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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-27 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
• 1MORE SonoFlow biggest strength: Hi-Res Audio and Hi-Res Audio Wireless certification, a 40mm DLC dynamic driver, LDAC at up to 990kbps, and up to 70 hours of playback with ANC off.
• 1MORE SonoFlow biggest trade-off: It's a plastic-bodied Bluetooth over-ear, so it leans on wireless codecs rather than a wired lossless signal path.
• Questyle NHB12 biggest strength: A wired Lightning connector with a built-in amp and a 192kHz signal path, aimed squarely at true lossless playback from an iPhone.
• Questyle NHB12 biggest trade-off: It's wired only, Apple MFi certified for Lightning, and it uses sound isolation rather than active noise cancellation.
• Choose 1MORE SonoFlow if you want one pair for commuting, flights and long trips with ANC and marathon battery.
• Choose Questyle NHB12 if you want in-ear, lossless listening tied to an iPhone or any 3.5mm source.
The SonoFlow is a wireless over-ear headphone that tries to cover almost every listening situation. The headline spec is its dual Hi-Res certification — Hi-Res Audio and Hi-Res Audio Wireless — paired with a 40mm DLC dynamic driver and a frequency response that reaches up to 40kHz. When you're on a phone that supports it, LDAC transmits at up to 990kbps, which is the closest a Bluetooth headphone like this gets to a high-resolution experience. In my opinion, that combination is what makes it a genuinely interesting pick for someone who wants hi-res flavor without giving up wireless freedom.
Who should buy it? Anyone who wants one headphone to do the heavy lifting: over-ear comfort, active noise cancellation, app-based EQ, and enough battery to survive a week of commuting. Who should skip it? If you specifically want a wired, lossless signal path straight from an iPhone's Lightning port, or you prefer the fit and isolation of in-ear buds, this isn't the tool for that job. The enclosure is plastic, the weight is around 250g, and it's a Bluetooth-first design — it's honest about what it is.
Questyle NHB12: Who It's For
The Questyle NHB12 is a very different animal: a wired in-ear earphone with a Lightning connector, Apple MFi certified, built around what Questyle calls true lossless playback. It carries a 10.2mm dynamic driver, 38 ohm impedance, 112dB sensitivity, and a frequency response listed at 20-20000Hz with a 192kHz hi-res figure tied to its signal path. The metal housing and in-ear bud shape signal that this is a smaller, more focused listening tool — one you plug in rather than pair. The kit includes 3.5mm cable, five pairs of silicone ear tips, and a leather case.
That design tells you a lot about who it's for. If you listen from an iPhone with a Lightning port and you care about squeezing a lossless path out of it, the NHB12's whole reason for existing is that direct wired connection — no Bluetooth codec in the way. The multiple ear tip sizes matter here, because a proper in-ear seal is what makes an IEM sound the way it's supposed to. The metal build also suggests it's meant to be carried around and used daily.
Who should skip it? If you want active noise cancellation, this isn't it — its noise control is listed as sound isolation, which comes from the in-ear seal rather than electronics. If you're on a modern USB-C iPhone or you mostly listen wirelessly, the Lightning connector is a real limitation. And if you hate cables, look elsewhere. But for an iPhone user who wants a compact, wired, lossless-oriented IEM, the NHB12 is purpose-built.
• Best for battery life → 1MORE SonoFlow Active Noise. Up to 70 hours with ANC off is in a different league from any wired earphone.
• Best for active noise cancellation → 1MORE SonoFlow Active Noise. QuietMax ANC is the feature the NHB12 simply doesn't have; the Questyle relies on sound isolation instead.
• Best for true wired lossless on iPhone → Questyle NHB12. The Lightning connector and built-in amp path are the point of this product.
• Best for hi-res over Bluetooth → 1MORE SonoFlow Active Noise. LDAC at up to 990kbps and Hi-Res Audio Wireless certification make it the wireless hi-res pick.
• Best for in-ear fit and portability → Questyle NHB12. A 10.2mm driver in a metal bud with five tip sizes travels far more easily than an over-ear.
• Best for app-based tuning → 1MORE SonoFlow Active Noise. 12 EQ presets in the 1MORE MUSIC App give you more control over the sound.
• Best for long trips and flights → 1MORE SonoFlow Active Noise. ANC plus marathon battery is exactly what travel demands.
• Best for plug-and-play simplicity → Questyle NHB12. No pairing, no charging, just a wired connection to a Lightning device.
If I had to pick one, I'd take the 1MORE SonoFlow Active Noise. The mixture of Hi-Res Audio and Hi-Res Audio Wireless certification, LDAC, QuietMax ANC, and up to 70 hours of battery covers far more of my actual listening life — commuting, travel, working, and casual wireless streaming. I'd only steer toward the Questyle NHB12 if I were an iPhone user who specifically wanted a wired, lossless in-ear setup and didn't mind giving up ANC and wireless freedom. For most people reading a hi-res headphones comparison, the SonoFlow is the more versatile buy. Check the current price on Amazon for both before you decide, since that's what usually tips the scale.
what is hi res headphones
Hi-res headphones are models designed to handle high-resolution audio — a signal that carries more detail than a standard compressed stream. In this comparison, the 1MORE SonoFlow earns Hi-Res Audio and Hi-Res Audio Wireless certification with a response up to 40kHz, and the Questyle NHB12 targets hi-res via its wired 192kHz path.
what is hi res audio headphones
It's the same idea phrased differently: headphones built to reproduce high-resolution audio faithfully rather than bottlenecking it. That usually means a wide frequency response and a signal path that preserves detail — LDAC wireless on the SonoFlow, or a wired Lightning connection on the NHB12.
what are hi res headphones
They're headphones whose design and specs support high-resolution playback, whether over a wireless codec like LDAC or over a wired connection with an amp. The SonoFlow does it wirelessly with LDAC at up to 990kbps; the NHB12 does it wired through its Lightning connector and built-in amplification.
which headphones support hi res lossless
True lossless generally means a wired path that isn't re-compressed. The Questyle NHB12 is built for that, with a Lightning connector and a 192kHz hi-res figure. The 1MORE SonoFlow is the wireless hi-res option — LDAC is high-resolution but still a Bluetooth transmission, not a wired lossless connection.
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