The Bottom Line
Introduction
Complete with embedded Swarovski crystals in each ear, the Crystal Piston in-ear headset combo from 1MORE aims to provide a sophisticated audio experience to anyone that is looking for premium audio and stylish looks.
1MORE has presented this product as a package with two separate earphone options, one being pink and the other as black, offering a complete range for users looking to sync up with their friends or partners, providing an offering very different to most.
1MORE is quite a new name for most consumers in this market, so this review will not only be looking at the sound quality that these units have on offer, but I will also discuss other important factors such as the price, included accessories, build quality, functionality, and more.
Specifications
Offering users a sensitivity of 97dB, a standard frequency response of 20Hz – 20KHz and an impedance of 32 Ohms, this lightweight product comes in at only 15 grams in total.
The 1.2m cable helps these stylish earphones connect to any device through a 3.5mm connection, providing a gold-plated plug and enamelled copper wire. The wires are rubber coated only down to the split, with the rest of the structure being made of woven cloth. There is an included in-line control unit on each of these earphones too, offering users the ability to play and pause, answer calls on Apple iOS or Android phones, or adjust audio volumes. The embedded crystals are produced by Swarovski and are artificially created, helping set off the 5mW rated product in a stylish sense.
Pricing & Availability
Available for purchase from Amazon for $79.99 with free shipping, this dual in-ear pack comes in the mid-range of non-gaming audio. While $79.99 isn't too expensive in the grand scheme of things for a singular set, it's important to remember that you're being offered two whole earphones in this single package. For a combined price of $79.99, this means that the dual package is extremely well priced given the specifications above, and I'm interested in seeing how they perform.
What's in the box?
Provided with a simple yet effective package, the earphones are both elegantly displayed and housed within a soft rubber packaging, offering three different rubber ear grommet sizes on the rear of the package (per set).
Other than included user manuals and marketing materials there is also an included cloth carry pouch. Once again there is one carry pouch included per product, with this device having a snap-closed opening to ensure your earphones and spare ear grommets don't fall out. A helpful inclusion here would have been an aircraft adaptor for those who like to travel, besides that, there is basically anything you would want to be included with this purchase.
Let's dig deeper
While the embedded crystals either look stylish or tacky depending on who you ask, the overall build quality of this product is quite good.
I've never used a 1MORE product before and hadn't heard of the company before I approached them after some good looking CES 2016 press releases, but I can safely say that I'm thoroughly impressed with them so far. As mentioned prior, the cable is half rubber and half woven cloth, splitting where the cable meets. This helps give it an allure of class, with the jet black and bright pink rubber colorings suiting the overall package quite well and the sturdy yet ugly woven cloth being hidden further down the line.
The earphones are sufficiently comfortable, but I did have some issues with the rubber being too smooth on the ear pieces, falling out of my ears sometimes in the initial use stage. After a while, I was able to sort out how they work and had no issues from there on. Using this product for an extended period brought around no issues with comfort or sore ears, functioning well from start to finish. There is a little bit of cable transfer noise when you're on the move as with all in-ear devices, but it seems to be softened slightly thanks to the upper rubber cable, which is nice.
Load up the Music
I tested this product by using my PC system and Samsung Galaxy S4, utilizing programs such as Spotify Premium and YouTube, playing music across a plethora of genres including rap, rock, hardstyle, and pop.
While impressing me in the build quality department, these 1MORE in-ears also piqued my interest in the sound quality sphere. These clear and responsive drivers mirror that of $150+ offerings that I have tested before, offering great responsive play in the mid and high ranges of most music.
Its ultimate downfall came with tracks that contained subtle bassy back beats, sounding a little muddy and awkward. Besides this style of music, the 1MORE Crystal Piston's tackled everything else with class and ease, performing well above its asking price.
It's often that products around this price range will talk about enhanced bass and offer overbearing, muffled and muddy sound, whereas the 1MORE Crystal Piston's provide you with a little less bass than some, but it ensures that every beat is delivered cleanly and sounds crisp, showing off style and class to match its looks.
Some of the music I tested this product with included:
What's Hot
Crisp clarity: Listen to whatever you want; the vocals are going to sound good.
The price: This package performs well above its pay grade and at $79.99 it's an absolute steal.
The punchy bass: Songs with rhythmic charm perform exceptionally well.
What's Not
Quiet backbeats: Some songs with bass laden quiet backbeats can sound a little muffled and muddy on occasion.
Final Thoughts
Besides a small issue with quiet bassy back beats creating a little muffled sound, the 1MORE Crystal Piston earphones performed above and beyond what I expected of them.
The clarity, bass response, comfort, and style are well above the $79.99 that 1MORE are asking for this product, with me initially expecting them to be priced at over $100. For $79.99 and with two products included, the only reason you wouldn't put this pair at the top of your to buy list would be if you're not a fan of the styling, which is a real love or hate thing for many. While they're not audiophile in their own right, they still perform much better than the price tag might lead you to assume.