking for a pair of closed back planars.
I made some research and there wasn't too much options for closed back planars, so my final list had the Monolith 565c& 1060c, the Oppo pm3 and the Audeze Mobius.
I quickly discarded the Oppos because they were expensive and hard to come by in Spain. Did the same with the Mobius because you cannot bypass the amp to use them wired.
Finally I ended up choosing the m565c because the M1060c was too heavy for my liking.
Looking on the internet I was surprised by the lack of reviews for the m565c, apart from the review here ( which I agree pretty much with it), and a few short videos on YouTube.
I decided to take a gamble and order them for 170 euros from a well known spanish audio store.(they were a bit cheaper in the Monoprice Europe store but they were out of stock).
After 2 days with them and some long listening sessions I must say that Im glad I did.
-The package: 8/10.
First impressions are really good. The Monolith M565c is presented in an attractive black box with glossy finish and got some weight to it .
Once you open it, you find semi rigid carrying case, which is isnt that hard but would be enough to carry them without problem in normal situations. It might not be the best case if you are going to put some pressure on it. Besides that, the overall package it's adequate for the price and even better than others 200+ headphones that I've seen.
-Build quality and comfort: 8,5/10.
These really surprised me in this category. Not only only because they are beautiful in person, but because they are really well made and sturdy without being heavy.
The wood cups are gorgeous and got a really nice finish.
I've read some complaints about the headband but I must say It's good. The padding is soft and the headphones sits nice in my head without any problems or discomfort after +3 hours sessions.
Clamping force shouldnt be a problem for most heads (I got big one).
In the other hand, the pads are not very big. I have medium size ears and they don't have too much room left but that doesn't make them unconfortable for me. People with big ears might have to look for the bigger brother (M1060c).
The worst part is the stock cable, which is a dual 2,5mm connectors to a 3,5mm jack. It feels ok but has microphonics noise every time you touch it, so an aftermarket cable is mandatory in my opinion. (Can get decent ones in AliExpress for 20 euros or so).
The other guy who reviewed them here must have gotten a different cable with his unit because he said there was zero microphonics on his cable.
Sound: First impressions were really good. Overall they got a pretty ballanced sound with a boost in the mids. Sound signature is a bit on the warm side but not at cost of detail.
Bass is present, and will be enough for most people. they might lack a bit of sub bass and the slam of other planars, but if you aren't a basshead it's more than enough. Best thing is that the bass doesn't bleed to the other frequencies and the sound is pretty clear.
Mids are really forward , especially the high mids, this might put off some people but I was looking for that because some of my headphones got recessed mids. Anyways I think these make a really good job with the mids.
Highs got just the right amount of sparkle. No harsh or significant sibilance. Althought they can't compete with the treble detail and quality of other planars like the ones from the Hifiman midrange line.
Soundstage and instrument separation is good for a closed back headphone, nothing special tho.
They have pretty decent isolation but they are not your pair if your preference is noise cancelling.
They are also easy to drive. My Xiaomi Mi10 lite handle them without problems and I never passed the 40% volume level. The sound with the Btr5 and the Soundblaster XG6 improved a bit, becoming more detailed, especially with the last one.
Summary: All things considered, I think they are a great and overlooked pair of headphones. If you are in the market for a pair of closed backs with a pleasant and non fatiguing sound signature, look no further. They are not perfect by any means but I think theres plenty of room for improvements with Eq, change of pads and mods.
