How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-08 · 8 min read · Independent comparison
• Monster Open Ear AC228 — biggest strength: 13mm dynamic drivers with directional audio that pushes sound toward your ear canal, plus a lightweight liquid-silicone and nickel-titanium memory alloy fit designed to stay put.
• Monster Open Ear AC228 — biggest trade-off: IPX5 water resistance and roughly 8 hours per charge (24 hours with the case) is the more modest spec set here, and there is no multipoint or hi-res codec on the sheet.
• EarFun Clip 2 — biggest strength: Up to 11 hours per charge (40 hours total), LDAC and Hi-Res Audio, 4-mic AI call handling, multipoint, and a 12mm titanium-composite driver.
• EarFun Clip 2 — biggest trade-off: IP55 dust/water resistance applies to the earbuds only, not the charging case, and the AI translation feature depends on the EarFun Audio App.
• Who each pick is for: Monster for the runner or cyclist who wants a simple, secure, awareness-first clip-on. EarFun Clip 2 for the user who wants more battery, better codec support and device switching.
The Monster Open Ear AC228 is the straightforward option. It uses a clip-on open-ear shape with 13mm dynamic drivers and a 20Hz–20,000Hz frequency range, and it leans on directional audio technology to aim sound into your ear canal instead of leaking it into the room. That matters in two situations: when you want your music to stay yours on a busy street, and when you want to hear traffic, footsteps or a conversation without pulling anything out of your ears.
The fit story is where Monster puts real effort. Skin-friendly liquid silicone and a flexible nickel-titanium memory alloy frame adapt to different ear shapes, and the design is built to stay on rather than fall off. It is lightweight and pressure-free by design, which is the whole argument for open-ear clip-ons in the first place — nothing jammed into your canal, no seal building up heat over a long session. Bluetooth 6.0 covers pairing stability and range, and IPX5 handles heavy sweat and rain.
Who should buy it: runners, cyclists, walkers and anyone doing urban outdoor work who wants awareness as a feature, not a compromise. If you want a clip-on that is easy to live with and you are not chasing codec specs or marathon battery numbers, this is the cleaner fit. Who should skip it: if you need multipoint to jump between a phone and a laptop, if you want LDAC or hi-res certification, or if you want the longest possible playtime between charges, the EarFun Clip 2 is the better answer. Same if you specifically want a higher dust/water rating — IPX5 is sweat-and-rain resistant, not a dust rating.
The EarFun Clip 2 is the feature-loaded option in this comparison, and it is not subtle about it. The C-shaped bridge is widened, combines 40° ultra-soft silicone with a 0.5mm nickel-titanium memory wire, and each earbud weighs only 5.5g. You stretch and rotate it to match your ear, and the design goal is zero pinching with nothing entering your ear canal — the same open-ear philosophy as the Monster, just executed with a slightly more elaborate bridge.
The audio side is the real split. EarFun uses a 12mm titanium-composite dynamic driver with a dual-magnetic circuit, and it adds LDAC support plus Hi-Res Audio certification. EarFun Spatial Stage Technology is on board for a wider, more 3D presentation, and directional sound tech keeps you aware of traffic and announcements. On calls, 4 built-in microphones with AI-powered noise cancellation work to pull your voice out of background chatter and wind. There is also real-time AI translation across 100+ languages through the EarFun Audio App, which is a genuinely unusual extra for a clip-on.
Battery and connectivity are the other headline: up to 11 hours per charge and 40 hours total with the USB-C case, with a 10-minute fast charge giving about 2.5 hours. Turn LDAC on and single-charge playtime drops to about 6 hours — worth knowing before you assume the bigger number always applies. Bluetooth 6.0, multipoint and Google Fast Pair round it out.
Who should buy it: anyone who wants the most capability per earbud — long sessions, device switching, better codec support, clearer calls and a physical button that will not misfire. Who should skip it: if you want the simplest possible setup and do not care about translation, multipoint or LDAC, you are paying attention to features you may never use.
• Best for battery life → EarFun Clip 2. Up to 11 hours per charge and 40 hours total versus roughly 8 hours and 24 hours on the Monster.
• Best for hi-res audio → EarFun Clip 2. LDAC and Hi-Res Audio certification are on the EarFun sheet and absent from the Monster sheet.
• Best for calls → EarFun Clip 2. 4 mics with AI noise cancellation is a more specified call setup than the Monster offers.
• Best for simple, awareness-first outdoor use → Monster Open Ear AC228. Open-ear design, directional audio and a secure silicone/memory-alloy fit with no app dependency.
• Best for dust and splash resistance → EarFun Clip 2. IP55 on the earbuds beats IPX5, though the case is excluded from that rating.
• Best for control reliability → EarFun Clip 2. Physical push buttons avoid the accidental triggers that touch controls are known for.
• Best for a no-fuss fitness clip → Monster Open Ear AC228. It does the core job — secure open-ear listening with sweat and rain resistance — with fewer moving parts.
A quick note on gaming, since a lot of readers arrive from that angle. Neither of these is a sealed in-ear monitor, and neither is marketed as a low-latency gaming headset. If you are hunting for the best in ear earbuds for ps5 or dedicated in ear headphones for ps5, you are really shopping for isolation and a wired or low-latency path, which is a different product category. Where an open-ear clip does earn its place is long PS5 sessions where you still want to hear your room — and here the EarFun's multipoint is handy if you want your console audio on one device and your phone on another. If you specifically want an IPX7 waterproof over-ear set for PS5, that is a different build class again; the Monster here is IPX5 and the EarFun is IP55, so treat both as sweat-and-splash protection, not swim-proof gear.
My Verdict
I would buy the EarFun Clip 2. In my opinion, the combination of up to 40 hours total playtime, LDAC and Hi-Res Audio, multipoint, 4-mic AI call handling and a physical button makes it the more capable clip-on for the same open-ear job — and the 5.5g-per-bud, widened C-bridge design addresses the fit complaint that drives most people away from clip-ons. I would pick the Monster Open Ear AC228 instead if my priority were the simplest possible secure fit for running and cycling, with directional audio and awareness as the whole point. For PS5 sessions, remember that neither is a sealed gaming set — if you want the best in ear earbuds for ps5 or true in ear headphones for ps5, look at that category separately. Before deciding, check the current price on Amazon, since value is the one thing spec sheets cannot settle.
FAQ
how to open ear headphones work
how to wear open ear headphones
Clip the C-shaped bridge over the top of your ear so the driver rests just outside the canal. On the EarFun Clip 2, the widened bridge with 40° silicone and a 0.5mm nickel-titanium memory wire can be stretched and rotated to match your ear shape. On the Monster Open Ear AC228, the liquid silicone and nickel-titanium alloy frame adapts the same way. No insertion, no seal.
how to use open ear headphones
Pair over Bluetooth 6.0, then control playback from the earbuds — the EarFun Clip 2 uses physical push buttons, and its app lets you customize them. The Monster Open Ear AC228 pairs and plays directly. Keep the case charged: the Monster gives about 8 hours per charge and 24 total, the EarFun up to 11 per charge and 40 total, dropping to about 6 hours per charge with LDAC on.
It depends on what you value, not on a single number — so check the current price on Amazon for both. For my money, the EarFun's extra battery, LDAC support, multipoint and 4-mic calls justify it if you will use those features. If you just want a secure, awareness-first clip-on for running and cycling, the Monster is the simpler, lighter-on-features choice.
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