Monoprice M1070C
MSRP $400.00
“Heavy weight and poor readability imply these aren’t the planar magnetic cans to purchase.”
Execs
- Open, ethereal sound signature
- Very properly constructed
- Extensive and deep soundstage
Cons
- Extremely heavy
- Would not fold
- Lacks readability
- Not nice for smaller heads
Planar magnetic headphones are prized by fans for his or her quick response, excessive accuracy, and low ranges of distortion when in comparison with extra conventional dynamic driver headphones. However planar magnetic drivers are far much less frequent and should be constructed with extra precision than dynamic drivers, which has traditionally meant some fairly excessive costs.
Audeze’s LCD-2 — a wildly widespread planar magnetic mannequin — prices $900, and that’s removed from essentially the most you possibly can spend on these high-end cans, with costs that may simply attain $3,000 or extra.
So, naturally, the query turns into if it’s potential to construct a set of planar magnetic headphones that also reap the entire advantages of the expertise, however with out the monetary burden of giant money outlay.
Answering that decision is Monoprice, with its Monolith M1070C, a closed-back set of planar magnetic cans that you could purchase for the comparatively low value of $400. Did Monoprice succeed, and do you have to think about the M1070C as your subsequent set of over-ear headphones? I took them for a spin to search out out.
Megaphones
The very first thing you have to know in regards to the Monolith M1070C is that they’re large. How large? Nicely, if the M1070C have been a burger, they’d be a Wayback Triple Triple.
Bodily, they’re monumental, with earcups that measure 4.5 inches in diameter and three inches thick at their widest level. But it surely’s their weight that boggles the thoughts. At 22.6 ounces, they tip the scales at greater than two and a half occasions the load of Sony’s WH-1000XM4 (8.9 ounces) — a set of over-ear headphones that comprise rechargeable batteries, microphones, and a bunch of electronics for issues like wi-fi connections and digital-to-analog conversion. I might solely discover one set of closed-back planar magnetic headphones that weigh extra — however barely: The Audeze LCD-XC, a $1,299 pair that look quite a bit just like the M1070C and weigh 23.8 ounces.
To not oversell the purpose, however that’s upwards of 1.4 kilos of headphones in your head.
- 1.
The Monolith M1070C’s carry case seen subsequent to an iPhone 11 for scale.
The M1070C are so large, you could possibly simply mistake their included hard-shell carrying case for a hatbox. The field must be large as a result of these cans don’t fold in any respect. You would possibly be capable to match them right into a backpack, however there will likely be valuable little room for the rest.
After an hour or so of unsupported, seated use, you begin to crave a La-Z-Boy simply so that you may give your neck and head a break.
One cause for the scale and weight is the supplies used. There’s a copious quantity of steel — significantly within the one-piece slider/earcup forks — and the place plastic is used, it seems to be very high-quality. This stuff would possibly make you a laughing inventory in the event you put on them whereas out and about, however they appear like they’ll face up to an enormous quantity of wear and tear and tear.
In equity, the purpose of constructing a set of planar magnetic headphones isn’t to make your subsequent flight, your subsequent bus trip, or your subsequent gymnasium session extra pleasant. Fairly the alternative, the truth is. They’re meant to give you a completely immersive, at-home listening expertise.
Head-banging
Monoprice has executed a superb job of padding the M1070C — they’re truly very comfy to put on, regardless of their large mass.
The beefy headband distributes that weight throughout a really massive floor space, however as a result of its radius is so massive, of us with large heads will profit rather more than these with mini-noggins like yours actually.
I’ve by no means listened to a closed-back set of headphones that sound as open and ethereal because the M1070C.
Monoprice supplies two types of ear cushions, a deeply padded faux-leather “lambskin” set which can be put in by default, and a a lot shallower, padded velour set. Each are very comfy, however the faux-leather set does a greater job of making a seal in opposition to your head. Additionally they present extra room on your ears, and so they’re much less affected by sporting glasses.
The velour set stayed cooler, however sadly, as a result of they’re so skinny (in comparison with the lambskin set) they scale back the headscarf’s clamping power, which causes the headphones to shift round in your head. I’ve seen some solutions that you could bodily bend the headscarf’s steel backbone to accommodate for this drawback, however that’s not a method I can suggest.
Nevertheless, even with these aids, the M1070C can nonetheless develop into tiring to put on. There’s simply no getting round their weight, and after an hour or so of unsupported, seated use, you begin to crave a La-Z-Boy simply so that you may give your neck and head a break.
The tangle-free, 6-foot, 2-inch braided headphone cable ought to be lengthy sufficient so that you can discover a good, cozy place to sit down if you wish to use a receiver, headphone amp, or different mounted audio sources. However just like the headphones themselves, the cable has some actual heft to it; I don’t suppose you’ll wish to apply it to the go. It doesn’t have a locking mechanism the place you insert the separate left/proper 3.5mm plugs into every earcup, however there’s not a lot cause to worry unintended disconnection — the earcup jacks are very tight, and it will take an almighty tug to yank the plugs free.
Huge cans, large sound
Now right down to enterprise. How do these gargantuan cans sound? I’ve little or no expertise with planar magnetic headphones, so I can’t supply comparisons to different planar fashions, however I can let you know this: I’ve by no means listened to a closed-back set of headphones that sound as open and ethereal because the M1070C.
They provide the similar sense of area as an open-back design just like the Sennheiser HD 560S, however with the additional benefit of with the ability to seal out the skin world. It creates a soundstage that’s almost as deep as it’s extensive. On Phil Collins’ basic In The Air Tonight, the haunting opening notes sound as if they’re being projected from off within the distance, completely reinforcing Collins’ warning that he can hear it coming… and so forth.
I give Monoprice full marks for making an attempt to carry planar magnetic to the lots, however the execution of that purpose misses the mark.
From an EQ perspective, they’re comparatively impartial, with a slight bias towards low-end bass, which not everybody will love, however I occur to take pleasure in that further heat. If there’s a weak point to the M1070C, it’s an absence of readability. Given planar magnetic’s popularity for improved audio (and particularly readability), this got here as one thing of a shock, however throughout the frequency vary, there’s a noticeable softness to the main points. If in case you have a extremely skilled ear, I think you’ll hear it immediately, however for me, it turned obvious after doing a whack of A/B testing with different headphones just like the Sennheiser HD 560S, Rode NTH-100, Audio-Technica ATH-M50x, and Sony’s WH-1000XM4, every of which is priced much less (and in some instances significantly much less) than the M1070C. And but all of them scored higher for readability than Monoprice’s monster cans.
Does the openness and expansiveness make up for this? If the M1070C value half as a lot and weighed half as a lot, then I’d say sure. However in the event you’re dropping $400 on a set of headphones, and it’s important to take care of the large bulk that’s the M1070C, you must be capable to count on top-notch sound high quality that rivals (and ideally beats) what you will get from equally priced dynamic driver headphones, and sadly, these cans simply don’t ship.
I give Monoprice full marks for making an attempt to carry planar magnetic to the lots, however the execution of that purpose misses the mark.
Our take
Planar magnetic headphones typically ship an audio efficiency that may surpass conventional dynamic driver fashions, however that further oomph comes with a hefty price ticket. Monoprice’s Monolith M1070C successfully drops the worth of entry to planar magnetic, however they don’t dwell as much as the promise of higher sound.
Is there a greater different?
When you’re decided to go closed-back planar magnetic, the a lot inexpensive $200 Monoprice Monolith M565C have been extremely rated by WireCutter. Its reviewers discovered their sound to be thrilling and detailed, “beating out pairs that value a whole bunch extra.” That sounds precisely what I’d count on from planar magnetic and from Monoprice. At 13.7 ounces, even their weight falls proper into acceptable territory.
When you’re comfy with an open-back design and desire a premium set of vital listening over-ear headphones, the Sennheiser HD 560S supply excellent sound, mild weight (8.4 ounces), and plush consolation. They’re not pushed by planar magnetic expertise, however when you hear them, you gained’t care.
How lengthy will they final?
The M1070C look very well-built with a lot of high-quality supplies, which is partially why they weigh a lot. However that toughness should be greater than skin-deep: Monoprice backs these headphones with an awfully lengthy, five-year guarantee, so the corporate clearly has confidence of their longevity.
The headscarf isn’t replaceable, however the ear cushions are. When you don’t like the 2 varieties that include the M1070C (or they merely put on out) it gained’t be exhausting to search out replacements.
Do you have to purchase them?
No. Regardless of being plushly padded and cozy to put on, they’re exceedingly heavy, which reduces how lengthy you possibly can put on them earlier than fatigue units in. And although they’ve an open and ethereal vibe, their lack of readability is unacceptable in a set of $400 headphones, particularly when so many nice options exist.
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