[Ghost Pack]

Wow immediately after typing that last comment I went to listen to my 1060's for a bit and the left MMCX connector just split in half... The plastic ring around it cracked at the seam and now the socket feels really loosely held into the wood ring. I'll get some pictures later tonight but this is pretty concerning as it feels like these headphones are just falling apart on me. Shame cause I really like the sound....

 

[Ghost Pack]

It's still an electrically solid connection as I can't make the left ear-cup drop out without significant fiddling, but the connection definitely feels super wobbly.

 

[strawbewwy]

Newbie here, received mine 2 days ago and only really gave it a listen yesterday. This is my first pair of "higher-end" (and planar at that) headphones and unfortunately, the connector (i can't tell cup or wire, leaning towards cups) are bad on BOTH sides =/. i can turn my head left and right and I'll either have one side (usually the opposite of direction I'm turning) or both sides go out completely. Tried switching l/r side cables and I guess since it's both sides, it wasn't helping to limit to what's wrong. I'm tempted to buy the Tennmak cables someone mentioned here before just to kill my hope. But overall very disappointed to see the wood cracking as well (mine hasn't yet, so far, and i keep them in the case it came with). I'm debating to buy the m560 to see how they sound compared to the m1060, or just go try the fostex t50rp, or just stay away from planar for now and get a pair of Fidelio X2 or maybe the HD600's .

 

[Ofenlicht]

  Wow immediately after typing that last comment I went to listen to my 1060's for a bit and the left MMCX connector just split in half... The plastic ring around it cracked at the seam and now the socket feels really loosely held into the wood ring. I'll get some pictures later tonight but this is pretty concerning as it feels like these headphones are just falling apart on me. Shame cause I really like the sound....

That sucks. Can you post pictures for reference? 
 
EDIT: My bad, totally read over the part of "later tonight".
 
Hoping Monoprice sees this and addresses the issues and fixes it in a second revision.

 

[davehutch]

Newbie here, received mine 2 days ago and only really gave it a listen yesterday. This is my first pair of "higher-end" (and planar at that) headphones and unfortunately, the connector (i can't tell cup or wire, leaning towards cups) are bad on BOTH sides =/. i can turn my head left and right and I'll either have one side (usually the opposite of direction I'm turning) or both sides go out completely. Tried switching l/r side cables and I guess since it's both sides, it wasn't helping to limit to what's wrong. I'm tempted to buy the Tennmak cables someone mentioned here before just to kill my hope. But overall very disappointed to see the wood cracking as well (mine hasn't yet, so far, and i keep them in the case it came with). I'm debating to buy the m560 to see how they sound compared to the m1060, or just go try the fostex t50rp, or just stay away from planar for now and get a pair of Fidelio X2 or maybe the HD600's

.

As I already knew it was the cable, I very gently squeezed my dodgy connector ON THE CABLE...NOT THE HEADPHONE and that fixed it. Do so at your own risk of course. However, the Shure SRH1540 and SRH1840 cables fit perfectly and they have a nice red marker to save you getting your tourch and magnifying glass out

 

[davehutch]

Is it possible to run a poll on this forum? It would be good to know how many have a pair, how many have a dodgy cable and how many have cracks

 

[fpantalone]

Here in L.A. - cracked on both sides (rear) and most vocal tracks sound distorted, although mostly when there is 2 part or more. No vocals on tracks = wonderful sounds. That said ... I just went for a set of HF 400i on Samtech for $239 with free shipping/no tax. 'Display Model', but in 'Like New' condition. 

 

[strawbewwy]

 
As I already knew it was the cable, I very gently squeezed my dodgy connector ON THE CABLE...NOT THE HEADPHONE and that fixed it. Do so at your own risk of course. However, the Shure SRH1540 and SRH1840 cables fit perfectly and they have a nice red marker to save you getting your tourch and magnifying glass out

I'm not very familiar with electronics at all, i'm scared i'm going to break them! :/ and i thought from previous posts it was the female end on the cups that was the problem? how do you squeeze the male pin on the cable? 

 

[davehutch]

The cable is actually the female. There is a really small hole and an equally small pin in the centre of the headphone socket. I guess it depends on how you look at it! I used needlenoze pliers and squeezed gently on the tip of the cable connector. If you choose to do it, do it more gently than you think it needs. If that's not enough try slightly more. At the end of the day, £20 will buy you a new cable from Shure

 

[Beagle]

  Is it possible to run a poll on this forum? It would be good to know how many have a pair, how many have a dodgy cable and how many have cracks

 
The headphones or the owners?

 

[DrunkSaru]

  M1060 -
 
Critique - not ultra refined, lack some crispness, 4K to 6K Hz has both good and odd moments.
 

 
That sounds like all the Audezes I've listened to (minus LCD4 or 3 because I've never had the chance to fully immerse my listening experience with those). I've always felt Audeze had that issue in the 5K-7K range. 
 
Anyway, you might be the perfect person to speak to about this. I've been eyeing the HE-560 for a while now because I enjoyed them a lot. Note that I really love the reference headphones with a very flat, neutral sound and the 560 was, at the time when I borrowed from a friend, the closest planar to my taste in style. Many other headphones I have are very narrow and I enjoyed the fact that the HE-560 widened that a bit. So the last time I borrowed the HE-560 was almost a couple of years ago and since then, my ears have cheated on with many other phones so my memory is a bit fuzzy but I did get the M1060 and so far I like it but I also feel a lack of something but I haven't really paid much attention. Some areas, it totally reminds me of the 560, some reminds me of Audezes, I've never listened to the 400i but do have a 400s on hand that i'm borrowing for comparison with the 1060 and I don't care too much for the 400s anymore  (when comparing with the 1060). I was thinking about the 400s when I first borrowed it a couple of months ago because I saw it on sale refurbed for $170 and thought the sound was pretty decent and I was debating over that and that HE-560. Then the darn reviews of the Monolith M560 came out and started getting me super curious about the M1060 and and ended up ordering that.  
 
Sorry my rant got a little long. My question: For my specific sound preference (generally leaning towards neutral as possible) Would you say the HE560 is a better choice? I like listening to more orchestral and vocals with the planars. I listen to EDM once in a while but I have separate phones for that so EDM and similar genres I will not be listening to with the planars.
 
Looking forward to your response and anyone else's if they have their 2 cents to throw in. Thanks 

 

[Marlowe]

 
HE-400"i" -
 
HiFiMan 400"i" - more lively, less subdued, clearer.
 
Superior bass layering.
 
More dynamics when present in performance.
 
About same soundstage width, but overall balance is more "natural" and less compressed.
 
Mids are a bit more backseated and less upfront than M1060, mids highlighted more in M1060.
 
The low and high ends of 400 "i" are more natural and less artificial.
 
HE-400"i" exceptional value.
 
 

Thanks for the comparison, which is the most detailed I've read. Most other, briefer, comparisons have favored the M1060, you appear to favor the 400i. Obviously, I'd need to hear two and decide for myself. I was still leaning to getting these when they get back in stock, but am starting to lean the other way as the QC problems keep mounting. This comparison makes me feel better about sticking with my 400i for now and putting the money into a fund for a clearer (and better built) upgrade. It's sad that the discussion is now far more concerned with loose connections and cracking wood than sound quality.

 

[bhazard]

  Thanks for the comparison, which is the most detailed I've read. Most other, briefer, comparisons have favored the M1060, you appear to favor the 400i. Obviously, I'd need to hear two and decide for myself. I was still leaning to getting these when they get back in stock, but am starting to lean the other way as the QC problems keep mounting. This comparison makes me better about sticking with the 400i for now and putting the money a fund for a clearer (and better built) upgrade. It's sad that the discussion is now far more concerned with loose connections and cracking wood than sound quality.

I'm not concerned with the QC. Monoprice has always been excellent to me with warranty replacements, including replacing a guitar at no cost with no issues. They'll make it right. You also have 5 years of it, plus whatever extended CC warranty you have if you used a CC. You don't get that with Hifiman or Audeze.
 
(ex HE-500 owner)

 

[Kazekeil]

  Thanks for the comparison, which is the most detailed I've read. Most other, briefer, comparisons have favored the M1060, you appear to favor the 400i. Obviously, I'd need to hear two and decide for myself. I was still leaning to getting these when they get back in stock, but am starting to lean the other way as the QC problems keep mounting. This comparison makes me feel better about sticking with my 400i for now and putting the money into a fund for a clearer (and better built) upgrade. It's sad that the discussion is now far more concerned with loose connections and cracking wood than sound quality.

It's sad that the discussion is now about how the headphone that costs $300 is falling apart within a week of release?
 
I don't get this viewpoint where the headphone cracking, cutting out, not fitting, breaking off at the headband, etc is some kind of annoyance to people. Yes sound is important, but your headphones staying in one piece for more than 3 days is also kinda a little important.
 
These got hyped to hell and back, which is fine, they do sound great. But that doesn't protect them from the fact that this is a horribly botched release. When you discuss a headphone you discuss the entire headphone. In this case the 1060s self destructing at $300 is far more surprising and pressing than their sound.
 
Edit: I may've also misunderstood what you're trying to say(I can't discern the tone through text), but I have seen this annoyed stance from people. 

 

[theangelboy]

  I'm not concerned with the QC. Monoprice has always been excellent to me with warranty replacements, including replacing a guitar at no cost with no issues. They'll make it right. You also have 5 years of it, plus whatever extended CC warranty you have if you used a CC. You don't get that with Hifiman or Audeze.
 
(ex HE-500 owner)

That's if they don't void the warranty over something silly like changing the ear pads. @MonoPrice never commented on if that voided the warranty or not.