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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-26 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
• SHANLING Onix Alpha XI1 — biggest strength: Dual Cirrus Logic CS43198 DACs plus dual SGM8262-2 amplifiers, with 3.5mm single-ended and 4.4mm balanced outputs and up to 500mW at 32Ω on the balanced side.
• SHANLING Onix Alpha XI1 — biggest trade-off: It is a source device, not a listening device. You still need your own headphones or IEMs, and it adds a wired dongle between your phone, PC or Switch and your ears.
• 1MORE Hi-Res Triple Driver — biggest strength: A complete listening solution in one box — dynamic driver plus two balanced armatures, a MEMS microphone, and a 3.5mm wired connection that works with anything that has a headphone jack.
• 1MORE Hi-Res Triple Driver — biggest trade-off: Passive noise cancellation only, plastic enclosure, and no balanced connection, so it cannot be re-amped or upgraded the way a separate DAC/amp chain can.
• Who each pick is for: The SHANLING is for someone who already owns good wired headphones and wants to feed them a cleaner, more powerful signal. The 1MORE is for someone who wants to plug in and start listening right away.
The Onix Alpha XI1 is built around two Cirrus Logic CS43198 DAC chips. That chip family is known for high specifications, and Shanling quotes a 130dB dynamic range with a theoretical 115dB THD+N figure. In plain terms, that is a lot of headroom and a very quiet noise floor on paper. For anyone coming from a phone's built-in headphone output or a basic laptop jack, that is the core of the pitch: a cleaner signal path with far more power behind it.
Power is where this thing separates itself. Dual SGM8262-2 amplifiers run in a fully balanced configuration, and Shanling rates output at 180mW at 32Ω single-ended and 500mW at 32Ω balanced. The 4.4mm balanced jack is the one to care about here — it is the output that lets this dongle drive headphones that a phone simply cannot. There are also high and low gain settings, so the same device can handle sensitive IEMs without hiss and then switch over to something hungrier. On the decoding side it handles PCM up to 768kHz/32bit and DSD up to DSD256, which covers essentially every high-resolution file a normal listener will encounter.
Who should buy it: someone with a pair of wired headphones or IEMs they like, who wants a portable source that can actually drive them, and who does not mind a small screen-and-buttons learning curve. Who should skip it: anyone who wants headphones included, anyone who wants a wireless option, and anyone who just wants to plug into a phone jack and be done.
1MORE Hi-Res Triple Driver: Who It's For
The 1MORE Hi-Res Triple Driver takes the opposite approach. It is the thing that goes in your ears, not the thing that feeds them. The driver complement is a hybrid: one dynamic driver plus two balanced armatures. That combination is a classic way to get bass weight from the dynamic unit and detail and treble clarity from the armatures. Impedance is listed at 32 ohm, which is an easy load for a phone, a laptop, or a cheap dongle — no dedicated amplifier required.
It is wired, with a 3.5mm jack. In a world of true wireless earbuds, that is a deliberate choice, and for a certain buyer it is the right one: no charging case to remember, no battery to age, no pairing. The cable also carries a remote with a MEMS microphone, so music, video calls and gaming chat all work without a separate mic. Noise control is passive only, which is worth being honest about — the seal of the eartip is doing the work, not active circuitry. The enclosure is plastic in a silver-black finish, and the box includes eartips and a user manual. 1MORE backs it with a one-year manufacturer warranty.
Who should buy it: someone who wants a complete wired in-ear solution for music, gaming and calls, who values a hybrid driver setup, and who does not want to think about batteries. Who should skip it: anyone who needs active noise cancellation, anyone who wants to use a balanced cable, and anyone who already owns high-end headphones and is really shopping for a better source rather than better earphones.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for high-resolution decoding flexibility → SHANLING Onix Alpha XI1. PCM 768kHz/32bit and DSD256 support, with a screen that shows you exactly what sample rate is playing.
• Best for a one-and-done purchase → 1MORE Hi-Res Triple Driver. Everything you need to listen is in the box.
• Best for calls, video meetings and in-game chat → 1MORE Hi-Res Triple Driver. The MEMS microphone and inline remote are built in.
• Best for gaming on a handheld console → SHANLING Onix Alpha XI1. It works as an external DAC/amp for the Switch.
• Best for low-fuss, battery-free listening → 1MORE Hi-Res Triple Driver. Wired, 32 ohm, no charging.
• Best for tinkerers → SHANLING Onix Alpha XI1. Physical buttons, OLED display, ring LED and the Eddict Player APP give you filter, gain and volume control.
• Best for quiet environments only → 1MORE Hi-Res Triple Driver. Passive noise cancellation means the outside world still gets in.
In my opinion, the SHANLING Onix Alpha XI1 is the more interesting product and the one I would buy — but only if you already own wired headphones or IEMs worth feeding. The dual CS43198 DACs, dual amplifiers, balanced 4.4mm output and 500mW power rating make it a genuine upgrade to whatever is currently driving your music, and the screen and app make it feel like a real piece of gear rather than a passive adapter. If you do not own good wired headphones yet, buy the 1MORE Hi-Res Triple Driver first, then add the SHANLING later. The two are not really competitors — they are two halves of the same chain, and which half you need depends entirely on what is missing.
what is hi res headphones
The term usually describes headphones or earphones marketed for high-resolution audio playback — meaning they can resolve the extra detail in files that go beyond CD quality. The 1MORE Hi-Res Triple Driver fits that description with its dynamic driver plus two balanced armature design and 32 ohm impedance, which is easy to drive from a phone or laptop.
what is hi res audio headphones
It refers to the same idea: headphones intended for high-resolution audio, which typically means lossless files with higher sample rates and bit depths than standard streaming. What matters practically is the whole chain — the file, the source, and the headphones. The SHANLING Onix Alpha XI1 handles PCM up to 768kHz/32bit and DSD256 at the source end, while the 1MORE handles the listening end.
what are hi res headphones
They are headphones or earphones positioned for high-resolution listening rather than casual use, often with better driver designs and lower distortion. The 1MORE uses a hybrid setup of one dynamic driver and two balanced armatures. The SHANLING is not headphones at all — it is the DAC and amplifier that feeds them.
which headphones support hi res lossless
Support really comes from the combination of source and headphones, not the headphones alone. The SHANLING Onix Alpha XI1 decodes PCM up to 768kHz/32bit and DSD256, which covers hi-res lossless files; pair it with wired headphones and the chain is complete. The 1MORE Hi-Res Triple Driver is a wired 3.5mm in-ear option that plugs directly into a phone, laptop or a device like the XI1.
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