Joined in 2023 
82 
63 About this deal
The headphones have a reasonably simple design made of smooth, soft-touch plastic in a semi-metallic blue colour. Photograph: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian Wear detection would be a welcome addition, too, as would the ability to switch ANC profiles without having to access the app but that’s probably asking a bit much of a pair of budget-friendly headphones.
We've replaced the Anker SoundCore Life P3 Truly Wireless with the Anker Soundcore Space A40 Truly Wireless. We've also replaced the Anker Soundcore Life Q30 Wireless with the Anker Soundcore Space Q45 Wireless. We've added brand comparisons as well, in addition to expanding the lineup information. We've tested the headphones' frequency response when the ANC is on vs off. However, there hasn't been a change in our results. I was also impressed by the Life P3’s audio quality. Like the over-ear Life Q30, boosted bass is the focus of the “Soundcore Signature” audio profile. However, it’s not nearly as overwhelming here, with the P3 striking a solid balance between robust low-end reproduction and clarity in the mid and upper registers.However, the overemphasized bass makes the mix sound muddy, while vocals and instruments sound harsh and sibilants piercing due to the extra treble. Unfortunately, they can't pair with a companion app, so you can't change their mix. If you'd like more bass, though, their 'BassUp' featureboosts this range even more, which will compliment fans of heavier genres like dubstep and D&B. You can activate it using the controls on the ear cups. The noise-cancelling is surprisingly effective for the money, beating the majority of rivals at this price and even some models twice their cost. The noise of a boiler, dishwasher, cars, drills and other rumbling noises were much reduced, while speech was quietened significantly. They can’t quite match the very best in the business from Bose and Sony but otherwise do a very good job, particularly set to the “transport” mode with the Soundcore app. The Q35 also sound good for the money, with reasonable detail and separation of tones, handling complex pieces better than most competitors, particularly when used with the highest-quality LDAC format and some hi-res audio files. The Life Q30’s default sound profile is referred to as “Soundcore Signature” and is V-shaped with bass frequencies particularly prominent. Too prominent, in fact, and that’s coming from someone with a penchant for low-end punch.
With their solid 20-hour battery life per charge, the Space NC are suitable for all-day use in the office and particularly long flights and commutes. If they are low on power, you can temporarily switch to a wired connection using the included audio cable to conserve power. Alternatively, if you don’t mind using them with an audio cable attached, you can use them primarily in wired mode if you want a longer battery life per charge – the headphones can last up to an incredible 50 hours in wired mode with ANC. Wrap-up These comfortable and well-built buds have a warm sound profile out of the box, but you can fine-tune their sound to suit your tastes using their companion app's graphic EQ and presets. You can also use the app to switch to LDAC codec to stream Hi-Res content. That said, their mic has poor recording quality. The mic captures speech that sounds far away and sibilant, which can be a dealbreaker if you take a lot of calls. However, if you're just looking to listen to music, these wallet-friendly earbuds are worth a look. This typically happened when I moved my jaw, while smiling or chewing for instance, and meant I needed to readjust the buds to reestablish an effective in-ear seal. This of course also hampers the earbuds’ ANC ability. Given that noise-cancellation is one of the P3’s strongest suits, it’s frustrating that it’s occasionally negatively impacted by an unstable fit. Featuring soft memory foam earpads, the Space NC are comfortable to wear for long hours despite not being as breathable as on-ear and in-ear headphones. Their large ear cups will easily fit around most ear shapes and sizes while their headband has a decent adjustment range. They stay securely on your head, but their headband clamp is on the tighter side. Fortunately, their generously padded ear cups help mitigate the tight headband clamp, making them less fatiguing for extended listening, especially if you have a large head.
The app offers a couple of other neat features, too. You can discover new music and stream it in the app via Soundcore’s streaming partner LÜM. This is a platform developed for independent artists and is well worth exploring if you fancy broadening your musical horizons. There’s also a Sleep Mode option, which provides you with a selection of ambient sounds that can be blended together to create a soundscape to drift off to. The tech is fun to play around with but the Life Q30 aren’t headphones you’re going to want to fall asleep wearing so it’s unlikely to see much use. Anker Soundcore Life Q30 review: What could be improved? An excellent headphone should have a durable design and should be able to reproduce low bass notes as well as high treble notes without distortion. soundcore has developed the coaxial driver technology that’s endorsed by many outstanding audio producers to present you the true sound through our wireless bluetooth headphones. Without breaking the bank, you can now immerse yourself in the world of music with a first-class listening experience. You can customize their sound using their companion app's graphic EQ and presets. Like their truly wireless counterpart, the Anker Soundcore Space A40 Truly Wireless, they even support LDAC codec, making them a solid choice for Hi-Res audio content. They offer multi-device and NFC pairing, so connecting them to your smartphone or laptop is easy. The Soundcore Life Q30 are over-ear headphones capable of connecting to two devices simultaneously via Bluetooth 5.0 and support the two most widely used audio codecs, AAC and SBC. In addition to regular Bluetooth pairing, they offer NFC pairing by tapping your smartphone on the right earcup.
Anker headphones generally have high latency on PC. You may notice your audio and visuals fall out of sync, which can be frustrating if you like to stream video on your laptop.
They may not be much to look at, but the Soundcore Life Q30 offer unrivalled ANC and audio customisation for the price
The Liberty Neo are very popular budget truly wireless headphones, and that popularity is not unwarranted. They offer good value for the money and are suitable for all-around use, with their good sweat resistance and stability fins making them ideal for sports. Although their features list is hardly eye-popping, their build quality and performance are good for budget headphones. They are extremely portable for everyday use, but they have a short battery life per charge. There’s one last thing I’d have liked to have seen Anker incorporate: wear detection. The Life P3 don’t automatically pause when taken out of your ears, which is a feature that’s becoming increasingly common on budget earbuds. Included with the headphones are a carrying case, which isn’t of the highest quality but fulfils its function perfectly well, a USB-A to USB-C charging cable and a 3.5mm audio cable that can be plugged into the right earcup for wired listening. Most Anker headphones have an integrated mic, which sits far away from your mouth. As a result, their mics tend to have poor recording quality and mediocre noise-handling performance. Like other wireless over-ear headphones, the Life Q20 have an on-cup control scheme, which is made up of several buttons on both ear cups. You can use the buttons to manage your calls and music, adjust the volume, activate your voice assistant, enable the bass boost mode, initiate the Bluetooth pairing process, and toggle the ANC feature. The physical buttons are responsive and not too stiff, making them easy to use even while on the move. Performance
Great Deal 
New Comment