In a market that has been overtaken by hundreds of wireless earbud models, the wired 1More Penta Driver P50 IEMs are starting to feel like somewhat of an outlier. The wireless headphone and earbuds market are clearly the present and future of the segment but not all of us are ready to ditch wired headphones or IEMs at this point.
Having never been a huge fan of expensive wired IEMs for the simple reason that the chaos that is my day-to-day existence makes it rather easy for me to lose them, I remain a fan of entry-level wired IEMs that are replaceable.
1More have remained focused over the past five years on the entry-level headphone and IEM categories and that decision has certainly paid off for them; the Chinese manufacturer offers an extensive range of products that we have reviewed rather favourably over the past 4 years.
A pair of the 1More Triple Driver Earphones still reside in my laptop bag and they are still one of the best models one can find for under $90 USD.
The 1More Penta Driver at $169.95 USD are a step-up in sound quality with their unique hybrid design, but there are a few issues that 1More should address to make these otherwise excellent IEMs even better.
Technology
The supplied 1.25 meter cable is manufactured from silver-plated and oxygen-free copper and finished with a layer of durable rubber to avoid snags and tears. The cable is also detachable and terminated with gold-plated MMCX connectors; a huge positive for those who might want to upgrade to something longer and more durable.
Even with all of those premium materials and connectors, the cable feels somewhat on the flimsy side and it would have been preferable for them to have used something like a braided option made from more durable material.
Integrated into the cable is an in-line remote with three buttons; listeners can play/pause, adjust the volume, and skip tracks. The built-in microphone for taking calls also resides in the plastic housing.
Phone call quality was more than acceptable as long as one is not in a very noisy environment; there is no ANC for those thinking of blocking out noise using DSP.
The passive isolation is certainly above average for the category once you finalize your choice of foam or rubber ear tips; 1More generously include 7 pairs of silicone and foam ear tips in the packaging.
The supplied cloth travel case is a far cry from the hard travel case that comes with the 1More Triple Driver IEMs and feels like a throwaway. Disappointing to see this considering the high quality of everything else supplied.
The cable is terminated with a gold-plated 3.5mm headphone connector; in a move that will make iPhone 15 and Android smartphone users happy, 1More includes a USB-C adapter in the box.
Older iPhone users will require the lightning to 3.5mm adapter.
For those of us with a wide range of Dongle DACs taking up space on our desktop and night table — the 1More Penta Driver can be driven this way.
And you will want to use a high quality Dongle DAC with these rather revealing wired IEMs.
The 1More Penta Driver feature a diamond-like carbon (DLC) dynamic driver and four balanced armature drivers (planar diaphragm units); the earphones have a quoted frequency response of 20Hz to 40kHz.
With a sensitivity rating of 105 dB (32 ohms), the 1More Penta Driver are not a very difficult load.
The ear pieces are manufactured from aluminum; and whilst they are not the smallest earbuds I have tried, the 21 grams does not feel especially heavy in actual use.
Listening
My iPhone 12 utilizes the lightning connector which proved to be a blessing because there were a number of Dongle DACs from Helm Audio, iFi, iBasso, and FiiO that I really wanted to try with the 1More Penta Driver P50 IEMs.
The Triple Driver exhibited a rather neutral tonal balance and it was clear with almost all of the Dongle DACs that the Penta Driver was similar with a few key differences.
The top end of the Triple Driver could get somewhat strident with poor recordings or when one pushed the volume too high; the more expensive Penta Driver proved to be consistently clear sounding across the entire range without any hardness in the upper midrange and lower treble.
Detail retrieval is excellent and that starts in the mid bass and throughout the rest of the range.
The transparent nature of the Triple Driver also came with a loss of texture and impact in the mid bass and lower midrange.
The decision to use 4 planar diaphragm drivers changes that part of their performance in a rather significant way; male vocals are reproduced with additional weight, clarity, and far greater texture.
Sam Cooke and Nick Cave were pushed slightly forward in the soundstage but the additional texture and tonal weight made these far more engaging and natural sounding than their less expensive sibling.
The piano and upper strings have sufficient tonal weight and energy but I would steer clear of any Dongle DAC that is overly dark sounding to allow these instruments to push through the mix and not lose any detail.
Female vocals are reproduced cleanly without any additional emphasis; Amy Winehouse’s “Valerie” is not the smoothest sounding track with a rather hot top end and it can illuminate a bright sounding treble range rather quickly.
The Triple Driver struggled with this track forcing one to turn down the volume.
My experience with the Penta Driver was the exact opposite; the late-singer’s gritty and hard edge was smoothed over slightly but not at the expense of clarity or detail.
The additional texture was rather pleasing with this recording and the overall tonal balance will be preferable to those who might prefer an IEM that does not boost the treble range.
Closed-back IEMs don’t usually reproduce a very wide or deep soundstage, but the 1More Penta Driver proved to be an exception to the rule.
Spatial cues were very distinct along with excellent stereo separation.
The biggest surprise was the bass range; the sub bass through the upper bass range certainly offers some additional emphasis and that will please those who desire an IEM that can hit hard when required.
My suggestion in regard to a Dongle DAC that is not too dark sounding and can deliver impactful bass response with strong definition holds here as well.
Final Thoughts
Are the $169 1More Penta Driver P50 IEMs worth considering in a market dominated by cookie cutter wireless earbuds?
Depending on your primary source device — the answer is unequivocally yes with a few suggestions.
Consider something like the iFi GO Link for a terrific sounding Dongle/IEM combination that will not break the bank.
The cable is not my favorite and being able to replace it with a third-party option that is more robust will make these even better.
The supplied foam and silicone ear tips are high quality and finding a pair that will create a solid seal should not prove to be an issue.
There is nothing flashy about the 1More Penta Driver P50 IEMs and that might be one of its best attributes; durability, forgiving of poor recordings, and surprisingly spacious sounding should matter to you more than how they look.
Can’t wait to take these on the road with me.
Where to buy: $169.99 $119.49 at Amazon | 1MORE
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