1More Triple Driver Over Ear HiFi Headphones Review
Conclusion
When the 1More arrived we were somewhat unsure what to feel, being a company we were unfamiliar with – beyond their well regarded in ear models – and having had some dubious times with other major Chinese brands attempting to break into the western market. It is at such times that our “review without presumption” ethos not only comes to the fore but is, in the case of the 1More, proven to be a wise course of action. These are tremendously good.
An all metal construction might lead you to believe that the Triple Driver Over Ear’s will be hefty, whereas at under 300g they are light without compromising build quality. In fact the build quality isn’t just good it is exceptional. No matter what abuse we put the headband through it remained resolutely in the same shape as it first came out of the box, and the combination of all metal hinges and high quality stitching leave you with the sense that even if 1More didn’t supply a hardcase with the Triple Driver Over Ears, you could throw them in a bag and carry them around with you without ever fearing that they would come out of that bag in anything other than pristine condition.
Whilst the 1More Triple Driver is listed as an over ear headphone it’s probably closer to call it an overon, if such a neologism existed. My ears aren’t particularly large nor prominent but I couldn’t quite squeeze them inside the ear pieces. However, by utilising very soft and forgiving leather and foam this neither diminishes their comfort nor lets any sound out. If you’ve ever been anywhere in public you’ll understand the annoyance of somebody bleeding music out of their headphones, so the fact that the 1More have to be at near deafening volumes before they are audible to anyone within touching distance is a big plus. Perfect for those quiet sections on trains or planes.
No matter how good the build quality is, no matter how fun the packaging is and the premium feel of the headphones in your hand, what it all boils down to is how good they sound. The Triple Driver aren’t the first 20Hz-40kHz headset we’ve reviewed, nor the first with 40mm drivers, but what they are is the first to come from an audiophile background and utilise multiple part construction, rather than a posher version of a PC gaming targeted model relying upon a single driver to get everything done. This solution leads to fantastically good audio across the whole range of tastes and genres. The passive radiator in particular allows for very good bass. It might not be, by default at least, the kind of head pounding bass that you would get if you live for the drop, but there is a definite slight tendency towards a warm and rich bass sound. The highs take full advantage of the separate tweeter too, being pin sharp without breaking up, even at very high volumes. Finally the main midrange is a little bit on the scooped side at the default equalisation, but you can easily bring this back up with some gentle tweaking in your audio program of choice, should you prefer a more neutral sound profile. Given that most media – games, films or even music – largely is engineered around the mildly bowed equalisation profile then the 1More rewards that out of the box, but is very responsive to any personal taste adjustments you make.
The 1More Triple Driver Over Ear headphones might be slightly outside of our usual headset remit, but the result is one of the richest listening experiences we’ve yet had. The combination of bombproof build quality, a premium feel and jaw-dropping audio quality is one that definitely requires seeking out, and with more and more people going for Yeti or similar microphone setups the lack of an onboard microphone doesn’t make the slightest difference, particularly when your ears will love you so much, and for such a relatively affordable* price tag for such a high end product.
*MSRP for the Triple Driver On Ear is $249 but 1More currently have a sale on with them available for $179. We used the $249 price point for our thoughts, so at $179 they are a complete steal.
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