OneOdio Monitor 80 Open Back Headphones Review

Immersing yourself in the natural, nuanced sound of your favorite music or hearing every detail when mixing a track takes a special kind of headphone. The OneOdio Monitor 80 Open Back Headphones seek to be a more affordable option for audiophiles, DJs, musicians, and more, without sacrificing quality. But how well do these hi-res open back headphones deliver? I recently had the pleasure of testing these out for myself.

This is a sponsored article and was made possible by OneOdio. The actual contents and opinions are the sole views of the author who maintains editorial independence even when a post is sponsored.

Overview of Features

Straight out of the box, you can tell the OneOdio Monitor 80 Open Back Headphones are made for comfort. After all, if you’re sitting in a studio for hours, you need something that’s lightweight and feels good against your ears. Thick velour earpads fit gently against your ears while still offering ample ventilation. The adjustable, cushioned headband ensures a perfect fit.

The Monitor 80 headphones are the first in the OneOdio lineup to feature an open back design. These provides a more immersive, yet natural sound that provides a good balance between audio and the world around you.

The headphones feature a 40 mm driver with high-precision etched diaphragms encased in a high-end stainless steel honeycomb mesh. The open back helps to reduce distortion while providing purer sounds than closed back headphones. They also support frequencies between 10 Hz to 40,000 Hz.

For audiophiles, you’ll be happy to know these are hi-res certified by JAS and CEA. The 250 ohm nominal impedance equals more powerful, stable sound to let you hear every instrument without any single sound overpowering another. Whether it’s for studio mixing or listening to home audio, you get a richer, clearer experience.

To make it easier to work with most devices, audio systems, instruments, and more, the headphones include two cables: one with two 3.5mm ends and one with a 3.5mm and 1/4″ end.

In the Box

The well-packaged OneOdio Monitor 80 Open Back Headphones look impressive from the moment you open them. Already enclosed in a hard-shell zippered case, OneOdio ensures these headphones are easy to pack up and take with you.

The case features a small handle for carrying. The headphones fit tightly to avoid any damage while traveling. A pouch provides a safe place for the two cables: one is 1 m (~40″) and the other is a coiled cable that stretches from 1.5 m to 3.5 m (~59″ to ~137″).

I personally love that there’s a compartment just for the cables so that they don’t get tangled or pinched in the headphones in any way.

Exploring the Headphones

The OneOdio Monitor 80 Open Back Headphones are incredibly comfortable and flexible. As someone that struggles to find a comfortable headband just to push my hair back, I’m kind of snobbish when it comes to the bands on headphones. Most just give me a headache after 10-15 minutes.

Not only are the Monitor 80 headphones surprisingly light, the cushioned band doesn’t fit tightly against your head, so there’s no pressure. Plus, unlike many cushioned ear pads, these are velour versus faux leather or plastic, which tends to stick to your ears and chafe a bit. These feel very soft and luxurious.

After wearing the headphones to listen to music for over an hour, they still felt as comfortable as when I first put them on.

The honeycomb design is rather eye-catching, so if you want something that not only sounds great but looks great, you’re in luck with these.

No matter how you move your head around, these move gently with you. They flex with ease without shifting their placement on you.

Each ear has a different plug: 3.5 mm and 6.5 mm (1/4″). These are placed just far enough back that the cable sits away from your neck, making it easier to move around a studio or even just sit on your living room couch.

Testing the Sound Quality

I’ll admit that for the price point, I wasn’t expecting these to be able to deliver on their hi-res promise. However, I was proven wrong immediately. OneOdio has done an amazing job at bridging the gap between audio quality and price. This makes them much more accessible to professionals that may not have hundreds to drop on a pair of studio-quality headphones.

The first test was simple – how do they sound connected to a smartphone? Unlike my usual Bluetooth earbuds with noise canceling, the OneOdio Monitor 80 Open Back Headphones with sound isolation gave me a clearer sound that didn’t sound like the instruments were battling it out to see who was the loudest. Instead, I could hear each instrument, which provided a richer listening experience.

While I don’t have a home studio, I do have a keyboard and a electric guitar with amp. My aging keyboard has been with me for years and the speakers aren’t quite what they used to be, so I was eager to give these headphones a try with it. Honestly, the speakers have never sounded as good as the headphones. I loved how crisp each note sounded. It also made it much easier to get the perfect sound when mixing tones.

Next up, the guitar and amp. Closed back headphones tend to distort sounds when it comes to the amp. With the Monitor 80 headphones, I had no distortion.

Obviously, you can hear other things going on around you since these are open. However, that’s part of what makes them sound great. Imagine listening to a live performance. These headphones make you feel like part of the crowd but without the crowd overpowering the music.

If you’re using them to listen to music, I’d recommend not listening around others since they would be able to hear the audio a little, especially when you crank up the volume. For sitting back and listening to music as it was truly meant to sound, you’ll be amazed at the difference this pair of headphones can make.

Final Thoughts

It’s honestly hard to find any negatives when it comes to the OneOdio Monitor 80 Open Back Headphones. If anything, I would love to see a 1/4″ to 1/4″ cable included to provide stereo quality sound when working with instruments and mixing boards. However, a simple adapter fixes that issue.

Otherwise, the clear, crisp sound is hard to beat, especially at this price point. Plus, they’re insanely comfortable and come in a protective case that’s ready to take with you.

You can try out the OneOdio Monitor 80 Open Back Headphones direct from the company for just 79.99 after using the code Obtenir20% or Amazon for $67.99 with the savings that have already been applied.

Studio photos provided by OneOdio. Other images by Crystal Crowder.