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Monolith Desktop Headphone Amplifier and DAC with THX AAA Technology (Dual AKM 4493 DACs & Dual AAA-788 Modules)

4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 242 ratings

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  • The worlds most linear amp technology: the THX achromatic audio amplifire (THX AAA) ensures the ultimate no-compromise Headphone audio experience
  • True balanced operation: Each THX stereo amp module operates in a bridged configuration to maximize output power for each channel, each DAC operates in mono mode
  • Dual AKM 4493 DACs: new flagship 32-bit stereo premium DAC. It supports PCM inputs up to 768kHz and a direct stream digital input of 2. 8/5. 6/11. 2 MHz
  • Balanced & single ended Headphone output: Compatible with all headphones and items
  • Tailor your sound: Use the powerful digital tools to tailor the sound to your personal preference. Does your headphone have a little sibilance? Set a peq to tame that frequency peak

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Monolith Desktop Headphone Amplifier and DAC with THX AAA Technology (Dual AKM 4493 DACs & Dual AAA-788 Modules)


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Product guides and documents

What's in the box

  • Monolith Desktop Headphone Amplifier and DAC with THX AAA Technology
  • Product Description

    The Monolith THX desktop headphone amplifier and DAC features cutting edge technology to bring out the best in your headphones, playback device, and music library. Featuring dual THX AAA 788 amplifier modules for best in class amplification, an AKM 4493 DAC for an exceptionally musical experience, and dirac sensaround II decoding for an out-of-your-heard, larger than life soundstage, The Monolith amplifier is engineered for the finest in music reproduction. A host of inputs and outputs, including balanced, unbalanced, and digital, ensures that you have plenty of ways to connect your audio devices. RCA Input Impedance: 10 kilohms.


    From the manufacturer

    Desktop Headphone Amplifier and DAC w/ THX AAA Technology (Dual AKM 4493 DACs & Dual AAA-788 Modules
    Desktop Headphone Amp and DAC with THX AAA Technology (Dual AKM 4493 DACs & Dual AAA-788 Modules)

    Desktop Headphone Amp and DAC with THX AAA Technology (Dual AKM 4493 DACs & Dual AAA-788 Modules)
    Versatile Output

    Digital or Analog - We've got you covered

    This amplifier features several types of digital and analog inputs to support all of your input devices. Use the USB, optical, coaxial, and AES3/EBU inputs to connect your digital devices, or the balanced or unbalanced inputs of your analog devices.

    • Playable Frequency Response: 1Hz ~ 40kHz ±0.5dB (96kHz input)
    • Signal-to-Noise Ratio (A-Weighted): > 120dB
    • Dynamic Range: > 120dB

    Monolith Desktop Headphone Amplifier and DAC with THX AAA Technology (Dual AKM 4493 DACs & Dual AAA-788 Modules)

    The Monolith THX Desktop Headphone Amplifier and DAC features cutting edge technology to bring out the best in your headphones, playback device, and music library.

    Featuring dual THX AAA 788 amplifier modules for best in class amplification, an AKM 4493 DAC for an exceptionally musical experience, and Dirac Sensaround II decoding for an out-of-your-head, larger than life soundstage, the Monolith amplifier is engineered for the finest in music reproduction. A host of inputs and outputs, including balanced, unbalanced, and digital, ensures that you have plenty of ways to connect your audio devices.

    • Amplifier: 2x THX AAA 788
    • DAC: 2x AKM AK4493
    • Analog Inputs: 1x unbalanced RCA, 1x unbalanced XLR
    • Digital Inputs: 1x Optical, 1x Coaxial, 1x AES/EBU, 1x USB
    It supports PCM inputs up to 768kHz and a direct stream digital (DSD) input of 2.8/5.6/11.2 mHz
    The THX Achromatic Audio Amplifier ensures the ultimate no compromise headphone audio experience
    True balanced operation. Compatible with all headphones and IEMs

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    Customer reviews

    4.5 out of 5 stars
    4.5 out of 5
    242 global ratings

    Customers say

    Customers like the sound quality, power, value, and performance of the headphone amp. They mention that it sounds clean, has a symphonic bliss, and has solid output power. Some appreciate the quality, and clarity. That said, some dislike the volume control and have different opinions on ease of use.

    AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

    48 customers mention41 positive7 negative

    Customers like the sound quality of the product. For example, they say it's clean, narrow in space, and simulates a speaker-like experience. Customers also say that the nuances of their music are present, and the power using XLR cables is great.

    "...They truly are a wire with gain, the noise floor and THD are so ridiculously low, the power output so high, that you really shouldn't need another..." Read more

    "...It was just symphonic bliss. The Dirac sensaround was awesome for gaming and pretty eye-opening for certain music tracks as well...." Read more

    "...In case of this DAC/AMP, everything sounds like it should. Every song and every singer sounds exactly like it would in a live performance...." Read more

    "...and bought a Topping A50, which sounds warmer yet still has a low noise floor...." Read more

    23 customers mention21 positive2 negative

    Customers are satisfied with the power of the amplifier. They mention that it is a great amp/dac combo, with clean, solid output power. It delivers good and untainted sound, and is able to power everything.

    "...with gain, the noise floor and THD are so ridiculously low, the power output so high, that you really shouldn't need another solid state amp after..." Read more

    "...That alone is worth the price of admission. The power is admirable too...." Read more

    "...It is full of emotion, power, and personality. Downside is that ALL music sounds like it was played by Beatles and sang by Morgan Freeman...." Read more

    "...It is however truly analog, measures better, and has a fair deal more output power. Do I think it's worth the extra $100 or so? Yes...." Read more

    12 customers mention12 positive0 negative

    Customers appreciate the value of the DAC/AMP combo. They say it's a good buy and well worth the $500 price point.

    "...It simply doesn't get any cleaner.Oh, and the value is insane, a balanced dac ($200 at least) and a THX AAA balanced amp ($400) for $500...." Read more

    "...I'm completely smitten. To me this is by far the best value out of the 4 thx amps in existence as of the time of this writing...." Read more

    "Pros - Fantastic amplifier and a good value. The 789 stack is technically superior on paper, but for most people this is plenty...." Read more

    "...And even compared to the $200 Schiit DAC/AMP combo, it's well worth the $500 price point." Read more

    11 customers mention8 positive3 negative

    Customers like the performance of the Dirac DAC. They say it works well with their Sennheiser's, is fully usable, and has better performance than expected. Customers also say that it's a very useful tool and is impeccable.

    "...No, not represented. Defined. Perfected. Impeccable? Yes...." Read more

    "...The volume knob is, like some reviews noticed it, slow, but fully usable...." Read more

    "...disapointing is that the USB cabel that followed with the unit was not working, i had to buy another one...." Read more

    "...Very good with headphones (I paired it with HD660S) but not too good with IEMs." Read more

    9 customers mention9 positive0 negative

    Customers are satisfied with the quality of the product. They mention that it's well-made, impressive, and the best amp they've ever owned.

    "...Overall I think this is a very solid product. I did see a couple reviews on YouTube prior to buying this that pointed out flaws with the unit...." Read more

    "...Sound is clean but very narrow in space. Build quality seems decent out of the nice presentation box...." Read more

    "...The build quality is amazing.The volume knob is, like some reviews noticed it, slow, but fully usable...." Read more

    "...Compared to the metal chassis, which looks elegant and feels real high-end, the buttons and volume knob is made of plastic and look cheap." Read more

    8 customers mention8 positive0 negative

    Customers like the clarity of the product. They mention that it provides the most transparent and clean sound they have ever heard.

    "...Some punch. Some oomph. Some presence. And clarity. Oh my, the clarity...." Read more

    "...The clarity, detail, separation, space, breath, depth, and balance are all there in mind blowing abundance. I'm absolutely thrilled...." Read more

    "So far I am very happy with this DAC/AMP. THX provides the most transparent and clean sound I have ever heard...." Read more

    "This amp is great. It's extremely clear with outstanding separation and seems very neutral...." Read more

    10 customers mention4 positive6 negative

    Customers have mixed opinions about the ease of use of the product. Some mention that it is easy to use and the instructions provided were easy to follow, while others say that the menus are a bit trivial to navigate and the menu feature could be improved. Some customers also mention that they have trouble making selections in the menu.

    "...The other stated he had trouble making selections in the menu. My guess is those units had earlier firmware. I have had none of these issues." Read more

    "...you can find it on the manufacturers website and the instructions provided were easy to follow...." Read more

    "...The menus are also a bit trivial to navigate sometimes when you're trying to just switch from headphone to line-out." Read more

    "Clear and clean sound with easy to use interface. However the buttons are cramped up together." Read more

    8 customers mention0 positive8 negative

    Customers are not satisfied with the volume control of the product. They mention that it is very slow, terrible, and not a pot. However, some reviewers find the volume knob to be fully usable.

    "...It is painfully slow, I'm really hoping they fix it in a firmware update, but I'm not holding my breath...." Read more

    "...One stated the volume control was very slow, I have not found this to be the case. The other stated he had trouble making selections in the menu...." Read more

    "...The volume knob is, like some reviews noticed it, slow, but fully usable...." Read more

    "...The build is really good too. My only complaint would be the volume control isn't a pot, though in the latest firmware it is better." Read more

    Amazing amp, amazing dac, not perfect but who cares.
    5 Stars
    Amazing amp, amazing dac, not perfect but who cares.
    This isn't a perfect unit, it has flaws, namely the analog inputs are converted to digital then back to analog, so there really isn't a passthrough for just the amp (due to the EQ and DIRAC options). If you're a purist, then this is a pretty big red flag, but for the rest of us, it's really not that big of a deal, not even sure they've found change in the output after feeding analog into the device, so it's really only theory that the sound is altered by these 2 extra conversions, but if you have no plans to bypass the DAC, and instead are using it as both a dac and an amp, then there is no extra conversion happening, plus, the balanced dac in the unit is a very good dac, so just use it. The amp...well, it's basically a revolutionary technology developed by THX, and has the audiophile community losing their collective minds over these THX AAA amps. They truly are a wire with gain, the noise floor and THD are so ridiculously low, the power output so high, that you really shouldn't need another solid state amp after this. This may be the 788, inferior to the 789 in power output (not by much, I'm listening to it right now on 300 ohm sennheisers, and it gets loud enough to hurt, and still has a ton of headroom in the volume , like upwards of 40-50%, no chance I'm testing how high it goes, I'll blow the drivers for sure, I'm wincing at -17db, and I think it goes all the way to +16. No gain settings, which is a bit annoying, but whatever, however the biggest flaw of this unit by a long long ways, is the volume control. It is painfully slow, I'm really hoping they fix it in a firmware update, but I'm not holding my breath. Basically you have to spin the knob like 20 times to go down a significant amount, like from high listening volume, to hearing those around you when they're trying to get your attention. It's not really a big deal 90% of the time, once you are at a comfortable volume, minor changes are completely fine, you don't even notice it's slow, only when you need to change it more than like 10-15+ db at once, does it become an annoyance, overall though who cares, the flaws have no effect on the sound (unless you're trying to bypass the dac, in which case it might due to taking the analog signal from your exterior dac, converting it back to digital, and then back to analog, that is the only way you might hear any change in the audio caused by this amp. If you're using digital inputs, then you're golden, nothing but pure unadulterated source material is what you'll hear.Buy this amp, new 887, 888, and 889 units aren't coming until late november/early december at the earliest, unless you want to pay $3,000 for the Benchmark that has a THX AAA 888 amp already. This amp though a few revisions old already, is still state of the art, industry changing, and the measured improvements are so small they aren't even audible to us, as the "inferior" amp is already producing audio that is 99.9999% to the source, at least. It simply doesn't get any cleaner.Oh, and the value is insane, a balanced dac ($200 at least) and a THX AAA balanced amp ($400) for $500. It's a steal
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    Top reviews from the United States

    Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2019
    Customer image
    5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing amp, amazing dac, not perfect but who cares.
    Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2019
    This isn't a perfect unit, it has flaws, namely the analog inputs are converted to digital then back to analog, so there really isn't a passthrough for just the amp (due to the EQ and DIRAC options). If you're a purist, then this is a pretty big red flag, but for the rest of us, it's really not that big of a deal, not even sure they've found change in the output after feeding analog into the device, so it's really only theory that the sound is altered by these 2 extra conversions, but if you have no plans to bypass the DAC, and instead are using it as both a dac and an amp, then there is no extra conversion happening, plus, the balanced dac in the unit is a very good dac, so just use it. The amp...well, it's basically a revolutionary technology developed by THX, and has the audiophile community losing their collective minds over these THX AAA amps. They truly are a wire with gain, the noise floor and THD are so ridiculously low, the power output so high, that you really shouldn't need another solid state amp after this. This may be the 788, inferior to the 789 in power output (not by much, I'm listening to it right now on 300 ohm sennheisers, and it gets loud enough to hurt, and still has a ton of headroom in the volume , like upwards of 40-50%, no chance I'm testing how high it goes, I'll blow the drivers for sure, I'm wincing at -17db, and I think it goes all the way to +16. No gain settings, which is a bit annoying, but whatever, however the biggest flaw of this unit by a long long ways, is the volume control. It is painfully slow, I'm really hoping they fix it in a firmware update, but I'm not holding my breath. Basically you have to spin the knob like 20 times to go down a significant amount, like from high listening volume, to hearing those around you when they're trying to get your attention. It's not really a big deal 90% of the time, once you are at a comfortable volume, minor changes are completely fine, you don't even notice it's slow, only when you need to change it more than like 10-15+ db at once, does it become an annoyance, overall though who cares, the flaws have no effect on the sound (unless you're trying to bypass the dac, in which case it might due to taking the analog signal from your exterior dac, converting it back to digital, and then back to analog, that is the only way you might hear any change in the audio caused by this amp. If you're using digital inputs, then you're golden, nothing but pure unadulterated source material is what you'll hear.

    Buy this amp, new 887, 888, and 889 units aren't coming until late november/early december at the earliest, unless you want to pay $3,000 for the Benchmark that has a THX AAA 888 amp already. This amp though a few revisions old already, is still state of the art, industry changing, and the measured improvements are so small they aren't even audible to us, as the "inferior" amp is already producing audio that is 99.9999% to the source, at least. It simply doesn't get any cleaner.

    Oh, and the value is insane, a balanced dac ($200 at least) and a THX AAA balanced amp ($400) for $500. It's a steal
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    30 people found this helpful
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    Reviewed in the United States on October 24, 2019
    6 people found this helpful
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    Reviewed in the United States on September 28, 2020
    4 people found this helpful
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    Top reviews from other countries

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    Francisco
    5.0 out of 5 stars Hay que conocerlo a fondo
    Reviewed in Mexico on September 3, 2020
    5 people found this helpful
    Report
    Mark
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent amp/DAC: super linear, gobs of power, unbeatable price
    Reviewed in Canada on May 26, 2020
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    Mark
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent amp/DAC: super linear, gobs of power, unbeatable price
    Reviewed in Canada on May 26, 2020
    I wrote a review previously but since I tried to add a link to Joshua Valour's review of this unit it couldnt be posted. Check out his review on youtube, he nails it.

    Despite a shaky start at first with a beta firmware unit sent out for review at ASR and some subsequent spec cherry-picking, the overall consensus is that this packs a killer punch for the price. I definitely concur! It's clean as hell, powerful as all get-out and just pure and unadulterated sound (unless you want it to be). The lack of remote is the only real issue I think, but many HP amps don't have them anyway it seems. Most solid state amp lovers will really enjoy this.

    This has as black and silent a background as you could hope for - with all but the most sensitive single digit impedance IEMs (not recommended for an amp without a gain toggle anyway, nor does Monoprice recommend less than 12ohms here).

    This has definitely added a new wow factor to music for me. Just running HD600 and DT880 (250ohm) so far and they sound incredible. I've started to realize what people mean when they say you feel like you can hear "behind" things in music. Details that were hidden are now right in front of you, and layers become discernable. But it all feels cohesive and tight. You can change the sound however you want with eq and dirac (dirac is super helpful for early stereo recordings and movies, but also really interesting with many types of music for a more speaker-type feel) but the natural sound of this amp feels very perfect and makes you want to try it with tons of music with everything set flat. DSD streams direct, disabling any eq or dirac, and sounds amazing. I get lost for hours listening to songs both familiar and not on this. It's truly relavatory.

    A side note, after checking out basically all other available semi-budget options here in Canada: I didnt have a strict budget but didnt want to spend more than necessary to get something clean, powerful, and to last a long time if possible. Wasn't looking to build a stack if possible so this ended up fitting the bill perfectly. I got mine on sale at $570 as another review mentioned it does drop to that price on and off - which helped make me pull the trigger (also helps that Amazon offered free financing on this one, they do know how to make you really want something!), this would still be a value at ~$700, the usual price.

    Given the unfortunate lack of options in Canada without breaking the bank - importing Schiit or JDS is just ends up being too pricey, and warranty would be a hassle. JDS's Canadian dealer is still getting set up and wont ship for at least another month... there are somewhat competitive Topping and SMSL etc. offerings, but nothing quite combines all into one package at this price point (SMSL's THX amp is supposed to be quite good too but QC is a little lacking, and it still needs a separate DAC). iFi has a couple well respected DAC/amps but most are a couple hundred more dollars here in Canada. Secondary market is another option but no warranty that way. I shopped those plenty too but came up short. The Drop THX 789 amp itself is also currently available around $500 here on Amazon too, but still needs a DAC to match it.

    This package is stellar and unbeatable on sale. Get it and never regret!
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    Antonio Arias Jiménez
    5.0 out of 5 stars La mejor opción antes de la ALTA GAMA
    Reviewed in Mexico on May 12, 2021
    Alfred Santos
    5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful AF! And sounds Crisp!
    Reviewed in Canada on February 28, 2021
    The Associate
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent audio
    Reviewed in Canada on August 28, 2021
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    The Associate
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent audio
    Reviewed in Canada on August 28, 2021
    Originally bought this to replace the Modi3 + Magni3 Schiit stack and it was a decent improvement in detail and clarity, works great with my HD 660s v2 and Focal Elear which are both completely different headphones. I use the 660s for gaming and Elears for music and this thing powers them perfectly.

    I ended up buying a 2nd for a great price as a dac for my yamaha rxy 679 since the dac in that is absolutely trash compared to this thing. I have Fyne Audio F501's and they didn't sound good at all unless in pure direct which is stereo only, but thanks to this thing and DTS I can enjoy proper quality audio in surround sound now without having to spend 3x more for a decent used avr.
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