How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want active noise cancelling with week-long battery life for commutes and focused work, choose JLab; if you need an open-ear fit that keeps you aware of traffic, sweat and rain, choose Monster Open Ear AC322.
• JLab's biggest strength: hybrid ANC that cuts ambient noise by up to 30 dB, plus a claimed 70-hour battery (40+ with ANC on) and a full app for EQ and control remapping.
• JLab's biggest trade-off: it's an on-ear, closed design — you're sealed off from your surroundings unless you switch to Be Aware mode, and there's no wired jack as a backup.
• Monster Open Ear AC322's biggest strength: an open-ear hook design that leaves your ear canal clear, so you hear traffic and conversation while still listening, backed by IPX5 sweat/rain resistance and an adjustable ear hook.
• Monster Open Ear AC322's biggest trade-off: no noise cancelling at all, and a shorter 36-hour battery — it's built for awareness, not isolation.
• Choose JLab if you commute, fly, work in a noisy room, or want app-level control over sound and ANC.
• Choose Monster Open Ear AC322 if you run, cycle, lift, or work outdoors and can't afford to be deaf to what's around you.
JLab's Go Lux ANC (ASIN B0DRDPJRL9) is the "shut the world out" option. Its headline feature is hybrid active noise cancelling, which uses microphones on the outside and inside of the earcup to reduce ambient sound by up to 30 dB across a broad frequency range. That's the kind of spec that matters on a plane, a bus, or in a shared office — the design goal is to lower the noise floor so you can hear your audio at a lower volume. When you do need to hear a gate announcement or a coworker, Be Aware mode pipes the surroundings back in, and both modes are tunable in the JLab App.
Battery is the other big story. JLab claims up to 70 hours of playtime, dropping to 40+ hours with ANC active. Even taking the ANC-on figure, that's roughly a workweek of commutes and calls between charges, which is the practical difference between "charge it on the weekend" and "charge it every couple of days." Around that core you get 40mm dynamic drivers, Bluetooth 5.4, multipoint pairing to two devices at once, Google Fast Pair and Microsoft Swift Pair, touch controls you can remap in the app, safe-hearing volume limits, and a wireless share mode that streams audio to a second Go Lux headphone. The earcups use 1-inch Cloud Foam cushions shaped to the natural outline of the ear, with adjustable hinges — useful, because on-ear pressure is the usual weak point of this form factor. It ships in a graphite finish with plastic, metal and faux-leather materials, weighs about 0.3 kg, and carries a 2-year warranty.
Monster Open Ear AC322: Who It's For
The Monster Open Ear AC322 (ASIN B0F8J287M6) solves a completely different problem. It's an open-ear headset, meaning the driver sits outside your ear canal rather than sealing it. Nothing plugs your ears, so ambient sound comes in naturally — you hear approaching traffic, a training partner, or a colleague walking up behind you without pausing your audio. For outdoor runners and cyclists, that's not a nice-to-have; it's the whole reason to pick this shape.
The rest of the spec sheet reads like a sports-first device. IPX5 waterproofing means it shrugs off sweat and rain, which covers gym sessions, humid summer runs, and getting caught in a drizzle. Battery is rated at 36 hours, which comfortably covers a week of hour-long workouts or a couple of long days of all-day wear. Bluetooth 5.4 handles the connection with low latency, and Monster advertises its "Pure Monster Sound" tuning for clear, rich audio. The adjustable ear hook is designed to fit different ear sizes and to stay put — the sheet explicitly frames it as "not easy to fall off," which is the right priority when you're moving. It's also lighter than the JLab at roughly 0.19 kg, with plastic and silicone construction, and it comes with a 1-year warranty.
Who should buy it: runners, cyclists, gym-goers, walkers, delivery riders, and anyone who wears headphones in situations where situational awareness is a safety issue. Who should skip it: anyone who wants to block out noise. There's no noise cancelling here — the spec sheet lists noise control as "None" — so on a plane or in a loud café, you'll hear everything around you. If isolation is the point, this isn't the tool.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for noise cancelling → JLab. Up to 30 dB of hybrid ANC versus no noise control at all on the Monster.
• Best for battery life → JLab. Up to 70 hours claimed, or 40+ with ANC running, against 36 hours.
• Best for long-haul flights and noisy offices → JLab. Sealed on-ear cups with tunable ANC and Be Aware mode.
• Best for app control and customization → JLab. EQ presets, ANC levels, remapped touch controls, safe-hearing limits and firmware updates.
• Best for all-day light comfort → Monster Open Ear AC322. At about 0.19 kg with an open-ear hook, there's no clamping pressure on the ear at all.
• Best for multi-device switching → JLab. Bluetooth multipoint connects two devices at once; the Monster sheet doesn't list multipoint.
• Best for calls in quiet-to-moderate settings → either. JLab leans on noise-cancelling mics for clarity; the Monster's open-ear design keeps your voice natural but won't mask a loud background.
I'd buy the JLab Go Lux ANC. In my opinion, it's the more versatile pair for most people: the ANC makes it genuinely usable on a plane, train or busy office floor, the 70-hour battery removes charging anxiety from your week, and the app gives you real control over sound and controls. The Monster Open Ear AC322 is the smarter pick only if you specifically need your ears open — running, riding, or working out where hearing your surroundings matters more than blocking them out. Different jobs, different tools. If you're safety-first and outdoors most of the time, the Monster wins; for everything else, JLab.
For commuting, yes — in my opinion. JLab's hybrid ANC reduces ambient noise by up to 30 dB, which is exactly what trains, buses and planes demand. The Monster's open-ear design deliberately lets all of that noise in.
Does the Monster Open Ear AC322 have noise cancelling?
No. Its spec sheet lists noise control as "None." The design goal is the opposite of isolation: the open-ear shape keeps you aware of traffic, people and surroundings while you listen.
Yes — it carries an IPX5 waterproof rating, which the manufacturer describes as resistant to sweat and rain. That makes it the better choice for workouts and outdoor activity than the on-ear JLab.
I don't quote prices here because they change often. Check the current price on Amazon for both, then weigh it against what you actually need: if you want ANC and maximum battery, JLab is the one; if you want open-ear awareness and water resistance, go Monster.
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