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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want a light, comfortable on-ear pair you can wear all day for music, calls and casual listening, choose Monoprice Hi-Fi Lightweight On-Ear; if you need headphones built for recording, mixing and monitoring with proper noise isolation, choose JOYO Studio Monitor Headphones.
• Monoprice's biggest strength: at just 4.5 ounces (0.17 kg) with 36mm dynamic drivers, it's designed for low-fatigue, all-day wear and doubles as a headset thanks to the in-line mic and play/pause control.
• Monoprice's biggest trade-off: it's an on-ear, wired-only design with no swivel or folding mechanism mentioned, and the listing explicitly states no warranty.
• JOYO's biggest strength: 50mm drivers with rare-earth magnets, a 15–28,000Hz range, closed-back passive isolation and a detachable 3.5mm/6.35mm plug system with a 3m cable.
• JOYO's biggest trade-off: it's noticeably heavier at 270g and clearly aimed at studio work, so it's less of a toss-in-your-bag casual pair.
• Who each pick is for: Monoprice for commuters, students, gamers and anyone taking calls; JOYO for home-studio players, podcasters, and anyone plugging into a guitar amp, mixer or interface.
The Monoprice Hi-Fi Lightweight On-Ear is a straightforward, wired 3.5mm on-ear headphone. Its headline spec is weight: at 0.17 kg (about 4.5 ounces) it's built so you forget you're wearing it. That matters more than it sounds. If you wear headphones for a full workday, a long flight, or a marathon gaming session, the pressure on the top of your head and around your ears is what eventually makes you take them off. Monoprice designed around that problem.
On the audio side, it uses 36mm dynamic drivers with 32-ohm impedance, 101dB sensitivity and a 20Hz–20kHz frequency range. That's a standard, easy-to-drive spec set: 32 ohms and high sensitivity means a phone or laptop can push it without a dedicated amp. Monoprice's own description claims full, rich bass, clear vocals and crisp highs, and while that's marketing copy rather than a measured result, the spec sheet is consistent with a consumer-tuned pair rather than a flat reference monitor.
The in-line controller is the second reason to consider it. There's a microphone plus play/pause controls, and the description says you can answer and end calls on Apple or Android phones. So it's not just a music headphone — it's a headset for calls and meetings. It also lists sound isolation as its noise-control approach, which for an on-ear design is passive and modest by nature. One thing to weigh: the listing states no warranty, and the on-ear cups don't fold or swivel per the data provided. If you want a compact, stowable studio pair, that's a reason to look elsewhere.
Buy it if: you want a very light wired on-ear for music, calls, gaming and travel, and you value comfort over studio-grade isolation.
Skip it if: you need folding portability, a locking 6.35mm connection for instruments and mixers, or a headphone explicitly tuned for critical listening.
The JOYO JMH-01 is a different animal entirely. It's a closed-back over-ear wired headphone with 50mm large-aperture dynamic drivers using rare-earth magnets and copper-clad aluminum voice coils. JOYO rates the frequency range at 15–28,000Hz — wider at both ends than the Monoprice, with the low-end extension in particular being the kind of thing you notice when you're trying to hear what's actually happening in a bass line rather than just feel it.
The design is the real story for studio use. Closed-back over-ear cups mean passive noise isolation (JOYO is explicit that this is not active noise cancellation). That's the right tool for late-night recording, tracking vocals in a room with a noisy PC, or just blocking out a household while you mix. The ear cups use memory-protein cotton and leather, and the headband is adjustable. The cups rotate 90 degrees and fold inward, so you can lay the headphones flat on a desk or hang them on your chest between takes.
Connectivity is where it separates from the Monoprice for musicians. JOYO includes both a 3.5mm plug and a gold-plated 6.35mm adapter, and the cable is a 3m (10ft) spring cable. That means you can go straight into a guitar amp, mixer, audio interface or keyboard without a separate adapter, and the extra length lets you move around while you play. It's also listed with a volume control and, like the Monoprice, uses a touch-type control method. At 270g it's heavier, and the over-ear clamp plus closed cups will run warmer than an on-ear pair — that's the trade for isolation and bigger drivers.
Buy it if: you record, mix, podcast, or play guitar through a modeling amp and need isolation, a long cable and a 6.35mm connection.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for all-day comfort and low fatigue → Monoprice Hi-Fi Lightweight On-Ear. At 0.17 kg versus JOYO's 270g, it's the pair you'll forget you're wearing.
• Best for recording, mixing and monitoring → JOYO Studio Monitor Headphones. 50mm drivers, a 15–28,000Hz range and a less-colored monitor voicing are built for critical listening.
• Best for phone calls and meetings → Monoprice Hi-Fi Lightweight On-Ear. The in-line mic with play/pause and answer/end controls is the deciding feature here.
• Best for instruments and mixers → JOYO Studio Monitor Headphones. The included 6.35mm adapter and 3m spring cable are made for amps, interfaces and keyboards.
• Best for noisy environments → JOYO Studio Monitor Headphones. Closed-back over-ear passive isolation beats an on-ear design for blocking ambient sound.
• Best for travel and storage → JOYO Studio Monitor Headphones. The foldable, 90-degree swiveling cups pack down; the Monoprice has no folding design listed.
• Best for casual music on a phone or laptop → Monoprice Hi-Fi Lightweight On-Ear. 32-ohm impedance and 101dB sensitivity make it easy to drive from anything with a 3.5mm jack.
• Best for warranty peace of mind → JOYO Studio Monitor Headphones. JOYO backs the JMH-01 with its support process; Monoprice lists no warranty.
If I had to pick one, I'd buy the JOYO Studio Monitor Headphones. In my opinion, the 50mm drivers, wider 15–28,000Hz range, closed-back isolation, 6.35mm adapter and 3m cable make it the more capable tool for anyone who actually records or mixes, and it's the more versatile wired connection overall. The Monoprice is the better pick only if comfort and weight are your top priority and you mostly listen on a phone or take calls — it's genuinely lighter, and the in-line mic is a real advantage. But for the widest range of real work, JOYO wins. Check the current price on Amazon and decide based on which use case is yours.
No. The isolation is passive — it comes from the closed-back over-ear design, not active noise cancellation. JOYO states this explicitly. It reduces ambient noise but won't silence a plane engine the way ANC would.
Yes. It has an in-line microphone with play/pause controls, and the description says you can answer and end calls on Apple or Android smartphones. It's a wired 3.5mm headset, so it works with anything that has a standard headphone jack.
Bigger drivers generally move more air, and the JOYO's 50mm drivers with rare-earth magnets and a 15Hz low-end extension are positioned for deeper, more accurate bass. The Monoprice's 36mm drivers are tuned more for everyday listening. In my opinion, JOYO is the better choice if bass accuracy matters.
Both are wired. The Monoprice uses a 3.5mm jack, and the JOYO includes both a 3.5mm plug and a 6.35mm adapter. If you need Bluetooth, neither of these is the right fit — but note the Monoprice sheet does list a Bluetooth field, so verify the exact configuration on the product page before buying.
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See also: Monoprice Over Ear Headphones vs E-filliate DEWALT Jobsite Pro, Donner EM1 vs Bestier 42-Inch: Monitor Headphones, HAKII Light 2 vs Core Innovations Over-Ear Headphones