1MORE EHD9001TA Review: World’s FIRST Dual Driver ANC TWS Earphones

Written by Cheryl Tan

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Up until now, we’ve only seen single dynamic drivers in true wireless earphones. And honestly, the sound quality out of some of them have been truly impressive. So there are definitely some expectations going into this review of the new 1MORE EHD9001TA earbuds since these are the first TWS earphones in the world to have both dynamic and balanced armature drivers.

But first, let’s talk design. These earbuds are definitely on the bigger side, but that’s forgivable since they have dual drivers. Out of the box, they have ear hooks installed, which actually feel great to the touch and definitely help in getting a secure fit.

Made out of aluminium, the charging case does feel hefty, but considering that it supports wireless Qi charging, I’m giving it a pass. Battery life isn’t the best though, with the buds lasting four to five hours with ANC on the strongest level and an additional 2.5 charges in the case.

The buds have a carbon fibre-esque faceplate which does look quite nice. I’m not a big fan of brands putting their name on the faceplate, but I think 1MORE does it quite tastefully. The font is unoffensive and not too large. There’s also a bit of contrast from the red microphone grill, which looks nice.

There’s a button on each earbud to control track skipping, playback, call answering and even volume, which is a nice touch. The faceplates also incorporate touch controls, but it’s only used for ANC.

Double-tap on either side to scroll through ANC level 1, ANC level 2, Passthrough mode or turning ANC off. Level 1 filters noise up to 35 dB, while level 2 reduces noise up to 20dB. I found that the volume of my music was significantly louder when ANC was turned on, so it might be something to take note of if you typically listen to music at higher volumes.

ANC is pretty effective, but you do still get wind noise. Ambient noise is pretty much damped, but we were unable to test this on a plane or public transport due to ongoing circuit breaker measures.

Sound quality is impressive. I usually don’t place much stock in brands that have celebrity ambassadors or endorsements (1MORE is backed by Mandopop singer Jay Chou), but these earbuds are surprisingly good.

It’s definitely more on the bassy side, but the balanced armature driver pulls its weight here. Highs sound surprisingly clear with an emphasis on treble, but you still get punchy bass that doesn’t muddle with the mids.

Low notes are more prominent when ANC is turned on though, so if you don’t enjoy the amplification, these might not be for you. Separation is very decent as well, and overall, these are a pair of engaging earbuds for most genres.

But there is an issue I have with these, and it’s connectivity. These run on Bluetooth 5.0 and I have no issues when they connect properly, if they do. I’ve had moments when taking both buds out of the case, and only the left ear connects. The right bud fails to wake up, and while it can be solved easily by pressing the physical button, it does take away from the overall user experience.

Instead of a left/right master and slave configuration, the earbuds connect individually to the phone, so you’ll be able to use either side if you just want to listen to a single earbud. They support the AAC and aptX codecs as well, which is always a plus.

For the price, I’d say it’s quite a reasonable offering. S$329 for a dual driver true wireless earphone with ANC and wireless charging isn’t too bad.

More information and purchase options for the 1MORE EHD9001TA (S$329) are available at 1MORE LazMall, AV One, Challenger, Isetan Scotts, iStudio, Mobile Bash, Mobyshop, Popular, Shopbotic, Stereo Electronics, Takashimaya, Treoo.com and XGear.