Monster Achieve 100 AirLinks Wireless Earbuds Review
These true wireless earbuds from Monster target the value end of the market, pairing a US-designed digital audio processor with Bluetooth 5.0 and a water-resistant build aimed at gym and outdoor use.
Answer First
The Monster Achieve 100 AirLinks suit music-first listeners who want a capable set of true wireless earbuds. Owners praise the sound and battery, while call clarity and long-term charging reliability are the two sticking points. If you mostly play audio and can live with a weak microphone, these earbuds do the job.
Reasons to Buy, Reasons to Pass
Buy them if:
- You want a true wireless set that delivers deeper bass and cleaner mids and highs than the category typically manages, with a digital audio processor tuned by Monster’s US-based design team
- Battery life matters more than call quality; a 10-minute top-up charge yields 120 minutes of playback, and the case stretches total listening to 1,440 minutes
- You need a stable, water-resistant set for the gym or outdoor runs, with SportClips and three eartip sizes for a secure, passive seal
Pass if:
- You rely on the earbuds as a primary phone-call device; at least one owner found the built-in mic so muffled that the person on the other end could not make out the speaker
- Long-term battery health is a concern; one reviewer reported the earbuds stopped holding a charge after months of regular use
- You expect the Monster name to carry the premium build of its earlier product lines; a one-star review called the set “not what Monster’s used to be”
Is the Audio Worth Your Ears?
For a budget true wireless set, the sound punches above expectations. The digital audio processor pushes bass depth while keeping mids and highs clear, and owners describe the output as louder and more detailed than what the category typically delivers.
The spec sheet credits a digital audio processor with providing deep bass and improved clarity in the mid and high bands, paired with a professional driver for a wider sound stage and accuracy across the full frequency range. The earbuds were designed and developed by Noel Lee and the Monster Design Team in the USA. The multi-function button handles volume, track switching, and call answering, so the listening experience is shaped by the processor and driver rather than by an app-based EQ or tunable sound modes.
Owner reviews confirm the tuning skews warm and loud. One reviewer called the sound far better than expected for a set in this category, a Spanish-language review singled out both sound quality and battery as strengths, and a third simply noted the audio is good. The one dissenting view came from a reviewer who found the music very loud but the call audio muffled, suggesting the speaker output is strong while the microphone side does not match it.
How Good Is the Noise Cancelling?
These earbuds carry no active noise-cancelling hardware. Neither the product listing nor any owner review mentions ANC, a transparency mode, or adaptive cancellation of any kind.
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What the design provides in place of electronic cancellation is passive isolation from the eartip seal. The set includes three pairs of SportClips and three sizes of silicone eartips (S, M, L), giving six fit combinations. A tight seal blocks ambient noise to a degree, particularly low-frequency rumble from HVAC or traffic, but there is no processor loop to mute mid-frequency voices or sudden claps. The multi-function button and double-click voice-assistant access are the only interaction controls listed, and the product page does not reference a companion app, an EQ editor, or any adjustable sound modes.
For a listener who wants to quiet an open office or a bus ride, the absence of ANC is the biggest functional gap. The earbuds will seal out some environment, but they will not create a sealed cabin around your ears the way an active-cancellation set does.
Are They Comfortable for Long Sessions?
The earbuds are lightweight and use an ergonomic in-ear shape, and the owners who mention fit generally report a comfortable, secure seal. The three eartip sizes and three SportClip pairs give enough variation to find a hold that stays put through a long commute or workout.
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Monster describes the design as ergonomic with a lightweight build, aiming to keep pressure low over extended listening. The included accessories are three pairs of SportClips and three pairs of eartips in S, M, and L, for six total size combinations. The in-ear placement blocks some ambient sound passively, and the clips add stability without the bulk of a stem-style design.
Owner feedback on comfort is brief but uniformly positive. One reviewer singled out the physical fit as the standout feature of the set. Another described the earbuds and charging case as feeling high quality in hand, with no mention of ear fatigue or pressure points. No reviewer in the sample flagged the need to re-seat the buds mid-session or described the clips as digging into the outer ear.
Will They Survive Workouts and Rain?
The listing labels the earbuds as water-resistant and ties that claim directly to gym exercise and outdoor activities in any weather condition. No numeric IP rating is printed on the product page, so the degree of liquid protection is not quantified beyond “resistant to liquids.”
The SportClips are the key stability element for movement. Three pairs are included, and they anchor the in-ear buds against the ear’s outer cartilage, reducing the chance of a bud shifting during sprints, jump-rope intervals, or side-to-side drills. The water-resistance language in the listing is broad, describing the buds as resistant to liquids in any weather conditions, which the brand connects to gym and outdoor use.
What the sources do not provide is a numeric IP rating such as IPX4 or IPX7, or a defined test procedure. The practical read is that the buds should handle sweat and light rain, but submersion, a heavy downpour running through the charging case, or a long shower session fall outside what the listing describes. For a runner who wants earbuds that stay put and tolerate a summer downpour, the design covers the need. For a swimmer, the claim is not specific enough to endorse the set for that use.
What Is Battery Life Like in Practice?
The claimed figures are strong for a true wireless set at this tier: 260+ minutes of playback per charge, 1,440 minutes total with the case, and 120 minutes from a 10-minute top-up. Owners confirm the short-term numbers, but at least one reported the buds stopped holding a charge after sustained use.
Monster’s spec sheet lists the quick-charge window as 10 minutes yielding 120 minutes of playback, a single-charge runtime of more than 260 minutes, and a case-extended total of 1,440 minutes. The charging case holds its own charge, which one owner confirmed: the case retains power even when the buds are removed and the case sits on a shelf between sessions.
The owner-reported experience splits between the spec numbers and long-term degradation. An earlier review called the battery a strength alongside sound quality. A later review reported that the earbuds stopped staying charged and eventually would not hold a charge at all. The gap between the claimed 260-minute runtime and the eventual total failure in that account suggests the battery chemistry or case contacts degraded faster than the spec sheet implies. The 12-month service window in the listing is the fallback if the charge issue appears within that period.
Can People Hear You Fine?
The built-in microphone works for basic call function, but one owner who tested it in a real phone call found the receiving end could not make out the speaker. For the uses the listing emphasizes (music, voice assistant, gym), the mic is adequate. As a primary phone-call device, it falls short.
The product listing claims you can hear the other side clearly even in a noisy environment through the built-in mic, and the MFB handles call answering and switching. The owner who tested the mic in a phone call reported a different result: the audio came through muffled, and the person on the other end could not make out what was being said. That review specifically tied the one-star rating to the mic, while calling the music output very loud.
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No other owner in the sample commented on call quality, so the muffled-mic report stands as a single data point rather than a confirmed pattern. The voice-assistant access via double-click on the MFB is a separate input path and does not test the phone-call mic. If clear two-way conversation is a primary use, the owner evidence here is a red flag.
What Do Buyers Report?
The positive reviews cluster around two themes. Sound quality is the most repeated praise. One owner said the audio was far better than expected for the set, another simply called the sound good, and a third noted both sound quality and battery as standout features. Fit and physical build drew separate praise, with one reviewer singling out the fit as the reason for a positive rating and another describing the earbuds and case as feeling high quality in hand. The charging case holding its own charge came up as an unexpected plus.
The negative reviews point to two distinct failure modes. The microphone issue appears in a one-star review where the caller’s voice came through muffled on the receiving end, making phone conversations impractical despite strong music output. A separate one-star review described the earbuds as not matching what the Monster brand used to deliver, signaling a perceived drop in build or tonal quality. A two-star review combined praise for excellent sound quality with a complaint that the earbuds stopped holding a charge over time, eventually failing to power on at all.
The aggregate rating of 3.9 out of 5 across 20 ratings sits in the middle of the spectrum, with the positive and negative reviews roughly balancing in the available sample. The split suggests the earbuds perform well for their primary use (music) but carry real risk for secondary uses such as calls and long-term battery cycling.
So, Should You?
The Monster Achieve 100 AirLinks are a music-first set. The digital audio processor, the 260-minute-plus runtime, and the six-way fit system all point to a product that excels when you are playing audio in a gym, on a run, or during a commute. The quick-charge window removes the anxiety of a forgotten charge before a workout. The water-resistance claim, while not backed by a numeric IP rating, covers sweat and light rain for outdoor activity. For a buyer who plugs in the earbuds mostly to shut out the world with music and wants a stable, secure fit, the design delivers on the core promise.
The two areas where the owner evidence gives you pause are the microphone and long-term battery health. If you take most phone calls on a speakerphone or a wired set and use these buds primarily for music, the muffled mic will not matter. If you need the buds to be a reliable two-way phone device or you expect the battery to hold up over many months of daily cycling, the owner reports suggest testing the mic and checking charge retention before committing is the right call. The 12-month service window is the safety net if the battery degrades early.
Best for: Music-centric commuters and gym-goers who want a lightweight, water-resistant true wireless set with strong bass and a fast top-up charge, and who route phone calls through a different device.
Spec Sheet
- Brand / Model: Monster Achieve 100 AirLinks
- Type: True wireless in-ear earbuds with charging case
- Bluetooth version: 5.0
- Audio processing: Digital audio processor; designed by Noel Lee and the Monster Design Team (USA)
- Playtime per charge: 260+ minutes
- Total with case: 1,440 minutes
- Quick charge: 10-min charge yields 120 min playback
- Controls: Multi-function button; double-click for voice assistant
- Fit options: 3× SportClips, 3× eartips (S, M, L)
- Water resistance: Liquid-resistant; no IP rating listed
- [Wireless Earbuds]Pure Monster Sound - Monster AirLinks Wireless Earbuds was Designed and Developed by Noel Lee and the Monster Design Team in the USA. The unique digital audio processor provide deep bass and enhances the clarity of the mid and high of the Bluetooth earbuds. Professional driver gives your music a wider sound stage with exceptional accuracy and clarity across the entire frequency range.
- [Wireless Headphones] Built-in microphone, you can hear the other side clearly even in a noisy environment, you can use one or two earbuds for calls. Multi-function Button Control, whether you have to answer a call or switch music, you can control the microphone, music and volume with one click of the MFB. After your Phone connected, double-click the multi-function button to ask the voice assistant a question.
- [Earbuds] True Wireless Experience: Monster Stereo Earbuds adopt advanced Bluetooth 5.0 chip to provide wider wireless range, fast and stable connection. After successful pairing for the first time, turn on Bluetooth for one-step pairing of smart phone.The excellent waterproof design makes Monster wireless earbuds resistant to liquids in any weather conditions. It is absolutely ideal for gym exercise and outdoor activities.