FULL DISCLOSURE: The 1MORE Stylish earbuds were provided by Syntech Distribution as a seeding unit and were not returned.

The wireless in-ear earbud trend is here to stay, with second generation offerings already available. Apart from its strange name, 1MORE’s Stylish (yes, that’s what they’re called) earbuds make a strong case for this trend in general, and their offering specifically.

They stay in

Firstly, I found the 1MORE Stylish earbuds highly comfortable, with the plastic O-hooks helping to keep them tucked into the ears. So much so these fitted more securely than any other made-for-sport wired solutions I have ever used for running. They are also waterproof so you need not stress about sweat taking its toll.  

The benefit of these for running is that you can easily use just one of the two buds to hit the road; great for when you’re not dependent on stereo sound, say when listening to an audiobook or podcast. As such, with one ear clear to hear traffic and the earbuds fitting tightly, the 1MORE Stylish comes highly recommended.

When doing pilates, yoga or other exercise which require a bit more bending forward, the 1MORE fitted less tightly during the duration of the exercise, requiring pushing it back in a few times.

It’s about control

Much to the benefit of the 1MORE Stylish is the little control button on the top of each earpiece. Push the right or left one once and the music pauses, push the right twice and it starts the track from the start, while the same on the left skips to the next.

UPDATE: A firmware update is available that can be accessed via the 1MORE Assistant app. It adds volume control to the earbuds, with a press of the left button to lower volume and right to up it. This is outstanding since you now don’t need to take your phone out of your pocket to operate – a major plus over the competition.

Battery life

1MORE pegs the battery life at about 6.5 hours and I would say that sounds about right. As with many earbuds a case is provided that also keeps charge, which the company states push battery life up to 24 hours, the same as Apple’s Airpods.

One thing to keep in mind is, because of their size, the earbuds tend to get misplaced easily, and I had to actively note where I left them if the case was not immediately on hand.

If you are going to use your earbuds a lot, you might want to consider keeping the case simply plugged in (it uses microUSB to charge) and slotting the buds back after you are done to keep it charged up.

It’s the sound  

For some, the move to true wireless brings with a concern about sound quality. In this regard the 1MORE Stylish cannot be faulted, thanks in part to its titanium composite 7 mm dynamic driver. Bass and midtones are strong and rich, while on the higher end these are clear enough to bring out new elements to songs that you might not have heard before.

More bass-heavy, the sound should fit in with rap or dance orientated tunes, although rock and alternative fans will certainly not fall short. Audiophiles, however, might still want to stay connected via their wired solutions, while the 1MORE Stylish does not offer noise-cancellation.  

Interestingly, 1MORE’s Assistant app offers a “burn-in” period for the earbuds, which the company claims provide a more appealing sound by helping to “reach a matured level more quickly” - it takes at least 12 hours to do so through the app.

Even though it makes use of Bluetooth 5, connectivity wise I did have a problem here and there, including the earbuds not connecting immediately, or a second or so of signal cutting out. However, calls were clear and callers heard me without any hassle thanks to a noise-cancelling microphone.

Finally, included in the Stylish box is an extra plastic travel pouch, a USB cable, four pairs of different sized eartips, plus three different sized pairs of O-hooks that keeps the earbuds securely in your ear.

Cop or not?

After having been using these now for more than a month, in a big way the 1MORE Stylish has changed the way how I think about earphones and I use them far more often than I have used other solutions. At R1 800 the 1MORE Stylish earbuds fall about midway between the highest and lowest priced offerings. If you buy these it will be money well spent, with great sound quality, excellent in-ear fit and one button control that allows your smartphone to stay in your pocket. They are great for running or simply for listening to music around the house.

Find the 1MORE Stylish at Syntech Distribution here.