In Review: 1More Sonoflow ANC Headphones

In the fall last year, we brought you word of then newly-announced 1More Sonoflow ANC Headphones, which seemed like they would be a contender to my favorite ANC headset. So we’re not accused of burying the lede, we’ll just say it up front – these are the budget ANC headphones to check out. Now, on to the review of the 1More Sonoflow.

What are they?

Simply put, the 1More Sonoflow is a lightweight, comfortable pair of over-ear headphones that offer the ability to be used wirelessly (via Bluetooth) or wired (via a 3.5mm jack), and are charged up via a USB-C port. Once you’ve got them paired and have them in use, you’ve got a fairly simple set of controls via the buttons. Press the ‘+’ or ‘-‘ button, you’re adjusting volume; press and hold those same buttons, and you’re adjusting tracks. There’s also a ‘NC’ button that lets you cycle through various noise cancellation settings, which can also be adjusted via the phone app. Finally, the power button on the front of the right earcup can be used to play/pause music, as well as to answer calls.

How’s the app?

Whenever I get a pair of headphones in, the first thing I do is get the app setup on my phone, and connect the headphones there. First and foremost, you want to check for any firmware updates. Then, you can usually set some preferences for the audio settings (in this case, I just got to a preset EQ that matched the curve I would normally setup), and away you go. After that, I really didn’t use the 1More app. If you use the headpones with your phone, primarily, you do have the benefit of the included “calming noises” which can give you all sorts of sounds from nature to help you unwind.

How do they perform?

With any audio product, that’s the big question, right? In terms of audio reproduction – be it spoken word or music – I found them to be spot on. A lot of that is down to how you like to hear your music, and what EQ settings you put in place, but for me, these were great. Solid bass without overwhelming things, while the mids and highs still come through crisply.

What about the active noise cancellation (aka ANC)? Here again, they did excellent. They block out the noise around you so you can focus in on what you’re working on, and the mics for calls do a great job filtering out the background noise as well. Your voice comes through cleanly, and there’s no noticeable lag or distortion on the other end.

How comfortable are they?

I have, suffice to say, a larger-than-average cranium, so getting over-ear headphones to fit, and then sit comfortably, can be a bit of a challenge. With the headband on the 1More Sonoflow, I still have a few clicks of extension left, which surprised me. The headset itself is a touch lighter than others I’ve used, which, when combined with the foam they have in the headband, makes for absolutely the most comfortable headset I’ve worn in quite some time. I generally have these on 9 or so hours a day, and never had any issues with pressure or discomfort. Oh, and speaking of those durations – they easily lasted through my workweek, so their estimate of 70 hours of battery life (with the ANC off) seems about right.

Do we recommend them?

In a word, yes. With the time I’ve spent with the 1More Sonoflow, these are definitely taking the the crown of best affordable ANC over-ear headphones. Sure, you could save a few bucks with, say, the Q25 or Q30. If you’ve got a bigger head and want all-day comfort, though, these are the place to go. Also worth mentioning is that they have the most compact storage case I’ve seen, which makes slipping them into the work bag a cinch. If you want to pick them up, the MSRP on these is $99.99, but we seem them discounted 10-20% from that over at Amazon and at 1more.com

Details from 1More

CERTIFIED WIRELESS AUDIOPHILE SOUND – 1MORE SonoFlow is Hi-Res Audio and Hi-Res Audio Wireless certified, and supports the lossless LDAC codec, allowing you to enjoy a high-resolution audio experience by transmitting at a transfer rate of 990kbps. Every subtle detail will come to life.
REFINED, LIFELIKE SOUND – Boasting a 40mm driver with a DLC (diamond-like-carbon) composite diaphragm and soft PET film, the SonoFlow produces rhythmic bass, warm mids and crisp highs while offering an ultra-wide frequency response range that reaches up to 40kHz.

ENJOYABLE LISTENING EXPERIENCE – 4-time GRAMMY® Award recipient, Luca Bignardi has expertly tuned the frequencies to produce an authentic, balanced sound as close as the musicians and sound technicians heard in the recording studio. They also feature 12 studio-grade EQ presets that suit most music genres, giving you a quick way to experience a variety of sound signatures.
PROPRIETARY NOISE CANCELLATION TECHNOLOGY – 1MORE SonoFlow never lets the outside noise intrude on you and your music with QuietMax™ noise cancellation technology. And if you want to keep aware of your surroundings, just press the button to switch to Transparency Mode.
THE LONGEST BATTERY LIFE – Get up to 70 hours of battery life from a single charge with ANC off, giving you an uninterrupted music experience. And a quick 5-minute charge gives you 5 hours of listening.