Monoprice are well-known in the audio community as manufacturers of high-value products that often outperform the much more expensive competition. The Monoprice 8323 are their most popular full-sized headphones. In this short review, you’ll find you just why exactly are they sought after even by people who already own audiophile-grade headphones.

Design and Build quality

The Monoprice 8323 don’t pretend that they are something other than a pair of very basic headphones built and designed to maximize the value by saving on materials and finish. We actually believe that the plain look really suits them. The simple black finish will look good in most situations, and it’s resistant to fingerprints and scratches.

Even though they look plain, they certainly aren’t poorly made. In fact, they feel more durable than some Bose headphones that we had the pleasure to test. Each earcup is fitted on a massive hinge that allows it to swivel in all directions and neatly fold for compact storage.

The plastic padding on the headband and earpads is decently comfortable, but it doesn’t really allow air to pass through, so your ears might get sweaty in hot weather. We have never felt the need to take the headphones off to give our ears a bit of rest, which is a good sign for those who would like to use them for work.

A great extra feature is the detachable cable terminated with a standard 3.5mm plug. The cable doesn’t have an in-line remote or microphone, but you can easily purchase an aftermarket cable that includes this functionality.

Sound

The Monoprice 8323 sport a pair of large 50mm drivers with 100 dB sensitivity. You can crank up the volume very high and still enjoy a distortion-free sound and great clarity at all frequencies.

Many closed headphones tend to sound a bit too hollow and dull, but these are definitely an exception. They give a nice and smooth impression, which is guaranteed to please fans of analytical music listening. Mids are placed slightly forward, resulting in an increase of the overall dynamic, and highs are as clear as they get. Sibilance is a non-issue even when listening to badly mastered tracks.

The only real weak point is the muddy bass that, while powerful, just doesn’t reach the same level of fidelity as the rest of the sound spectrum.

The generous amount of padding coupled with the closed-back construction provides a good level of passive noise isolation and minimizes sound leakage. Using these headphones on the train or in the library makes you appreciate their versatility and high value.

What is in the box?

The headphones come with a 50-inch-long and 11.5-foot-long cable. You can swap them out depending on whether you are planning on using the headphones with your home audio system or outside with a portable player. You’ll also get a 3.5-to-6.3 adapter plug.