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 cancellation, a secure in-ear ear-hook fit and the longest total battery life, choose RichEast Headphones; if you need an open-ear design that keeps you aware of traffic and your surroundings, choose Monster AC330.
• RichEast Headphones — biggest strength: dual ANC plus ENC call noise reduction, so it actively blocks ambient sound instead of just letting it through. Up to 50 hours total runtime with the case and a Bluetooth 6.0 connection.
• RichEast Headphones — biggest trade-off: it's an in-ear, sealed design with ear hooks, so it physically plugs your ear canal. That's great for focus, less great if you want to hear cars, bikes or coworkers.
• Monster AC330 — biggest strength: a true open-ear build with 14.2mm custom drivers and Bluetooth 5.4, at roughly 7g per earbud — light enough that awareness and long-wear comfort come first.
• Monster AC330 — biggest trade-off: there is no noise control at all, and total playtime tops out around 24 hours, which is roughly half of what RichEast offers.
• Who RichEast is for: gym-goers, commuters and anyone who wants noise shut out and doesn't want to think about charging.
• Who Monster AC330 is for: runners, cyclists and open-office or outdoor users who need to stay tuned in to what's happening around them.
RichEast positions this model as a sport earbud first and a daily driver second, and the spec sheet backs that up. The combination of an in-ear tip plus a wrap-around ear hook is the classic answer to "my earbuds fall out when I run." Instead of relying on the seal alone to hold the bud in place, the hook carries the weight over the top of your ear. In my opinion that's the single most useful design decision here, because it means sweat and movement won't dislodge them mid-set.
The audio and noise story is the other half. RichEast uses a 6th-generation directional audio setup with anti-leak technology and tunes it for what the brand calls Hi-Res high-fidelity sound with strong bass and a wide stereo image. More importantly for real-world use, it layers dual ANC active noise cancellation with ENC call noise reduction. Translation: ANC quiets the world around you, ENC cleans up your voice on the mic so the person on the other end isn't hearing the gym or the train. If you take a lot of calls in noisy places, that pairing matters more than any bass claim.
Battery is where this one pulls clearly ahead. RichEast rates up to 5 hours on a single charge and up to 50 hours total with the charging case, with a 1-hour fast recharge. There's also an LED digital display on the case showing the battery level of both the buds and the case — a small thing, but it removes the guesswork of "do I have enough for the commute home?" Bluetooth 6.0 covers the connection side with low latency and wide compatibility across phones, tablets and laptops, and there's no app to download — you just pair from your device's Bluetooth menu. Touch controls handle playback, volume, calls and ANC switching, and you can call up a voice assistant.
The trade-offs are honest ones. IPX5 covers sweat and splashes, not swimming or heavy rain soaking. The seal that makes ANC work also means you're cut off from your surroundings, which some runners hate. And if you dislike the feeling of something sitting inside your ear canal for hours, this isn't the shape for you.
Buy it if you want noise cancellation, long runtime, and buds that stay put during lifting, cycling or commuting. Skip it if you need to hear traffic or you simply can't tolerate in-ear tips.
Monster goes the opposite direction, and it does so deliberately. The AC330 is an open-ear design, meaning the driver sits outside your ear canal rather than sealing it. You still get audio, but your ears stay open to the world. That's the entire point of the category, and it's why this model makes sense for runners on roads, cyclists in traffic, and anyone working in an office or a home where someone might call their name.
At about 7g per earbud with ergonomic ear hooks, the AC330 is built for extended wear. Open-ear hooks generally feel less invasive than sealed tips, and the light weight is the reason people forget they're wearing them. Monster also fits custom 14.2mm drivers here — a notably large driver size for this form factor — tuned for what the brand calls Pure Monster Sound with crisp highs and deep bass, plus built-in mics for hands-free calls. Open-ear designs trade some bass impact for that openness, so expect a more spacious, less thumping presentation than a sealed bud.
On connectivity, the AC330 runs Bluetooth 5.4, which Monster describes as delivering faster pairing, longer range, better stability and improved energy efficiency with low latency. Battery is rated at up to 8 hours per charge and 24 hours total with the case — fewer hours overall than the RichEast, but a longer single-charge figure. IPX5 water resistance covers sweat and rain, so gym sessions and jogging are fine. The case itself is a design feature: a circular shell with a magnetic rotating lid and an included silicone lanyard, charged over Type-C.
The catch is straightforward. There is no noise control of any kind — no ANC, no transparency mode to toggle, because the design is already "transparent." If you're on a plane or a noisy train, you'll hear all of it. And 24 hours total is a shorter runway than the RichEast's 50.
Buy it if situational awareness, light weight and a distinctive rotating case matter to you. Skip it if you want to block out the world or you need maximum runtime.
• Best for noise cancellation → RichEast Headphones. Dual ANC plus ENC is something the AC330 simply doesn't offer.
• Best for staying aware of your surroundings → Monster AC330. Open-ear by design, so traffic and conversation come through.
• Best total battery life → RichEast Headphones. Up to 50 hours with the case versus 24 hours on the AC330.
• Best single-charge playtime → Monster AC330. Up to 8 hours per charge against RichEast's up to 5.
• Best for long, all-day wear comfort → Monster AC330. Roughly 7g per bud and an open-ear hook that doesn't seal the canal.
• Best for secure, locked-in fit during hard workouts → RichEast Headphones. The in-ear tip plus ear-hook combo is the more anchored setup.
• Best for calls in loud places → RichEast Headphones. ENC call noise reduction is built specifically for that.
• Best for the newest Bluetooth spec → RichEast Headphones. Bluetooth 6.0 versus 5.4 on the Monster.
• Best for a case you'll actually carry → Monster AC330. The rotating magnetic lid and silicone lanyard make it a pocket-and-go item.
• Best for gym and outdoor sweat → a tie. Both are IPX5 rated for sweat and splashes.
I'd buy the RichEast Headphones. The reason is simple: dual ANC, ENC call clarity, Bluetooth 6.0 and up to 50 hours of total runtime cover more of the situations most people actually face — noisy commutes, gym sessions, calls that need to sound clean, and a week of use without hunting for a charger. In my opinion the only real reason to go the other way is awareness. If you run or ride near traffic, or you need to hear the room around you, the Monster AC330's open-ear design is the better tool, and it wins on single-charge comfort and wearability. For everyone else, RichEast is the more complete pair. Check the current price on Amazon before you commit — both are worth a look at the right number.
FAQ
how to connect wireless earbuds bluetooth
how to use wireless bluetooth earbuds
Once paired, playback is controlled on the buds themselves. The RichEast uses touch controls for play/pause, track skipping, volume, answering calls and switching ANC modes. The Monster AC330 relies on its ear-hook fit and built-in mics for music and hands-free calls, with no noise mode to toggle since it's an open-ear design.
how to reset wireless headphones bluetooth
The usual method is to clear the old pairing from your device's Bluetooth list, then put the buds back in the case and re-enter pairing mode. If your phone still shows a stale entry, "forget" the device first and pair fresh. That resolves most connection hiccups on both Bluetooth 6.0 and 5.4 earbuds.
how to connect sony wireless earbuds bluetooth
The process is the same across brands: power the buds on, open your phone's Bluetooth settings, select the model when it appears and confirm. If you're switching between a Sony pair and either of these, remove the old pairing first so your phone doesn't auto-connect to the wrong buds.
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