Anker is best known for its well-known power banks and mobile charging accessories, but the Chinese company is also busy building its subsidiary SoundCore brand, under which it offers home audio products such as smart Bluetooth speakers and wireless earphones.
Anker says that ethos of creating quality electronic devices at affordable prices extends to its audio accessory lineup, so I gave the company’s new Soundcore Life 2 noise-canceling headphones a spin to test that claim.
The latest addition to Anker’s headset range costs $80 and replaces the company’s first attempt at over-ear active noise-cancelling (ANC) headphones, last year’s Space NC Cans. Like that pair, Anker is aiming to corner the sub-$100 noise-canceling market, so direct comparisons to premium ANC headphones offered by the likes of Bose and Sony won’t do. So how do they stack up on their own?
Design
The Foldable Life 2 comes in a sturdy compact travel case with a pouch for the included 3.5mm gold-plated stereo auxiliary cable and a black USB-A to micro-USB charging cable. There’s no classic airline adapter with these cans, although that makes a difference for you.
Weighing in at 263 grams, the Life 2 feels a bit lighter than more expensive headphones of a similar size, but the steel headband and polycarbonate hinges feel sturdy enough to take a decent amount of strain and even a drop or two. This is even more impressive when you consider that the chassis has a battery that can provide up to 30 hours of wireless use with ANC on.
Inset Anker Soundcore branding appears on the headband and ear cups, but it avoids being flashy by adopting the same color tone as the rest of the headset. The adjustable headband also offers plenty of margin for larger heads, and combined with the memory foam protein leather earcups, the fit is plush and the cushioning stays put, even after hours of wear.
On the rim of the left earcup you’ll find a power button and separate noise-canceling activation switch, so unlike some headphones you don’t need to keep ANC on for the Cans to process an audio signal. Above the right earcup are play/pause and volume controls.
Performance and features
There’s an encouraging sense of familiarity as you begin using the tactile buttons to pair the can to your favorite Bluetooth device, adjust output volume, and play/pause tracks. Anker has chosen to remove the gesture controls of its previous Soundcore Space NC, and the decision to do so feels reassuring from the off.
Besides the fact that the gestural interfaces seem to divide headphone users, the volume control and touch/swipe setup for skipping tracks on the Space NC weren’t as responsive as those found on more expensive cans like the Sony MDR-1000X, and are features worth the hassle. Not unless you can spot it.
Sound-wise, the Life 2 won’t light up your ears, and the 40mm driver’s output certainly won’t satisfy die-hard audiophiles, but it does a convincing job of distinguishing most instruments as it moves around the mids. up to high-range, and both indie and electronic music enjoy a wide soundstage with plenty of detail.
In general there’s an impressive bass response that stays crisp at higher volumes, but if you just want to enjoy the heavy ungainly beat, a quick double click of the Play button enables “BassUp” mode, although distortion soon creeps in here as you ramp up. up to decibels
Thanks to the active noise-canceling feature, the Life 2 happily reduces the low-level ambient drone you’d expect from a jet engine or nearby traffic, but they’re not so hot when it comes to reducing office chatter or heavy noise. – Tapping the key on the hand. There’s also no adaptive filtering, so the cans don’t correct for changes in ambient levels as you move around.
On the plus side, the low hiss feature of the noise-canceling system is extremely non-intrusive for the Life 2 and is unlikely to interfere with even quiet music enjoyment. Plus, you can enjoy the benefits of moderate ANC for up to 60 hours by plugging in the auxiliary cable, and when the battery runs out, you can listen comfortably in wired mode with passive noise-canceling. Still gives a hint of volatility.
On a related note, the Life 2’s built-in microphone uses Qualcomm’s Clear Voice Capture (cVc) noise reduction algorithm, which meant that the voice on the line wasn’t as jarring when I took calls through headphones. .
last row
They may not reach the performance heights of Sony’s MDR-XXXX range or the Bose QuietComfort 3, but Anker’s Bluetooth headphones don’t ask too much of your wallet either. The Soundcore Life 2 is a solid option for music listeners looking for a first step into the world of active noise-cancellation – they also sound good, sit comfortably, and offer smashing battery life for such a lightweight headset.
professional
- Comfortable to wear for long periods of time
- Excellent battery life
- Decent sound output
- Solid construction and controls
cons
- ANC in the middle of the road
- Non-replaceable battery
- Any companion app
how to buy
The Anker Soundcore Life 2 headphones cost $79.99 and are available to order on Amazon.
Note: Anker provided MacRumors with the Soundcore Life 2 headphones for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.
