1MORE Comfobuds Pro is a new TWS offering QuietMaxTM active noise cancellation, IPX4, and 20 hours of battery life. It is priced at $99.99.
Disclaimer: The 1MORE Comfobuds Pro sent to us is a sample in exchange for our honest opinion for this review. We thank 1MORE for this opportunity.
To read more 1MORE reviews on Headfonics you can click here.
Note, this 2-page review follows our new scoring guidelines for 2021 which you can read up on here.
1MORE is a brand that has been around for quite a while, and it was built around the concept that music lovers deserve to ‘HEAR MORE’. My colleagues here at Headfonics have been reviewing 1MORE’s products since the launch of their widely popular Triple Driver IEMs, Quad Driver IEMs, and the Triple Driver Headphones.
With the proliferation of TWS earbuds in the market, 1MORE has been dipping its toes in the growing market segment with its True Wireless ANC and Pistonbuds which have both been reviewed in the last 18 months here.
Now it’s my own turn to dip my toes into the 1MORE TWS experience with the new 1MORE Comfobuds Pro recently launched and priced at a not too demanding $99.99.
Tech Highlights
The Comfobuds Pro features a 13.2mm metal dynamic driver driven by a Japanese-manufactured voice coil. This results in a driver that remains rigid that can produce a detailed presentation with extended bass, clear mids, and silky highs.
To ensure clear and noise-free sound in any environment, 1MORE integrated their new QuietMax technology inside the Comfobuds Pro. This technology allows the user to adjust the noise attenuation levels to suit the environment, to make the TWS earbuds suitable for many different situations.
To ensure the accuracy of the QuietMax technology, 1MORE has also added 6 microphones, instead of the normal 4. These mics are in strategic locations around the earbuds, to allow them to pick up the noise in the environment, and accurately keep out any unwanted noise.
To fine-tune the controls on the Comfobuds Pro, 1MORE has also developed its own app for the earbuds, the 1MORE Music app. To allow the Comfobuds Pro to go anywhere, 1MORE has rated it at IPX4. This means that it is splash-proof, and a sweaty workout won’t damage the earbuds.
Design
Drivers
The Comfobuds Pro comes in 2 colors, black and white. 1MORE sent over the white version, and the finish is nice. The pictures don’t quite do it justice, since the pictures make them seem glossy, while they’re more of a matte finish in real life.
The earbuds are composed of a round head with ear tips and a stem. This makes the stem protrude a bit when it is worn, but at the same time, it serves as a larger area for accurately controlling the earbuds when they are being worn.
There are 3 mics on each earbud, one is located on the inside portion of the earbud, and the other 2 are located across the stem. The earbuds also have colored LEDs attached to the bottom of the stem, and they indicate both connection status and battery level. They start blinking red once the battery has dropped below 25 minutes.
Charging Case
The charging case is perfectly color-matched with the earbuds, and it is also matte finished. The front of the charging case has a 3 color LED, that indicates the battery level. This is an elegant solution, where it’s very simple while still being able to give a detailed idea about the battery levels left in the case. At the back of the case, there is a USB C charging port.
Opening the case reveals a pairing button, once it’s pressed, it will bring the earbuds to pairing mode. When the charging case is opened, the earbuds lie flat inside the case, and pressing the tip of the stem will allow the user to conveniently get the earbuds.
The charging case is magnetically closed, and the hinge on the back of the charging case is form-fitted, so it remains sturdy through many opening/closing operations.
Comfort and Isolation
The Comfobuds Pro, as indicated by the name is actually quite comfortable. When I first saw them, I was anxious that the stems would get in the way, but they end up being form-fitting when I wear them.
The earbuds themselves are also quite light, so they’re not bothersome when they’re worn. The ear tips are a shallow insertion ear tip, and while the stem of the earbuds is oblong, most aftermarket ear tips will still work with them.
One thing that I noticed when I turn on the strong ANC mode is that there is a slight feeling that my eardrums are being sucked out of my ears when they’re in my ears without music playing.
However, once the music is playing, the feeling immediately subsides. However, the level of isolation that the Comfobuds Pro provides with their Quietmax technology is quite impressive, since it can effectively attenuate the sounds of fans or AC units.
Battery Life
As stated on the specs sheet, the battery on each earbud is rated to last at least 6 hours with ANC on. With my real-life use, each earbud ended up lasting a bit more than 6 hours at slightly louder listening levels, and with me playing around with the ANC modes quite a lot. It’s quite impressive that 1MORE underrated the battery specs sheet of the Comfobuds Pro.
The charging case is rated to carry an additional 2 charges inside, and true enough I was able to fully recharge the earbuds 2 twice before it gave out. This is consistent with the 20-hour total rating that is being claimed by 1MORE.
Controls
Touch controls are all done on the stem of the earbuds, and at first, it was a bit uncomfortable, since they will slightly move the earbuds while they are in my ears. However, when I did it a few more times, I got the hang of not moving the earbuds when I touch them.
The Comfobuds Pro is equipped with sensors for the inside of the ear, so they can detect when they are in your ears. Once the earbuds are taken out of my ears, the playback on my phone automatically stops. This is a nice feature for when you want to talk to someone and immediately go back to whatever you were watching after that.
Touch controls are limited to 3 available controls at a time. The default controls are a single tap and hold for ANC control, play/pause for double taps, and volume adjustment for triple taps.
Personally, I’m not a fan of triple taps, and I would have wanted to see single taps utilized a bit more, like for volume controls. However, the 1MORE app allows the user to modify the functions of double taps and triple taps, so the touch controls can do what you prioritize.
Companion App
1MORE also provides a companion app that can be used with the Comfobuds Pro. This app allows the user to customize listening mode, smart playback mode, and touch controls.
The available listening modes include ANC off, ANC strong, ANC mild, Passthrough, and WNR. Smart playback on the other hand allows the customization of how the earbuds react to when it’s taken out of your ears.
And finally, the custom settings menu allows the user to change how the earbuds react to touch and hold, double-tap, and triple taps.
Call Quality
With 3 mics on each earbud, the Comfobuds Pro easily made call quality clear. The person on the other end of the line hears me even more clearly than when I have the phone against my ears.
The voice of the person on the other end of the line comes through clearly as well. So using the Comfobuds Pro for calls, or those online meetings that we all have to endure these days will make the call a little bit more bearable with the added clarity.
Packaging & Accessories
The Comfobuds Pro arrives in a small white magnetic flip box, which only has enough room for the charging case. The charging case is snugly placed in a plastic insert that’s integrated in the accessories box.
The earbuds are inside the charging case when they arrive, so it is a good thing there are plastic wraps on the earbuds to prevent any unnecessary charging while the earbuds are in transport or storage. Inside the included accessories box are the extra ear tips, charging cable, and pouch.
Aside from the accessories associated with the earbuds, 1MORE has also included some extras like a sticker, warranty information, and the manual. The manual that arrives is thick because of the multiple available languages, but it remains comprehensive in relating all the pertinent information about the earbuds.
The package that the Comfobuds Pro came in is very well put together. It keeps the earbuds secure for travel, but the nooks and crannies of the box are where the other accessories are stored.
Wireless Performance
Pairing
With all the extra features and the modern styling of the Comfobuds Pro, I expected that it would be packed with all the latest Bluetooth codecs. However, the Comfobuds Pro is only limited to just SBC and AAC over Bluetooth 5.0. Of course, this doesn’t mean that the Comfobuds Pro is severely crippled by this, in fact, it still sounds a lot like most of 1MORE’s wired offerings.
Connecting to the Comfobuds Pro is not that difficult, but it won’t be automatic. Activating pairing mode will allow the Comfobuds Pro to be visible using my phone, and subsequent connections to the Comfobuds Pro are simply automatic.
Latency
In use, the Comfobuds Pro doesn’t experience any latency, despite being limited to just SBC. When watching movies, there is no perceivable delay between the person speaking, and the sound of his voice. Using a latency test, I was only able to find about 10mS worth of latency, which is acceptable for most applications.
Stability & Range
The connection between the Comfobuds Pro and my phone remains secure. Even when I deliberately walk away from my phone, it takes at least 8m and a 9” thick wall before the connection starts to falter. With TWS earbuds though, they are typically used when your phone is just inside your pocket or in your hands, so I believe the connection fidelity is more than enough for everyday use.
Click on page 2 for sound impressions and select comparisons
