Slickdeals is community-supported.  We may get paid by brands for deals, including promoted items.
Heads up, this deal has expired. Want to create a deal alert for this item?
  1. Deal Image
Item 1 of 5
  1. Deal Image
  2. Deal Image
  3. Deal Image
  4. Deal Image
Item 1 of 5
expiredPennyFound | Staff posted May 9, 2022 4:53 PM

Monolith by Monoprice Liquid Spark Headphone Amplifier

$80

$130

38% off
+ SD Cashback + Free Shippingat Monoprice
50 Comments
25.7K Views
Visit Monoprice
Deal Details
Monoprice has Monolith by Monoprice Liquid Spark Headphone Amplifier by Alex Cavalli for $79.99. To earn Slickdeals Cashback, before purchase, follow the cashback instructions below (PC extension required, before checkout). Shipping is free.

Thanks to Slickdeals Deal Hunter PennyFound for finding this deal.

Product Features (details):
  • Dimensions: 4.6" x 3.7" x 1.5" (117 x 94 x 38 mm)
  • Weight: 9.6 oz. (271g)
  • Headphone Output: Unbalanced stereo 1/4" TRS jack
  • Preamp Output: Unbalanced stereo RCA jacks
  • Signal-to-Noise Ratio: 108dB (ref. 1 Vrms input / 2 Vrms output @ 1kHz)
  • Crosstalk: –73dB (ref. 1 Vrms input / 2 Vrms output @ 10kHz)
  • Output Impedance: < 0.1 ohms
  • Gain: +3dB or +6dB
  • Input: Unbalanced stereo RCA
  • Output Protection: Delay and offset protection

Editor's Notes

Written by powerfuldoppler | Staff
  • About this deal:
    • This price is $50 lower (38% savings) than the list price of $129.99.
  • About this product:
    • Rating of 4.7 from over 60 Monoprice customer reviews.
  • About this store:
    • Information about Monoprice's return policy can be found here.
  • Please read the Forum Thread for more deal discussion.

Original Post

Written by PennyFound | Staff
Community Notes
About the Poster
Deal Details
Community Notes
About the Poster
Monoprice has Monolith by Monoprice Liquid Spark Headphone Amplifier by Alex Cavalli for $79.99. To earn Slickdeals Cashback, before purchase, follow the cashback instructions below (PC extension required, before checkout). Shipping is free.

Thanks to Slickdeals Deal Hunter PennyFound for finding this deal.

Product Features (details):
  • Dimensions: 4.6" x 3.7" x 1.5" (117 x 94 x 38 mm)
  • Weight: 9.6 oz. (271g)
  • Headphone Output: Unbalanced stereo 1/4" TRS jack
  • Preamp Output: Unbalanced stereo RCA jacks
  • Signal-to-Noise Ratio: 108dB (ref. 1 Vrms input / 2 Vrms output @ 1kHz)
  • Crosstalk: –73dB (ref. 1 Vrms input / 2 Vrms output @ 10kHz)
  • Output Impedance: < 0.1 ohms
  • Gain: +3dB or +6dB
  • Input: Unbalanced stereo RCA
  • Output Protection: Delay and offset protection

Editor's Notes

Written by powerfuldoppler | Staff
  • About this deal:
    • This price is $50 lower (38% savings) than the list price of $129.99.
  • About this product:
    • Rating of 4.7 from over 60 Monoprice customer reviews.
  • About this store:
    • Information about Monoprice's return policy can be found here.
  • Please read the Forum Thread for more deal discussion.

Original Post

Written by PennyFound | Staff

Community Voting

Deal Score
+28
Good Deal
Visit Monoprice

Price Intelligence

Model: Monolith by Monoprice Liquid Spark Headphone Amplifier by Alex Cavalli

Deal History 

Sale Price
Slickdeal
  • $NaN
  • Today

Current Prices

Sort: Lowest to Highest | Last Updated 8/3/2026, 03:56 AM
Sold By Sale Price
Amazon$131
NewEgg$131.99

Top Comments

Xels
3Comments
14Reputation
There are a ton of good ChiFi DAC's out there that will give you good clear sound. The most important thing with a DAC these days is what inputs you need. If you are using a computer as your source then i would recommend the JDS Labs Atom DAC+. I used to have the JDS ODAC and loved it but found the USB board to have intermittent issues with being detected and some popping noise when sources were switching on/off. Swapping to my Atom DAC+ has relieved all of my previous issues and it comes with a higher sample rate, win-win! Topping and SMSL also make great dacs ( i use a topping E30 for my TV). Also, kabeldirekt make great budget RCA cables that measure up there with the best of them.
Go to Comment
srware
47Comments
18Reputation
This has lower power than the shiit at 300 ohms and more power at 32 ohms. https://www.audiosciencereview.co...-amp.5224/
Go to Comment
lazeekat
859Comments
362Reputation
1. Don't buy an $80 amp to pair with $1100 headphones
2. You've come to the wrong site asking for this kind of advice. SD is for cheapskates who aren't willing to pay a fortune for quality.
3. If you want my recommendation, just look at the Peachtree Audio brand of amp/DAC units. Very clean, minimalist design, and more than sufficient to handle your headphones. An example would be the Peachtree Audio nova65SE, but there are newer models. You don't have to buy separate amp/DAC, but there are so many options well above and below this price range.

I'm not trying to sh*t on this thread, but it's an $80 amp that can't possibly perform as well as an $800 integrated amp.

But again, back to point #1, if you are planning to buy $1k+ headphones, don't pair them with sub-$100 equipment.
Go to Comment

Join The Conversation

Share your experience with the Slickdeals community

Share information with the community. Please follow our Community Guidelines and be kind!

50 Comments

Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.

May 11, 2022 1:16 PM
1K Comments
Joined Mar 2021
TenderLlama5521May 11, 2022 1:16 PM
1K Comments
Quote from CaptainCheap0 :
Clearly I said IMHO with my personal use of both. Read all day. Doesn't change real word use for me.
I'm not sure how technical specifications are a matter of opinion.

Imho.
2
2
May 11, 2022 3:14 PM
14 Comments
Joined Mar 2022
CoolActivity833May 11, 2022 3:14 PM
14 Comments
Quote from CaptainCheap0 :
Clearly I said IMHO with my personal use of both. Read all day. Doesn't change real word use for me.
Having an opinion about facts is not useful. Clarifying the useless parts of your conversation doesn't add utility.
2
May 11, 2022 3:16 PM
1.3K Comments
Joined Jun 2008
tC2009May 11, 2022 3:16 PM
1.3K Comments
Need a few more "by" in the name of this
May 11, 2022 3:19 PM
5.3K Comments
Joined Jul 2010
TXGoatMay 11, 2022 3:19 PM
5.3K Comments
Will this work with my Walkman?
1
1
May 11, 2022 3:21 PM
859 Comments
Joined Dec 2010
lazeekatMay 11, 2022 3:21 PM
859 Comments

Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank lazeekat

Quote from jurassitol1 :
I want to get some top notch headphones like the drop+Sennheiser 8xx but I'm too dim to understand what other equipment I would need to listen to them at the highest quality. Could anyone in the know help me out?
1. Don't buy an $80 amp to pair with $1100 headphones
2. You've come to the wrong site asking for this kind of advice. SD is for cheapskates who aren't willing to pay a fortune for quality.
3. If you want my recommendation, just look at the Peachtree Audio brand of amp/DAC units. Very clean, minimalist design, and more than sufficient to handle your headphones. An example would be the Peachtree Audio nova65SE, but there are newer models. You don't have to buy separate amp/DAC, but there are so many options well above and below this price range.

I'm not trying to sh*t on this thread, but it's an $80 amp that can't possibly perform as well as an $800 integrated amp.

But again, back to point #1, if you are planning to buy $1k+ headphones, don't pair them with sub-$100 equipment.
1
4
May 11, 2022 3:26 PM
4 Comments
Joined Mar 2019
LovelyMustang712May 11, 2022 3:26 PM
4 Comments
Quote from Xels :
There are a ton of good ChiFi DAC's out there that will give you good clear sound. The most important thing with a DAC these days is what inputs you need. If you are using a computer as your source then i would recommend the JDS Labs Atom DAC+. I used to have the JDS ODAC and loved it but found the USB board to have intermittent issues with being detected and some popping noise when sources were switching on/off. Swapping to my Atom DAC+ has relieved all of my previous issues and it comes with a higher sample rate, win-win! Topping and SMSL also make great dacs ( i use a topping E30 for my TV). Also, kabeldirekt make great budget RCA cables that measure up there with the best of them.
The Atom Amp+ and DAC+ are incredible value propositions. They are my go-to stack.
1
May 11, 2022 4:01 PM
109 Comments
Joined May 2012
PockyGMay 11, 2022 4:01 PM
109 Comments
Quote from jurassitol1 :
I want to get some top notch headphones like the drop+Sennheiser 8xx but I'm too dim to understand what other equipment I would need to listen to them at the highest quality. Could anyone in the know help me out?
I can't say from personal experience, but FYI a lot of reviewers have said the HD8xx tuning is really flawed compared to the HD800S. Unless you're ok with EQing, it seems the best move is to save up for the HD800S.
1

Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.

May 11, 2022 4:29 PM
170 Comments
Joined May 2012
neal2zodMay 11, 2022 4:29 PM
170 Comments
Not an audiophile by any means, but I've got this Amp (paired with the Liquid Spark DAC) and I'm pretty happy with it. Sounds awesome with the Tin Hifi P1 and Hifiman HE4xx. It took my Philips X2HR from "I don't get what the fuss is about with these" to "Ok, I get the fuss now". I do agree it does get pretty hot quickly though.

I do think some headphones don't sound great with these though- my Sennheiser 58x just sounds kind of flat and boring using these and I actually like those better with my cheaper Schiit Fulla 2 which I'm sure makes no scientific sense but I think it just sounds better.
May 11, 2022 5:02 PM
53 Comments
Joined Dec 2014
ibakMay 11, 2022 5:02 PM
53 Comments
Quote from lazeekat :
1. Don't buy an $80 amp to pair with $1100 headphones
2. You've come to the wrong site asking for this kind of advice. SD is for cheapskates who aren't willing to pay a fortune for quality.
3. If you want my recommendation, just look at the Peachtree Audio brand of amp/DAC units. Very clean, minimalist design, and more than sufficient to handle your headphones. An example would be the Peachtree Audio nova65SE, but there are newer models. You don't have to buy separate amp/DAC, but there are so many options well above and below this price range.

I'm not trying to sh*t on this thread, but it's an $80 amp that can't possibly perform as well as an $800 integrated amp.

But again, back to point #1, if you are planning to buy $1k+ headphones, don't pair them with sub-$100 equipment.
I don't wish to denigrate your recommendations, however, this is Slickdeals and your argument makes it appear as though you're succumbing to the price placebo effect, i.e. something that costs more *must* be better. It's not always a false assumption (higher prices can indicate higher demand and more people wanting a product probably have reasons for choosing said product). Many companies, especially when trying to create a sense of high demand or high quality will use prestige pricing to signal that it's better. Without objective information the argument that an $800 amp is better than the $80 amp because dollars sounds dubious to those of us who are personally unfamiliar with the market and comparable products. Your earlier recommendations lend some credibility, however us Slickdealers will have a hard time believing that it could possibly be 10X better if we're looking strictly at dollars to value.
4
Pro
May 11, 2022 5:38 PM
287 Comments
Joined Jul 2008
elwappo99
Pro
May 11, 2022 5:38 PM
287 Comments
Quote from CoolActivity833 :
Having an opinion about facts is not useful. Clarifying the useless parts of your conversation doesn't add utility.
Quote from TenderLlama5521 :
I'm not sure how technical specifications are a matter of opinion.

Imho.
Power output specification is determined by the manufacturer. How they measure the power output, how they measure distortion, what they use to measure distortion, the person measuring distortion's skill level, and what they decide is the cutoff for power vs distortion does all have an amount of subjective variability. Audio measurements are an entire world of voodoo. Dr. Cavalli was always a bit more conservative on measurements so it's not shocking to hear.
1
May 11, 2022 5:40 PM
4.4K Comments
Joined Oct 2011
turbodogMay 11, 2022 5:40 PM
4.4K Comments
How is this as an active volume control?
May 11, 2022 6:14 PM
204 Comments
Joined Apr 2008
exe163May 11, 2022 6:14 PM
204 Comments
I have one with Macbook Pro / Spotify as source (obviously not an audiophile here). I used to be a non-believer in Amps and still skeptical. On HD58X, it made no noticeable difference. On HD6XX, it makes a huge difference. Bass actually sounds full and made listening to music and gaming a lot more enjoyable. Without amp sounded very flat in comparison.

My advice for those with high impedance headphone and not deep into the hobby already: start with a decent desktop (not portable) and entry level amp like this and don't over think DAC and other components. Law of diminishing return and placebo kick in very fast
2
1
May 11, 2022 6:20 PM
31 Comments
Joined Dec 2021
EfficientNest3823May 11, 2022 6:20 PM
31 Comments
Pass. No Levi for me.
May 11, 2022 6:46 PM
435 Comments
Joined Jul 2014
doom12May 11, 2022 6:46 PM
435 Comments
Anyone know if this is DC coupled?

Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.

May 11, 2022 7:10 PM
20 Comments
Joined Feb 2018
0220gordonMay 11, 2022 7:10 PM
20 Comments
Quote from jurassitol1 :
I want to get some top notch headphones like the drop+Sennheiser 8xx but I'm too dim to understand what other equipment I would need to listen to them at the highest quality. Could anyone in the know help me out?
by your own admission about lack of hi fi knowledge, I'd reconsider; ie for the price of 8xx you can get mid fi amp, dac, cans and have a nice night on the town...

Join The Conversation

Share your experience with the Slickdeals community

Share information with the community. Please follow our Community Guidelines and be kind!

Related Searches

Free ShippingTech & ElectronicsAudio / VideoHome AudioMonopriceMonoprice

Popular Deals

See All
Found by phoinix
Aug 1, 2026 7:52 AM
Forum Thread
$89.99 | MSI PRO B840M-B Motherboard, mATX at Amazon$90$130
30% off
0
Found by SUCHaDEAL
Yesterday 6:41 AM
Forum Thread
$2.50 Free Ace Hdwr Pick Up Miniature Storage Bin 5.5 in. H X 6.5 in. W X 6.5 in. D Stackable in Red or Black
1
Found by Slick_Drone
Jul 29, 2026 2:52 PM
Forum Thread
[S&S] Chock Full o' Nuts New York Roast Dark Roast Ground Coffee 30.5 Oz Can $9.56 + FS for Prime or $35+$9.56$14
31% off
3
Found by Dr.W
Today 2:43 AM
Forum Thread
DJI Power 2000 Portable Power Station, 2048Wh LFP Battery $719.98$720$1,299
44% off
1
Found by DuckPoo
Jul 29, 2026 6:10 AM
Forum Thread
Costco Members: Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 40mm Smartwatch with Two Wireless Fast Chargers + $50 Costco shop card$340$380
10% off
8

Trending Deals

See All
Found by neomatrixviper
Today 1:48 AM
Forum Thread
The Abyss 4K UHD + Blu Ray + Digital Code $22.50 Amazon.com
0
Found by htp182
Today 1:52 AM
Forum Thread
Ninja Crispi Pro 6-Qt Glass Air Fryer 4-in-1 (Pink, Green, or White) $199.00 + Free Shipping$199$300
33% off
1
Found by phoinix
Today 4:39 AM
Forum Thread
[SnS, AC] $9.70* | 24-Pk 12-Oz Spindrift Sparkling Water (Various) at Amazon$9.70$18
46% off
1
Found by Immortalsolitude
Today 1:13 AM
Forum Thread
Rock & Mulch Binder 166OZ, Ultra-Stick Rock Glue for Landscaping, Gravel Binder Non-Toxic Rubber Mulch $24.99$25$55
54% off
1
Found by Immortalsolitude
Today 12:43 AM
Forum Thread
Coostar Mens Orthopedic Slip On Shoes with Arch Support Hands Free Loafers Casual Comfortable Walking Shoe Black Size 8.5 $23.99$24$48
50% off
0