Monolith Desktop Headphone Amplifier and DAC with THX AAA Technology (Dual AKM 4493 DACs & Dual AAA-788 Modules)
- 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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Product information
Item Weight | 5.1 ounces |
---|---|
Product Dimensions | 7.8 x 2 x 8.7 inches |
ASIN | B07KQW1WFX |
Item model number | 124459 |
Customer Reviews |
4.5 out of 5 stars |
Best Sellers Rank | #293,404 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics) #303 in Headphone Amps |
Date First Available | November 21, 2018 |
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Product guides and documents
What's in the box
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
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
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Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Reviews with images
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Top reviews
Top reviews from the United States
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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
Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2019
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
We have compared this DAC/AMP against several others while using different kinds of headphones. Our findings are the following:
In this case, better means "true to original", not "sounds better".
Headphone wise:
Low quality headphones sound better on cheap DAC/AMPs. After all, it is what they are meant for. Invest in better headphones instead.
Medium quality headphones sound better on this DAC/AMP, but difference does not justify its price. Consider investing in better headphones.
High quality headphones sound much better on this DAC/AMP, with practically identical reproduction of original sound.
That being said, having 'practically identical' reproduction of sound may not be something you desire. The easiest way to describe it would be the following:
In case of Schiit audio DAC/AMPs, all music sounds as if it was played by Beatles and sang by Morgan Freeman. 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. It is amazing to listen to, but not at all how things are supposed to sound like. If you are into classical music or instruments, Schiit Audio would make every performer sound angry at his/her instrument.
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. A lot of people find this kind of sound plain and unappealing. It is great for classical music, especially one that's not filled with anger, but it does not sound special.
If you are an admirer of 'true to original' sound, your DAC/AMP is for you. If you usually twist BASS knobs off or mess with equalizer too much, consider getting something else.
Top reviews from other countries
Actualización 11 de agosto 2023:
Acabo de recibir mi Cayin RU7 y estoy fascinado. Por fin puedo amplificar mis Sennheiser HD660S de forma portátil y el sonido que produce este aparatito es fantástico, me ha quitado la necesidad de estar probando distintos aparatos. Como nota, hace una semana me llegó mi Qudelix 5x y me pareció que sonaba increíble con mis Sony MDR7506, a pesar de que es un DAC bluetooth conectado a mi iPhone 13. El Cayin sin duda lo supera en calidad de audio, como era de esperarse, pero quiero utilizarlo también con mis Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro de 250 ohms pero la salida no balanceada del Cayin RU7 no les hace justicia. Entonces, pensé utilizar el Line Out del Cayin RU7 con mi Monolith THX 778 para amplificar los Beyer, y estoy viendo qué cable balanceado 4.4 a XLR me compro. Más tarde escribiré cómo me fue.
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!
Reviewed in Canada on May 26, 2020
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!
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.
Reviewed in Canada on August 28, 2021
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.