The relatively young audio brand 1More may have been on the radar of bargain hunters for some time. Because the company from Hong Kong often brings products onto the market that draw attention to themselves with superior technical features at a surprisingly low price. This is also known from the technology giant Xiaomi, for example, which actually has a finger in the pie here.
The 1More Sonoflow advertises a lossless LDAC codec for audiophile sound and adaptive noise cancellation. At the same time, a long runtime of up to 70 hours and multipoint technology are also offered. Does it all sound great – and for less than 100 euros? A data sheet that reads great is one thing. The practice, the other. So we are now testing thoroughly whether the new over-ear headphones deliver what they promise – and what else they have to offer.
Design and comfort
The 1More Sonoflow is only available in classic black. The over-ear headphones are mainly made of plastic, which feels a bit more valuable than expected due to a matte finish. At least a little metal is used in the construction of the bracket to ensure the necessary robustness. For the ear pads and shielding, on the other hand, memory foam is used, which is covered with synthetic leather. While the headphones appear extremely simple on the outside, they finally reveal a very distinctive accent in the ear cups – blood-red fabric covers to protect the membrane.
A few words about wearing comfort: due to its relatively low weight of 250 grams and the good padding, the Sonoflow is pleasantly light and comfortable to wear over the long term. At very high temperatures, however, the insulation can quickly make you sweat. Practical: If you like to be on the go or travel a lot, you will be happy about the rotatable and foldable earpieces.
By the way, the basic design of the Sonoflow reminds us a little of Sony’s prestige WH-1000XM5 ANC headphones (test report). Maybe a little hint as to which league 1More would like to play in?
equipment and service
The 1More Sonoflow also shows high travel qualities when it comes to equipment: It comes with a stylish transport case with a fabric cover in anthracite, in which a USB charging cable (type C) and a 2.5 to 3.5 millimeter audio cable are stowed. If the battery is empty, the headphones can still be kept in operation via the jack cable. Although ANC and Co. are then no longer available, the feature is practical for emergencies on long flights or journeys. However, there is no IP certification, which is why you should be a bit careful in bad weather.
1More Sonoflow Screenshots
1More Sonoflow Screenshots
The initial pairing and setup are like clockwork. Thanks to the slim companion app, there is also a brief introduction to the operation of the four buttons that are attached to the right ear cup.
There are two points here that bother us: Firstly, the buttons cannot be configured. On the other hand, the on/off switch, which also serves to pause and play during operation, is unfavorably positioned. Instead of behind the ear, where the other three buttons are found and can be easily operated with the thumb, in this case the decision was made to place them on the front. This either requires turning in the hand more, which feels uncomfortable and awkward, or a second operating handle that you first have to train yourself to use. This could have been solved more intuitively.
Technology and battery power
The two dynamic 40 millimeter drivers are decisive for the sound of the 1More Sonoflow. Transmission is only via Bluetooth 5.0, which is comparatively backward. The advanced multipoint feature, which makes it possible to connect two devices at the same time, is tempting. Officially, it is still in beta and must first be activated via the app. But it worked perfectly. SBC, AAC and LDAC codecs are available. With the latter, a transfer speed of up to 990 kbps is possible. A total of five microphones are also installed for telephone calls, ANC and transparency mode.
1More Sonoflow Bilder
1More Sonoflow
In terms of battery performance, the 720 mAh battery provides up to 70 hours of playtime. It’s 50 hours when ANC is activated. After about 80 minutes, the battery is fully charged again. If time is short, just five minutes are enough for around five hours of running time. These are decent values, which also correspond to our experience.
sound quality
In the headphone supreme discipline, the 1More Sonoflow leaves a successful impression. The sound is characterized by a powerful bass, warm mids and – with a little fine tuning – also clear highs. The sometimes strong bass emphasis is striking, especially in ANC mode. We already know that from the in-ears 1More Aero (test report). What we already recommended there also works quite well with the Sonoflow: If you don’t like the bass dominance, you can use the 10-band equalizer to defuse it for the most part.
However, we prefer to do without the 12 EQ presets in studio quality. Well intentioned, but somehow they just can’t convince in our ears. It gets worse when the already pushed bass is boosted again, for example via the presets bass booster and Hip-Hop-Musik. Best of all we chose the Studio-Preference fallen. In the end, however, it is better to create a preset of which you can create a total of three.
Even if there was a noticeable amount of complaining about details: With a view to the price, we are quite impressed by the sound of the 1More Sonoflow. Especially when the Hi-Res options of the LDAC codec can be fully exploited thanks to a suitable Android smartphone. We also liked the call quality and can generally be rated as good.
ANC and transparency mode
When it comes to active noise cancellation, the 1More Sonoflow delivers very well. Monotonous, recurring background noises are effectively filtered out and are almost imperceptible even at low volume levels. The typical weaknesses that the top ANC league can cope with much better can be seen in the midrange and high-frequency range. Nevertheless: For the price range around 100 euros, we attest the Sonoflow a really good ANC performance, even if the sound pattern is clearly audibly changed. If ANC is activated, the sound sounds a bit fuller and less open. But the headphones are not alone in this. ANC should always only be activated when required. In the transparency mode, however, there are no special features. He does what he’s supposed to do. The only noticeable thing is an increased background noise due to the strongly emphasized recording of the environment.
Preis
The recommended price for the 1More Sonoflow is 100 euros. At the time of testing, it can also regularly be found on the market for around 80 euros.
Conclusion
Let’s make it short: If you are looking for solid travel and everyday headphones with the best price-performance ratio, you will be happy with the 1More Sonoflow. Except for the somewhat awkward operation, we basically couldn’t identify any other major weaknesses. An over-ear headphone with LDAC codec and ANC, which performs similarly well, is otherwise only available at this price in the form of the Soundcore Life Q35 (test report). Yes, in all areas such as processing, sound and ANC it can also be better. But here we are already in the upper class from 200 euros upwards.