Fit, Comfort and Isolation:
The Quad driver is typically worn cable down, which isn’t too much of a problem. The bullet type shape of the 1More together with the angled nozzle make them actually quite comfortable. They do fit well in my ears and as mentioned before, I don’t have a comfort problem with them.
Their isolation is average and depends on the ear-tip used. I find the foam tips to provide better seal and thus isolate more from outside noises. Though the provided foams give me irritated canals after some time. My preferred tips therefore were the silicone.
Sound:
1More tuned the Quad driver in conjunction with a Grammy award winning sound engineer, that has gotten me excited about this model.
The Quad driver delivers a superbly done low end, with excellent kick, texture and resolution. Listening to base-drums, tom-toms and bass has brought a wide smile on my face. Bass has good body and weight and comes with good punch and rumble down low. Bass stands out a little more north of the neutral line, and people who enjoy a bit of a boost might find the Quad to be a good choice.
Midrange to me is a little leaner, it stands a bit behind the bass and treble, forming an overall slightly V-shaped kind of sound. Lower mids are heavier and colored by the bass, whereas mid-mids are softer and lighter. Vocals and instruments have good body, yet could still use some more meat. Female singers (Björk) sound particularly nice on the Quad to me, deep male vocals (Zappa) also shine. Upper mids sport very good energy, and you can really feel that when faster electric guitar riffs kick in.
When we’re taking a look at the technical levels of the Quad, it’s very apparent that it is a potent contender. For the asking price of 149$ it brings great imaging and sound stage dimensions to the table. Layering and resolution are also pretty good for the money it’s going for. Musicians are well separated with good amounts of air between them.
Treble does go wide, just as the frequency response of 40.000 Hz suggests. It shines bright and energetic. The Quad does not have a fatiguing treble though. Highs are fast and crisp, with a slight richness that keeps them from becoming too dry and direct.
Sources:
The 99dB sensitivity makes the Quad a moderately easy to drive monitor, that should not have any problem with DAPs or smartphones. When I tested the Quad, I listened to a lot of different models of my DAPs. None of them had any hissing problems with the 1More.
Astell&Kern – SP1000
The AK is one of my absolute reference units. It has a very balanced and neutral sound with a gorgeous and rich treble section. The 1More sounds well layered and extended on both ends. Lows are punchy and impactful with great body. Mids are emotional and rich. Instruments sound organic and have good resolution. You will be able to pick up every nuance of the sound with the SP1000 as a sparring partner, as it provides heaps of details and information. Treble is rich and extended, with excellent energy.
You will get a well sized sound stage, that goes wide and deep, however don’t expect too many out of your head experiences. The SP1000 has a nicely holographic sound, that transports the musicians in front of you.
Luxury&Precision – L3 Pro
The L3 Pro is one of my favorite units to bring on business trips. It doesn’t cause strange looks from the security guards at the airport like the AK brings out.
The L&P gives a warmer sound to the Quad, with more emphasis on the lower midrange and a slightly more boosted bass, upper bass in particular. The L3 Pro does a spectacular job when you want an organic and natural sound, that still doesn’t look past details. You won’t get the technical performance of other upper-tier products, but you still get an excellent sounding match with the 1More. A dead silent background, wonderful instrumental separation and clean vocals and instruments.
Treble is a notch more in the back here, but never veiled or closed in. It shimmers well and is nicely rich. I didn’t have any problems with sibilance or sharpness, as the high notes were just soft and pleasing to the ear.
Chord Electronics – Mojo
The Mojo is an excellent reference point for many audiophiles, as its popularity is bar none. Bass is well controlled and punchy with a tight grip. It reaches down low with nice rumble and texture. Bass-drums sound very nice and realistic to me.
Mojo brings in tons of details and excellent resolution to the Quad driver, where you can hear every clap in a live audience. The sound stage expands into all directions and is well formed in even measures. You will be able to separate each instrument and tell precisely where they’re at.
Midrange has good resolution and texture, vocals transport a lot of emotions and aren’t too dense or heavy. There is great organics in the sound of every musician and even more complex constructions don’t get the Quad stressed.
Treble again extends well and is fatigue-free. High notes shine bright, but not harsh or hard-edged. There is good articulation in the treble without sounding off. The energy and speed are good and the same goes for extension.
Conclusion:
The Quad driver has been out for a while now, and we’re pretty late to the party with the review. That however to me means that even after all the years, 1More still holds an excellent value with the Quad. Sure, the competition has become more fierce over the years, but what they offer is still a very good price to performance relation. Just as they had intended.
The sound of the Quad driver is very good for the MSRP it’s going for. The lows are impactful and dynamic, mids are well formed and transport good emotions and the treble goes wide with wonderful energy. All in all the Quad ticks a lot of boxes, and if 1More ever decides to make a new variant of it, I hope they will include detachable cables, even if they’re MMCX…
DaniRojo
I have been using them for a little more than a year and I couldn’t be happier with them. I agree with your review, and one thing I didn’t think about until I read it is the detachable cable detail, maybe because the default one is quite (very) good. If you can find an offer (I bought it at 120 euros) is a no brainer, all rounder IEM.
P.S.: For my tastes it suits better with brighter sources, my every day rig is a Hidizs Sonata II attached to a Xiaomi Mi A2 and it’s an awesome combo. However in my Onkyo Granbeat may sound a little darker at times.
Kim Enrico Jumarang
Lovin’ this IEM despite the non-removable cable. One of the underrated ones out there, if you can get it for less than $150 then this is quite bang-for-buck
Bo T.
I’m pretty sure 1More is a Chinese brand–with a big American corporate presence, of course.
But they are nevertheless originally from China, founded by a guy called Gary Hsieh.
michael nielsen
There’s not much highs, huge bump in higher bass , no clarity at all. I’m pretty sure mine are broken.????????
Patrick
I’m looking for a 4 driver THX certified earbuds for iPhone. I’m an audiophile and thrive on excellent quality sound. I would love to review this product (1 more)! If they meet my expectations I will send positive reviews to future customers. I’m hard to please so if I’m happy u have passed the test. Pls send to 17 Prudhomme Dr. Brampton On. Patrick O’Hanley L6R 0H2.If I’m happy I will keep and pay plus XMas is soon arriving. I work for audio\ Stereo outlet that could use an upgraded line
Ruben Viegas
Well, now we need 1More’s Penta driver P50 review, it is out for a while now…