1More MK802 Bluetooth Over-Ear Headphone Review

Another gorgeous Fall day envelops Manhattan as I enter the top-secret MajorHiFi review headquarters through a phone booth on 5th Avenue.  On my desk sits the 1More MK802 – a wireless over-ear headphone retailing for a sweet $49.  But is this the headphone whose coming was foretold to us?  And should it be your next headphone?

1More MK802 Bluetooth Over-Ear Headphone Review

Inside the box, you’ll find the MK802, a carrying pouch, an AUX cable, a USB charging cable, and a sticker you can stick to things.

Despite my initial expectations for a cheap, pastic-ky feeling headphone, the 1More MK802 seems surprisingly solid.  Although the headphone uses a ton of plastic to keep things lightweight, the headband and extenders are reinforced with aluminum.

Placed on my oversized ears, the large-ish PU leather earpads provide a good seal and plenty of comfort.  Meanwhile, the rubberized padding on the headband provides decent cushioning for longer listening sessions – like mine, as a I sink into the sound of the MK802.

Pairing is remarkably easy, as are the integrated controls for playback and volume (located on the right earcup).  On the bottom of the left earcup, there’s also a bass adjustment switch with three settings.   Using this switch, you can choose between light bass, medium bass, and bass max.

A little light on battery life, the MK802 provides 15 hours of continuous playback on a two-hour charge.  While initially disappointing, this kind of battery life equals those of most other Bluetooth headphones at this price point.

However, this 1More headphone also comes with an AUX cable that plugs into the bottom of the right earcup, allowing you to use the headphones even if the battery does run out.

Specifications

Frequency Response:  20-20,000 Hz
Nominal Impedance:  32 ohms
Sound Pressure Level:  104 dB

The specifications for the MK802 display a fairly standard frequency range and nominal impedance.  This should translate to a relatively tame sound, with no crazy emphasis on highs or lows.  The low impedance works perfectly with phones, computers and tablets – just what I would expect from a wireless headphone.  Lastly, sound pressure measures in at a decent 104 decibels, so finding adequate volume shouldn’t prove too much of an issue.

Low End

In terms of low end, the MK802 sounds refreshingly tempered.  Recently, I’ve come to associate cheap Bluetooth headphones with a sludgy, cludgy low end that exhibits rampant distortion and bleed.  However, the MK802 entertains zero shenanigans, offering a detailed sound with liberal energy.  The sound here seems natural enough, though some compression may be present.  Bass set to medium results in a fairly accurate if punchy low end.  Maximizing or minimizing the bass response via the integrated switch actually leads to some muddying, but for some budget-minded buyers, this may not be an issue.

Midrange

If I was expecting poor lows on the MK802, I wasn’t expecting much in the way of mids, either.  However, for such an inexpensive headphone, the MK802 delivers an impressive performance in this part of the frequency range.  Vocals and instrumentation remain relatively detailed and clean.  Sure, there’s a hint of distortion in the upper mids, but for a $49 wireless headphone, I’ll take it and still chalk it up as a win.

High End

The highs on the 1More MK802 appear a bit peaky at first glance.  To be sure, there’s a somewhat-contrasting, usually-accurate sound here.  However, to my ears it sounds like there’s just a little bit of compression in the mid-highs, leading the upper highs to sound somewhat disconnected from the rest of the high end.  Despite this little hiccup, the headphones still sound great with 95% of my test tracks, but the odd one with a ton of emphasis on the high end may throw a figurative wrench into the MK802’s gears.  That being said, this shouldn’t be considered a deal breaker – we’re talking about a $49 headphone here, folks.

Soundstage

Slap my ears and call me Charlie.  There’s actually a semblance of soundstage on this headphone.  Now, I know you’re probably wondering:  “Carroll, have you been hitting the hooch?”  But if you actually play some classical music, and really, really concentrate on the relationship and space between instruments, you can kind of – sort of – ALMOST feel them at varying distances.   Is it the kind of soundstage you really want?  No.  But it does help to improve the sound somewhat.

Other Observations

Some people online have stated that the headphone gets uncomfortable during longer listening sessions.  But my giant satellite-dish ears feel just fine even after two hours of continuous listening.

The sound quality, for a $49 headphone, isn’t that bad.  Sure, it’s not going to be MajorHiFi’s Headphone of the Year, but it still merits recommendation for casual listeners on an extreme budget.

Recommendations

If you need the best pair of headphones fifty bucks can buy, skip the 1More MK802 and get the Audio Technica ATH-M20x.  This a pro studio monitor headphone with a really long cable and a waaaaay more accurate sound.

For wireless on a budget, though, it don’t get no better than this, folks.  Sure,  Monoprice has some headphones around the same price.  Unlike Monoprice, though, the 1More MK802 is actually listenable.  But in addition to sounding decent, it also feels solid and wears comfortably for hours upon hours.  What more do you want?

Final Analysis

Despite a cheap-as-chips price of just forty-nine smackaroos, the 1More MK802 Bluetooth Over-Ear headphone provides impressive value.  With a detailed sound, good build, and plenty of comfort, there are few reasons not to love this headphone and even fewer to not recommend it.

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