Monoprice Monolith M570 Headphones Review: Awesome Sound for the Price

Monoprice often offers a cheaper alternative to big-name, expensive consumer tech products if you don't need all the bells and whistles. The company offers everything you need, from cheap wireless headphones to inexpensive 3D printers.
The Monolith M570 planar magnet headphones are my favorite budget electronics brand. Despite all the subpar (and sometimes poor) gear I've tried over the years, they stand out. These open-back headphones are great for listening at home and offer incredible sound quality. They also cost so little that even those with high-end headphones would be able to save for them.

The M570 headphones are an affordable way to experience the same emotional impact as great music. They are one of the most well-kept secrets in home stereo.

Start with the Head

Monoprice headphones tend to be less durable than others, but the M570 is a well-built and attractive pair of headphones. The black over-ears were made mostly of metal. The open-back ear cups made from darkly stained Zebrawood are topped with foam pads in a mixture of soft leather and plush fabric. The thick faux-leather headband secures everything in place.

Although the headphones are heavy, they feel like every component has been carefully chosen to offer listeners comfort and a great music experience. The headphones are easy to put on and you feel great.

These are lovely! They're so easy to put on your head.

The ports for the 3.5-mm detachable cable are hidden in the recessed holes at the bottom of each cup. An adapter is included to connect the headphones to quarter-inch sources. These headphones are only for plugging in and listening. The headphones can be stored in a hard case, which is nondescript and designed to fit perfectly the headphones.

Plugged in

Planar magnetic drivers are used in the M570, which can reproduce lower frequencies with greater clarity. Monoprice Photograph

These planar magnetic headphones are not like piston-driven speakers and headphones that you are used to. Most likely, dynamic drivers are used in almost all headphone and speaker models. A cone-shaped diaphragm moves by magnets. Planar magnetic drivers are a different type of speaker. They use thin magnetized metal strips to vibrate air and produce sound, rather than conical speakers. This technology offers significant advantages over dynamic drivers, especially at the low end.