Headphones are one of the most personal technology purchases you’re ever going to make. Not everyone likes the same music, not everyone lies the same sound. We review a lot of headphones here and a lot of them are simply amazing. Each reviewer has their personal favorite but our personal favorites aren’t always your favorites. The Monster Elements headphones are certainly going to be geared to a specific user in mind, most headphones are. Find out what we think of the Monster Elements in our full review.
What’s In The Box
- Monster Elements Bluetooth over ear headphones
- Monster High intelligibility mic
- MicroUSB to microUSB cable (USB Digital Audio cable)
- MicroUSB to USB-A adapter
- Carrying case
Design
In terms of functional design, the Monster Elements have some nice features that make them great for regular users and DJs. The ear cups swivel back for DJs to have one ear open and one cup over the other ear. Both sides have this functionality so you’re not limited to one ear. I did find the swivel to be a little bit stiff and I had to use two hands to manipulate it for fear I was putting too much pressure on the headphones. This could be something that loosens up over time though just like a pair of shoes.
The ear cups also fold in for easy storage in the included carrying case. The Monster Elements are constructed of high quality plastics and they actually have some heft to them. They’re not obnoxiously heavy but they do feel solid when you hold them. There isn’t any squeaking or creaking when putting these on and using them. If you force them to twist and over manipulate them then they do creak slightly.
The ear pads are made from memory foam and covered in a nice soft material (not leather) that feels good over the ear. The headband is made from a soft rubber material that feels good for a bit but over prolonged use can get a bit uncomfortable. I think comfort will vary from person to person since no two heads are alike. All the materials are high quality and don’t feel cheap in the least.
On the right ear cup is where you’ll find the microUSB charging port, Bluetooth indicator light, multi-function power/pairing/mute/unmute button, microphone and swipe touch controls. The left ear cup houses the 3.5mm headphone jack in case you want to use these wired. Overall the design is nice and the Monster Elements are available in three colors: Rose Gold, Black Slate and Black Platinum.
Ease of Use
Very simple to pair to your Bluetooth device via the pairing button, simply turn on and hold until you hear the pairing mode activate. Head over to your Bluetooth settings on your device and find Monster Elements in the list of Bluetooth devices, tap and pair. Your device should remember the Monster Elements and you shouldn’t have to pair again. Folding these up and storing them is as simple as a quick two flips and away they go into the very nice carrying case. As I mentioned before, the DJ swivel cups are a bit stiff but may loosen over time as you use them.
The touch controls are fairly straight forward as well, though it will take some practice not to make the wrong swipe. Swiping up or down just above the right ear cup controls volume. Play/pause, answer/end call, and accept call waiting all take 1 tap on the same spot. Track forward is 2 taps and track back is 3 taps. The touch controls work great once you get the hang of using them.
Sound
Monster headphones have a distinct sound to them and the Monster Elements toe the line with the bass at the forefront. That’s not to say the mids and highs are neglected here, everything sounds crisp and clean with just a strong emphasis on the bass. Running these at full volume also produced no cracking or distortion, though that was tested without them on my head, these things get loud. Overall the sound leans towards the bass end of things but everything gets its fair share of love here.
The Monster Elements do come with both a 3.5mm headphone cable and a microUSB digital audio cable. The Bluetooth sound on these headphones is really great and the headphone cable makes them sound even better. But you get a huge boost in sound and dynamics when using the USB digital audio cable. Just plug the microUSB cable into your phone and the other end of the microUSB into the Monster Elements.
Reception/Call Quality
Reception is typical Bluetooth range of about 30 feet from source before you start breaking signal. Of course walls, corners etc will also play a large factor in reception so be aware of that. Call quality is excellent. These cover your ears so you should hear everyone loud and clear. I say this in all my reviews, but while I don’t typically take phone calls on headphones, I do test them for the review.
Battery Life
Monster is advertising 20 hours of playback with these. Of course I can’t wear these for 20 hours straight but I can leave them plugged in and playing for that long. The best I managed to pull out of them with volume at about 3/4 was 19.5 hours. Now we stress that volume will have an impact on battery life so results may vary.
Price/Value
Monster products aren’t exactly cheap. These will set you back $399 but they are currently priced at $349 on Monster’s site. Whether or not that’s a good value is a matter of perspective and opinion. These headphones certainly sound really good though not everyone will like the favoring of the low end. The design is a matter of taste as well. I think these headphones deliver great value for the price to those who appreciate their styling and sound signature.
Wrap Up
You want that pure Monster sound with the bling to go along with it? The Monster Elements might be for you.
[button link=”http://www.monsterproducts.com/Monster-Elements-Wireless-Over-Ear-Headphones” icon=”fa-shopping-cart” side=”left” target=”blank” color=”285b5e” textcolor=”ffffff”]Purchase from Monster[/button]*We were sent a review sample of the Monster Elements for the purposes of this review.
Last Updated on February 20, 2020.
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