In the world of personal audio, there has long been a gatekeeper effect. If you wanted top-tier active noise canceling (ANC) and high-fidelity sound, you were expected to pay a premium tax. However, soundcore by Anker has been building a strong case against that status quo. Their latest entry, the Space One, promises to deliver 98% noise reduction and Hi-Res audio for a fraction of the cost of the big-name competitors.
Today, we’re investigating if these headphones are a true bargain or just a budget-friendly compromise.
Design and Ergonomics
When you first handle the Space One, it’s clear that soundcore focused on wearability. Weighing in at just about 265 grams, these are remarkably light. The headband features a floating design that helps distribute weight evenly across the top of the head, which is crucial for preventing the dreaded headache during long flights or work sessions.
The earcups are padded with a soft, protein-covered foam that mimics the feel of high-end leather. One interesting design choice is the 8-degree tilting mechanism on the earcups. This allows the headphones to self-adjust to the specific shape of your head, creating a better seal for noise isolation.
The Audio Investigation: Hi-Res Sound and LDAC Support
For many audio enthusiasts, they check the drivers. The Space One is equipped with 40mm customized dynamic drivers. While that size is standard for over-ear headphones, soundcore has tuned them to support LDAC technology.
What is LDAC?
LDAC allows for three times more data to be transmitted over Bluetooth compared to standard codecs.This means if you are streaming high-quality audio, you are going to hear much more detail in the highs and a tighter response in the lows. During our testing, the soundstage felt impressively wide for closed-back headphones, giving instruments room to breathe rather than sounding cramped inside your ears.
The Noise Cancelling Test
The headline claim for the Space One is its ability to reduce ambient noise by up to 98%. It achieves this using an Adaptive ANC system that detects external sounds and internal leakage to adjust the cancellation in real-time.
Testing the Silence
We put the Space One through three common noise environments:
- The Commute: It excelled at cutting out the low-frequency hum of a bus engine and the rhythmic clatter of train tracks.
- The Office: High-pitched sounds, like a mechanical keyboard or a distant conversation, were significantly muffled, though not entirely erased, which is typical for even the most expensive headphones.
The Transparency Mode: This is often where budget headphones fail. However, the Space One features a very natural-sounding transparency mode, allowing you to have a conversation or hear traffic without feeling like you’re listening through a tin can.
Battery Life and Connectivity
One of the most frustrating things a wireless product can do is dying in the middle of a trip. To avoid this, soundcore has packed a massive battery into the Space One.
- ANC On: You get up to 40 hours of playtime.
- ANC Off: This jumps to an incredible 60 hours.
Furthermore, the Space One supports Multipoint Connection. This allows you to stay connected to your laptop for a Zoom call while simultaneously being paired to your phone for notifications. If a call comes in, the headphones switch the audio source automatically, which is a high-end feature often missing in this price bracket.
Comparison: Space One vs. The Giants
Is it worth skipping the famous brands for these?
- Noise Canceling: The top-tier Sony and Bose models still have a slight edge in absolute silence, but the Space One gets you about 90% of the way there for 30% of the price.
- Build Quality: This is where the price difference shows. You won’t find carbon fiber or magnesium here, but the plastic is high-quality and doesn’t creak during movement.
- App Support: The soundcore app is arguably one of the best in the business, offering a HearID test that creates a custom EQ profile specifically for your ears.
Our Verdict
After analyzing the audio fidelity, the noise-canceling performance, and thousands of verified customer reports on Amazon, we have reached a decision.
The soundcore Space One is the best value-for-money noise-canceling headphone on the market today. It successfully challenges the idea that you need to spend hundreds of dollars for a premium listening experience. It delivers comfort, high-res audio, and impressive silence in a package that is accessible to everyone.
Check this product and more on Amazon.
