1MORE Sonoflow Pro HQ51 Review

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On June 27, 2025

Today, we review the latest wireless noise-cancelling headphone from 1MORE: the Sonoflow Pro HQ51, priced at just $89 USD.

Disclaimer: The 1MORE Sonoflow Pro was sent to us, free of charge, by the brand for the purpose of this review, in exchange of or unbiased opinion of course.

About 1MORE

Founded in 2013, 1MORE is a brand that quickly gained attention in recent years. Born from the minds of three Foxconn executives wanting to challenge the big players with more affordable solutions, the trio received help — and funds — from another tech giant: Xiaomi.

A boost that helped 1MORE expand rapidly, first by establishing its main company in Shenzhen, China — arguably one of the most dynamic tech cities in the world — and then a second headquarters in San Diego, USA, from where they could spread their magic.

Their motto? Premium audio, low price, all while maintaining a design and build quality that punches well above its weight. And somehow, they seem to have delivered, 1MORE earning year after year awards from notable institutions like iF, Red Dot, VGP, or even the CES.

That said, I have to confess: before this review, I had no real experience with the brand. But if, unlike me, you’ve been following the consumer audio scene, the name 1MORE should sound a lot more familiar by now.

And so, when the brand offered us to test their latest creation — the SonoFlow Pro HQ51 — I was quite curious to see if, beyond the hype, this new headphone would really tick all the right boxes, especially now that the market has become ever more overcrowded.

A new go-to in the sub-$100 bracket? Time to find out.

Design & Build Quality

Shell

Design-wise, the 1MORE SonoFlow Pro doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel—and honestly, that’s just fine. For a headphone priced under $100, you have to admit it holds its own. Matte black “soft touch” plastic, a hint of red on the ear cushions, and those foldable, rotating hinges—this is a nice piece of work for the price.

The overall silhouette instantly recalls the usual suspects in the segment—think Sennheiser Momentum or Sony WH-1000XM series—with clean lines and subtle branding. It’s not a head-turner, but the classic look is practical and works well in daily use.

Build quality is actually a pleasant surprise for the price bracket. The headband and earcups feel solid in hand, with no unsightly flex or creaking, and the folding hinges make it travel-friendly. The whole package is remarkably lightweight, making the SonoFlow Pro an easy companion for extended listening sessions or commuting.

And, over time, this streamlined design kind of grew on me. Sure, you won’t find premium materials here—no real leather, no brushed aluminum—but at this price, the SonoFlow Pro hits the sweet spot: well put together, practical, and just refined enough to feel a step above the typical entry-level crowd, proof that affordable headphones can still look and feel the part.

Would I choose that over my traditional AirPods Max? To be frank, sometimes yes, the Apple being a little bit too big and overbearing compared to the SonoFlow Pro that simply folded right inside my bag. That, and the fact that for 80 bucks, I’d be a lot less anxious to lose/break it during my commute…

Build quality

Honestly, for the price, it’s hard to be picky, the 1MORE SonoFlow Pro delivering a level of fit and finish that genuinely surprised me. In fact, on some details, it even edged out my Momentum 4 Wireless—a feat I didn’t expect in this price bracket.

Ear pads? Soft and comfy, holding up perfectly despite my usual “stuff-it-in-the-bag” approach – no sign of wear yet, but let’s see in a year. Headband? though made entirely of plastic, feels sturdier than most, and that “soft touch” coating on the earcups adds a premium feel that’s rare at this price point.

Obviously, it won’t hold a candle against the AirPods Max, but stack the SonoFlow Pro up against the Sennheiser, and it’ll honestly holds its own – especially when you remember that, at nearly a third of the price, the 1MORE actually feels like a far better deal in terms of build quality and everyday durability.

That said, what really set the SonoFlow Pro apart for me though, is how well it held up in my daily (ab)use. After two weeks of being tossed in my backpack, squished between my laptop, camera and charger, and even surviving a few accidental drops, it still looks and feels brand new. I had some fear that the soft-touch would be prone to scratches, but somehow, that never happened.

Same for the folding hinges, that haven’t loosened (yet), but I never encountered a foldable headphone that aged better than a traditional one, so I’ll try to be more cautious in the next few months.

Finally, a quick words about the I/O: all buttons and ports (USB-C, jack) were perfectly flush and gave solid impression, with none of the looseness or rattling you sometimes get at this level. So far, so good!

Comfort

Over the head

Once more, 1MORE (see what I did there?) surprised me, in a good way.

The plushy ear pads covered my whole ear and thanks to the memory foam, I was able to wear them with glasses, and never felt pressured by the branch – which isn’t always the case with me. The engineers chose the right level of clamping, and the medium pressure applied by the swivel, made sure that the headphone stays where you want.

I used the Sonoflow Pro for hours, and so far, they were among one of the most comfortable bluetooth headphones I tried this year. And if on a daily basis, I’d stick with my Audeze Maxwell – for gaming purpose – on the go, the 1MORE was a much better option. It never felt warm on my ears, I couldn’t feel the headband on my head, and if a bit too lightweight for my taste, I won’t complain.

Bonus point for the fact that, not even once did the headphone picked my hair up – something that almost always happen with sliding headband.

Isolation

Close back and embedding an ANC chipset, the 1MORE SonoFlow Pro proved to be a solid contender int this field. Sure, the “AI ANC” might be an overstatement by the brand, trying to surf over the magic boom of “AI”, but even compared to priced solution, I found the noise-cancellation to be surprisingly effective in loud environments.

It’s still lacking in the upper range – keyboard proved to be a bit much – but for the train, or plane, they could be a really solid option. Same for the transparency mode, which was very very impressive, even compared to my Devialet Gemini 2 – so much that I had to download the app to check if I had rightfully activated the transparency mode, and not cancelled everything out.