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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want the more balanced, studio-minded planar with an open-back soundstage and swappable earpads, choose Monoprice Monolith M1570; if you need the wider frequency extension, higher sensitivity and easier-to-drive planar, choose SHANLING HW600. Both are wired planar-magnetic over-ears chasing a flat, low-distortion response — but they get there in very different ways, and that difference decides who should buy which.
• Monoprice Monolith M1570 biggest strength: a 106mm planar driver with a dual linear symmetry magnet array, an open-back grille for an airy, spacious soundstage, and two pairs of memory foam earpads (lambskin and velour) in the box.
• Monoprice Monolith M1570 biggest trade-off: it's a heavy, wired, open-back headphone rated 20 Hz–20 kHz with sound isolation as its only "noise control" — it leaks sound both ways and won't tame a noisy room.
• SHANLING HW600 biggest strength: a 110x86mm flat diaphragm tuned from 12 Hz–40 kHz, 30Ω impedance, 104dB sensitivity and 14 evenly distributed magnets at up to 1.8T — spec-wise the flatter, more extended and easier-to-drive design.
• SHANLING HW600 biggest trade-off: a shorter 1-year warranty, a 480g (headphone-only) frame, and an asymmetrical lambskin design that's more specialized than the M1570's "swap the pads and go" flexibility.
• Pick the M1570 if you want open-back spaciousness, pad-rolling and studio-style balance. Pick the HW600 if you want the widest frequency range and a planar that's happier on modest amplification.
The M1570 is built around a newly developed 106mm planar driver paired with a dual linear symmetry magnet array. In plain terms, that's a recipe for tight, clean bass and strong high-end extension while keeping distortion low — exactly the kind of behavior you want from a headphone you'll use for critical listening or studio work. The rated frequency range is 20 Hz–20 kHz, so it covers the full audible band without claiming anything beyond it. Nothing exotic there, just a solid, honest spec.
Where the M1570 differentiates itself is the open-back design. Each earcup has a grille that lets air pass through to the driver, which pulls you into the middle of the performance. The practical payoff is a larger soundstage, better imaging and a more engaging sense of space than a closed cup can give you. If you've only heard closed-back headphones, this is the part that tends to surprise people — instruments sit in their own pockets instead of being squeezed into one blob.
Who should skip it? Anyone who needs isolation. The open grille means sound leaks out and the outside world leaks in, and the only "noise control" listed is sound isolation. If you share a room, ride transit, or record with a live mic nearby, this is the wrong tool. It's also a 4.5-pound package — that's shipping weight, not headphone weight, but it tells you this isn't an ultra-light travel set.
SHANLING HW600: Who It's For
The HW600 is a planar reference headphone with a 110x86mm flat diaphragm. A large flat diaphragm like this reduces the distortion caused by vibration, which is exactly what you want when the goal is accurate, complete reproduction of the source. That's the flat-frequency story in hardware form: less resonance, cleaner output. SHANLING pairs it with a high-precision aluminum alloy silver-plated coil, evenly distributed so the diaphragm is easier to drive and the acoustic performance is more consistent across the surface.
The numbers tell the rest. The frequency response is rated 12 Hz–40 kHz — meaningfully wider at both ends than the M1570's 20 Hz–20 kHz. Impedance is 30Ω and sensitivity is 104dB at 1kHz, and the magnet array is 14 high-performance magnets, linearly and evenly distributed, with flux density up to 1.8T. Read together, that's a planar that should reach deep bass and airy treble while staying relatively friendly to a modest amp or dongle rather than demanding a dedicated desktop rig.
Ergonomics get real attention too. The asymmetrical lambskin earcups rotate in multiple dimensions, which is the kind of design that adapts to different head shapes instead of forcing one fit. The trade-off is weight: 480g for the headphone alone is substantial and worth thinking about if you wear headphones for six-hour stretches. The cable is a dual 3.5mm replaceable design with a 4.4mm balanced plug on the source end and a 1.5m length — a genuinely useful setup for balanced desktop chains, and replaceable if it ever fails. Touch controls handle media, and the headphone itself terminates in both 3.5mm and 4.4mm jacks.
Who should skip it? Buyers who want the longest possible coverage or the most pad-rolling freedom. The HW600's warranty is 1 year versus the M1570's 5, and there's no mention of swappable earpads. If longevity assurance and tweakability matter more to you than frequency extension, the M1570 is the safer emotional bet.
• Best for widest frequency extension → SHANLING HW600 (12 Hz–40 kHz vs 20 Hz–20 kHz).
• Best for open-back soundstage and imaging → Monoprice Monolith M1570 (grille-vented cups, airy presentation).
• Best for driving from modest gear → SHANLING HW600 (30Ω, 104dB sensitivity, easier-to-drive diaphragm).
• Best for pad flexibility and included accessories → Monoprice Monolith M1570 (removable earpads, lambskin and velour pairs included).
• Best for balanced cabling → SHANLING HW600 (dual 3.5mm replaceable cable with 4.4mm balanced plug).
• Best for long-session comfort assurance → Monoprice Monolith M1570 (padded headband, plush materials, explicitly built for extended listening).
• Best for warranty confidence → Monoprice Monolith M1570 (5-year warranty vs 1 year).
• Best for critical, low-distortion monitoring on a controlled setup → either, but the HW600's flat-diaphragm design is the more purpose-built "reference" tool.
In my opinion, the SHANLING HW600 is the one I'd buy if flat frequency response is genuinely the priority. Its 12 Hz–40 kHz range, 30Ω/104dB spec sheet and vibration-resistant flat diaphragm make it the more convincing "accurate reproduction" headphone on paper, and the balanced cable plus easy drivability mean it slots into more real-world setups. I'd only steer you to the M1570 if open-back spaciousness, pad-rolling and a 5-year warranty outweigh raw extension. Different priorities, different winner — but for flat, the HW600 edges it.
does frequency response matter in headphones
Yes, and it's the core of this comparison. Frequency response describes the range a headphone can reproduce — the HW600 is rated 12 Hz–40 kHz and the M1570 20 Hz–20 kHz. A wider, flatter range generally means more even bass, mids and treble rather than boosted or rolled-off regions, which is why it matters for accurate listening.
The M1570 uses a 106mm planar driver; the HW600 uses a 110x86mm flat diaphragm. Larger, flat diaphragms tend to reduce vibration-related distortion, which supports more accurate sound. Both are planar-magnetic designs, so both benefit from the low-distortion character that driver type is known for.
On the specs, the SHANLING HW600. It's rated 30Ω impedance with 104dB sensitivity at 1kHz, and its evenly distributed silver-plated coil is designed to make the diaphragm easier to drive. The M1570 doesn't publish impedance or sensitivity figures, so it's harder to judge from the sheet alone.
Yes. The M1570 is explicitly open-back, with a grille in each earcup that lets air pass through to the driver. That's what creates the spacious soundstage, but it also means sound escapes outward and ambient noise comes in. If you need isolation, a closed design is the better fit.
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