One of the most competitive mid-tier audio behemoths has come up with something to challenge the likes of JBL, Bose and Sony. These sound specialists are always researching and innovating new ways to bring crystal clear sound to our wonderful ears without costing a whopping $3,000 from the engineers at Devialet—no offence Devialet, but they can be a whole different echelon. While many acoustic aficionados would spend thousands on the best sound equipment, many of us would like a taste of luxury. The Monster Dna One wireless Speaker provided a slight glimpse into the upper echelons of auditory paradise.

The Monster DNA One Wireless Speaker seemed to be going for a tinge of quality and sprinkle of quantity with its features. It comes in two colour options: White and Black. Upon first impressions, I was impartial to the design of it. It felt a bit on the heavy side for something with a focus on portability—but it was because this thing was packing a lot more punch within its rectangular-rounded-edged design. The fine touch of adding a small adjustable strap was a tiny bonus point to the portability of this speaker, allowing this speaker to hang off hooks or be tied to bags.

“The omnidirectional sound on the Monster DNA One wireless speaker was nothing short of excellence.”

The omnidirectional sound on the Monster DNA One wireless speaker was nothing short of excellence. The four speakers housed in the chassis were able to echo around the whole atrium of my workplace—known for its very high ceilings. Even in the smaller spaces with high ceilings, the sound carried through like I was in a small concert hall or theatre. It did not take an audio expert to realize that the space of the room affected the quality of the Monster DNA One. 

While I would have loved a subwoofer that could carry out the deeper bass tones, at least it did not distort at any volume levels. The vocals were as clear as day, though, whether it was playing indoors or outdoors. In terms of how the Monster DNA One held up in the outdoors specifically, the volume was about as good as you would expect a speaker this size. The sound could definitely carry through a chill backyard party but might be a bit quiet if it is a very social party—so this monster excels better within four walls and a roof. But hey, at least it has an IP67 waterproof rating—in case you drop it poolside.  

All of this party talk also is a great way to address the elephant in the room: Party Mode. This speaker has the ability to connect 99 other Monster DNA One wireless speakers or other compatible speakers like the flagship model, the DNA Max. While I was not able to test this feature personally, I always appreciate the ability to create your own pseudo-sound stage. Perhaps adding a small platoon of these speakers together would be enough to do a mock-surround sound feel in your backyard, depending on how deep your wallet goes.

The feature that stood out the most was the Qi wireless charging base that came included with this speaker. It boasted being “the first-ever Bluetooth speakers to offer wireless charging compatible with all standard Qi wireless chargers.” The cherry on top was this speaker’s special attention to battery life and sustaining the life of the party—or keeping the Netflix binge going. 

I was able to test the charging base on an iPhone 14 Pro. It was able to charge it from 20 percent to 100 percent really fast, about 40 minutes fast! A lot of other standard wireless charging bases could take around an hour or two. The speaker itself was able to use USB-C to USB-C charging out to other devices—sorry, Apple users. While it promised fast charging capabilities, my Huawei P20 Pro was power-hungry and recognized it as regular charging—not fast or supercharging.

For the most part, I was able to test the Monster DNA One with my music from Spotify and YouTube. Then, I wanted to see how it fared as a speaker for gaming, playing games like Hogwarts Legacy and Jedi Survivor. I even used it for watching different shows and movies on Disney+ and Crunchyroll. Whatever the case, this speaker was clear and loud enough to enjoy whatever I needed it to play. At max volume, it lasted about 6-7 hours, but could last around the 10–12-hour mark—a little bit less than its listed 15-hour playback time but not terrible.

I would have loved to see a companion app to customize more things like an EQ setting to really adjust the sound levels tailored to a specific genre, or even an option to change the lighting around the top of the speaker. While it offered the awesome Qi wireless charging base, I thought the charging speed for the speaker itself could use some improvements. I also want to see Monster embrace its logo in a more prominent way; the rubber logo on the front faded into the interlaced mesh body.

The Monster DNA One wireless speaker may not be the flagship model, but it sure was a great entry point as a mid-level wireless speaker. With the $149.99 price, it offered quite a bit more than expected—especially with the Qi wireless charging feature. The treble was crisp and clean, with the bass balanced out. The battery life held out for its intended playback time approximation, and a full charge only took a couple of hours. 

The Monster DNA One wireless speaker performed beyond my expectations, whether I used it for music, playing Cyberpunk 2077 on my PC, or catching up on episodes Demon Slayer.  If you are looking for something budget-friendly and geared towards indoor environments, this would be a great buy.