1MORE ColorBuds 2 Wireless Headphones Review

1MORE has proven time and time again that they're one of the hottest brands for headphone innovation. They've delivered some of the best-sounding headphones we've ever tested, and while they came at a premium price, they were still much cheaper than other big-name brands! They've even done the same with their mid-range and more affordable products, offering features that outpace the competition at very attractive prices. However, now they've decided to compete with themselves, upgrading their popular Colorbuds to version 2! I liked the original ColorBuds, but there was certainly room for improvement in the power of the drivers, and there were no EQ features. However, 1MORE has added all that and more to their latest version. There's a new 7mm Dynamic Driver, and powerful processing from AdtX Adaptive backing that up. However, you also get their latest Quietmax ANC technology, and a more tailored sound thanks to the fantastic SoundID test in their app. There is double the number of ENC microphones, the battery life is longer-lasting and more! Features YOUR INDIVIDUAL SOUND PROFILE - Integrated with advanced and unmatched SoundID technology, ColorBuds 2 allows you to create a personal sound profile via a quick in-app hearing test to get a truly personalized listening experience. You can now enjoy all your favorite music, podcasts, audiobooks and more, with the sound that’s been tailored specifically to you.ENGAGING SONG THAT MOVES YOU - 7mm dynamic driver with aptX Adaptive and AAC audio codec delivers a rich and clear sound with low distortion, restore the sound to its original brilliance. You’ll love what you hear.QUIETMAX ANC TECHNOLOGY - 1MORE’s proprietary QuietMax active noise cancellation technology provides adjustable noise cancelling for individual needs. You can enjoy a world with less background noise in ANC Mode while the Transparency Mode lets you hear the world around you.LATEST BLUETOOTH® 5.2 WITH INSTANT PAIRING - Bluetooth® 5.2 can provide a seamless, enhanced stable connection and high-performance audio, bringing you an unprecedented true wireless experience. Qualcomm TrueWireless Mirroring technology transmits both ears simultaneously, you can seamlessly swap between listening to one or both of the earbuds.ENHANCED CALLING EXPERIENCE - Four microphones work with cVc 8.0 noise cancellation technology to ensure superior ambient noise suppression and crystal clear calls. You will always be heard even in noisy environments. SoundID from Sonarworks Everyone is unique, so is your hearing preference. Through collaboration with SoundID, ColorBuds 2 enable you to create your personalized sound profile - based on your unique hearing preferences. Unlock the full audio potential and maximize your listening experience with a simple A/B test in 1MORE MUSIC APP. Packaging & Accessories The box is nice and compact, and it feels pretty durable too. 1MORE products have always been well packaged, and this looks like it's packed very much like other products we've seen from them over the years. There's a clear photo of the earbuds on the front and details of the main features. Around the back, some technical information about the sizes, weight and battery life, but all pretty standard stuff overall. In the box, the headphones are nicely displayed under a clear cover, which also details how the touch controls can be operated. You'll also find three additional pairs of earbuds in various sizes, a USB charging cable for the dock, and all the usual documentation. A Closer Look The headphones come housed in the charging dock right out of the box, but we'll get to those shortly. The dock its self is pretty much what you would expect, as wireless headphones are pretty common these days. It's a nice form factor though, and it has a pebble shape, so it won't scratch anything or dig into your leg if it's in your bag, pocket, etc. It's a fairly slim shape too, so it's really not too cumbersome to carry around, which is great. Plus, it has a flatter bottom, with a thick rubber coating there, so it'll stand upright without rolling around your desk, it won't slide around, and it won't scratch the surface. There's a small 1MORE logo on the top. There's a standard Micro-USB at the rear too, and while there's a cable included, you could use any Micro-USB you've got laying around. The lid opens/closes magnetically, so you simply flip it open to get the headphones out. There's a small LED light that turns on, letting you know how much charge there is. Green means lots, and it'll turn red when you need to charge the dock again, simple. The headphones are locked in by magnets too, so they snap firmly into place easily enough and don't rattle around in the case. That button in the middle is the Bluetooth pairing button, which you can do while the headphones are in the dock. Once you've got them out, they have a similar design to the older model, with a fairly compact body that's designed to mostly sit within your ear. Unlike their other design which has a stem on the outside, much like AirPods would. They have a good weight to them too, but much of that is on the front side that would be sitting against your ear, and with the driver pointing downwards into your ear canal, they naturally just hook in and stay nice and firmly in place. Of course, you may need to change the earbuds to suit your ear size, but that's easy enough. There are several ENC microphones on the headphones, some internal and external, which will help filter out unwanted noises from things like traffic, clothes rubbing together, even your own pulse. You can cycle the mode by holding your finger on the earbud (either) for three seconds. You can turn it on, off, or turn on the listening mode. Their pass-through microphones allow you to hear your surroundings more clearly while using the headphones. This is great if you're out riding your bike or walking, as you can enjoy your music but still hear the birds tweeting or the honking horn of a car you failed to see... you get the idea. Of course, it only works to a point. If you have screaming out death metal on at high volume, it's still pretty hard to hear what's around you. Speaking of volume, I'd say these new ones are a bit louder than the old model, which is great. I also felt the older ones lacked in bass, and that's certainly been addressed here. There's a nice dirty bass sound on Morgan Ågren - Yläjärvi that sounds much tighter on the new model. The whole range just sounds better in general, and you can really hear some gorgeous detail in songs like Paul Gilbert - I Own A Building, where fine details in the guitar should really stand out, and they really do. I ran the little SoundIQ test too, and it works great, but I know I typically just need to throw some air on the higher end of the EQ to deal with being in my late 30's. Of course, your results will vary, so it's really worth doing their little A/B audio test, as the difference can be quite profound. I've been running the headphones for a couple of days now, and battery life certainly hasn't been an issue. You can get a few hours of usage making calls and listening to music, which is more than enough for me. However, the charging dock will extend you up to 24 hours of usage, if you remember to drop the buds into recharge from time to time. For me, that means I'll only need to charge the dock itself about once every 10 days to cover my morning meetings (via phone call) and walk to and from the school twice a day, which is great. How Much Does it Cost? The 1MORE ColorBuds 2 Wireless headphones are available now on Amazon in the UK, and a few other sellers, as well as internationally too. They're currently priced at just £72.99, which is actually around £20 less than the first-gen model. Not bad, considering they've been given a hefty upgrade in features and performance. They're a mid-range set of headphones for 1More, but it's clear we're starting to see more of the premium features filter into the sub £100 range, which is awesome. There's also a promotion running right now, offering $10 off via Amazon or the USA 1MORE website using the code “ColorBuds2” during the checkout process. Valid until Halloween 2021. Overview 1MORE is one of my favourite headphone brands and they have been for a few years now. Actually, I only have two brands I use, 1MORE and Creative, and admittedly they both have their strengths. However, when it comes to quality headphones at a fair bit under £100, 1MORE are now in a stronger position than ever before. The Colorbuds started as more of a fashion range, but now that 1MORE is leveraging their more advanced audio hardware at this price range, they've become a real contender for audio enthusiasts. Not quite audiophile standards, but at £72.99, that's to be expected. If you want audiophile gear, expect to pay another £100 for the 1MORE EHD9001TA The build quality is great, and so it should be really. 1MORE are a well established and respected brand, and while the headphones are good value for money, they're not an insignificant investment either. The dock is well made, it has a nice shape to it, and the magnetic lock and mounts feel really secure too. The headphones are well made too, and despite having pin holes for all those microphones, they offer IPX5 rated for water resistance; good enough for rain, but also resistant against water from a nozzle, so you can go running through the sprinklers and they'll be fine. The audio performance on the old model was decent, and fair for the price range. However, 1MORE really has made some sweeping improvements here. The drivers are more powerful, there's more bass, which is to say, there's the right amount rather than a lot. They handle EQ adjustments much better and even come with SoundID to tailor the sound to your ears thanks to a special A/B quiz hearing test in the app. They've added more ANC microphones too, and now also offer a pass-through listening mode. Overall, you would have to be mad to buy the old model now, these are just better in every way. Should I Buy Them? The market is flooded with crap import brands that you've never heard of around this price range, Amazon is a see or seemingly made-up brand names. 1MORE has worked hard to really make a name for themselves over the last few years, and they've emerged as one of the best in multiple price ranges too. They match or beat the big-name rivals in terms of features and performance, and compared to the likes of Apple, Beats, and all those others, they're often a lot more affordable too. Frankly, at this price range, the Colorbuds are hard to beat! Well, unless they fancy calling them Colourbuds, which would be even better.