The Anker Soundcore Space One headphones offer a tempting value proposition for anyone seeking active noise cancellation (ANC) without breaking the bank. At just $99, they don’t compete with premium offerings from Sony or Bose, but they hold their own surprisingly well.
In this deep dive Soundcore Space One review, we look at everything these wireless headphones have to offer.
Anker Soundcore Space One headphones: Design
Design-wise, the Space One is a comfort champion. The large ear cups and relaxed fit make them ideal for long listening sessions, though the loose grip might not be suitable for exercise or lying down.
There’s no IP rating, making them less ideal for exercise, though they should be able to handle some sweat. The sleek aesthetic is marred slightly by the plasticky feel, but they present a decent package overall. We appreciate the collapsable design and the included soft case.
Soundcore Space One: ANC performance
The ANC performance falls into the “good, not great” category. While it won’t magically transport you to a silent oasis, it effectively tackles consistent ambient sounds like plane engines or office chatter.
Don’t expect it to compete with top-tier ANC, but it’s a clean and welcome feature for the price. There’s a transparency mode, which we don’t use, but you can conveniently palm the right ear cup to turn it on temporarily.
Soundcore Space One: Controls
The controls on the Space One are a mixed bag. The physical buttons are a welcome break from touch-sensitive panels, and the volume rocker doubles as a track skipper with a press-and-hold. However, the on/off button requires a longer-than-expected press at nearly 5 seconds, leading to frequent confusion.
The headphones have a wear-sensor for autoplay and pause, but it doesn’t always work as expected. There’s a basic headphone cable included for listening to a wired connection.
Wired listening doesn’t require battery power, but you can still use it with ANC. The built-in controls won’t work with the wired connection.
Soundcore Space One: Battery life
The Space One headphones don’t disappoint when it comes to stamina. With ANC enabled, they boast a marathon-worthy battery life of up to 40 hours and an even more impressive 55 hours when you turn off the ANC: this means you can enjoy days of listening without worrying about frequent recharges.
Even if you run low, a quick 5-minute charge gets you up to 4 hours of playback, ideal for those last-minute listening needs.
Soundcore Space One: Sound quality and microphone
Sound quality is another area where the Space One delivers value over pure sonic brilliance. While it won’t win awards, the overall audio profile is pleasing, and the custom EQ allows you to tailor the sound to your preferences. For everyday listening at this price point, it’s pretty enjoyable to listen to.
The microphone quality falls into the “good enough” territory. Voices are clear and isolated, with background noise kept at bay. However, voices are slightly muffled and not as clear as they could be. It’s fine for phone calls, but we’d easily choose the laptop microphone for a Zoom call.
Anker Soundcore Space One review: Final thoughts
Overall, the Soundcore Space One is a solid choice for anyone looking for ANC over-ears without breaking the bank. They won’t compete with the audiophile crowd or silence the world entirely. Still, they offer surprisingly good value for their price tag.
The headphones are also rich in features like multi-point connections, custom EQ and audio profiles, an auto-wear sensor, a transparency mode with speak-to-chat, a very long battery, and more.
Our biggest gripe is the headphones falling off our heads while laying flat, like bench pressing or doing sit-ups. If you’re looking for a comfortable, affordable entry point into the ANC world, the Space One is definitely worth a spin. They’re currently available for $99.99 from Amazon in black, blue, or white.
The Soundcore Space One headphones are comfortable, sound good (especially with custom EQ), have nice ANC, and even offer comfort features like auto-play sensors and multi-point connections.