The noise handling of the integrated microphone is mediocre. They're quite comfortable, and they come with a basic pouch to give them some light protection when you toss them into a bag. The ANC on these headphones does better against the low rumble of bus or plane engines, though they still don't do nearly as good in this range as some more expensive options, like the Anker SoundCore Space NC. The hinges are likely their weakest point, as they feel hollow and plasticky, but overall the headphones feel dense and solid enough that they should be able to survive a few accidental drops or bumps without sustaining too much damage. The Anker Soundcore Life Q20 are decent headphones for sports. Its overbearing BassUp mode, meanwhile, is best left turned off. While the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 will work on PC via Bluetooth or while wired, you'll only be able to use them wired with the PS4 by plugging them into the controller. We steer you to products you'll love and show you how to get the most out of them. The comfort of these headphones is good. While the person you're speaking to should have no problems hearing you in quiet environments, they won't be the best options for even moderately noisy situations. Overall, the sound produced from these headphones will sound small and will be perceived to be inside the listener's head. Their comfortable and lightweight design means you should be able to wear them for long periods without them causing fatigue or discomfort. so that you can compare the results easily. While their ear cups have slightly less padding than the previous model, it's not noticeable while wearing them, and they feel just as comfortable. The Anker Soundcore Life Q20 Wireless are a slightly improved version of the Anker SoundCore Life 2 Wireless. The Anker Soundcore Life Q20 are alright headphones for mixed usage. You can also engage the headset’s “BassUp” bass-boosting feature by double-pressing the play button, or you can long-press it to summon Siri or Google Assistant. Overall, however, this likely won't be too noticeable. The Anker Soundcore Life Q20 are an upgraded version of the very decent Anker SoundCore Life 2 Wireless, and pack a few moderate upgrades.While the older model had a large headband that made them feel loose for people with smaller heads, the Q20 are a bit smaller and should fit most people slightly better. The battery performance of these headphones is very good. Check out our recommendations for the best PS4 gaming headsets if you want something for gaming on a PS4 or PC. The custom 40 mm dynamic drivers reproduce music with rich details and extraordinary clarity for a heightened listening experience. TechHive helps you find your tech sweet spot. This will likely please fans of EDM or hip-hop, while their over-emphasized treble range will also be good for genres like pop and rock. The ANC performance of the Mpow is quite a bit better, especially for blocking out engine sounds, but the battery on the Anker will last almost 10 hours longer. The Anker Soundcore Life Q20 are an upgraded version of the very decent Anker SoundCore Life 2 Wireless, and pack a few moderate upgrades. Unfortunately, the microphone won't work so you'll only get audio. While I was pretty happy with the Life Q20’s wireless sound and noise-cancelling features, I was less thrilled by its wired audio performance, which sounded disappointingly hollow and lifeless. On the other hand, the Anker have better microphone performance, lower iOS latency, and a significantly longer battery. 160 St-Viateur Est, Suite 408, Montreal, Canada, H2T 1A8, TaoTronics SoundLiberty 92 Truly Wireless, Mpow EM12 Wireless Earphone Bluetooth Headset. They also have a moderately improved ANC feature which performs much better at blocking out speech, and are slightly better at isolating out the low rumble of bus or plane engines, though they still aren't very good in this regard. Overall, however, leads and vocals should sound quite well-balanced and present. If you want a pair of similarly-performing headphones that support aptX-LL for a lower-latency connection, check out the TREBLAB Z2 Wireless. Sound profile isn't as balanced as previous version. The Anker are quite a bit more comfortable, have better controls, feel better built, have a longer battery, and have much better ANC. Unfortunately, they lack any power-saving features, so their battery will drain if you forget to turn them off. However, the Mpow are still slightly thumpy but better-balanced overall. Fans of neutral and balanced sound profiles will likely find their V-shaped sound profile too excited and unnatural sounding. The Anker are more comfortable and have a better microphone. While they may leak a bit of sound at very loud volumes, it should sound very thin and likely shouldn't bother people around you. The EM12 is a mono Bluetooth headset that looks like a single earbud from a pair of truly wireless in-ears and is designed to use while making phone calls. Bose QuietComfort 35 II/QC35 II Wireless 2018, LEARN ABOUT FREQUENCY RESPONSE CONSISTENCY, best noise cancelling headphones under $100, Be the first to start a discussion about Anker Soundcore Life Q20 Wireless. The Mixcder E9 Wireless and the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 Wireless are both decent wireless over-ear headphones with ANC. Pairing the headphones with a device is a simple matter of pressing and holding the power button; I had no trouble pairing the Life Q20 to my iPhone XS, my Dell Latitude laptop, or the Genki Bluetooth adapterRemove non-product link that I use with my Nintendo Switch. The Anker SoundCore Life Q20 is perhaps the best cheap active noise-canceling headphones. Sign up to receive exclusive offers and updates. It's worth mentioning that these results are only valid for our unit, and yours may perform differently. The power button sits on the left earcup and doubles as a Bluetooth pairing button when you long-press it. They're also quite comfortable, and you should be able to wear them for extended periods without feeling any fatigue. When a product is discontinued or no longer popular, we sell the purchased products locally in Montreal, Canada. The Anker are a lot more affordable and still perform decently overall, so they may provide better value for some users. The mode worked great during my cross-country flight, almost completely blocking the deep roar of the jet engines and thus allowing me to enjoy my Ravel in relative peace. For its part, Anker claims that you can wring up to 60 hours of music playback in normal mode or up to 30 hours with active noise cancellation activated. First I queued up the title track of Bruce Springsteen’s The Ghost of Tom Joad, and I was impressed with the detail I heard in The Boss’s subdued vocals and acoustic guitar performance, which is soon followed by some punchy percussion, warm synthesizer, and reedy harmonica. Unlike on some higher-end headphones—as we found in our Sony WH-1000XM3 review, for example—there is no mode that purposefully enables you to hear ambient sounds. Those who can’t get enough bass might warm to the Life Q20’s BassUp mode, but once I tried it, I never felt the urge to turn BassUp on again. The Status Audio have lower wireless latency on PC and Android devices, are lighter and easier to carry around thanks to their hard case and deliver audio more consistently. Once I turned on noise cancelling, the sound popped back into life, perhaps because the headset’s built-in amplifier kicked back into gear. For some deep, thumping beats, I teed up Aquasky’s “Bulletproof” track and got a kick out of the punchy yet controlled bass, which never crowded the higher- and mid-range sound. The treble accuracy of these headphones is decent. A volume rocker on the right earcup has an integrated play button that lets you play and pause music and answer calls. Be part of the most informed community and take advantage of our advanced tools to find the best product for your needs. They’re also marginally more portable and have an integrated microphone that delivers only slightly inferior recording quality, though it does a much worse job of isolating speech from ambient noise than the Logitech’s boom microphone. The leakage performance of these headphones is very good. Teasing the detail and texture out of a classical solo piano recording can be tricky for any headphones, let alone bargain ones, but the Life Q20 held its own, even when compared side by side with my wired Sony MDR-V6 studio monitors. They're actually a bit more accurate in the bass range than the previous version, so you should get a similar bass response every time you wear them. The Anker Soundcore Life Q20 Wireless are better headphones than the TaoTronics SoundLibery 92 Truly Wireless. On the other hand, the Space have better ANC, feel better built, and have lower latency on Android. Weighing in at just 9.3 ounces, the SoundCore Life Q20 features an adjustable padded headband with foldable earcups that swivel up to 90 degrees, handy for stashing the headset into a backpack or a purse. The peaks and dips performance of the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 is decent. Their V-shaped sound profile is quite excited-sounding, making them a good choice for pop or rock music. The Mixcder come with a much nicer carrying case, have a more consistent frequency response among different users, lower latency on Android or PC, and a much better-balanced sound profile. The Anker Soundcore Life Q20 Wireless and the TREBLAB Z2 Wireless both perform similarly overall. Pressing the second button on the earcup turns on the headset’s noise-cancelling mode, which (according to Anker) is designed to block 90 percent of low- and mid-range noise with help from a quartet of built-in microphones. The Life have a slightly better-balanced sound profile, a much longer battery that charges much quicker, and much lower latency on iOS. The Anker Soundcore Life Q20 are mediocre headphones for neutral sound listening. Their sound profile is fairly well-suited for a wide range of genres, but their ANC isn't the best for blocking out the engine rumble or buses or planes, though it does an excellent job at blocking out background speech. However, the Anker's V-shaped sound signature won't be for everyone. Like most closed-back over-ear headphones, they'll likely cause your ears to heat up and sweat a bit more than usual, but they're decently stable and should be able to withstand a light jog or run without falling off. The SoundCore Life Q20 headset surprised us with its rich, lifelike sound and a comfortable fit that allowed for lengthy listening sessions. Active noise cancellation sweetens the deal, although we were bummed by the headset’s so-so sound over its wired connection. The Anker Soundcore Life Q20 have a slightly improved ANC feature over the previous version. People with small heads will find the Q20 more comfortable and stable than the previous version, as they're a bit smaller. There's a premium price to pay for the Sony, though. Luckily, their ear cups swivel to lay flat, and they come with a basic carrying pouch. Active noise cancellation sweetens the deal, although we were bummed by the headset’s so-so sound over its wired connection. Audio should sound clear and pure at louder volumes, though at lower volumes there may be some minor artifacts. Orders are returnable through January 31st, 2021. Their ANC does an excellent job at blocking out chatty coworkers, and their battery should easily last you a few full work days. The Mpow EM12 Wireless Earphone Bluetooth Headset and the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 Wireless are very different products meant for different uses. The Sennheiser HD 4.50 BTNC and the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 Wireless are both decent wireless noise cancelling headphones, though the Anker provide better value if you prefer their sound profile. While the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 can be used wired for gaming, their microphone won't work, so you'll only get audio through the headphones. The controls of these headphones are decent. Let’s put it this way: I wouldn’t have listened to Ravel for a couple of hours on the SoundCore cans if I didn’t like what I was hearing. The Anker are more comfortable, easier-to-use, have a better microphone, isolate more noise, and have longer battery life. On the bright side, these headphones do an excellent job at blocking out background speech, making them a good option for blocking out chatty coworkers in the office. This will result in bass with a lot of thump and punch. That all changed when I switched on the headset’s “BassUp” mode, however. The Anker Soundcore Life Q20 Wireless are slightly better-mixed use headphones than the Cowin E7 Wireless. The Anker Soundcore Life Q20 come with a very basic pouch that isn't nearly as good as the hard case that came with the previous version. These headphones have no virtual soundstage features. Back on the plus side3, the Life Q20’s battery life was solid, with the headset’s voice alerts assuring me that its battery capacity was still “high” even after several days of on-and-off use. The Anker Soundcore Life Q20 don't have a dock. The Anker Soundcore Life Q20 Wireless and the Anker SoundCore Space NC Wireless are both decent wireless over-ear headphones with ANC. The imaging of the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 is great. The Anker Soundcore Life Q20 have an integrated microphone. TechHive |. The Anker Soundcore Life Q20 are basically the same size as the previous version, so they aren't the easiest to carry around. Almost the entire range is flat, with only a small bump in high-mids that will emphasize lead instruments and vocals. Gain early access to all tests results for new products, Prices will now be listed directly in reviews and tables, Have 5 votes per product category to choose which product we’ll review next, Gain unlimited access to detailed test results in tools and results (no blurred results), Best Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds For Running, Best Wireless Bluetooth Headphones Under $100, Best Noise Cancelling Headphones Under $100, Best Noise Cancelling Earbuds And In-Ears, Best Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds Under $50, Best Noise Cancelling Headphones Under $200, Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 Test Results, JBL Tune 125TWS Truly Wireless Test Results, JLab Audio JBuds Air ANC Truly Wireless Review, Having trouble deciding between two headphones? Much more effective was the headset’s active noise-cancelling feature, which works pretty much as advertised. Their battery life is very good, and should last almost an entire work week. The Anker are wireless over-ears that are Bluetooth 5.0-compatible, giving them a substantial advantage in regards to overall versatility. Can I still use Life Q20 when the battery runs out? See our recommendations for the best headphones, the best noise cancelling headphones under $100, and the best wireless headphones. While the Anker have a much better ANC feature and last longer off a single charge, the TREBLAB have a better-balanced and less bass-heavy sound profile. This tool will clearly show you the differences, Use our data and table to find the best headphones for your needs, Want to see us review a specific headphones? Just press and hold the ANC button on the Life Q20’s left earcup to engage its noise-cancelling abilities. While the range is fairly even, without many large, sudden peaks or dips, the entire range is very over-emphasized. These over-ears also do a better job isolating background noise, and they leak less sound. You may notice some inconsistencies with the treble range, so you may need to adjust them on your head slightly to get the same listening experience every time. Like the SoundCore Life 2, they are mainly plastic but are reinforced by a thin metal sheet in the headband. Almost the entire range is slightly over-emphasized which may cause some vocals and lead instruments to sound slightly harsh or piercing.