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1More ComfoBuds Pro Review

1More ComfoBuds Pro Review
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24 January 2023
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    There's no denying it: I love the headphones that 1MORE makes. This is a very rare case when a young Asian team finds not only good designers, but also people who are well versed in sound – and as a result create product. After product that gives really high-quality sound for adequate money.

    A year ago, I praised the 1MORE True Wireless headphones: they played music indecently great and in many ways unusual because they had two fundamentally different speakers in the case. Therefore, they could reveal those details that simply “linked” with one small speaker. Today I am sharing my impressions of the mid-range model – 1MORE ComfoBuds Pro. In the USA, the cost is $79. After a week of testing, I am ready to draw a conclusion from the first lines.

    Who doesn't remember: who are 1MORE

    The history of 1MORE began with three Foxconn top managers who wanted to create a line of headphones at the level of the largest Western companies. Xiaomi financed the idea and included the young company among its production partners. 1More Comfobuds ProHistory:

    • Over 8 years, most of their models have been highly appreciated by experts, and the brand has become an example of the growing quality and expertise of Chinese companies in the world of sound. Now, 1MORE is active in all corners of the world – from the USA to Asia.
    • I can agree with the positive assessment of world audio gurus. Experience in the production of many dozens of models for Xiaomi have allowed 1MORE's own products to take and sometimes jump over the bar for the quality of personal audio devices. Becoming on a par with the world giants of headphone manufacturers.
    • In the modern 1MORE line, 6 models of different price categories are available. Inside it, the reviewed ComfoBuds Pro rank above average – just ahead of the flagship True Wireless. Let's see what the company offers for the average price “rate” of the TWS segment.

    Design and fit

    As usual for 1MORE, the headphones are packed in a cardboard box with a magnetic lid. Under the transparent cover is a case, and deeper – a carrying bag, replaceable silicone ear pads (3 pairs), a USB cable to USB-C and, attention, silicone case cover. 1More ComfoBuds Pro The cover is literally glued to the body of the case:

    • Case. All TWS headphones are a bit similar to each other, and there is no revelation in this case. 1MORE ComfoBuds come in a lightweight, pill-shaped matte plastic case. Magnetic lid.
    • Positions. Inside the headphones are inserted horizontally, are then automatically fixed by magnets in the grooves. The case itself charges via a USB-C port. No wireless charging.
    • Shape. The arms of the headphones are quite long, in the shape of a cone. It does not cause discomfort. Even vice versa! For my taste and color, of all the successors of the glorious work of AirPods design – yes, that same oblong shape is so far the best implementation of such a design besides the “original”. They really look good in black and don't even look like countless AirPods clones.
    • Convenience. The fit of in-ear headphones is still a purely individual thing. Personally, I have 1MORE sitting as comfortably as possible. Nothing presses anywhere, and the headphones hold tight, even if you jump or run. The nozzles do not go very deep into the canal, which is definitely pleasing and adds convenience during long-term wearing.
    • Control. Of the minuses, I can note the touch format for playback control. More precisely, here it is combined. To switch tracks, you need to knock on the case. And to change the playback mode, you need to hold your finger on the bow for 3 seconds. Technically, everything works as it should. But it seemed to me that for three seconds to hold a finger to turn off the noise reduction mode on the go, and then for another three seconds to return it back – it's quite a long time. Plus, in general, I have a negative attitude towards touch keys.
    • Material. I also advise you to firmly grab the headphones themselves when you take them off or put them on: the glossy plastic of the case strives to slip out of your hands.
    • Design. For design and wearing comfort, I give ComfoBuds Pro a four plus. They justify their name one hundred percent, and among analogues even up to 20 thousand rubles, these can be safely put in the TOP of the best models in terms of ergonomics.

    Sound Quality

    ComfoBuds Pro have 13.4 mm titanium composite dynamic drivers inside. 6 microphones are responsible for the direction of active noise reduction, half of which measure the noise inside the ear. 1More Comfobuds Pro 13.4 Driver

    • AAC. Of the codecs, there is AAC (compatible with any smartphones) and basic SBC. The wireless connection is via Bluetooth 5.0. The connection quality is excellent – in a week there has never been a situation of headphone out of sync or loss of connection at adequate distances.
    • Bass. The focus of the 1MORE sound is, of course, bass. It is strong, with a bright and juicy mid-bass. The attack here is a little blurry, in extremely fast compositions the headphones do not have time to separate each blow. But in most popular genres, headphones effectively emphasize the drive. From the genres, I would cross out hard rock, and from the recommended ones, according to personal feelings, I would single out modern pop and D&B.
    • Vocals. Mid's, as it should be for the vast majority of wireless headphones, are not very bright. They are not completely removed from the overall picture, but they are definitely not the focus in any compositions, even slightly saturated with other frequencies. And the high ones are good in terms of vocals, but still stuck. The stage is also not expansive, but sufficient for TWS.
    • The sound. Overall, I would describe the sound of the ComfoBuds as warm and trendy. The sound quality in any of the active modes is a little better than without them at all. Together with them, the active equalizer is clearly activated, and it improves the rather weak high and mid-frequencies, aligning the sound profile closer to balance.
    • Noise reduction. Passive noise reduction is not strong, you will hear the surrounding sounds.
    • Sound. In any case, ComfoBuds Pro are not professional headphones. It's just that their combined sound is tritely pleasant: cheerful, bossy and full of drive. For street headphones – that's it. Plus, when you listen to them for a long time, there is no fatigue. This hides a rarely discussed plus of models with a focus on bass.

    What are the chips

    In addition to comfort, the second great feature of ComfoBuds Pro is these are really effective noise reduction modes. In headphones up to 100 it is strange to expect high-quality noise reduction, but these manage just five points. 1More Comfobuds ProChips:

    • 4 modes. Headphones have 4 playback modes: full noise reduction, medium noise reduction, similar to the Transparency Mode in AirPods Pro (when you hear ambient sounds well) and wind protection. For the last separate respect to the manufacturer because without this option, any active noise-cancelling headphones whistle unpleasantly in stormy weather.
    • Noise reduction strength. Noise reduction strength is shifted towards 2/3 of the frequency range. High, like whistling rails, are not “extinguished” very well. But low, like the hum of wagons or an airplane engine, suppressed very well, not even “budgetary” at all.
    • Difference. There is little difference between medium and high levels of noise reduction. It seems to me that the ability to adjust them was provided exclusively for those who are sensitive to the ANC effect itself.
    • 1MORE Music. You can change modes in the proprietary 1MORE Music application. There, in addition, the firmware is updated, the settings for clicks and gestures are changed.
    • Natural sounds. With a separate menu in the program, you can turn on natural noises for relaxation and sleep from almost 20 options. And you can even “warm up” headphones through special mode! I don't think it's necessary, but the possibility is there.
    • Sensors. An infrared sensor pauses playback when you take the headphones off and resumes when you put them back on. I did not notice any accidental operation of the mechanism, even if it was loosely inserted into my ears.
    • IPX4. The case is protected from rain, dust, sweat and splashes according to the IPX4 standard. This is especially pleasing now, in rainy August, and even more so in autumn. It's great not to be afraid to listen to music, even when it's watering.
    • Autonomous work. Autonomous work is 6 absolutely honest hours, even with a surplus. I listened to them almost always with active noise reduction, so with the effects off they should last even longer (up to 8 hours, according to the manufacturer). The case allows you to achieve two more full charges, which in total gives 18 hours. In 15 minutes in a case, they are charged for 2 hours of playback.
    • ANC. Adjustable ANC Modes – With powerful, soft, see-through and wind-resistant ANC modes, 1MORE ComfoBuds Pro lets you enjoy peace of mind, regardless of what you're doing.
    • 13.4 mm titanium driver. Highly detailed audio – 13.4- Millimeter titanium composite dynamic driver delivers authentic and balanced sound. You will hear the smallest details as if you were at a concert.
    • 6 mics. 6 mics – 3 mics in each ear cup, combined with a precise algorithm, flawlessly cancel noise and amplify your voice for crystal-clear phone calls.
    • Mini total. I'm not saying these are perfect headphones. But they are great in what really matters. They are very comfortable to wear. The sound corresponds to the price category. And the quality of noise reduction will be higher, than most competitors.
    • Pros and cons. Many of the “sores” inherent in fully wireless headphones of the initial and even middle segments are absent here. And there are plenty of pluses.
    • Is it worth buying? Therefore, owners of smartphones of any manufacturer, For those who want to get the most out of headphones, I can safely recommend this 1MORE model for purchase. In the US, they cost $79 and work out their price even with a surplus.
    • Cons. There are two things that annoy me a little here. First, while the touchpads are fast and responsive, they are too narrow and can sometimes be hard to find by touch. Second, we do not have a single click, which is strange and inconvenient. Otherwise, I have no complaints about the management – it is implemented well. The same goes for the proximity/removal sensors.

    1More ComfoBuds Pro convenience

    In ComfoBuds Pro, 1More allows us to access voice assistants running on paired smartphones – Google Assistant or Siri. A set of three microphones on each earpiece handles voice recognition flawlessly, so the assistant responds quickly to your requests. By the way, Samsung's Bixby is also supported here, even if it cannot be activated by voice.

    Application and setup

    The app for 1More ComfoBuds Pro lags analogues like JBL Headphones or Sony Headphones Connect in terms of features, although it has improved significantly lately.

    Connecting 1More ComfoBuds Pro

    The Chinese company has recently added several new options to it, but the interface remains the same: a white background that shows headphones and a case with a battery level, as well as a set of settings. Here you can select the ANC mode or turn it off altogether with one click, reassign control and activate proximity/removal sensors. 1More Comfobuds ProFunctions:

    1. Equalizer and Soothing Sounds mode. The main advantage of the new version of 1More is the introduction of two new features: an equalizer and Soothing Sounds mode. The equalizer has over 20 settings for various audio content and music genres to choose from. You cannot create your own profile manually, but you will surely select the best setting for yourself from the available ones. Among the most interesting are: Bass reduction, Acoustic, Hip-hop, Electronic music, Podcasts and Pop.
    2. Soothing Sounds. Soothing Sounds mode allows you to drown out external noise with the sounds of nature, of which there are as many as 16 types. Especially soothes the murmur of the river, however, the sounds are looped and replayed every few seconds, which gets annoying pretty quickly.
    3. Smart Burn-In. In the settings, you can also find the Smart Burn-In function, which allegedly “warms up” the headphones using a certain frequency range. Some people believe that this improves the quality of the music played, although most experts say that this is a myth. In any case, there is such a newfangled feature in ComfoBuds Pro.

    1More ComfoBuds Pro Application

    If you dig deep into the settings, you can find a section with experimental features, although now there is only one option – Pop-ups. The app doesn't explain its purpose, perhaps due to pop-up animations on a smartphone like Apple's, however, activating it didn't change anything on my Google Pixel 4.

    Sound Quality

    What pleased me the most about the 1More ComfoBuds Pro was their loud and clear sound, when the bass was even more powerful when ANC was turned on. However, these headphones are not suitable for all genres of music.

    The ComfoBuds Pro do best with compositions where drums are in the foreground, keyboard instruments or singer vocals. I enjoyed jazz, classic 90s hip-hop and vibrant R&B. The sound stage remains wide when the vocals are crisp and pleasing over softly played instruments.

    Sound in 1More ComfoBuds Pro

    Headphones manage to preserve the mood and depth of calm classical melodies. But music in the style of Lo-Fi is given to these 1More harder. If the composition is of low quality with an abundance of fast transitions throughout the frequency range, and complex vocals, everything is mixed, so it becomes difficult to enjoy the track. 

    Codec support is limited to SBC and AAC – alas, no aptX. The set is not the widest, especially since AAC is known for its problems with Android devices, although higher quality audio will be available to iPhone owners.

    Active Noise Cancellation

    While the 1More ComfoBuds Pro doesn't have Bose headphone-level active noise cancellation, the technology is surprisingly well implemented for the budget segment. 1More Comfobuds Pro Three ANC modes are available: Strong, Medium and WNR (Wind Noise Resistant – wind protection). The first one is the most effective, it is especially good when you need to eliminate low frequencies – for example, you will not hear the hum of the air conditioner, even being next to it.

    1More ComfoBuds Pro Noise Reduction

    If you're disturbed by TV broadcasts, overly chatty relatives, or the rumbling of a washing machine, ComfoBuds Pro won't hear them. True, high frequencies like whistling and baby crying partially break through the sound suppression barrier. Medium mode is suitable if is you want to eliminate a little noise and still save battery power.

    There is also a Transparency (penetration) mode, in which you will hear all the surrounding sounds. It's handy when walking through busy streets. You have to cross the road often, or you hope to keep up a conversation with colleagues.

    Microphone and communication quality

    Don't count on high call quality when using 1More ComfoBuds Pro. 1More Comfobuds ProDespite ANC, microphones pick up a lot of ambient noise, especially wind noise. If you're talking outside on a windy day or on a busy street, even though, your voice won't be perfectly clear indoors. ComfoBuds Pro uses Bluetooth 5.0 for communication with a range of up to 10 meters.

    The connection quality is stable, with already familiar sources, communication is established quickly. Unfortunately, Multipoint technology for connecting to multiple devices and the Google Fast Pair function are not added here.

    Autonomy 1More ComfoBuds Pro

    • ComfoBuds Pro by 1More can work 6 hours on a single charge with ANC active and 8 hours without it.
    • Better than AirPods Pro (4.5 hours) with ANC, same as Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Pro (6 hours) but inferior to Sony WF-SP800N (9 hours). Depending on the volume and other active functions, battery life may vary.
    • On average, 1More ComfoBuds Pro batteries last for three days of normal use. The charging case will give another 20–28 hours of work. A quick charge of 15 minutes will give you 2 hours of listening to your favorite music, however, there is no wireless charging here.

    Summary

    It's hard not to praise the 1More ComfoBuds Pro for its balanced and spacious sound, with Quiet Max ANC technology doing a fantastic job of canceling noise. Battery life with ANC enabled isn't the longest, but the headset charges quickly. The bonus was new features in the 1More app and support for various voice assistants.

    Unfortunately, not everything about ComfoBuds Pro is as perfect as it seemed. The design of the oblong case seems outdated, the control is not always convenient, and the call quality leaves much to be desired. Headphones are also not suitable for some music genres.

    Is it worth buying

    At $79, the 1More ComfoBuds Pro have an impressive array of benefits. If your budget is limited for new wireless headphones for your smartphone – this model will be a worthy choice.
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