Review and Measurements of Monoprice THX Desktop DAC & Amp

[Monstieur]

Do you know if its awkward to do so? I've read that the menu isnt the easiest to navigate. Also can you confirm its a line out and not a pre out?



I'm ok with not playing through both outs at the same time.

I'm curious as to why there is only 8 pages for this thread, from reviews it sounds like its a solid unit. Comparing this thread to the DX7 (71 pages), or DX3 (250 pages) it doesn't sound like there's much interest in this unit. Can someone enlighten me?

It's a 10-second clunky process. I wouldn't want to switch between headphones and line out multiple times a day. It's a line-level output.

The main reasons to buy the THX 788 are the global parametric EQ and Dirac Sensarround (great for mono recordings, YouTube mono voices, etc.). If I need an unaltered line out I would tap one earlier in the chain.

 

[Lttlwing16]

The main reasons to buy the THX 788 are the global parametric EQ and Dirac Sensarround (great for mono recordings, YouTube mono voices, etc.). If I need an unaltered line out I would tap one earlier in the chain.

The global EQ was the main reason I was considering the 788, but my niggles with the always-on analog-digital-analog conversion and the need for simultaneous headphone and SE output led me to the 789, in addition to it measuring better than the 788. Getting the 789 on Amazon warehouse for around $270, and a Schiit Modius at $199, I'd have a better measuring balanced DAC and AMP that delivers SE pass through with SE input (which I'll use when I rip vinyl) and around the same price as the 788.

As for eq, I was able to setup a parametric eq that runs in Manjaro Linux, but I'll be limited to using it with digital only sources.

 

[brachypelma44]

I'm curious as to why there is only 8 pages for this thread, from reviews it sounds like its a solid unit. Comparing this thread to the DX7 (71 pages), or DX3 (250 pages) it doesn't sound like there's much interest in this unit. Can someone enlighten me?

I don't know. I liked mine so much that I bought another one for a different room in the house.

An awful lot of people listen at their PCs, I think, so a hardware EQ isn't of any use to them when they can do it just as effectively in software. You get more use out of that feature if you're using it somewhere away from a PC, and software EQ isn't an option.

 

[yakman]

@yakman, i don't understand this comment??? everything you say loses credibility. how come you wouldn't share the lps', assuming that you actually bought lps'? the point of communities like this is to share information. you sought info about lps for this unit and, if another member found lps that worked, what would you want? did you actually buy lps?

In fact not just LPS, i would avoid discussion online on cables, plus many accessories too. I personally only discuss these things over a cup of good coffee at my place or my audiophile mates place.
There is not enough (enough is the keyword here) scientific way to quantify the effects of these items, and we are here at ASR.
My best recommendation is buy and try like my own. Some seller even provide you 30 return anyway.

 

[Veri]

There is not enough (enough is the keyword here) scientific way to quantify the effects of these items, and we are here at ASR.

There is also not enough scientific quantification for faeries and demons. If a super expensive, ultra LPS gives about 0.5dB of SINAD and/or tiniest bit of mains noise reduction, and there is nothing else visible in measurements like FR, what could possible have changed to cause audible improvements? If there's no explanation, why would there be any?

 

[THW]

There is also not enough scientific quantification for faeries and demons. If a super expensive, ultra LPS gives about 0.5dB of SINAD and/or tiniest bit of mains noise reduction, and there is nothing else visible in measurements like FR, what could possible have changes to cause audible improvements? If there's no explanation, why would there be any?

tbf, from the little reading i have done here, there can be cable differences, but the vast majority of the time, said differences can be measured and in many cases its the cable not being built to spec. and usually the produced sound is odd in some way and not really pleasant. and then for headphone listening, cables are usually a non-factor anyway.

TL;DR there can be differences, but they are measurable in some way and usually involves the cable being broken or improperly built.

 

[Kaveman42]

Hi Someone from reddit suggested I post my issue with this amp here. Hopefully someone can help.

I've recently purchased new headphones along with the Monolith Desktop DAC/AMP combo. Each of the headphones I try out on the Single Ended output sounds very flat and loses a lot of detail. However, since the HD660S comes with a Balanced option, when I try that, it sounds amazing. Complete night and day difference. I can actually hear the details of all instruments. I thought maybe it was the DAC/AMP so I purchased a second unit to try out but it is the same experience. Is this DAC/AMP not good enough for these headphones? These aren't very hard to drive HP's, 250ohms is the highest of the bunch (DT1990). In the beginning I though the headphones I purchased just sucked because compared to what others describe my experience is not the same. Of the three, the DT1990 sounds so flat where everything is blended together and has 0 detail which is probably because it has the highest impedance. Has anyone else experienced this with the Monolith? The firmware on the unit is 1.04 and I have the XMOS 4.13 drivers installed. Should I give up on the Monolith and get something else?

DAC/AMP: MONOLITH DESKTOP DAC/AMP

• HD660S (150 ohms)
• DT1990 Pro (250ohms)
• AKG 712 Pro (62 ohm)

 

[Monstieur]

Hi Someone from reddit suggested I post my issue with this amp here. Hopefully someone can help.

I've recently purchased new headphones along with the Monolith Desktop DAC/AMP combo. Each of the headphones I try out on the Single Ended output sounds very flat and loses a lot of detail. However, since the HD660S comes with a Balanced option, when I try that, it sounds amazing. Complete night and day difference. I can actually hear the details of all instruments. I thought maybe it was the DAC/AMP so I purchased a second unit to try out but it is the same experience. Is this DAC/AMP not good enough for these headphones? These aren't very hard to drive HP's, 250ohms is the highest of the bunch (DT1990). In the beginning I though the headphones I purchased just sucked because compared to what others describe my experience is not the same. Of the three, the DT1990 sounds so flat where everything is blended together and has 0 detail which is probably because it has the highest impedance. Has anyone else experienced this with the Monolith? The firmware on the unit is 1.04 and I have the XMOS 4.13 drivers installed. Should I give up on the Monolith and get something else?

DAC/AMP: MONOLITH DESKTOP DAC/AMP

• HD660S (150 ohms)
• DT1990 Pro (250ohms)
• AKG 712 Pro (62 ohm)

Apart from the volume difference there should be no meaningful difference between the outputs. You may have a defective cable that’s shorted out or something.

 

[Kaveman42]

Apart from the volume difference there should be no meaningful difference between the outputs. You may have a defective cable that’s shorted out or something.

That's what I would assume but it feels like no matter how loud I turn it up there isn't any 'oompf' behind it. It just sounds flat. I wonder if I'm having driver issues or something. I'll try re-installing the driver. I remember when I first plugged it in it sucked but then it brightened up a lot when I installed the XMOS driver. Recently I messed with some audio software and that may have messed it up. I'll report back when I try it later today.

 

[Jimbob54]

That's what I would assume but it feels like no matter how loud I turn it up there isn't any 'oompf' behind it. It just sounds flat. I wonder if I'm having driver issues or something. I'll try re-installing the driver. I remember when I first plugged it in it sucked but then it brightened up a lot when I installed the XMOS driver. Recently I messed with some audio software and that may have messed it up. I'll report back when I try it later today.

This is the one with the DSP built in? Have you accidentally turned on some DSP function on one of the outputs (but not the other)?

 

[Monstieur]

That's what I would assume but it feels like no matter how loud I turn it up there isn't any 'oompf' behind it. It just sounds flat. I wonder if I'm having driver issues or something. I'll try re-installing the driver. I remember when I first plugged it in it sucked but then it brightened up a lot when I installed the XMOS driver. Recently I messed with some audio software and that may have messed it up. I'll report back when I try it later today.

The driver has no effect on the individual outputs and neither do the DSP settings.

 

[Hapo]

....I just bought one of these to use as a DAC...I am very glad to see you like the Head phone amp but what do you think of it as a DAC...???...

 

[Monstieur]

....I just bought one of these to use as a DAC...I am very glad to see you like the Head phone amp but what do you think of it as a DAC...???...

You can't hear the difference but it's not state of the art.

 

[Jimster480]

....I just bought one of these to use as a DAC...I am very glad to see you like the Head phone amp but what do you think of it as a DAC...???...

Overall it will be fine. Performance is similar to my DX7 which is just slightly better... there are better DACs but most any additional "resolution" is inaudible in 99% of situations so as @Monstieur mentioned; you can't hear the difference.

 

[Hapo]

...so a step up from Schitt Modi 3+...???...

 

[Hapo]

...if anyone wants a new Monolith there is one for sale @ Amazon...(can't find any used)...if you hurry you could still save $20 or so off the price of an RME...

...look under " see all buying options"...I got a used one for $380...(almost $900 off...!!!...LoL)...I'll hold off on the Toppng D90se...

...maybe I should try to $$$ell my Monolith on Ebay...!?!...then I could buy something good...!!!... (grin)

https://www.amazon.com/Monolith-124459-Headphone-Amplifier-Technology/dp/B07KQW1WFX/ref=pd_ybh_a_4?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=G4XJ1RS73TFVJKGRS4QC

...FWIW...there are a Schittload @ Ebay for less than I paid used...

 

[Veri]

...FWIW...there are a Schittload @ Ebay for less than I paid used...

You can still return it to amazon if need be.

 

[Hapo]

...then I could get a used D70...

 

[Hapo]

...I thought I lucked out today when the Monolith arrived and "used" turned out ot mean a damaged but sealed fatory box....

...it was a factroy fresh unit...too bad it just stopped working before I even finished getting set up...

...in the breif period it worked I can't say I noticed any improvement in sound quality @ Schitt Modi 3+...

...then sound stopped coming out of it and the output stuck on line out...it would not switch back...so it wasn't much of an audition...

...I liked reducing the boxes and cables on the table but the fussy menue/screen deal was already getting really old fast...

...I am back to the same old Schitt...(one week old)...I like those clunky switches amirm disparages a lot more than endlessly pushing tiny buttons and scrolling through menues...fuk dat...

 

[Veri]

...I thought I lucked out tody when the Monolith arivved and "used" turned out ot mean a damaged but sealed fatory box....
...it was a factroy fersh unit...too bad it just stopped working before I even finished getting set up...

Well that's unlucky.. but yeah. The first one I sent amirm had a similar glitch

Preview: Monolith by Monoprice Desktop THX Headphone Amp & DAC

This is an early look of the Monolith by Monoprice Desktop Headphone Amplifier and DAC with THX amplification technology. The unit was kindly purchased by a forum member and drop shipped to me. And that is where the trouble began but more on that later. The Monoprice THX amp and DAC retails...

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