OUR VERDICT
The 1MORE Quad Driver in-ear headphones offer wonderfully balanced sound and feel special in the hand with its aluminum construction. While they’re not cheap, they’re a bargain compared to more expensive competition.
FOR
- Beautifully balanced sound
- Luxurious build quality
- Remote controls work on Android/iOS
AGAINST
- Foam ear tips don’t seal well
- Cheaper sibling is better value
Adding more to an audio product doesn’t always make it better. But in the case of these 1MORE Quad Driver in-ear headphones, more is most definitely much better.
The Quad Drivers have three balanced armature drivers and one diamond-like carbon driver, which delivers best-in-class audio quality across the spectrum.
The 1MORE brand brought out the cheaper Triple Driver headphones around the same time. Although they’re cheaper, and a much better bargain than the Quad Driver at nearly half the price, if you can afford the extra money you will bag yourself a better built headphone, as well as better sound.
Setting you back $199 (£200, about AU$335), the 1MORE Quad Driver headphones certainly aren’t cheap. But despite what you may think, they’re actually good value compared to the competition in the same price range.
So if you’re on the hunt for a luxurious sounding and feeling pair of in-ears, you’ll struggle to find anything that matches the high standards of 1MORE Quad Driver in-ear headphones.
Design
The moment you open the box, the 1MORE Quad Drivers impress with both their packaging and build quality. The earbuds feel like they’re milled from a solid block of aluminum. Even the remote and 3.5mm L-connector are made from aluminum and feel like they can withstand being run over by a car.
The earbuds are quite large but still fit comfortably in our ears. 1MORE packs a ton of different earbud tips to try and it’s a good idea to experiment with the to get the best seal. Without a proper seal, bass response will suffer.
On the right earbud cable you’ll find a three-button remote that works with Android and iOS device to control volume, playback and to activate your voice assistant of choice. This may seem like an overrated feature but many headphones work with either device but not both. For example, the V-Moda Forza’s controls only work with Android devices but not iOS.
The cable of the 1MORE Quad Driver is tangle-resistant but that doesn’t mean you can’t tangle them. They simply resist bending with its Kevlar coating, which helps make the headphones feel even more robust. The cable is similar in construction to the excellent Klipsch Reference X6i.
Included in the box is a very nice faux-leather hard case with a magnetic clasp, a 3.5mm-to-6.35mm adapter to use with desktop amplifiers, a shirt clip, airline adapter and a ton of silicone and foam tips. We found the included foam tips to be too shallow to create a good seal but thankfully, the included silicone tips are excellent.
Performance
Throughout our test, nothing about the 1MORE Quad Driver in-ear headphones jumped out at us. But listening to other pairs of in-ear headphones left us impressed by the 1MORE’s balance, soundstage and voicing.
Fans of the Sennheiser HD600 will love the 1MORE Quad Driver. Like the Sennheiser, the sound presentation is slightly dark and laid back. This creates an effect of sitting in the middle of a concert hall instead of being in the front row. That being said, fans of a more dramatic, front row presentation may not enjoy the voicing of the Quad Driver.
In terms of tonal balance, the 1MORE Quad Drivers are wonderfully balanced. Highs have nice extension but lack the sparkle of more forward earbuds like the Beyerdyamic iDX 200 iE. That’s not a bad thing necessarily as this means you can listen to the 1MORE for hours without suffering from audio fatigue.
The mids are the standout of the 1MORE with a lush, honey-like presentation. Female vocalists like Norah Jones just sound so smooth and detailed. There’s a slight mid-bass bump to give a slightly warm presentation, which works to help poorly mastered songs sound bearable.
Bass is tight and features great extension and impact. The 1MORE Quad Drivers do an excellent job of sounding great with just about every genre of music from classical to rap.
Verdict
While $200 is a lot of money, the 1MORE Quad Driver in-ear headphones are worth every penny. 1MORE hit it out of the park with this flagship pair of in-ear headphones with its balanced sound build quality, smartphone compatibility and price. These in-ear headphones will make mobile audiophiles very happy.
The only reservation that we have is that the Quad Drivers face tough competition from 1MORE’s cheaper Triple Driver sibling which costs half the price and tops our pick of the best in-ear headphones of 2018 – a year after they first launched.
In terms of value, the 1MORE Triple Driver headphones are the winner but for those who want just a bit better build and more detailed sound, the 1MORE Quad Driver headphones are worth the extra money.
Source: techradar.com
