How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-02 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
• Monoprice Monolith Over Ear — biggest strength: a large 66mm planar magnetic driver in a closed-back wooden enclosure, with a redesigned symmetrical magnet structure built specifically to stay efficient behind a sealed cup. Isolation plus planar imaging in one package.
• Monoprice Monolith Over Ear — biggest trade-off: it is a bulky, wired, over-ear headphone at roughly 2.5 pounds. This is a sit-down product, not something you tuck in a pocket.
• ARTTI T10 — biggest strength: a 14.2mm dual magnetic circuit planar driver in a full metal stainless steel shell, with interchangeable 3.5mm and 4.4mm plugs so it fits both everyday gear and balanced outputs.
• ARTTI T10 — biggest trade-off: an in-ear monitor asks you to accept ear-tip fit as part of the sound, and its stated frequency range tops out at 20kHz rather than the extended treble reach of the Monolith.
• Who each pick is for: the Monoprice for the audiophile who listens in one place and wants a big, isolated, over-ear presentation; the ARTTI T10 for the musician, singer, gamer or mobile listener who wants planar sound in the smallest possible format.
The Monolith M565C is unapologetically a home-base headphone. Its whole design story is the driver: a 66mm planar magnetic unit that Monoprice says was completely redesigned and engineered versus the driver in the earlier M565. The key change is a new symmetrical magnet structure, which makes the planar driver markedly more efficient inside a closed back enclosure. That matters, because planar drivers are usually happiest in open designs — squeezing one into a sealed cup and keeping it controlled is the hard part.
What you get for that effort, per the specs, is low distortion, improved linearity and what the sheet calls spectacular imaging, with a frequency range of 10Hz to 50KHz. Read that range honestly: the 10Hz low end suggests genuine sub-bass extension, and the 50KHz top end is far beyond what you can hear, but it points to a driver that stays composed well past the audible band. Impedance is listed at 18 ohms with 2 watts of maximum power handling, so this is a low-impedance, relatively easy-to-drive headphone — a phone or laptop dongle will make sound, but a proper amp will let it breathe. In my opinion, anyone buying a planar this size should plan on a real source.
The closed back is the practical payoff. Outside noise stays out and your music stays in, which makes the M565C a genuinely sensible audiophile pick for people who don't have a silent room. Late-night listening, a shared apartment, an office — this is the use case. Comfort is addressed with large faux leather earpads and a padded headband, and the wood enclosure gives it a look you either love or don't.
ARTTI T10: Who It's For
The ARTTI T10 Pro flips the whole proposition. Instead of a big cup around your ear, you get a 14.2mm dual magnetic circuit planar driver inside a round, full-metal stainless steel housing that sits in your ear. It's still a planar magnetic driver — the same family of technology as the Monolith — just shrunk down and aimed at a completely different listener.
The headline feature beyond the driver is the interchangeable plug system. The T10 Pro works with standard 3.5mm and high-end 4.4mm plugs, so the same pair of earphones can plug into a phone, a laptop, a console controller or a balanced output on a dedicated player. That's the spec that tells you who this is for: musicians, singers, gamers and audiophiles who move between devices and don't want to carry adapters or own two sets of earphones. The remote and media controls on the cable reinforce that — this is meant to be used, not just admired on a shelf.
Sound-wise, ARTTI describes rich bass, smooth mids and crisp highs, with total harmonic distortion of ≤1.5% and a frequency range of 20Hz to 20kHz. The 20Hz–20kHz figure is the standard audible band, so don't expect the same subterranean extension the Monolith's 10Hz spec implies. The ≤1.5% THD number is a reasonable, honest figure for a driver at this size — clean, but not claiming laboratory perfection. Impedance is 16.5 ohms, which is low and easy to drive from almost anything.
The practical trade-offs are the ones inherent to in-ears. Fit depends on ear tips, and the kit includes eartips, a detachable OFC cable and a user manual. Isolation comes from the seal in your ear rather than from a sealed wooden cup, so it can be excellent — but it's fit-dependent.
• Best for isolated listening in a noisy room → Monoprice Monolith Over Ear. The closed back design is the explicit reason it exists.
• Best for portability and travel → ARTTI T10. An in-ear with a detachable cable travels in a pocket; a 2.5-pound over-ear does not.
• Best for low-end extension on paper → Monoprice Monolith Over Ear. Its 10Hz–50KHz range reaches far lower than the T10's 20Hz–20kHz.
• Best for device flexibility → ARTTI T10. Interchangeable 3.5mm and 4.4mm plugs beat a single fixed 3.5mm jack for anyone juggling balanced and unbalanced gear.
• Best for long, comfortable sessions → Monoprice Monolith Over Ear. Large faux leather earpads and a padded headband are designed around extended listening.
• Best for gaming and stage work → ARTTI T10. Low impedance, in-ear form factor, inline controls, and the plug options musicians actually use.
• Best for sitting down with an amp and a favorite album → Monoprice Monolith Over Ear. A 66mm planar with 2W power handling is built for a serious desktop chain.
• Best for a first planar experience on a budget-minded setup → ARTTI T10. Lower commitment in size, and it runs off nearly anything.
If I had to pick one, I'd buy the Monoprice Monolith Over Ear. The reason is simple: the closed-back 66mm planar design solves a problem most audiophile headphones don't — it lets you listen properly without needing a quiet house. The 10Hz–50KHz range, 18-ohm impedance and 2-watt power handling tell me it's a driver with real headroom, and the comfort features are aimed at long sessions.
I'd steer to the ARTTI T10 if my life doesn't involve a listening chair. For gaming, commuting, singing or hopping between a 3.5mm laptop and a 4.4mm player, it does more in less space. But for the pure audiophile question — one pair, one room, one album — the Monolith is my pick.
what is the best headphones for audiophiles
There's no single answer, but the deciding factor is usually whether you listen in one place or on the move. The Monoprice Monolith Over Ear suits a stationary audiophile who wants a closed-back planar with a 10Hz–50KHz range and strong isolation. The ARTTI T10 suits an audiophile who wants planar sound in-ear with swappable 3.5mm and 4.4mm plugs.
what are the best headphones for audiophiles
Look at the driver first. Both of these use planar magnetic drivers — the Monolith at 66mm inside a wooden closed back, the ARTTI T10 at 14.2mm with a dual magnetic circuit in a stainless steel shell. Planar drivers are the common thread that makes both credible audiophile options; the difference is size, isolation and where you plan to listen.
what are the best wireless headphones for audiophiles
Neither of these is wireless — both are wired. The Monoprice Monolith Over Ear uses a 3.5mm wired connection with media controls, and the ARTTI T10 uses a detachable OFC cable with 3.5mm and 4.4mm plug options. If wireless is a hard requirement, you'll need to look elsewhere; if sound quality matters more, wired is the better path here.
what are the best bluetooth headphones for audiophiles
Same answer, and it's worth being blunt: there's no Bluetooth here. The Monolith is wired at 18 ohms, the T10 at 16.5 ohms, and both rely on a physical cable. Bluetooth adds convenience but introduces compression, so an audiophile chasing clean, low-distortion reproduction typically stays wired — as both of these products do.
One last practical note: if price is the deciding factor for you, check the current price on Amazon using the button on this page rather than trusting any figure you see quoted elsewhere.
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: tapaxis Hybrid Active Noise vs LORELEI QC30: Headphones with, JLab Go Air Pop+ vs AOC Earbuds: Wireless Earbuds Bluetooth, Panasonic True vs Tayogo Swimming Headphones Bone, Steinberg Recording Pack vs Rockville RCM03