The Monoprice Modern Retro ranks #308 out of 308 total Over-Ear Headphones for sound quality. See all Headphones rankings for every top pick.
Brand: Monoprice
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#308 Monoprice Modern Retro: $29.99 Monoprice $29.99 eBay
Pros: Bass is lifted about 7.6 dB with extension to 20 Hz, giving kick drums and bass lines extra weight. Lower mids sit within about 0.6 dB of target, keeping voices and guitars natural. It uses 1 x 50mm dynamic with an easy 32 ohm load.
Cons: Presence sits about 4.7 dB low with an 11.2 dB dip near 11.2 kHz, so vocals and instruments lose some bite. The 7.6 dB bass lift can sound boomy and mask midrange detail. A Harman score of 1 places it in the lower part of the over-ear rankings.
| Back | Closed |
|---|---|
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 5.33 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 50mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 15Hz - 25kHz |
| Harman Preference Score | 1 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 32 ohms |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+6.7 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -2.95 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.7 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | -5.8 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 132 Hz | -6.2 dB | 0.61 |
| Peak | 10,000 Hz | +6.2 dB | 0.22 |
| Peak | 5,864 Hz | -8.7 dB | 2.10 |
| Peak | 4,314 Hz | +4.6 dB | 3.42 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -4.0 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 242 Hz | -3.8 dB | 2.68 |
| Peak | 361 Hz | +1.9 dB | 0.68 |
| Peak | 2,821 Hz | -3.8 dB | 4.81 |
| Peak | 3,409 Hz | +3.0 dB | 5.68 |
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