Today, we’re reviewing two Anker headphones, based on our detailed testing. If you’re interested or in the market for new headphones, read on.
First Model: Over-Ear Headphones – Anker Soundcore Life Q30
The Anker Soundcore Life Q30 is a pair of over-ear headphones with excellent noise cancellation. They feature three different noise isolation modes, allowing you to find the perfect setting for your environment. They deliver a vibrant, V-shaped sound profile that packs a punchy bass. If that doesn’t suit your taste, their companion app offers a graphic equalizer and presets to help you customize your listening experience. With over 44 hours of continuous battery life, they easily last through long commutes or multiple consecutive days at the office.
Here are the key features of this product:
- Commuting/Travel: The Anker Soundcore Life Q30 is suitable for commuting. Their excellent noise cancellation helps reduce the rumble of bus or airplane engines. They are comfortable, well-built, and offer over 44 hours of continuous battery life. However, they are less ideal for short trips due to being somewhat bulky, making them harder to carry around.
- Build Quality: The Anker Soundcore Life Q30 has good build quality. They are made primarily of plastic and a silicone-like material, giving them a solid feel. The headband and ear cups are padded with synthetic leather, and the headband features a metal plate. They feel dense enough to likely survive a few accidental drops without damage.
- Noise Isolation: The Anker Life Q30 offers excellent noise isolation. With the Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) set to ‘Transport’ mode, they outperform the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 Wireless. They significantly reduce low-frequency noise like bus or airplane engines, as well as mid-range noises like office chatter, and higher-pitched sounds like the hum of an AC unit.
- Battery Life: The battery performance is outstanding. With ANC enabled, they provide over 44 hours of continuous playback. While advertised for up to 60 hours with ANC off (not our current test method), the tested 44+ hours is impressive. They can also be used passively via the included TRS audio cable, but they cannot be used while charging.
- App: The Anker Soundcore app is excellent. You can adjust the sound using the graphic equalizer or presets. You can also adjust the ANC across three levels: ‘Transport,’ ‘Outdoor,’ and ‘Indoor’ modes. A sleep feature is also available, allowing you to mix calming ambient sounds like birdsong or wind chimes and set a timer.
Current Amazon Price: $53.19 (34% off)
Second Model: In-Ear Bluetooth Earbuds – Anker Soundcore Life P2
The Anker SoundCore Life P2 is a solid pair of true wireless earbuds that offers great value for money. It shares a very similar design, fit, and sound reproduction with the Anker SoundCore Liberty Air 2 but is a more budget-friendly version, lacking some advanced features like a dedicated app and wireless charging. Its sound profile is versatile enough for most music genres, with a bit of extra punch and thump in the bass range. The in-ear fit might not be for everyone, but it feels very secure and even boasts an IPX7 waterproof rating, making it a good choice for workouts.
- Sound Quality: The earbuds have very good bass accuracy. There’s a slight over-emphasis across the range, giving it extra punch and impact without sounding muddy or boomy. There are only a few minor peaks and dips in the treble range. Overall, the higher frequencies are well within a good range and shouldn’t sound harsh or sibilant.
- Build Quality: The Anker SoundCore Life P2’s style is very similar to the Anker SoundCore Liberty Air 2, but with a bronze logo instead of silver and no red accent. The earbuds and case have a matte black finish, giving them a slightly more premium look compared to other options in the same price range. The build quality is good. The earbuds themselves feel as well-built as the Liberty Air 2, but feature physical buttons instead of a touch-sensitive surface. The case feels a bit cheaper, with a slightly wobbly hinge and a thin lid. On the plus side, the earbuds have an IPX7 waterproof rating.
- Noise Isolation: The noise isolation of the Anker SoundCore Life P2 is decent. Lacking Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), these earbuds can only block ambient noise passively. While they do a good job with mid-range frequencies (where voices reside), they aren’t as effective at blocking the low rumble of engines. However, they do a fair job blocking high-frequency sounds like AC units, making them a decent option for focusing in an office.
- Battery Life: The battery life of the Anker SoundCore Life P2 is decent overall and quite good for true wireless earbuds. While the 6-hour battery life won’t last a full workday, the charging case provides about 5 additional charges, offering a total of around 35 hours of battery life, allowing you to top them up during breaks wherever you are.
- Comfort & Fit: The Anker SoundCore Life P2 is fairly comfortable, but the in-ear design can create a slight ‘plunger’ feeling in the ears. Like the Liberty Air 2, it comes with five different sizes of silicone tips, which is excellent for finding a good fit.
Current Amazon Price: $23.99 (40% off)
Overall, if you value battery life and noise isolation at this price point, these are a viable option to consider.
That’s our review of these two products. Which one catches your eye?
