We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-08 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a closed-back planar-magnetic headphone with a huge driver, deep bass reach and swappable earpads for long listening sessions on a MacBook, choose Monoprice Monolith M1070C; if you need a lighter, steel-reinforced closed-back with angled dynamic drivers and the kind of imaging that mimics a speaker setup for MacBook work and gaming, choose Sennheiser HD 620S.
• Monoprice Monolith M1070C — biggest strength: a 106mm planar-magnetic driver with a dual linear symmetry magnet array in a closed back, which the spec sheet credits with an extended soundstage, airy highs and tight, deep bass.
• Monoprice Monolith M1070C — biggest trade-off: it's the heavier of the two at just under 23 ounces, and it's wired only, so it's a desk headphone rather than something you wear on the move.
• Sennheiser HD 620S — biggest strength: angled 42mm dynamic transducers (38mm diaphragms) behind an open baffle in a closed chassis, built to give closed-back isolation while keeping a wide, speaker-like soundstage.
• Sennheiser HD 620S — biggest trade-off: a 150 ohm impedance and 6 Hz–30 kHz range mean it wants a decent desktop source or interface to sound its best, and the stock cable is 1.8m with a 3.5mm plug.
• Who each pick is for: the Monoprice is for the audiophile who wants planar-driver character, isolation and earpad tuning options at the desk; the Sennheiser is for the listener who wants a light, durable closed-back for focused home, office and gaming sessions.
The M1070C is the more unusual headphone of the two, and that's the point. Most closed-back headphones at this level use dynamic drivers; the M1070C uses a 106mm planar-magnetic driver with a dual linear symmetry magnet array. Monoprice says that combination was engineered and tuned to deliver a wide soundstage, extended airy highs and tight, deep bass — and a 5Hz–50kHz frequency range backs up the claim that this thing is meant to reproduce a lot of the audible spectrum plus plenty beyond it.
Where it earns its place is isolation and long sessions. The closed back is explicitly designed so outside noise stays out and your music stays in, which makes it a genuinely practical choice if you listen in a room that isn't silent — a shared office, a living room with other people in it, a late-night session next to a sleeping partner. Because it's wired over a 3.5mm jack, it's a natural match for a MacBook or a desktop DAC/amp rather than a phone on a commute. Plugged into a laptop, it just works.
Buy it if: you want planar-driver sound in a closed back, you value isolation, and you like the idea of tuning the fit and sound with different pads. Skip it if: you want something light, wireless, or you plan to listen mostly while moving around.
Sennheiser HD 620S: Who It's For
The HD 620S is Sennheiser's attempt to solve a specific problem: closed-back headphones usually trade away soundstage. The company's answer is an open baffle system inside a closed chassis, paired with angled 42mm dynamic transducers using 38mm diaphragms. The angle is deliberate — it's meant to mimic how a pair of speakers sits in front of you, which is why Sennheiser talks about precise stereo imaging and balanced bass rather than raw bass quantity.
The driver details matter for the audiophile case. An ultra-lightweight 150-ohm aluminum voice coil is specified to support fast impulse response and clear frequency reproduction, and the 6 Hz–30 kHz range covers everything you'd realistically ask of a music or gaming headphone. The 150-ohm impedance is the number to pay attention to: this is not a headphone designed to be driven straight from a weak output. Paired with a MacBook through a decent dongle DAC, audio interface or desktop amp, it has the headroom to sound composed. Straight out of a laptop jack it will still play, but you're leaving performance on the table.
Physically, the HD 620S leans toward durability and low fatigue. There's a steel-reinforced headband slider and sturdy earcup architecture, soft artificial-leather earpads, internal venting and a lightweight chassis — all aimed at reducing fatigue across long music sessions, gaming hours or work-from-home focus time. It ships with a detachable 1.8m cable and a 3.5mm-to-6.3mm adapter, so it moves between a laptop, an interface and a home hi-fi setup without drama. Sennheiser also positions it for immersive gaming and multimedia, and the closed-back isolation plus natural imaging genuinely suits positional cues in single-player and PC titles.
Buy it if: you want a closed-back that still images like an open one, you have a real source to drive 150 ohms, and you care about a light, tough build for desk and gaming use. Skip it if: you want to run it from a phone or basic laptop jack with no amp, or you specifically want planar-driver character.
• Best for planar-magnetic sound → Monoprice Monolith M1070C. A 106mm planar driver in a closed cup is the whole reason to pick it.
• Best for speaker-like imaging → Sennheiser HD 620S. Angled transducers plus an open baffle are engineered specifically for that.
• Best for tuning the sound to taste → Monoprice Monolith M1070C. Two sets of memory foam pads (lambskin and velour) plus removable pads let you change the seal and tone.
• Best for long-session comfort on paper → Sennheiser HD 620S. A lightweight chassis, vented cups and soft PU pads are built around fatigue reduction.
• Best for durability and desk-to-hi-fi flexibility → Sennheiser HD 620S. Steel-reinforced sliders, a detachable 1.8m cable and a 6.3mm adapter cover laptop, interface and home setups.
• Best for easy amplification → Monoprice Monolith M1070C. At 60 ohms it's a friendlier load than the Sennheiser's 150 ohms.
• Best for gaming and multimedia → Sennheiser HD 620S. Sennheiser explicitly tunes the imaging for positional cues alongside music.
• Best for isolation in a noisy room → Either, honestly. Both are closed-back designs with sound isolation, so the deciding factor is driver type and weight, not leakage.
If I were buying for a MacBook-based listening setup, I'd pick the Sennheiser HD 620S. The angled dynamic drivers and open-baffle-in-a-closed-cup approach give me the one thing closed headphones usually fail at — a wide, natural stage — and the steel-reinforced build, detachable cable and 6.3mm adapter make it a better long-term desk companion across a laptop, an interface and a hi-fi rig. The 150-ohm load is a real requirement, so budget for a proper source. If you'd rather have planar-driver texture, deeper bass extension on paper, swappable pads and an easier 60-ohm load, the Monoprice Monolith M1070C is the one I'd point you to. Check the current price on Amazon before you commit, since that's the only variable I can't judge from the specs.
FAQ
what is the best headphones for audiophiles
what are the best headphones for audiophiles
For desk-based listening, look at driver type, impedance and comfort. The M1070C pairs a 106mm planar driver with a 5Hz–50kHz range and a 60-ohm load, while the HD 620S uses angled 42mm dynamic drivers, a 150-ohm voice coil and a 6Hz–30kHz range. The Sennheiser wants a stronger source; the Monoprice is easier to drive.
what are the best wireless headphones for audiophiles
Neither of these is wireless. Both the Monoprice Monolith M1070C and the Sennheiser HD 620S are wired headphones using a 3.5mm jack — the M1070C with a fixed 3.5mm connection, the HD 620S with a detachable 1.8m cable plus a 3.5mm-to-6.3mm adapter. If wireless is a hard requirement, you'd need to look at a different category entirely.
what are the best bluetooth headphones for audiophiles
Again, these two aren't Bluetooth headphones — there's no wireless connectivity in either spec sheet. What they offer instead is a wired signal path with no compression: a planar-magnetic closed back in the M1070C, and a closed-back dynamic design with speaker-like imaging in the HD 620S. Choose based on your source and whether you want planar or dynamic sound.
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