If you're looking for an excellent set of headphones that don't cost the Earth, the 1More SonoFlow ANC headphones are what you've been waiting for. The SonoFlow is super comfortable, sounds great, and the ANC does the job. Throw in the excellent battery life, and it's a winning combination, especially at this price.

Specifications
  • Brand: 1More
  • Battery Life: Up to 70 hours, 50 hours with ANC
  • Bluetooth: 5.0
  • Noise Cancellation: Yes
  • Weight: 250g (8.81oz)
  • Supported codecs: AAC, SBC, LDAC
  • Foldable: Yes
  • Charging type: USB-C
  • Multipoint: Yes
Pros
  • Very comfortable
  • Great sound, though a little bass-heavy
  • ANC works well
  • Outstanding battery life
Cons
  • On headphone controls are a little backwards
  • Wired mode removes some features
Buy This Product
1More SonoFlow

A pair of headphones priced at one hundred bucks is an interesting proposition. Are they a pair of sixty-buck headphones pretending they're good? Or do they have enough features to make them worth dropping a ton? Or are they good enough to raise the bar for what you should expect out of a set of headphones for $100?

Crucially, the 1More SonoFlow wireless ANC headphones fall firmly into the final camp, bringing great ANC, support for Hi-Res Audio, LDAC, and tidy battery life into a comfortable headphone package.

I'm impressed with the 1More SonoFlow headphones, and here's why.

1More SonoFlow Style and Comfort

One of the first things to love about the SonoFlow is the carry case. The hard travel case is a clear sign that 1More is pushing these toward those who travel, and the addition of a carry case is welcome. It's a textured, all-grey affair that looks reasonably stylish. What I really like about the case is that it has two compressions with small risers to show you how to position the SonoFlow headphones for travel, plus space for various cables—you'll find a USB-C charging cable and a 2.5mm to 3.5mm audio cable for wired listening in the case.

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The SonoFlow are also simple to fold back into the case, and it doesn't feel like you'll break the headphones when you move them into position. The overall build quality feels decent; not super solid, but well-made and strong enough that you won't fear dropping them or breaking them accidentally. There's a lot of steel gray plastic on show, and bar the bright red flourish inside the earcups, that's your lot, but overall, it's a good combination, and the SonoFlow headphones look decent enough.

What is nice are the cushioned earpads, with the thick cushioning and super soft protein leather combining for a really comfortable wear. The SonoFlow weighs 250g, which is definitely towards the lightweight end of the scale, and the adjustable headband and earcups mean you can position the headphones how you want. Given the SonoFlow's excellent battery life, which we'll talk more about in a moment, comfort is a must, and 1More delivers where it counts.

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Now, one thing to note is that there is no IP certification for these headphones. Therefore, it's best to err on the side of caution. Don't take your SonoFlow out for a lengthy run in the rain or a sweaty trip to the gym. In fact, given there is no information available on the SonoFlow's water and dust resistance, perhaps don't even wear them out in a light shower. 1More offers a one-year warranty on the SonoFlow, but how that would work out versus water ingress is unknown.

1More SonoFlow Battery Life

Now, onto one of SonoFlow's best features: battery life.

1more sonoflow bottom inputs

Given these retail for $100, the SonoFlow has excellent battery life. With ANC switched off, you'll get up to 70 hours of playback, dropping to up to 50 hours with ANC enabled. If you're like most people, you'll probably switch between the two depending on your situation.

With such extensive battery life, you might forget to charge them regularly, right? I know I did, which is where the SonoFlow's rapid fast charging function comes into play. A rapid five-minute charge delivers up to five hours of playback, which really is brilliant. Most other headphones and earbuds manage a couple of hours in ten minutes (which, in fairness, is still good), but five hours for five minutes means you're unlikely to fear any journey so long as you can get near a power outlet while waiting for a coffee or otherwise.

1More SonoFlow Connectivity

Connectivity comes from Bluetooth 5.0. While this isn't the latest Bluetooth version, it still comes with support for multipoint connections and high-resolution audio codecs.

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On the box, you'll see the Hi-Res Audio and Hi-Res Audio Wireless symbols, illustrating that the SonoFlow headphones are LDAC compatible. LDAC support allows you to listen to audio at a maximum rate of 990kbps, so long as you have an audio service that supports such a rate. In terms of music streaming, you'll need a Tidal, Qobuz, or another high-resolution streaming service. Alternatively, local files should use a lossless format like FLAC or ALAC.

Furthermore, the LDAC feature isn't immediately available out of the box. You'll need to download the 1More Music app, connect the SonoFlow headphones to your device, then switch on LDAC in the menu. From here, depending on your device, you'll need to switch your Bluetooth codec to LDAC in the device settings by long-pressing the Bluetooth logo, selecting your currently active device, then selecting the preferred Bluetooth codec.

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Also note that LDAC is useless for iPhone users, as Apple doesn't support the codec at all.

So while LDAC support is great, especially at this price point, it's not necessarily a feature many will use, though if you have an Android device that supports LDAC and a compatible service or your own high-res collection, I'd say go for it.

1More SonoFlow Sound Quality and ANC

Adding to my overall level of impression with the SonoFlow is the audio quality. The 40mm DLC composite drivers produce a really nice sound, largely free of imperfections, delivering music with clarity.

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A specific mention has to be given to the SonoFlow tuning, in which 1More has resisted pushing the headphones massively towards either end of the spectrum, with the bass elevated nicely to reveal detail, while the high-end similarly shines through. While the balanced tuning is apparent, it's not overbearing, and the default option will suit most people for most genres.

At times, the bass has a really nice punch to it. Putting on something like Benga's 26 Basslines, which is all low-end, and the SonoFlow's handle the overlapping and weaving basslines really nicely. And if that's not enough for you, the 1More Music app comes with a bunch of preset EQ options, while a custom EQ is also available (it wasn't available on launch, but a firmware update has added this functionality).

So, overall, sound quality is probably above what you'd expect from headphones in this price bracket.

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The SonoFlow ANC also requires a good nod, again performing above what you'd expect to find. Sitting in a very busy coffee shop, and even without music, the SonoFlow manages to block a good chunk of background audio out. Once the music starts playing, you're alone, isolated, to concentrate on your work.

1More Music App

As mentioned above, the 1More Music app brings some welcome extra functionality to the SonoFlow, particularly through the customizable EQ. Although the default tuning is great, it won't suit everyone, and different genres require a different focus.

You'll also want to grab the 1More Music app in order to update the firmware. It also features a burn-in option, if you're that way inclined, plus the option to listen to a huge range of Soothing Sounds, including breezes, gales, various bodies of water, and so on.

Should You Buy the 1More SonoFlow ANC Headphones?

In case you missed it, the 1More SonoFlow ANC headphones retail for $100, and for me, they're worth every bit of the outlay.

The sound quality is comparable to headphones that cost twice as much, the ANC does the job most of the time, and the battery life lasting between 50 and 70 hours is a powerful statement to other manufacturers that, yes, this can be achieved, and no, we don't want to have to spend mega-bucks in the process.

1More might fly under the radar a little, but they've had an excellent 2022 so far, releasing numerous excellent headphones and earbuds, carving out a groove as a company that delivers top audio quality, features that do what they should, and while looking fairly stylish while at it.

In short, the 1more SonoFlow ANC raises the bar for what to expect with a one-hundred-dollar set of headphones, and they're a solid buy for me.