TWS true wireless earphones - under $50
FOUR STARS - If you can look past its quirky look and fit and short battery life, the cheapest 1more TWS true wireless earbuds blows you away with an open, hugely detailed sound.
1more E1029BT/ 1more ECS3001B specs:
Bluetooth 5.0 with AAC codec
No IPX-rating (withstood light rain while testing)
3 hours listening on a full charge
Charging case can charge earpieces fully 3 times
Comes with rubber earpiece-sleeves and USB-C cable
$40 on AliExpress, Amazon Germany or other Amazon stores - check price!
Take note! These TWS is sold as both the 1more ECS3001B and 1more E1029BT!
Below this 1more E1029BT review/ 1more ECS3001B review, you will find comparisons between the 1more TWS vs Apple AirPods, Xiaomi Mi Air 2 SE, Fiil CC, and TaoTronics SoundLiberty 88.
Update January 2021: As the quality of new TWS wireless earbuds keeps improving and there are more and more great models on the market, the overall score for this model has been adjusted from 4.5 to 4 stars
All reviews on Scarbir.com are 100% unsponsored and honest. Please support my research by buying via the links on this site. You can also support me via PayPal. <3
Design, comfort and battery life
The 1more ECS3001B or E1029BT (confusingly advertised as both!) has a unique shape in truly wireless earbuds. The earpieces are half-in-ears, which you can hang in your ears like the AirPods, but stay far away from stems. Instead, the earpieces are attached to a large round bean that sticks far out of your ears. Real far. It should be stated that the 1more E1029BT looks a bit weird when you're wearing it.
Because the earpieces protrude from the side of your face, they also pick a lot up wind noise. Like AirPods and great cheaper alternatives such as TaoTronics SoundLiberty 88, Xiaomi Mi Air 2 SE, and Fiil CC, their half-in-ear design is also put through noise from your surroundings. It makes them safer to use in traffic than other earphones - and comfortable as well.
To still grant a sturdy fit, 1more delivers the ECS3001B with removable rubber covers for the half-in-ear part, making them less slippery. With or even without these, the earbuds can survive a rapid shake test, while smiling or while moving your ears. Still, they always feel like they can fall out. Full-in-ears and even stem-design half-in-ears have a tighter fit. It's possibly unwise to work out with these, especially since it doesn't boast an IPX-waterproof rating.
The case is even more special than the earpieces. It lacks a lid, it's open from the bottom and the top, and you take the earpieces out by pushing them from the bottom. It's necessary to look at the position of the 1more logo on the case, as you may confuse the left for the right earpiece.
Sadly, battery life isn't too impressive. Despite their big beans, the earbuds only deliver 3 hours playtime on a single charge - not even playing on maximum volume. The case can recharge them three times fully, before needing new power via micro-USB itself.
Connectivity and controls
1more continues its bold design choices in the controls. The ECS3001B/ E1029BT doesn't have a touch panel or button on the side - but operates by pressing a tiny knob underneath the beans.
Controls are good, but require getting used to. You can change the volume with single-presses: the right side to increase it, the left to decrease it. Pausing or resuming music playback is done with two presses.
Beyond this point, things get a bit more tricky. Whereas a short or medium-long press changes the volume, a 2,5 second-press switches songs (skip on the right, return on the left), and with an even longer press, you can disconnect and turn off the earpiece you're controlling.
Connection strength on the 1more TWS ECS3001B is solid - mostly. The Bluetooth 5.0 signal keeps stable up to ten meters and holds when cycling or walking. During the test, the earpieces lost connection with each other once. Voice prompts 'disconnected', 'pairing', and then 'connected' at least told what was going on.
Connectivity options are great, though. You can recharge one earbud while listening to the other, pick it up again, and resume playing music in stereo. While the 1more showers you with functionality and connection versatility for its price, it does require some time to get used to it all.
Calling and video playback on 1more TWS
Watching videos with these 1more TWS wireless earbuds fares flawless on Android, but does have a slight delay in the sound on the YouTube-app on iPhone. It does synchronize well on other video services like Netflix and Amazon Prime, happily.
There is a noticeable delay in sound effects when playing games, as is the case on most wireless earphones.
It's doable to take a phone call with the 1more ECS3001B/ E1029BT. Your voice has a loud and clear telephone-sound to the other end of the line and has more volume than most sound effects around you. Other sounds can come through, especially higher-pitched ones, like other people talking nearby or passing scooters. As long as there isn't much wind, the call quality on this 1more outdoors is passable. Indoors, calling is effortless.
Also read: The best true wireless earphones under $50
Sound quality of 1more E1029BT: Joyful!
Joyful, clear, and hugely detailed: the 1more TWS ECS3001B is a pleasant surprise for half-in-ear wireless earphones.
The ECS3001B/ E1029BT has a steady mid-bass slam. While it's light, it's fast and tight enough to make you tap your feet. Don't expect the thickest bass-thump or deep-diving sub-bass that rumbles in your ears. Half-in-ear earbuds rarely have an abundance of bass, and the 1more is no exception - unless you press them close to your ears manually. Also, don't expect much of an emphasis on other lower-frequencies, like dark electronic tones - there's little to find here.
However - the bass that's here works in perfect harmony with the other frequencies in the music. The sound paves the way for mid-tones and vocals, downright impressive treble. Female and higher-pitched male vocals sound prominent, they take center stage and sound more natural than previously tested half-in-ears on Scarbir.com.
Instruments really steal the show. No matter which genre you're listening to - rock, blues, jazz, singer-songwriter, or soul: instruments brim with texture. Take a suitable test track like Jungle by Night's Hot Mama Hot, and each instrument has its place. The different types of (African) drums, electronic keyboard-lines, bass-guitar are all awarded room to shine. Like the highest vocals, trumpets may sound a little too bright, but they impress.
What helps here is the amazing spaciousness in the sound of the entry-level 1more. Music feels airy, around you, and details are everywhere. There's huge detail within the soundstage. The sound is so open - so bright, so clear, so detailed, yet with a gentle warm undertone - it raises the bar for affordable half-in-ear TWS.
Thanks to its subtle bass and soft lower-mids, it may be less smashing for heavy dance or electronic music, and apart from that, the 1more TWS true wireless earbuds aren't the loudest either. Even on the highest volume, music battles wind noise.
The 1more E1029BT lays down an outstanding technical presentation. With its big soundstage, clear vocals, and excellent instrument reproduction, listening to it is a joy for more traditional and instrumental genres.
1more E1029BT/ ECS3001B comparisons
1more E1029BT vs 1more Stylish TWS
As 1more has a vast amount of fans, let's compare the cheapest model ($45) against the popular 1more Stylish TWS - coming in around $75. The latter has a full-in-ear design with rubber ear-tips and sport-wings, making sure they are a lot tighter in your ears than the cheaper model. They also offer longer battery life, yet call quality is comparable. Both earphones have the same energetic yet balanced 1more sound signature, although the Stylish TWS does deliver a heavier mid-bass slam and darker bass-rumbles. The ECS3001B sounds brighter, more opened-up with clearer vocals, whereas the Stylish TWS can sound a little congested in crowded songs. How to choose between these two? Pick the one that seems most comfortable to you.
1more E1029BT vs Apple AirPods
As Amazon user reviews suggest, the entry-level 1more TWS true wireless earbuds attract buyers that would normally look at the Apple AirPods, but don't want to spend that much money. At $100 cheaper, most users are surprised by the sound quality of the 1more. And they should be! The 1more E1029BT punches the AirPods in its face. It has a more cleaned-up bass section, more clarity in the higher frequencies and retrieves much more detail. Vocals sound clearer on the ECS3001B, instruments appear way more lifelike. The AirPods have more bass punch, but the bass also sounds muddier. The 1more sounds more balanced - plain better. The AirPods are only worth the extra price if switching between different Apple devices is important to you.
Also read: Apple AirPods Pro vs 16 cheap TWS
1more E1029BT vs SoundLiberty 88
Of course, there are a lot of great, cheaper alternatives to AirPods. The TaoTronics SoundLiberty 88 is one of them. It has a stronger bass and much more weight in the lower frequencies than the 1more, making the music sound warmer and smoother. Vocals can sound a bit recessed, as opposed to the very clear vocals on the 1more, and the 1more also has a brighter, more natural sound. The detail level on the ECS3001B is better, with a larger soundstage surrounding it - but still, if you mainly listen to electronic genres and desire a warm, bassy sound, the SoundLiberty 88 is probably a better choice - with better battery life and call quality, too. - TaoTronics SoundLiberty 88 review
1more ECS3001B vs Xiaomi Mi Air 2 SE
The Xiaomi Mi Air 2 SE is the best value for money when it comes to half-in-ear wireless earphones. Their white stems seem quite large in your ears, but still not as weird as the black round bulbs of the 1more. Call quality on the Xiaomi is clearer and better suited for outside use, and its battery lasts 1,5 hours per charge longer. Soundwise, it has a stronger bass-punch than the 1more, and more weight in the lower-mid tones. It also has clear and emphasized upper-mids and vocals... yet it can still sound recessed when switching from the 1more. That's how open, airy, and forward vocals and lighter instruments are on the ECS3001B.
1more E1029BT vs Fiil CC
Let's compare the oddest looking half-in-ear wireless earbuds to the sleekest ones. Even though the Fiil CC's stems are incredibly thin, they still deliver half an hour more playtime per charge, and call quality is much better as well, both indoors and outside. Its sound is both more balanced and complete, as it not only presents vocals with clarity and elevates mid-tones to the benefit of instruments - but also throws in more bass and lower-mids. The 1more sounds bright in comparison, possibly tinny in the first instances, but it has much more room in the sound and slightly better instrumental texture.
—> See all TWS reviews and ratings here
Verdict
If you can look past its quirky look and fit and short battery life, the cheapest 1more TWS true wireless earbuds blows you away with an open, hugely detailed sound.
Four stars - good
Buy 1more E1029BT/ ECS3001B - check price:
I bought the 1more ECS3001B 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.
Consider buying this earphone? I'd really appreciate it if you use the links in this article. It won't cost you extra, yet it will financially support me a bit in my ongoing quest for great affordable audio. <3
Also read:
Leaderboard: All rated wireless earphones
