We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-02 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a closed-back planar that behaves like an open-back headphone while keeping sound in and noise out, choose DROP + MrSpeakers Ether; if you need an open-back planar with a huge driver, a spacious soundstage and swap-in earpads, choose Monoprice Monolith M1070.
• DROP + MrSpeakers Ether — biggest strength: A closed-back design that still aims for an open, relaxed presentation, with V-Planar drivers rated for under 0.5% distortion in the low bass and under 0.1% from 60 Hz to 9 kHz. That is a genuinely flat-leaning, low-distortion tuning on paper.
• DROP + MrSpeakers Ether — biggest trade-off: It is a closed can, so you trade some of the natural airiness of an open grille for isolation, and it ships with 23-ohm impedance plus a 4-pin XLR cable that needs adapters for everyday gear.
• Monoprice Monolith M1070 — biggest strength: A 106mm planar driver with a dual linear symmetry magnet array in an open-back housing, which is the recipe for an airy soundstage, strong imaging and extended highs.
• Monoprice Monolith M1070 — biggest trade-off: Open-back means it leaks sound both ways, and at 20.5 ounces it is the heavier of the two on your head.
• Who the Ether is for: Listeners who want neutral, low-distortion planar sound without disturbing anyone around them.
• Who the M1070 is for: Listeners who want a big, spacious open-back presentation and don't mind the leakage or the weight.
This is a collaboration between DROP and MrSpeakers, the San Diego boutique shop founded by Dan Clark, and the whole design philosophy is about disappearing into the music rather than coloring it. The Ether CX uses a single-ended planar driver with V-Planar technology, where the diaphragm is deeply creased so it can "accordion" during big bass excursions instead of bowing like a conventional flat planar. The payoff is measurable: distortion under 0.5% in the low bass and under 0.1% from 60 Hz to 9 kHz. If flat frequency response is what you are chasing, that distortion figure is the number that matters most, because a driver that stays clean under motion is a driver that can stay linear across the band.
The closed-back housing is the second half of the story. Most closed headphones sound boxed-in, but the Ether CX is tuned to sound closer to an open-back pair — clean, open, realistic, relaxed — while still keeping the low leakage and high isolation you want from closed cans. The cups are carbon fiber with the sleek lines of the original Ether C, the headband is NiTinol memory metal (lighter and more durable, with fewer moving parts), and the pads combine memory foam with Japanese protein leather in a flat profile. Impedance is 23 ohms, and the detachable 6.4 ft cable terminates in 4-pin XLR with 3.5mm and 6.35mm adapters included.
Buy it if you want a neutral, low-distortion planar for an office, a shared room or a late-night session where leaking sound is a problem. Skip it if you specifically want the wide-open staging only an open grille can give, or if you want to plug straight into a phone without thinking about adapters and a bit of amplification headroom.
The M1070 takes the opposite approach: take a very large planar driver, put it in an open housing, and let the air do the work. The driver is 106mm with a dual linear symmetry magnet array, and Monoprice's stated goal is accurate sound with low distortion, fantastic high-end extension, and tight, clean bass. Each earcup has a grille so air passes through to the diaphragm, which is what creates the larger soundstage, enhanced imaging and more engaging soundscape that open-back fans chase.
Comfort is clearly a design priority. The headband is padded and adjustable to fit any head, the earpads are plush memory foam, and — this is the detail I like most — the earpads are removable, so you can swap in whatever pad style you prefer. Monoprice even includes two pairs in the box: memory foam lambskin and memory foam velour. That is an easy way to nudge the tuning toward more bass or more openness without buying a new headphone. Impedance is 60 ohms and it terminates in a 3.5mm jack. The trade-off is weight: 20.5 ounces (580g), noticeably heavier than the Ether, and the open grille means sound leaks out and room noise leaks in.
Buy it if you listen at a desk in a quiet room, want the widest stage you can get, and like the idea of tuning with pads. Skip it if you need isolation, if you commute, or if you are sensitive to weight over long sessions.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for soundstage and imaging → Monoprice Monolith M1070, thanks to its open grilles and 106mm driver.
• Best for isolation and low leakage → DROP + MrSpeakers Ether, the only closed-back of the two.
• Best for quiet-room listening at a desk → Monoprice Monolith M1070, where open-back leakage costs you nothing.
• Best for lighter weight → DROP + MrSpeakers Ether at 15.2 ounces versus 20.5 ounces.
• Best for pad tuning and upgrades → Monoprice Monolith M1070, with removable pads and both lambskin and velour pairs included.
• Best for easy plug-and-play → Monoprice Monolith M1070, with its 3.5mm jack, versus the Ether's 4-pin XLR cable and adapters.
• Best for shared spaces, offices and late nights → DROP + MrSpeakers Ether, no contest.
In my opinion, the DROP + MrSpeakers Ether is the one I would buy, and the reason is exactly the angle you came here for: flat frequency response. The V-Planar driver and its distortion numbers tell me this is a headphone built to stay clean and linear rather than to flatter, and the closed-back tuning means I can actually use it in a normal room without bothering anyone. The M1070 is the better pick if your priority is a wide, airy stage and you have a quiet space to enjoy it — just be ready for the weight and the leakage. For most people weighing these two, I recommend the Ether.
does frequency response matter in headphones
Yes, and it is the single biggest factor in what you actually hear. A flatter, more even response means instruments and voices keep their natural balance instead of one range shouting over another. Both headphones here are planar designs chosen for accurate, low-distortion reproduction, and the Ether CX in particular is retuned for tonal balance and a smoother bass-to-midrange transition.
The Ether, clearly. It is the closed-back design, so it keeps sound in and room noise out. The M1070 is open-back with grilles on each earcup, so it leaks in both directions and is best used in a quiet room where that doesn't matter.
Yes. The M1070 is listed at 20.5 ounces (580g), while the Ether is 15.2 ounces. Monoprice offsets that with a padded, adjustable headband and plush memory foam pads, but over a long session the Ether is the lighter headphone on your head.
It depends on your source, not on a rule. The Ether is 23 ohms with a 4-pin XLR cable plus 3.5mm and 6.35mm adapters in the box, so it will run from more gear but benefits from a decent output. The M1070 is 60 ohms with a 3.5mm jack, so it is easier to connect directly. If price matters to you, check the current price on Amazon before deciding.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
When you buy through links on this page, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon or its affiliates. This site is an independent third-party review and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Amazon or the product brands mentioned.
See also: Amazon Renewed SHOKZ OpenFit vs shokz OpenFit 2, BRAINWAVZ Replacement Earpads vs YINKECASE Headphone Case Hard, TECKNET Trucker vs Amylove 6: Noise Cancelling Headphones, Koss Pro4AA vs Amazon Renewed Beats Studio3