1more ColorBuds 2

Look and feel of the ColorBuds 2

1more have a wide range of Bluetooth headphones in their repertoire. The new ColorBuds 2 stand out with their cool looks. Even the rather discreet black pair in Midnight Black (white and gold are also available) looks nice and classy thanks to the shimmering matt surfaces on the sides of the earphones. 1more has also polished up the charging case with this second version: It now has a metallic finish and supports wireless charging of the internal battery (410mA) via Qi. The headphones can be placed inside with a perfect fit and charged via the internal battery.

The two plastic earpieces (4.9 g each) feel rock-solid and have a small silicone bud at the tip, while the rear, oval part rests lightly against the ear. The two headphones must be screwed deeply into the ear canal and fit snugly. It is better to use a larger silicone cap for this purpose. Only then can the sound potential of the built-in 7 mm drivers reveal itself. The fit is firm, making these headphones suitable for sports and the passive noise reduction is correspondingly high.

When music is playing, the active noise-cancelling is almost imperceptible. However, if you use the ANC mode without playing songs, you will notice how everything around you disappears into the background. The noise-cancelling is a decent level for this price range.

Thanks to the latest Qualcomm chip with Bluetooth 5.2, pairing the buds is super-snappy, and the connection is very stable. Using the earpieces individually is also possible without any problems. The IR sensor on the earpiece immediately notices when you take an earpiece out of your ear and then stops it automatically. Using the free 1more app, you can customise the tab commands on the small earpiece interface and also switch between playback modes with and without noise cancellation. All in all, the tough design is convincing, and it also has IPX5 certification, which means that it even protects against jets of water.

1more ColorBuds 2 for office use

Thanks to the ANC function, you can isolate yourself well from the office and everyday noise with the ColorBuds 2. Despite the quietness, the fit of these headphones is perhaps a little too tight for use over many hours in the office. The voice quality has improved slightly compared to their predecessor, but it remains rather average and cannot replace specialised headsets. The voice is well present via the four built-in microphones and is largely transmitted without interference. So you can use the ColorBuds for short calls and occasional video chats.

Sound calibration via SoundID

The sound aesthetics can be extensively adjusted via the 1more Music app with a personalised EQ setting. For the feature, SoundID from Sonarworks was embedded in the app. You click through A-B tests with a selected sound sample, and at the end, you can switch on the individual sound profile. This is a practical feature because it makes it possible to significantly tune the basic sound.

Even the default setting presents itself with a balanced frequency response. It is clearly richer than with the previous model. This good impression remains even at high volumes: Nothing distorts. The only places that this newer model could use a boost were the intensity and bass. These can be helped by adjusting the settings via the app, and it gives hip-hop and club tracks much more punch, more warmth in the lower range, and the bass becomes more dynamic. If you click through the A-B examples with alert ears, you will also manage to get a slight increase in presence in the top end. If necessary, you should make several runs through the test. Then the ColorBuds 2 will sound a bit more refined, voices come across better and guitars and Trap 808 snares have character in the top end. Overall, the stereo image also has a good dimension, but there is still room for improvement.