TWS true wireless earphones - under $100
FOUR STARS - The 1more ComfoBuds 2 lives up to its name: these wireless earbuds combine solid battery life and clear sound with fantastic comfort. It's a good, but not flawless, cheap alternative to Apple's AirPods.
1more ComfoBuds 2 specs and features:
Bluetooth 5.2 with AAC codec
6 hours listening on a full charge
Charging case can charge earpieces fully 4 times
Comes with 2 sizes ear tips, English manual, USB-C cable
$60 - Buy on Amazon US, Amazon Germany, other Amazon countries or AliExpress (use code COMFOBUDS2 for 15% off until Nov 12)
Below this 1more ComfoBuds 2 review, you will find comparisons between the 1more ComfoBuds 2 vs 1more ComfoBuds, SoundPEATS Air3, SoundPEATS TrueAir 2+, and Haylou GT6.
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Design, comfort and battery life
1more has a clear own design style. While you can question the looks of stems that become thinner near the end, all of the latest 1more's have been compact and comfortable to wear - whether it's the ColorBuds that disappear into your ears or the larger ANC-bearing ComfoBuds Pro.
The ComfoBuds 2 is a direct successor to the first ComfoBuds. Once again, it has this almost pill-shaped, compact charging case you can hardly feel in your jeans pocket when you're walking with them. But while it may be small, it doesn't look or feel cheap. The case has a smooth matte finish, a subtle logo on top, metallic and red accents near the USB-C charging port, and the lid closes with a soft click.
Like the predecessor, the ComfoBuds 2 earbuds only have a very small tip, much smaller than the rubber-ear tips that fill up your ears on so many earphones. Happily, the tip isn't made from the hard plastic that formed the tip on the first model - which became very annoying, even painful over time. It's a soft rubber tip now, and with it, the ComfoBuds truly lives up to its name. The earbuds are insanely light and 'hang' comfortably in your ears for hours and hours. Splendid.
While the buds are extremely comfortable, it's still easy to get a tight and secure fit. The ComfoBuds 2 stay in when you're running - and the IPX5 waterproof rating protects them against rain and sweat while doing so.
The battery life has seen a significant boost over the previous model, now reaching up to around 6 hours of playtime on a single charge. The case can recharge the buds four times before needing new power itself. More importantly, a 15-minute quick recharge can provide the earbuds with nearly 3 hours of listening time - terrific. It's hard to end up without battery on these.
Connectivity and controls
There's a certainty on 1more earbuds: the controls are kept simple. Too simple, actually:
Double-tap L or R to play/ pause music
Triple-tap L or R to activate the voice assistant
With the free 1more Music app, you can change these control options, so you change tracks or volume from the earbuds. Unfortunately, doing this always comes at the expense of the standard options - there is no possibility to add more controls.
Connectivity on the ComfoBuds 2 is solid. It holds a strong Bluetooth connection up to 9-10 meters away from your device, and you can always switch between listening to two or one earbud(s), for example, if you want to charge the other bud. Pick the charged bud up, and you'll revert to stereo listening without problems.
The ComfoBuds 2 automatically pauses music playback when you take an earbud out, and resumes when you put it back in your ears again. This functionality works well and responds quickly, yet you can deactivate it from the app if you like.
Calling and video quality
The 1more ComfoBuds 2 has decent call quality. In phone calls, your voice is a bit thin and metallic, but it's mostly loud enough. Except for wind noise, surrounding noises like chatter and accelerating vehicles are reduced well. However, a big amount of surrounding noise does attack the volume and clarity of your voice.
The same goes for video calls, like Microsoft Teams or Zoom meetings. Your voice is clear and quite natural, but it starts to get a little wonky - a little compressed - when you're in a crowded area.
Watching videos with the ComfoBuds 2 goes without problems, as synchronization between audio and video is spot-on on iPhone and Android.
There's a dedicated low-latency gaming mode to speed up the sound effects when you're playing games, and while this function diminishes the delay, it's a bit unfortunate you have to activate it from the app. You can't do so from the earbuds themselves, even after changing the controls.
App support on the 1more ComfoBuds 2
The 1more ComfoBuds 2 enjoys free app support from the 1more Music app for Android and iPhone. The app has a few options you can control via a single page that's easy to understand:
See the remaining battery of the earbuds and case
Activate/ deactivate auto-pause and auto-resume
Change controls - limited to changing the double-tap and triple-tap commands
Activate/ deactivate Gaming mode
Update the firmware
12 sound equalizers to choose from
Read the quick guide
‘Listen to soothing sounds’
The last function should never have been there. It contains several sound effects that should be relaxing to listen to, like a campfire or rainfall. However... these are just samples from TWO seconds that repeat and repeat on and on. What a laugh.
The app is easy to operate
You can change controls… although only a bit
The Pop equalizer is worth checking out!
That said, some of the equalizers are well worth your attention - check the sound quality part of the review.
With the equalizers and the control options, over-the-air updates, and gaming mode, the free app support is definitely a welcome addition to the 1more ComfoBuds 2.
Also read: Best cheap AirPods alternatives
Sound quality of 1more ComfoBuds 2: Clear
Cheaper AirPods-like earbuds often sound bad or bassy. The 1more ComfoBuds 2 has another approach: it's clearer than many of its competitors.
The ComfoBuds 2 puts most of its effort into the mid-tones and higher frequencies. Both female and higher-pitched male vocals are forward and take up a prominent role in the music. Vocals sound clear and come with impressive detail. Typical mid instruments like guitars, piano play, and snare drums sound natural, and brighter instruments get lots of room. Violins and trumpets sound lifelike.
Putting so much emphasis on the treble area is always a bit risky, as many listeners may prefer a warmer, more comfortable sound. While highs are often wonderfully controlled on the 1more, vocal or cymbal outbursts can occasionally become a little harsh. A competitor like the SoundPEATS Air3 rolls off the highs quicker, sounding less vivid and open but staying away from these possibly tiring peaks.
But wait, there's more! There's a sweet bass thump underneath the mids on the ComfoBuds 2. As this 1more doesn't go in your ears entirely, you'll miss out on a deep, rumbling, massive bass - but the mid-bass here is just right. It delivers a quick, steady slam and gives plenty of energy for both electronic and acoustic basses. It doesn't overpower other frequencies or drag mid-instruments and darker male vocals into it, as some other AirPods-like earbuds do. The bass is clean and gentle.
Lastly, there's a nice airiness in the sound. Details in the music come from your left and right, and there's a wide soundstage on the ComfoBuds 2, helped by good separation between both instruments and layers.
And then there are twelve equalizers to play with from the app as well! Two of them are definitely worth your attention:
Acoustic tweaks and balances the mid-tones a bit - which could be beneficial for more instrumental and classical genres.
Pop emphasizes the mid-bass, and elevates the lower mid-tones heavily, making the sound less soft, while not giving in on clarity.
While the equalizers don't overhaul the sound, they are great tweaks to the standard sound, giving you neat options to find the right sound for you. The 1more ComfoBuds 2 always has a bit of brightness - but also a quick bass and engaging clarity and openness.
1more ComfoBuds 2 comparisons
1more ComfoBuds vs ComfoBuds 2 - what's the difference?
The 1more ComfoBuds 2 has a different ear-tip than the first ComfoBuds, making the newer version more comfortable. The original plastic tip could become sharp and annoying after a few hours of wearing, while the newer rubber tip is softer on the ears.
The sound character hasn't changed much,,, in theory. Both types have a gentle, controlled mid-bass punch, clear and natural mids, and open upper-mids and vocals. However, it's nearly impossible to get the ultimate sound out of the original ComfoBuds. It's much easier to find a good fit with the ComfoBuds 2, improving the sound quality in practice - and throwing extra equalizers on top, letting you tweak the music to your desire. As video conference call quality has been improved a bit as well, the ComfoBuds 2 is better in all aspects.
1more ComfoBuds review ($50)
1more ComfoBuds 2 vs SoundPEATS Air3
Around 20 dollars cheaper, the SoundPEATS Air3 is the most affordable top recommendation of AirPods-like recommendations. The case is about as light and compact as the ComfoBuds 2's, and the earbuds are even smaller, with shorter stems. The 1more has an airier and clearer sound, with more naturality in the mid-tones. Female and higher-pitched male vocals on the ComfoBuds 2 have more nuances. The Air3 presents lower mid-tones with more detail, however. The Air3 sounds bassier and warmer, more engaging - yet easier on the ears too, as it stays away from brighter notes. In calls, the 1more puts your voice through clearer, but the SoundPEATS reduces surrounding noises better.
SoundPEATS Air3 review ($40)
1more ComfoBuds 2 vs SoundPEATS TrueAir2+
The older SoundPEATS TrueAir2+ shares most of its qualities with the Air3, although its case is slightly larger, and it doesn't have a low-latency gaming mode. That means the call quality is comparable with the ComfoBuds 2, the SoundPEATS battery life is 1,5 hours shorter, and the sound is fuller. The TrueAir2+ emphasizes the mid-bass and lower mid-tones more than the 1more, creating a warmer and more comforting sound. Compared to the Air3, the TrueAir2+ has a slightly less accentuated mid-bass and clearer and more forward upper-mids and vocals. It's slightly livelier than the bassier Air3 - but not as impressive in the higher frequencies as the 1more. The ComfoBuds 2 has a more natural tonality, and upper-mids and vocals are clearer and more nuanced.
1more ComfoBuds 2 vs Haylou GT6
The Haylou GT6 has a trickier fit than the ComfoBuds 2, and you may need to press it into your ears to get the most out of the sound - if you can at all. However, when you can, the GT6 has more depth and dynamics in the sound than the 1more. The GT6 bass dives deeper and has more texture, and lower mid-tones are more pronounced and detailed. Vocals in the higher frequencies are fuller, and music appears more spacious. The 1more sounds flatter. Both earbuds have comparable battery life and call quality, and a low-latency gaming mode.
Haylou GT6 review ($20)
—> See all TWS reviews and ratings here
Verdict
The 1more ComfoBuds 2 lives up to its name: these wireless earbuds combine solid battery life and clear sound with fantastic comfort. It's a good cheap alternative to Apple's AirPods, although the call quality could have been better.
FOUR stars - Good
Buy 1more ComfoBuds 2:
I received the 1more ComfoBuds 2 from the manufacturer to test and review it. All my reviews are 100% honest and non-commercial. I test and review all audio products equally honest - read about it here.
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