1More ComfoBuds Z Review: Great for Sleeping and Music
It's such a tired cliché to say that Bluetooth speakers produce amazing sound for their size that I've consciously tried to avoid using that phrase in speaker reviews the past few years. And yet, here I find myself thinking just that (while straining not to say it) about a set of wireless earbuds. So while 1More's ComfoBuds Z can help you fall asleep, what makes them exceptional is their ability [gulp] to produce amazing sound for their size.
They're Tiny
Comparing ComfoBuds Z with other similarly styled true wireless stereo (TWS) stemless earbuds speaks volumes. They're noticeably smaller and thinner than most other music-playing buds. They each weigh less than 3 grams. And those factors, combined with their smooth, teardrop-shaped body, make them—true to their name—very comfortable in the ear. In fact, I even gave them to my 4-year old son one night when (despite the usual melatonin gummy) he was having a hard time falling asleep. They not only fit him fine, but they stayed in until morning. I know from my own experience as both a side and stomach sleeper that despite the ComfoBuds' diminutive nature, they tend to stay put throughout the night and when wearing them around in general.
The Companion App
The 1More Music app (available for Android and iOS) feels like a first gen attempt, but it manages to do a decent job. Most importantly, it allows you to choose from among 30 soothing sounds to load your six favorites onto the earbuds. Most of the sounds have to do with water (various types of rain, streams, etc.) and wind. But I also found some—like Field, Medium Fire and Volcano—that aurally transported me to relaxing locations off the weathered path. Although it took me a few attempts to get working, once I did, loading each sound onto the buds took about one-and-a-half minutes. And while having a choice of six sounds seems like a nice variety, because the buds don't feature touch controls—and therefore require your phone and/or app to play the sounds anyway—I'm not sure why I would have to load sounds instead of just streaming them.
In any case, the other two big features of the app are the EQ settings and timers. I was able to detect a slight difference between the Music and Soothing EQ presets when playing music, but it wasn't pronounced enough for me to think it was worth having in there or referring to on a regular basis. The timers were good, though. They go from 30 to 150 minutes in half-hour increments. Unlike Kokoon Tech's Nightbuds, the ComfoBuds don't automatically shut off by intelligently detecting that you've nodded off, but it's still nice to be able to set a fixed timer.
The app also reports each earbud's battery level, indicates whether they're connected to the app and offers a very brief guide to the product. By the way, just to clarify, you do need the app in order to activate 1More's library of soothing sounds, but you don't need it in order to hear other relaxing soundscapes outside its app or to listen to whatever tunes you want. You can just have Bluetooth active on your phone, pop the earbuds into your ears and press play in your desired streaming music, video or podcast app.
Amazing Sound Quality
I was not at all surprised that the ComfoBuds Z sound great. But I didn't guess from the rich bass that I was listening to a single balanced armature driver. Part of this was from my experience with 1More's well-reputed Triple Driver earphones, one of my favorites, if not my top choice, for best wired in-ear headphones under $100. Based on my history with those, I just assumed that these little white wireless buds featured a hybrid array of both a dynamic driver, producing the lows, and balanced armature drivers, producing the mids and highs. But no, it was just one balanced array driver evoking beautifully detailed, dulcet tones throughout. In fact, these stellar ComfoBuds are primarily music-driven wireless earphones that just happen to be minuscule sleep assistants, rather than the other way around.
They Ain't for Talkin'
Because the ComfoBuds play music like other earbuds, you might expect to be able to talk with them. And while, technically, you could talk in your sleep, the only one who would hear you would be the person beside you (who therefore might also want a pair of these). But since the earbuds lack a microphone, that means they also can only do passive (not active) noise cancellation. However, in my real-world tests next to a snorer, who shall peaceably remain nameless, even when not playing sounds and essentially just using them as fancy earplugs, I found the ComfoBuds Z did a good job and really did help me get to sleep more easily than without them.
Should You Buy 1More ComfoBuds Z?
These certainly aren't the first earbuds that claim to help you sleep. In addition to the ones already mentioned, Bose's Sleepbuds II—which cost two-and-a-half times as much as the ComfoBuds Z—also play curated content from an app, but can't play your music. QuietOn 3 are similarly expensive, incredibly small and don't play any sounds, but do an excellent job of blocking out unwanted chatter with superior active noise cancellation. And the least expensive alternative by a longshot, Loop's nonelectronic earplugs, are super comfortable and passively block out noise well, but that's all they do. That all to say, I don't know of a smaller, more comfortable or affordable option than the ComfoBuds Z that blocks noise and also plays music. So if you're looking for earbuds that both crank out tunes and help you catch z's, the ones you want are these.
Buy at Amazon or 1More for $99.99.
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