I tested these 1More headphones and I’m convinced they’re some of the best cheap cans money can buy

1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51: two-minute review

The 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 are a pair of budget-friendly over-ear headphones that set out to do it all. They aim to serve up adept audio, noise-crushing ANC and an eye-catching design – all for less than $100 / £100. I must confess, that’s quite the tall task, and I did have my reservations at first. But after two weeks of testing, I’m pleased to report that these 1More cans do all of those things… and more.

Before we really drill into things, let’s take a glance at the 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51’s headline info. These headphones come in with a modest list price of $89 / £99 / AU$130 and offer ANC and transparency mode, LDAC for ‘hi-res’ Bluetooth streaming and up to 100 hours – yes 100 hours – of battery life.

Let’s zoom in on the area that matters most – sound. Now, you’re not going to get audio quality that competes with the more premium options in our guide to the best headphones, nor indeed the more aspirational models in our best noise-cancelling headphones roundup, but they still perform commendably for the money. You get clear audio that’s free of tinniness, even at higher volumes. Also, these cans certainly have a more bass-heavy sound signature, which is ideal for fans of dance music, for example, but you can temper low-end output with the 1More Music app’s EQ settings if you so please.

You also get a fairly detailed listen, especially when using the aforementioned LDAC option (if your source device supports it) – or wired connectivity. And sound quality is solid with ANC turned on or off – though I preferred to keep this on for the most part. That ANC is pretty effective too – chatter on public transport, keyboards clacking away and cars zooming past were severely dulled – if not muted when listening to my favorite tracks.

I mentioned that excellent 100 hour battery life, but that’s only if you have LDAC and ANC turned off. But still, even with ANC on, you get 65 hours out of these cans – that’s more than enough for the money! These over-ears are also super comfortable thanks to their generous use of padding on the headband and earcups. So rest assured, the Sonoflow Pro have the battery and design for high-comfort, long-lasting listening sessions.

In addition, these headphones are awesome-looking when in-use. They’re angled forward slightly, giving them a curved, sleek look. They also have a tidy matte finish – there’s style and substance on tap here. The only real downside is that the button controls are a little plasticky and the headband feels a touch feeble – but that’s perhaps to be expected for cans in this price range.

There aren’t too many other downsides to note, luckily. One small thing: the app situation is a little unclear. I could only connect these headphones to the 1More Music platform, rather than the typical 1More app, which was a little frustrating. 1More Music is a little dated, with certain features such as multi-point connectivity (why would you not want this?) hidden in a sub-menu, which made for a less-than-ideal user experience.

But all in all, I’d certainly recommend the 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51. They nail the basics: impressive audio, plenty of playtime and a ruthless approach to external noise. And to do all of that at such a low cost is really worth shouting about. If you want truly premium sound and have a more generous budget to spend on headphones, they might not be the best option in the world – perhaps consider some headphones like the Sony WH-1000XM4, but the quality on offer from 1More’s Pro cans is more than good enough for anyone on a tighter budget.

1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 review: price & release date

• $89 / £99 / AU$130
• Launched in 2024

The 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 – sometimes just listed as the 1More Sonoflow HQ51 – have a list price of $89 / £99 / AU$130. They launched in 2024 in three colorways: Black; Blue; and Silver.

Price can vary slightly by color variant, but typically, these are in the same kind of ballpark. And good news – I’ve already spotted the Sonoflow Pro on sale with retailers like Amazon US and UK, where they’ve dropped to around $70 / £70 in the past.

1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 review: Specs

1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 review: features

• Up-to-scratch ANC
• Phenomenal battery life
• Companion app could use some work

The Sonoflow Pro come through with all the features you’d hope to find from some modern day Bluetooth headphones – and then some. You get Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity, multi-point and a handy companion app too.

A quick note on that companion app, though. I downloaded the 1More app – as advertised on the webpage for this model – but had no joy on my Samsung phone. Instead, I found that I needed to use the 1More Music app, which seems a bit more old-fashioned and clunky to navigate, but works fine.

Anyway, when I finally got things working, I wanted to explore the ANC options. You get three settings: ANC off; ANC on; or passthrough. Now firstly, I have to say that I was surprised by how successful the ANC was here. That’s meant to be one of the key areas of improvement over the original Sonoflow, and 1More pulled it off. When I was in the office, I could barely hear anything aside from my music when listening at 50% volume. Even when out and about or on public transport, external noises were pleasingly kept to a minimum.

Sure, you’re not going to get the best-in-class ANC you’d expect from the Bose QuietComfort Ultra, for instance, but that’s to be expected given these are a fraction of the price. And the passthrough mode works well too – you’ll hear a few more sounds from your surroundings, which can be handy for when you’re walking in a busy area and want to keep your whits about you.

As well as toggling between ANC, you can activate hi-res music streaming and adjust EQ – there’s a tidy selection of genre-specific presets as well as a custom option. There’s also an indicator to show battery levels. Speaking of, these cans are seriously long lasting – you’ll get days, if not weeks of use from one single charge. They boast a playtime of 65 hours with ANC on or 100 hours with it off. That will vary if you have hi-res streaming active and listen at top volumes – but still that’s an exceptional amount of listening time.

On top of all of this, there are a few less common features that I unearthed in the 1More Music app. The first is smart burn-in, which is essentially meant to ‘break in’ the drivers and optimize sound quality. I didn’t pick up on any real difference and the whole burn-in deal is a controversial one in the audiophile community, so its inclusion was neither here nor there for me. The second is Soothing Sounds, which plays noises like ‘Waterfall’, ‘Volcano’ and ‘Medium Fire’. This one’s a dud. Sound quality is poor and the audio files stop pretty abruptly, then replay – but you can always just leave it alone.

• Features score: 4/5

1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 review: sound quality

• Clear quality with rich bass
• Solid detail levels with wired and LDAC listening
• Customizable sound thanks to EQ options

I’ll be honest, reader, I wasn’t expecting much from these 1More headphones in the sound department. But they only went and blew my expectations out of the water! OK, you’re not going to get that premium, beautifully balanced, neatly separated and layered sound that some more premium cans can deliver, but what’s on offer here is pretty tasty for the humble outlay.

Like a lot of budget-friendly headphones out there, the Sonoflow Pro certainly lean into a more bass-heavy signature – ideal if you’re a lover of dance music or hip-hop for instance. If you want a more balanced sound, just head into the 1More Music app and adjust EQ with the five-band equalizer or included presets – nice and easy.

So, let’s start with bass. Unlike a lot of budget options, the big bass doesn’t sound overly cluttered or lethargic here. For instance, when I tuned into Black Eye by Allie X, the punch of the drum machine was rapid and didn’t overstay its welcome. And there’s impressive depth on offer too. When tuning into tracks with imposing sub bass – like The Boys Are Back In Town by Yung Gravy – the low-end boom rumbling through the track hit with massive impact, but was still clear and controlled.

But booming bass output doesn’t have to come at the expense of quality. In I Want You by Moloko – a busy, layered track – breathy, grand vocals maintain admirable presence and clarity, even alongside the punchy bass and flurry of strings, keys, percussive elements and more.

Even when listening to more mellow tracks like I Remember You by Masayoshi Takanaka, rhythmic guitar was tonally accurate, sweet harp trills never sounded tinny and smooth bass, though prominent, never overstepped its remit. Instrument separation isn’t bad at this price point, but I did feel some of the string and guitar elements could’ve sounded a little more spaced out, for a more airy, nuanced listen.

Having said that, you will get to pick out some neat details with the Sonoflow Pro – that’s thanks to the inclusion of both a 3.5mm headphone slot for wired listening and higher-resolution Bluetooth audio via LDAC. Delicate synths that gradually build are audible early in Kolter’s Overflow and light samba drums in SAMBA DO MARCOS by Sadao Watanabe add some added seasoning to an already groovy tune.

All in all, you get surprisingly good sound from these budget-friendly 1More headphones. General audio isn’t as crisp as I’ve heard from cans like the Sony WH-1000XM5 and you won’t get stunning spatial audio like the Sonos Ace. But if you want clear, decently detailed sound, the Sonoflow Pro have you covered.

• Sound quality score: 4/5

1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 review: design

• Sleek on-ear look
• Comfortable fit for long listening sessions
• A little flimsy

Something I really appreciate about the 1More Sonoflow Pro is their curved on-ear look. They’re angled slightly, which gives a more defined, sharp look to them in use – something I already liked about the original Sonoflow model. On top of that, the Black model I tested had an attractive matte finish, making for a very attractive pair of over-ears.

But they’re more than just a pretty face. The Sonoflow Pro are also pretty comfortable to wear – even for longer listening sessions. They might not quite have the cushion-like comfort of the Anker Soundcore Space One Pro, but there’s still plenty of padding on the headband and plump earcups and so I was happy to listen with these for hours on end. They’re also foldable, making them a compact option for on-the-go use.

The only thing I didn’t really love design-wise is that these cans don’t feel the most durable. The headband is pretty thin and the buttons appear and feel quite plasticky. There’s also no waterproofing or dustproofing here – but that’s pretty common for over-ears. This is no dealbreaker, just don’t expect premium build quality.

Back to the positives though: I loved the hard carry case which is included in the box. It will keep your headphones damage free if you want to throw them in a bag when traveling – that’s an enticing bonus. There’s also a USB-C charging wire and 2.5mm to 3.5mm cable with an attached mic, which offers relatively clear, albeit not ultra-crisp quality for phone calls.

• Design score: 4/5

1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 review: value

• Awesome all-round budget package
• Included case makes for staggering overall value
• Similar price to original Sonoflow, but some key improvements

It will come as no surprise that the category these cans perform best in is value. Their list price of $89 / £99 / AU$130 is already great, but again, these are available on sale semi-regularly, meaning you’re getting a lot of bang for your buck. Solid sound, sleek design and even a carry case – not bad at all!

Not only that, but these are priced exceptionally closely to the original 1More Sonoflow cans, while still offering some significant improvements. You get enhanced ANC, longer battery life and faster charging – specifically, the Pro give you ten hours of playtime with a five minute charge, double as fast as the standard model.

There are some amazing cheap headphones out there, like the Earfun Wave Pro, for instance. But these 1More cans have better battery life, a more distinct on-ear look and color options. It’s a case of several smaller improvements adding up to one big uptick in value. You really can’t ask for much more from some sub-$100 headphones.

• Value score: 5/5

Should I buy the 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51?

Buy them if…

Don’t buy them if…

1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 review: also consider

1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 review: How I tested

• Tested for two weeks
• Used at home and on public transport
• Predominantly tested using Tidal

I tested the 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 over the course of two weeks. I used the over-ears in a variety of environments, including at home, on walks near built-up roads and on public transport. Typically, I connected the headphones to Tidal on my Samsung Galaxy 24 FE with the LDAC codec enabled for the best quality audio.

When listening to music, I went through the TechRadar testing playlist, which includes tracks from a number of genres, before expanding to a wider music selection. I also tested the headphones with my Windows laptop to test out quality using a wired connection. When appropriate, I also compared the Sonoflow Pro directly to the Soundcore Space One Pro.