I have not tried every pair of headphones on the market, but I have tried a lot. I think these Monoprice DJ Style Pro Headphones are the best value out there. Closed-back, high-quality build, great sounding, and strangely inexpensive - I will look no further for tracking headphones. What the heck is Monoprice? I don't know, but it is a great source for computer, digital audio, and home theater cables, accessories, and gadgets; I have been ordering from them for years. They design and brand their own products. Their cables are high-quality and low- priced. Their products often have a unique take on problem solving, such as my 24-port self-polling USB hub that's almost as big as my Mac Mini, or their new wireless HDMI transmitter/receiver combo. They have excellent customer service. They respond publicly to the few bad reviews they get. These headphones have mostly stellar reviews, some with unbelievable comparisons to expensive headphones, so I gave a pair a try.
I had just ordered two pairs of AKG K 44 headphones at a sale price of $40 before spotting the Monoprice. Had I never seen the Monoprice headphones, I would have thought the AKG were decent for the money, but now I wish I hadn't bought them. The Monoprice 8323 headphones absolutely crush the name-brand competitor for build quality and sound quality; the K 44 headphones are muffled and uncomfortable by comparison.
efficient than the other headphones mentioned in this review; they're louder than the others with the volume knob in the same position. I could not get them to distort without risking deafness.
Listening to sine waves, the combination of my ears plus these headphones exhibit a frequency response that drops sharply below 28 Hz, but I could still perceive down to 22 Hz. On the other end of the spectrum, I could blindly tell if the oscillator was on at 18 kHz, but nothing above that (and it was more of a sensation than a sound). Sweeping the sine, I could not find a resonant point. Testing for bleed by pressing the cups together with equivalent sound levels (measured roughly with an SPL meter between the headphones), the Monoprice win for isolation over the Sony and the Ultrasone. I could not test the AKG K 44 this way because they do not fold.
I listened to the Monoprice headphones through a home stereo receiver, three pro-audio interfaces, and an iPad. They sounded great through all. I loaned them to two engineers who both agreed that the value was outrageous. I loaned them to my wife, who is a full-time musician. They are hers now, so I had to buy more for my use. The only detraction I can think of is that the oval ear cups may be too small for larger ears, but they were comfy for everybody mentioned. They'd be great for detail listening/mixing on a budget, and I see no reason to spend more on tracking headphones anymore. If you know of a better value, please write to Tape Op. ($23.20 each, volume discounts available; www.monoprice.com)
The Monoprice headphones are molded from rigid lightweight plastic. They have oval cups that are angled to the ear, like my Sony MDR-7506. They have replaceable earpads. The headband is padded and adjustable with detented, pressure-fit sliders. Two removable cords are included, with a standard 1/8'' jack on both ends and a tight-fitting 1/4'' adapter. One cord is thick and is about 12 ft long. The other is thin and about 4 ft long, obviously intended for portable music players. Since the input on the headphones is 1/8'', without any threading, you can replace the cords with any 1/8'' cord you like. This is a huge win, as headphones with permanent cords are a big pain to repair, usually requiring disassembly. The cord fits tight though, so I don't think there is any advantage when the cord gets stepped on; the headphones will probably still fly. The cups rotate 90 degrees to lay flat and also fold up into the band for storage. The headphones are all black with a subtle Monoprice logo on both cups. They look pretty cool.
My best headphones are my closed-back Ultrasone PRO 650 ($299 retail, discontinued). I had to go back and forth three times before deciding the Ultrasone were a little more open and real-sounding than my $23 Monoprice. The Monoprice are slightly boxy-sounding by comparison but somehow are more fun to listen to. They seem to go deeper in the bass end (perhaps due to the large 50 mm drivers) without sounding bass-hyped, and the mids and highs are smooth and detailed. I find myself reaching for the Monoprice over the Ultrasone when just enjoying music. My Sony MDR-7506 sound hyped in the highs by comparison, and because the metal headband is worn out, I have to press them to my ears to get a good response. That's another point for the Monoprice as the plastic does not seem like it will ever change shape. But I still like the detail of the Sony. The Monoprice are noticeably more efficient than the other headphones mentioned in this review; they're louder than the others with the volume knob in the same position. I could not get them to distort without risking deafness.
Listening to sine waves, the combination of my ears plus these headphones exhibit a frequency response that drops sharply below 28 Hz, but I could still perceive down to 22 Hz. On the other end of the spectrum, I could blindly tell if the oscillator was on at 18 kHz, but nothing above that (and it was more of a sensation than a sound). Sweeping the sine, I could not find a resonant point. Testing for bleed by pressing the cups together with equivalent sound levels (measured roughly with an SPL meter between the headphones), the Monoprice win for isolation over the Sony and the Ultrasone. I could not test the AKG K 44 this way because they do not fold.
I listened to the Monoprice headphones through a home stereo receiver, three pro-audio interfaces, and an iPad. They sounded great through all. I loaned them to two engineers who both agreed that the value was outrageous. I loaned them to my wife, who is a full-time musician. They are hers now, so I had to buy more for my use. The only detraction I can think of is that the oval ear cups may be too small for larger ears, but they were comfy for everybody mentioned. They'd be great for detail listening/mixing on a budget, and I see no reason to spend more on tracking headphones anymore. If you know of a better value, please write to Tape Op. ($23.20 each, volume discounts available; www.monoprice.com)
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