Monoprice 8320 IEM

WhatTheHell

New Head-Fier
Never mind this review.
soundstige
soundstige
Interesting how you do nothing to explain the sound and prove your ability to judge, but just insult a commonly applauded piece of audio equipment.
temporaryname
temporaryname
I disagree with this review. I actually thought the Monoprice 8320 bass sounded really impressive for the price. The one thing that bothers me is the notch in the midrange. I've actually given a pair to a sound engineer friend of mine and he's also really impressed with the 8320's. Try give it more of a chance.
nikkojames15
nikkojames15
Overrated even at $7? I haven't heard anything like that in my life. Don't use the included tips. Those suck and don't seal well.

gsbergman

New Head-Fier
Pros: Great audio, comfortable, low cost
Cons: none
I bought these after reading the reviews. Boy, was I impressed. These phones smoke my Klipsch S4's. Although they are IEM's and not earbuds they smoke my Yuin PK1 earbuds too. These phones are the best I've found for under $200, no joke. You'd be hard pressed to find a better sounding IEM for the price, or for that matter 25 times the price. I love them. If they were priced at $100 I would still pay the price for these great sounding phones. What else can I say, BUY THEM!!!!!.
HolyCheese
HolyCheese
takato14
Is that good or bad?
gtmaster303
gtmaster303
Do they fit you well? I use Image S4s with the medium tip, and that's a perfect fit for me. Can someone that has both, comment?
kumajeff
kumajeff
I have both and also use the medium tips. The S4 is by far more comfortable. The Monoprices also have horrible microphonics. I disagree with these phones blowing away the S4. These are arguably more detailed with better instrument separation. However, I personally find that the vocals, and parts of the mid/treble range sound a little bit "harsh". This leads to unnatural vocal reproduction for me. I think they're definitely good value for anything less than $25, and maybe competitive even up to the $50 level. But paying $100 for these.. is a little bit ridiculous. I would still recommend getting these for fun since they're barely a meal after shipping. For everyday on the go usage, I would take the S4 over these any day though.

7nationarmy

100+ Head-Fier
Pros: Very Decent SQ, PRICE OMG
Cons: Bad baad cable (tangle prone, don't seem durable), Not the most comfy, No accessories at all
The true budget IEM king!
 
First of all, there are no accessories and packaging. The IEM comes in a plastic wrap. That's that. Can't complain for $7 though.
 
The housing is a big, bulky shiny plastic. OK for the price. For me comfort is not bad at all, but for those who have smaller ears comfort will be an issue. Get another pair of eartips cos the stock ones are not so good. I use Meelec tips stuffed with Comply foam.
 
The worst part: cable. Super tangle prone, kinks, and no chin slider.
 
But... the sound! You can't get any better sq for even 5-10 times the price.
 
Bass: Has a decent impact and control, but lacking extension. Overall it is still enjoyable for most tracks.
 
Mids: Unexpectedly smooth and fairly detailed.
 
Highs: Fair amount of sparkle and detail, but again, lacks extension.
 
Soundstage: It is wide, but not really deep. 
 
Overall the 8320 is a very nicely balanced sounding IEM which worth much more than its price. Since it is very cheap, it is good to keep more than 1 for backup, practising recabling, try out stuff.

Nawawa

100+ Head-Fier
Pros: Way above its price range in terms of Sound Quality. Great Price. Did i mention great sound quality with an unbeatable price?
Cons: No accessories, No packaging, QC is not perfect. Looks cheap. Not that sturdy. Fabric cable. Big housing may hurt small ears.
 
Just got these. Been out of touch with headfi iems for awhile after all i had before were dead or lost.
 
These are mid-way through burn in process and i'm beginning to love them. I'm not even considering the price yet. I got them through a local guy who brought over for SGD$13. These are balanced. They sound similar to my RE0s from what i recall. (They lasted me a pathetic month, too expensive to ship back over to China) I don't think beginners will truly appreciate unless they've tried around IEMs way higher than this bracket range.
 
Sound
Not as detailed as Fischer Audio's DBA-02 and not as bass heavy as FA's Eterna.  
A class above Meelectronic's M6 which sound too digital and fake to me.
Slightly different from Brainwavz M2. (which are really good IEMs)
Similar sounding to RE0. (Mine pathetically broke after a month, which tells you a lot and it was too expensive to ship it over for warranty.)
 
Fit
These are big. You need to get use to it or else you will hate it. It already hurt my ear abit wearing it around the ear method cause the housing is large but wearing it straight down is more comfortable but subjected to more microphonics. I used Sony Hybrids on mine. The stock tips are terrible. I only received one btw.
 
Bottomline
I already love this mid burn in, a lot of detail for a $7 IEM. Usually you get muffled crap at this price, no details no bass. This is a nice surprise. Way out of its supposed price range.
Most probably they could rope in more cash for this if it came with accessories and a proper packaging. Well just get them, if not just chuck them. These are good but don't expect good QC though, the plastic tip were slightly defective but it doesn't interfere with the sound.
 
LOW BUDGET IEMS AT AUDIOPHILE SQ. 
(notice how i'm comparing all the great IEMs way above the price range of the monoprice 8320. that serves as a reminder to keep in check that price does not equate best sound quality. so take everything with a pinch of salt and try it. Planning to get a couple more since these are very affordable for a poor student like me.)
XxDobermanxX
XxDobermanxX
monoprice is a good brand, these guy are underrated
EPICFAILXD
EPICFAILXD
lol if you like these, you'll like their 8323 full-size model :D

mrcrazyshoes

New Head-Fier
Great sounding iem's. I was amazed that they could sound this good for only $7! The only bad thing about them is that the tips that come with are pretty bad. You can get replacements for them on Amazon for pretty cheap though.

ThickT

500+ Head-Fier
Pros: Sound, price, build quality
Cons: Fit
Fit is not so good, but can be fixed with some foam tips. Build quality is pretty good. Nice termination and Y splitter. I am very happy with the sound. I believe everyone hears things differently, so im just going to tell you what i hear when i listen to them. To me there is very little sub bass. Even with deep insertion and a perfect seal. That being said, the mid bass is there and its done very nicely. Its got good clairity, impact and It rides right along side to rest of the spectrum never overpowering the mids or highs. The overall bass performance, dispite the lack of sub bass and decay is satisfiying to me. Moving on to the mids. I think this is my favorite area of the spectrum. I hear good detail and i find it slightly forward, witch i love. Honestly, these have the best sounding guitars for metal and general hard rockin music out of all my iem's. I relly love the mids and guitars attack and crunch on these! The highs. To me they are nicely detailed. They can become a little rolled off sometimes, but overall im pleased with the highs. Excellent details heard from open/closed high hats.

Soundstage, to me is just a tad above average. I think it helps that the overall signature is balanced. Bass mids and highs are all presented evenly with a slight tilt to the mids. One of the only flaws i can say about these is that to me the do sound overly "thin". That the only way i can think to describe it. Turning up the volume just never seems to make them sound "full"'.

I really like these alot and i find myself choosing theses more often than not over all my othet iems due to their stellar reproduction of guitars. Oh yeah and these respond well to my fiio e6 too.
shockdoc
shockdoc
Yeah but are you sure your E6 isn't a fake? LOL JK Couldn't resist. I've wondered about those little 'phones just because they are so friggin' cheap. i'll probably order a pair as beaters the next time I have to order a cable from Mono.

shimrra

New Head-Fier
Pros: The price and the sound
Cons: Packaging
For the price these little guys sound amazing, my only con is that they just came in a paddle envelope inside a clear bag with a tape model number on it. But other than that the sound these babies dish out are to unbelievable. Order them directly from Monoprice.com since they are selling it the cheapest.
CashNotCredit
CashNotCredit
Agreed! Not the biggest fan of the cable on them though, tangles easy and the microphonics aren't the best. Recabling would probably cost more than these things are worth though. xD

loki993

500+ Head-Fier
Pros: Price
Cons: Not the most comfortable
I bought these from seeing them in the comparison thread and figured why not, how can you go wrong for 7 dollars. Only regret was I didn't have anything else to get from Monoprice at the time so I couldn't combine shipping. 
 
To me they sound great, I am a noob and only have the pair of iBeats the came with my Rezound to compare...(these are better) . Pretty good bass and good mids. Though the high and mids do get a bit muffled. Sound stage is ok, nothing super wide but not nothing either. 
 
As for the fit, well the standard tips were too big for my ears and kept falling out. I put some smaller tips on from some other IEMS I have and they fit a lot better. Still I can definitely tell they're in my ears. Also the jut where the cables connect to the IEMS makes it very hard to get deep in your ears and sometimes presses which makes it a bit more uncomfortable. Even with the different tips they don't have total isolation, buts til its pretty good. I believe all of this can be rectified with some different tips and I'm sure I can get them to sound even better and get them comfy. 
 
Great value. 

shiftdelete

New Head-Fier
Pros: GREAT sound quality. GREAT price
Cons: plastic, no accessories
Not the most glamorous IEM's... but looks aside, these things are BEASTS! Just buy them.. you may find yourself loving them!  If not, give them to someone else, because they are sure to!
 

i2ehan

Aka: Nightcrawler, Oof Oink
Was flipping items from the classifieds on eBay.
--

BloodyPenguin

Headphoneus Supremus
Pros: Best IEM for the Price, Perfect Blend of Highs, Mids and Lows
Cons: Stock Ear Tips are Awful, Cord Tangles, Bulky
After reading Dsnuts' lengthy thread: http://www.head-fi.org/t/580769/the-monoprice-8320-mep-933-the-7-11-club, I had to jump on the bandwagon and get a pair for myself.
 
After opening my package from Monoprice, I see two little plastic bags containing the two pairs of 8320s I ordered.  Fancy, I know.
 
First thing I did, like anyone would do, was try and stick them in my ears.  Well, try as I might.  I could not get them to stay where they belong.  The stock tips are just awful.  Made out of a super cheap, flimsy rubber.  Impossible to get a good seal and if you have ears like mine, they will just pop out.
 
Luckily, changing out the ear tips is about the easiest mod you can do.  I quickly went to my bin of earphones and stole the tips off my JVC Marshmallows.  They fit like a glove on the 8320. 
 
I then placed the Monoprice "mini hair dryers" into my ears.  Sat back and in moments, I was in bliss.  My first thought is...  How can they sound this good?  Am I imagining it?  Is my brain filling in the gaps of sound?  These are $7 IEMs!
 
They are better than the hype.  You just have to hear them to believe it.
 
 
Tips about the Tips:
 
To get the best sound out of these little monsters, make sure you get either aftermarket tips that fit, like the Comply T-400 or Sony EPEX10A/BLK Hybrid.  That or find tips from other earphones you have laying around.
 
Also, very important to get the non-stock tips as far down your ear canal as you can.  The farther down, the better the bass and overall sound.
 
Here is a picture of my 8320s, with tips from my JVC Marshmallows:
 
Monoprice8320sm.jpg
 
 
The Fit:
 
One thing is for sure, as you will see pictures of other people wearing these, is that the "R" and 'L" stamped on each IEM should be sitting upright as you have them in your ears.
 
Most people will say, you should have the cord run over the back of your ear.  I slightly disagree with this.  The plastic part that comes out of the earphone faces downwards.  It seems silly to me to then bend it back and run it over the ear.  For me, just letting the cord hang down works best.
 
In this picture you will see how I wear them (and my ears seem to be built for these, they fit PERFECT).
 
Monoprice8320InEar.jpg
 
 
The Sound:
 
Highs:  The highs never seem to become too harsh, yet there is lots of detail.  They roll off very well.
 
Mids:  LOVE the mids.  They are fun and forward.
 
Lows:  Get a good seal and these will bump.  They also respond very well to some bassier EQ Settings.  Fun song to really get a feel of what these can do.  Try: Tron Legacy Soundtrack (Daft Punk) - Solar Sailer.  And put up the bass.
 
Overall Sound:  For me, the mix of Highs, Mids and Lows fit together so well.  I can listen to them with almost any kind of music.  The are great all around IEMs. 
 
 
Bottom line.  Buy these.  Buy them now.  Buy multiple pairs for yourself and for friends/family.  The more you buy, the cheaper they get!
 
..
Dsnuts
Dsnuts
These are tragically hip. Everyone should try one. Great little review my friend.
EliteGeek91
EliteGeek91
Yeah, I LOVE mine. Own 7 pair. :p Equipped my main 3x pairs of the Comply T-400 tips, and WOW. I sold my Ultimate Ears TripleFi 10's just because these are new new IEM's of choice!

Whether I'm on a plane, car ride, at work, etc. These ARE what I rock!

EYEdROP

500+ Head-Fier
Pros: musical, rythmic, natural, balanced, soundstage
Cons: Stock tips, treble extension, cable,
These are amazing regardless of price. The sound is very likable, energetic, and fun while staying balanced and with natural timbre. The bass has nice impact, just the right amount. And it has decent extension. It is very on time and snappy. Really some of the best bass I've heard from a headphone under $300. The midrange is actually pretty forward sounding, right in line with the bass. It has a lot of detail and sounds natural. There is some cloudiness and fog in the mids, but not from being recessed. If anything they start to sound shout-ey at higher volumes. The treble is rolled off very early and not really detailed at all. The treble is there but stays in the background and never does anything special. But at least they don't fatigue your ears. The soundstage is very very good for an IEM and provides lots of depth and shape. The soundstage and imaging is a big part of what makes these headphones detailed. Everything is placed in a certain spot so your brain can then recognize a sound is being played based on location. This headphone made me realize how much a proper soundstage and phase response makes a big difference. 
 
What I like best about this headphone is its very easy to see the whole picture, all the details going at once and in sync. My brain finds it easy to psycho acoustically comprehend the sound. With the 8320, its like being in a helicopter high above a forest, seeing every tree and getting a vast picture of what the forest looks like overall. With the DT48, its like being on the ground with a microscope, seeing and smelling each tree up and personal.
 
A quick word on the rest: Stock tips suck, they kinda look cheap and cyborg like. The comfort is good enough for me. Isolation is pretty weak, not much to speak of but it does offer a tiny bit. It improves little with better tips. The sound will improve a lot, better bass response and an even more full sound. 
 
I just think these are good sounding headphones regardless of price. They could have changed the tangle prone cable, color the casing, different tips, put a logo on it, and sold it for $100 and I would still buy it. But I do hope they stay cheap. I beleive that eventually, the emerging high end, budget IEM and headphone market from china will dominate this industry. I mean, most headphones don't cost much to make. If you can make a headphone sound like this with dirt cheap materials, then your in business.
 
 
Totally Dubbed
Totally Dubbed
Best bass under $300?
Maybe you've only been on BA earphones...lol?

SanjiWatsuki

500+ Head-Fier
Pros: Unheard of sound quality and build quality at its price
Cons: Not the most isolating IEMs.
Allow me to preface this by saying that I have way more experience with headphones. The only IEMs I've ever owned before this were some cheapie $20 Sony IEMs, the MeElec CW31s, and the MeElect M9-BK. I've sold every IEM I've owned before this one, mostly because I felt like they never got any head time compared to my full-sized cans.
 
The packaging for the 8320 was about was minimalist as you can get -- there were the IEMs with inserts already on, no alternative inserts, no box, just a small plastic bag. 
 
The design felt pretty solid, especially for a headphone of its price. The clothed cable was a nice touch and felt like a definite step up over typical cables for low end earbuds and IEMs, but it did feel cheap. I did find that they very often got tangled. I'm actually very impressed with the durability of the cable so far. I've already accidentally hard slammed the car door on this cable, pulling the Monoprices out of my pocket with such force that one of the tips flew off and they still worked perfectly afterwards.  
 
The comfort could be better, but I'm not a giant fan of cheap IEM comfort. The lack of additional, different sized inserts is somewhat annoying, but they're also $7. The comfort is acceptable, but not something I'd want to wear all day. 
 
As for the sound, the bass is tight and punchy. The sub-bass isn't quite that extended and you get the typical dynamic driver drop-off at the sub-bass frequencies. Bass had a solid amount of impact, but the rumble made bass-heavy electronic music feel a little lacking. Overall, though, I found the bass response to be solid. The mids had a surprising amount of clarity. By no means was it crystal clear, but it was better than I remembered my CW31s. Overall, the details in the mids and highs was solid.
 
For the price, I give the Monoprice 8320s my highest praise. They're certainly not hi-fi audio, but they're absolute monsters in their price range. Most $7 earphones sound and feel like absolute crap, but these could definitely compete with the $20-40 MeElecs. 
 
kiteki
kiteki
3.5 / 5 sound quality competing with $20 Meelecs.
I'll pass.
vlenbo
vlenbo
Did you get the monoprice earphones kiteki? I hope so.
SanjiWatsuki
SanjiWatsuki
I found them better than the lower end Meelecs. I may get a chance in the new future to try out some balanced armature IEMs, and I'll be able to weigh in with them against those later.
Back
Top