1MORE Sonoflow SE HQ31 Review: New Budget Leader

1MORE Sonoflow SE HQ31

In this article, I review the 1MORE Sonoflow SE HQ31 Bluetooth headphones. The Sonoflow SE features 40mm titanium-coated dynamic drivers, active noise cancelling (ANC), LDAC support and great battery life. It’s priced at 49 USD.

Disclaimer: This sample was provided by Jackrabbit Media for an honest review. All observations and opinions here are my own, based on my experience with the product.

1MORE Sonoflow SE HQ31 Review: New Budget Leader
Verdict
Outstanding battery life, solid ANC and good audio quality make the 1MORE Sonoflow SE HQ31 headphones great value for money.
How would you rate this product?0 Votes
Pros
Upfront and engaging vocals
Punchy, warm bass
Good passive noise isolation with minimal sound leakage
Effective Active Noise Cancelling with great Transparent mode
Outstanding value for money
Cons
Some playback controls are reversed
Upper midrange is a little shouty on some EQ presets
4.5
Our Score
WHERE TO BUY
YouTube player

1MORE Sonoflow SE (HQ31)

1MORE SonoFlow SE review: I tested the 1MORE SonoFlow SE over several days using firmware version v1.1.7 for the headphones, and the 1MORE Music app ran version v1.3.29. Testing was done in a controlled environment.

Specifications

Weight: 273g
Earpads size: 181 x 185 x 79mm
Battery capacity: 600 mAh
Charging time: 120 min
Fully charged playtime (ANC Off): 90 h
Fully charged playtime (ANC On): 60 h
Speaker impedance: 32Ω
Bluetooth range: 10 m
Bluetooth version: Bluetooth 5.4

Design

While there’s nothing particularly distinctive about the 1MORE Sonoflow SE’s appearance compared to other budget Bluetooth headphones, the build quality feels good for the price. They’re made entirely of plastic, but the construction feels solid and reassuring—like they could easily survive a few drops.

The playback controls are located on the right earcup and consist of a Power button, a Volume rocker and an ANC button. For some reason, some of the playback controls are reversed; the Volume up (+) button plays the previous track while the Volume down (-) button plays the next track. Apart from that little quirk, the buttons are easy to locate by touch and have a satisfying tactile click.

The earcups rotate 90 degrees, and the earpads are soft foam with a protein leather covering. Despite their compact appearance, they comfortably fit my reasonably large ears. The clamp force is on the tighter side, which keeps the headphones secure when moving around, but it could cause some discomfort for those with larger heads.

There’s no 3.5mm audio jack, but you can use the 1MORE Sonoflow SE HQ31 in wired mode with a phone or laptop via the included USB-C cable. It’s a simple plug-and-play setup that doesn’t require any drivers or additional configuration.

1MORE Sonoflow SE HQ31 playback controls

Bluetooth and Battery Life

The 1MORE Sonoflow SE HQ31 runs Bluetooth 5.4 and has a working range of up to 10 m. Multi-point connectivity is supported, meaning you can connect the headphones to 2 devices and easily switch between them. I found pairing to be fast and easy and the connection was solid at all times. The HQ31 also supports LDAC, which can be enabled within the 1MORE app (must also be enabled in Android settings)a-.

The 600mAh battery might not sound impressive on paper, but its performance is outstanding. You can get up to 60 hours of playback with ANC on, and up to 90 hours with ANC off. A full charge takes around 120 minutes, but fast charging is supported—just 5 minutes gives you up to 5 hours of playtime.

L and R markings in earcups

Active Noise Cancelling

The ANC performs as well as any other sub-$100 headphones I’ve tested—and better than most in this price range. It almost completely eliminates noise from my air conditioner and PC, without causing any strange cabin pressure effect. The ambient mode is also surprisingly good, sounding more natural than you typically get with budget headphones.

1MORE App

The 1MORE app allows you to switch ANC modes, toggle spatial audio and gaming modes, update firmware, and access EQ settings. It includes 12 EQ presets and a 10-band custom EQ. You can also enable LDAC for higher-resolution audio directly within the app. Overall, it’s simple to use and easy to navigate—the only thing I found missing was the ability to remap the playback buttons.

Call Quality, Gaming and Video

Call quality on the SonoFlow SE HQ31 is nothing short of excellent. I made several calls in varying environments, and every time I was told my voice sounded clear and loud.

Even with background noise like traffic and blustery wind, there were no complaints on the other end. 1More’s dual-mic ENC does a stellar job of cutting out the chaos and keeping your voice front and centre.

I didn’t encounter any lag or sync issues while gaming or watching videos with low-latency mode switched on, so the 1MORE Sonoflow SE HQ31 handles games like COD and Free Fire without a hitch. The mic quality is solid too, making it easy to stay in touch with your squad.

Headphones with book

Sound

While it’s unlikely to amaze hardcore audiophiles, regular consumers should be more than happy with the audio quality of the 1MORE Sonoflow SE HQ31.

The sound signature leans warm with a lifted upper midrange that pushes vocals forward in the mix. Most of the built-in EQ presets are well-tuned, with Studio, Bass Reducer, and Voice Enhancement being my personal picks. In the end, I settled on a custom EQ—unchanged except for a small dip in the presence region (around 3–5kHz) to take the edge off the upper mids, which can come across a bit shouty at times.

There’s no shortage of bass here—it’s punchy, weighty, and delivers plenty of impact. You can easily dial it up or down using the EQ presets or a custom EQ. Whether you’re after extra slam or a cleaner, more open low end, the headphones respond well to tuning, so it’s easy to land on a profile that fits your preferences.

Sound quality remains consistent across all ANC modes, which is a nice bonus—especially at this price point. The Spatial Audio effect is also surprisingly effective, adding width and a sense of space without taking too much of a hit on overall fidelity.

Vocals are upfront and engaging—I caught myself singing along to tracks like Thenighttimeproject’s Embers with slightly embarrassing enthusiasm (Studio or Bass reducer EQ works best with that album).

Comparison

SoundPeats Space

The SoundPeats Space has a leaner sound profile and less bass impact. It has less fullness in the midrange and a slightly larger soundstage. It’s about the same when it comes to resolution and detail retrieval.

ANC is not quite as good on the Space, especially the Transparency mode, which sounds artificial and distracting compared to the Sonoflow SE.

The Space, impressively, pushes battery life even further—123 hours versus 90 on the SonoFlow SE (ANC off), but also comes in around 60% more expensive. It’s the lighter of the two, but the 1MORE feels a bit sturdier in the hand. In terms of comfort, the Space has the edge—it’s lighter and applies less clamp, making it a bit easier to wear for long sessions.

Headphones with book and plants

Verdict

The 1MORE SonoFlow SE HQ31 offers impressive call quality and standout features that punch well above its price. Its ANC is the best I’ve heard in this segment, with the Transparent mode being particularly effective. Battery life is excellent, lasting between 60 and 90 hours per charge.

While there are Bluetooth headphones under $100 that sound better, the SonoFlow SE delivers strong audio performance alongside a solid app and build quality. Taken as a whole, it’s exceptional value for money and easy to recommend.

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