The Monster Clarity 101 AirLinks Truly Wireless are in-ear headphones suitable for those on the move. They're good for sports or commuting due to their portable and stable design. Unfortunately, they sound dark and dull. While the bass has added thump and rumble, it also lacks punch and body, which may disappoint fans of EDM and hip-hop. The seven-hour battery life might be a deal-breaker for those who work at the office, too, although their unique 360-degree rotating case offers five additional charges.
Our Verdict
The Monster Clarity 101 AirLinks are okay for mixed usage. They're very portable, making them easy to take with you when you're on the go. They do an alright job of reducing noise, like talking around you. They're also decently comfortable, although their deep in-ear fit might not be suitable for everyone. However, if you're looking for a pair of headphones for neutral listening, these aren't it: while the bass will add some thump and rumble, it'll lack punch and body. The mids and treble are reduced, so they aren't the best choice for more vocal-centric audio. Like most Bluetooth headphones, system compatibility is limited, and the mic performance is mediocre.
- Good passive noise isolation.
- Unique rotating charge case.
- Great build quality.
- Dull, dark sound profile.
- Controls aren't very intuitive to use.
The Monster Clarity 101 AirLinks are disappointing for neutral sound. They have a dark and dull sound profile. While the bump in bass adds thump and rumble, their sound profile still might not please fans of EDM, as it'll lack punch and body. Their reduced mids and treble will also make these earbuds less ideal for listening to genres like classical or jazz.
The Monster Clarity 101 AirLinks are good for commuting and traveling. While they don't have active noise cancelling, they do an alright job of reducing noise like chatter. They struggle more with low sounds like bus and train engines, but they'll still cut some of this noise. Although reasonably comfortable and easily portable, they might not be the best choice for long listening sessions as some may find the deep in-ear fit fatiguing.
The Monster Clarity 101 AirLinks are great for sports and fitness. They're easily portable, lightweight, and fairly stable earbuds. They come with three sets of tips so you can find the best fit for you. They also have an IPX5 rating for water resistance.
The Monster Clarity 101 AirLinks are acceptable for the office. These earbuds are decently comfortable; however, their deep fit might not be suitable for everyone. They do a good job of reducing chatter at the office. If you need a little more isolation, you can also turn up the volume - these earbuds won't leak much sound, so you don't have to worry about others hearing your music.
The Monster Clarity 101 AirLinks are Bluetooth-only headphones and aren't recommended for wireless gaming. You can't use them on the PS4 or Xbox One. While you can use them on PC, their high latency may slow down and frustrate your gameplay.
The Monster Clarity 101 AirLinks are Bluetooth-only earbuds, and you can't use them wired.
The Monster Clarity 101 AirLinks are mediocre for phone calls. The recording quality is okay. In quiet environments, you'll still be understood, but your voice won't sound deep or full-bodied. However, if you need to take calls in louder environments like on the train or in a cafe, whoever is on the other line with you might not be able to hear you so clearly.
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Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Monster Clarity 101 AirLinks are unremarkable, truly wireless earbuds. While their 7-hour battery life is alright, their 360-degree rotating case is a unique, standout feature. However, their dark, dull sound profile lacks punch and body and isn't as well balanced as other headphones like the Anker SoundCore Liberty Air 2 Truly Wireless. They also don't have a companion app with product-specific features.
If you're still shopping around, take a look at our recommendations for the best truly wireless earbuds, the best earbuds and in-ear headphones, and the best Bluetooth earbuds.
The Jaybird Vista Truly Wireless are better performing earbuds than the Monster Clarity 101 AirLinks. If you like running and working out, the Jaybirds are designed with stability in mind. Unlike the Monster, the Jaybird also have a companion app with a parametric EQ and presets to customize your sound profile. However, the Monsters are better suited for passive noise isolation.
The Apple AirPods (2nd generation) and the Monster Clarity 101 AirLinks Truly Wireless are quite differently designed, so they each have their own pros and cons. The Monster have a more traditional in-ear design that's not always the most comfortable, but they provide good bass and isolate quite a bit of noise. The Apple, however, have an open-back earbud design that struggles to deliver much bass and lets a lot of ambient noise in, but they're more comfortable for many people.
The Apple AirPods Pro are better Bluetooth in-ears than the Monster Clarity 101 AirLinks Truly Wireless. The Apple are more comfortable for most people, have an active noise cancelling feature to help block out more noise, and have a much better-balanced sound profile. The Monster still isolate a decent amount of noise passively, though, and the lack of ANC helps give them a couple of extra hours of battery life too, but their dark sound profile can be a deal-breaker.
The SoundPeats TrueFree/True Wireless are slightly better performing earbuds than the Monster Clarity 101 AirLinks Truly Wireless. The SoundPeats have a sound profile that's more balanced than the Monster. The controls on the SoundPeats are also fairly limited as they lack volume control but they offer decent feedback. However, the Monster's unique rotating case is more sturdy and magnetically holds the earbuds in better.
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You can also discover how we produce recommendations like this one so that you can find the best headphones (or earbuds!) for your needs.
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