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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-04 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
• Monoprice Semi-Open Over Ear — biggest strength: a semi-open acoustic design paired with huge 53mm drivers that push genuinely deep low-end, all wrapped in a leather-and-velvet build meant for marathon listening.
• Monoprice Semi-Open Over Ear — biggest trade-off: it is a standard 3.5mm headphone with no microphone and no inline call controls, so it is not built to answer calls or talk to coworkers on a headset.
• Audio-Technica ATH-S120C-LV — biggest strength: a USB-C connection plus an inline mic and remote that handles play/pause, track skipping, volume, and answering or ending calls without you touching your phone.
• Audio-Technica ATH-S120C-LV — biggest trade-off: it is an on-ear design with fabric and silicone housings, so it clamps onto the ear rather than surrounding it, and its frequency range tops out at 20kHz, meaning less sub-bass reach than the Monoprice.
• Who each pick is for: pick the Monoprice if you mostly listen to music, podcasts, or audio while working and value comfort, bass, and awareness; pick the Audio-Technica if your shift runs on phone calls and you need a mic on your head, not in your hand.
The headline feature here is that semi-open design. Instead of sealing your ears off completely like a traditional closed-back headphone, it lets some air and ambient sound through. That matters a lot in a warehouse, where you want to hear a forklift horn, a shouted warning, or a supervisor behind you. The spec sheet describes it as balancing and reducing ambient noise rather than blocking it, so it is not a noise-canceling headphone — it is a "hear both worlds" headphone. If you have been searching for the best noise canceling head phones for warehouse work and expecting total silence, this is not that. It is the opposite philosophy: keep the music, keep your awareness.
What it does have is serious low-end hardware. The 53mm dynamic drivers are large for this class, and the stated 15Hz to 28kHz frequency range stretches lower than most everyday headphones. In my opinion, that combination is what makes it a satisfying music-and-podcast companion for a long shift — deep, full bass with clear mids and highs rather than a thin, tinny sound.
Audio-Technica ATH-S120C-LV: Who It's For
The ATH-S120C-LV is built around one clear idea: plug it into a USB-C port and control everything from the cable. The inline mic and remote handle play/pause, track skipping, volume, and answering or ending calls. For warehouse work, that is the whole ballgame. If you are fielding calls, coordinating with a team, or just want the best crystal clear calls on ear headphones for warehouse work, having a mic sitting on the cable instead of holding a phone to your ear is the difference between a workable shift and an annoying one.
It is also light and compact by design, and the housings fold flat for storage, which matters if you are stuffing them into a locker, a bag, or a jacket pocket between shifts. Audio-Technica explicitly calls out comfort during extended use, and the fabric and silicone enclosure materials are a sensible choice for something you wear for hours — they breathe better than a leather-like pad in a warm building.
The trade-offs are real, though. It is an on-ear headphone, so the pads rest against your ears rather than around them. Some people love that light, open feel; others find the pressure point distracting after a few hours. Its frequency response is listed as 20Hz to 20,000Hz, which is perfectly normal for this style of headset but does not reach as deep as the Monoprice. And its noise control is described as sound isolation, not active noise cancellation — so it takes the edge off background noise but will not silence a loud floor. It is compatible with iOS and Android devices and comes with a two-year warranty, which is a reassuring detail for something used daily.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for taking calls on the job → Audio-Technica ATH-S120C-LV. The inline mic and call controls are the deciding factor; the Monoprice has no microphone at all.
• Best for ambient awareness on a busy floor → Monoprice Semi-Open Over Ear. Its semi-open design intentionally lets surrounding sound through instead of sealing you off.
• Best for portability and storage → Audio-Technica ATH-S120C-LV. Lightweight, compact, and the housings fold flat.
• Best for around-the-ear comfort over long sessions → Monoprice Semi-Open Over Ear. Over-ear velvet pads and a leather headband beat an on-ear clamp for marathon wear.
• Best for modern phones and tablets → Audio-Technica ATH-S120C-LV. The USB-C connector matches current devices directly, while the Monoprice uses a 3.5mm jack (with a 1/4-inch adapter included for home gear).
• Best for plugging into a laptop or audio interface → Monoprice Semi-Open Over Ear. The 3.5mm cable and bundled adapter cover computers, phones, and home audio.
• Best for a warm warehouse or long summer shifts → Audio-Technica ATH-S120C-LV. Fabric and silicone materials tend to stay cooler than velvet over hours.
For warehouse work specifically, I would buy the Audio-Technica ATH-S120C-LV. The reason is simple and practical: a wired headset you wear on a shift lives or dies by whether it can take a call, and the inline mic and controls make that effortless. It is light, it folds away, and it matches the USB-C ports on the devices most people carry now. That said, if your job is mostly listening — music, podcasts, audiobooks — and you want deep bass plus the ability to still hear what is happening around you, the Monoprice Semi-Open Over Ear is the more enjoyable headphone, and its semi-open design is genuinely smart for a noisy environment where you cannot afford to be deaf to your surroundings.
No. It uses a semi-open design that balances and reduces ambient noise rather than actively canceling it. The benefit is that you stay aware of your surroundings, which is often safer and more practical on a warehouse floor than full isolation.
Yes. It has an inline mic with controls for play/pause, track skipping, volume, and answering or ending calls. That is its main advantage over the Monoprice, which is a straight listening headphone with no mic.
Based on the specs, the Monoprice. Its 53mm drivers and 15Hz–28kHz range extend lower than the Audio-Technica's 20Hz–20,000Hz response, so expect noticeably deeper low-end from the Monoprice.
It depends on your ears, but over-ear designs like the Monoprice generally distribute pressure around the ear rather than pressing on it, which many people find more comfortable for hours at a time. The Audio-Technica's on-ear, lightweight build suits anyone who prefers a lighter, cooler feel. Worth checking the current price on Amazon for whichever you lean toward before deciding.
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