Soundcore Q Earbuds Review: ANC, Connectivity, and User Experience

The Soundcore Q Earbuds are a game-changer for music lovers on-the-go. They offer Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) technology that effectively blocks out background noise, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in your favorite tunes.

With seamless connectivity, you can easily pair the earbuds with your device, whether it's a smartphone, tablet, or computer. The earbuds support Bluetooth 5.0, ensuring a stable and reliable connection.

The Soundcore Q Earbuds are incredibly easy to use, with a user-friendly interface that lets you control volume, play/pause music, and even activate ANC with just a few taps.

The Anker Soundcore Q20 ANC headphones have a battery life that's actually pretty impressive. They're rated for 30 hours with active noise cancellation (ANC) on and up to 60 hours with ANC off.

You can get up to 4 hours of music playback from just a 5-minute charge, which is a nice touch. This makes it easy to top up your battery on the go, even when you're in a hurry.

The noise cancelling on these headphones is decent, but not the best. They can block out most low-volume background noises, but they struggle with low bass or high frequencies.

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The Anker Soundcore Life Q20 ANC headphones have a design that's handsome and understated, with a black color that looks more like a metallic dark blue/gray in real life.

They're made of plastic, which makes them light and comfortable for extended listening, but also feels a bit cheap.

The headphones have rotatable ear cups and can fold up for storage and travel, which is a great feature for frequent travelers.

However, there's no hard case included, only a pouch in the box to protect them.

The ear cups and headband are made of ultra-plush leatherette, which makes them very comfortable to wear.

You can charge the headphones via microUSB, but it would be nice to have a USB-C port instead.

There's also a 3.5mm analog jack for wired-mode, which is a convenient feature to have.

The headphones are lightweight and comfortable, even for hours of wear with glasses on.

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The Anker Soundcore Life Q20 ANC headphones have a battery life that's hard to beat. Battery life is rated for 30 hours with ANC on and up to 60 hours with ANC off.

You can expect to get around 4 hours of music playback from a 5 minute charge, which is a super convenient feature.

The headphones can top up fairly quickly, making them perfect for on-the-go use.

Unfortunately, the noise cancelling of the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 ANC is just okay.

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The Soundcore Q30 headphones have a good EQ included in their app, but they come pre-set to "soundcore Signature" which can make music sound bloated and vocals "bassy".

Fortunately, the Q30 can be equalized for a very pleasant sound, and the preset "Flat" is a good starting point that works well with most genres.

Even at maximum volume, the Q30 don’t go super loud, but they are still more than loud enough for most people.

The Q30 headphones have a good EQ included in their app, but it's set to "soundcore Signature" by default, which is too bass-heavy for my taste.

The EQ emphasizes the whole bass range, making music sound bloated and vocals "bassy" in both music and podcasts/audio books.

Fortunately, you can equalize the sound for a more pleasant listening experience. The preset "Flat" is a good starting point and works well with most genres.

Using the Flat preset and setting the volume to 50-70%, I've tried the Q30 with Rock, Pop, Hip Hop, and Classic music, and they still have enough bass and sub bass, with vocals sounding right.

The Q30 don't go super loud, even at maximum volume, and I wouldn't recommend listening at max volume anyway.

The Q20's bass is a bit tighter out of the box, but they're still too bass-heavy for my liking.

Unfortunately, the Q20 doesn't have app support, so you have to adjust the sound using your phone's audio player, which can be a hassle if you have multiple devices.

The Soundcore Q20i is an upgraded version of the Q20 that does have app and EQ support, so it's worth considering if you prefer the smaller size of the Q20.

The Anker Soundcore Life Q20 ANC has good sound quality, but it's not impressive, with not much detail and a warm tonal balance that emphasizes bass.

The Anker Soundcore Life Q20 ANC has a BassUp feature that boosts the bass even more, but it sounds terrible and makes the bass sound muddy.

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The Soundcore app allows for some tweaking of the audio experience, but it's not a full-fledged EQ.

The app includes over 20 EQ presets, which can help tailor the sound to your liking.

We experimented with two presets that aimed to bring the frequency response closer to our ideal curve, but more options are available if you're willing to dig in.

The Anker Soundcore Life Q series headphones offer a range of connectivity options, including Bluetooth 5.0 and a 3.5mm aux input.

You can use NFC pairing to connect the headphones to your supported Android device by tapping the right ear cup. The headphones also support pairing with multiple devices, but you'll need to go into the Bluetooth list of the device that is not yet connected and tap the Bluetooth entry to regain the second connection.

To connect the headphones to a new device, you can follow these steps:

The headphones also feature control buttons on the bottom of the ear cups, including a power button, ANC button, multi-function button, volume down button, and volume up button.

The Bluetooth connection on the Anker Soundcore Life Q30 and Q20 headphones is surprisingly hassle-free and stable. I've had great experiences with them, and it's easy to connect them to your device.

To connect the headphones, you can use Bluetooth 5.0, which provides a strong and reliable connection. Alternatively, you can use a 3.5mm aux input for a wired connection when needed.

To pair the headphones with your device, follow these steps:

If you're connecting to a device for the first time, the headphones will automatically go into pairing mode, and you should be able to find them in your phone's Bluetooth list. Once connected, the headphones will attempt to auto-reconnect the next time you power them on.

To connect to a third device, you'll need to disconnect from one of the existing devices first. To do this, go into the Bluetooth list of the device that is not yet connected and tap the Bluetooth entry.

The Anker Soundcore Life Q30 and Q20 headphones have similar control schemes, but with some variations. The control buttons are located on the bottom of the ear cups and are clearly labeled with their primary functions, making it easy to learn how to use them.

The Life Q30 has a power button, ANC button, multi-function button, volume down button, and volume up button. Pressing the power button turns the headphones on or off, while holding it down for 5 seconds puts the headphones in pairing mode.

On the Life Q20, the control buttons are also labeled, but the functions are slightly different. The ANC button is used to toggle noise canceling on and off, while the volume up button increases the volume, and the volume down button decreases it.

Here's a breakdown of the control buttons for both headphones:

It's worth noting that the Life Q30 has a few additional features, such as the ability to pair with a second device simultaneously, which is done by pressing the power button twice.

The Soundcore Q's battery life is a real game-changer. It can last up to 51 hours and 50 minutes on a single charge, making it one of the longest-lasting headphones out there.

This is because over-ear headphones like the Soundcore Q can carry larger batteries than wireless earbuds, which is a big plus. If you crank up the volume or use more features, your battery life will suffer, but if you keep things quiet and use wired listening, you can squeeze out even more playback time.

One of the coolest features of the Soundcore Q is its fast charging capabilities - just 5 minutes plugged in gives you up to 4 hours of playback time. That's a huge convenience if you're on-the-go.

You can also expect up to 60 hours of playtime on a single charge, thanks to Anker's power management hardware. This means you can go two whole months without needing to recharge.

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The Soundcore Q30 headphones deliver very good call quality in quiet and moderately noisy environments, with your voice sounding natural and loud and clear.

However, they struggle in louder environments above 70 decibels, and background noise can overwhelm your voice.

In quiet to moderate noise, the Q30 is best-sounding when making calls, but they don't do much to suppress background noise.

The Q20 sound a bit quieter and slightly muffled in quiet and moderately noisy environments, but overall call quality is still good.

In loud environments, both the Q20 and Q30 struggle, making it difficult to maintain a conversation.

The Space A40 earbuds, on the other hand, work substantially better in loud settings, aggressively suppressing background noise while keeping your voice intelligible.

If you're using the Q20 for phone calls, be aware that audio quality will suffer in loud or windy areas, but it should be fine in quiet areas.

The Anker Soundcore Q30 headphones have three noise cancelling modes: Transport, Indoor, and Outdoor.

Transport mode is the strongest, particularly in the low-frequency range, and is excellent at reducing noise from sources like trucks, generators, and AC hums.

In contrast, the Q20 offers less relief against bass noise compared to the Q30.

The Q30 is also mediocre against mid-frequency noise, such as chatter and shouting, and is not as effective as the Sony WH-1000XM4 in this range.

However, the Q30 is very good at passively muffling higher frequency sounds, making it useful for improving focus and reducing distractions.

The Anker Soundcore Q30 headphones have three noise cancelling modes: Transport, Indoor, and Outdoor.

Transport mode is the strongest, especially in the low-frequency range, and is very effective against noise from trucks, generators, and AC hums.

The Q30 are not as good as the Sony WH-1000XM4 in the whole low frequency noise range, but they're pretty close up to 125 Hz.

The Q30 offer quite a bit more relief against bass noise compared to the Q20.

In subjective tests, the thumps from a thumping Bose speaker were 95% gone with the Sony, 90% gone with the Q30, 60% gone with the Q20, and 60% gone with the Space A40 ANC earbuds.

The Q30 do help with mid-frequency noise, but overall they're mediocre and not as effective as the Sony WH-1000XM4, especially in the range from 250 to 1250 Hz.

The Q30 are very good passive mufflers of higher frequency sounds, such as sizzling sounds and high-pitched screeching, and are subjectively on par with the Sony in that range.

The passive isolation from the ear cups blocks out most high-frequency noise, and with active noise canceling enabled, there is a significant reduction in low and mid-frequency noise.

The transport mode is the most useful of the three available ANC modes since it blocks out frequencies that passive isolation alone struggles to attenuate.

The indoor and outdoor modes provide weaker noise canceling, but the indoor mode is a good option for office or coffee shop environments where you're not directly sitting underneath a bass speaker.

The outdoor mode is a mild noise cancelling mode, yet still pretty effective against booming background noise and rumble.

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You can activate transparency mode on the Q30 by cupping the right ear cup with your hand, and deactivate it by touching the surface again.

Alternatively, the noise cancelling switch allows you to cycle through ANC, normal, and transparency mode.

Transparency mode on the Q30 lets in the whole frequency range, including lower frequencies.

This can make it sound quite loud and boomy, especially if you're sensitive to noise.

For longer conversations, transparency mode might not be the best option, as it can be overwhelming.

It's worth noting that some earbuds, like Soundcore's A40 and A3i ANC earbuds, can reduce low frequency sounds even in transparency mode.

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The Anker Soundcore Life Q series offers a solid user experience, with the Life Q30 delivering a comfortable fit and a design similar to the Bose QuietComfort Headphones, but at a fraction of the cost.

The Life Q20 is a utilitarian headphone that gets the job done without any frills, but it's also comfortable to wear for hours at a time and doesn't put too much pressure on your ears.

The Life Q30's battery life is excellent, and it's a versatile headphone that can be used wired or wireless, with both ANC and transparency modes available. It's a great option if you're looking for a do-it-all headphone within a $100 budget.

The Life Q20's lack of a hard case and Bluetooth multipoint capabilities are notable drawbacks, but it's still a great option if you're looking for a budget-friendly ANC headphone.

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The Soundcore app is a game-changer for the Anker Soundcore Life Q30. You can use the headphones just fine without it, but it unlocks some really useful features.

One of the best features in the app is the equalizer, which lets you adjust the sound to your liking. There are even EQ presets to choose from, or you can create your own custom EQ.

Customizing the noise canceling within the app is also a great feature. You can select between Transport, Indoor, or Outdoor modes, each targeting different frequencies of environmental noise.

The Superior Sleep feature in the app is a fun one to play around with. It uses binaural recordings of ambient noises like rain, wind, and fire crackling, and you can adjust the mix to your liking.

Transparency mode works well, but it would be even more convenient if it paused the music when you trigger it with a palm over the right ear cup.

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The Anker Soundcore Life Q30 headphones come in a nice hardshell carrying case, a USB-C charging cable, and an analog audio cable for wired listening. This thoughtful packaging makes them easy to transport and use.

Their lightweight plastic design makes them comfortable to wear for hours at a time, similar to the Bose QuietComfort Headphones that cost about four times as much. This comfort factor is a major plus for long listening sessions.

You shouldn't take the Anker Soundcore Life Q30 on crazy outdoor adventures, as they lack IP rating for dust and water resistance. This means you'll need to be cautious using them at the gym, especially if you tend to sweat a lot.

The Anker Soundcore Life Q20, on the other hand, is designed for utilitarian use - it gets the job done without any frills. This no-frills approach means you won't find any high-tech features or bleeding-edge software.

The Life Q20's soft padding doesn't put too much pressure on your ears or generate too much friction, making them comfortable to wear for hours at a time. However, they can generate a fair bit of heat in miserable weather, so it's a good idea to take them off every so often.

The Life Q20 doesn't support multipoint, which means you'll need to unpair the headphones from one device before pairing them with something new. This isn't a dealbreaker, but it's worth considering if you need this feature.

The Anker Soundcore Life Q20 ANC is a good starting point for those looking for active noise cancellation, but ANC is just average.

Sound quality is good, with the Life Q30 providing some extra punch to the bass drop in songs like Gravity by SLANDER. This is due to the headphones' emphasis on low frequencies below 200Hz, which creates a more exciting sound with booming bass.

Battery life is also a strong point, but physical controls are a bit basic compared to other headphones on the market. They're a good value, especially for casual listeners who want a fun sound.

The Life Q30's sound is not ideal, but it's a fun sound many enjoy, particularly for high-energy genres like EDM. It's a good option for those who want a more exciting sound, but it may not be suitable for audiophiles or those who prefer a more accurate sound.

If you're looking for cheap, basic noise-cancelling headphones, the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 is a solid option, priced at $60 / £52 (about AU$94).

The headphones offer good sound quality, battery life, and physical controls, but their active noise cancellation is just average compared to more expensive models.

If you're expecting high-end noise cancellation or sound quality, you might want to look elsewhere, as more expensive headphones will likely provide better results.

The Anker Soundcore Life Q20 is a good value for its price, but if you're willing to spend a bit more, you can get similar or even better performance from other headphones.

The Anker Soundcore Life Q30 is another option to consider, offering excellent battery life, solid active noise canceling, and sound customization using the Soundcore app, all for $79.99.

It's worth noting that the Anker Soundcore Life Q30 slots between the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 and Anker Soundcore Life Q35 in terms of price and performance, with minor differences between the models.

If you're okay with on-ear style headphones, you might want to check out the Jabra Elite 45h, which is lightweight and portable but doesn't have ANC, or the JBL Tune 660NC, which has ANC but is priced at $79.

The Anker Soundcore Life Q20 ANC is available worldwide now for $60 / £52 (about AU$94), making it a very affordable pair of active noise cancelling headphones.

You can get your hands on the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 ANC for a fraction of the cost of some other budget ANC headphones, like the Plantronics Backbeat Pro 2, which cost $140 / £205 (AU$180).

The Anker has a significant advantage in terms of battery life, lasting 30 hours compared to the Plantronics' 24 hours.

The Anker Soundcore Life Q20 ANC is available worldwide now for $60 / £52 (about AU$94), making it a very affordable pair of active noise cancelling headphones.

You can get the Plantronics Backbeat Pro 2 for $140 / £205 (AU$180), but they're over twice as expensive as the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 ANC.

The Anker Soundcore Life Q20 ANC has better battery life than the Plantronics Backbeat Pro 2, lasting 30 hours compared to 24 hours.

The Anker Soundcore Life Q20 ANC is a great option for those on a budget, offering excellent value for its price.

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If you're on a tight budget, you can get the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 for just $60 / £52 (about AU$94), a price that's hard to fault.

The Anker Soundcore Life Q20 can be worn for over 30 hours without feeling any fatigue, even with glasses on.

If you prioritize comfort and battery life, the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 is a solid option.

However, if you're expecting high-end noise cancellation or sound quality, you'll need to spend more money on a different pair of headphones.

The Anker Soundcore Life Q30 is a great deal at $79.99, offering excellent battery life, solid active noise canceling, and sound customization using the Soundcore app.

For $100, the Anker Soundcore Life Q30 is a do-it-all headphone that's worth considering.

If you're not sold on the Anker Soundcore Life Q30, consider the 1MORE SonoFlow, which offers a comparable feature set at a similar price.

The 1MORE SonoFlow has Bluetooth 5.0, decent ANC, and a companion app with EQ, but its sound is more neutral, focusing less on bass and high-frequencies.

The Anker Soundcore Space One is another option, released in 2023 as a new mid-range offering from Soundcore, with comparable sound quality and slightly improved noise canceling.

If you're not a fan of the Anker Soundcore Life Q20's form factor, the Monoprice BT-600ANC is a good alternative, using the more ubiquitous USB-C port instead of microUSB.

The Sennheiser HD 450BT is another option, offering much better sound quality for about $50 USD more, but be aware that it applies a lot of force to the listener's head.