[2021 Update] Venture Electronics (VE) Monk V2, Monk Plus & Monk Go: a $5 earbud that taking the world by storm!!!

[B9Scrambler]

  Maybe it's just me, so please no one take any offense to my comments.  Adding these adapters, ear hooks, aftermarket foams, etc. just defeats the purpose of buying $5 earbuds.  I've got $14 invested in two sets of monks and they are fine as is.  Granted the price allows folks to experiment I guess, but when it's all said and done, why didn't you just buy the $30, $40, or $50 earbuds instead of throwing more money at the Monks?  It's your money so spend it however you want, but at the end of the day you are throwing a lot of money at $5 earbuds for what may or may not change the sound (subjective) or change the fit.  I'm just looking at this realistically and perhaps I'm in the minority, yet I've had no desire to alter my Monks or spend additional money on them.  Like I said, take no offense to this, just making an observation and thinking out loud.

 
The fact that people even want to spend the time even considering doing any of what you mentioned with a $5 earbud says a lot, such as, it's worth much more than what you are spending. Nothing wrong with making what you already have better

. The Monk only costing $5 also leaves the door open for the upgrades and extras you are buying as a result of saving all that cash to be used on other earbuds/earphones, etc. Not only are you saving money on the initial purchase, but this savings is potentially allowing you to enhance future purchases. Win win for all I say! This is part of what makes this hobby so great. That said, like you I've spent nothing enhancing my Monks and don't plan to. I'm enjoying them with the foamies that came with my Sennheiser MX470. To each their own. 

 

 

[EISENbricher]

The fact that people even want to spend the time even considering doing any of what you mentioned with a $5 earbud says a lot, such as, it's worth much more than what you are spending. Nothing wrong with making what you already have better . The Monk only costing $5 also leaves the door open for the upgrades and extras you are buying as a result of saving all that cash to be used on other earbuds/earphones, etc. Not only are you saving money on the initial purchase, but this savings is potentially allowing you to enhance future purchases. Win win for all I say! This is part of what makes this hobby so great. That said, like you I've spent nothing enhancing my Monks and don't plan to. I'm enjoying them with the foamies that came with my Sennheiser MX470. To each their own.   

Ah... The MX470. I've had them but I was not into earbuds that time and they never got much listening time. Now that I've got monk I wished to compare it with MX470 but no longer I am able to find it.

What's your take on MX470 vs Monk?

 

[lixoke]

I got mine yesterday and while they sound very good for the price, I think people are going a bit overboard saying these are better than $400+ headphones like the HD600. But then again, it's ridiculous how big the soundstage is for an earbud. They're also horribly uncomfortable, for me at least. I can't stand them more than 30 minutes regardless of which foam I use.

 

[Ruben123]

Besides that I'm a monoprice 8320 fan as some of you know, this whole hype makes me think about it lol
Cheap, good sq, uncomfortable for some, heavily modded and of course being compared to $$$$ earphones haha
They complement the monks well, I must say!

 

[Lorspeaker]

Listening to the Monk on the Audiogd amp...
(n trying to dig into my distant memory of the hd600)
dun think the Monk has the resolution of the hd600, just a tad behind,
the mids of the Monk is more upfront, intimate...
soundstage, the Monk dun sound congested..
quite open the whole orchestra, with the vocals right betw the eyes.. ha.
Hd600 is more neutral without being sterile..
Monk is more musical.
 
( the Monk is a cross betw a HD600 n HD650.. !?? )
 
For $5....... who is the winner ???

 

[haiku]

  Listening to the Monk on the Audiogd amp...
(n trying to dig into my distant memory of the hd600)
dun think the Monk has the resolution of the hd600, just a tad behind,
the mids of the Monk is more upfront, intimate...
soundstage, the Monk dun sound congested..
quite open the whole orchestra, with the vocals right betw the eyes.. ha.
Hd600 is more neutral without being sterile..
Monk is more musical.
 
( the Monk is a cross betw a HD600 n HD650.. !?? )
 
For $5....... who is the winner ???

You nailed it. Cans like the HD600 are more for "rational people" (nothing wrong with that), the Monks are more heart touching.That´s why the Monks win for me.  

 

 

[DanBa]

   
Are you powering that with the phone itself? I see no external power source.

 
In this use case, the smartphone powers the USB DAC/amp.
 
 
There are other use cases:
. the USB DAC/amp is powered by a powered USB hub:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/595071/android-phones-and-usb-dacs/5820#post_11098215
http://www.head-fi.org/t/595071/android-phones-and-usb-dacs/4710#post_10544580
 
. the USB DAC/amp and the smartphone are powered by a battery via a USB OTG / ACA-Y cable:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/595071/android-phones-and-usb-dacs/2580#post_9598490
 
. the USB DAC/amp and the smartphone is powered by a battery via a USB OTG-Y cable:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/595071/android-phones-and-usb-dacs/5280#post_10829881

 

[Lorspeaker]

post #828
 
if i add this short silverplated extension cable, 
the Monk gives a thinner speedier sound...
suitable for more complex music.

 

[To.M]

last night during my yet another Monksession I realized a shocking truth… the more I use them, the better they sound! so the conclusion is obvious…

HAPPY EASTER GUYS!

 

[Danneq]

The fact that people even want to spend the time even considering doing any of what you mentioned with a $5 earbud says a lot, such as, it's worth much more than what you are spending. Nothing wrong with making what you already have better . The Monk only costing $5 also leaves the door open for the upgrades and extras you are buying as a result of saving all that cash to be used on other earbuds/earphones, etc. Not only are you saving money on the initial purchase, but this savings is potentially allowing you to enhance future purchases. Win win for all I say! This is part of what makes this hobby so great. That said, like you I've spent nothing enhancing my Monks and don't plan to. I'm enjoying them with the foamies that came with my Sennheiser MX470. To each their own.   

Starting the 29th you can buy Musicmaker Tomahawk for $36 from Easy earphone on Ali express using the Ali express app. Tomahawk beats Monk hands down in just about everything except perhaps soundstage size, and requires no modding to improve. But then again, perhaps modding cheap stuff to sound better is a part of this hobby?

 

[B9Scrambler]

Ah... The MX470. I've had them but I was not into earbuds that time and they never got much listening time. Now that I've got monk I wished to compare it with MX470 but no longer I am able to find it.

What's your take on MX470 vs Monk?

 
Sound of the Monk is thicker and more mid-bassy but the general tone between the two is similar. MX470 uses a much smaller driver and has better treble quality and extension in my opinion. Mids are close between the two, Monk being a bit more weighty. Cable on the Monk is much better, but I've got an older version of the MX470 with a sticky, sticky cable. They upgraded the cable significantly before it was discontinued. Gifted my dad a pair of MX470 with the upgrade which is how I found out about the change.
 
The MX470 wasn't super cheap back in the day, further displaying the value of the Monk.

 

[nhlean96]

I'm afraid that the VE Monk will be discontinued soon, so I bought myself a pair of VE Monk from local dealer
First impression is excellent, way better than my KZs (ATE, EDR2, ANV) 

 Listening for long period does not cause discomfort or fatigue
An excellent choice for under $10 

 I love VE Monk more than my Hifiman RE400, gonna compare them to the Baldoor E100 (1st version, Mrice sucks ))

 

[nolife1123]

  I'm afraid that the VE Monk will be discontinued soon, so I bought myself a pair of VE Monk from local dealer
First impression is excellent, way better than my KZs (ATE, EDR2, ANV) 

 Listening for long period does not cause discomfort or fatigue
An excellent choice for under $10 

 I love VE Monk more than my Hifiman RE400, gonna compare them to the Baldoor E100 (1st version, Mrice sucks ))

They will not be discontinued, or at least Lee hasn't said anything about that, it's likely just that they're getting those "expansion packs" ready for the monks, and likely want to add stock along with new monk stock!

 

[Braekfast]

  They will not be discontinued, or at least Lee hasn't said anything about that, it's likely just that they're getting those "expansion packs" ready for the monks, and likely want to add stock along with new monk stock!

On that note, has Lee given any hints about when those expansion packs/ his new 64-something ohm earbuds would come out? 

 

[nolife1123]

  On that note, has Lee given any hints about when those expansion packs/ his new 64-something ohm earbuds would come out? 

Knowing Lee, he's doing everything he can to get as many available to us as fast as possible, but there are always limitations, it's not just dependent on him, but the rest of his team and the suppliers. I can't say anything in his name, nor would I dare to guess incorrectly, he'll be the one that'll announce everything when it's time !