• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

Massdrop 789 vs. Monoprice 887 vs. SMSL SP200: THX amp measurement comparison

jpanic4

Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2020
Messages
18
Likes
14
Yep it's in the manual. High gain can only take 2.1V input before clippint. Therefore a 'hot' single ended input could also cause it to clip in gain III.

Thank you very much! I was wondering if the SMSL SP200 has the same restrictions.
 

jpanic4

Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2020
Messages
18
Likes
14
Thank you for all of your responses!! One more question. Wanted to you know your thoughts on the better choice;

SP200 is on sale for $260 right now vs the THX 789 for $300.. I don’t know what to do.. I like the build quality, the gain options and volume pot of the 789 better but I the power output via single ended on the SP200 and I get a 3 year warranty for $311 total. I value all of your opinions.

Note: I have a dac with volume control. (M200)

So:
789 = $300
SP200 = $311 (including 3 year accidental damage warranty)

Headphones I have:

HD6xx
Koss Kph30i
ATH-M50
Final Audio E3000 (IEM)
1 More Triple Driver (IEM)
Beyerdynamic T51i

I plan on growing my headphone collection including IEMs.

Thank you very much in advance!
 
Last edited:

JohnYang1997

Master Contributor
Technical Expert
Audio Company
Joined
Dec 28, 2018
Messages
7,175
Likes
18,292
Location
China
Thank you for all of your responses!! One more question. Wanted to you know your thoughts on the better choice;

SP200 is on sale for $260 right now vs the THX 789 for $300.. I don’t know what to do.. I like the build quality, the gain options and volume pot of the 789 better but I the power output via single ended on the SP200 and I get a 3 year warranty for $311 total. I value all of your opinions.

So:
789 = $300
SP200 = $311 (including 3 year warranty)

Headphones I have:

HD6xx
Koss Kph30i
ATH-M50
Final Audio E3000 (IEM)
1 More Triple Driver (IEM)
Beyerdynamic T51i

I plan on growing my headphone collection including IEMs.

Thank you very much in advance!
IEM: 789
NO IEM: SP200
 

Cableaddict

Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2019
Messages
36
Likes
9
No idea who your non attributed sources are, but would be interesting to see the evidence for your assertion of a "recessed mid-range".

Perhaps you missed the review of the 887 done by Amir in this forum, here is the Frequency Response he charted:
index.php


Measured spec are nice, but never tell the whole picture. You do realize that amps drive headphones differently than they drive test gear, right?
I mean, DUH ....
 

Cableaddict

Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2019
Messages
36
Likes
9
There's literally zero proof of any 'recessed' mid-range.


Actually there are quite few reviews & thread posts online that say this. Also my personal listening tests, using five different fairly expensive phones. - And I'm a professional recording engineer, FWIW.

"But hey, the specs show it's flat, so it must sound that way!"
 

Veri

Master Contributor
Joined
Feb 6, 2018
Messages
9,596
Likes
12,036
Actually there are quite few reviews & thread posts online that say this
If I read somewhere that an amp has a "special" or "recessed" mid-range that is not in any way reproducable on measurement/instrumentation then no, it is subjective nonsense. If it can't be verified then it's not there, your ears are not somehow better than a $28000 professional analyser, thinking otherwise is just delusion or arrogance. How are your personal listening tests performed, what were you comparing exactly?
Simple "I believe it is so but I have nothing to back it up (but I used expensive headphones)" statements are not taken seriously on this forum.
 

Cableaddict

Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2019
Messages
36
Likes
9
If I read somewhere that an amp has a "special" or "recessed" mid-range that is not in any way reproducable on measurement/instrumentation then no, it is subjective nonsense. If it can't be verified then it's not there, your ears are not somehow better than a $28000 professional analyser, thinking otherwise is just delusion or arrogance. How are your personal listening tests performed, what were you comparing exactly?
Simple "I believe it is so but I have nothing to back it up (but I used expensive headphones)" statements are not taken seriously on this forum.


Thinking that measured specs tell the whole story is literally hilatious.
 

Racheski

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Apr 20, 2020
Messages
1,116
Likes
1,699
Location
Chicago
Actually there are quite few reviews & thread posts online that say this. Also my personal listening tests, using five different fairly expensive phones. - And I'm a professional recording engineer, FWIW.

"But hey, the specs show it's flat, so it must sound that way!"
Since you are a professional recording engineer, why don't you show us a frequency response graph using your 600 ohm Beyers with and without a THX amp. Surely the recessed mid-range will be observable then, right?
 

phoenixdogfan

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Nov 6, 2018
Messages
3,297
Likes
5,077
Location
Nashville
Due to the Green Bay Packers having a bye week (i.e., I have a little more free time than usual today) I thought it would be interesting to compare three high-performing and relatively budget THX headphone amplifiers: the Drop (Massdrop) THX AAA 789 vs. the Monoprice Monolith THX AAA 887 vs. the SMSL SP200 THX AAA 888. Thanks to @amirm for all of the measurements; all of this info is from him (unless otherwise noted), I'm simply putting the measurements side-by-side.

Unlike other comparisons I've written up this includes two samples for the SMSL SP200: a manufacturer-provided unit and a production unit.
  • All side-by-side measurements are shown with the manufactuer-provided unit. Additional measurements for the product unit are noted where applicable.


Author's notes:
  • Drop --> Monoprice --> SMSL is simply alphabetical; I'm not implying one is better than the other.
  • All of the graphics are labeled, but to make it consistent: Drop 789 is always on the left, Monoprice 887 in the middle, SMSL SP200 is always on the right.
  • I have no experience with any of these units, nor do I have any perspective on build quality / customer service.
  • If anyone sees errors / omissions please let me know and I will make corrections.
  • If anyone has issues with the measurements or conclusions ...... take it up with Amir! :D


References:

Shared Specs:
  • Inputs: balanced 3-pin XLR (x1), RCA (x1)
  • Outputs (headphone): SE 1/4 TRS (x1), balanced XLR 4-pin (x1)

Varied Specs:
  • Outputs (line): RCA (x1) pass-through on the Drop 789 and Monoprice 887 only
  • Outputs (headphone): SE 3.5mm TRS (x1) on the Drop 789 and Monoprice 887 only
  • Gain modes: x2 for the SMSL SP200 | x3 for the Drop 789 and Monoprice 887

Warranty:
  • Drop 789: 1 year
  • Monoprice 887: 3 year (replacement)
  • SMSL SP200: ? (If purchased via Apos there's a "2nd year warranty".)

Dimensions:
  • Drop 789: 21.0cm (W) x 22.0cm (D) x 5.7cm (H)
  • Monoprice 887: 22.1cm (W) x 19.8cm (D) x 5.1cm (H)
  • SMSL SP200: 16.0cm (W) x 14.9cm (D) x 7.3cm (H)




On to the amp measurements ........
  • You can click on each image to enlarge it.



SINAD

View attachment 39152


SINAD for the SMSL SP200 production unit (down ~1 dB; the role of 2nd and 3rd harmonics has changed vs. the manf-provided unit):

View attachment 39738






SIGNAL to NOISE RATIO (50mv | 600 Ohm)
The Drop 789 chart didn't have the same mark-ups so it's shown here separately and not side-by-side.

Drop 789

View attachment 39153


Monoprice 887 & SMSL SP200


View attachment 39154


SNR for the SMSL SP200 production unit (~1.7 dB difference):

View attachment 39739







Intermodulation Distortion (IMD)
*NOTE* The Drop THX 789 measurements are not shown separately, but you can see them in both charts as reference.

View attachment 39155





POWER VS. DISTORTION (300 Ohm load)

View attachment 39156

Power vs. distortion for the SMSL SP200 production unit (from Amir: "Performance is as identical as you can get."):

View attachment 39740








POWER VS. DISTORTION (33 Ohm load)

View attachment 39157





POWER VS. DISTORTION (XLR out using 50 Ohm load)

View attachment 39158





FREQUENCY RESPONSE
*NOTE* I didn't find this for the SMSL SP200, so only the Drop and Monoprice amps are shown.

View attachment 39159




CHANNEL IMBALANCE

View attachment 39160

Channel imbalance for the SMSL SP200 production unit (from Amir: "This is quite different than the review sample. First, the level would not change for quite a while and once it started to change, it fell apart a lot sooner than the review unit. You can only get 30 dB of attenuation before channel balance becomes extreme relative to 70 dB before."):

View attachment 39742






OUTPUT IMPEDANCE
*NOTE* I didn't see the graphic for the SMSL SP200, but I created my own graphic and listed it as 1.3 ohm based on this info.

View attachment 39161






CONCLUSIONS

Drop (Massdrop) THX AAA 789

From Amir:





Monoprice Monolith THX AAA 887

From Amir:




SMSL SP200 THX AAA 888

From Amir (manf-provided unit):




From Amir (production unit):





*Note*: There was no pink panther for the Drop 789, so I added what I assumed would be correct -- the golfing panther -- based on the measurements + Amir's statement ("So let me make this short: the Massdrop THX AAA 789 has my strongest recommendation. Buy one and be happy forever. :)") I'll edit if necessary.



View attachment 39163


[edit 2019-11-17: added input/output specs and warranty info.]
[edit 2019-11-21: added measurements from production SMSL SP200 unit.]
I got in early in the game, and bought a THX 789. I see no reason to ever upgrade. The marginal improvements of units like the Benchmark, and the Monoprice THX 887 would, not doubt, be inaudible to these 67 YO ears.
 

klwn87

New Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2020
Messages
4
Likes
1
Hi guys,

Total noob here when it comes to external headphone amps and anything audiophile.

I am a mix engineer and the HD 800's have become a huge part of my process, they are as important to me as my speakers.
So I thought it was time to consider a serious upgrade. I currently use the integrated amp of my interface, an Apogee Symphony MKII with the 2x6 SE module, which offers mastering-grade conversion.
However the headphone amp isn't linked to said conversion, so adding an external amp would not only improve on the quality of the amp itself (which is pretty much a slightly better Apogee Groove) but also allow me to use the analog outs to feed it to provide the same conversion as my speakers for the 800's.

I'm considering either the 888 or 887. My priority is to make sure that the DAC's you guys use aren't so different from mine, that mine could cause any issue with one of these amps. I realize this is a weird question, sorry. Really want to make sure before ordering, as I hate having to return stuff haha.

Thanks!
 
OP
RickSanchez

RickSanchez

Major Contributor
Cartographer
Joined
Sep 4, 2019
Messages
1,168
Likes
2,490
Location
Austin, TX
Hi guys,

Total noob here when it comes to external headphone amps and anything audiophile.

I am a mix engineer and the HD 800's have become a huge part of my process, they are as important to me as my speakers.
So I thought it was time to consider a serious upgrade. I currently use the integrated amp of my interface, an Apogee Symphony MKII with the 2x6 SE module, which offers mastering-grade conversion.
However the headphone amp isn't linked to said conversion, so adding an external amp would not only improve on the quality of the amp itself (which is pretty much a slightly better Apogee Groove) but also allow me to use the analog outs to feed it to provide the same conversion as my speakers for the 800's.

I'm considering either the 888 or 887. My priority is to make sure that the DAC's you guys use aren't so different from mine, that mine could cause any issue with one of these amps. I realize this is a weird question, sorry. Really want to make sure before ordering, as I hate having to return stuff haha.

Thanks!

So this is what you're currently using as a DAC?
 
OP
RickSanchez

RickSanchez

Major Contributor
Cartographer
Joined
Sep 4, 2019
Messages
1,168
Likes
2,490
Location
Austin, TX
Yes that's it!

So I have zero experience with that type of device. But I will ask: do you have a specific concern about why it might not work with a headphone amp? Are you worried about output voltage or ground loop issues? It doesn't seem like you're asking about SQ.
 

klwn87

New Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2020
Messages
4
Likes
1
So I have zero experience with that type of device. But I will ask: do you have a specific concern about why it might not work with a headphone amp? Are you worried about output voltage or ground loop issues? It doesn't seem like you're asking about SQ.

Yes I was wondering if there were any specs with pro audio gear that differed enough from a "regular" DAC and could cause issues with this type of headphone amp. I assume if my peers are able to use the RNHP or Monotor (am I glad I did enough research before going for one of those, which are really popular in the field ofc), this shouldn't be any different, but better make sure.
 

jpanic4

Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2020
Messages
18
Likes
14
Yes I was wondering if there were any specs with pro audio gear that differed enough from a "regular" DAC and could cause issues with this type of headphone amp. I assume if my peers are able to use the RNHP or Monotor (am I glad I did enough research before going for one of those, which are really popular in the field ofc), this shouldn't be any different, but better make sure.
Im not as smart as the rest of people on here by any means but I would probably confirm the output voltage on your dac. Based on the dacs output voltage you could suffer from some clipping in high gain. You can compensate for his by lowering the volume on the dac but not sure if your dac has the option to do that.
 

klwn87

New Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2020
Messages
4
Likes
1
Im not as smart as the rest of people on here by any means but I would probably confirm the output voltage on your dac. Based on the dacs output voltage you could suffer from some clipping in high gain. You can compensate for his by lowering the volume on the dac but not sure if your dac has the option to do that.

The Apogee does have a volume control indeed. I expect I'll have to find a sweet spot between the outputs of the interface and the volume/gain on the amp itself. Thank you!
 

odyo

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
Oct 30, 2019
Messages
636
Likes
320
I guess i'm gonna buy one of these. I've waited for L30 but it's not coming out.

As Amir puts it:
So let me make this short: the Massdrop THX AAA 789 has my strongest recommendation. Buy one and be happy forever. :)
789 and 887 can be one time buy for life. 888 is not flawless like these. I'm considering E30 for dac and maybe upgrade that later to a solid balanced dac if upgradetitis hits me.

Looks like 887 have the slight edge over 789. Did anyone check out their inside ? What makes them 789 and 887 ? Everything is extremely similiar except the THX naming. Can anyone call the differences between them ? Any insight ?
 
Joined
Feb 12, 2020
Messages
35
Likes
18
I guess i'm gonna buy one of these. I've waited for L30 but it's not coming out.

As Amir puts it:
789 and 887 can be one time buy for life. 888 is not flawless like these. I'm considering E30 for dac and maybe upgrade that later to a solid balanced dac if upgradetitis hits me.

Looks like 887 have the slight edge over 789. Did anyone check out their inside ? What makes them 789 and 887 ? Everything is extremely similiar except the THX naming. Can anyone call the differences between them ? Any insight ?
:facepalm: I made a THX 789 order at Drop last week and found it would ship in late October. It seems 4 months left before my "happy forever"
 
Top Bottom