INTRODUCTION

   As far back as i can recall consumers have always been skeptical when it comes to "real" surround sound headsets and for good reason since multiple drivers squeezed into a tiny earcup or earphone can't possibly mimic the results from let’s say a full size multi-speaker surround sound system. Still although i do happen to agree with that i also know that they can mimic those results to a certain extent which is why I’ve always liked "real" surround sound headsets more than virtual surround sound ones. Lately another trend has emerged and so although once upon a time multiple drivers were used to deliver surround sound today many manufacturers use them to deliver more accurate and distortion free audio by assigning each one (or pairs) to a different frequency range (bass/midrange/high/ultra-high). 1MORE was not a name we knew prior to 2016 but in just over two years we've witness them grow to be extremely popular especially among audiophiles and so today with us we have their brand new Quad Driver In-Ear Headphones.

   1MORE was born with a profound mission: Music lovers, young or old, frugal or affluent, deserve to hear music as it was meant to be heard, as the artist intended it to be heard. Music lovers deserve to HEAR MORE. 1MORE offers MORE by transcending industry standards through revolutionary innovation, design and quality. Nothing should come between you and your music, for the goal of any great technology is to disappear. Through scrupulous engineering, streamlined manufacturing, and authentic marketing we provide a level of affordable luxury that no other brand can. There is a mountain of headphones brands. 1MORE isn't simply climbing that mountain. We are turning it upside down so everyone can reach the peak. 1MORE is globally distributed brand that has set up off-line channels in 25 provinces, more than 40 Hi-Fi audio reps, 3 Apple authorized chain store systems, and more than 3,000 brick and mortar stores in mainland China. 1MORE is also expanding rapidly into overseas markets. Our channels reach 26 countries and regions, including USA, Canada, England, Germany, Italy, Spain, Greece, Turkey, Australia, Korea, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, and Vietnam.

   The brand new Quad Driver by 1MORE currently sits at the top of their in-ear headphone line right over their award winning Triple Driver model which was released just over a year ago (haven't had the chance of testing it out so we just might soon enough). So what exactly makes the brand new Quad Driver the world's first THX certified headphones? Well just as the name suggest each of the two earpieces features a total of 4 drivers (20Hz-40KHz frequency response with 32Ohms resistance and 99dB sensitivity) one diamond like carbon driver (main speaker) which takes care of midrange and bass, two patented balanced armature drivers (similar to tweeters) which are in charge of high frequencies and one more balanced armature driver which is used for ultra-high frequencies (for immaculate definition according to 1MORE). In terms of design and quality 1MORE has used two streamlined aluminum sound chambers with tungsten textured accents and 45 degrees angled ear fittings for superior comfort and sonic spaciousness. The product is also equipped with an in-line aluminum controller (built-in chip automatically identifies the connected device type and configures the controls), MEMS microphone, tangle resistant Kevlar cable and gold plated 3.5mm plug. On top of all the above add the fact that the Quad Driver In-Ear Headphones were expertly tuned by Grammy® winning sound engineer Luca Bignardi and I’m sure you're as eager as we to see just what these are capable of.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

The Quad Driver In-Ear Headphones arrived inside a large box that has a product picture at the front of the box right next to the Hi-Res audio logo.

1MORE describes this box as "Luxurious" and we couldn't agree more with them.

The product features and specifications are listed at the rear of the box in 8 languages.

Once you remove the exterior cover you will see the company logo on the main box.

Talking about luxurious it seems that 1MORE went a bit overboard (not a bad thing really, not necessary however - unless it's ment as a gift).

Along with the Quad Driver In-Ear Headphones you are also getting a small leather traveling case, 5 sets of silicon ear tips, 3 sets of foam ear tips, gold plated airline adapter, gold plated 6.35mm to 3.5mm jack, aluminum shirt clip, 2 stickers, warranty information paper and the user manual.

THE QUAD DRIVER IN-EAR

Seems that 1MORE wants to be 100% certain that their Quad Driver In-Ear Headphones will be comfortable to wear since this is the 1st time we've seen 8 extra bundled sets of ear tips (9 with the already mounted one).

The leather carrying case is quite hard and features soft interior padding.

1MORE also equipped the Quad Driver In-Ear Headphones with a 1.25 meter long tangle-resistant kevlar reinforced cable.

The aluminum enclosures used with the Quad Driver In-Ear Headphones are among the highest quality and best looking ones we've ever used (to date that is).

Left and right markings along with the company name are placed on each ear piece.

The tungsten textured accents give the headphones a jet like engine feeling.

Thanks to the 45 degrees angled ear fittings these headphones provide a secure fit with an intimate sound stage.

Using a total of 4 drivers per ear piece on one hand means that they are a lot smaller than single driver models but on the other they should produce more accurate audio.

A large in-line aluminum controller features a built-in MEMS microphone and a digital chip which automatically configures the three controls according to the type of device the Quad Driver In-Ear Headphones are plugged into (volume up/next song, play/pause/answer/end call and volume down/previous song).

The tangle-free kevlar reinforced cable is also clear so you can see the multi-color wires inside.

At the end of the cable we find a 90 degree angled gold plated 3.5mm plug.

ASSISTANT ANDROID/IOS APP

1MORE offers a very advanced smartphone app for their headphones allowing the end user to burn them in with relatively ease by using a special range of frequencies.

The entire burn-in procedure is divided in 4 phases totaling well over 140 hours (if my memory serves me right).

There are several failsafe’s in the app which ensures that no damage occurs to the headphones.

The 1MORE Assistant smartphone app however features an easy to use smart equalizer (10 available presets) can also be used to playback stored audio files.

You can also use the app to check whether or not you own a genuine 1MORE product (by scanning the small 2D barcode located before the angled 3.5mm gold plated plug).

CONCLUSION

   Since the only multi-driver headsets we’ve used to date have mostly been gaming ones we really didn’t know what to expect from the Quad Driver In-Ear Headphones by 1MORE. At first I honestly thought that this was one more marketing “gimmick” but after spending over a week with them (not including all the burn-in hours) I can verify that the Quad Driver In-Ear Headphones produce very good mids with near-excellent highs and a good amount of bass with a relatively rich soundstage (detail is quite remarkable for a pair of earphones). Due to their high quality materials (and the 4 drivers per ear piece no doubt) however these are not very light so you may need to use most if not all of the bundled ear tips to achieve the best possible fit and noise isolation. Once again the MEMS microphone used is nothing special and so we didn’t notice any significant difference compared to most we’ve used to date. Unfortunately since we never had the chance to test the Triple Drivers (to date that is) we can’t really compare them to the Quad Drivers but according to 1MORE the difference is not only visible but also very easy to spot when listening to music. As for the Assistant Android/iOS app I was surprised to see that it hasn’t received as much coverage as it deserves especially since it helps the end user to burn-in any type of headset with ease (still you do need to use your smartphone and to some people that may not be very convenient).

   Although to date most stores have an attached price tag of USD199/199Euros for the Quad Driver In-Ear Headset by 1MORE today (and as supplies last) you can grab yours for just USD138.83 in the USA (Amazon.com) and for 193Euros inside the EU (Amazon.co.uk). At USD199 the Quad Driver In-Ear Headphones would cost twice as much as the Triple Driver model and thus some people may have considered them as a bit expensive but at the time of this review at least that’s not the case. That being said these are probably the best pair of earphones to reach our lab to date not just in terms of build quality but also audio reproduction and for that they are definitely worth our Platinum Award.

PROS

- Excellent Build Quality (Streamlined Aluminum Sound Chambers)
- Audio Reproduction / Sound Stage (Good Bass With Near Excellent Mids / Highs)
- Expertly Tuned By Grammy® Winning Sound Engineer Luca Bignardi
- Design (Tungsten Textured Accents)
- In Line Controller
- Assistant Android/iOS App
- Kevlar Reinforced & Tangle resistant Cable
- 45 Degrees Angled Ear Fittings
- 90 Degrees Angled Gold Plated 3.5mm Plug
- Bundle (Travel Case / 9 Sets Of Silicon Ear Fittings / Airline Adapter)
- Current Price (USA)

CONS

- Current Price (EU)
- Relatively Heavy And Bulky (Compared To Other Models)