For open back headphones with mic for study, I recommend the Fosi Audio i5 for its wired planar design and wide stated frequency response. Monster is the runner-up if you need wireless calls and an open-ear fit.
• ABCDONG Open Ear Headphones — best for moving between study and outdoor activity; pick this if you want Bluetooth, earhooks, and a built-in microphone.
• Fosi Audio i5 — best for focused, stationary listening; pick this if you want wired planar headphones with a stated 10 Hz–50 kHz frequency response.
• Focal Elear High-Fidelity Open-Back — best for low-noise home listening; pick this if you want circum-aural open-back headphones with an aluminum yoke and leather headband.
• Monster Open Ear AC317 — best for wireless calls while staying aware of your surroundings; pick this if you want Bluetooth 5.4, touch controls, and up to 24 hours of playback with the case.
The ABCDONG is a wireless, open-ear model with flexible earhooks and a built-in microphone. Its design sits around the ear rather than sealing the ear canal, so it suits study sessions where I want to hear nearby activity as well as audio. The same open fit makes it a more natural choice for walking or exercise than for shutting out household noise.
Bluetooth 5.3 connects it to compatible phones and computers, with a stated range of up to 33 feet. After the initial pairing, it is designed to reconnect when the charging case opens. That can make short transitions between a desk and a walk less fiddly. The built-in voice assistant support and media controls also offer ways to manage calls or audio without reaching for a device.
The product information gives a 30-hour average battery life, while the title describes up to 60 hours of playback. Those figures do not match, so I would not treat the higher figure as a guaranteed single-charge runtime. It also lists a two-hour charge time. IPX6 water resistance is intended to help with sweat and splashes, which is useful if study time gives way to a workout.
Its main compromise is the open-ear design: it will not block surrounding sounds, and nearby noise can interrupt concentration. The product listing also describes sound isolation in its controls, but that does not change the basic open fit. I’d choose it for flexible use and awareness, not for a quiet study room where passive isolation matters. Among options resembling open ear earbuds for study, this one makes most sense for people who want hands-free calling and movement-friendly wear.
How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
The Fosi Audio i5 is a wired, over-ear open-back planar magnetic headphone. Its 97 mm diaphragm, thin diaphragm construction, and symmetrical magnets are intended to reproduce fine detail with low distortion. The published frequency response is 10 Hz to 50 kHz, and the nominal impedance is 28 ohms. Those specifications point toward a listening-focused design rather than a compact headset built around portable calls.
For study, I see its strongest fit in a fixed desk setup: reading, recorded lectures, or music between work blocks. It comes with a cable and a 6.35 mm adapter, which gives the connection options described in the product information. Its open-back grille is designed to allow sound to pass through the rear of the earcups. That can support a spacious listening presentation, but it also means sound can escape and outside noise can remain audible.
The comfort features are more substantial than a basic headband: a memory-steel frame, adjustable sliders, pivoting earcups, and breathable earpads are specified. The construction combines CNC-milled aluminum and walnut wood, with a sheepskin headband. That materials list may appeal to someone who wants a substantial home headphone rather than a lightweight wireless earbud.
The key trade-off is the lack of wireless convenience and any stated microphone. The i5 may be a compelling listening pick, but the supplied facts do not establish that it can handle voice calls directly. It also lists recommended power of at least 500 mW, a detail worth checking against the intended source before buying. I rank it highly for study listening, not as a clear answer for someone whose priority is a mic-equipped headset.
Focal’s Elear is an over-ear, circum-aural open-back headphone intended for high-fidelity listening in low-noise environments. It has an aluminum yoke and a leather headband, with a 3.5 mm auxiliary connection. The overall design is much closer to a dedicated home listening headphone than a wireless everyday headset.
That distinction matters for study. In a quiet room, an open-back headphone can suit long stretches of music or other audio where the listener does not need to stay isolated from the world. The Elear’s over-ear form may be a fit for someone who prefers a full headphone around the ear rather than hooks or earbuds. But the stated low-noise use case is important: it is not designed to screen out a busy room.
The product information does not specify a microphone or wireless connection. It also lists active noise cancellation, but the open-back description and intended low-noise setting make it unwise to assume that the Elear behaves like a closed noise-canceling headset. I would treat the wired 3.5 mm connection and listening-focused description as the clearest buying signals.
Its main drawback for this keyword is the missing microphone information. If calls are central to a study routine, I would favor a model whose mic is explicitly described rather than assume the Elear can serve as a call headset. Choose it for a quiet, audio-first setup, not for wireless study sessions or frequent voice chats.
The Monster Open Ear AC317 is a wireless open-ear headphone with flexible hooks, touch controls, Bluetooth 5.4, and a built-in calling feature with AI noise reduction. It is designed to leave the ear canal open, so it can keep ambient sounds present while audio plays. That makes it more suitable for a shared space where awareness matters than for blocking distractions.
Its stated battery life is seven hours per charge and up to 24 hours with the case. The case charges through Type-C and is described as reaching a full charge in one hour; the product information separately lists a two-hour charge time, so those charge-time descriptions differ. The headset is also listed as IPX6 water- and sweat-resistant, which gives it a practical role beyond desk work, such as a walk between study sessions.
For calls, Monster specifies AI noise reduction and hands-free calling. That gives the AC317 a clearer mic-oriented use case than the two wired open-back models here. Touch controls are intended to handle calls, music, volume, and voice assistant access. Bluetooth 5.4 and a stated range of 10 meters round out its wireless setup.
The trade-off is that an open-ear fit does not create a quiet bubble. Its calling features may help with voice use, but they do not make it a noise-isolating study headphone. The product information also says “bone conduction” for the driver type, while the description emphasizes an open-ear earbud design; I would focus on the clearly stated fit and wireless features rather than assume more about how it works. If you are comparing it with the best bone conduction headphones for study, check that the fit and driver description match what you actually want. This is not a sleep-focused model either, so I would not confuse it with sweatproof sleep headphones for study.
I compared the published product specifications and features, focusing on fit, connectivity, microphone information, and suitability for study.
The ranking is my independent editorial opinion based on those details.
No brand paid for placement.
They can work well in a quiet room if you want an open listening experience. Because open-back designs let outside sound remain audible and sound escape, they are less suited to noisy spaces or shared rooms where you need isolation.
The ABCDONG and Monster descriptions specify built-in calling microphones or call features. The Fosi Audio i5 and Focal Elear product information does not clearly specify a microphone, so I would not choose either on the assumption that it has one.
The ABCDONG and Monster both combine an open-ear fit with wireless connectivity and call features. Their open design can leave surrounding sounds audible, but that also means nearby noise may be distracting during a call.
For a quiet desk and audio-first listening, I recommend the Fosi Audio i5, with the caveat that no microphone is specified. For study that includes calls or moving around, the Monster AC317 has clearer call-focused features and a stated wireless setup.
For study, I recommend the Fosi Audio i5 when listening quality and a wired desk setup matter most; choose the Monster AC317 instead if you need a clearly described wireless calling option.
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