1More Evo Review

1more-evo

Connection Stability

 

Testing Conditions: Android 12 & Snapdragon 865 equipped phone, LDAC codec forced 909-990kbps via dev. options, buds set to Audio-Quality priority via 1More App.

The EVO comes with LDAC codec support, which is one of the most advanced Bluetooth audio codecs. There aren’t many TWS IEMs that come with full LDAC support, apart from Sony’s XM3 and XM4 TWS IEMs. Since this codec requires a lot of work to implement in an earbud, manufacturers usually go with AptX HD or lesser quality codecs instead of spending resources on the LDAC. I am quite happy to see 1More implementing the LDAC codec and I expect other manufacturers to follow. The capabilities of TWS IEMs are increasing each passing month and we audiophiles are quite thrilled to see what is in store for us. Wireless audio should not be only for the general consumer, we, high-fidelity enthusiasts should be able to enjoy good quality sound on the go, free of cables, too. 

As I previously mentioned, implementing the LDAC is not an easy task, however, 1More, with the EVO, has managed to design a proper PCB that can provide a stable connection, even when we force-feed it with the maximum amount of data using Android’s developer options. I have been using the EVO for 2 months and I have not experienced any connection instability with it. I am using an Android 12 phone with LDAC. Do note that Apple devices do not support LDAC and the buds automatically switch to AAC codec when paired with an iPhone or an iPad. 

Let’s talk a bit about signal latency. I have tried Netflix, Prime Video, and YouTube with my Android 12 phone and the experience was good. The latency was barely noticeable with Netflix and Prime Video but it had no impact on my experience. However, I experienced a bigger delay when it comes to games. If you’re playing competitive titles, I would not recommend using this TWS, or any TWS.

The EVO supports Bluetooth 5.2 and is backward compatible. In my 1More ANC review almost two years ago, I mentioned that as audiophiles we would like to see 1More support LDAC in its new flagship. It is very pleasing to see that our wish has been fulfilled here today. Kudos to 1More for making it happen.

Battery Life

The battery life, as with all TWS IEMs, depends on a variety of things. If you are aiming for maximum endurance, you will have to let go of the very best features of the EVO IEMs. The ANC and the LDAC. Both of these options have high battery consumption and will most definitely decrease battery life. During my testing phase, I managed to get almost 4 hours o continuous playback from the EVO while using LDAC and ANC Adaptive modes. That is almost 2 hours lower than what we see in the specs, but nearly all of the manufacturers, like car manufacturers, mention the “best-case scenario” in the specs.

Furthermore, I managed to get nearly 7h of usage using the SBC codec without ANC. As I previously mentioned, the charging case has a 450mAh battery inside and can charge up EVOs 3-4 times. Considering the size of the buds and the case, the numbers are good. The charging case fits comfortably in my denim jeans’ pockets. Additionally, the charging case supports Qi-Wireless Charger technology and you can use third-party Qi-compatible wireless charging pads to charge the case. 

Hybrid ANC with QuietMax Technology

The EVO is equipped with one feedforward, one feedback, and one talking microphone per side. The ANC microphones are the first two, the feedforward mic catches the higher pitch sounds and the feedback mic catches the lower pitch sounds to provide a good ANC experience. The talk mic ensures that your voice is transmitted smoothly to the other side of the call. The EVO’s ANC is assisted by an AI algorithm that amplifies your voice during a call and also allows the use of the Adaptive ANC mode. The adaptive ANC mode basically adapts the ANC strength to your surroundings to get the best audio quality and ANC performance.

There are four ANC modes and two transparency modes available within the 1More Music App. We’ll talk about the app in the upcoming sections. Back to the ANC options, the EVO features strong, mild, adaptive, and wind-noise resistance modes. Strong ANC mode is quite good, it blocks out my MSI GE76’s fan noise completely, which is around 40 decibels. As with all ANC TWS, the EVO’s ANC performs as expected when it comes to higher pitch sounds. The EVO reduces that range, however, does not completely block out them. The WNR mode is good for reducing the wind noise, allowing you to focus on your favorite tracks. If you remember my previous reviews, I always liked 1More’s ANC technology.

They do a good job with it and once more they did not disappoint me in this regard. The transparency modes work very well too, allowing you to listen to your surroundings without removing the earbuds from your ears. I especially liked the voice enhancement transparency mode, it works very well!

Call Quality

As you probably know, it is very difficult to accurately capture speech in rod-less TWS IEMs due to the sub-optimal microphone positioning and direction. Many have tried, and many have failed, however, it is very nice to see that the 1More engineers have found a way around this using good quality mics, software assistance, and a DNN algorithm. As usual, I conduct my tests in various environments, home, cafe, street, and subway. The EVO performed excellently. In relatively quiet environments, my friends said that my voice sounded the same as my phone’s mic/receiver and was quite intelligible. Although the performance of the EVO dwindled a little in crowded venues, it won our appreciation, outperforming almost any rod-less TWS earphones we’ve tried so far. It is safe to say that you can participate in business meeting calls with the EVO without worrying about the quality of your voice. 

App Support & Features

The EVO comes with full-fledged app support. The 1More Music app can be found both on Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. The 1More Music application supports many 1More TWS and I have never experienced any bugs with it, ever. It works very well and offers a few additional features for the earbuds. You observe individual battery levels of the earbuds and the charging case, switch between ANC modes, adjust the behavior of the proximity sensor on the buds, change the connection priority between stable connection and audio quality and upgrade your IEMs’ firmware, using OTA updates. You can also change double tap and triple tap touch control behavior.

The 1More Music app comes equipped with Sonarworks’ SoundID EQ software. The SoundID software puts you through a number of hearing tests and determines what kind of sound signature you like, and creates an EQ profile accordingly. Note that you can’t individually adjust bands, so if you like EQ and looking for an alternative third-party app, I recommend taking a look at the PowerAmp EQ. I, however, prefer a balanced signature and I do not regularly use EQ. Back to the app, I have successfully updated my buds using the OTA firmware section within the app and it took around 10 minutes. The process was easy and straightforward.

The buds are on firmware version V1.0.1. Additionally, the EVO can be connected with two devices simultaneously and allows you to easily swap between the paired devices without reconnecting. To activate this feature, you will need to go into the app and enable “Dual-Device Connection” in the “Experimental Features” section. You can take a look here to see what the app looks like.

The review continues on Page Three, after the click HERE or by using the jump below.

Page 1: 1More, EVO TWS, Packaging & Accessories, Design & Fit

Page 3: Sound Signature, Low, Mid, High, Technical Capability, Comparisons, Conclusion

4.4/5 - (243 votes)
Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedin

Long time Tech Enthusiast, an ambitious petrol-head, Yagiz likes his gadgets and always finds new ways into the tinkerer's world. He tries to improve anything and everything he gets his hands onto. Loves an occasional shine on the rocks.

3 Comments

  • Reply July 9, 2022

    Martinp

    Nice review, got me thinking – are there any TWS that can be used with Triple flange tips (so they fit in the case)?
    Also Edifier Neobuds Pro support LDAC and also LDHC (the ones I know about and tried) 🙂

  • Reply October 13, 2022

    Noel

    How does this compare against the Final Audio ZE3000 in terms of sound quality?

  • Reply January 2, 2024

    Diego Rojas

    Hola buenas tardes ……cual dirías que tiene un mejor sonido audiofilo 1More Evo o Fiio FW5? Gracias

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.