Why these budget headphones still have bomb ANC – almost 3 years later

I believe that having a reliable pair of over-ear headphones is just as important as having a reliable smartphone or laptop. Everyone goes to work, travels, commutes, studies, or loves to have a solo jam session, and the right headphones can only enhance those experiences. Plus, everyone has the right to feel cool and technologically forward when they wear headphones over their ears.

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But these days, consumer tech products can be all or nothing. You either spend hundreds of dollars for the best of the best, or pay less for less functional, less aesthetically pleasing, lower quality technology. Yet everyone has an inner Goldilocks who wants something right in the middle – and it’s hard to find.

So, what if I told you that you could get a good quality pair of fashionable headphones with luxury features for only $80? soundcore space one is an affordable pair of over-ear headphones that sound great, look stylish, and offer features that a $400 pair doesn’t. I should also point out that every single color option of the Space One is on sale for $20 off at Amazon.

Soundcore Space One headphones arrive a year later Space Q45Which are popular for their impressive active noise cancellation (ANC) capabilities despite their $150 price tag. But the Space One headphones have better ANC, sleeker looks, and better microphone performance than its predecessor.

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For a pair of $100 headphones, everything about the Space One headphones is impressive. These cans use adaptive noise cancellation technology to detect and eliminate noise disturbances around you. And they do a good job of blocking clicking sounds, such as typing on a keyboard or clicking a mouse.

Droning sounds, such as the hum of a refrigerator, lawnmower, AC unit, or aircraft, can overwhelm the Space One’s ANC, but turning the volume up to more than 50% eliminates this problem. The Space One headphones deliver full-bodied bass, mids that aren’t hollow, and treble that’s enjoyable and clear without piercing your eardrums. These headphones don’t deliver the deepest bass, so if you don’t like loud, skull-shaking bass, these cans are for you.

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When I listened to Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s “Part II (On the Run),” the bassline was clear enough to keep me in tune, but it lacked the deep punch that makes a song feel like it’s in my bones. Yet, the mids remain clear and natural, while the treble is stable enough to bring out small details in a song without sounding shrill.

The Space One headphones are the latest in Soundcore’s Space lineup, and their name matches their design: They have a sleek, outer-space vibe. The Soundcore mixes a matte finish with chrome details, and the sky blue color I tried reinforces the galactic feel.

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The Space One ear cups are made of polyurethane leather and are more circular than oval, providing a mix of over-the-ear and on-ear fit, bending more over the ear.

Instead of sporting a long oval ear cup shape like the Bose QuietComfort 45 headphones, the rounded Space One earcups press into the ears a little more tightly. I wore the Space One headphones for two-hour stretches, then took them off for a while to reduce ear fatigue.

But you’ll need plenty of breaks before the battery runs out, as you can get 55 hours of playtime with these headphones with ANC off. With ANC on, the Space One headphones will last up to 40 hours, and just 5 minutes of charging can give you 4 hours of playtime.

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Now, let’s dive into the extra features that the Space One gives you that some headphones at double, triple, or quadruple the price don’t. First of all, the Soundcore Companion app is an extremely comprehensive hub for your EQ preferences. In the app, you can create a custom HearID, which asks for a few prompts from you before creating a special EQ setting based on your responses.

Additionally, the Soundcore app offers 22 EQ presets that adjust Space One EQ settings to deliver the best sound for the music you’re listening to. For example, the Pop EQ setting will boost the treble and mids while slightly reducing the bass, and the Hip-Hop setting will boost the bass, reduce the treble and slightly raise the mids. These highly customized EQ settings don’t come with the Bose 700 headphones, which cost $380.

The Space One headphones are equipped with wearing detection, a feature that pauses music when it senses you’ve taken them off your head and resumes playback when you put them back on. This is a feature you won’t find on the Beats Studio Pro, which retails for $350.

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Easy Chat can be enabled in the Soundcore app and when the Space One headphones detect your voice, it will reduce the volume of your music, assuming you’re trying to have a conversation. Then, the Space One headphones will amplify the other person’s voice, allowing you to hear them better without having to remove your cans. You won’t find this feature in the AirPods Max, despite their $550 price tag.

I only have one real complaint about these headphones: the carrying case – or dust bag, I should say. This is a bit finicky and not a direct criticism of the headphones, but having a convenient carrying case adds to the experience – and that’s something the Space One lacks.

Clumsy carry cases that leave your precious headphones vulnerable to damage, like the AirPods Max case, don’t give you a safe place to store your device. Hardshell cases (my preference) come with more expensive headphones, but a soft, zip-up case would still do the Space One more justice than the drawstring bag that comes with it.

ZDNET’s shopping advice

overall, space one headphones Very good because of its low price. I would recommend these headphones for people who don’t want the fanciest, most expensive headphones, but also don’t want to sell themselves short with a cheaply made headphone.

The Soundcore Space One headphones won’t impress audiophiles, but they’ll give the average listener everything they’re looking for in a pair of good quality headphones. If you want to spend as much as $80 for a pair of headphones, go to Space One.