Monoprice True Wireless review: Truly affordable, or truly cheap?

With the advent of the Monoprice True Wireless headset and JLab JBuds Air we are entering an era of true and cheap wireless headsets that work well. The Monoprice version of truly wireless technology includes a design and a chic boot package. Are the looks enough alone to praise the efforts of Monoprice? Or in the long run, the cost of keeping these hearing aids below $ 50?

Who is the True Wireless Monoprice for?

The earphones fit perfectly into the charging case, but often do not automatically turn off when inserted.

  • Economic auditors. With the price oscillating somewhere within the $ 50 range, this is a good choice for truly wireless and inexpensive hearing aids. You will not receive many, if any, bells and whistles, but all we really need is for the headphones to work, and the work they do.
  • Consumers in general. The True Wireless Monoprice is a smart choice for general purpose listeners

What's inside

The unloaded package includes the charging case, three pairs of headphones and the true wireless headset; It's pretty stark, but what do you expect from the bargain sprouts?

How is the True Wireless Monoprice built?

  Monoprice is the true wireless connection: the headphones to the right of the Monoprice 30878 True Wireless headphones.

The JLab JBuds Air buds are larger than the similarly priced True Wireless Monoprice, but offer features that are not such as IP55 water and dust resistance.

Save for the charging pins, the Monoprice True Wireless headphones and the case is completely plastic, but the designers still managed to make each piece look more sophisticated than the Monoprice True Wireless price suggests. With a clean and minimalist design, the load sleeve acts as a decorative piece suitable for any modern desk space.

The IPX4 headphones are small and are painted with the same matt gray as the case. Embedded in the panel of each headset is a multifunction button with an LED indicator that surrounds it. Pressing the buttons does not require much force and the headphones are small enough for most of us to feel comfortable when we listen to them.

Small headphones are convenient, but they fall off easily when brushing the hair from the ear.

This small design is not all tulips and roses, however, because the headphones do not feel safe. Even when I'm sitting down, I feel like the angled nozzles can slip out of the channels in my ears and cause the headphones to fall to the floor. This relative feeling is not favored by the fact that there are no wing tips provided to improve the stability of the adjustment. If you prioritize a small, elegant design over a secure setting, this is probably not a problem.

The microphone is better than expected

  Monoprice True Wireless: the headset that rests directly on the lens of a camera.

The integrated microphone works effectively and clearly conveys the speaker's voice for casual phone calls.

Without exaggeration, the integrated microphone sounds much better than the one found in the real-price wireless headsets JLab JBuds Air . The background noise dims a little, but my voice was always transmitted clearly if I was recording or taking a call. Keep in mind, however, that when you answer a call, the audio is transmitted only through the left earphone.

Battery life

When we tested the Monoprice True Wireless wireless headphones by subjecting them to a constant output of 75dB (SPL), we recorded an independent battery life of 2.43 hours. While you can get close to three hours of playback by listening to lower volumes, the battery life is still nothing special, as products such as Bose SoundSport Free and Jabra Elite 65t [19659003].

Apart from the battery life, the 500 mAh charging case provides up to 15 additional hours of battery life for the headphones and takes two hours to charge through the included micro-USB cable. Sure, the micro-USB charge seems increasingly archaic, but for now it still works. And at this price, that's the only thing that matters.

Connectivity

  True Wireless Monoprice: An image of the connectors in the charging case.

The headphones are magnetized and snap into place when inserted into the 500 mAh charging case, which is charged via micro USB.

As with many wireless headphones, these work through Bluetooth 4.2 and is granted a wireless range of three meters. Unfortunately, however, connectivity has problems in much narrower sectors. Regardless of the source, the right earphone strives to transmit the audio without problems, resulting in a disorienting listening experience.

On a positive note, however, the automatic connection functionality is reliable. There has not yet been a time when I removed my headphones from the case and could not connect to my phone. However, latency proves to be a persistent problem. These headphones are not compatible with AAC or aptX which is painfully evident from the audiovisual delay of almost two seconds.

How do the headphones sound?

  A table showing the frequency response data of the Monoprice True wireless headphones

The bass response is surprisingly low and can be improved by using third party foam tips. [19659016] They sound good and as you would expect for the price. Surprisingly, the lower end is attenuated, leaving much to be desired, especially for the consumer's ear. However, for those who like acoustic and vocal-heavy music, the frequency response of the Monoprice True Wireless headphones works well.

Lows and mids

In Rivers and Roads from The Head and the Heart, the folk ballad waits until 1:14 before allowing the drums to enter. Prior to that time, the song is based on a guitar that accompanies the voices of Josiah Johnson and Charity Thielens. In anticipating the drums, he expected their voices to be masked; instead, the drums were under severe stress.

  Monoprice True Wireless: Headphones in a bar of soap of color divided on a white surface.

The Monoprice IPX4 headphones have a 50 mAh battery, which provides 2.43 hours of playback.

Once the piano starts at 1:45, the bass drum is almost inaudible. This frequency goes against most consumer headsets, since many tend to exaggerate the lower end. That said, Monoprice True Wireless can benefit from attenuating midrange frequency reproduction.

Highs

The tambourine plays the song of Oh Wonder Drive is played clearly through the headphones, particularly during the verses when the harmonies are slightly supported by synthesizer sounds. Once the chorus begins at 2:33, the violin makes it difficult to record the tambourine hits in the background. You can still hear them, but it takes a deliberate ear to recognize them.

Should I buy Monoprice True Wireless?

  True Wireless Monoprice: an image of the headphones on a table with the charging case closed in the background.

When in pairing mode, the LED rings on the pads will alternate blinking between blue and white.

Yes, but only if it is severely opposed to the larger JLab JBuds Air structure. Both products currently cost $ 49.99, but the JLab version includes IP55 headphones, which are more durable than the Monoprice IPX4 headphones. In addition, the JBuds Air do not suffer the same connectivity problems as the True Wireless Monoprice.

That said, if you can not stand the look of the JBuds and prefer a low exaggerated low level, you'll finally be happier with the Monoprice version of using truly wireless headphones, which are a pair of surprisingly beautiful inexpensive headphones.

Still looking? Read on our list of best wireless hearing aids

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