1more Fit Open Earbuds S30

A smaller version of the Open Earbuds S50 , the Open Earbuds S30, which are available in black or white and use an open-back design, are part of the “sports headphones” section of the 1More Fit product range. 1More Fit is thus expanding its range of headphones with a second open-ear product, which is offered at a significantly lower price.

On the technical side, small DLC drivers (diamond-like carbon) with a diameter of 14.2 mm are used, and these send sound freely in the direction of the ear without using any mouldings. Water and sweat resistance is limited to IPX5. The wireless link works with Bluetooth 5.3 and uses the AAC and SBC codecs.

The manufacturer specifies the runtime as ten hours of playtime or 30 hours, including power from the charging case (when using AAC and a level of 50%). The case has a USB-C interface but can also be charged inductively.

Four functions can be summoned via the touch areas on the left and right earphones with a double or triple click. They are configured via the free “1More Music” app for iOS and Android, along with other functions. Unlike the S50, the device we tested offered a configurable 10-band EQ with customisable settings in the app.

1More Open Earbuds S30 in practice

You simply place the headband over your ears, and the drivers are then positioned in front of the ear canal. These headphones, which weigh just ten grams, are very comfortable to wear. Due to their design, you do not feel like there is a strange object in your ear. The headphones only start to press slightly when worn over a longer period because of the thickened rear part of the headband. The design of the headband itself is very secure and, therefore, well suited to sports use. Occasionally, you have to adjust the driver position slightly, but this is also the case with almost all in-ears.

As the ear canal is uncovered, you are constantly aware of ambient noise. You should not expect to be cut off from the environment and you should be aware that the person next to you may be listening in. The advantage of this system is a constant exchange with your surroundings. This is useful as it provides a safe perception of the traffic situation during outdoor activities, but it also comes in handy for communication. We would also, therefore, recommend the S30 for use in the office. In this context, it is worth mentioning that the current firmware version (V.1.1.1.), unfortunately, does not yet offer the possibility of multipoint connection.

The S30 does not automatically switch music playback on and off. However, these headphones switch off when they are placed in their case and can also be used individually in single mode if required.

The runtime was practical, as the case provides double the capacity for “stopovers”. The charging times, including fast charging, were realistic. However, the specified guide values for the runtime are likely to be undercut, as the volume will generally be set above 50 per cent. This applies not only to music consumption but also, in particular, to phone calls.

In practice, the wireless connection worked stably and without drop-outs on an iPhone 8. Operation across several rooms was possible inside my apartment.

Double and triple clicks are used as touch functions on each of the two headphones, and these can be configured via the app. In addition to music playback, you can also control the volume, track skipping, calls and the voice assistant. With a little practice, these controls are quite secure, especially as there are no single taps, so it’s difficult to trigger accidental commands.

The associated app is tried and tested. In addition to firmware updates, it offers the aforementioned configuration of the touch functions, a charge level indicator, the equaliser, which can be used to adjust the sound as desired and according to the genre, as well as a few other extras.

The call quality was good thanks to the use of four microphones and effective background noise cancellation during phone calls. The caller on the other end of the line confirmed clear transmission of voices and a clear focus on the voice thanks to the suppression of background noise. However, in my case, the open design required the call volume on the phone to be fully turned up.

How do the 1More Open Earbuds S30 sound?

Open earbuds are not generally expected to deliver audiophile sound enjoyment. This does not correspond to the objective of the product, which is to enable “open” communication at an affordable price. Nevertheless, they sounded surprisingly good when the volume was turned up, especially when the ambient noise level was low. However, if you’re using these headphones while walking along busy streets, you won’t necessarily have much fun listening to music or making phone calls. However, in quieter environments, the sound tuning was quite appealing.

The bass response was thin and rather below average. You shouldn’t expect fat or deep bass from these headphones. Naturally, the design also means that you have to accept compromises in terms of dynamics and detail resolution. However, this does not mean that the S30 sounded tinny, flat or worse. On the contrary: the rest of the tuning was well balanced. If you listen to pop and rock rather than jazz or classical music, you’ll get an appealing sound without any annoying harshness. The necessary pressure can be created by adjusting the level.

Comparison of Open Earbuds S30 and S50

The Open Earbuds S30 are significantly cheaper than their larger counterparts, the S50, but they are also well suited for sports applications and communication. The sound quality does not reach the level of the S50 due to the smaller driver and the lack of sound-directing moulded fitting parts. That said, audiophile sound tuning is not the strength of open-ear designs anyway. You will have to accept further compromises due to the lower IPX certification (IPX5 vs IPX7) and the reduced wearing comfort. The small version also lacks the automatic functions of the S50. Instead, the S30 comes with a configurable equaliser.

1More Open Earbuds S30 – our conclusion

The 1More Open Earbuds S30 turn out to be headphones suitable for sports and communication. With a price of less than 80 euros, this comfortable model is on sale for just under half what the larger Open Earbuds S50 cost.

As expected with open-ear designs, they are not optimised for the highest sound quality, but they provide a solution that allows use in the gym and during outdoor activities while enabling constant communication with the environment and helps with daily communication, even in the office. The favourable price and these objectives should be taken into account when evaluating this product. Anyone looking for a budget solution for these applications should definitely take a look at this model…