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1MORE Triple Driver In-Ear
It’s no secret that there’s been an explosion of wireless products over the last few years. With phone manufacturers ditching the headphone jack, a pair of Bluetooth headphones is all but a necessity. And it’s terrible. I much prefer a pair of wired in-ears for everyday use to anything wireless, dongle and all. Recently I dug out the 1MORE Triple Driver In-Ear from storage to give it the full review treatment. After two weeks of testing, I can easily recommend this set of buds.
Editor’s note: this review was updated on April 14, 2022, to add the Linsoul TIN HiFi T2 to the Alternatives section and add context to the sound quality section.
- People with multiple devices should get these earbuds, assuming your devices all have headphone jacks.
- Commuters will grow to appreciate just how well these earbuds isolate you from your surroundings. As someone who used to commute two hours to class uphill both ways (anyone who’s ever taken the 1 train to CUNY City College in Harlem knows this is only half a joke), nothing beats a reliable pair of earbuds. Plus, you don’t have to worry about battery life.
- Anyone can make the most out of a good pair of in-ears. Even if you do prefer Bluetooth headphones, it’s always a good idea to have a backup.
What’s it like to use the 1MORE Triple Driver In-Ear?
Though there are a few quirks here and there that I’m not a fan of, I like the way it’s built. The housing on each earbud is made of solid metal, and the angled tips fit snugly in my ears (though I opt for the memory foam tips for good measure). I’m also usually all in on monochrome color options, but I enjoy the rose gold accents.
The cable is a braided fabric, which is nice up to a point—literally. Because once you get halfway up the headphones to the Y-split, it becomes a cheap, grooved plastic. Oddly, most of the tangles come from the braided fabric part, so maybe there’s a method to the madness. Towards the connector, there’s a blue-ish metal casing that protects the cable from fraying, and though I’ve had issues with this part becoming unglued on other earbuds, I have yet to experience that here.
The control module of the 1MORE Triple Driver is located roughly 6 inches down on the right earbud and feels just as flimsy as the cable it sits on. That said, I had absolutely no issues using it. The golden colors visually separate it, making it easy to locate and click. It also gives just the right amount of tactile feedback, so you won’t be left second-guessing every click. The buttons are raised slightly above the rest of the control module as well, so you shouldn’t have an issue locating the right one.
How do you control the 1MORE Triple Driver In-Ear?
One tap of the middle multi-function will pause or play the music, while two taps skips to the next track, and three taps will restart the song. The multi-function button also lets you access Siri or the Google Assistant (depending on your phone) and lets you answer or end phone calls with a single tap. Buttons for adjusting volume round out the control module, and that’s all there is to it.
How do you connect the 1MORE Triple Driver In-Ear?
Bluetooth has come a long way, but the best way to connect is still via 3.5mm connector, and that’s the only option you have here. So if you’re like me and use a phone with no headphone jack, get used to using the stupid dongle. Luckily, all of the playback controls built into the 1MORE Triple Driver work on my iPhone X.
How does the 1MORE Triple Driver In-Ear sound?
The reason this is still on our best earbuds under $100 USD list isn’t because of the rose gold color or functional control module, it’s because of the sound. You may have been able to infer this from the name of the buds, but the 1MORE Triple Driver rocks three separate drivers in each earbud: two balanced armature and one dynamic driver. This allows 1MORE a little more control over how these handle different sounds in the frequency range. Rather than having one full-range driver that takes care of everything, 1MORE fine-tunes each driver specifically. 1MORE also does this with its Quad Driver in-ears, and it’s not quite as effective here.
Lows, mids, and highs
Bass pumps in what is a carefully emphasized low end can, at times, be overbearing. For the most part, it stays well within its range and does its job: delivering a thumping low end without ruining other aspects of the track. The thumps throughout the song casanova. by Denitia and Sene rise and fall easily and never sound like they’re overpowering any of the other instruments in the song. That said, the synth bass that comes in at about 2:06 during the song Self Control by Frank Ocean comes through too loudly, so it depends on how the track is mixed.
At max volume, you can feel the bass of most tracks, which isn’t something you’d want if you’re going to be editing a podcast but is a fun sound for casually enjoying your music. Highs also get the job done, but at max volume, you’ll sometimes get harsh notes that will make you lower the volume back to normal. This is best seen in the song When I was Done Dying by Dan Deacon where everything in the highs gets lost in the chorus, except for the piercing sine wave (bell?).
Hold up! Something’s different:
This article’s frequency response and isolation charts were are missing. We have since purchased a Bruel & Kjaer 5128 test fixture (and the appropriate support equipment) to update our testing and data collection. It will take a while to update our backlog of old test results, but we will update this review (and many others!) once we’re able with improved sound quality measurements, isolation performance plots, and standardized microphone demos. These will be made obvious with our new chart aesthetic (black background instead of white). Each new mic sample begins with the phrase, “This is a SoundGuys standardized microphone demonstration …”
Thank you for bearing with us, and we hope to see you again once we’ve sorted everything out.
Should you buy the 1MORE Triple Driver In-Ear earbuds?
Overall the 1MORE Triple Driver In-Ear isn’t the greatest pair of earbuds you’ll ever hear. If you have a little more money to spend and plan on editing audio, you might be better off with something like the Etymotic ER3XR in-ears.
For under $99 USD this has a good sound that, when paired with the build quality and design, makes for a solid pair of everyday buds. Should you get them? If you’re tired of buying cheap earbuds and want to treat yourself to something a little nicer, I say go for it.
What should you get instead of 1MORE Triple Driver?
For the sake of longevity and extending the lifespan of your purchase, consider a set of earphones with removable cables like the Shure SE215. Given that cables are the first thing to go on any set of wired earphones, having the ability to swap it out for a new one is better for the environment and your money goes farther. Because wired earphones don’t have batteries they are always better for the planet.
If you want something a bit more affordable, however, go with the Linsoul TIN HiFi T2. This is a famed pair of earbuds in the budget audiophile community because of its neutral-leaning sound and removable MMCX cable. The default cable isn’t great, but the HiFi T2 is so cheap (around $50 USD) that you can easily buy a new one without breaking the bank.
What are some wireless alternatives?
The 1MORE ColorBuds 2 costs about the same as the Triple Driver In-Ear and affords true wireless connectivity in lieu of a wired connection. The earbuds use Bluetooth 5.0 firmware and support SBC, AAC, and aptX for high-quality Bluetooth streaming over any operating system. It features an IPX5 water-resistance rating, so you can exercise, and it’ll last nearly six hours on a single charge.
The 1MORE PistonBuds is much cheaper than either the Triple Driver In-Ear or the ColorBuds, but include premium features like an IPX4 build, mono listening, and a stylish design.
Frequently asked questions about the 1MORE Triple Driver In-Ear
We didn’t experience any issues with durability using the earbuds in our testing process, but if you plan to use them every day for several years, it’s very likely that the cheap build on the Y-split will break down. If you don’t want to worry about this happening, we’d recommend looking into some alternatives.
Here the company’s official page addressing how the 1More Triple Driver and 1More Quad Driver were the first THX-certified earbuds.