Monoprice Monolith M1570C

The M1570C delivers sound in the 96th percentile, putting it among the absolute best closed-back headphones for audio quality at any price. Comfort is excellent, but build and features are bare-bones, and you'll need to ignore the bizarre pricing scattered across the web. If fidelity is your only priority, grab one for under $500 and call it a win.

The Monoprice Monolith M1570C is a wired planar magnetic headphone that puts sound quality above all else, landing in the 96th percentile for its category. That's best-in-class territory, meaning these deliver a spacious soundstage and detailed, airy highs that rival far pricier audiophile cans. The 106mm planar drivers and closed-back design give you tight bass and excellent isolation without any batteries or Bluetooth to mess with the signal. Comfort is also a standout, scoring in the 87th percentile, so long listening sessions feel easy.

But this is a specialist's tool, not an all-rounder. The build quality is middling, the included 6.35mm plug is about as basic as connectivity gets, and the microphone is a disappointment for calls. If you're looking for a set of headphones to wear on a commute or take calls on, look elsewhere. For mixing, critical listening, or just geeking out over planar detail, the M1570C makes a strong case, especially if you can snag it near the low end of its bizarrely wide price range.

Sound is where these headphones earn their keep. That 96th percentile ranking isn't just a number, it's the kind of performance that puts the M1570C in the same conversation with flagship cans costing double or triple. The dual linear symmetry magnet array and those massive 106mm drivers create an expansive, layered presentation that closed-back designs rarely pull off. Instrument separation is precise, and there's a sense of air and space that makes recordings feel three-dimensional. Bass is deep and controlled, not bloated, which is a hallmark of a well-tuned planar driver.

Comfort matches the sonic experience, with an 87th percentile score that means you can wear these for hours without wanting to rip them off. That's saying something for planar headphones, which often tip the scales; here, the claimed 124g weight seems absurdly light, though we suspect that number may be a misprint. The build quality, at the 35th percentile, feels a bit basic for the asking price. You're paying for the drivers, not fancy materials, and that's a trade-off you'll have to accept.

Value is a tricky puzzle with the M1570C. At the low end of its pricing around $458, you're getting genuine high-end planar sound that rivals gear costing a lot more. That's a steal if sound is your only priority. But we've seen these listed for as much as $111,089 from some sellers, which is either a typo or an elaborate prank. Realistically, the $458 price point puts this in a sweet spot compared to audiophile closed-back planars from Audeze or Dan Clark Audio, but you do sacrifice niceties like premium build and detachable balanced cables. If you find it near that low price, it's a killer deal for sound-focused listening. If the price climbs much above $500, the value proposition starts to wobble given the mediocre build and feature set.

Stacked against the usual wireless heavyweights like the Sony WH-1000XM6 or Bose QuietComfort Ultra, the M1570C is a completely different beast. Those models give you ANC, transparency modes, excellent mics, and all-day battery life, but their sound quality, while very good, can't touch the planar detail and staging of the Monoprice. The Sennheiser MOMENTUM 4 and Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 are closer in sonic ambition, but they're still wireless-first and tuned for mass appeal. The Technics EAH-A800 offers hi-res wireless but lacks the raw driver size and planar tech. If you need to take a call, fly on a plane, or just move around the house cable-free, the M1570C will frustrate you. But for a stationary, wired listening rig where sound is the only goal, it outclasses them all on critical listening tests.

If you need a do-everything headphone for calls, travel, or gym time, skip the M1570C and grab something like the Sony XM6. The mic is terrible (16th percentile), connectivity is limited to a single 6.35mm cable, and there's no ANC to handle noisy environments. The build quality also doesn't inspire confidence for on-the-go abuse. This headphone only makes sense if you're parked at a desk or in a studio, with a good amp, and you just want to lose yourself in the music.

The Monoprice Monolith M1570C is a sonic powerhouse in a humble package. Its 96th percentile sound score makes it one of the best-performing closed-back headphones we've tested for pure audio quality, and the comfort is right up there. You do have to sacrifice on build, connectivity, and any hope of taking calls or going wireless. That's a fair trade if you're building a desktop audiophile setup or need a reference closed-back for mixing. Just make sure you buy from a vendor pricing it reasonably; at $458, it's a gem. At $111k, you're getting scammed.