Monoprice Monolith amp and spark

Hello,

Any interest in a loaner for either or both of these amps? I might be able to get us some loaners.


https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=29511


https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=33304


Obviously there is interest in the cavalli amps, but they aren't available for loaners yet.

 

How about their AAA-788 THX spin-off amp? I really wonder if it will be any good.
Edit: some of their products have a user manual in pdf available now BTW


https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=24459

 

I heard from one guy on HF that the monolith amp, which having a great feature set, it riddle with issues, specifically hum. Oh well, hopefully they can fix it without a complete redesign.

 

Oh no... that is some bad news, I was looking forward to this one a lot, with the DIRAC crossfeed and hardware EQ on the cheap.

 

Hopefully gets sorted before production and doesn't require some steel snuggie to function as intended.

 

f**k. Monoprice has multiple amps call Monolith Headphone Amps. Ug.

The THX one is 24459 and is called:
The basic DAC one with tubes is 29511

The hum issue is with the tube monolith amp. Also, there might be wiring issues that can cause tube failure. Here's the guy's post on HF: Post #22

 

The spark is in stock, if anyone cares.

 

I'm not a friend yet but I have a spark ordered.

 

Ordered the desktop amp this weekend since it looked sweeter to me than the Massdrop one (main reasons built-in EQ, crossfeed and other features, compatible with an LPS I have). Still hasn't shipped though a little disappointed with that.

 

It's almost as if doing tube amps properly is an unusually skilled pastime. Shades of the Massdrop NBM clone, a shame.

Looking forward to trustworthy folks getting ears on with the THX amp though, if well-executed, it could be interesting.

 

Mine was delivered with 0.8 beta firmware. Super buggy and non user-upgradeable. No XMOS driver available either! Had contacted support but monoprice basically said to return it so I did.

Saw several other users on head-fi who got shipped beta units, some with super expensive international shipping involved. It's a crying shame.

 

Thanks for the slightly facepalm-inducing info. That's not encouraging. There's a sort of budget Far East audio with fiddly menus and a feature list as long as your arm that never quite work how they should- if this is what this is, it's worth avoiding like the plague.

My work desktop headamp may as well remain a little Vali 2 with a Philips ECC88 - having to drop in a new tube every year or so is probably lower hassle. (I still think that the Vali 2 is one of @schiit 's greatest hits - unflashy and pleasant-sounding as it is- with a good tube, it's very enjoyable.)

It turns out that making good cheap amps is a harder trick than it appears, who knew?