I purchased the 788 with my hard earned cash and no one influenced me on my thoughts or statements in the review.

For transparency, I do not use equalization very often. I like a pure and true sound, yeah you can call me a purist. I dabble with eq presets every now and then but I do my listening on stock settings. I believe that if you have to eq a headphone to make it sound good or to meet your preference then it isn’t for you or there is something wrong with the setup and synergy is lacking. I like to hear things how the manufacturer or designer intended for it to sound. But I understand and respect the other viewpoint, to each their own.

Let’s hits some of the basics and you can watch the video for the details.

Excellent build quality, simple design and plenty of inputs and adequate outputs, lacks balanced line out.

Over current protection works a little too well, can be annoying on SE output, just make sure to pause music before swapping between outputs.

Clunky menu and buttons with a slow digital volume knob, a slight learning curve.

Very good equalization tools but can be cumbersome to set.

Sound is the darkest background I have ever experienced with a clean and clear, analytical sound that isn’t boring but engaging. DAC and ADC filters do not have a large impact on sound, most times don’t seem to effect at all.

Dirac is amazing for gaming and movies but not as good for music.

Plenty of power for every and all of my headphones, from sensitive iem to hard to drive planar.

I am totally in love with the Monolith THX AAA 788 and highly recommend it. I can see why the term end game is being used for this DAC/Amp and I agree. For the $500 price point this is totally spot on and is a steal for lower price. Of all the gear I have, the 788 beats it all hands down, no competition. This is my new benchmark DAC/Amp for all reviews. Yes, this is my endgame (for the moment) :grin:, wife rolls her eyes :joy:

I have more than a few top-notch headphone amps. The 788 has been incredible! I use it when I'm watching movies via DIRAC, I use it to tune the frequency when I need a bump in bass or to tune down highs. The DAC chips are top notch is the THX certified amp. At this price, you get both the DAC and the BALANCED headphone amp with an XLR connection. How in the world could you go wrong?

Any product with THX AAA technology is worth at the very least twice the asking price. It's not even worth talking about how the amp/dac sounds. The distortion levels have no competition and for $500 this combo is honestly a steal.

Orgasmic!!

Works great!

I'm using it on a PC and streaming Roon into its built-in DAC. Very nice. The DAC appears in Roon as XMOS XHR-2HPA and I'm using it in WASAPI mode.

I had to install the Windows drivers (also here on the Monoprice site) to get my PC to recognize the DAC.

At first I tried the DIRAC with the RCA inputs and it killed all bass, but the firmware update (directions and firmware on this website) fixed that issue.

I'm now using the USB input with firmware v1.03 and the DIRAC works great.

Audio is very clear. My cans are Mr. Speaker Ether CX closed planar magnetics.

Highly recommended, well built unit!

Test it in the youtube link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmah9iIjNZ0

The sound in the youtube video is only on your left ear, if you got a headset on the right way.

Dirac sensaround ll mode it will fix the audio from left ear to center in your head.
Its like night and day in sound with the Dirac Sensaround ll mode on or off.
It fixes all like it should have been. It is almost funny switching the mode on and off.
It is torture not to have it on in this video

Love the sound quality, the amp is really good and DAC is actually quite reasonable. Listening with good quality headphones or speakers really shows off its quality. It may be a little too analytical for some, but I find it quite neutral and revealing.

I picked this up on a 20% sale, essentially getting it for $400 and... what a deal. I've got other dac/amps that can't touch this, the previous setup was a topping d10 dac and o2 amp (essentially the same price!), the difference was substantial, especially through the balanced output. I will say that I've now become partial to the AKM dacs over the ESS dacs to the point I've changed my home dac to a bi-monaural AKM setup.

I'm a Mac user and listen to Tidal and library FLAC files through Audrivana, upconverting to DSD128, through the balanced output into Senn 58X, Beyer 770/880 and Focal Elex has been a heavenly experience. It pushes the 250ohm Beyers without issue but the open backs really shine. With the 150ohm Senns, I live in the -40db range for casual listening, -30db is powerful, -20db is almost painful. Buy this, use this, ignore the "preview" on ASR. I will say that I almost exclusively use the balanced output now so if you're a SE user, this review might not the most accurate for you. I have used the SE with the Beyers and it worked, but I prefer my open backs.

The only thing I wish this unit did was MQA decoding, love it or hate it, I like it and want a little future proofing. ATTN MONOPRICE: I'll happily pay for a future firmware with MQA decoding. Pass that license cost along to me... happily.

TL;DR: good quality, good build, good sound, good stuff, worth the monies.

i'm just getting into higher end stuff. to date i've been listening using senny HD558's through a topping tp30. i thought that sounded pretty good. but i decided to try this...

if you're running lossy stuff, it sounds really good. its clear, defined, neutral, everything you want. The DIRAC dials down the lower register to keep things airy, but changes the sound signature too much and you end up actually missing parts of the music..

if you're running lossless, this thing will change your world. the first time i started running stuff through it, i had to check to make sure i was playing the album i thought i was. it literally peels off a 1/2" sheet of plywood off your music (well, at least compared to the Topping I was using before). And so far all I've plugged into this are my old senny HD558's. and the DIRAC is brilliant and 90% neutral - it almost makes it seem like the cans are floating beside your head.

my only gripe is that my plan was to also use this as a pre-amp. unfortunately, you have to go through 6 steps on a 1.5" lcd screen using 2 buttons and a dial to toggle between headphone-out and line-out. I've heard there's a way to wire the rear XLR inputs into full-time outputs, but when something sounds this good, why would you not ship it with this functionality?

anyways, that said, i really can't complain. i'm typing this with a set of cans beaming Oneohtrix Point Never and Jon Hopkins into places in my consciousness i didn't know existed until now.

if you've been using HQ DACs, then maybe you wouldn't be as excited as me. But if you need an reason to step up your sonic game, this is it.

Passes the sounds so good to cry test handily. Great build, but wish for in-line power brick. interface a tad wonky but still easy. Wish it graphically labeled the PEQ Q curve but that the PEQ is there at all is a bonus. Everything is effortless and transparent and just naturally mystical on this. it pushed 600Ohm cans to max loudness at -10dB on the dial that goes to +16. Power aplenty too. Extremely versatile unit. Better fw/ui and it'll best 5/5.