Intro
The portable audio legends, Venture Electronics also known as VEclan.com is widely known for their game changing product, the infamous Monk earbuds that have redefined the way earbuds sounded and they are presented in a ultra-low price starting from USD5. The Monk Plus is a beloved earbud that changed the way I listened to music and ever since, I am hooked on earbuds. I remembered how mind-blowing the sound it produces in such a low price and I knew it was a game changer. The Monk series earbuds revolutionized the audio industry to produce audio products that is low in price but still retain a high performance in their audio presentation. Since then, the Monk earbuds has branched off to a whole series of earbuds to suit more users taste and provide a wider selection of sound also creating different designs but still retaining a low price. Releases such as Monk Lite, Monk Go and also their variations in cable selection have been a staple in the earbuds game. They have just recently released a flagship in the Monk series, the Monk Slim Metal or the Monk SM that has been received with a warm welcome in the audiophile groups. Wild Lee from VEclan.com has been a great lad by sending us a pair of Monk SM in exchange for an honest review and I will be comparing them with the other Monks that I have in hand to see how they differ in their performance.
Functions & Specifications
Before we start the review, here are the specifications of the Monk SM;
- Unit type: large size moving coil unit
- Diaphragm material: multilayer composite polyester diaphragm
- Magnet type: high-strength rare earth magnet
- Sensitivity: 115dB(1mW)
- Impedance: 32ohm (1KHz)
- Wire material: SPC silver-plated wire
- Unit size: 14.8mm
- Flat head diameter: 16.4mm
- Maximum withstand power: 1100mw
- Frequency response: 20~22000Hz (±10dB)
- Wire length: 1.2m (±2cm)
- Shell material: liquid metal
Retail Price & Where To Get
The Venture Electronic Monk SM can be bought at Official Store Venture Electronics
Packaging & Accessories
Packaging arrived is simply just a Venture Electronics fabric hard case and 5 pairs of foams for spare typical of Venture Electronic style of presenting a high-quality product without any grand packaging.
Design
Design of the Monk SM screams high-end when they are held in my hands. It is surely made from metal as they are cold to the touch also it is shiny, solid and has a slight weight to it making the Monk SM feels ever so premium. The front face cover is made of plastic. It certainly has the best build and looks in the Monk series and it does not feel cheap at all. It has a PK style shaped shell that is rather small in the earbuds category and it is one of the most comfortable shell shapes for me alongside the Monk Lite shell shape.
Cable of the Monk SM is a basic Monk series cable but in a new dark silver colour that is thin, flexible and as durable as the original Monk Series cable. I am loving the colour matching of this Monk SM and they looked like a high-end product. The audio plug is a gold-plated pin encased in a solid shiny metal like the earbuds itself. Overall, the design is simply beautiful and punches well above the asking price of the Monk SM.
Gears Used for Comparisons
- Fiio M11plus LTD
- RHA L1 Dacamp
- Avani/ZUMEE ALC5686 USB C dongle
- Venture Electronics Odyssey HD USB C Dongle
- VE Monk Lite
- VE Monk Go
- VE Monk Plus
- VE Zen Lite
- Blur Dabass
- JCally EP09
Song list
Tone and Presentation
The Monk SM is a true bright-neutral performer to my ears. It has a very clean signature and detailed performance. Its transparency is simply awesome and micro details is simply amazing. Definition is top notch and all these qualities is found nowhere in this price range in my opinion. It has a slight treble emphasis and details are the feather in the cap of this earbuds. Due to their bright-neutral signature, it is very analytical in their performance but they do not sound overly cold or too thin in their sound signature and they sounded very energetic. They are a great performer and has good technicalities for a pure representation of the music played. To my ears, it sounded similar to the highly regarded HZ Sound Heart Mirror but in an earbud form.
Soundstage
Soundstage of the Monk SM is good and slightly above average from an earbud’s perspective. It has a greater height than depth in their presentation making it quite an intimate sounding earbud. It has the big room feel that a high-quality sounding earbud produces but due to its intimacy the wideness is just average for an earbud. Placements on musical instruments are very accurate and vocals sounded right in front of you especially with live performances.
Separation and Timbre
Separation and timbre of the Monk SM is crystal clear and accurate. Being highly detailed helps in their separation and they do not sound veiled or congested even in complicated fast tracks. Timbre is great with musical instruments sounded natural and they are easily distinguished in my listening experience. The Monk SM is suitable for any genre in my opinion especially for vocal based music, rock, and metal.
Drivability
Rated at a standard 32ohms with a 115db sensitivity, the Monk SM is easily driven but with low powered source such as smartphones or laptop, it sounded merely average. With good sources such as the VE odyssey or the FiiO M11plus LTD, it sounded sublime and certainly the Monk SM scales up very well. With a decently recorded tracks on lossless format or even DSD, the Monk SM will certainly reward you even more with a great listening experience.
The Bass (Low)
The bass of the Monk SM is a very neutral bass and it might sound a little thin in their performance for some. Bass has a sharp roll off and it has a sharper slam instead of a boomy kind of bass. Sub-bass extension is rather shallow and certainly the sub-bass performance is not the strong suit of the neutral sounding Monk SM. Though being slightly thin in the bass region, the bass has great details and they have a high degree of definition in their presentation. Clarity in the bass department is excellent and no bleed can be found.
The Mids
The Monk SM possesses a vibrant and very high-definition midrange with a slight boost on the upper mids giving it a brighter tone. Though it is still a neutral type of mids, it has a slight forwardness in their presentation and they sounded very smooth. Vocals is sweet and packed with details with micro details sounding very obvious in the midrange region and they perform like a high-end set of earbuds. They perform very well especially on female vocals but for deeper male vocals, it might sound a little thin due to bright and sharp sound signature in the mids. The Monk SM has a very distinct midrange with an intimacy and clarity rarely found in this price bracket. Transparency on the midrange is also excellent as everything sounds clear without any congestion or veiling.
The Highs
The high region is the main characteristic of the sound profile in the Monk SM as they have a very strong presence in their high frequency and I do not recommend Monk SM for treble sensitive users. The highs that the Monk SM produces is a very high quality one and it is very addictive especially for a treble lover like me. The treble it presents is very accurate and it is very energetic. It has great airiness and openness in their presentation making it a very smooth listening experience. The highs are very crisp and it does have a very distinct sparkle punching way above its asking price. Treble is very clean and the transparency its gives is truly amazing. I do not find the Monk SM to be sibilant even on high volume and no hissing is present in my listening session as I do feel that the treble is tuned very well. Details on the high region is superb and all high notes are clear as water. Definitely the star of the show in the Monk SM.
Comparisons
VS Monk Plus Standard Edition
The legend earbuds that started a revolution of low-price, high-quality audio. The Monk plus standard has a neutral-flat, laidback sound signature and it is slightly bright in tonality. It is rated at 64ohms, easily driven but it needs some juice to perform to its fullest.
Bass on the Monk Plus is deeper and has better sub-bass response. The Monk plus bass is more present but lacks the clarity found in the Monk SM. Side by side the Monk Plus bass sounded more veiled in comparison and the Monk SM bass sounded less boomy.
Mids on the Monk Plus is warm and balanced while the Monk SM is bright and full with details. Monk SM mids is very energetic and lively versus the laidback smoother sound in the Monk Plus.
Highs region on the Monk plus is way higher in terms of their quantity and quality. Monk Plus high is tamer but still has a presence in their presentation. Highs on the Monk SM is crispier, clearer and airier.
Soundstage on the Monk SM is bigger and wider.
VS Monk GO
A more recent release of the monk series and it has a flat and bright tonality. It is quite neutral but not as neutral or as bright as the Monk SM. Monk GO is also less aggressive and less forward than the Monk SM.
Bass on the Monk GO has a more rattle but lacks the clarity found in the bass of the Monk SM. Sub-bass of the Monk GO is slightly more present.
Mids on the Monk SM is more forward and clear. Details on both is almost the same but I feel that Monk SM mids is sweeter.
Highs on the Monk SM is more vivid and apparent. Monk SM has better micro details with treble sounds crispier and smoother. Monk GO highs is clear and bright but does not has the crisp sound like the Monk SM
Soundstage on the Monk SM is taller and has a bigger room effect.
VS Monk Lite
The super small and the comfiest earbuds shape style in my opinion. Very suitable for a sleeping earbud as it small and does not protrude out a lot. It has a warm tonality and the mids has a more forward tuning.
Bass on the Monk SM has a tighter slam and has more details. Sub-bass on the Monk Lite is deeper and has more rumble but only slightly.
Mids on the Monk Lite is thicker and more forward. Mids on the Monk SM is brighter and clearer. Monk Lite mids is sweeter and smoother but the Monk SM mids is more transparent.
Highs on the Monk SM is way stronger and has better details. Monk Lite highs is smoother and laid-back. Monk SM is brighter, crispier and vivid in their treble.
Source synergy
FiiO M11Plus LTD
FiiO’s latest DAP running on dual AKM 4497 DAC chips with THX amplifier module and they are a beast in their performance. Monk SM sounds sublime with this pairing the sounds the best with this DAP. Bass on the Monk SM has a better presence and slam is more apparent. Sub-bass has a slight upgrade in their rumble and the Monk SM sounded more enjoyable in their bass overall. Mids on the Monk SM is more balanced in their presentation and they sound thicker and smoother with all the details intact. Highs on the Monk SM sounded smoother and they sounded airier. High’s extension has improved by a high degree. Soundstage height remained mostly the same but it runs deeper and wider giving the Monk SM a more out of head experience.
Avani/ XUMEE USB C dongle
An ALC5685 dongle DAC VE that VE brought in for the community and it sounded superb. Monk SM paired with this dongle sounded the same neutral goodness but it added some warmth in their tonality. Bass on the Monk SM sounded fairly the same but it sounded slightly bigger in their quantity and the sub-bass still lack extension. Mids on the Monk SM sounded thicker and sweeter with a more balanced presentation. Highs on the Monk SM is more polished and it sounded smoother with high volume. Highs also sounded crispier and airier. Soundstage sounded relatively the same and they sounded decent with a slightly deeper room feel to it.
Venture Electronic Odyssey HD USB C dongle
The ALC4042 dongle on steroids that Venture Electronic created for their products. they sounded relatively smooth, detailed and slightly warm. With this pairing with Monk SM, they sounded very smooth and it is a more relaxing signature but still retaining the energetic feel in the Monk SM. Bass has a more detailed and deeper sub-bass presence with a bigger slam also retaining the clarity in the bass. Mids on the Monk SM sounded thicker and sweeter than before. Details on mids sounded the same but it is more vivid in vocals. Highs on the Monk SM sounded airier and extends further making the Monk SM smoother in my listening experience. Soundstage depth has improved and it gives a more out of head listening experience.
Who Is It For?
Want a super high-performance budget earbud instead of an IEM? New to the Monk series or already an enthusiast in collecting the Monk series earbuds? This Monk SM is certainly for you. They are very well built and tuned towards a neutral perfection. It is surely for a treble loving user who wants a great crystal-clear earbud with bright tonality and superb performance. The Monk SM is also very comfortable and it is very suitable for an everyday carry, Due to their neutrality and high-performance sound profile, critical listening is suitable as well. Bass lovers should look at the Monk Lite or Monk Plus instead as they have a bigger bass quantity.
Final words
With a line of budget Monk series with me, the Monk SM is certainly the new king of the Monk line and holds the legacy of VE low price, high-performance motto. They are very well built, super comfortable and they perform way above its asking price of USD20. They are very neutral and sounded crystal clear with an extreme definition in their sound presentation. Their treble is simply one of the best found in any earbuds line and I simply loving the treble on this Monk SM. Though the sub-bass is rather shallow, the bass performance is top notch and does perform quite well. This earbud is currently my daily driver and I am truly satisfied with this earbud.
I would rate this product a solid 
(4.5 / 5)
