Perhaps one of the brands that fall into the “hidden gems” category would be Monoprice’s Monolith collection. Last year, I reviewed their M-TWE Earbuds and fell head-over-heels for the astounding audio quality. They’ve been my go-to pair since then, but I think that they may now have competition with the newly released M1000ANC Bluetooth Headphones. I’ve typically written off headphones lately but these have totally changed my mind.

What’s in the Box

Unboxing the M1000s is a pretty simple task. Included with your purchase you’ll find the M1000s, a USB Type-C charging cable, a 3.5mm audio cable, a carrying bag, and its instructional manual. Monoprice is usually pretty good about including these carrying bags or cases with their headphones so I’m pretty pleased that they didn’t buck the trend with these.

Aesthetics and Build Quality

The M1000 Headphones sport a full blacked-out design from top to bottom, creating a truly premium look overall. Though I loved the audio of Monoprice’s BT-600ANC Bluetooth Headphones I could not get past its hideous color scheme. Here, it is a solid and subtle design that shows off the Monolith flair. The arms holding the earphones themselves are pretty interesting looking which gives the headphones a unique touch as well.

Where the design aspect falls a bit short for me is that the frame of the headphones is very similar to the BT-600s though better in quality overall. I just personally feel that the headband may be a bit too thin and I worry about the possibility of it snapping over time. It’s very durable and springy, though there’s no telling if it will give out in a year or so after extended use.

Specs and Audio Quality

Bluetooth 5
40mm Drivers
Memory Foam Earpads
Up to 60 Hours of Playback Time
Clear Phone Calls with Qualcomm cVc Echo Cancelling and Noise Suppression
Dirac Virtuo Spatial
Active Noise Cancellation
Wireless and Wired Operation

The M1000s pack a bunch of very useful and effective features into their compact design. Most notably, the playback time. For the two weeks I’ve had these headphones, I never had to charge them. It’s advertised as having up to 40 hours with ANC on and I can confirm that this is true, to my surprise.

Getting into that ANC; it is quite possibly the best use of it that I have ever seen in audio tech so far. It actually manages to seemingly suck that dead air right out of your ears as soon as you turn it on. There’s a low and high setting but using it on high is definitely life-changing. The addition of the Dirac Virtuo Spatial only makes this feature even better as it feels like there’s always a concert going on right around you.

When it came to mic quality I was told by people listening that it sounded a bit modulated. I also tried plugging it into my Xbox Core controller and unfortunately it doesn’t seem to pass any mic audio through via the 3.5mm cable. These aspects really aren’t a deal-breaker though as gaming with them as far as in-ear sound was perfection.

Whether using these for music, gaming, or other entertainment purposes, you can expect them to truly deliver a rich, full soundscape for your head holes. Something that I was eager to see is if there was any input lag between these and what was happening on-screen. Luckily, neither my Nintendo Switch nor my PC had any issues. Bluetooth connection was also incredibly quick and was never even a slight hassle.

What It Could Have Done Better

My big issue with these headphones is their headband. While it is definitely bouncy, I just can’t say whether it is up to being tossed in a bag or stretched too far. Only time will really tell. Another nitpick I have is the fact that you really can’t use them for chatting purposes. Firstly, because you can’t really hook them up with the cable to say and Xbox or PS5 controller. Secondly, the mic isn’t the best in the game.

Verdict

Monoprice’s Monolith M1000ANC Bluetooth Headphones are now my favorite pair of headphones. The vibrant sound, the premium look, and fantastic playtime are top-tier. Though the headband can seem a bit dodgy, it really hasn’t been any issue. If you’re looking to level-up your audio game, look no further because these are the ones. Superb!