Worth the price and then some

Anker’s Soundcore Space One headphones are stylish, comfortable ANC headphones perfect for listening to your favorite songs and podcasts anywhere. At a budget price point of $100 on the Soundcore website, these headphones far exceeded my expectations. As someone who tends to leave things behind on buses and in airports, these are the perfect pair of budget-friendly, comfortable headphones both for travel and everyday use.

When listening to music, the Space Ones block out almost all outside noise, making them great for trains, planes, and working, and going to the gym. I’ve hesitated to wear a more expensive pair of over-ear headphones to the gym out of fear of ruining them from sweat or having them stolen, but these headphones, although not at a price to simply re-purchase over and over, almost negate that fear.

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Even with no music playing, the Space Ones block out a good deal of outside noise. Although they won’t make a noisy environment into a silent one, they can make any environment into a more peaceful, easier-to-focus setting. These headphones work perfectly for making phone calls and listening to podcasts whether you’re at a desk or on the go. Although I won’t claim that the Soundcore Space Ones are the best ANC headphones on the market, they are far better than expected for the price point.

Anker Soundcore Space One

Recommended

While sitting at a budget-friendly $100 price point, Soundcore’s Space One’s look and feel luxury while delivering impressive ANC. Nice for travel and everyday activities like locking in at work or the gym, Soundcore doesn’t sacrifice style for sound quality or vice versa. While the sound quality isn’t industry-leading, it’s still full, dynamic, and solid for everyday listening.

Pros

• Stylish
• Foldable
• Come with a carrying case
• Comfortable
• Budget friendly

Cons

• Sound quality isn’t industry leading

Price, availability, and specs

Sitting in the middle of Soundcore’s $80 Life Q30 over-ear headphones and it’s slightly more pricey Space Q45 headphones, the Space One’s sit at $100 and are available at Soundcore’s and third-party retailers like Amazon.

Under the sleek and foldable design sit custom dual-dynamic, 40mm drivers and microphones for adaptive noisce-cancelling technology to detect external sounds and keep from sound leakage.

The package includes a USB cord for charging, an aux code to connect the headphones to a device of your choosing, and a travel case. Although the travel case is just a cloth pouch, this is something that gives me peace of mind when shoving my headphones into an already over-packed bag. The headphones also fold into thirds to curb the awkward headphone shape in transit.

What I liked, and what I didn’t like

Elevated and stylish design

I’m obsessed with the Space One’s subtle, trendy, and sleek aesthetic. For a budget price, these headphones look expensive. The white versions I’ve been testing are stylish enough to serve as an accessory for any outfit, and I was happy to consistently find I didn’t have to trade style for great sound and comfort. Plus, the cushioning on the adjustable headband and earphones not only sits nicely on my ears and head, but is made from soft, velvet-like material. Even after hours of continuous wear, they don’t get uncomfortable. And speaking of wearing for hours, I was happy that it’s pretty much possible given the headphones pack 40 hours of playtime in one charge if utilizing ANC and 55 hours without.

They give you everything you need in over-ear headphones

The Soundcore Space Ones most impressive feature for the price is its active noise-cancellation (ANC) capabilities. When I wore the headphones to the gym, for example, I was glad to find that I didn’t need to hike up my volume to a damaging level to lock in to my own music without my gym’s (awful) music having to compete for my attention. Ultimately, the ANC does the heavy lifting, so I can lift heavy to the music of my choice at a normal volume.

The Soundcore app compatible with the Space Ones allows for additional customization. The app allows you to adjust the transparency level of active noise cancelation in case you’d prefer to hear some, but not all, outside noise. The headphones also advertise wearing detection capabilities, which can be calibrated through the Soundcore app, so your music automatically pauses when you take the headphones off of your ears. Easy chat is my favorite app feature. Once toggled on, your Space Ones will automatically lower the volume of your music when the headphones detect that you’re speaking. This makes having a conversation possible without removing your headphones. Some other in-app capabilities are limiting high volume to a set decibel limit, reducing wind noise, and altering button control responses.

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The headphones also offer the option to easily switch to transparency mode, which turns off the ANC function, with the click of a button on the earcup. And as a woman in New York City needing to stay aware of my surroundings, I find this extremely helpful — I don’t even need to dig for my phone in my pocket or tote.

Sound Quality isn’t top-tier, but you get more than what you pay for

While the sound quality on Soundcore Space Ones isn’t perfect, it’s better than what I would have expected for the price. While softer, more acoustic leaning songs sound great, songs with more bass or percussion don’t feel quite balanced. Vocals are very clear, but background instruments tend to blur together on songs with a lot going on. Slightly more expensive headphone models, like Sony’s CH720-N, have a more impressive sound quality, but the Space Ones certainly still hold their own. Similar to Sony’s CH720-Ns, if you want to customize your listening experience, you’re able to do so by adjusting the EQ in the Soundcore app once you’ve connected it to your headphones. Altogether, the sound quality is well worth the price of these headphones. While audiophiles may find it worth the money to spend more for a higher quality listening experience, for the everyday listener, Soundcore Space Ones are great. The sound is consistent at different volume levels, and the ANC capabilities are amazing.

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Listening to podcasts and having phone conversations with these headphones don’t have a downside. I typically avoid using over-ear headphones for making phone calls because I feel like I can’t hear my own voice well enough to not start yelling, but I did think it was easier to hear myself talk with these headphones. They still won’t be my go-to for phone calls, but they’re definitely a better option than some other over- ear headphones. The person I was on the phone with also noted that the audio quality was extremely clear on their end, as it was on mine as well.

Great Bluetooth range

I was excited to find Bluetooth connectivity to my phone easy with the push of one button. And although Bluetooth range specs aren’t listed on the Anker website, I tested this by leaving my phone sitting in my home office while I walked outside listening to music on my Space Ones. The Bluetooth only started to falter when I was halfway down the block, which is pretty impressive. Many Bluetooth devices only have the capability to last a few meters and falter as soon as a wall is between the streaming device and its respective speaker or headphone.

Should you buy the Soundcore Space One headphones?

Although I still favor my more expensive ANC headphones for listening to my favorite songs, I love having a budget-friendly, travel-friendly option to bring with me on commutes, to the gym, and on trips where I inevitably will leave something on the hotel’s bedside table or 4am shuttle to the airport.

These headphones do everything that you need headphones to do: They have a strong Bluetooth connection and long battery life with clear phone call capabilities, extremely effective ANC, and no glitches in sound when listening to music. Their ability to fold up and the provided travel pouch make traveling with these headphones extremely convenient. Although the music’s sound quality isn’t top-tier, it isn’t bad by any means. I wouldn’t have expected top-tier sound quality for this price point, and with every other quality the Soundcore Space Ones offer, the value provided far outweighs the price.

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If you’re looking for everyday ANC headphones to travel with or work out with, these are perfect. The sound quality is good for the price, and the ANC performance is amazing. I would definitely recommend these to anyone looking for budget friendly ANC headphones.

Anker Soundcore Space One

Recommended

Top 5 most listened to songs:

1. L’AMOURE DE MA VIE by Billie Eilish

2. Washing Machine Heart by Mitski

3. Starburster by Fontaines D.C.

4. Obsessed by Olivia Rodrigo

5. Montréal -40 by Malajube