Our Verdict
Monoprice Hi-Fi Active Noise are average-at-best everyday, casual headphones.
- Great bass and mid-range audio reproduction.
- Simple, efficient button layout.
- Creaky headband.
- Small ear cups for an over-ear design.
Average for neutral listening. They have a decent sound quality, with a moderately well balanced audio reproduction. Instruments sound a bit distant, and the mid-range is slightly boomy. They also have a closed design, which is not ideal for neutral listening but overall their sound should be good enough for most listeners.
Average for commuting. They're moderately comfortable but the noise isolation is not strong enough for loud environments like being on a plane.
Mediocre-at-best for sports. They're moderately comfortable and relatively lightweight. However, They're a bit cumbersome and unstable for strenuous exercises.
Mediocre for office use. The isolation is barely enough to block the chatter of a busy office. They also leak at high volumes.
Changelog
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
- Updated Feb 16, 2018: Converted to Test Bench 1.2.
- Updated Oct 02, 2017: The microphone has been tested with our new methodology, as explained here
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Test Results
The Monoprice Noise Cancelling are a decent looking pair of headphones. They have a dark gray color scheme with black accents on the ear cups, headband and padding. The back of the oval ear cup has a glossy finish with subtle Monoprice branding. The top of the headband is rubberized, giving them a more premium look.
These headphones are moderately comfortable. The headband is relatively flexible and does not apply too much pressure to the head. The ear cups are lightweight, decently padded and swivel for an optimal fit. Unfortunately, the headband is not that well padded, and the small size of the ear cups may not fit around every listener's ears. This may cause discomfort after long listening sessions and is not ideal for an over-ear design.
Button layout and functionality is above average, with some minor flaws. There is only one easy-to-use noise cancelling switch on the ear cups. The other controls - call/music and volume buttons - are relegated to the in-line controls of the provided cable. However, the in-line controls are very flat and don't provide good tactile feedback.
The Monoprice NC are mid-sized over-ear headphones. They are moderately portable thanks to the ear cups that swivel and lay flat to take up less space. However, they do not fold up into a more compact format which makes them a little too bulky for some and too large for pockets, even larger jacket pockets.
Comes with a hard case that will protect the headphones from scratches, hard falls, and mild water damage. However, it does add a bit of bulk to the headphones which means you may need a bag to carry them in.
Build quality for the Monoprice NC is just average. The rubberized headband has a metal frame which strengthens the overall build. However, the metal frame is thin, the headband creaks a lot under stress and the joints are made of plastic, which is susceptible to breaking. The plastic used for the earcups also feels a little cheap, which lessens their build quality.
These headphones are stable enough for regular casual use but will quickly fall off your head while running. The headband is not broad enough to prevent, the slightly heavy ear cups from swaying, during physical activity. They're not ideal for gym use but on the upside, the cable will detach if its hooked by something. Preventing the headphones from being yanked off your head.
- Monoprice Noise Cancelling headphones
- Carrying case
- AAA battery
- Audio cables (x2)
- Airline adapter
- 1/8" to 1/4" Adapter
- Internet calling adapter
- Manual
Average performance. The passive isolation starts around 400Hz and continues until reaching -38dB at 20KHz. The active mechanism, however, seems to only kick in at 90Hz (not doing much at lower frequnecies) and reaching -16dB at 250Hz.
Average performance. The leakage is both rather broadband (500Hz-4KHz) and relatively loud, which is probably related to the poor seal of the cups. With these headphones, if you listen to loud music in a quiet environemt, the leakage might be audible a few feet away.
The Monoprice Noise Cancelling deliver up to 48 hours of continuous playtime at average volumes. They're good headphones to take on long flights or road trips as you won't have to change the AAA battery as often. However, they do not have any battery saving features like an auto-off timer, but on the upside, they can continue playing audio passively even when the battery is completely drained.
No compatible app.
