To sum up this 1More Evo review: these true wireless earbuds sound clear and precise with LDAC codec support for high-resolution audio, they may not be for everyone when it comes to looks but they have just about everything else you could ask for.
1More has come out with some really interesting pairs of true wireless earbuds in the last couple of years from the 1More ComfoBuds Mini to the 1More PistonBuds Pro, more often than not offering up good quality headphones for a small price.
The 1More Evo earbuds are their first step into the more expensive end of the market, with more in the way of features and advanced sound quality too, but will they be worthy of T3's guide to the best true wireless earbuds?
In this 1More Evo review, you’ll be able to find out how I got on when I tested them out, with details on the design and fit to my take on their sound and features.
1More Evo review: price and what’s new
You can pick up a pair of the 1More Evo earbuds from Amazon now for $170 in the US, £160 in the UK and AU$195 in Australia. To see where else you can buy them, take a look at the widgets on this page.
1More’s most premium pair of noise cancelling earbuds, the Evo buds improve on the next pair down in price (the 1More ComfoBuds Mini) with crystal clear high res audio, better battery life, adaptive ANC and 6 microphones built in to enhance call quality.
1More Evo review: design and fit
As soon as you take the 1More Evo buds out of the box, you can tell they sit on the more premium end of things - the oval design is sleek with a reflective panel framed by a golden strip, while the smooth, matte charging case feels well made and durable. You can buy them in either black or white, both options look smart although the design may not be for everyone.
Because they don't have a stem, these earbuds sit discreetly in your ear. They are small but actually bulkier than a lot of other pairs I’ve tried out and they weigh about 5.7g each so they are weighty without feeling too heavy which lends itself well to a comfortable fit.
You get 5 sizes of silicone eartips included in the box, something not all earbuds can offer, even at this price. Having so many options made for a very snug and secure fit that stayed put even when I was moving around a lot. Because of that, these will make a decent pair of workout buds. You just need to put them in and twist them to secure them.
With an IPX4 rating, you’ll be safe in the knowledge that these are water resistant as well. They will cope with splashes of rain or sweat, but they’re not fully waterproof so you’ll need to be more careful around bodies of water.
The default touch controls on the outside of each earbud let you pause or play the music with a double tap, call your phone’s voice assistant with a triple tap or if you touch and hold for a couple of seconds it will let you switch between noise cancelling modes. Through the 1More Music app, you can add other gestures on each side to skip forwards and backwards through songs as well as to adjust the volume if you would like.
When it comes to battery life, the 1More Evo buds themselves will last 8 hours of music at a time, which is a total of 28 hours with the case. That’ll be plenty for most people. When you do go to recharge them, you’ll need to plug the case in for about 2 hours for a full charge, or it can be charged wirelessly as well.
1More Evo review: performance and features
If you’re after top-tier sound from your next pair of true wireless earbuds then you will most definitely get that here.
The clarity is striking from your very first listen, I’d describe the audio quality as being both sharp and crisp whatever type of music you’re into. And the soundstage is wide without putting too much emphasis on any frequency which makes for a very accurate experience of each and every track.
When you pop on a more bass-heavy song, you won’t be drowned by an overbearing low end. Of course, some people will prefer to listen to their music with more punch but if you’re all about precision then you’ll enjoy how well-balanced it is.
With LDAC codec support you’ll get high-resolution audio with a decoding rate of up to 900Kbps on the music streaming services that support it like Tidal and Amazon Music. Not everyone will notice the difference but it basically means the quality of the sound is guaranteed to be about as good as it can get. Other supported codecs include AAC and SBC.
For those who like to have full control over their tunes, there are detailed equaliser settings across 10 bands in the 1More Music smartphone app, that’s way more than you’d get with most other earbuds.
If you’re not so sure how to use that, then there are loads of preset settings as well ranging from Bass Booster and Classical to Vocal Booster and Pop. There’s also the SoundID feature which helps you to produce your own sound profile. You’ll just need to pick some music from the list, and go through choosing which option (A or B) sounds best to you. From that, the app will create your own personalised SoundID.
To help you keep your focus on the music, there are a few different noise-cancelling modes here. Strong will block out as much surrounding noise as possible, Mild dials it down a little, WNR or Wind Noise Resistant adjusts it to improve listening outside on a blowy day and finally, Adaptive which will use the microphones to modify the noise cancelling depending on what’s going on around you.
I didn’t think the noise cancelling was the best I’ve ever heard, I could still hear some distracting sounds from around me, but it did enough to dull it. For that reason, these earbuds will be well suited to everyday listening but the ANC might not be substantial enough to use in particularly noisy environments, like on a plane.
Ear detection is another feature worth knowing about, if you take one out, or if one were to fall out, the music stops and when you put them back in it’ll play again. That way you won’t miss any of your favourite songs and you’ll quickly notice if you were to lose one.
1More Evo review: verdict
The 1More Evo earbuds are a great choice for those who care about the quality of the sound more than anything else. The high-resolution audio is these earphones' crowning glory. As well as that, you’ll get a decent amount of battery so you can listen for hours on end, and having 5 sizes of silicone ear tips included in the box is a big plus point as well.
On the flip side, not everyone will like the design, and it’d be great to see these be made fully waterproof. Another flaw is the noise cancelling which isn’t as effective as elsewhere even though it does go some way to keeping distracting sounds away from your music.
So to sum things up, the 1More Evo Buds have their ups and downs but at the end of it all, I still think they’re a pretty good buy.
1More Evo review: also consider
Price may not really be a factor for you, in which case, the Sony WF-1000XM4 are T3’s top choice of true wireless earbuds for most people. They combine superb sound with an advanced array of features and a solid, comfortable design.
On a tighter budget? The Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 Plus are a pair of cheap earbuds that still manage to deliver incredible sound quality. Granted you won’t get so many features, and they don’t have noise cancelling, but they still managed to impress us enough to pick up a coveted 5-star rating!
