Monster Turbines

Short-Term Use (4.00)

The Monster Turbines were of average comfort for a set of in-ears, but had one fatal flaw: they pop out of place ridiculously easily. If you accidentally tug them, they’ll come loose. If you twist your head too far, they’ll come loose. These are not good jogging headphones.

Extended Use (4.00)

Even just sitting, not moving, the Turbines will gradually fall out of place over the course of a few hours. We weren’t particularly annoyed by this because the ear buds only popped out of place a few times over the course of a 6-hour listening session, but the fact that they came out at all when we were sitting stock still was surprising.

Cable Connectivity (3.91)

The Turbines have a cable measuring 3 feet, 9 inches (1.14 meters). This is an average length for a set of in-ears. Also typical is the absence of any adapters. The cord is very thin, however, which means all you first-generation iPhone users (or any other device with a recessed headphone jack) are all set.

Customizability (3.50)

The Turbines come with small, medium, and large soft plastic sleeves and two sizes of triple-flanged sleeves. This should help you find the fit and style that you like, but the selection is a bit sparse for $150 headphones. Compare the Turbines’ customization options to the Shure SE420s, which come with three sleeve types and also an optional in-line volume dial.

Portability (8.00)

In-ear headphones are just about as portable as a set of wired headphones can get. The Turbines don’t have a super short cord, meaning there are a few more portable options for those that keep media players in arm bands or a lapel pocket. Many users will probably prefer the Turbines’ cord length, however.

The Turbines do come with a pouch, but it isn’t a particularly good one. It looks a lot like a change purse, with open sides that are held together with an elastic strip of fabric. This means the pouch is really only good for holding the headphones, because if it turns upside-down all the sleeves would spill out. The ear buds typically stay on the Turbines, so we’re not particularly worried about those falling out, but it remains a possibility. The pouch also has no means of managing the cord, meaning you’ll have to ball the Turbines up and shove them in. Pouches that are simply pouches are nice because they’re free, but for the most part they’re useless. If you keep the headphones in the pouch, it just means you’ll have to carry around an empty pouch while the headphones are in use, and the pouch itself takes up more pocket space than the headphones alone would.

Maintenance (2.00)

Like most in-ear headphones, the Turbines can’t be taken apart to any extent to fix or modify them. You can remove the sleeves to help clean them without getting any internal components soggy. Some in-ears come with cleaning tools or removable wax guards to protect the nozzles, but the Turbines do not.

Other Features (5.00)

Battery

The Turbines do not requires a battery, netting them some points. Batteries are annoying, often die at inopportune times, and either require recharging or a repeated additional investment.