It’s been a while since I had the opportunity to try out some of 1More’s headphone offerings, and after the release of the SonoFlow over-ear headphones with ANC, I was excited to give them a try. Thankfully, the brand was kind enough to send out this pair for review, and I’ve spent the past few weeks checking them out.
Design
I’ve long been a fan of 1More’s earbuds, but this is the first pair of wireless over-ear headphones I’ve experienced from the company. The SonoFlow headphones are a mix of plastic, protein leather, and memory foam. This ensures they are lightweight, durable, and comfortable to wear.
Comfort
The 1More SonoFlow weigh in at 250g, which makes them extremely lightweight and comfortable to wear for hours combined with the protein leather and memory foam. The only downside is that your ears can get warm after a while, but that’s common among closed-back headphones, and the tight seal is needed for ANC purposes.
User experience
While many headphones these days opt for touch-sensitive controls, the SonoFlow uses physical buttons. I often prefer real buttons because touch-sensitive controls are so easy to activate accidentally. On the other hand, having tactile buttons to control playback, volume, and the ANC modes are more reliable and consistent to use day to day.
I’m glad 1More went this route with the SonoFlow, but I’m less thrilled about the included headphone jack. Don’t get me wrong, I love the option to use over-ear headphones with a wired connection.
This is more about the size of the port 1More decided to use. Instead of 3.5mm, which is commonly used, the SonoFlow uses a 2.5mm jack. I’m sure this was done as some sort of space-saving compromise, but 2.5mm to 3.5mm cables are far less common. Meaning, you’re unlikely to find another one lying around the house that is compatible if you misplace the cable that comes in the box.
My overall experience with the 1More SonoFlow headphones was a positive one, however, there was one issue that popped up. Occasionally, I’d experience the audio cut out for a second, which isn’t uncommon with some headphones when using LDAC. Unfortunately, I also noticed this when I disabled LDAC.
App
In the past, 1More’s app was basically useless and I questioned why it even existed. I’m happy to report that the app has come a long way over the years and offers everything a modern headphone app should. It’s no longer just a way to update the firmware, but now the app allows you to check the battery level, toggle ANC and Pass-through modes, and adjust the equalizer.
1More provides you with numerous EQ presets to choose from, as well as a custom 12-band option that will impress most audiophiles out there.
Audio quality
The SonoFlow has a wonderfully balanced mix of treble and deep bass for a warm sound with plenty of detail when listening to tracks. The only criticism I have would be that the soundstage isn’t quite as open as I’d like, but that’s when compared to headphones that are nearly three times the price. At only $100, the SonoFlow still exceeds my expectations.
Especially considering the app features such a fantastic equalizer and there’s LDAC support. Simply put, the SonoFlow sound like they should cost more than they do, but don’t expect them to replace headphones that are nearly triple the price.
ANC
1More’s QuietMax technology does an admirable job blocking outside noise. I found it isolated me from the running air conditioner and lawn mowers that can be often heard during the summer. It should be more than enough for most people, although, the SonoFlow lacks options to adjust the level like many other more expensive headphones these days.
Battery
1More rates the SonoFlow for up to a whopping 70 hours. Of course, that’s only if you listen with LDAC and ANC disabled. Even with both of those features enabled, the battery life is rated for an impressive 50 hours, and I was unable to drain the SonoFlow after a full week of heavy listening. There’s no denying the SonoFlows are battery champs and should give you plenty of time in between charging.
When it comes time to charge, there is no wireless charging option, but the SonoFlow supports fast charging and can provide five hours of listening time with only five minutes of charging.
Final thoughts
1More has always been good about producing headphones with a good balance of sound quality and price. One of its latest, the 1More SonoFlow, is another joining that list with impressively long battery life, active noise cancellation, and audio quality that is sure to please for the $100 price tag.
For that price, you really can’t go wrong with the SonoFlow headphones, it even includes the LDAC codec which is a premium feature many other more expensive headphones usually lack. I’d say the SonoFlow from 1More are darn near perfect at this price point, if not for the occasional connection drops. However, that’s about the only flaw I could find.
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