Has 1More cracked the formula for affordable Wi-Fi headphones?

At CES 2025, 1More introduced an innovative pair of headphones that immediately garnered attention due to their design, reminiscent of a blend between the Sony WH-1000XM5 and the Apple AirPods Max. These are the brand's first Wi-Fi headphones, known as the 1More SonoFlow Max Over-Ear Headphones HQ70, which have the potential to be reasonably priced for the general public. They are expected to be available by late September 2025. Although the exact cost has not been revealed, it is likely to stay below $300, based on 1More's reputation for delivering high-quality audio at competitive prices.

While this amount may seem steep, there is only one other model of Wi-Fi headphones on the market, the Hed Audio Unity, which has an exorbitant price tag of $2,199. The arrival of these new headphones from 1More is highly anticipated, as Wi-Fi offers greater bandwidth capacity compared to Bluetooth. While the latter can handle CD-quality audio under optimal conditions, its connection can suffer from interference and distance, which does not affect Wi-Fi in the same way, as it can support high-resolution audio losslessly.

One advantage of using Wi-Fi is that it allows for greater freedom of movement, since once the connection is established, the phone acts as a remote control, enabling the headphones to connect directly to internet-based music sources, similar to what wireless speakers like Sonos already do. However, the main challenge with Wi-Fi is its high power consumption, which has limited its implementation in wireless headphones. Still, promising details about the HQ70 have been shared: in Bluetooth mode, they have a battery life of up to 75 hours with noise cancellation turned off, suggesting positive performance in Wi-Fi as well.

Additionally, 1More plans to include interesting features in the HQ70, such as voice control and head gesture commands, camera control, spatial audio, Multipoint, support for the LDAC codec, an integrated reminder to stand up, and a fall detection sensor. There is also mention of local storage with real-time sports data, an aspect that remains unclear.

The sample presented at CES was not operational, so comments on sound quality cannot be made. However, when I briefly tried them on, their comfort seemed adequate. In a context where platforms like Apple Music, Amazon Music, Tidal, Qobuz, and Deezer offer instant access to high-resolution music, it is disappointing that there is only one model of wireless headphones that allows enjoyment of those details, and even more so that its price resembles that of a good gaming laptop. We hope that the 1More HQ70 will chart a new course in the industry.

On another note, 1More showcased an unreleased product, a pair of open-back clip headphones that resemble the brand's S20. However, the most striking feature was their charging case, composed of two parts that magnetically connect instead of having a hinge. This "lid" features an internal battery, a small color touchscreen, and a speaker. The interface of the screen is similar to that of JBL's Tour Pro headphones, although 1More insists that JBL did not participate in its development. The screen will display battery levels and controls, as well as possibly song lyrics, a feature to be introduced in the S70 AI this year.

The possibility of real-time translation and transcription is mentioned, although it remains unclear if this can be done simultaneously with the headphones and touchscreen. Many details about these open-back headphones are still unknown, including price, release date, and basic specifications such as battery life. However, if we assume they would be the S20 with an improved case, we might expect features like Bluetooth 5.4, IPX5 water resistance, high-resolution audio with LDAC, 11mm composite diaphragm drivers, and multipoint connectivity.