How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want an open-ear design with signature JBL deep bass and a huge 32-hour total battery reserve, choose JBL Vibe Flex True; if you need an in-ear seal with active noise cancellation and a secure sport-ready fit, choose Monster Clarity 101Plus.
• JBL Vibe Flex True — biggest strength: Open-ear comfort plus a 32-hour total playtime (8 hours per charge, 24 more in the case) and IP54 water/dust resistance, all tuned for punchy deep bass.
• JBL Vibe Flex True — biggest trade-off: The open-ear shape lets ambient sound in by design and there's no active noise cancellation, so it can't block out a noisy commute.
• Monster Clarity 101Plus — biggest strength: In-ear tips in three sizes create a sealed fit, backed by active noise cancellation and touch controls for music and calls.
• Monster Clarity 101Plus — biggest trade-off: Battery life is listed at 8 hours per charge with a 4-hour charge time, and the sheet gives no case reserve figure.
• Pick JBL Vibe Flex True if you want to stay aware of your surroundings, hate the plugged-ear feeling, and want the longer total runtime.
• Pick Monster Clarity 101Plus if you want to shut the world out, prefer a locked-in in-ear seal for workouts, and like tap controls.
The Vibe Flex True is built around one idea: you should hear your music and your surroundings at the same time. The open-ear design sits outside the ear canal rather than plugging it, so ambient noise comes through naturally. For city walkers, cyclists, and anyone who needs to hear traffic, a doorbell, or a training partner, that's the whole point. It's not a compromise you tolerate — it's the feature you're buying.
On the audio side, JBL leans hard into deep bass. The 20Hz–20,000Hz frequency range covers the full audible span, and the dynamic driver is tuned for rich, punchy low end rather than a flat, clinical sound. There's also a companion app with a sound customization option, so you can dial the tuning toward your own taste instead of living with a fixed curve. Bluetooth 5.3 handles the streaming, and it supports independent left/right audio, which means you can run one earbud at a time or even share audio with someone else wearing compatible headphones. Dual mics handle calls, and voice assistant support means you can trigger your assistant hands-free.
Battery is where this one pulls ahead on paper. Eight hours on a single charge, plus 24 more from the compact case, adds up to 32 hours total. The IP54 rating covers rain, sweat, and splashes, and the case carries its own IPX2 rating, so a light drizzle isn't a disaster.
Who should skip it: If your main listening happens on a loud train, a plane, or in a shared office, the open-ear design works against you. There's no noise cancellation here — noise control is listed as "None" — so external sound stays part of the mix. If you want silence, this isn't the tool.
The Clarity 101Plus goes the opposite direction: it seals you in. The in-ear shape with three sizes of ear tips lets you find a fit that blocks outside noise physically, and on top of that, the sheet lists active noise cancellation. That combination — a sealed tip plus ANC — is what makes this the better pick for noisy environments where you want your audio front and center.
The 6mm dynamic drivers are tuned for clear, powerful sound with deep bass, so the low-end emphasis is there too, just delivered through a closed fit rather than an open one. Touch controls cover play, pause, skip, and volume, so you're not digging for your phone mid-song. Calls run in stereo mode with a built-in mic, which should make hands-free conversations sound more natural than a single-channel setup.
Battery is listed at 8 hours of average life with a 4-hour charge time. That's a solid single-session figure, but the sheet doesn't give a case reserve number, so I'd treat the case as a top-up rather than a second full day of listening. The plastic build is light, the water-resistant design is aimed at sports use, and the fit is the real story: three tip sizes means you can actually get a seal instead of guessing.
Who should skip it: If you want to stay aware of traffic or you find sealed in-ears uncomfortable over long stretches, the in-ear design is a drawback, not a benefit. And if you need marathon total runtime, the JBL's documented 32 hours is the safer bet.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for total battery life → JBL Vibe Flex True. 32 hours total (8 + 24) beats an 8-hour figure with no stated case reserve.
• Best for staying aware of your surroundings → JBL Vibe Flex True. The open-ear design is deliberately built to let ambient sound through.
• Best for workouts and sweat → Both work, differently. JBL uses IP54 water/dust resistance with an IPX2 case; Monster uses a water-resistant design with a secure three-tip fit.
• Best for deep bass emphasis → JBL Vibe Flex True, in my opinion, because the tuning, the 20Hz–20,000Hz range, and the app-based sound customization give you more control over how that bass lands.
• Best for hands-free control → Monster Clarity 101Plus. Touch controls for play, pause, skip, and volume keep your phone in your pocket.
• Best for one-ear listening or audio sharing → JBL Vibe Flex True. Bluetooth 5.3 streams independently to each earbud.
• Best for long calls → JBL Vibe Flex True. Dual mics plus voice assistant support are built for hands-free convenience.
If I were buying for myself, I'd take the JBL Vibe Flex True. The 32-hour total battery, the open-ear comfort, the IP54 rating, and the app-tunable deep bass make it the more flexible everyday earbud — it handles commutes, walks, workouts, and long listening sessions without asking me to change my habits. I'd only switch to the Monster Clarity 101Plus if noise cancellation were my top priority, because that's the one thing it does that the JBL simply doesn't. For most people who want deep bass and don't want to think about charging, the JBL is my pick.
Both are tuned for deep bass. The JBL pairs a dynamic driver with a 20Hz–20,000Hz range and app-based sound customization, so you can shape the low end. The Monster uses 6mm drivers with a sealed in-ear fit, which can make bass feel tighter. In my opinion, JBL gives you more control over the sound.
Do the Monster Clarity 101Plus have noise cancellation?
JBL. It's listed at 8 hours per charge plus 24 hours in the case, for 32 hours total. The Monster is listed at 8 hours average life with a 4-hour charge time and no stated case reserve, so JBL is the safer choice for long days.
Both are built for it. The JBL carries IP54 water and dust resistance plus an IPX2 case, so sweat and splashes are covered. The Monster uses a water-resistant design with three ear-tip sizes for a secure in-ear hold. If you want to hear your surroundings while training, go JBL; if you want isolation, go Monster.
Whichever you lean toward, it's worth checking the current price on Amazon before you commit — the button on this page will take you there.
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See also: JBL Vibe Flex True vs Toztnix Neckband: Bluetooth Headphones, JBL Vibe Flex True vs Btootos Earbuds: Bluetooth Headphones, Bose QuietComfort 35 vs JBL Tune Flex: Wireless Noise