[Sonic Defender]

Thanks mate, really nice headphone and it has really grown on me. The sound is engaging without being distracting. At first while I was acclimating to the signature I wasn't sure if they would get fatiguing, but no I don't find them fatiguing at all. I listen loud so a fatiguing headphone is just never going to work for me. I have also grown to respect the bass on the Monitor 5, it really can do what it needs to in that department and I do like a strong, but controlled bass response and I would have to say the Monitor 5 is that. I'm sure the measurements will show some distortion here, or a spike there, and the if it isn't perfect crowd will explain how that means they are crap, but I don't listen to noise, I listen to the headphones and make up my own mind. They sound right enough that I actually think they should measure well enough, not full on neutral and with some coloration, but nonetheless a balanced signature. Going to listen to them now I think before I have to do school work.

 

[Svatopluk]

After spending a couple of weeks with the Monitor5, I figured this would be a good time to pass along a few my thoughts and opinions on Pioneer's high end closed back headphones. Many have already expressed their positive views concerning the Monitor5's balanced presentation and detail along with it's build quality and comfort. I totally agree with these findings so I will keep it short with just a few comments.

IMO, the Monitor5 sounds almost like a closed back version of the HD800S but without the expanded soundstage. However, I believe it it may be equal to the TH-900 in regards to soundstage. Like the HD800S, the treble seemed to be rolled off a little to much for my liking with the Gumby> Violectric V280 pairing but just right when the HA-1's ESS SABRE32 DAC was implemented. I found the Monitor5 to be non-fatiguing with the HA-1's DAC as well.

The bass seems to be a little more detailed and the treble a bit more forward with the leather pads but I did find them to be a pain in the butt to install.

 

[Wyd4]

After some days only listening to the SE Monitor 5 i must say this headphone is very involving. Yes the mids are sometimes to prominent and the soundstage depth is to less, but overall this headphone isn´t on any time fatiguing for me. Finally i would say this is for me actual the best closed headphone that i heard beside the rare Stax 4070 and i like it more than a Fostex TH-900, Denon D7000, Beyerdynamic T5p 2nd or a MrSpeaker Ether C.

Hi There,

I was wondering if you might be willing to do a quick blow by blow comparison with the Ether C?
I used to own the Ether C and was quite fond of it, however I am looking for something to compliment my current iSine20 for when I dont want to have something in my ears.

I recently auditioned the Aeon, Elear and MDRz1r and am quite familiar with a few headphones so open to any comparisons.

I would be quite keen to buy these, however they aren't stocked over here so I cannot audition.

 

[Sonic Defender]

Put the leatherette pads on the M5 today. Really enjoying it, but I would be pressed to say how exactly it has changed things as I hadn't used the M5 much the previous two days so without the ability to easily A/B the two pad choices it is hard to say. If I had to speculate it does seem that the bass is somewhat punchier. That would be the only easy to speculate about difference. Anybody else have thoughts on the pad choices and how they tweak the sound?

 

[Svatopluk]

Since switching over to the fake leather pads about a week ago, it seems like the bass is a little more detailed or defined whichever way you want to put it. The treble's more natural (a bit brighter) now, but I'm sure that's due to taking the Gumby out of the equation and replacing it with the HA-1's DAC.

 

[Sonic Defender]

Since switching over to the fake leather pads about a week ago, it seems like the bass is a little more detailed or defined whichever way you want to put it. The treble's more natural (a bit brighter) now, but I'm sure that's due to taking the Gumby out of the equation and replacing it with the HA-1's DAC.

Did you find that the Gumby was the calmer, more natural at presenting treble or the HA-1 which is a Sabre implementation if I'm not mistaken? I would think that the Gumby would be more typically described as the more natural sounding. I am liking the Monitor 5 with the leatherette pads for sure. If it wasn't such a pain in the ass to switch I would A/B the pads. My friend also has a Monitor 5 and he uses the velour so we could get the two headphones together and compare. That might be fun.

 

[Svatopluk]

Did you find that the Gumby was the calmer, more natural at presenting treble or the HA-1 which is a Sabre implementation if I'm not mistaken? I would think that the Gumby would be more typically described as the more natural sounding. I am liking the Monitor 5 with the leatherette pads for sure. If it wasn't such a pain in the ass to switch I would A/B the pads. My friend also has a Monitor 5 and he uses the velour so we could get the two headphones together and compare. That might be fun.

I did find the Gumby calmer, more natural at presenting treble but only as it pertains to what you hear at a live performance with the acoustic environment taken into account. A better explanation on my part would be to say, the HA-1's Sabre DAC treble presentation is more accurate at least in my opinion. In other words, I believe the HA-1's Sabre DAC offers a better more accurate rendition of the recording.

My Gumby may very well be an anomaly and not represent the product as a whole or it may just be my 58 year old ears, but I find the treble just a little too rolled off for my taste with the Monitor 5 and HD800S.

 

[Sonic Defender]

I am really pleased with the Monitor 5, I think it is quite an amazing headphone and again, to beat the same drum, given the escalating prices we pay these days for premium sound signatures, aesthetic design and build quality, I would have to say the Monitor 5 is a fantastic value for the money. Great going Pioneer. It is a different signature than the MDR Z1R which I loved, but I have to say that I may end up liking the Monitor 5 just as much, but each offering different sonic rewards. Ideally I could afford to have both as the Z1R is quite special, but I am very pleased with the Pioneer and would hope other community members give it a serious audition. I do prefer the leatherette pads I believe, but I'm not going through the pain in the ass process to swap and compare so I can only say that is an impression of preference, not from direct A/B comparing which ideally I would do.

 

[LaCuffia]

I don't know too much about the competition for closed back headphones in this price range but it would probably be difficult to match what the Monitor5 offers. It doesn't just excel with select genres as with some monitor/reference headphones. I was just listening to Boards of Canada, a well respected and influential electronica act, and the music was presented so vividly and dynamically but nothing exaggerated. An exciting neutrality I guess you could say.

 

[Svatopluk]

I don't know too much about the competition for closed back headphones in this price range but it would probably be difficult to match what the Monitor5 offers. It doesn't just excel with select genres as with some monitor/reference headphones. I was just listening to Boards of Canada, a well respected and influential electronica act, and the music was presented so vividly and dynamically but nothing exaggerated. An exciting neutrality I guess you could say.

I had the TH-900 for a while, it had more bass quantity than the Monitor 5 and it hit harder, but it could sometimes be a bit too much depending on the genre and recording. It's v-shaped sound was the final straw so down the road they went. I also had the MDR-Z7 in my collection for sometime, another bass heavy closed back, but this time with the bass bleeding over into the lower mid range, a fatal flaw that eventually led to a ride in the UPS truck. The Monitor 5 is definitely the least flawed of the three.

Right now, I'm listening to cheesy power metal ballads on Google Play, just one more thing the Monitor 5 excels at.

 

[nemomec]

In a german headphone magazine the Pioneer SE Monitor 5 was scored soundwise on the same level like the Pioneer Master 1. It was also actual beside the much more expensive Final Sonorous X the best tested closed headphone.

Pioneer SE Monitor 5 score 1.0 (overall 1.1)
Pioneer SE Master 1 score 1.0 (overall 1.2)
Final Sonorous X score 1.0 (overall 1.3)
Audioquest NightOwl Carbon score 1.1 (overall 1.2)
MrSpeakers Ether C score 1.1 (overall 1.3)
Beyerdynamic T5p 2nd score 1.1 (overall 1.3)
Beyerdynamic DT1770 score 1.2 (overall 1.3)
Technics EATH-T700 score 1.2 (overall 1.3)

(lower are better)

 

[Sonic Defender]

I have been listening to desktop speakers for the better part of a week now and when I just now returned to the Monitor 5 I fell in love all over again. These are cracking good sounding headphones. Clean, engaging with a nice character that has a soft spot yet never blurry or dark, but also never bright or strident. Just even handed and rich, and fast sounding. The midrange is very nice and I like how vocals are framed.

 

[headpfizer]

In a german headphone magazine the Pioneer SE Monitor 5 was scored soundwise on the same level like the Pioneer Master 1. It was also actual beside the much more expensive Final Sonorous X the best tested closed headphone.

Pioneer SE Monitor 5 score 1.0 (overall 1.1)
Pioneer SE Master 1 score 1.0 (overall 1.2)
Final Sonorous X score 1.0 (overall 1.3)
Audioquest NightOwl Carbon score 1.1 (overall 1.2)
MrSpeakers Ether C score 1.1 (overall 1.3)
Beyerdynamic T5p 2nd score 1.1 (overall 1.3)
Beyerdynamic DT1770 score 1.2 (overall 1.3)
Technics EATH-T700 score 1.2 (overall 1.3)

(lower are better)

If they gave it nearly the same score as the NightOwl that doesn't inspire confidence in me as that is one of my least favourite headphones I've heard.

 

[AppleheadMay]

If they gave it nearly the same score as the NightOwl that doesn't inspire confidence in me as that is one of my least favourite headphones I've heard.

Not shure what (paid) idiot made these scores up but a SEM 1 sounds as far off as any phones AQ has ever made.
If I put an AQ on my head I want to throw it as far as I can.

 

[talan7]

I just recently picked up an Elear and a MDR Z7. How does the m5 compare to these? The Focal is spectacular, I'm still evaluating the Sony. While well made, the Sony doesn't seem to be striking a chord with me, and I'm using balanced cables. I'll give it more time.