We’re always very keen on discovering the best ways to deliver sounds directly (and often quite loudly) into our ears. If we can do that for less than £200, that’s even better, and OneOdio have proven time and again that they’re capable of delivering top-end sound for less than their competitors. The Studio Max 1 ramps that up, with a package that offers an astounding amount of value.
The Studio Max 1 are a Hi-Res certified pair of headphones that are primarily aimed at the DJ and audiophile market, though they’ll suit anyone with a Nintendo Switch, PC or mobile device as well, so long as you work out if you’re going to get the best out of them.
If we were rating tech on the number of things in the box, the Studio Max 1 would push itself to the top of the pile the moment we opened the voluminous packaging. You’ve got the headphones themselves, USB-A to USB-C charging cable, fabric carry bag, a 3.5mm to ¼” jack cable, a 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable and a further ¼” adaptor. Besides that, there’s the M1 transmitter, which allows Hi-Res wireless connections, from the source of your choice.
Clad all in black, with bright red speaker covers, the Studio Max 1 are a relatively unassuming pair of headphones. The gloss finish, and vinyl-like design of the OneOdio logo on each earpiece is attractive without calling for too much attention, but the plastics used are a little too light and feel cheaper than I’d expect for the price. The headband is topped by a piece of leatherette embossed with the OneOdio brand, alongside red stitching that adds a touch of visual interest.
The joints between the headband and earpieces once again look and feel cheaper, and though I had no problems during testing, I do wonder just how much punishment they’ll put up with over an extended period of time.
Comfort levels are very good here, with plush leatherette ear cushions and a memory foam headband cushion that’s just the right thickness to protect your head through long listening stints. I happily wore them for hours, and didn’t suffer from any fatigue around my ears or on my temple, which is exactly what you want from a headset that boasts a ridiculous 120-hour battery life.
So, the OneOdio Studio Max 1 can connect wirelessly with the M1 transmitter or via Bluetooth, or just be wired up, each of which has specific use cases. The M1 transmitter takes a USB or analogue input and then uses a proprietary RAPID WILL+ connection (Rapid Wireless Low Latency Link) to the headphones that aims for a mere 20ms of latency, when compared to even the fastest Bluetooth codecs. It has all the appearance of a USB powerbank, because it almost could be; the transmitter has a battery built in that can last up to 60 hours.
Of course, the only way to get the best out of the Studio Max 1 is with a library of high-resolution music or a Hi-Res streaming service. All three inputs are capable of Hi-Res playback, but Bluetooth depends on if your device is capable of LDAC. If you’re on iPhone or Nintendo Switch it’s only going to use the standard AAC or SBC codec, which isn’t the best way to experience these headphones.
It’s perhaps little surprise to find that the best connection to be had here is wired. The level of detail is frankly astounding, and using the first of my test tracks Billie Eilish’ ‘No Time To Die’, the Studio Max 1 delivered on all of its technical promises. Billie’s reverb-heavy vocals are joyously crisp, while the swells of orchestration felt powerful and overwhelming, without a hint of bloat or distortion and good separation between the different instrumentation.
The second-best connection is via the M1 transmitter, its multiple inputs and built-in battery making it suitable for turning any wired music session wireless, and with its low latency codec ensuring that you’re as close to the music or action as possible.
The LDAC Bluetooth connection stands as the third best option, as there was a harsher edge here with my other test track, Papa Roach’s ‘Even if It Kills Me’, that wasn’t present via the other two. That’s not to say that it was a bad effort, but compared to my faithful Sony XM5s, the audio lacked the same level of depth or sparkle.
Switching between the wired connections is simple enough, but at various points I struggled to reconnect to the M1 transmitter after being in Bluetooth mode. It’s supposed to automatically connect, and while it seemed to think it had, no audio was passed through. I had to resort to re-pairing the two each time, which was annoying, but not a total deal-breaker.
OneOdio have tuned the Studio Max 1 for reference as opposed to emphasising any particular element of the audio, and it feels like a true representation of the original production which should please producers and aficionados alike. Some listeners may be looking for a more lively response though, and while you can EQ some extra heft or thump to the bottom end, it isn’t the Studio Max 1’s primary use case.
My two favourite cost-effective Hi-Res certified wired headphones remain the Audio-Technica ATH-MSR7 and Philips Fidelio, and though they lose out to the OneOdio on the alternate connection types, they’re still the ones I’d reach for if I was going to indulge in a wired listening session. That said, the OneOdio can fit into your life in a far more complete manner, and will sound great while doing so.
The OneOdio Studio Max 1 is available now from Amazon (15% discount: CJHVATYN) and direct from the OneOdio website (15% discount: STM1social)
