1more in ear earphones

1More C1002 and E1001 In Ear Headphones Review

1MORE C1002

Well! 1More is a Chinese brand that makes a small range of IEMs and more traditional looking headphones. The price points put these IEMs in the sights of those wanting to get something more out of their portable music player without breaking the bank. 

 

C1002 Capsule Dual Driver 

The packaging is pretty cool on these and a lot of thought has gone into the whole experience of buying them. In the pack you get the headphones, a range of 4 tips, a little carrying pouch, a silicone cover for the capsules that is designed to increase their size for those more well endowed on the lughole region and an instruction manual in a range of languages. There’s a matching shirt clip included too. C1002 Capsule Dual Driver

Features

When you’re not using them the C1002s have handy magnetic tips so you can put them around your neck. The cable is enamelled copper around a Kevlar core with the lower part being braised with nylon whilst after the split it is covered in TPE. He capsules are marked for left and right ears.

The C1002 has a balanced armature driver along with a separate dynamic driver. There is an in-line remote that is compatible with Android and Apple devices that you can change volume, skip through tracks and change the volume. A MEMS microphone is included too.

 

Comfort

I’m a weird one with IEMs and I tend not to get along with them at all but the capsule shape of these is really comfortable for me using the smallest of the silicone tips. I’m able to shake my head around pretty violently without them becoming dislodged or moving about and I’d certainly be happy to take part in vigorous physical activity whilst wearing these…were I of that persuasion…I’m not. These certainly block out the outside world when you are using them and I had no complaints from Linette about leakage of sound whilst using them.1morecap_ol

Sound

You’re never going to get the full listening experience that a proper stereo can offer when using any headphones in my opinion, but there are folk out there that actually prefer listening to music like this. Of course the main benefit of these kind of devices is their portability and the fact you can have music wherever you go.

However, my first listen is from the desktop computer using FLAC files through an AR DAC
From the first few bars of Gil Scott-Heron’s compilation album Ghetto Style it is clear that the 1Mores are a quality product. My initial comments would be of a sound that is clean, well defined and with a bass that sounds tuneful and bouncy. The all important midrange is sweet and mellifluous whilst the top end isn’t at all harsh as can be the case with some IEMs I’ve had the opportunity to use.

Body Count’s first album is a raucous metal-fest and the C1002s cope well even at loud volumes; these will go very loud (dangerously loud) without distorting. I was never of the opinion that these were getting stressed out and finding the going a bit much, they were composed and polite throughout. Audiophiles will like their presentation a good deal I think. There’s a real snap to the snare on the track Body Count that is really pleasing, whilst the grinding guitars come through really well. Separation of instruments is good with vocals being dead centre and you can hear where things are panned in the mix.
As I mentioned, these are priced to appeal to those looking for an upgrade from the standard ear buds that come with a phone or portable player and so I plug them into my WileyFox Android phone. The remote works as it should but I find, having sausages for fingers, the buttons a bit fiddly to use and I kept turning the music off to begin with…I got more used to them after time.

Playing Gregory Porter’s Liquid Spirit I found I had to turn the volume up pretty high to get to decent volume levels. Perhaps this is a good thing given my previous comments about these being able to be pushed to loud volumes before breaking up. There is a silkiness to the presentation and good insight into his vocal presentation whilst retaining a snappiness to the tops and decent bass. Again I’d say these will appeal to audiophiles on the move but who don’t want to go to the expense and hassle of a separate mobile set up.

 

Conclusion 

Over long periods of use these earphones were comfortable in both the way they fit and their non-fatiguing sound. For the asking price I consider them a bit of a bargain. Some mobile users will want more volume. The cables don’t tangle easily and the magnetic tips are a useful feature.