Monolith M1570 Over Ear Open Back Balanced Planar Headphones

[Knee Deep In Epoxy]

1 Both have wide soundstage
2 Both have ample power
3 The refined highs of the RebelAmp is next level

I can only recommend the Singxer SA-1 if you need the balanced xlr pre-out for speaker setups that require them and the switch for speaker/headphone.

Otherwise, the RebelAmp trumps the Singxer all day long in every single category for headphone amplification. The RebelAmp is a $500 amp that should be selling for $1,200 or higher. We are talking about the next league of amplification for a measly $500. It cannot be beat unless you go tube amplifier.

Thank you!

I guess the basic spec sheet showing the singxer output at 6W @ 32 ohm Vs the Rebel Amp at 1W into 32 ohm made me wonder if the Rebel Amp could handle Aryas but spec sheets don't tell the whole story.

 

[hottyson]

Thank you!

I guess the basic spec sheet showing the singxer output at 6W @ 32 ohm Vs the Rebel Amp at 1W into 32 ohm made me wonder if the Rebel Amp could handle Aryas but spec sheets don't tell the whole story.

This is also where the Schiit Magni amps excel. On paper they are pretty good. But compared to other $100 amps and some $250 amps, they will drive harder when pushed to their extreme limits. Schiit amps in general put out gobs of power for the money.

 

[hottyson]

Thank you!

I guess the basic spec sheet showing the singxer output at 6W @ 32 ohm Vs the Rebel Amp at 1W into 32 ohm made me wonder if the Rebel Amp could handle Aryas but spec sheets don't tell the whole story.

I should clarify that I do not own the Hifiman Arya. I find that amps perform differently with different headphones. I did compare my headphone amps using the Hifiman Ananda, the amps that did best were in this order:

Hifiman Ananda $700

1. RebelAmp $500 Clearer distant sound stage, longer time enjoyed listening with. This pair gains the sense of open space that creates a smooth enveloping stage, the center stage images from all of an arc above the stage. Highs are just dreamy!
2. SCHIIT JOTUNHEIM 2 $400 Accentuated highs instead of glaring highs initially makes me pick this as first place, clear near stage presence but the middle of the stage images under the stage sort of in a v-shape.
3. SCHIIT JOTUNHEIM $300 Serious slam even guitars.
4. HEADAMP GILMORE LITE MK2 $800 Highs a bit piercing.
5. SINGXER SA-1 $540 Too smooth lacking slam for my rock tracks.

 

[Chastity]

I was looking at pics of the Audeze LCD-5, and noted the contoured shaped pads they use, where the pad surface is angled in:

I was thinking this shape would be ideal in dealing with reflections in the cup chamber, and may be of note for M1070 / M1570 owners.

 

[dstarr3]

Can someone point me towards some songs that make their M1570 exhibit reflections? I'm not sure what that sounds like

 

[dstarr3]

So I've decided to keep this headphone, at the very least just out of good faith for Monoprice and their customer service. The brief version, my Liquid Platinum amp burned out a few weeks ago. I bought it used so I thought I was boned, but I got in touch with the guy I bought it from, he helped me RMA it. We told Monoprice "Uhhhhh... it was a wedding present! Please send this new person the replacement rather than the person who originally bought it." And they did! So, since they were kind enough to make that work, I'll keep this headphone.

This is still a gorgeously detailed and musical headphone with incredible sub-bass extension, but it's that sub-bass that kind of mislead me in regards to what kind of music this headphone excels at. I thought this would be an absolute hard rock and heavy metal monster with sub-bass like it has, but it kept just underwhelming me with those genres. But it's becoming clear to me that this headphone is just too laid back for that kind of use. It's not lazy by any means, but it's... it's a gentle touch kind of headphone. To steal a Jeremy Clarkson metaphor, it's a dentist's drill when I want a sledgehammer.

That said, when I apply this instead to... really, anything other than hard rock or metal, that's when it really starts to become clear to me where this headphone excels. It just takes all the little rough edges off of your music, adds a little touch of polish and sparkle and air, and delivers you this extremely pleasant, silky, detailed experience.

It sounds like the HE6SE V2 would be that wild, energetic rock monster that I'm wanting the M1570 to be for hard rock and metal. But so far, applying this headphone to just about any other genre is really proving to be very enjoyable.

 

[Shane D]

So I've decided to keep this headphone, at the very least just out of good faith for Monoprice and their customer service. The brief version, my Liquid Platinum amp burned out a few weeks ago. I bought it used so I thought I was boned, but I got in touch with the guy I bought it from, he helped me RMA it. We told Monoprice "Uhhhhh... it was a wedding present! Please send this new person the replacement rather than the person who originally bought it." And they did! So, since they were kind enough to make that work, I'll keep this headphone.

This is still a gorgeously detailed and musical headphone with incredible sub-bass extension, but it's that sub-bass that kind of mislead me in regards to what kind of music this headphone excels at. I thought this would be an absolute hard rock and heavy metal monster with sub-bass like it has, but it kept just underwhelming me with those genres. But it's becoming clear to me that this headphone is just too laid back for that kind of use. It's not lazy by any means, but it's... it's a gentle touch kind of headphone. To steal a Jeremy Clarkson metaphor, it's a dentist's drill when I want a sledgehammer.

That said, when I apply this instead to... really, anything other than hard rock or metal, that's when it really starts to become clear to me where this headphone excels. It just takes all the little rough edges off of your music, adds a little touch of polish and sparkle and air, and delivers you this extremely pleasant, silky, detailed experience.

It sounds like the HE6SE V2 would be that wild, energetic rock monster that I'm wanting the M1570 to be for hard rock and metal. But so far, applying this headphone to just about any other genre is really proving to be very enjoyable.

I hear what you are saying. I only thought of them as subtle when compared to the HE6se V2's.
I have NO idea why people compare these headphones. Outside of being planars, these two have Nothing in common.

I am looking forward to them coming up in the rotation again with no HE6se's around.

 

[ReverendOlaf]

I love the sound of these headphones, and a custom cable from Hart cables took care of adding to my Hart cable setup. I gave the headband a go but, I never could make it work for me. Heavy, lose, and just not comfortable, I grew to hate it.

I never could find yokes for the Audeze headbands that tend to get suggested, so I went with some Hifiman options.

I tried the HiFiMan Headband for V560V2 from Adorama, but that was $40 wasted. It's close to the right size, but it's not. In coming to that determination, I did find that a .9mm hex bit helped removing the set screw on the pins (or so it seamed--more on that later).

I then ordered Hybrid Headband (same as used in Sundara) directly from Hifiman. It's $125, but it worked well! Getting the old one off was an adventure. The two set screws I detached in my earlier attempt disconnected easily enough (same .9mm hex bit did the trick), but the other side. Wow, that was a disaster. One screw had no head. The other had something akin to .9mm but it wouldn't unscrew (it spun and stripped the head). Neither of the two would unscrew. I tried pliers, I tried other bits, and I never could unscrew. Ultimately I had to cut the screws out (not fun, as it was hard to get in there).

Reassembling everything was easy enough (I inadvertently pulled the wires out of the solder, but that's on me. The new headband needed its holes on the yokes slightly embiggened, but that was easy enough. The pins were usable (two with set screws and two not so much). The new yokes barely accommodate the big cans, but they fit if you remove the rubber bits that go in between. Set screw or not, the pins will stay in place, so no worries there.

My tips:
Skip the $40 headband
Have a .9mm hex bit handy (it's an uncommon size)
Keep your screws organized and do the work on a decent work surface
When working on the pins, remove the jacks for the cable and the fazors to avoid stressing the wires
An extra pair of pair of hands helps with reassembly (the rest is easy enough with two hands)

I do recommend the mod, as it feels much more secure, balanced, and comfortable. The weight is a it less too.

 

[dstarr3]

I will say this headphone is killer for electronic music. Today I've been spinning albums from Air, like Moon Safari and Talkie Walkie. Some synthwave from Tycho, as well. Unh. Perfect.

 

[David222]

I should clarify that I do not own the Hifiman Arya. I find that amps perform differently with different headphones. I did compare my headphone amps using the Hifiman Ananda, the amps that did best were in this order:

Hifiman Ananda $700

1. RebelAmp $500 Clearer distant sound stage, longer time enjoyed listening with. This pair gains the sense of open space that creates a smooth enveloping stage, the center stage images from all of an arc above the stage. Highs are just dreamy!
2. SCHIIT JOTUNHEIM 2 $400 Accentuated highs instead of glaring highs initially makes me pick this as first place, clear near stage presence but the middle of the stage images under the stage sort of in a v-shape.
3. SCHIIT JOTUNHEIM $300 Serious slam even guitars.
4. HEADAMP GILMORE LITE MK2 $800 Highs a bit piercing.
5. SINGXER SA-1 $540 Too smooth lacking slam for my rock tracks.

How did you like the Rebel vs. the Jot 2? Curious if you found the Rebel to be warmer/more body?

 

[hottyson]

How did you like the Rebel vs. the Jot 2? Curious if you found the Rebel to be warmer/more body?

Yes, the RebelAmp has more body and more everything. It is my favorite solid state amp and the only one that has matched the sound produced by my tube amplifiers.
.
The Schiit Jotunheim 2 is a great amp that costs $100 cheaper, has xlr balanced output for speakers, and a switch for headphone off for speaker listening. If one needs a versatile preamp with all of the outputs I pointed out or if one wants their DAC to be built in for all in one convenience, then the Schiit Jotunheim 2 is still a very good choice. I don't like the heat it produces since I live in the hot desert, but I still use it for my main computer to drive my Emotiva Airmotiv nearfield monitors.
.
However, if one is after a better sounding amp for headphone listening, the Rebel Audio RebelAmp is only $100 more than the Schiit Jotunheim 2 and is better in every category to me. Worth every penny spent on it and would gladly paid $1,000 for it.

 

[Chastity]

I thought this would be an absolute hard rock and heavy metal monster with sub-bass like it has, but it kept just underwhelming me with those genres. But it's becoming clear to me that this headphone is just too laid back for that kind of use. It's not lazy by any means, but it's... it's a gentle touch kind of headphone.

Funny, I find the headphones to do a great job with rock and metal. Speed, impact, and guitars have great energy, and impeccable vocals + spot on imaging.

My setup may be different from yours, and your welcome to speculate:

PC (Using EQ APO w/ tweaked Oratory1990 EQ for Lambskins) -> SMSL M300 MKII (Using Super Slow FL5 Filter for "Natural" Sound) -> FX Audio Tube-01 preamp with Voskhod 6J1P-EV tubes (Gain is about +15%) -> Schiit Asgard 3 (High Gain) -> M1570 w/ Lambskins

 

[Jas Ramz]

Yes, the RebelAmp has more body and more everything. It is my favorite solid state amp and the only one that has matched the sound produced by my tube amplifiers.
.
The Schiit Jotunheim 2 is a great amp that costs $100 cheaper, has xlr balanced output for speakers, and a switch for headphone off for speaker listening. If one needs a versatile preamp with all of the outputs I pointed out or if one wants their DAC to be built in for all in one convenience, then the Schiit Jotunheim 2 is still a very good choice. I don't like the heat it produces since I live in the hot desert, but I still use it for my main computer to drive my Emotiva Airmotiv nearfield monitors.
.
However, if one is after a better sounding amp for headphone listening, the Rebel Audio RebelAmp is only $100 more than the Schiit Jotunheim 2 and is better in every category to me. Worth every penny spent on it and would gladly paid $1,000 for it.

The RebelAmp Is also the best regarding slam for rock, or which amp gives the better slam for rock/metal music?

 

[hottyson]

The RebelAmp Is also the best regarding slam for rock, or which amp gives the better slam for rock/metal music?

I want to say RebelAmp is better at everything, but I am going to do a head to head comparison for you when I get home tonight to be certain. The Schiit Jotunheim might give the RebelAmp a run for it's money since the Schiit house sound is SO GOOD for rock tracks. I shall update you soon.

 

[543933]

@hottyson RebelAmp is produced in Europe but I can not find any european online store ? Do you have any info where it can be purchased in Europe ?