Affordable Audio Excellence: In-Depth Analysis of 1MORE SonoFlow SE Headphones’ Features and Benefits

Key Takeaways

• The 1MORE SonoFlow SE headphones offer great sound quality, impressive battery life, and good noise cancellation at an affordable price.
• While the SE model lacks some features like a carrying case and wired mode, it still delivers on the main aspects of sound and battery.
• The SonoFlow SE headphones are a good option for those looking for wireless headphones for casual or daily use, with the SE model being the better choice for most people.

Last year, 1MORE released the SonoFlow wireless headphones, a solid midrange set that was well worth the price. With the 1MORE SonoFlow SE , the company has made the headphones even more affordable, while promising the same noise cancellation and fun sound signature.

Of course, something has to go to make the headphones more affordable, so there are a few cuts. To start, there is no case like you get with the original SonoFlow headphones, and there are no hi-res audio options. The only other sacrifice is the option to listen in wired mode when you’re out of battery.

Is there more missing that could bring these headphones down, or are the SonoFlow SE as good a deal as they seem?

1MORE SonoFlow SE

7/ 10

$47 $56 Save $9

Despite being a more barebones set of wireless cans, the 1MORE SonoFlow SE may be the better buy, with the same great sound and battery life of the original with just a few missing features.

Battery Life

Up to 60 hours

Wireless?

Yes

Brand

1MORE

Connection Type

Bluetooth

Noise Cancellation

QuietMax Hybrid Noise Cancellation

Charging type

USB-C

Driver size

40mm

Supported codecs

SBC, AAC

Pros

• Great sound quality for the price
• Impressive battery life
• Good noise cancellation for affordable headphones
• Fast charging

Cons

• Limited to basic codecs
• No wired mode

Expand

$47 at Amazon

Classic Design and a Comfortable Fit

Hannah Stryker / How-To Geek

Looking at the design of the SonoFlow SE next to the original 1MORE SonoFlow headphones, which I reviewed in 2022 , they appear nearly identical. The most noticeable difference is that the ear cups on the SonoFlow SE are black, compared to the slightly flashier red on the originals, and they lack red accents on the buttons. If anything, the black on the SE looks better, if slightly understated.

Like the originals, these were comfortable headphones for me. They fit nicely, with just enough clamping force to stay put, but not so much that they get uncomfortable after a while. The ear cups aren’t huge, so if you have larger ears, you may not find these as comfortable as I did.

There is no carrying case included with the SonoFlow SE. How much this matters to you will likely depend on how and where you use your headphones. For most home or office use, a case isn’t necessary. If you’re tossing these into a backpack and taking them everywhere, you may want to look into a third-party case or just make sure you’re careful.

Big Sound at a Small Price

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Sergio Rodriguez / How-To Geek

For the most part, the sound of the SonoFlow SE is close to that of the originals. You get the same 40mm drivers, the same overall build, and even the same QuietMax hybrid noise cancellation that the originals featured. The main difference comes down to connectivity.

The original SonoFlow headphones featured support for Sony’s LDAC codec , which makes for higher-resolution audio over a Bluetooth signal. The SonoFlow SE don’t feature this, or any other higher-quality codecs, relying instead on the standard combination of SBC and AAC codecs you’ll find in many wireless headphones.

Listening to Television’s “Friction ” on the default Studio preset, the guitars sounded as sharp and angular as they do on much higher-priced headphones. While they easily carve through the mix, neither these guitars nor the cymbals got harsh in the higher midrange and lower treble ranges. The vocals sounded clear and articulate without sounding overly sibilant.

The intro to “Acid Queen ” by Mad Professor has some squelching filter sounds that can be painful to listen to on other headphones. Here they sounded as over the top as they usually do, but without any discomfort while listening. The song sounded fine on the Studio preset, but switching to the Electronic EQ preset gave the bottom end some extra heft.

The hybrid noise cancellation that 1MORE boasts of is essentially ANC combined with some heavy-duty ear cups that passively block outside sounds. As you may expect from the price tag, the noise cancellation isn’t as effective as on higher-end headphones, but it along with Transparent mode are identical to that of the originals.

The microphone quality is decent, and certainly on par with other offerings in this price range. Still, people aren’t likely to buy this headset based solely on the quality of the built-in microphone.

Simple Controls and the Same Old Software

Sergio Rodriguez / How-To Geek

Like the originals, the SonoFlow SE have easy to access controls for power, volume, and switching between listening modes on the outer parts of the ear cups. For most other controls, you’ll need to turn to the 1MORE Music app, available for iPhone as well as Android .

The app allows you to switch between the various listening modes, check on how much battery life you have remaining, and update the firmware of your headphones. More importantly, you get access to the headphones’ EQ, letting you either choose between presets or create your own custom EQ curves.

I’m curious how much 1MORE actually updates its app, as bugs I noticed when reviewing the original SonoFlow are still present. For example, going into the Soothing Sounds area of the app, all the sounds fade out and loop after roughly five seconds. This makes every single one of these sounds oddly distracting, and not the least bit soothing.

Battery Life for (Literal) Days

Sergio Rodriguez / How-To Geek

As with the originals, the battery life here is impressive. Assuming you have ANC turned on the entire time, 1MORE estimates up to 50 hours of listening time. Turn off ANC, and you get even more time, with the company estimating up to 70 hours of playback time.

These headphones charge via USB-C , and that includes support for fast charging. In the case of the SonoFlow SE, 1MORE says that a five-minute charge gets you up to five hours of listening time, so even if you run out of battery, you’re only a few minutes away from more listening time.

The original SonoFlow headphones featured a 3.5mm jack and included cable for wired listening. This is handy on the rare occasion you drain the battery but have no way to charge it. The SonoFlow SE don’t support this feature, unfortunately, but the only thing you’re really missing out on is the lower latency wired listening brings.

Price and Availability

The 1MORE SonoFlow SE headphones retail for $49.99, and come in black. If you’re really looking for the look of the originals but are sold on the SE, you can buy a bundle including red ear cups on the 1MORE website.

Should You Buy the 1MORE SonoFlow SE?

The 1MORE SonoFlow SE are certainly a great deal, with the same fun sound signature and decent noise-canceling that made the originals so good. There are not quite as many features here, but for many people, I can’t imagine those missing features will matter as much as the difference in price.

The LDAC codec in the originals did bring a slight upgrade in sound quality over the SBC and AAC Bluetooth options, but plenty of people likely wouldn’t notice the difference without being told. The originals weren’t exactly audiophile headphones, either, so keep that in mind. Losing the wired mode may matter slightly more to some people, but I doubt it would be a dealbreaker to many.

If you’re looking for a set of wireless headphones for casual listening or even heavy daily use, either SonoFlow option is a good one, but the SE model is likely the better option for most people.

1MORE SonoFlow SE

7/ 10

$47 $56 Save $9

Despite being a more barebones set of wireless cans, the 1MORE SonoFlow SE may be the better buy, with the same great sound and battery life of the original with just a few missing features.

$47 at Amazon