1MORE SonoFlow vs Anker Soundcore Life Q30
Quick take: The 1MORE SonoFlow lasts longer per charge (50 hrs).
Which one to buy
Same $60 price, same 40mm drivers, and both are budget over-ears owners recommend almost by reflex. The SonoFlow is the newer-thinking one. It has LDAC, a transparency mode the Q30 lacks, and a battery rated at 50 hours with ANC against the Q30's 40, and owners confirm both figures. Its default tuning is warm and grown-up, while the Q30 comes out of the box boomy and muddy and needs the app EQ or HearID before it sounds good. Once it's EQ'd, Q30 owners rate it far above its price, and some still prefer it to Soundcore's newer models.
The Q30's advantages are software and a wired fallback. Soundcore's app EQ is the one owners prefer; 1MORE's is mostly presets, and some features need an account. Multipoint works on both, but on the SonoFlow it's hidden under experimental settings and pairing a second device is flaky. The Q30 also keeps playing over its 3.5mm cable with a dead battery, which is handy on flights.
Durability is where both fall short, in different places. The Q30 has a documented pattern of the plastic arms cracking around one to two years, and some units develop a loud ANC-mic squeal after about a year. The SonoFlow's hinges feel plasticky too, and its pads can't be replaced by the user and eventually crack. Q30 cups also run small, so larger ears get pressed.
1MORE SonoFlow
Worth it if you want LDAC, a transparency mode, the longer battery and a pleasant sound without any app setup, and you mostly connect to one device at a time.
Anker Soundcore Life Q30
Best if you'll spend a few minutes on a custom EQ, want the better app, and like having wired playback when the battery dies, as long as you have average-sized ears and are gentle with the hinges.
| Spec | 1MORE SonoFlow | Anker Soundcore Life Q30 |
|---|---|---|
| Approx. price | ~$60 | ~$60 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Type | Over-Ear Headphones | Over-Ear Headphones |
| Noise Cancelling | ANC | ANC |
| Battery (single charge) | 50 hrs | 40 hrs |
| Battery (with case) | — | — |
| Quick Charge | 5 min = 5 hrs | 5 min = 4 hrs |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| Multipoint | Yes | Yes |
| Driver Size | 40 mm | 40 mm |
| Weight | 250 g | 263 g |
| Water Resistance | — | — |
| Wireless Charging | No | No |
| Transparency Mode | Yes | No |
| Spatial Audio | No | No |
| App EQ | Yes | Yes |
Pros & cons
1MORE SonoFlow
- ✓50 hours with ANC on, 70 without — class-leading stamina
- ✓LDAC hi-res streaming at a $60 street price
- ✓40mm DLC drivers sound more grown-up than typical budget cans
- ✓Plush pads and easy 250g fit for long sessions
- ✓5-minute charge buys 5 hours of playback
- ✓Warm, pleasant default tuning that flatters most genres
- ✗Multipoint hides in experimental settings and switches devices flakily
- ✗Firmware updates through the 1MORE app fail more than they should
- ✗ANC lags the Soundcore Space Q45 despite QuietMax hype
- ✗App EQ leans on presets and feels clunkier than Soundcore's
- ✗Folding hinges feel plasticky for daily backpack duty
Anker Soundcore Life Q30
- ✓Hybrid ANC takes a real bite out of engine rumble
- ✓40-hour ANC battery outlasts a workweek
- ✓Custom EQ and HearID fix the stock tuning
- ✓A huge, long-running owner base de-risks the purchase
- ✓Multipoint at $60 is nearly unheard of
- ✓5-minute charge buys 4 hours
- ✗Muddy, bass-bloated out of the box — EQ is mandatory
- ✗No transparency mode and dated Bluetooth 5.0
- ✗Callers describe the mic as distant
- ✗Pleather pads flake after a year or two of daily use
- ✗Known headband crack point near the hinges
1MORE SonoFlow vs Anker Soundcore Life Q30: common questions
Does the SonoFlow or the Life Q30 sound better at $60?▾
Out of the box, the SonoFlow: it's warm and natural, while the Q30 is bass-heavy and muddy. Once the Q30 is EQ'd in the Soundcore app, owners rate it very highly, and some prefer it. If you won't touch an app, buy the SonoFlow. If you will, it's close.
Is multipoint easier on the Life Q30 than on the SonoFlow?▾
Both support multipoint, but the Q30's is easier to use. On the SonoFlow you have to switch it on under experimental features in the 1MORE app, and owners describe adding a second device as a slow back-and-forth that sometimes fails.