Products frequently get buried in my office. This was the case with a pair of headphones and true wireless earbuds from Soundcore by Anker. To make them feel better for the lost time, I rewarded them by taking them along for testing on a recent vacation to Mexico.
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The first is the Anker Space Q45 over-the-head headphones with Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). ANC is a popular feature and often a main draw when purchasing headphones, along with the price. The Q45s score on both fronts with excellent productions out of the ANC.
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They are advertised to have as much as 98% noise reduction, and while I can’t confirm the number, the amount of airplane engine noise they blocked out was significant.
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Specifically, the ANC is a three-stage system designed to precisely target and block noises. The stages are to filter out high-frequency noise like crying babies (lucky for me, none were on the plane); the second step filters out mid-frequency noise, such as typing. The third is hybrid active noise canceling.
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And with the price, it’s had to complain about a product like these, loaded with features for $149.99.
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Other features include a rechargeable USB-C battery with 50 hours of playtime with the ANC on and 65 hours with it off. This has fast charging at five minutes for four hours of listening.
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A comfortable padded and adjustable metal headband connects the padded earcups with the speakers inside and controls on the outside. Each earcup has bouncy cushioning made from skin-friendly materials, and a wider diameter for comfort. The exterior has a matte finish and smooth curves. The headset has aluminum alloy hinges, which can rotate and fold up easily for storage.
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With Bluetooth 5.3 and Dual Connection, the headphones can be connected to multiple devices with easy switching. A pair of microphones are built into the headset for clear hands-free calls.
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The Soundcore app adds additional features, including enhancing the sound with customizable controls and an adjustable EQ. Using the Soundcore app significantly increased the sound quality. I bounced around with different settings for various other sounding playlists, and each time I could quickly fine tune the sound to my liking. Sound effect, presets and safe volume controls are among the other app features.
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The true wireless earbuds include a hard travel case, USB charging cable, and aux cable for a direct wired 3.5mm connection. The Q45 headphones are available in black, white or blue.
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Soundcore by Anker’s Space A40 true wireless noise canceling earbuds ($99.99) also performed well on my trip with many of the same features as the Q45. They sound great and fit comfortably with a lightweight and ergonomic design. The on-ear controls are responsive and can be customized with the app. If you only want one earbud, take one out of the case while the other sits and charges.
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They have ANC with a system that will adjust based on your location. The ANC identifies where you are to change the response based on the surroundings, which can be street noise, airplane engines or chatter from an office next door. With the Soundcore app, users can adjust and customize the ambient sound, choosing from five levels of transparency and noise canceling.
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The noise-detecting microphones reduce up to 98%. The ANC microphones hear and analyze external sounds to target what to block, and a snug seal in the earbuds is for passive noise reduction.
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The battery life is also strong, with up to 50 hours of playtime with the charging case. Fast charging is a 10-minute charge in the charging case to yield four hours of playtime. Each full charge will last up to 10 hours. The built-in six mics with an AI algorithm system make the calls crystal clear for hands-free calls.
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The hi-res sound doesn’t disappoint and can be customized with the Soundcore app and the EQ settings. Choose from 22 EQ settings in the app. Bluetooth 5.2 allows dual device connection for easy switching.
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Anker’s Space A40 true wireless earbuds are available in blue, black and white.
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https://us.soundcore.com
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(Contact Gregg Ellman at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @greggellman.) ©2023 Gregg Ellman. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
this story was originally published March 1, 2023, 2:30 AM.