Holy Moly. What. a. Steal.
- Engaging and detailed sound quality.
- Generally comfortable and lightweight design.
- Easy to drive
- Has in-line controls for easy playback management
- Nice-looking faceplates
- Stock cable feels cheap and prone to tangling.
- Occasional sibilance in treble frequencies.
- Mic has no noise cancellation
- Limited imaging depth.
- Stock ear tips are just okay.
You know what they say – more drivers don’t always mean better sound. But 1More’s new Penta Driver P50 earphones just might make you a believer.
With a single dynamic driver handling the lows and four exclusive planar drivers for the mids and highs, these sub-$200 IEMs represent 1More’s most ambitious driver setup yet in the affordable realm.
But specs only tell part of the story. The real kicker? 1More had the genius idea to enlist Grammy-winning sound engineer Luca Bignardi to tune these puppies. As an audio nerd myself, I’m a massive fan of Bignardi’s work, so I was stoked to hear his philosophy was applied here.
But do they truly deliver that rich, full-bodied sound they promise? Let’s find out.
Design and Build
The P50 marks a clear departure from 1More’s previous designs, sporting an IEM-like form with an over-ear cable routing. Unlike the straight-down Triple and Quad Driver series, this ear-looping design.
About damn time 1More went this route, if you ask me.
Each aluminum earbud flaunts a clear end cap with the 1More logo decked out in a subtle glitter effect, like a starry night sky.
The compact shells are crafted from a sleek, fingerprint-resistant matte black plastic. And, smart accents like the shimmery logo pattern and colored vents prevent total monotony, while the see-through faceplate gives you a peek at the internals.
Overall, it’s an understated yet practical aesthetic well-suited for pro rigs or minimalist setups.
Cable
Here’s where I start to get hung up – the stock cable. Sure, it’s technically high-quality being an OFC number.
But holy hell, is it thin and flimsy feeling thanks to that cheap outer wrap. The material makes it all springy and tangle-prone. A braided option would’ve been way more durable.
At least it’s replaceable, because I’ll definitely be swapping it out for something more practical down the line.
Comfort
Despite housing multiple drivers, the P50 boasts a surprisingly compact, snug in-ear fit with the main body resting comfortably against your outer ear. I could rock these for hours without fatigue. They’re also featherlight, so they practically vanish after a few minutes of listening.
The included three-button in-line remote is handy for playback controls, skipping tracks, handling calls, and adjusting volume without grabbing your device. However, it’s positioned way up the cable which throws off the weight balance. Plus, the unmarked buttons can be confusing at first.
As for the accessories, 1More includes four sets of rubber tips and three pairs of foam tips in assorted sizes.
But even the largest were too small for my ears, leaving me struggling to achieve a proper seal. And without a tight fit, the IEMs rotate out of place easily when I move around, further compromising isolation.
Under the Hood
As the name implies, each P50 earpiece packs five drivers: one diamond-like carbon dynamic driver for lows, plus four planar units (which weirdly resemble balanced armatures in exploded images on 1More’s site) covering mids and highs.
But the technical highlights don’t stop there. The P50 features gold-plated MMCX connectors and a high-purity OFC cable which 1More claims optimizes signal transmission. And with just 32 ohms of impedance, they’re easy to drive efficiently straight from most devices.
What really sets them apart, though? The tuning expertise of one Luca Bignardi.
How Do They Sound?
For testing, I paired these IEMs with my Presonus Studio 24c interface as a desktop setup since they don’t need dedicated amping. And to make sure I give them justice, I stuck to lossless Apple Music tracks throughout.
While definitely V-shaped and far from neutral, the Penta Driver offers sublime audio quality that I never thought possible from sub-$200 IEMs. Here’s why:
Bass
The P50’s bass performance is a real standout, delivering serious depth and control. I usually go for the more neutral or analytical approach. But even I find that this slight bass boost adds some fun to the overall signature.
In Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy,” those low notes hit with pinpoint precision and authority, providing a robust yet refined foundation for the track.
The warm low-end occasionally bleeds into the lower mids, but it’s not enough to muddy things up. Instead, it just lends the bass guitar a richly atmospheric presence.
I particularly loved hearing tracks like James Blake’s “Limit to Your Love” with these IEMs. The sub-bass notes are prominent yet articulate, forming a solid bedrock for that haunting piano line.
The bass speed is also excellent, with rapid decay that allows for good transient attack and layering.
Don’t get me wrong. These IEMs are NOT for bassheads.
The P50 just has enough tasteful rumble, texture, and impact. But, they’re not as overpowering as bassheads would’ve loved.
Mids
Unlike most V-shaped IEMs that sideline the midrange, the P50 actually delivers mids with respectable presence, clarity and emotion.
In John Mayer’s “Gravity,” his expressive vocals are well-defined, nuanced, and authoritative, benefiting from that lush lower mid-warmth. Guitar strums and piano notes are slightly recessed in comparison, but they still resolve cleanly without any muddiness.
As for the female vocals, Adele’s voice in “Hello,” are reproduced with clarity and a good sense of presence.
The warmth from the lower mids lends a pleasant richness to her voice without obscuring the subtle nuances in her delivery. Adele is already known for her emotional delivery and the P50 are able to support and present that quite beautifully.
Treble
Detail is the name of the game here, thanks to the P50’s energetic yet refined treble presentation. I’d say the top-end gives that added sense of clarity and “air” to the overall signature.
In tracks like Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky,” the hi-hats and tambourines have a crisp, airy quality that adds a lively touch.
That said, there is the occasional hint of sibilance that pokes through, especially in dense/complex treble-heavy passages.
In something like “Paranoid Android,” the various cymbal sounds can mesh together in a somewhat sibilant way, making it tricky to differentiate individual components up top during those explosive moments.
Soundstage and imaging
The P50’s soundstage is quite impressive for closed-back IEMs.
In “Bad Guy,” the various synths and electronic elements are sharply delineated in their own pockets of space, placing you right in the middle of the mix. They don’t quite achieve a fully spherical 360-degree experience, but the presentation is engaging nonetheless.
However, the imaging is a bit polarized, with most elements pushed to the extreme left and right channels while fewer instances occupy the central axis.
In short, they definitely have width. But, they lack a bit of front-to-back depth and holographic instrument positioning.
Microphone
The P50’s built-in microphone is conveniently located near the in-line controls, making it easy to access on calls and voice recordings.
In quiet environments, mic performance is decent overall. While it still captures some background noise, it’s not overbearing and my voice remains clear and intelligible.
Yet, things get a bit dicier in loud, noisy situations as you’d expect.
Environmental sounds become more prominent in the background, though my voice thankfully stays discernible and doesn’t get completely overpowered.
One consistent gripe, however, is that my voice tends to take on a slightly nasal, compressed quality in recordings which may be a deal-breaker for some. If you spend a lot of time on calls, especially outdoors, this could be a limiting factor given the lack of any noise reduction features.
Who Should Buy This?
The 1More Penta Driver P50 make an excellent choice for anyone seeking a taste of premium IEM performance without the premium price tag. Their addictive tuning and impressive technical capability is a compelling step up from typical mainstream consumer earbuds.
Plus, they’re fairly easy to drive so you won’t have to buy a separate DAC/amp.
Final Thoughts
1More’s Penta Driver P50 IEMs are an impressive achievement for the sub-$200 category. So much so that I thought they were too good to be legal.
While they don’t exactly redefine what’s possible, they punch way above their weight in both sound and overall quality.
1MORE’s savvy decision to enlist Grammy-winner Luca Bignardi for tuning pays major dividends. The P50 deliver an engaging, slightly V-shaped signature with excellent bass texture and treble energy.
No, they aren’t quite reference-flat. But their pleasant, crowd-pleasing tuning offers respectable versatility across genres.
Some may find the P50 a bit too polite and restrained compared to other multi-driver sets in this range. But for those seeking a refined, detailed sound with a low-end rumble, the P50 make an easy recommendation.
If you want to step up from mainstream consumer audio without going full TOTL crazy, the 1MORE Penta Driver P50 are an excellent way to get a taste. Just be prepared to invest in a better aftermarket cable down the line.
Technical Specifications
- Form: In-Ear Monitors
- Sensitivity (dB): 105dB
- Frequency Range: 20 Hz – 40 kHz
- Impedance: 32 Ω
- Rated Power: 5mW
- Removable Cable: (Y)
- Source Jack: 3.5mm Gold Plated
- Cable Length: 1.25m
- Mic: Y
- Microphone type: MEMS Mic
- Product Weight (g): 3.5 g
What’s in the Box?
- 1MORE P50
- Pouch
- Manual
- QR code for Technical support
- Extra 7 pair of eartips
- 3.5mm to USB type – C dongle