Review! The Monoprice 'Monolith' THX 365T bookshelf loudspeaker!
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- čas přidán 23. 07. 2024
- Hands on with the Monoprice 'Monolith' THX-365T.
Intro music by: Kim Aspen "Dimension Five"
Product Page:
www.monoprice.com/product?p_i...
Components used in this review:
AMR CD-777 SE CD-Player
AMR AM-777 SE Integrated Amplifier
Iotavx SA Integrated Amplifier
MastersounD Box Integrated Amplifier
Loxjie A10 Integrated Amplifier
Heed Elixir Integrated Amplifier
Parasound 'Halo' Hint 6 Integrated Amplifier
Yep. I fuc*ed up at around 9:07! And yep, I'm going to keep that mistake in there. That's how it really goes with these vids. You lose your train of thought and then jump right back to it. :D
Zero Fidelity Exactly. It makes no difference.
Really, someone would say something like this to the best audio reviewer on youtube! Some people...
write a script !
@@IrreverentSOB a script would take away from the honesty and integrity I would say
Personally, I never trust a guy who doesn’t f*ck up once in a while! Thanks for your videos.
The thing about your caveat is that these speakers were designed for use in home cinema hence the THX specification. So the need for a subwoofer isn't a necessary add on purchase from the point of view of the designers, rather its given since a sub is mandatory in any HT setup. So potential buyers are expected to have a sub already.
One may even call it a positive value proposition since the speakers are not trying to recreate audio outside of its bandwidth the design goal is better focused on components more suited for its intended use.
Yeah the online reviews I've read all say the speakers perform very well in a home theatre set up watching movies with a sub or ideally the matched Monoprice THX sub.
Totally agree with this. I think the speakers have been reviewed for the incorrect listening situation / application they are designed for.
Like using a rugby ball to play football.
I believe this is your most professional presentation of yours I have ever watched. Great job young man !
For me I like listening to music without a sub. These speakers for me would be awesome for mains in my home theater. I really like the the size, and that they have the built in Atmos speaker. They are the perfect size to hook up to one of my Parasound Halo A23 amplifiers. The speakers really have some great aesthetics, and convenient binding post layout. Great price tag too!
Once you learn to love dome mids, you'll never want to go back.
GREAT REVIEW!! This guy really seems to understand the design objectives. These could sound awesome with subs as L and R stands! Just imagine the headroom with the higher LF limit! Home run if you ask me. Cast frames and film caps, I wonder!
Nice review! Very informative.
Dude, my mind is blown right now. Never knew you had your own channel dedicated to AV equipment, come a long way from those days talking about Panasonic Plasma TVs 😁
Cool product. Definitely more geared to home theater than stereo listening with the included Atmos. modules. I personally think all systems should have a sub or 2 or more. It adds so much to the experience. From cable to speakers Monoprice is pretty good all around.
it's modern designs, made for subs mostly including expensive ( to me ) models like the KEF 50.... it is still not a 'full range'. back in the day modest cost AR6 and EPI 100 had system resonance of 48 -50....( never mind Advent !) low note on a standard bass guitar is like 42 as is the usual tuning of a kick drum. that would be my target. I see no reason speakers like Polk LSim3 shouldn't have been tuned lower.
Monoprice (my favorite place for cables and little needs) seems to be stepping up their game. Audiophiles usually look at Monoprice with high cynicism and disdain, but mostly I find nothing wrong with Monoprice. Sure, I don't like the terminators on their interconnects or how stiff they are, but in a pinch, they will save the day. Their HDMI cables are fine, etc. In the past I have had to return some stuff as defective, but lately, they have been stepping up their game. No, they don't have the highest-quality, fancy crap, but they are solidifying their utilitarian service and recently as seen here, delving into some more substantial items. One has to give them credit.
Since when do audiophiles look down at Monoprice? Their Monolith Monoblock is considered a downright steal and people have been anticipating the HTP-1 since it was announced.
Great video! I totally agree with this design. I don't want mediocre bass from my small to medium sized mains. Bass is best executed from a subwoofer, unless you have some big, pricey main speakers. 😉🔈🔊
I agree with Monolith on this speaker design. Far too often I've purchased main speakers based on lower frequency extension only to add a sub woofer and then wish I'd purchased mains with a focus on mid bass, mid range and clean highs. Also Monoprice still sell the KBAS speakers if a consumer wants to buy mains with exerted bass relative to driver size.
I'm also am not a fan of ATMOS. All this wires, channels and amps is diluting the quality of most of today's audio gear. I hope they make an ATMOS free version of this speaker.
Great video! Thumbs up.
I would like to see a KBAS review
Lol Atmos is awesome...you clearly don't know what you are missing or never heard a correctly setup Atmos system
GREAT REVIEW THANKS
Nice review as always Sean my boy. I like the black amp, I'm going to miss mine, but the EVO should arrive Friday and should be a great addition and it's black to match the rest of my gear. Is this the same company that makes cables and amps ? Hope all is well on the home front. Keep on Rockin dude!
I've had these for a couple of months. The review characterizes their sound very well. I use them mostly to listen to music, but they are also part of a home theater, where they are very impressive, especially the center channel version with identical drivers. That center speaker also provides a very big, natural, clear sound. Nothing fancy about the cabinetry and the speakers are bulky and a bit unwieldy. I use a couple of small steel legged table as stands in order to give them proper support. Also, they seem a bit more efficient than their rating suggests.
Hello Willis,
I'm looking at these speakers for a small, primarily music listening room. I will run them with a subwoofer as recommended. It occurred to me that since I have an amp with A+B speaker outputs, I might want to try hooking up the atmos speakers left to left and right to right using my B speaker output. This way the drivers on the front baffle fire at the listener and the atmos speakers fire the same info at the ceiling giving a more omni directional sound. I wonder how that might sound. Just a thought. Glad you're enjoying your speakers.
@@savagemako17 Brilliant minds think alike, sir. I did something similar using a second amp, hoping it would sound cool. It didn't. Sounded kind of thin and didn't harmonize with the rest of the speaker. Somewhere on the internet I read about someone buying three centers, which I believe have identical drivers to those you're considering (as I mentioned), and turning two of them into left and right mains, probably standing them on end. I actually think that would look better if you don't mind having the logo turned on its side. You'd also save some money. Depends on how much interest you have in the atmos effect.
@@willisbush956 I think the reason why it may not have worked out well was because you used another separate amp. This would have 2 different sound signatures going to the different speakers. Using both A and B speakers from the same amp would give you identical sound voicings going to the speakers as well as one common volume control. I'll just have to try it and see when I get these speakers. Thanks for the reply.
@@savagemako17 You may be right, but I doubt my ears can distinguish differences between amplifiers. In any case, it's worth a try. Funny thing is, I looked on the Internet to see if anyone else had tried this and could find nothing. That's odd because you know that people who have atmos speakers but no atmos source are going to want to see what they can do with their idle speakers.
@Zero Fidelity How would you rate these against the Klipsch RP600M you reviewed in March 2019?
Nice review, thanks for showcasing some monoprice. Kind of interesting stuff. If they released this speaker without atmos and x1 6.5 instead of x2, I could be interested.
Yeah. I think this product is best suited for multi-channel users than the hardcore two-channel enthusiasts who frequent this site. Like you, I'll be very interested to see if they release something on this level that is aimed more towards folks like us.
Editing mistake? 9:07 - Great review! Thank you for what you do.
Paradigm also includes a 3way design for Premiere Series center channels. ( with Phase align lenses )
I really like the review, here and based on what I could tell, I think that Monoprice had a bigger vision in that I think they are looking at people like myself who necessarily want to separate their two channel listening from their hometheater experience. Even in my bedroom which is the only real two channel listening system and I have a subwoofer in that setup because I also have a television in that space.
These really are a great deal! There are plenty of THX speakers that cost significantly more and give you exactly the same performance metrics. This also has a built in atmos driver. I like bass, there are very few towers, let alone bookshelf speakers, that i would run without a sub. the Arendal 1723 BOOKSHELF S THX has very similar specs minus the upward firing atmos and cost 1300 ish and the Klipsch KL-525-THX BOOKSHELF costs 2500 a pair. This design is made for very high SPL and exceptionally low distortion and there is always a price, in this case the final two octaves. So grab a sub or 20 and enjoy : )
Agreed. When you look at them for what they are, the 365's offer a good value for the buck. :)
@@ZeroFidelity Also buy two Monolith subs to use as speaker stands :) 6 THX subs to choose from :)
@@bs11100010 Exactly what I'm doing (2x Monolith M12). Measurements put the tweeter and midrange at ear level for my seating position too :)
N
Also ,I love the way you review
No argument, but this isn't Sean's first rodeo ;)
Nice review, thanks. I would guess that most people considering this speaker already have a subwoofer, so it's not really an extra cost. Same with stands, although given the size of the speakers, many may not have a stand at the right height. You're sure not going to out-Polk Polk, or out-Klipsch Klipsch, so to make it in that market you need something unique - good for Monoprice.
Hey Z Man, Would you review some Emotiva speakers?
good review. Definitely need to get their entire system to really take advantage of these. I wish I could throw money at them with a 5.2 Atmos setup with their 10" ported sub. Just don't have the funds for that though.
Very cool idea 👍👍 to monoprice
Philharmonic's has competition? Might need to check out RSL speakers the cg25.
Like any other pair, an audition is warranted. It would have to be with familiar music and not a rush job like you’d get in some stores. Serious equipment requires a serious listen! Great review Sean. Looking forward to that new parasound integrated amp? Hint, hint!
Yep. The problem is landing an audition before buying will be next to impossible. And hah! I have no plans on reviewing the little Parasound integrated. Perhaps I'll look into it more towards the end of the year.
what speaker stand do you suggest to use with these?
Would it be logical to compare these with a pair of Klipsch RP-600Ms & subwoofer? It would be helpful if you could compare these to some of the speakers that you have previously reviewed. Thanks!
The build quality of Monoprice HT speakers looks impressive..
BTW, I hope you get to review the ESS Heil-AMT LE 6” bookshelf speakers, or the taller brother, RM-II6. It is rare to find bookshelf speakers with a true 94db/1W efficiency @ 6 Ohms nominal impedance, with a deep heritage (40+ years) and lineage..
Those are the benched stats for my ADS L810's.
I'm considering these for a HT system. I recently bought a 10" Monolith sub and I'm VERY happy with it. I assume the quality is about the same with these. I have to decide which to get first...these or a set of Magnepan LRS speakers for music. I'm currently using a Yamaha YAS-108 soundbar in my bedroom and I'm not quite satisfied. Tough choice. Great review !
I have dual SVS-SB 2000 with the budget Sony CC-SERIES speakers, going with these hearing very positive reviews. Now they have tower's like these.
Are you going to do a review of the monolith thx 465t thx?
Hi Sean! Thank you for your reviews, I'm about to get a new amp and I'm interested in two amps you gave rave reviews to :) Soundwise, witch one you prefer, the IOTAVX SA3 or the Vista Audio Spark?
Prefer the sound of the Spark by a slight margin. It's super limited in terms of power or features though, so you gotta be sure it'll fit your needs.
@@ZeroFidelity thank you Sean!
Really cool stuff
Interesting product. Probably be badass in a larger room for a mixed use HT/music setup. I think most people interested in a speaker like this will already have a sub on hand. I kind of question the usefulness of using HDF over MDF, it seems like a waste of resources and many say MDF sounds better anyway. And the upfiring Atmos speakers seem to already be gong out of vogue, it's probably more of a minus than a selling point for most people in this price range, honestly. Still, nice to see Monoprice upping their game in several categories with some high value, quality products instead of just copying other people's work like the Energy Take speakers they ripped off. Nice balanced review as usual.
What's a good mount for these? I'm going to get 6 of them for my surround sound but need stands
why you get these speakers ?
Would love to hear your review of the PSB Alpha P5 Hope you get the chance love the videos thx.
Thank you for this review! Which musical sub/subs you'd recommend with these?
Monoprice's own. SVS sealed subs. HSU sealed subs. Pretty much anything from REL. Rythmik sealed subs. There are quite a few options!
I have duals SVS-SB2000 going with these.
Nice review Sean. In the context of an ATMOS speaker, I'd think these represent a decent value proposition. I don't see many people looking at this for a 2/2.1 channel system, but I could be wrong. Since they ARE an integrated ATMOS speaker, I applaud their decision to go with a sealed enclosure for a cleaner presentation... any ATMOS system is going to have a few subs thrown into the mix to handle the bottom end..
Yeah. I don't see that many people using these in a 2.1 setup, even though they actually sound just fine in that application. I was wondering why Monoprice sent them my way given their target audience, but I'm glad they did all the same. :)
Perhaps it's because they've seen your reviews... and RESPECT YOU FOR THEM!I'd imagine the sealed enclosures would make for better placement options as well...
@@ZeroFidelity Well, you answered your own question :). By having someone like yourself (your style of channel), Monoprice just widened their target audience by a good 40%... since as you note - they would work exceptionally well in a 2.1 (or better still 2.2) setup, as well as for those with combined 2-Channel Stereo & Home Theater systems. I believe there are huge advantages to having seal Monitors, and for which do not attempt to play Bass. Then with 2 (or 3) strategically placed Subwoofers one can get overall better Bass (deeper, flatter, louder), plus now be able to place their Monitors with ONLY imaging in mind (i.e. no Bass to deal with). Of course I'm assuming proper Subwoofer integration (Crossover, Time aligned, Phase, and Volume), which is quite easy to do now-a-days. And if your Preamp/Preamp-Processor cannot, then the MiniDSP 2x4 HD to the rescue!
unless they have some high pass at 80hz its just a normal sealed box with dual 6.5". some eq and you can get 30hz from these easily. so they got bass in that case. sealed box responds well to eq, unlike ported or passive radiator.
i would like to see a normal speaker version of this, no atmos drivers.
i also saw that monoprice makes sealed subwoofers now, wish that brand was easy to get a hold of in my country.
@the machinist These L810's are the first sealed cab loudspeakers I've ever had. I'm won over on the strengths of great design vs porting.
Its a THX design which dictates a 12dB / octave rolloff at 80Hz. It's not by accident or poor design. THX circuitry has a 12dB/ octave slope as well. Therefore 12dB electrical and 12dB acoustical slope combined to make 24dB slope. Its been this since its inception.
They look very similar in design to the Ascend Acoustics CMT-340 SE which are almost half the price and you can get their own custom stands for them. Any thoughts on comparing the two?
Had the 340's and 170's. The Ascends sound lighter / quicker. The Monos up the game everywhere else though. And that's not a dig at the Ascends - those speakers have been around for what, 15 years now?
@@ZeroFidelity Appreciate it. Great channel!
I wonder how the tower version of these sound?
They also have the 470 model if you for full range 2 channel use.
Thanks for your review. You always do a great job. However, going onto this review wouldn't have been prudent to ask Monoprice for one of their own subs as well? This way we could get a real world assessment from you and M.P. gets that "enthusiast" to have a better idea of what at the least a 2.1 set up world cost? Just a thought. Look fwd to your next review. Also, you don't seem to review subs. Any reason for that?
*This sound fantastic for a recording mastering studio.*
Anybody know how the in wall version sound
I like the Stereoprice "Stereolith" twice as much.
The only problem is they are twice as big and cost twice as much.
I honestly prefer the Surroundprice "Surroundolith" myself
Thanks for the honest video and being a reasonable 11min long.
Ehh I bought the smaller brother mono thx265b atmost speakers still $700/pair. I did a 3 way shoot out Vs NHT Media Series 2-Way Dolby Atmos Satellite Speaker, and Pioneer SP-BS22A-LR.
Short story... NHT were the winners, clarity with rich mid bass and vocals, breaking glass sounds like someone just smashed your kitchen window.
Thank God amazon accepts returns.
I first set my receiver to flat full band, tested all 3. I used Bohemian Rhapsody and Avengers Endgame as my test music. NHT had more clarity top to bottom of the 3. mono came in 2nd with clarity getting a little muddy on upper bass, which is weird since it was the biggest heaviest speaker of the bunch.
I will say the Atmos sound effects were louder with the mono speakers.
But I kept telling myself... how is the BASS so wimpy with this massive mono speaker?
The pioneers sounded ok... but there was a hollowness in the low mid bass, and like the tweeter gave up and failed to simulate breaking glass.
No matter what... the mono speakers were sooo not worth the $700 a pair especially compared to the NHT at $320/pair or the Pioneer SP-BS22a-LR $250/pair.
In addition... what kind of longevity can we expect from mono? I know the NHT products have been around and will last for years sounding the same after 5 years.
Ohh
Mono also makes a super cheap 133833 atmos speaker that are $70 a pair... (weird price product disparity one being 10x more expensive than the other). I did not bother to test those based on some reviews saying speakers stopped working after time.
After listening to so many of these reviews on speakers, it seems I had better hold onto these ADS L810's, because it looks like it would cost a lot of money for loudspeakers that better the sound I am enjoying now. So, onto other gear upgrades.
So it’s a satellite speaker conforming to typical THX standards. Cool👍🏻
Just blew my coin on a refurb 7 ch monolith amp. Saving up for these to replace my Klipsch speakers next.
You'll be pleasantly surprised, running these with duals SVS-SB2000 and with Denon x4500h. When I just got Emotiva XPA-DR3 I was blown away on how loud they go without hint of distortion, and the Atmos really work well. 🇨🇦
Hello, i just found your chanel. Like the style ! Just wanted to share, I recently purchased a RSL CG25. Last week tried them against my kef's LS50... I can't believe it at that moment, but are so good that I ended up selling the kefs. I want to say that I like them both, and when I was comparing them, I felt not that much difference, but the Rsl convince me in the end. One of the reasons I found your chanel is because I'm intrigued also by the monolith 365t... Hope I can compare the two, and share my thoughts here. Thanks for the review.
The RSL's look great. Hope you have a chance to compare em'. Will be interesting where ya land.
Sean, I envy every single person - esp Americans - who can afford to buy every new audiophile release on The Drop (an odd rebranding, fwiw) but even those prices rapidly get expensive when you factor in our feeble exchange rate and shipping. Thanks for the video.
Yes, the same things happens here in my country, Uruguay. The taxes and shipping causes the final price to be double.
@@martindc83 Very few of us "Americans" have that kind of money. $1,000 is a big purchase for me. I can't do that very easy if at all.
I can get a pair of these and the centre, for under £1000 UK, would be a big upgrade over my current Klipsch front stage. I have a couple of SVS PB1000 subs, and my Emotiva BasX A3 power amp would put 200wpc at 4 Ohms into these. More than enough for my needs. Tempted to pull the trigger.
The mid and tweet look like the morel but I doubt if it is because that would eat up a lot of cash for that module
This is like they modeled similarly after the Dunlavy SC-1.
Similar specs, application, arrangement, emphasis.
Zero Fidelity are you familiar with the Dunlavy?
I know of the name, am aware of their portfolio, and have friends who swear by them. The tragedy in all of this? I've never heard a set - so I'm truly ignorant as to how they sound.
Hope you have the chance to hear one. The SC-1 might give you a new reference point.
@@techrider2088 and zero dunlavy are out of business.
Would really have to give a serious listen.
May need to re-edit towards the end around 9:00. Loved the review though! As always :)
Nawww. Gunna just embrace the f*** up. :D
Zero Fidelity haha. Word.
They are probably better for left, right front are rear home theatre speakers?
I'd say they'd be just fine serving as your front left / right mains. Unless of course you have a giant space to fill or listen at ridiculously loud volumes!
Please make review for Thx 460/465T!!!
You should review the Focal Chorus 605 because literally nobody's went in depths with these speakers
Sealed-no port is a major plus here.
9:07 mushroom flashback..
Usually Monolith stuff is on sale on Black Friday.
As is a lot of gear! Unrelated: We're approaching the best time of the year to buy a TV. A lot of people look for holiday sales, when really, summer is the best time to catch a deal for a big screen.
Monoprice is very tight on Monolith sales. Black Friday was the only time their ATI-made amps were on sale. Luckily, I caught 4 ELAC B6 on sale for $75 each from Audio Advisor last BF. There are deals out there but you have to "catch" them.
Catching up on some old posts.Uhh think with Atmos you are talking AV for sure not 2.1.I think these look like they really would be worth the $500x 4 for LCR and a sub.Clear mids off axis stays good.I am not a HT guy but if I was going to go 5.1 or 2 or 7.1 or two with a 55" plus TV these seem to hit price point and design one would looking for and may exceed the use of "better" speakers in a 2.1 or surround configuration.Think I would consider ceiling or upper wall mounts for rear so with sub and keeping everything at right price with a $500 reciever that's $3K which HT dorks will spend on a receiver or sub.Very cool
Really need a distributor in Australia at a decent price
Solid construction , sealed , dome mid , limited bass response....it's the eighties again 😄😄😄
THX mandates limited bass and vertical dispersion.
Dome mids are superior to cone as ADS proved in 1979. Infinity and cello did and well as NHT and energy among others. Best to have quality limited bass than a "faked bass" hump at 60hz (most modern ported speakers under $500 each). Sealed have more accurate and linear bass than ported. THX requirement. Unlike the 80's, these are made for use with a sub. Etc.
Scott Lowell domes have a set of advantages but also some compromises.
Rennie Ash absolutely- as do all drivers, but there is no cone superiority by default
Scott Lowell not sure exactly what you mean “by default”. There are plenty of cones I prefer over dome midranges.
Cones generally play lower. They can be made more pistonic. Breakup mode is different.
Domes generally lighter, play higher in frequency, wider dispersion. Can show rocking modes at higher volume due to only one suspension ring - ferrofluid or ATC’s dual suspension can help.
In my experience, there’s a lot of soft dome drivers that have an unmeasured sound characteristic I don’t like. Of course there’s a lot of bad cones too.
Good implementation is always the key.
FWIW dome mids tend to cover much smaller ranges than cone drivers. The speaker shown here is closer to a 2-way with helper mid rather than some 3-ways where the mid can cover a much broader range.
I’ve had some great dome mid speakers, ultimately most are moved on. I have one pair currently that sounds ok. The speakers I’ve kept longest use different types of drivers.
Hi friend. Need some help finding a particular class of speakers. Looked throughout forums and audio community chat servers and still couldn't find an answer. I want something that has very good off-axis performance. I want something that is very tolerant of where I'm in the room. I don't necessarily need something that has corner to corner performance but rather something that is tolerant to quite a bit of movement on my side.
Think of this situation, I'll be listening to my speakers when I'll be doing yoga or when dancing. I'll need decent performance for about 2 metres height (I might stand or sit down), 2 metres sideways and 2 metres forward/back in a room that quite reasonably sized.
It should sound well within a 2x2x2m cube inside a room. I think something that is ceiling mounted and facing angled down towards the centre of the room would be a more feasible choice for my use.
Yes I know it's going to cost me imaging that I'd get from a speaker calibrated for a specific on axis performance but I'd be willing to give up a little for "freedom". I love good audio - I love the shure srh1540 I own, stax sr009, hifiman he500 and stuff like that. But the thing I'll never do is sit at a place and listen.
I only listen to music (never game or watch movie) so I only need a stereo system. Multi channel system is pointless for my use.
Can you please guide me to the keywords to be used when searching for such a speaker? Any speaker that you know of that can suit me.
Regards tone, I loved how hifiman he500 sounded. I also recently listened to a pair of ohm speakers at a church and I liked what I heard. Hard to put in words - fleshy guitar sound. Thick enough but not presence dipped. But at the same time not tizzy and hard edged like a cheap chifi iem.
Budget: open. Preferably 400-1000 USD.
I'm also open to diy stuff if someone can point me enough resources.
Can you get away with a NON-ceiling mount friendly solution? If so, then I'd recommend checking out the following: Buchardt S300 MK II's at the tip of your budget (reach out to see if they have a B-stock pair). Klipsch R-51M's will be great on the lower side of your budget (a bit smoother and less horn-like than the popular 600M's). And in the middle of that budget would be the Mistal Audio LS3/5a's. Probably the most natural sounding mids under $1,000 that I've heard so far. Should work well near a wall and in that space. Good luck!
Singledriver speakers are well-known for this. I had some in my bedroom which sounded good everywhere in the 10'-15' room so long as they had room around them. I listened while in bed, on the floor, at my desk, standing lifting weights and the sound was always about the same. Of course they suffer SD weaknesses, they were a ported tower with the bass extension of a small bookshelf and equally lacking in the treble. But you get amazing imaging and speed in trade.
Alternative techs for off-axis listening are coaxial and MtM driver arrays(symmetrical layout of drivers along the vertical axis.)
All of this assumes you want vertical and horizontal freedom (yoga being on the floor, yes?) There are more traditional designs for wide sweet spots but most speakers are built assuming you're sitting in a chair with the tweeter at ear level.
@@ResilientME yeah.. vertical sweet spot is important. Thanks I'll look into these.
@@ZeroFidelity thanks a lot. I'll look into these speakers. All of them have good vertical tolerance right?
@@manueljenkin95 sounds like your describing the speakers I just made🤔
I would say 99% of monolith customers already have monolith subs so yea rolloff at 80hz is fine
You also have to consider that if you are using bookshelf or mini monitor speakers of ANY brand for movies or full frequency music reproduction, you MUST buy a solid subwoofer (or possibly two or more, depending on the particular room response). That has to be part of the cost calculation of a speaker this size for those specific uses. Physics are not on your side. Don't just lay that on Monoprice.
Grills off listening mostly? Good review, There is no perfect speaker, never has been, never will be. Maybe I am wrong here ,but when I hear that these speakers try for long term listening without the listener fatigue, that might suggest that there is a nice octave to octave smooth tonal balance mostly on these speakers. I call it the not so OH WOW factor. Klipsch 600 might grab a younger new to the audiophile hobby club, but these might not appeal to that type of listener? I have not heard Them but with good overall imaging and smooth tonal response, these speakers seem to be designed for the long haul? BTW, I did hear the Klipsch 600 and I admit I was impressed. Someone I know was looking for a moderately priced speaker and I suggested the Klipsch PM 600. It can play loudly with just about any amp. The 365s seem to be geared for a more seasoned audio enthusiast?
You brought up something interesting that I forgot to mention in the review: In my small room, the grills tune down the top end a little bit. I'm not sure if this would be noticeable in a larger room, but tither way, in my tiny space, I preferred the sound of the 365's with the grills off. Taming the top end damn near made the 365's sound a bit too balanced and, for a lack of a better word, 'flat'. As for being designed for the long haul..
My knee jerk reaction is "yes". But then again, how do you define whats good for the 'long haul'? As you note, the RP600M's are fantastic speakers for the money. There are hundreds, if not thousands of people who will use em' for many years to come. I think your last question more points to who the 365 is geared towards: The seasoned audio enthusiast, or somebody who doesn't care for a bright and overtly colored sound.
What makes you think they can play loudly with just about any amp?
@@carlosoliveira-rc2xt good efficiency rating maybe? Certainly easier to play. Those speakers seem as though They are not as fussy as other speakers in terms of getting loud.
They look good at least. I suppose if you were looking at adding a subwoofer to the speakers, you would get full range with those speakers. Just got to make sure that when adding a subwoofer, that it’s set up right to make it sound like your main speakers have more bass, and not to draw attention to its self by being too boomy.
You'll need a quick sub, but I found that pairing them up to a sub was pretty damned easy. Having them drop off at 80Hz was a smart move, as it makes integration a heck of a lot easier.
Zero Fidelity I’d have to buy a new subwoofer, because the one I have is very old. I have a Jensen sub which I got second hand. It’s a pretty powerful sub, but I actually blew something on the amplifier’s circuit board when I was younger and have had it fixed since then. Though this sub has a lot of bass, it’s not fast responding I have noticed. Having said that, I’ll be looking into getting a better set of bookshelf speakers before I get a new sub.
@@benkrake3678 - I totally hear ya and totally agree with the decision to get some new bookies over a sub.
*I think if you buy these and add the MONOLITH 13" you will get room shaking sound, good setup for $2,400 approx.* 😉😉
Thanks for review. I always enjoy your videos . Look like they designed for Dolby atoms home theatre setup. For home theatre use, I have Pioneer Elite Dolby atoms speaker package and often all we can get at 1000$ ( 2 pair of atoms bookshelf pioneer elite speakers and central channel). spectacular performance for both music and movie . Best value for money period. Fact is these are even better than Elac UB5 ( had more than year)when we compare sound stage, details and instruments separation. however UB5 gives more bass. With one pair of these mono price speaker, we cane get pioneer elite atoms full setup. Hell lot of savings.
The Pioneer's are great speakers for the buck! That said, the Monoprice speakers will be a better fit for somebody who is looking for a more balanced and less colored sounding presentation. Both are good. Both have their place. Both will make lots of people very happy. :)
Zero Fidelity one request can you do video on audio hygiene something like czcams.com/play/PLMbsmejHnP8E-kEzlliBX1bc8V-V4aQfE.html .
Would like to hear from you .
@@kvrhifi Every once in awhile I'll post up "advice" styled videos, but Hans brings a level of technical prowess that I do not have. Will leave the detailed engineering tech talk to him, as he's much better at it than myself!
Zero Fidelity . The reason I am asking, you connected more while explaining sound. At least do video on power cables. Personally I see big improvements after adding audioquest basic power cables to my components.
Long driver pulp ? Hmm.. like Focal's flax ?
bedok77 a lot of drivers use such a wording these days for their woofer construction material. I think normally it’s just a better form of paper and can have wool fibre or even fibreglass etc.
These are geared more towards home theater where it is assumed the buyer will have/want a good sub. Let's face it no tower or bookshelf speaker can really cut it without a dedicated sub for home theater duties.
Having said all this I think the Monoprice is going to hold them back a little when it comes to the price. I would have preferred to see them offer this model without Atmos and price them closer to something like $799 a pair.
I bought two Monolith 15 subs when they were under $1000 apiece shipped during a sale and have been very happy but at their normal prices Monolith seems a bit pricey.
As an early adopter of ATMOS, nearly 6 years now,
the "debate" of directly on or in-ceiling vs. up-firing had subsided drastically. : it depends
How does any REQ system adjust the upfiring speaker independently from the rest of the box?
Having almost no bottom, at least the 'bass localization" problem is mostly eliminated
lets see more off angle, etc. charts
Pretty,,,,,very very,,,,,,.Pretty. Another fine job Sean....mmmmmmmmm speakers.
These remind me of the older ADS speaker of yesteryear. If they sound anywhere near as good they would be a bargain.
Would these make a good rear speaker? Or these too big?
Thanks for another great review Sean.
I'll pass on these. I think Elac B6.2 can give me more satisfaction with or w/o subwoofer at one third of the price. Not only the sound but also the appearance. Even the $50 Polk T15 and Yamaha BP200 look way better than these...
Perfectly OK. Tons of loudspeakers to select from, and you're already running a set that ya like. :)
@@ZeroFidelity Those JBL ES20😅? I bought them years ago used and found that they're not quite my sound. Recently, I saw a Japanese audiophile Sakutaro modding his speakers so I modded mine too. The left speaker on the picture is the original ES20. The right one is Fostex P1000K full range speaker mod which I love very much 😄.
Thank you always for your contributions to the audiophile world. Hope you can keep on the good works!
Great, buy those! LOL...
My take on them is that they belong in home theater. Were most people already have a decent subwoofer/s.
08:50 is taking about me 🤑
Double impact monitors!!
You guys are killing me. :D
@@ZeroFidelity Yes we are! However that said, it would be a very good comparison as the two speakers are quite similar in design, but one has to wonder what one is getting for double the price. So if at all possible, then yes please... and Thank you!
While you mentioned Atmos, I think you should have highlighted that they are HT speakers and that’s the customer monoprice intended for the speakers and not the two channel audio enthusiast.
0:17.
Oops 😬 lol thanks
@@MAELOB - All good. :)
Why review these as hifi stereo speakers when they are so clearly designed for home theater?
That's a good question Chris. I asked myself the same thing before they arrived. Truth be told, I planned on sending them back without a review. Then I heard them with a sub and decided they are legit enough to deserve their own vid.
For the price these should have a better finish than "contact paper" vinyl and I really wish there was a non-atmos version.
A veneer wrap would bump up the cost of the product. Bumping up the cost of the product would in turn cause people to complain about the price. That said, I'm with you on a non-atmos version. Take this speaker, get rid of the Atmos, and replace the woofers with 6.5" doped paper drivers and you've got something that would be absolutely stunning.
@@ZeroFidelity WOW, first, thanks for the respond. LOVE your channel. Second, I agree about balancing price point but if you look at the finish for speakers in the $800 - $1000 price point this is pretty bad. (compare with SVS ultra, Revel M16, etc.) I think the issue is in fact the Atmos module. E.g. the CC in this series is $100 less.
@@cjpaul8571 - The Ultras and Revels are nearly half the size. They also have less drivers, rely on simpler (less expensive) xovers, use cheaper build materials, are significantly less expensive to ship, etc.. Don't get me wrong, I agree that it would be nice to see a better veneer, but including that would be at the expense of performance. At least while keeping everything to the same price. Obviously this will limit their customer base even more for what is already a niche product - but I nonetheless applaud the effort.
Zero Fidelity The size thing you’ve got me on but I bet money that at least the Revels have a significantly higher bill of parts (drivers and crossover components) than these.
@@cjpaul8571 - I think you may be getting caught up in the company names. :) As much as I respect Kevin, he doesn't call the shots when it comes to this stuff. The bean counters at Harman International / Samsung do. I can all but guarantee that the Revels maintain the industry standard 5-10% parts-cost - just as all of their competitors who follow the distributor / B&M business model do. The days of large companies releasing loss-leaders with gear that maintain historically big margins poofed away long ago.
Cheap if it compares to something like M&K S150’s
Most consumers who will be interested in purchasing these most likely already own a quality powered subwoofer and speaker stands. They probably just want to upgrade their satellites and receiver to Dolby Atmos to their home theater. I have continuously have upgraded my home theater over the last 12 years at just 1 or 2 upgrades every year or 2, the last with a Power Sound Audio subwoofer.
Nice shirt. NEXT!
top loaded atmos speakers just wont cut it....I've heard them and was not the least impressed... I also would't recommend that design for a WMTW for 1K that wont play much below 80hz ? Nope
IMHO these are obviously aimed more at the "Home Theater" market (where subs are mandatory) , than the 2 channel music market
I think with movie/ music duties, for WAY less, your gonna be better off with using 3 ea klipsch RP250C/500Cs, or even better, klipsch RP4000Fs placed behind a large acoustically transparent screen, on the cheap! Focused, intelligence, relatively detailed, DYNAMIC sound, easily driven by an AV receiver!
That's the way id go before choosing something like these for grand ea...
I think it depends on what you want. The Klipsch will sound more lively, in your face, more dynamic, and will obviously sound way fuller in terms of bass. However, the Monoprice speakers will sound way more balanced and accurate, smoother, and lay down a much larger and more honest sounding midrange. It all hinges on what you want and value.
@@ZeroFidelity True!. does depend on what i want! ..every time actually! Lol
Considering primarily home theater duties here- music as secondary thought (THX designated design such as the Monoliths)- whats effective to me for HT (let's be honest
..85% of the home theater crowd uses a lower current AVR) on the cheap cheap, are speakers such as klipschs! Let's break em down from your comments..
"Lively?" .. yes thats knocked down quite a bit, placed behind a pj screen, or even EQd with Auddyssey. Even better TUBE AMPS are excellent with klipsch!
"Forward in your face ?" ..i hope so!!.. As "laid back" speakers AREN'T how movie mixes are designed to be played back, i assure you!! LEARNING into the sound for movies? Um..no. That's just me though.. ..buuut i think Dolby and Imax would agree w me.
"?Dynamic??".. who doesn't want MAXIMUM dynamics from their movie speakers??! .. or ANY speaker?!! .. especially passive speakers driven by AVRs! I find horns hystorically more dynamic than comparable passives, considering. I think IMAX and THX value dynamic ability in a speaker option???.. don't you agree? (Have ya heard John Wick 3 or Avengers at IMAX lately?!!!)
"More fuller Bass?" PLEASE YES!!!
Monoliths
"More balanced smoother sound?"
I can't remember this ever being a quality from a loud louspeaker system in a good theater i enjoyed the sound from!. But hey... to ea his own.
"Fuller midrange?" ..i again refer to last assessment immediately prior.
That's gonna be relative without side by side to compare.
So, yeah! While i sometimes find klipsch a little colored sounding, lacking air and refinement, i think for couple hundred bucks ea, klipsch horns, set up correctly, are more acoustically friendly in a room, are efficient, powerful sounding, and plain work as tools for budget ht duties.
So i like many of the models for double duty, yeah..
@@ZeroFidelity i DO know what you are referring to in regards to wide and open midrange.. your talking about the narrow sound propagation in midrange/ treble from the horn loaded speaker vs , say, this THX speaker.
Yes, the horn BEAMS the sound in a narrow window with the klipsch! Trick is to set them just off the short wall, near the sides, angled into the room, down the long length, for best coverage. On long wall setup, unlike traditional speakers, they only properly cover the seating area in front of them. Otherwise, care and setup is key
$1,000? Not in my affordable range for quite some time.
You can get full size Chane Audio towers for that price.
I wish I had the $1,000 for that ha. They look awesome. These are not on sale ha. True, $2,000.
Below statement from Audio Advice
www.audioadvice.com/content/floor-standing-vs-bookshelf-speakers/
“If a company makes a $30,000 top of the line speaker, it's likely they really care about audio performance and their much less expensive speakers will probably sound very good as well. Companies that never push the limits do not learn about tech they can filter down into their affordable products.”
A dealers perspective. One that I vehemently disagree with.
Zero Fidelity . Just shared . Statement is very convincing especially when I was in market for new ones. But yes I agree , we should not generalise things . We never know unless we try at home. We may end up buying .
These are designed for people who want LCRs for their home theater
Seriously? Most people who buy bookshelves do so because of space considerations. (Although, that may changing.) Consequently, a full range speaker would be a requirement. I think the Monolith is going to be a hard sell. Also, the engineering is not very impressive as any well known speaker manufacturer can produce a bookshelf without too much consideration for the low end. Designing one that does it all, relatively speaking, is where the difficulty comes in. I can think of more than a few bookshelves at the $1000 price point that manage to do just that. Some of them pull down to 45Hz. When you pair some of those with a sub you really have something. But, you don't HAVE to and that's the point. More importantly, as you so accurately pointed out, by the time you get all of the other parts and pieces together to make the 365T's acceptable to an enthusiast, you're approaching two grand. I know where I'd spend MY money and it wouldn't be for a pair of these. Loved the review but I'm gonna pass. And I bet a lot of other people will, too.
There's no question that the 365 is a niche product. I also agree that it will be interesting to see how the market takes to the line. Where we part ways a little is with regards to engineering. I have also yet to encounter *any* sub $1,000 loudspeaker, bookie or otherwise, that does it all without very obvious compromises. Hell, I can say the same for any speaker almost regardless of the price.
Whys the market changing for bookshelf speakers? Powered speakers?
I'm currently shopping and my preference for bookshelf is more based on ease of moving than space in room.
Again, it's a THX speaker. THX be for they got into THX lite nonsense always mandated an 80 Hz 12db per octave roll off. THX certified receivers set in THX mode electronically high passes the speaker an additional 12db per octave for a combined 24db per octave slope.
Gee, this is stuff from almost 30 years ago. I didn't think it still needed explanation.
*I think buy 2 pairs, space them out a bit around your room with a MONOLITH 13" sub and it would kick butt.* 🤣🤣🤣
I don't get it. 2 6inch woofers and Crappy bass? Somethings wrong.
john gallagher probably just means it sounds flat and starts to roll off early like sealed box does. Less apparent bass doesn’t = crap imo. That’s reserved for distortions in bass.