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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want active noise cancelling and a low-latency gaming mode in a traditional in-ear design, choose Cubitt Tracking Technologies Power Earbuds Pro; if you need open-ear comfort that keeps you aware of traffic, coworkers and your surroundings all day long, choose Monster Open Free AC100.
• Cubitt Power Earbuds Pro — biggest strength: 22dB Active Noise Cancelling plus dual-mic ENC and a 60ms Game Mode, so it's built for focus, calls and low-latency gaming in a sealed in-ear fit.
• Cubitt Power Earbuds Pro — biggest trade-off: It's an in-ear bud, so you're deliberately cut off from your surroundings, and the 30H total playtime only holds with ANC off (6.5H per charge vs 4.5H with ANC on).
• Monster Open Free AC100 — biggest strength: A true open-ear, earhook design with 16mm drivers and AI noise-cancelling mics, so you get stereo sound without ever plugging your ear canal.
• Monster Open Free AC100 — biggest trade-off: Open-ear means you hear everything around you — great for safety, less great if you want to block out a noisy commute. It also runs the older Bluetooth 5.3 spec versus the Cubitt's 6.0.
• Who each pick is for: Cubitt Power Earbuds Pro for commuters, gamers and call-heavy workers who want noise blocked out; Monster Open Free AC100 for runners, cyclists and all-day wearers who want their ears left open.
The Power Earbuds Pro is the "shut the world out" option. Its headline feature is 22dB Active Noise Cancelling, paired with dual-mic ENC that filters wind and background chatter so your voice comes through on calls. If you've ever taken a call on a windy street or a packed train, that combination is exactly what it's designed for. The sealed in-ear fit with multiple ear tip sizes is what makes the ANC actually work — you need a proper seal for noise cancelling to do its job, and Cubitt gives you the tips to get there.
On the technical side, it runs Bluetooth 6.0 on a BT8932E chipset with AAC and SBC decoding, a stable connection up to 10 metres/33ft, and fast pairing. Battery is 6.5 hours per charge with ANC off, dropping to 4.5 hours with ANC on, and the 500mAh case stretches total playtime to about 30 hours — roughly 3.7 full recharges. There's also 90 days of standby, so it survives weeks forgotten in a bag. Game Mode drops latency to around 60ms, which matters if you're playing anything where audio needs to match on-screen action. IPX5 handles sweat and light rain.
Buy it if you commute, work in a noisy office, take a lot of calls, or game on your phone and want the audio synced. Skip it if you hate the feeling of something inside your ear canal, or if you need to hear traffic and surroundings for safety — the whole point of this one is that it blocks them out.
The Open Free AC100 goes the opposite direction on purpose. It's an open-ear, air-conduction design with earhooks that rest on your ears rather than inside them. Monster's pitch is comfort and safety: nothing enters the ear canal, so there's no soreness or pressure even after a full day of listening. That's a real, physical difference from any in-ear bud, not a marketing line.
Sound comes from 16mm large drivers, which is a notably big driver for this category and is what Monster credits for the expansive soundstage and bass response. For calls, it uses AI noise-cancelling with dual microphones that monitor ambient sound and generate an opposing signal to reduce background noise — useful in a café or open office. Battery is 30 hours total with up to 6 hours per individual use. Connectivity is Bluetooth 5.3 with auto-pairing, and the design keeps you aware of your surroundings, which is the entire reason open-ear exists. It's white, folds as a true-wireless set, and carries a 1-year manufacturer warranty.
Buy it if you run, cycle, walk busy streets, or wear headphones for hours and hate the plugged-up feeling. Skip it if you want to silence a loud commute or airplane cabin — open-ear fundamentally can't do that, and there's no ANC claim here, only AI noise-cancelling on the mic side for calls.
• Best for blocking out noise → Cubitt Power Earbuds Pro. 22dB ANC is the only active noise cancelling in this comparison.
• Best for situational awareness and safety → Monster Open Free AC100. Open-ear is designed so ambient sound blends with your music.
• Best for gaming → Cubitt Power Earbuds Pro. The 60ms Game Mode is purpose-built for audio-visual sync; the AC100 has no low-latency mode listed.
• Best for all-day comfort → Monster Open Free AC100. Nothing sits in the ear canal, so no pressure or soreness over long sessions.
• Best for call clarity in wind → Cubitt Power Earbuds Pro. Dual-mic ENC specifically targets wind and environmental noise.
• Best for running and workouts → Monster Open Free AC100. Earhooks plus open-ear awareness suit outdoor training better than a sealed bud.
• Best for battery headroom with features on → Monster Open Free AC100. 6H per use vs the Cubitt's 4.5H with ANC engaged, and 30H total on both.
• Best for newer wireless tech → Cubitt Power Earbuds Pro. Bluetooth 6.0 with AAC/SBC decoding versus Bluetooth 5.3.
If I had to pick one, I'd buy the Cubitt Tracking Technologies Power Earbuds Pro — for the simple reason that it does more. Active noise cancelling, dual-mic ENC, a 60ms Game Mode and Bluetooth 6.0 cover commuting, calls and gaming in one pair, and the 90-day standby makes it a grab-and-go item. The Monster Open Free AC100 is genuinely the better choice if ear comfort and awareness are your top priorities, and I'd recommend it without hesitation to runners and cyclists. But as an all-rounder for most people, the Cubitt wins on features.
FAQ
The Monster Open Free AC100. Its earhook, open-ear design stays aware of traffic and won't seal sweat inside your ear. The Cubitt is IPX5 splash-resistant, but it's still a sealed in-ear bud.
Both list up to 30 hours total. The difference is per-charge: Monster claims up to 6 hours per use, while the Cubitt gives 6.5 hours with ANC off but only 4.5 hours with ANC on.
Compare the current price on Amazon using the button on this page, then weigh it against features — the Cubitt gives you ANC and Game Mode, the AC100 gives you open-ear comfort. Only you know which trade-off is worth it.
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