TWS true wireless earphones - under $100
FOUR STARS - 1more conquered the market of wired earphones by being a Chinese trendsetter with good and affordable models. Its first true wireless earphone isn't as 'stylish' as it name suggests, yet offers good value for money.
1more Stylish TWS E1026BT-I specs:
Bluetooth 5.0 with AAC and AptX codec
+-6 hours listening on a full charge
Charging case can charge earpieces fully +-3 times
Comes with 3 sizes eartips and micro-USB cable
$70 on AliExpress or Amazon US/ EU/ UK - check current price!
Update November 9, 2019: The 1more Stylish TWS now offers volume controls if you update the firmware via an Android smartphone that has the Snapdragon 855 processor! I also updated the typename from E1026BT into E1026BT-I, as that was the version tested.
Design, charging and comfort
While many true wireless earphone manufacturers design the earpieces as little as possible, the ones on the 1more Stylish E1026BT-I are surprisingly big. The stick out your ear by design, with just the inner part and the ear tip in your ear. The relatively large bodies are held in place by ear hooks that come in three different sizes, of which one should fit in your inner ear, making for a comfortable and steady fit - even for sporting.
The large pieces have a 55mAh battery inside of them, providing around 6 hours listening time on the earpieces. A sweet score.
Unlike the name of the 1more 'Stylish' E1026BT-I suggests, there's little style to be discovered on them. They're made of a matte black plastic, happily not too sensitive to fingerprints, but still black plastic. The 420mAh charging case (good for 3 around times of full charging) is just as plastic. The 'big pil' scratches easily by keys and other sharp objects, yet is very sturdy. It opens by an easy press of a button - an even addictive press. Unfortunately, there are no charging status indication lights on the case. The comfort of the earpieces itself more than make up for it.
Connectivity and controls
The best thing about the earpieces though, is the control button on top of them. The placing is brilliant and should be trendsetting for other buds. Pressing them doesn't acquire much force and you won't press your earpiece further into your ear, like you do on so many competitors.
Unfortunately, 1more kept the controls maybe a bit too simple. Play-pause by pressing once, press twice to skip a song and hold when not listening to music, to activate the voice assistant. It's an ideal scheme to also implement volume changing - for example like the triple press on the buttons of the Sabbat E12 - but it's not possible. A miss, especially considering the price.
The connectivity on the other hand, it top notch. The Bluetooth 5.0 connection of the 1more Stylish TWS is stable, works good for 10 meters and earpieces connect and pair like a charm.
Calling and watching movies
Due to the outward position of the 1more Stylish E1026BT-I TWS earpieces and its microphone, call quality is okay. It's easy to be heard to the other end of the line, coming in a bit tinny maybe, but clear.
Watching movies works great on Android, with minimal audio latency, like most competitors. Unfortunately, movies on YouTube on iPhone don't offer audio video synchronisation.
Sound quality of 1more Stylish TWS:
energetic, yet a bit congested
The 1more Stylish supports the AptX codec, but don't stare blindly on it. It doesn't automatically mean the sound is better, more refined than its competitors. It merely paves a technical way for passing on more details - it doesn't mean it automatically does.
The 1more delivers a noteworthy energetic and full sound signature, though. The bass does know how to give a thump and rumble, but it doesn't destroy songs. Rather than offering an immersive bass (like the Tranya T3), enormous emphasis on higher tones (like the Sabbat E12) or emphasised lower mids (like the Mifo O5), the 1more sounds a bit more balanced in all it's liveliness. There are no rough edges. No harsh notes, no overly pumping basses, no vocals pushing away guitars or other mids.
Its sound is full and pleasantly warm, yet gives instruments and electronic enough of room to breathe in easier going songs. It's easy to hear instruments and vocals coming in from different directions. In more crowded pieces though, music can sound a little congested, a little closed in.
The soundstage of the 1more Stylish is a bit on the small side, smaller than on the Tranya T3 — and because of its less forwarded higher notes, it’s a little short on sparkle and detail for this price.
The 1more Stylish counters it with its tonality, which seems accurate in vocals and instruments. This is a sound signature you can listen to for hours - and you might just tap your foot along with the music. An engaging listen.
Verdict
The 1more Stylish TWS is a great sum of parts. It's comfortable, offers a good fit, controls like a breeze, has a great battery life and sounds energetic, yet balanced. A great choice for many.
FOUR STARS - RECOMMENDED
Buy 1more Stylish E1026BT-I TWS
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Buy 1more Stylish E1026BT TWS on Amazon EU (Germany)
I bought the 1more Stylish E1026BT-I TWS for my own listening and review purposes. I test and review all audio products equally honest - read about it here.
There were some mixups in the typename of the Stylish TWS before. I tested the newer E1026BT-I, not the older E1026BT version with just 2,5 hours of battery life. Thanks for pointing it out, Marius!
Consider buying this earphone? I'd really appreciate it if you use the links in this article. It won't cost you extra, yet it will financially support me a bit in my ongoing quest for great affordable audio. <3
Also read:
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