1MORE SonoFlow SE HQ31 Headphones (Review)

1MORE has been launching a continuous line of headphones for years now, starting with affordable and outstanding earbuds and breaking out into multiple wired and wireless models of various types and colors. The company has covered everything from basic entry-level solutions to models to satisfy audio enthusiasts. Now, the company has a new entry-level model that offers a long list of features for an incredibly affordable price that is hard to skip on.

It is the new 1MORE SonoFlow SE HQ31 Headphones, which fall into a very reasonable average of around $49.99-$59.99 and take on most of the options out there that hover around the same cost. These headphones offer outstanding battery life and are perfect for your everyday commute or simple listening scenarios.

You have four color options to pick from, including blue, pink, white, and of course, black. Covering most users, including those who like to accessorize and color-match with what they wear. This is something I mention only because my girl finds it difficult to buy just one color of any headphones she uses (an expensive habit, but it makes her happy).

The overall design of this model is simple, which can be said about most headphone models. It features an all-plastic design with a few easy-to-find buttons that get you through the various features. Those features can also be adjusted via the 1MORE app.

When it comes to quality of construction, the headphones do not lack in any way, thus they should last just as long as any other when it comes to any potential breaking points. The padding is soft around the ears and the top of your head, and they are comfortable for average listening times.

When it comes to those buttons/controls, you’ll find everything located on a single muff/side. This includes a power button, a volume rocker, and an ANC button (which we will get to in a moment). You’ll make use of these buttons for your typical controls, such as play/pause and track control, as well as answering calls or triggering your digital assistant on your phone (if applicable).

As for that ANC button, this is to trigger the ANC on and off or flip into transparency mode so that you can hear everything around you. This is something that has been a little more common with some of these affordable models (you used to have to spend close to or above $100 to get this feature).

Then you have a USB-C port for charging, and the company does provide a simple cable to do this with.

All-in-all, it is a simple option that doesn’t come with anything crazy. You just have a pair of headphones, a USB cable, and some documentation.

What makes them special?

What makes these headphones worth consideration is the aforementioned list of features. Not only do they feature ANC (active noise cancellation), but it actually works quite well for the price point. This was one of the first things that stood out for us. ANC can be hit or miss with headphones and this one is definitely a hit for what you are paying. 1MORE calls their ANC tech “QuietMax Hybrid Noise Cancellation” with 42dB worth of environmental noise suppression when active.

When it comes to audio quality, I’d say these fall into the category of average. Overall sound quality isn’t extraordinary, but this is to be expected for an entry-level model. However, the SonoFlow SE HQ31 does offer LDAC support and spatial audio support (assuming your connected device supports this), so it doesn’t lack in this category either. Spatial audio isn’t going to blow your mind, but to have anything at all in this category is a plus.

Another perk is battery life. Thanks to Bluetooth 5.4, you get access to strong codec support, excellent connectivity over a distance, and great battery life. This last one is one of the biggest winning values for this model as you get up to 90 hours worth of listening on a single charge (this can vary a little with the use of features like ANC).

Our Conclusion

Two of our favorite specs for the 1MORE HQ31 Wireless Headphones include strong battery life and excellent ANC support. Spatial audio is a nice third, although this can be a hard category for us to score on since we have heard some really nice spatial/surround performances from some of the best out there and there aren’t a lot of “affordable” options to compare to (although this is slowly changing). So for us, we can only say entry-level when it comes to spatial performance. Everything else falls into the category of average, which is perfect for the price point (and since you can find these on sale from time to time). If all you need is a simple pair of headphones for a simple price, but also want excellent battery life and good ANC performance to help you through noisier environments, this is an excellent choice.

Using the app, you also have multiple EQ presets to choose from as well as a custom EQ. There is also a gaming mode to help reduce latency when enabled, and you can keep an eye on everything else, including battery life.

The MSRP at launch is $59.99, although it seems they are listed closer to $49.99. At the time of writing this, they are on sale via Amazon for $39.99, and this really helps contribute to our score as it really creates an attractive product at such a price point.

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