What more could you ask for in a sports headphone?
I’ve had a couple pairs of Monster® headphones before. When I saw their current line of Bluetooth headphones, I looked forward to getting my hands on a pair of iSport SuperSlim headphones to review. At a list price of$150, these new Monster iSport wireless headphones have a lot to live up to.
With the market booming with this new kind of wearable, you want to make an educated decision about which pair is the best one for you. So I tried a pair and here’s what I thought.
Monster iSport Wireless Headphones
The Monster SuperSlim Design
Often times the biggest problem that I have with headphones derive from the design. And it’s for this reason that when I got my hands on the Monster iSport wireless headphones, I was super excited. I’m a big fan of the Monster sound and had thought the Sports Clip design had been comfortable when I used them before.
The packaging for this product is impressive. It opens out nicely to show off a fit guide and the headphones. I eagerly pulled them out and got to playing around. The pair I sampled came in lime green. If you prefer something more subtle, they have black as an option. As a personal preference, I suggest the headphones in black. When it comes to these headphones, the more subtle you can get, the better.
The first time I took these out and wore them was one street down from my apartment to meet some friends. I wore them with pride. Then my friends spotted them. I hadn’t paid much attention to the size of the headphones themselves until that moment. From this second perspective, I noticed that they’re quite big.
Graphics Credit: Monster Inc.
Additionally, the Sports Clips themselves can be bulky. This adds to the effect since there’s nothing wrapping around your ears to hold them in place. So you pop them in and they just sort of dangle out of your ear, blinking.
Yes, blinking.
When powered on, they flash blue on a circle on the outside of the headphones. This was another comment I heard people make about them while I wore them. “They’re just so big, and they’re blinking.”
I felt a little puffed up as I walked around the gym wearing huge sports headphones that flashed as if needing to be noticed.
Graphics Credit: Monster Inc.
This doesn’t even cover the not-so-slim rubber wire that connects the two headphones. With most wireless headphones, I could wrap them comfortably around my neck, but that didn’t work with this pair. The rubber tugs and catches on skin and clothing. The Sports Clips weren’t strong enough to hold them in place. I constantly found myself adjusting and fixing them.
Even without the constant tugging, I had some trouble getting the right fit on these iSport SuperSlim headphones. They come loaded with 3 different ear bud sizes as well as 3 different sweat-resistant, washable Sports Clip sizes. Yet, I still couldn’t get just the right snug fit in my ears.
From a design perspective, I would say these Monster iSport wireless headphones might not be worth the financial investment. That is unless you get the opportunity to try them on and see how they fit in your ears.
The Monster Sound
The Pure Monster Sound® will always hold a soft spot for me. No matter how comfortable the fit, the first time I use any of their products, I just sigh with relief when the music starts playing.
There’s nothing like walking down a busy street and just listening. The sound is smooth, soft, and powerful.
The bass play through the headphones is rich. Feeling surrounded by the noise isolation is easy when the sound is this good. The details in the music are really brought out by the Pure Monster Sound®. Songs have a new angle, new edges.
Coupled with the right playlist, these headphones can get you pumped up for anything.
It’s definitely something you need to experience.
[Tweet “The details in the music are really brought out by the Pure Monster Sound®.”]Functionality and Final Thoughts
The sound is incredible, but this feels somewhat disappointing as these Monster iSport wireless headphones don’t come together as a whole.
The Bluetooth itself is great. Five hours of playback is great. Not having to keep your phone plugged in the whole time when you’re at the gym is freeing, and yes, great. I expected some system that felt more effortless than some of the less expensive Bluetooth headphones on the market.
The monotone voice: “power on” can be found in any system, and is not that impressive. The pairing is simple enough if you keep your eye on the manual. Overall, for the price you’re paying, the product could be better.
I constantly felt like the headphones were in contradiction. Pure sound, but lackluster in most everything else. I struggled to feel good about using them in public while at the same time wishing for the Pure Monster Sound®.
I’m a huge fan of Monster®, but these were a bit of a disappointment. When it comes to Bluetooth headphones, I’ve seen other brands do better with design and functionality. While the Bluetooth itself is a great experience, I wouldn’t recommend spending your $150 for these Monster iSport wireless headphones. The list price is a little steep for the product. Fortunately, there’s Amazon.com, where this product goes for less than $90. Now that’s more to my (and probably your) liking.
I rate these headphones 3 out of 5 stars.
So what’s your opinion? Do you agree or disagree with anything in this review? Have you tried the Monster iSport SuperSlim wireless headphones? What did you like and/or dislike about them? Let us know in the comments below or over on the Beantown Review Twitter or Facebook pages.
And don’t hesitate to head over to the Monster Products website. Feel free to check out their 2016 product lineup as seen at the recent CES. They’ve introduced some great products in 2016.
FTC Disclosure: Monster Inc. provided Beantown LLC with one (1) sample pair of SuperSlim Monster iSport wireless headphones for review purposes. This writer’s opinions are 100% his own.
All photographs are the copyrighted property of Monster Inc. and/or Beantown LLC.