The best thing to do while walking or running is to listen to music. Over the holidays, I have been walking every day. I do have a large selection of Bluetooth headphones to choose from, though, sitting on my desk was the 1MORE Dual Driver BT ANC In-Ear Headphones, waiting to be reviewed, so I decided this would be the perfect time to take them for a spin, or two!
Presentation:
This is the second 1MORE product that I have reviewed. The first was the 1MORE Gaming H1005 Spearhead VR 7.1 Headphones. So you should know that 1MORE ensure that their products are well packaged. And the 1MORE Dual Driver BT ANC In-Ear Headphones is no different. The headphones come in a sturdy white and grey box that displays specs as well as lets you know that the headphones are a winner of the 2018 Red Dot Award. Inside the inner flap are sketches which show how the headphones were designed.
Design and Build Quality:
The 1MORE headphones come in the familiar design of a band that sits around your neck with two in-ear headphones attached to the band via a cable. The band is made up of very flexible silicone which can be bent to pack away.
At the ends of the silicone band, there are two plastic silver bars.
On the left bar, you find a volume button and a multi-purpose button. Pressing this button once pauses/plays the song. Pressing the button twice plays the next song and pressing three times plays the previous track. This button is also used to answer and end calls. You also get a power button and a lever that controls the active noise cancelling feature. This lever can be moved to change between the two levels of noise-cancelling as well as to activate passthrough mode. Pulling the lever once to the left, you will activate level one of ANC. If you push the lever to the left again, you will hear two beeps which means you have level 2 of ANC. Push the lever in the opposite direction to activate the passthrough mode.
Between the multipurpose button and the volume button is a built-in pinhole microphone. I found all the buttons to be responsive and clicky, meaning you know when they were pressed. I also like that the buttons all have their own unique shapes making them easy to find without having to remove the headphones.
On the right bar, you find a small plastic cover which opens up to show the USB Type-C port, which is how you charge the headphones.
The dual speaker drivers are housed in a metal alloy which looks and feels great. They have built-in magnets so they stick together when not in use.
The earpieces have an oval shape and I found they fit my ears perfectly. You also get earpiece wings and ear tips in different sizes, to ensure an optimum fit.
If you would like to use a wired connection, there is a provided USB Type-C to Aux cable. It is important to note that you can only use this cable if you have battery power. Without battery power, you won’t be able to play music, even when the aux cable is plugged in.
Setting up:
Getting the 1MORE Dual Driver BT ANC In-Ear Headphones connected to your phone is really simple. Simply turn on the headphones by holding in the power button. Then on the device of choice, search for the headphones as a Bluetooth device and connect to it. Your headphones will now be paired and will connect automatically the next time you turn them on.
Sound Quality:
Throughout my walks, I have been jamming away to my music and it has sounded fantastic, all thanks to the dual drivers (dynamic driver and a single balanced armature). These drivers produce really good bass. The mid-range is detailed and clean and delivers nice vocals. The headphones also can go really loud, if that is your thing. Since you will be streaming music over Bluetooth most of the time (to get the wireless benefits), it is important to note that the maximum transfer rate over Bluetooth is 320 KBPS, which is good enough to enjoy music on the go.
The onboard Microphone does a decent job at transferring your voice for hands-free calls. I did a couple of business and personal calls whilst out and about and I was never shouted at that I cannot be heard.
Active Noise Cancellation:
I have been wearing the headphones every day whilst walking among people, cars and barking dogs, and throughout all of this, I was in my own world listening to music. This is thanks to the environmental noise cancellation which keeps all the nonsense out and the music in.
1MORE have developed their own Active Noise Cancellation tech. What ANC does is block out outside noise, so you only hear your music. 1MORE’s ANC uses the mic to listen to the background noise and then this noise is produced with an inverted phase, so you won’t hear it. The headphones have 2 levels of ANC for different situations. To be honest, though, I found that the in-ear headphones already block out lots of outside noise as is thanks to their snug fit. That being said, the ANC mode is impressive. The headphones also have a passthrough mode, which uses the mic to pick up ambient noises and deliver these noises through the headphones. This can be useful when you may want to hear noises around such as when cycling, walking or running.
Battery Life:
The built-in battery gives you about 7 hours of music playtime and will take an hour for a full charge. A 10-minute fast charge gives 3 hours of use, useful for a quick charge while getting ready to go out. I have only charged the headphones once and have been using them from 27 Dec to 5 Jan and have 60% battery remaining! I have used them at least 8 times for about an hour and a bit each. That is about 8 hours, more than the 7 hours of suggested playtime! To see how much battery life you have available, you can check in the Bluetooth settings of your phone.
When the headphones are turned on, a voice will let you know that they are connected as well as let you know the battery status. You will either hear: “Battery high”, “battery medium” or “battery low please charge”.
What is in the box:
In the box you get:
- 1MORE Dual Driver BT ANC In-Ear Headphones
- 4 sets of ear tips and wings
- USB Type-C cable
- AUX to USB Type-C Cable
- Aeroplane seat adapter (very clever 1MORE)
- Travel bag
- Stickers, guides etc
Price:
The 1MORE Dual Driver BT ANC In-Ear Headphones will cost you R2499, which isn’t a lot considering what you are getting in the package.
Verdict:
I have been very impressed with the 1MORE Dual Driver BT ANC In-Ear Headphones. The overall build quality and design is superb, the sound quality is perfect for on the go audio, the 2 stages of Active Noise Cancellation really helps with reducing unwanted noise, the Passthrough mode is great for when you need to hear noises, the battery life is amazing (I only recall charging once and I have been using the headphones the whole holidays) and lastly, they look super cool!
I cannot find any fault with what 1MORE have put together here. And all of this only costs R2499. So, if you are looking for a pair of well-built Bluetooth headphones you can take anywhere you go, I highly recommend the 1MORE Dual Driver BT ANC In-Ear Headphones!
If you are looking for gaming headphones, check out my review of the 1MORE Gaming H1005 Spearhead VR 7.1 Headphones!
