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Home / Hot Stuff / High five: 1More launches Penta Driver P50 in-ears

High five: 1More launches Penta Driver P50 in-ears

Promises top-tier audio without the eye-watering price to match

1More Penta driver P50 hot stuff

Wireless earbuds might’ve taken over the mainstream, but there’s still a dedicated following for wired earphones – especially with audiophiles, who largely agree that the more drivers squeezed inside, the better. 1More is happy to deliver with its new Penta Driver P50, which promises top-tier audio that also takes things easy on your wallet.

While brands such as Westone, AKG and Campfire Audio all demand north of $1000/£900 for their five-driver models, the Penta Driver P50 costs less than a fifth that amount. They combine one diamond-like carbon (DLC) dynamic driver, which 1More says delivers “incredible clarity and accuracy in reproducing bass frequencies”, with 4 planar units per ear – although keen-eyed audiophiles would argue they look more like balanced armatures.

They have an expansive 20Hz-40kHz frequency range that should do justice to Hi-Res Audio tracks, and tuning by Grammy award-winning sound engineer Luca Bignardi.

A low 32 Ohms sensitivity should be drivable by just about any device, including smartphones – or ones that still have a 3.5mm headphone port, anyway. The Sony Xperia 1 V remains our top pick in that department. No worries if your Android phone doesn’t: 1More bundles a 3.5mm To USB-C Adapter in the box. Apple users will need to supply their own Lightning adapter, though.

The earphones themselves are machined from aluminium alloy and angled for comfort. The pre-formed ear hook design should keep them firmly in place, and the selection of included silicone and foam ear tips should deliver strong passive noise isolation.

There’s a built-in microphone and in-line playback controls on the 1.25m cable, which ends in a gold-plated 3.5mm headphone connector. MMCX connectors at the other end mean it’ll be a breeze to swap out later down the line.

The 1More Penta Driver P50 earphones are available to order direct from 1More and via Amazon right now. Expect to pay $169 (around $160).

Profile image of Tom Morgan-Freelander Tom Morgan-Freelander Deputy Editor

About

A tech addict from about the age of three (seriously, he's got the VHS tapes to prove it), Tom's been writing about gadgets, games and everything in between for the past decade, with a slight diversion into the world of automotive in between. As Deputy Editor, Tom keeps the website ticking along, jam-packed with the hottest gadget news and reviews.  When he's not on the road attending launch events, you can usually find him scouring the web for the latest news, to feed Stuff readers' insatiable appetite for tech.

Areas of expertise

Smartphones/tablets/computing, cameras, home cinema, automotive, virtual reality, gaming

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