Review on 🎧 Soundcore by Anker Life Q35: Hi-Res Wireless Audio & Active Noise Cancelling Headphones with 40H Playtime, Comfort Fit, and Clear Calls (Obsidian Blue) by David Strawn

I met Soundcore with the Life Q10, a high budget headset with an amazing battery, decent sound and wireless connectivity. When the Q35 pushed the brand out of the budget space, the positive reviews were reason enough for me to give it a try. They've certainly doubled down on their strengths, with another amazing battery, even better sound, and slightly worse wireless connectivity. I'd be really shocked if Anker couldn't make a headset with decent battery life. While I don't want to downplay how market leaders they are in this space, I expected them to be and won't go into detail. The sound quality matches the price. Soundcore products have a certain bass affinity, including the Q35. However, I was pleased with the overall sound separation and clarity. I played around with the Soundcore app's companion EQ, but in the end I felt the hardware worked best with the default settings, letting it shine with its bass. mm to retreat. Out of the first 5 devices I tried to connect to the Q35, only one would accept it on the first try. Most required double-digit pairing attempts. Intermittent blackouts were the order of the day, even at arm's length in the open air. Bluetooth Multipoint is a feature in name only, as there is no convenient way to switch between connected devices. When it switches devices, it sometimes goes all the way up and blows your ears. Bluetooth is a garbage standard and I hate that we live in a dark timeline where it's kind of become the protocol of choice, so I can't blame Anker entirely. But as things are, it's just not a reliable product. Perhaps firmware updates will improve this in the future, which thankfully is possible via the Soundcore app. Active noise cancellation is above average. While the amount of noise it eliminates isn't great, I give it extra credit for working without a tight fit or an uncomfortable hiss. The ANC system is controlled by a single button that toggles between "Normal" (off), "Noise-Cancelling" (on), and "Transparency" (instead, it amplifies noise and simulates wearing a headset with open back). Each key press has a voice prompt of the mode it has switched to, making them sluggish and annoying to hear. "Transparency" is a bit more accessible, as you can rest your hand on the right earcup to switch between it and your other latest ANC mode, although this still comes with an obsessive narrator and is prone to accidental activation. A normal switch would have been much better. Another feature of the Q35 is a sensor that pauses media playback when you remove your headset. This is a feature that can quickly be overshadowed by its usefulness if it's not working properly. Unfortunately I have to say that it doesn't really work. Listening from a stationary, upright position leads to frequent false pauses. It pissed me off and I ended up disabling it in the Soundcore app. Very poorly implemented interesting idea. In terms of comfort, the headset has large, padded cups and a very loose fit. I found it fairly easy to wear for long periods of time. However, the loose fit makes them less ideal for active activities and can easily fall off when bending over and the like. I will keep the headset but am still disappointed by its shortcomings. We hope that some of them will be improved with firmware or in the next iteration.