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To test the the 1MORE Triple Driver, I used the headphone over a three-week period to get a good feel for its sound, comfort and overall build quality. We will look at each of those three areas in turn, starting with build quality.
Build quality
As mentioned on the previous page, the Triple Driver has metal ear cups and a metal headband, and accordingly it is very well built. I thought the fact that it is foldable – thanks to its two hinges – might make it feel a little flimsy, but it feels very solid in the hand.
The metal headband isn't the thickest, so I wouldn't go flexing it too much, but I have no issues with the overall build. This is only furthered by the fact that a hard shell carry case is included, giving you a perfect way of carrying the headphone around without damaging it.
Comfort
As for comfort, I had no issues with the clamping force of the Triple Driver – the headband padding is just about thick enough, and the weight is distributed evenly across my head.
I did find, however, that the ear cups are a bit small for my liking. Rather than larger headphones, like the Sennheiser HD 660 S, which sit around your ears, I found the Triple Driver sits on-top – despite the fact that it is billed as an over-ear headphone. This made my ears get very warm after about 20-30 minutes of listening, and obviously the leather ear cushions don't help with that.
This is obviously subjective – some people like on-ears, others like over-ears – but I do feel it is perhaps a little misleading to have the words ‘over-ear' in the product name itself, given the size and fit of the Triple Driver.
On top of that, the ear cushions aren't very thick, meaning my ears were pressing against the internal driver covering whenever I wore the headphone. It just wasn't very comfortable and after a while my ears started to get very hot, and a little bit sore as well. The cushions are very soft and plush, but I feel they need to be a bit thicker to prevent contact between my ear and the driver covering.
Depending on your head/ear size, the Triple Driver may be more comfortable for you than it was for me, but I can I only go by my experience with the headphone.
Sound
Now, moving onto sound.
Starting with the overall character of the headphone, I'd say the Triple Driver is a relatively warm, quite smooth headphone. The bass is very present – but not overbearing – while the treble isn't overly exuberant either.
In terms of that bass, it is definitely the most emphasised part of the mix but that is not to say it is overdone. It is quite tight, with good extension, and there is a noticeable bump to the mid-bass which makes it feel extra prominent. I wouldn't say the Triple Driver is for bassheads, but it is certainly on the warm side of neutral.
The mid-range could be better, though. It feels just a bit lacking in parts – not massively, but vocals seem just a touch distant and lack that rich, intimate presence you can get with headphones like the HD 650. It's not bad per se, but you don't get a lush, warm vocal presentation with the Triple Driver.
Moving up to the high-end, the treble is very smooth, without any peaks or hiss which will appeal to those who want a calm high-end. It's not a veiled headphone – the detail is still there – but the clash of cymbals in Machine Head's ‘Now I Lay Thee Down', for instance, didn't cause me any discomfort which I have found to be the case with brighter, peaky headphones like the HD 700.
That could mean, however, that if you like a slightly brighter headphone the Triple Driver is unlikely to appeal. I actually tested it with the £2000 Sennheiser HDV 820 amplifier – which Sennheiser has kindly loaned to me – and that is a relatively neutral/bright amplifier designed to be paired with the HD 800/800 S. Since that didn't seem to give the Triple Driver any more high-end energy than my phone did, you will have to resort to EQ to add a bit more sparkle to the treble if that is your preference.
On the topic of phones, though, the Triple Driver is very easy to power. Its impedance is rated at just 32 Ohms, with a 104dB sensitivity level. I had no issues powering it from my Huawei P20 Pro (with USB-C to 3.5mm adapter), and that again plays into the fact that this is a portable headphone which you can use wherever you go – a desktop amp is not needed.
On the whole, the sound is very listenable – you could go on for hours without any fatigue thanks to the warm but not over-bearing bass and smooth treble. Personally I would've liked the mids to be a little more forward, to give you that sense of intimacy, but for £180 the overall balance is impressive and there are no glaring elements of the mix which make you want to take the headphone off.
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