TWS true wireless earphones - under $50
FOUR STARS - 1more's unique combination of AirPods-like design earphones with a very tiny rubber-tip is worth your attention. There are better options on the market, however.
1more ComfoBuds specs:
Bluetooth 5.0 with AAC codec
IPX5 waterproof rating (rain and sweat resistant)
4 hours listening on a full charge
Charging case can charge earpieces fully 4 times
Comes with USB-C cable
$40 on AliExpress, $60 on Amazon US
Below this 1more ComfoBuds review, you will find comparisons between the 1more ComfoBuds vs SoundPEATS TrueAir 2, Fiil CC, Tronsmart Onyx Ace and TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95.
Update January 19, 2021: Now added Amazon US link and additional notes on comfort and a comparison with the Fiil CC2.
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Design, comfort and battery life
You can't miss it with a name like 'ComfoBuds'. 1more sees the comfort of these affordable wireless earbuds as its unique selling point. Indeed, they do have a unique form factor. The part that goes into your ears looks like the AirPods, but it has a very small ear tip attached on top. It's not a rubber tip like you find on almost all wireless earphones. Instead, it's a rubber-like plastic one that's screwed onto the ear part. You can't pull it off, and the 1more doesn't come with extra sizes of tips.
It's easy to see the advantage of this design. While many AirPods-like wireless earphones tend to have a loose fit in your ears, the 1more ComfoBuds stay in easily. They keep in during a rapid shake test or other movements of your head, helped by its IPX5 waterproof rating for outdoor sports usage and the fact you can still hear your surroundings, thanks to the design.
More so than the fit, the comfort is convincing. You can barely feel the earbuds in your ears. These are light and comfortable… up to a certain point. In fact, the plastic crown on the end can actually become uncomfortable after a few hours.
The charging case is incredibly compact. 1more couldn't have made it smaller - it's pill-shaped and as compact as the first USB-stick MP3 players. The earphones fill up the case on the inside (and it can be a bit of a hassle to take them out), but 1more still found enough space for a battery that can recharge the earbuds four times fully, a LED-light indicator on the front, and a USB-C port on the back of the case.
The earbuds themselves deliver up to 4 hours of playtime on a single charge, which is enough for daily commuting and usage. Still, some alternatives score better - like the 6 hours on the TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95.
Lastly, a word on the looks: the 1more ComfoBuds come in shiny black or cream-white. The latter is tested here and has a glossy effect. Underneath, you can find hidden LED-lights which happily don't blink when you're playing music. The roster on top makes it clear you're not just wearing generic AirPods-clones, happily.
Connectivity and controls
We've seen it before: 1more earphones only have the bare minimum of controls. The 1more ComfoBuds has convenient touch controls around the brand logo on the sides, but don't expect many options:
Tap R or L twice to play or pause music
Tap L three times to activate the voice assistant
That's all the controls you'll find. You can't change tracks or change volume on the earbuds itself.
The ComfoBuds automatically pause music or videos when you take an earbud out. This feature can both be convenient and annoying. Happily, you can resume playback too by double-tapping the earbud still in the ear.
Connectivity on the ComfoBuds is solid. You can seamlessly switch between listening to two earbuds. The Bluetooth signal keeps stable up to ten meters away from your device and holds in areas crowded with wireless signals.
Calling and video on 1more ComfoBuds
Watching videos on the 1more ComfoBuds is a flawless experience on both Android and iPhone. Normally, earbuds can have trouble synchronizing the audio and video in the YouTube-app, but it's not the case on the ComfoBuds: video sync is spot-on.
Like almost all wireless earbuds, there is a noticeable delay in sound effects when you're playing a game.
Taking a phone call with the 1more ComfoBuds is a breeze. Your voice sounds clear and has that typical telephone-brightness. Noises around you, like people talking or nearby traffic, are reduced nicely, except for some high-pitched peaks when scooters pass by. Phone calls fare great indoors and outside.
The same doesn't apply to Zoom meetings, Google Meet and Microsoft Team sessions - people can have a hard time hearing you clearly in video calls.
Also read: The best AirPods-like earbuds under $50
Sound quality of 1more ComfoBuds: Tricky
So how does this mixture of AirPods-like earbuds and full-in-earphones sound? Well, that's extremely dependent on your fit.
With the ColorBuds, E1029BT, and Omthing AirFree, 1more has proven multiple times that they know a thing or two about sound design. These earphones excel in a balanced and natural sound, which makes instruments sound great. The 1more ComfoBuds has the same potential.
When you reach the ideal fit, the 1more ComfoBuds sounds balanced, detailed, and airy. In this scenario, the bass has a sweet yet controlled punch. While the sub-bass may not rumble heavily, it does sound lovely deep. The lows can become a little bloated in more crowded pieces, but they leave enough room for other frequencies to shine - like vocals, which take center stage and come with lots of clarity. Instrument tonality is convincing, too, with guitars and piano play sounding natural. Combined with a lovely airiness, the ComfoBuds sounds top-notch.
The big question is - can you reach the perfect fit?
Because 1more doesn't deliver the ComfoBuds with multiple sizes or ear tips, it comes down to your luck whether these earbuds go in deep enough to provide their full and rich sound. Somehow, this form factor makes it harder to get the perfect fit than other AirPods-like earphones.
To me, The ComfoBuds only reach its full potential when I push the earbuds in my ear, and I keep doing it regularly. Smiling can already be enough to push the earbuds out a bit, resulting in an immediate loss of weight in the lower tones. The 1more can still sound airy with great detail in the upper-mids and highs, but without the lows, the balance is lost, and the ComfoBuds sounds overly light and tinny - like that cheap FM Radio bathroom speaker at your local discounter.
As you can't be sure of the fit before acquiring these, and you can't alter the fit with other ear-tips, the sound quality of the 1more ComfoBuds is a lottery.
1more ComfoBuds comparisons
1more ComfoBuds vs SoundPEATS TrueAir2
The SoundPEATS TrueAir2 has a more convenient fit than the 1more ComfoBuds and sounds fuller, even if you acquire the perfect fit on the 1more. The TrueAir2 mid-bass has a stronger thump, and lower-mids like darker electronic tones and drums, have more impact. While both earphones have forward vocals, the 1more presents them with more clarity and surrounds them with more air. The TrueAir2 has a pleasant warm sound in return. Its call quality is even better, it has both track and volume controls on the earbuds, and its battery lasts a half hour longer.
1more ComfoBuds vs SoundLiberty 95
The TaoTronics SoundLiberty 95 feels like the opposite of the 1more ComfoBuds. Whereas the 1more shines with its clarity, airiness and upper-mids in the music, the SoundLiberty 95 focuses on the lower frequencies. Vocals sound just clear enough, but it's the impactful bass and boosted lower-mid-tones that are in the spotlight here. The TaoTronics therefore has a fuller and warmer sound, with a stronger bass thump. Rationally, the SoundLiberty 95 is a better choice, as it has track controls, comparable call quality, and a whopping 6 hours battery life (!).
1more ComfoBuds vs Tronsmart Onyx Ace
The hugely popular Tronsmart Onyx Ace looks like an AirPod-clone way more than the 1more ComfoBuds, and sounds much like Apple's earphones too. Don't think that's a great thing: the Onyx Ace sounds muffled in the bass, has overly boosted lower-mids and drowns upper-mids and vocals in them. It often sounds congested and lacks detail. While it's good for phone calls too, and battery life is comparable with its 3,5 hours, the 1more ComfoBuds is more comfortable and can sound much better.
1more ComfoBuds vs Fiil CC2
Around the same price as the 1more ComfoBuds, you can get the Fiil CC - probably the most beautiful designed stem-based wireless earbuds on the market. They deliver up to 6 hours battery life and feel just as light in your ears.
The Fiil CC2 does sound better. The CC2 has a comparable airiness in the higher frequencies, surrounding its clear vocals with space just as easily, but has more body in the lower-mids, it's mid-details are more pronounced and the bass is both stronger and more defined.
—> See all TWS reviews and ratings here
Verdict
While the 1more Comfobuds seems compact and comfortable, the unique shape can become tiresome after wearing for a few hours. While the Comfobuds have decent battery life and handles videos and calls great, there are even better options on the market.
Buy 1more ComfoBuds/ check current price:
I bought the 1more ComfoBuds myself to test and review. 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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