[giuca70]

I think this amt is capable of anything. Larger Headstage, depth, lateral dimension and height, punch, high dynamics, playing speed, instrumental ensembles reproduced with great ease, and presence, power, body. I love this, with a great DIY project, a solid state amplifier: AF-N v5 by GardenLabs. Further on, more insights.

 

[giuca70]

If we really wanted to make a comparison, I'd rather start from what I find in this AMT:
the brilliance of the ATH-MSR7gm
the explosive dynamics of a modified Denon Ah-D5000 (beatiful sound)
the scenic breadth of an HD800
a pinch of excellent Dolby Atmos headphone effect (height, depth, width)
the transparency of a DT880 Pro modified in DT880 BSE
the exuberance of a DT990 BSE
the airiness of an Austrian Audio HI-X55
the capacity of a punch typical of the Monolith M1060c, in the three variants (open, closed, half-open), yes exactly all three together.
the almost real voices, as an ATH-W1000 would return, with its splendid mids
an extraordinary symphonic instrumental performance, as the first Hifiman HE6 did, at the beginning of the millennium
The scenic coherence from the medium-high up, of a deeply modified ESS 422H, with Y-cable
The silky I don't know what an Ultrasone 900 Pro renders, in the high-pitched territory
The beauty, that none of the defects of the aforementioned headphones are present, or where each does not excel in the other parameters.

 

[InvisibleInk]

If we really wanted to make a comparison, I'd rather start from what I find in this AMT:
the brilliance of the ATH-MSR7gm
the explosive dynamics of a modified Denon Ah-D5000 (beatiful sound)
the scenic breadth of an HD800
a pinch of excellent Dolby Atmos headphone effect (height, depth, width)
the transparency of a DT880 Pro modified in DT880 BSE
the exuberance of a DT990 BSE
the airiness of an Austrian Audio HI-X55
the capacity of a punch typical of the Monolith M1060c, in the three variants (open, closed, half-open), yes exactly all three together.
the almost real voices, as an ATH-W1000 would return, with its splendid mids
an extraordinary symphonic instrumental performance, as the first Hifiman HE6 did, at the beginning of the millennium
The scenic coherence from the medium-high up, of a deeply modified ESS 422H, with Y-cable
The silky I don't know what an Ultrasone 900 Pro renders, in the high-pitched territory
The beauty, that none of the defects of the aforementioned headphones are present, or where each does not excel in the other parameters.

Yes, I can say that this is exactly the feedback in the best details, covered with poetic flare, that I was looking for. Cheers!

 

[LenAlex]

Got this to double check audio production for a project. First impressions.

(a) Build quality seems rather good. The parts that can easily fail are all thicker than usual and metal. E.g., the yoke.
Leather pads. Only plastic is the outer case.

(b) The detail seems to be good, in the sense that any subtle noise in a recording is clearly heard, but detail seems to vary sensitively depending on what instruments dominate in the source. Strange.

Soundstage seems to be quite larger than average. When the source is one that sounds good with this headphone.
For example, larger compared to one of my favorites, due to working with strings, HE-560 modded closed with ebony cups.

Have to wait for more burn in before saying more. No overall opinion yet. Burn in does seem to matter a lot here. Sound changed over a few hours.

It has a different overall sound than my other several planars.

Comment. Sound changes a great detail depending on the form of any closing mod. Bringing near different form wooden cups changes the sound a lot, often for the better, in my preference. (But that may be because I prefer the closed sound.) I think a closed version could work well.

Update. So far it seems to really depend on the source - the particular track - whether it sounds well for the price or not. Detail depends on what kind of track, much more so than for example the HE-560, which is more uniform; and the brass and strings overall are better, crisper in texture on the HE-560.
Audio Technica woodies such as the ATH-W5000 are still the best I know for pop songs.

Really well for the right opera and classical pieces. But much less so for something that depends on texture of the brass or strings, or for pop music in general. More impressions in a week after burn in done.

Some pieces, for example, that sound excellent, much better than usual:
Ponchielli's Suicidio from Gioconda (Soprano: Suliotis, Conductor: Rapalo)
Quiroga & Aragon's Non me quieras tanto from Pasion espanola (Tenor: Domingo, Conductor: Roa)
Hoashi & Yamashita's Beautiful song from Nier Automata Orchestral Arrangement (Conductor: Sasaki)
Lauridsen's Io piango from Madrigali (Conductor: Layton)
Rebroff's Hey, Andrjuschka.

That sort of thing. Interesting.

I think it has to do with the way it tends to separate certain frequencies into foreground and background, which kind of audio cues to the brain happen to result. When something sounds less good, this separation doesn't happen so well due to the nature of the piece.

 

[MZ Lab]

Very very interesting. Larger headstage than the HD800? Well I always felt that there is a headphone out there that would have a larger soundstage than the HD800/800s. For example. My Ultrasone Edition 11, the width and height may not be as big as the HD800/800s but the depth of the stage, the pure blackness and air is on another level and I have yet found a headphone to match it. I personally find depth more important than width and height. It doesn't spread out instruments and vocals too much, but give the separation they truly deserve.

These headphones (Monolith AMT) have everything in terms of stage. Dynamic headphones sound pathetic compared to them. The AMT's have Electrostatic like highs and mids (very airy) and Planar type of bass (strong and linear). However the AMT's really require strong amplification.

 

[LenAlex]

Update. More impressions.

(a) So far it does seem to benefit from some EQ. It sounds well without it, but best with it. So it's in the same category as many of Hifiman's or Dan Clark's designs in that respect, wherein easy to EQ and EQ rather than the out-of-the-box sound gives the best sound. All capable of really great sound, but typically with some gentle EQ.

(b) One other thing I've found regarding the AMT is that it strongly benefits from being at a greater distance from the head. By about an inch.

This is more like an earspeaker (perhaps no surprise? given the ribbon nature?) than for a closed or open headphone.

I think the reason for that is that the AMT sounds the best when very loud and that doesn't work when it's too close to the ear and sealed. The amount of detail and, more importantly I would say, the timbre really improve if there is good space between it and the ear, rather than a good seal.

The pads are high quality, by the way. But it seems the sound would benefit from them being maybe twice or even thrice the thickness?

Only question is how to achieve that comfortably. Dekoni nuggets stuck to each pad? (Have not tried yet.) To increase the distance and leave some big gaps as needed? I've tried using a second pad but using anything that seals or a smaller pad doesn't work. The best sound is when you just hold them slightly away from your ears to break the seal and really increase the volume, but how to achieve the same thing with just pads? With no hands?

 

[Jackhomo]

Update. More impressions.

(a) So far it does seem to benefit from some EQ. It sounds well without it, but best with it. So it's in the same category as many of Hifiman's or Dan Clark's designs in that respect, wherein easy to EQ and EQ rather than the out-of-the-box sound gives the best sound. All capable of really great sound, but typically with some gentle EQ.

(b) One other thing I've found regarding the AMT is that it strongly benefits from being at a greater distance from the head. By about an inch.

This is more like an earspeaker (perhaps no surprise? given the ribbon nature?) than for a closed or open headphone.

I think the reason for that is that the AMT sounds the best when very loud and that doesn't work when it's too close to the ear and sealed. The amount of detail and, more importantly I would say, the timbre really improve if there is good space between it and the ear, rather than a good seal.

The pads are high quality, by the way. But it seems the sound would benefit from them being maybe twice or even thrice the thickness?

Only question is how to achieve that comfortably. Dekoni nuggets stuck to each pad? (Have not tried yet.) To increase the distance and leave some big gaps as needed? I've tried using a second pad but using anything that seals or a smaller pad doesn't work. The best sound is when you just hold them slightly away from your ears to break the seal and really increase the volume, but how to achieve the same thing with just pads? With no hands?

comparison with the Ananda ?

 

[Audazed]

Anyone have insights into preferred amp pairings for the GL850/Monoprice AMT, would a high wattage hybrid/tube amplifier like the Liquid Platinum pair well with these or do they shine best with current amplification?

 

[tg123]

Anyone have insights into preferred amp pairings for the GL850/Monoprice AMT, would a high wattage hybrid/tube amplifier like the Liquid Platinum pair well with these or do they shine best with current amplification?

I have used my Monoprice AMT headphones with the Schiit Vali 2+ and it sounds good. A little too warm. But these headphones really need power. It sounds better with the Burson Soloist 3X performance (highest gain setting). I am using the Monoprice balance cable, so it’s 4 watts to headphones.

 

[giuca70]

My personal mod is here:
resonant chamber of non direct reflection, then filled... so sound is more natural than ever. Always punch, detailed, dynamic.
.

 

[hottyson]

Today was my first day playing around with Monoprice AMT on a few of my amps. Using the Schiit Bifrost 2 DAC on them (except Questyle Twelve), I got best sound out of AMT pairing in this order:

1. Schiit Jotunheim 2, balanced output (high gain) - lively, energetic and aggressive
2. Singxer SA-1, balanced output (low bias) - smoothed out a bit but enough energy to still be fun
3. Questyle CMA Twelve, balanced output (high bias) - too bad that the internal DAC was a bottleneck or it would place higher, because amp was very good
4. HeadAmp Gilmore Lite Mk2 - Lively bright highs as usual, left me wanting better imaging, and coherent staging out of it
5. Ray Samuels Emmeline HR-2 - upper mids focussed, highs brought an ethereal quality to staging
6. RebelAudio Rebel Amp - smoothed out a bit, not enough muscle to drive heavy bass passages
   
   Fail = DarkVoice 336SE - Just incase you are wondering if AMT driver was OTL friendly. No, it is not. Flabby, duddy, puttering bass, just as you would get with planars.

Not impressed yet. When A/B with my cheaper $550 Hifiman HE6se V2, it is not even a contest. Hopefully when I get to EQ the playing field may level out?

 

[hottyson]

Without EQ, I was unable to get good sound out of the Monoprice AMT headphone. A set of CCA CRA $14 in ear monitors from China also arrived in the mail at that time and as soon as I plugged them in to my portable Sansa Clip player, I was relieved to have decent sound again compared to the AMT. I felt as if the AMT without EQ was performing at a level of $100 to $200 headphones.
.
So after a couple of days, I proceeded to move onto equalization. I began by opening my EQ app HeSuVi on my Windows computers in order to equalize the Monoprice AMT. I searched for EQ presets on the internet for the Monoprice AMT. I was unable to find any. So instead, reading up on some reviews and looking at a few frequency response graphs, I settled on some Audeze EQ presets to try in place until I could get a proper EQ preset. First, I clicked on the Audeze LCD-X EQ preset since they would boost the 1k-4k Hz dips of the AMT. Things did sound a bit better but the 1k-4k Hz dip was not boosted enough. So then I just started down the line and tried every single Audeze preset installed and got fairly decent sound from the preset for Audeze LCD-MX4. Was it perfect? No, but it was the best I could come up with for now. I certainly hope a proper EQ preset becomes available for people like me that are dependent upon them.

After my crude EQ settings were in place, I finally began to reap the spoils of the Monoprice AMT. So, I set up a second system as a benchmark right next to it. The systems to battle it out were comprised of:

The challenger
1. PC running HeSuVi with EQ preset for Audeze LCD-MX4 (not ideal)
2. Schiit Bifrost 2 DAC
3. Schiit Jotunheim 2 headphone amplifier (balanced output)
4. Monoprice AMT headphone

Benchmark system
1. PC running HeSuVi with EQ preset for Hifiman HE6se V2
2. Schiit Bifrost 2 DAC
3. Rebel Audio RebelAmp headphone amplifier
4. Hifiman HE6se V2

The Benchmark system is my second favorite headphone setup after my favorite ZMF headphone system. However, this Benchmark system is a very technical setup that makes for a matched comparison to the Monoprice AMT. Even with the tone of the Monoprice AMT being off with the hodgepodge EQ setup, I was still able to get pretty good sound. And, that stage. Wow! The Monoprice AMT headphones sort of melted away and undisturbed uniformity across the stage like I have never perceived through headphones before. Now that I better understand what an AMT headphone does to the stage, I am dying to hear the HEDD Audio HEDDphone.
.
As for the rest of the characteristics with the handicapped EQ of the Monoprice AMT, it did not beat the properly equalized $550 Hifiman HE6se V2. I am perhaps getting performance equal to a $300 to $400 headphone now out of the Monoprice AMT. But, once I get a proper EQ preset for the Monoprice AMT, who knows what might happen!

 

[Beagle]

The realism of this symphonic piece is above any graph, EQ, and above any other opinion. It is simply beautiful. Large Headstage, more than Hd800.

OMG someone actually using music and the emotional effect of same to judge a headphone, rather than the sound of another headphone? Praise the lord. All is not lost.

 

[hottyson]

Today, I am still unable to enjoy the Monoprice AMT with no equalization.
.
I continue listening to Monoprice AMT with EQ preset for Audeze LCD-MX4. However, I am just enjoying it on it's own without A/B comparisons, and I must say that I am enjoying this Monoprice AMT VERY NUSCH! I think driver burn in has possibly advanced a great deal as well as my brain burn. As I listen to tunes, my brain is telling me that this wide stage presentation is very natural to how I hear everyday in the world and it is very pleasant to listen to music in this manner. My other headphones usually present sound as if looking through two center cardboard toilet paper cylindrical tubes to form binoculars and trying to view the world around you just within the confines of the two narrow circles. This open stage that the Monoprice AMT presents like the cylindrical tubes have been removed from my eyes and I can enjoy the full glory of experiencing so much more on a grand scale. I am going to have to up my valuation today. I would happily pay $500 or more for these. I wonder if they might open up even wider with more burn in and an eventual proper equalization.

 

[Reputator]

Today, I am still unable to enjoy the Monoprice AMT with no equalization.
.
I continue listening to Monoprice AMT with EQ preset for Audeze LCD-MX4. However, I am just enjoying it on it's own without A/B comparisons, and I must say that I am enjoying this Monoprice AMT VERY NUSCH! I think driver burn in has possibly advanced a great deal as well as my brain burn. As I listen to tunes, my brain is telling me that this wide stage presentation is very natural to how I hear everyday in the world and it is very pleasant to listen to music in this manner. My other headphones usually present sound as if looking through two center cardboard toilet paper cylindrical tubes to form binoculars and trying to view the world around you just within the confines of the two narrow circles. This open stage that the Monoprice AMT presents like the cylindrical tubes have been removed from my eyes and I can enjoy the full glory of experiencing so much more on a grand scale. I am going to have to up my valuation today. I would happily pay $500 or more for these. I wonder if they might open up even wider with more burn in and an eventual proper equalization.

If they're anything like the HEDDphones, then yes they will benefit tremendously from burn-in. Those headphones were among the ones to benefit the most from burn-in all the ones I've owned. The only ones to come close were the DT990s, and that might have just been pad wear. As I recall, the traits that changed the most were staging and clarity/detail.

If you like these that much, definitely try out the HEDDs. They also stage very wide, but come pre-equipped with fantastic, natural tonality right out of the box.