The $200 price range is an interesting space for in-ear headphones. And in that space, there is one earphone that sticks out among the rest. It sticks out because it has four drivers (3 balanced armature drivers and one dynamic driver)!!! Other earphones boasting this number of drivers is much more expensive. So does it really sound that much better than a similarly price earphone with dynamic drivers? Today I’ll find out with this 1More Quad Driver Earphone vs Mee Audio Pinnacle P1 earphone comparison review.

1More Quad Driver vs Mee Audio Pinnacle P1 Comparison Review

Specifications

1More Quad DriverMee Audio Pinnacle P1

In the Box

1More Quad DriverMee Audio Pinnacle P1

Design

Driver Housings

Both the 1More Quad and the Mee Audio Pinnacle P1 have similar driver housings. They are both made of metal and are bulky. As a result, listening to them on a cold day will leave your ears feeling cold when the housings touch your ear. However, they fit in my ears quite well despite their heft.

Cable

Both earphones, again, are similar because folks online complain about their cables. While the pairs I’m reviewing today work well and are fine, the biggest complaints I hear are that they both have poor quality control. In particular, the 1More Quad’s remote and mic are finicky. Likewise, the Pinnacle P1’s cable is easily broken according to user reports. Measuring the two against one another, in this regard, is easy because the 1More Quad has a fixed cable, while the Pinnacle P1’s cable is detachable. Therefore, it is easily replaced and ends up saving the user money in the case that the cable gets damaged.

Eartips

The many eartips inside the packages of the 1More Quad and the Pinnacle P1 assures a secure fit in the ear canal. And while it would be understandable that some folks may have an unsuccessful fit to the bulkiness of the driver housings, most people should find a good fit with the eartips. The 1More Quad comes with 5 pairs of silicone tips of different sizes and 3 pairs of foam tips of different sizes.  Similarly, the Pinnacle P1 comes with 6 pairs of silicone tips of different sizes and 3 pairs of foam tips of different sizes.

Sound

Lows

The low frequencies of the 1More Quad Driver Earphones and the Mee Audio Pinnacle P1 are pretty different. The 1More Quad has a boost around 100Hz, although its overall bass response is a little too polite for my taste. It’s low frequencies are a little bit cloudy but also smooth and aesthetic, reminding me somewhat of the lower models in the Shure SE series.

On the other hand, the Mee Audio Pinnacle P1 has punchier low frequencies. They seem to extend lower than the 1More Quad, but similarly, I wish they were louder overall. It has a broad boost between 70 Hz and 80 Hz.

Mids

One of the most obvious differences between the 1More Quad and the Mee Audio Pinnacle P1 is their low-mids. The 1More Quad scoops out a lot of low-mids, greatly accentuating the fast reacting high-mids. It has a pretty steep boost around 4 kHz which brings the vocals forward. As a result, it is sometimes harsh, but also punchy and snappy. Contrary, the Pinnacle P1 has a thicker low-mid response and a smoother high-mid response with a boost around 5kHz.  To my ears, the Pinnacle P1’s midrange sounds more natural than the 1More Quad, but the Quad reveals more information in the high-mids, so I suppose it is a matter of taste.

Highs

The high frequencies of the 1More Quad are detailed and airy. It has a boost around 12kHz, contributing to its modern and bright sound. It is worth noting that the tonal quality of the highs, mids, and lows don’t sound homogenous like other more expensive multi-driver earphones. Some folks may not mind this contrast, but I personally don’t like it. On the other hand, the Pinnacle P1 has a boost around 16kHz. Its high frequencies are detailed but quieter in general than the 1More Quad. The high-end overall is a bit smoother sounding.

Soundstage

The sound stages of both earphones are quite different from each other. They are similar because they both lack depth, although the 1More Quad has some sense of depth particularly in the high frequencies. The Pinnacle P1 has more accurate left-to-right imaging than the 1More Quad. Finally, both earphones represent height well, but in opposing ways. The 1More Quad feels tall due to the far reaching and airy high frequencies. However, its low frequencies don’t extend downward as much as the P1. By contrast, the Pinnacle P1 doesn’t outstretch as high and tall, but reaches further downward.

Overview

For $200, the 1More Quad Driver Earphones and the Mee Audio Pinnacle P1 Earphones are similar in their overall physical quality and make. Neither companies have great quality control, so if you’re interested in either, it is worth remembering the Pinnacle P1’s detachable cable. In terms of their sound qualities, I was not a fan of the 1More Quad’s mismatched sounding drivers, but if you are looking for something with a more interesting high frequency response, you’ll like it. If you are looking for something more natural and overall more aesthetically pleasing sound, you’ll enjoy the Mee Audio Pinnacle P1 more.

Both earphones are available for the best price here:

1More Quad Driver on Amazon
Mee Audio Pinnacle P1 Earphones at Audio 46

Mee audio Pinnacle P1 on Amazon

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