Anker Soundcore Life Q20 Hybrid Active Noise Cancelling
Anker Soundcore Life Q20 Hybrid Active Noise Cancelling Headphones, Wireless Over Ear Bluetooth Headphones, 40H Playtime, Hi-Res Audio, Deep Bass, Memory Foam Ear Cups, for Travel, Home Office
Hi-Res Audio
Enjoy certified Hi-Res Audio via 40mm dynamic drivers that deliver clear sound with rich details.
Hybrid Active Noise Cancellation
Internal and external microphones cancel out an extended range of low and mid-frequency noises.
BassUp Technology
Our custom algorithm performs real-time music analysis for instantly intensified bass.
Accessories
In the box you’ll find a travel pouch to conveniently store Life Q20 active noise cancelling headphones in, a 3.5mm AUX cable to keep the music playing when you’re low on battery, and a Micro USB cable to charge them with.
 Life Q20 |  Life Q30 |  Life Q20＋ |  Life Q35 | |
| Sound | Hi-Res, BassUp, dual EQ modes | Hi-Res, customized EQ | Hi-Res, customized EQ | Hi-Res, customized EQ, LDAC |
| Active Noise Cancellation | Hybrid ANC | Hybrid ANC with multiple modes | Hybrid ANC, transparency modes | Hybrid ANC with multiple modes |
| Playtime | 60H (ANC off), 40H (ANC on) | 60H (ANC off), 40H (ANC on) | 60H (ANC off), 40H (ANC on) | 60H (ANC off), 40H (ANC on) |
| Fast Charging | 5 mins = 4 hrs | 5 mins = 4 hrs | 5 mins = 4 hrs | 5 mins = 4 hrs |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5, AUX | Bluetooth 5, AUX, NFC | Bluetooth 5, AUX | Bluetooth 5, AUX with mic, NFC |
| Calls | single mic | 2 mics | single mic | 2 mics with AI alroghim |
| Charging Port | Micro-USB | USB-C | USB-C | USB-C |
| Soundcore App | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Recommended For | Travel, flight, train, commute | Travel, flight, train, commute | Travel, home office, commute | Travel, flight, train, commute |
Key Features
Hi-Res Audio: Oversized 40 mm dynamic drivers produce Hi-Res Audio with treble extended to 40 kHz for exceptional clarity and details.
Hybrid Active Noise canceling: Four microphones and a digital active noise cancellation algorithm detect and filter out up to 90% of low- and mid-frequency sounds.
BassUp Technology: Our exclusive technology conducts real-time analysis of your audio’s bass frequencies to instantly strengthen it by up to 100%.
All-Day Comfort: Memory foam earcups gently fit around your ears and the headband’s rotating joints adjust the angle of the earcups to adapt to the shape of your head.
40-Hour Playtime: Life Q20 active noise canceling headphones power multiple long haul flights from a single charge with up to 40 hours of playtime in wireless ANC mode. Increase to 60 hours in standard wireless listening mode.
AUX Cable: Use the included AUX cable for unlimited listening in wired mode.
Built-In Microphone: Make convenient, hands-free calls.
Note: According to regulations, the maximum volume of headphones should not exceed 100dB. In order to protect your hearing, Life Q20’s maximum volume has been set to around 95dB. It is recommended that you do not listen to excessively loud volumes for long periods of time.
This product is compliant with CP65, RoHS, and REACH requirements. However, certain people may develop skin irritation due to allergies or sensitivities. To reduce the risk of skin irritation: Clean your device regularly; Avoid using lotions or other products under the portions of the device that contact your skin; Do not wear over injured skin; Where applicable, tighten the adjustment until snug, but not uncomfortably tight; If your skin becomes irritated, stop using device. If symptoms are severe or persist, consult your physician.
| Dimensions: | 19.5 x 18 x 7.8 cm; 263.08 Grams |
| Model: | AK-A3025011 |
| Batteries Included: | 1 Lithium Polymer batteries required. (included) |
| Manufacture: | Anker |
| Dimensions: | 19.5 x 18 x 7.8 cm; 263.08 Grams |
| Origin: | China |
I had an issue early on where they would randomly disconnect (a couple times a month) from my computer Bluetooth, but that somehow resolved itself. Since then they’ve been great and they have only recently shown signs of wear and tear as the cheap fake leather is rubbing off the cups. It’s a shame but I do use these most days so they have seen a lot of use.
They are very competitively priced for Bluetooth headphones of this quality and hold up to a lot of the more expensive models in my opinio
These have exceeded my expectations as i compare them to my beats by dre studio 3 headphones which i use for best.
Id say that 1. Amazon locker service is incredibly easy and super convenient
2. These head phones are exceptional value and are a tiny price compared to beats headphones Bose and alike.
If you’re on a budget these would without doubt be my go to purchase.
They feel excellent quality, id say the steel band that you see when adjusting the head band is the only cheap sign but overall for sound and comfort and noise cancellation these are an excellent choice!
Amazon locker is an absolute no brainer if you have one near by so give it a go this is my 3rd time using and to pick up when i want is soooo convenie
I’m using them connected to the tv and I have to say that the noise cancelling is pretty impressive.
I’m currently wearing them while watching you tube and I had to take them off my ears to see if the really irritating lawn mower was still going on and it is!
So for 39.99 I really can’t complain. They do exactly what I wanted them to do.
I do think they’re comfortable – I’ve managed to fall asleep in them on more than one occasion.
They’re not very attractive though. I don’t think I’ll be popping out to Tesco in them!
They’re also good for phone calls. And have a decent range away from my phone. They seem better connected on phone calls than when I’m connected to the tv.
I find if I’m washing up in the kitchen they lag a bit when listening to the tv.. but haven’t had that happen while connected on a phone call.
Battery life seems great.
If you need a pair of inexpensive noise cancelling headphones, these seem like a really good option in my opinion.
Very impressed with the noise cancelling and overall sound. I have noticed a low-level hiss or ‘brown noise’ in a silent room with no audio playing—also a slight ‘pumping’ sub-base noise.
Spare ear-pads are available; I got myself a set just in case the product life isn’t that long.
Very quick and easy initial setup using the app from downloads. The printed instructions are great once you understand them. No words, just illustrations. I found it very difficult to get a connection between my iPad and the headphones. After struggling for a couple of days I realised that I had the headphones with the cups facing each other. The illustration shows them (page 4) side by side. As soon as I laid them down that way connection was instant! Bluetooth connection is also instant when the cups are side by side. Therefore the instructions might be improved by an extra illustration showing them with cups together and a big X over them!
Sound quality is excellent for me (I wear hearing aids); the cups are very comfortable having room inside them for all of my ears; the spring pressure over the head is just right without being tight or loose; solid construction; not noticeably heavy. I don’t really need noise cancellation so can’t comment; don’t use them long enough to run the battery down; not yet tried for telephone calls. I have a WiFi door bell and have been pleased to notice that my iPad/iPhone push the sound of that into the headphones.
Very much better than the ear pods that I have replaced.
I’ve had bose ones before but wanted wireless ones ..can’t actually fault these bass very good , general sound very good ..easy to set up noise cancellation good got them for 40 pound in Amazon sale ..pleased all round
Have purchased these headphones to use on a night flight hoping to help me sleep by cancelling noise! Using headphones around the house am well impressed with sound quality and comfort of phones on head. Hopefully they do trick on fligh
I absolutely love them, I have sensory issues and they really help to dull out background noise, although this is my second pair that I’ve ordered and they both have the same problem: after about 3 months they have stopped charging. I’ve used different cables and left them charging for hours but there is nothing I can do. They are still usable, because they have the wire bur the Bluetooth and noise cancelling won’t work when they’re not charged
After doing some online research, I decided to try out the Q20s, especially as they were on offer for 40. I had pretty low expectations from a cheap pair of cans but, wow. These sound great, regardless of price. The bass, although deep and pronounced, is not out of control and doesn’t swamp the mids and highs. The soundstage isn’t as wide as on headphones costing 10x the price, but they’re not bad either.
Having used them watching TV, as well as listening to music on the go, the Bluetooth connection hasn’t dropped once. As for noise-cancelling? I’ve never liked the feature as the audio quality dips significantly, even on higher-end headphones.
The Q20s also, hilariously, have a ‘bass-boost’ function. This is probably aimed at teenagers who want the loudest, most over-the-top bass, but it’s borderline painful (I watched a Star Wars action sequence and it felt like my brain was shaking).
Another massive plus point is that these work as wired headphones too and, unlike a good number of expensive models, work without having to switch them on (you lose the noise-cancelling and brain-rattling features though).
The positives are: very impressive sound, excellent Bluetooth and wired connectivity, long battery life and light.
Where could these be improved? Well, they look ugly and cheap. Absolutely fine for home use, but you won’t get many admiring glances being out and about (maybe that’s a good thing, being a deterant to thieves?). That being said, such is the sheer enjoyment of listening to music on these, I still wear these on public transport.
I really do hope that they spend time and money in the look and build of these headphones because I would gladly pay double the price for something that looks and feels more premium.
Despite the looks, these are amazing value headphones. Highly recommended.
I bought these to help me concentrate with work and try to filter out external sounds. I wasn’t sure how well it would work given the price but I’ve been very impressed so far. They’re comfortable to wear, the sound quality is great and the noise cancelling works very well. The battery also seems to last much longer than previous Bluetooth headphones that I’ve owned.
These headphones are great value. Very comfortable and great sound, especially bass. There is the ability to increase the bass, should you wish to do that.
The noise cancellation is good too, but I haven’t yet been on a plane to test it properly. I have only had these for a couple of weeks but so far they are durable.
If you’re looking for a good value set of headphones with a decent bass then you should plump for one of these.
Love my new headphones, very comfortable either Bluetooth or corded. Sit really nicely over my whole ear, the sound is superb. A right bargain as 10.00 off when I purchased mine. My husband has the much more expensive model and highly recommended these to me, got the cheaper version as mainly used when watching television.
Very quick to set up with handy buttons to change volume, pause, answer calls and turn off/on the noise cancelling feature.
Sound quality is very good. Sometimes I prefer to switch off the noise cancelling as it tends to generate more punchy and bassy sounds but it’s not bad with it on, and very handy to drown out background chatter.
It feels quite comfortable and can be adjusted and sits on my ears quite nicely. The only slight issue I found is that it tends to get a bit sweaty as it covers my ears fully. Maybe that’s just me though. I can see that more sweat may damage the padding at some point but after a month or so of regular use, they’re still good.
The sound is brilliant – lovely thumping base that can even be increased readily. It takes a little while to get used to operating the controls when the phones are on your head but that’s not a problem. The only downside is the noise reduction is minimal or not working at all. It seems to reduce volume when on, causing a need to increase the volume setting which then, hopefully, drowns out external noise except it doesn’t. However, I don’t have a need for the noise reduction, and as I’m so pleased otherwise with the performance I haven’t gone through the hassle of returning them. If noise reduction is important be aware it may not work as well as you would like.
These were recommended by my daughter in law & they do not disappoint. I’ve only used them a couple of times so far but they have very good sound quality & are comfy to wear. For the price point you can’t go wrong
These cans are light and comfortable to wear for a prolonged period. Sound quality is well balanced and they seem quite robust. They’re probably technically not as good as a 300 pair but most people (including me) will find they do the job really well.
I’ve only received these today and been using them for a few hours, but holy heck are they worth it.
I live with someone who has the TV that loud it’s physically painful to be in the same room at times and these magical headphones have taken that noise down to barely a whisper! Wish I’d brought a set sooner!
Really good product for a great price. Comfortable on the ear and great sound.
Liked that the deep bass is excellent and does not affect the mid and high eq
They are great headphones for the price. My only advice would be to really look after them and keep them in a hard case when not in use.
Battery life is pretty good but the sound/noise cancellation quality is unparalleled. I’ve shopped around a while for a good set of headphones for use during a noisy commute and these are second to none.
Good headphones, but a bit big on my head. You couldn’t use them if you are running
Good quality of sound. Using daily and haven’t needed to recharge yet.
For the price these Headphones are Excellent very comfortable good base sound and a charge lasts for days would highly recommend
Good sound could be louder but havent downloaded the app yet so it may be a setting issue
Comfortable to wear, good sound, some noise cancellation.
It reduces noise, does not cancel it and I suspect it’s the close fit as no difference when turned off.
Good music sound, worked well with rock music and I tied some acoustic, good quality, the bass is good,, but not thumpingly great.
I like the foldability and the supplied soft storage bag.
Battery life was good too, never needed re-charging in the first two weeks of testing it.
Have soundcore buds so when needed new headphones thought I’d give these a go. Great sound quality and nice and comfy with plenty of adjustment.
These beat all my other headphones, Monster, Sennheiser, and miscellaneous buds etc. bought as a present for son, and bookmarked them for myself for future reference.
Brought these after using a family members, all of the above plus comfort, only down size is they are a little bulky, but if used correctly they are fine. Great value for the money.
These headphones have really good reviews and I managed to get a pair at a great price, cannot comment on how they perform as yet as they are a Christmas present!
Sound quality is absolutely brilliant…. Crystal clear highs and lovely deep rich bass….. I’m using these with the 1mii Bluetooth transmitter on Technics separates and they sound as good as my Philips Fidelio wired headphones but with the advantage of the freedom of movement.
Wore these for 3 hours straight and at no point we’re they uncomfortable.
I purchased these because of the Anker quality of my previous items and wasn’t disappointed.
Worth every penny and more…. Very very happy with these…. Excellent packaging and fast delivery and the inclusion of a carry case is great as well.
Hope these last a long time as listening to music through these is a joy.
Best set of headphones I ever got great value for the price. I work in a place with very loud machines thees headphones block out almost all the noise very impressed
I use these for a commute on a train. Massively reduces the ambient noise, sound is really clear. Would recommend
Well packaged, looks like a quality product and initial quality of sound so far is excellent.
Excellent value for money, great comfort and battery life is excellent , noise cancellation is great and they are comfortable to wea
They don’t cancel background noise but they do reduce it and I can’t fault them for the price.
You can definitely tell the difference when you put them on. I use them in the gym
I use these headphones for going to the gym and they are amazing, I have only had them for 2 or 3 months but I’ve only had to charge them twice so brillia
These headphones are fantastic, and when I had an issue with a piece of the headphone coming loose the team has no problem sending me a new pair under the warranty.
Great headphones at a cheap price, and amazing customer service.
I’ve never had a wireless headset before but I’m glad I chose this product. It’s very comfortable, flexible and does exactly what it says on the ti
For the price paid (40) these are pretty hard to beat! Sound and noise cancellation better than expected, and battery life is good.
Affordable, comfortable, clear cut sound and superb noise cancellation…
However, I personally found the noise cancellation extreme and too much. I got disoriented and dizzy .
My Dad loves them though . Thinks theyre percent worth every penny.
I used to work alone in our office but now I share with my partner. To begin with, I struggled with the distraction when he had a call or zoom meeting – these headphones are the perfect solution: now I just slip them on and can happily get on with my work.
I am well pleased with the item. Deep bass, natural mid-ranges and crisp clear high trebles. Robust built material with extra soft earpads. Great product!
Very happy with my new headphones, noise cancellation is excellent, the sound is great and they are the most comfy headphones I’ve ever had.
Great value noise cancelling headphones.Tried and tested on a long haul flight, exercise routine and general ipad/phone watching = 10/10. Very comfortable to wear. Would recommend
Been using these headphones to listen to podcasts on daily walks for a couple of months now and really pleased with them. They’re very comfy and the battery life is phenomenally good. I don’t tend to use the noise cancelling function, but the over the ear cuffs provide a massive amount of noise cancelling in themselves – they almost completely block out wind noise which was an issue with my in ear headphones.
As these were a snip at 35, I wasn’t expecting much, but boy was I wrong. For a start, the headphones fit on my ears snugly and are comfortable to wear. Listening to music the songs are crisp and clear, and the bass is banging. I haven’t put them on full volume but I cranked it up to a bearable level and there was no sound distortion or ‘tinnyness’.
I love my music and I have quite varied tastes. From Tom Jones to Eminem..to drum and bass sound from Pendulum- these headphones are perfect and deliver a great bass sound. It just goes to show you don’t have to spend a fortune on these premium brands to get good sounding headphones.
Finally, I can honestly say I have purchased many products by Anker, and I consider them to be excellent, well made and reliable. And did I mention the 40 hrs battery life on these? Happy customer here
Very happy with these. The sound quality is excellent and they are VERY comfy.
Only slight issues I have is theres no USB C charging option (its 2022 ffs), and the noise cancelling can make your ears feel a bit odd after a while. Its hard to explain, but its like theres noise but no noise. I know thats probably related to how they work, but still annoying
Got on prime day and have to be the best valued headphones for 35. Got them for my son (5) and they fit him well. I would also personally use them but already have better buy way more expensive ones. Great value
i bought these headphones because i deal with sensory issues and needed noise cancellation. i was worried that because they were so inexpensive, they wouldn’t work. but they work really well!! they block loud noises, the sound quality is excellent, and the battery life is long!
For the average user these headphones provide excellent sound quality, minimal (but present) hissing during noise cancellation and have a truly admiral battery life. I’ve used them as my bumbling around the house headphones for a while now and they serve that purpose very well. They do not however block out sudden sharp or irregular noises and the ear cups are slightly heavy for prolonged use.
Sound quality is fantastic as expected from Anker products. I have earbuds from the same brand and they are equally good. These headphones are super comfortable with ample battery power for those long journeys. Noise cancellation is good even within trains and planes. Build and sound quality is justified by the price. Good for those teams calls too.
Good solid set of over ear headphones at a good price. Sound quality is good, comfort level is good, noise cancellation isn’t the best, but it’s more than acceptable for my purposes, and for the cost of these headphones, it’s good. The battery life is stunningly good compared to other ANC headphones at this price range. One charge lasts almost twice as long as a charge on another set I own with the exact same usage. The ear cups are slightly smaller than I would like for my own purposes, but this is more to do with the size of my ears (big) than the design. They’d make excellent over ear headphones for anyone with smaller ears or kids.
Have been using these for 3 years now on a near-daily basis and they’ve held up tremendously.
I’m sure they won’t get top marks from proper audiophiles, but they sound great to me with decent clarity and a punchy low end; and they don’t seem to have lost any quality over time. The only niggle is that intermittently they have a 0.5-1.0 second delay on certain apps.
I normally purchase Philips clip-on headphones for work use, which a decent quality, cheap and practical. However on this occasion, I thought I’d go for something with a bit more to it. Have to say, these are amazing for the price. The noise cancellation is very effective, but the sound range is simply astounding. Highly recommended.
State Update: THEY RESPONDED!
I have contacted Anker for support on the issue, and they have issued replacements for both orders!
Extremely happy with the service, especially since they offer a warranty of up to 18 months on these headphones!
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I bought two of these last year as the sound quality is very good. However, my partner’s and mine have cracked and broken from the same location. Seems like a very poor build quality or a deficit. I will try to contact the seller to check if can get replacement parts though I don’t think they will.
I’m working from home and recently had builders in doing some work. Got these after using normal headphones for a couple of weeks because the noise was really distracting.
The noise cancellation is pretty good. I can’t compare with more expensive ones as I’ve not tried them but my wife has snuck up on me a few times and they’ve definitely blocked most of the banging and crashing so I can work (I do have music on but even without you can tell).
Sound quality also seems fine but I’m connecting to my Echo over bluetooth so I’m hardly expecting super high quality. It’s good enough for background music while I work.
They are pretty comfy, they are quit large though, I have them unexpanded and they only just fit my (what I think is a) normal sized head.
I paid about half the price of other head phones in a similar bracket, so I’m really happy.
Absolutely brilliant product! Stylish wireless, noise cancelling headphones. Bought a few Anker products and have never been disappointed. These are perfect for travelling or the daily commute to drown out the noise and listen to music and watch movies undisturbed. Very clear sound and great for calls too. Connect effortlessly with your phone or other devices. Works well with the Google assistant too. Lightweight, comfortable and very well made. Foldable and compact and comes with a drawstring bag for storage, plus micro USB charging cable and an auxiliary cable so you have the option to plug them into your phone etc too. Battery is very good as well and they charge quickly. I highly recommend them.
Had these headphones for about a year now and I use them everyday. They are really comfy to wear and completely cover my ears. When on a normal voume, there is little/no noise bleed. The battery life is good and, if you are on low battery, they charge quickly which is useful. When it comes to the noise cancelling properties, I think that the surrounding noise is reduced simply by the foam enclosing the ear and not much by the noise cancelling technology and so have taken one star for this as you can still hear some of your surroundings in a slightly louder environment. Sound quality is good for the work I do as don’t need anything special. Overall, great student buy and robust- I’ve had no issues with them this year and would recommend them!
Noise cancellation is very good and they are comfortable. I must add that the service received directly from Anker Soundcore was beyond brilliant.
Comfort is great. This is the first pair of headphones that I can wear for hours without needing to readjust.
Sound quality isn’t the best. I have the feeling that the tuning is off. Turning the volume up helps a bit but it quickly leads to an irritation similar to when you hear high frequency sounds. But overall the sound quality isn’t terrible at all.
Noise cancellation could be better. The main reason I wanted headphones was to block out people’s voices but these aren’t really the best. I’d say it gives 50% noise cancellation at most without sound, and about 80% with sound on a manageable level.
Battery life is amazing. It lasts a few days before needing to be charged again.
It doesn’t respond well to a lot of vibration. It does this weird fluttering sound which makes me believe that they won’t work well on runs.
Overall, very good for the price, but it doesn’t fully satisfy my noise cancellation and sound quality needs.
I bought these as a replacement for a pair that were a little 2 small on my ears and because I stream needed bigger ones.
The only problem is I also bought them because they’re Bluetooth, which would also make it easier whilst streaming, except for some reason the Bluetooth function doesn’t work on streamlabs, so they need to be plugged in.
The actual sound and noise cancelling features are great and they’re also much more comfortable than my last ones.
(Another Sidenote) Just to be clear, the Bluetooth function DOES work, just NOT when you open up the streamlabs software, which is kind of annoying, as it defeats one of the key reasons I bought these.
Hence the reason I gave 4 stars instead of 5..
One thing I do wish to see in future products is auto-turn off when idle, as these will run until the battery dies otherwise. Speaking of which, the battery does last a fair bit, I’ve used them regularly without needing to charge for approximately a week at a time.
For me, Anker is the go-to for entry level equipment and I’m never disappointed.
It automatically connect’s to my flac ‘walkman’ via Bluetooth. However this produces a garbled signal. By disconnecting my ‘walkman’ and reconnecting it gives a stable Bluetooth signal. I can also imagine that they can break/crack if not looked after.
The sound quality is excellent, bass boost is great, NC works well. For under 40 these are a bargain.
For headphones from the ‘cheaper’ end of the range I have to say these are brilliant. Connected easily, charged quickly, and are light, comfortable, and stay in place without pinching, or leaving you with the ‘phantom’ headphone sensation after taking them off. I use for listening to podcasts and music whilst working, or when making dinner so nothing major but the quality for the price is excellent. Very happy.
These are just too damn good I have to review them, something I rarely do. I make my own music normally on a pair of 1,400 pair of focals clears. This has made my standards extremely high, but anker for a mere 50 deliver an exceptional product here with the sound quality being seriously impressive. Very full sou d which just hugs your senses. I won’t use any other headphones for travelling or walking other than these ever again probably.
You cant go wrong with ANKER. I am a music lover and an instrument player and have tried out all kinds of products though the years and I can say the Anker Q20 is an amazing pair of headphones. For its price, its a steal. Go for it !
Noise cancelling isn’t greater but better than nothing and the sound quality and battery are great for the price
Took them across seas on 3 planes and 2 ships, while they were on with ANC on, I simply could not hear a thing except the crisp sound that comes out of the cups. Throughout that 45+ hour journey they stayed on and and only ran out of battery 5 mins away from home. Only negative is they are micro usb, would have been nice for them to be usbc but doesn’t really matter. The aux jack is also really useful and I managed to plug it into my airplane port and listen to the on flight movies through then and the quality didn’t change but the anc turns off. Great produc
Very comfy, great noise cancellation sounds is good but not as good as other more expensive pairs. Overall very happy with them.
They look and feel much cheaper than my last 50 pair of haedphones, but I was plesently suprise by the sound quilty. I would say they only just cover my ears, I guess if your ears are large like mine it could be worth investing in the slightly more expenise ones. I think Im happy with mine as I wear tem in bed and dont really need a 100 pair for now. They connect really easily to your cosen devise, just deconnect to then pair with another device. They seem to power off after a time with no use which is another bonus (saves battrey). They are very bass heavy so ypou can play around with base boost, and also use the NR mode that effects the bass.
I remember the first time I tried it, I was gobsmaked how well it cancels the noise around I was in a work office and nearly started panicking because I could barely hear anything…
Then I play some music through and I decided I had to have a set for myself (colleague headset).
It doesn’t matter if you are playing Classical music, Heavy metal, Hardcore, Hardstyle, Psytrance.. it is absolutely excepcional!
Battery life is great at least for now it holds for a long time.
For 35… The best you will buy! (Bought on prime Day price before was about 45-50)
Best cans I’ve ever used at a great price. Sound is excellent.
Don’t waste your time with the instructions about downloading an app, the app doesn’t work with this model, but that doesn’t matter as far as I can tell.
The most important thing to know is the noise cancellation doesn’t work in wired mode, so it won’t work whist connected to in flight entertainment systems, although the cans themselves isolate a lot of outside noise due to good padding. Although this is annoying and unnecessary, it’s still great value, good performance headphones.
Microphone performs well, good for using language apps like Duolingo with a bit of background noise.
For the price these are very good! Bought them to watch a movie on a flight. The noise cancelling function is better than most headphones I’ve had in the past.
But for me the comfort was amazing. No ear ache at all that you often get with other headphones when using for a longer period of time.
Would recommend!
If you’re looking for the best pair of wireless headphones for the cheapest cost you can stop your search because you’ve just found them. I’ve owned a pair of Sony XM4’s & these beat them hands down in terms of being louder, music has more definition & bass for a fraction of the price.
I thought I’d have to spend a lot more than this but these headphones are great value-for-money.
I wear them for large portions of my working day both working from home and in a busy office. The noise cancellation is good, the battery length and the bluetooth range are amazing. Every few days I charge them over lunch if they announce “battery low” upon switching on that morning. The bluetooth worked from tens of metres away and only started dropping out when I went to another floor!
Without an arm for the mic, I was worried about the sound quality but colleagues have all said my voice is clear and background noise is less noticeable.
Really pleased with the purchase.
I bought a set of Sony 1000 XM4s after reading a lot of reviews, but I really wasn’t that impressed. Yes the noise cancellation is good, but the sound is pretty awful: over-boosted bass and very muddy mid range. I bought these on a whim to do a side-by-side test and they are just so much better. The sound quality straight out of the box is fantastic. The bass is just right and very punchy – a buff rather than the phuff I got from the Sony’s. On top of that, the noise cancellation is excellent. Oh, and they are less than a quarter of the price.
You don’t get the app etc that the Sony’s have, but since all the buttons you really need are on the headset, for me, that’s a bonus. They are comfortable too. Definitely recommend these. I sent the Sony’s back..
I have never heard about this brand before. Bought purely because I didn’t had much money to spend on expensive ones. They over acceded all my expectations. They are sooooo gooood. I was literally shocked. When I put them on for the first time all I said is wow wow wow. Definitely get them! There is only one disadvantage but nothing to do with the quality. I wanted to used them for gym and my runs. If you do dynamic workouts they will fall off. They are ok for weight lifting but if you do something very active they a bit too bulky. But as I mean roomed before the quality is so incredibly brilliant that I would highly recommend.
Review below is my initial review as 5 stars but altered as they turn on but fail to charge any more at 3.5 months after purchase with light use so were totally broken. I contacted Anker and had a free replacement on warranty through their website.
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Anker products seem well designed with good quality control. These don’t fall off while running even if they get a bit hot. Noise cancelling is good in aircraft and in reducing road noise as a passenger. You still hear muffled sounds of other noises that are less constant, maybe the headphone can’t react quickly enough to these. These are well priced though and noise cancelling is good enough. Sound quality is good, I wish the volume went slightly higher but they’re not quiet. easy to turn on/off, adjust volume from headset, battery life is excellent, easy to charge.
They reduce environmental sound quite well and very comfortable to wear. My dogs unbearable persistant slopping and licking noise is muted out completely and other irritating annoying frustrating sounds of people eating and slurping are gone! Not to mention the flipping noise coming from the frigging neighbours! It doesnt mute out completely, but does take that nerve twitching edge off whilst being very comfortable to wear and soft on the ole ears.
Being one that isnt up on modern tech, I found these easy as anything to connect to Bluetooth. The sound from my phone playing music from Youtube is exceptional! I never knew the quality could be this great from my phone, but the Q20s bring it all to life with amazing full sound. As they did connecting to my smart tv as well with no interference noise or anything other than pure sound whilst watching tv without worrying if im waking up anyone else in the house during the middle of the night.
I cannot recommend these high enough if you are looking for a cheaper but still effective set of headphones for noise cancelling and general enjoyment of audio. The Anker Soundcore Q20s really hit the spot without crippling your bank balance and helping with those unbearable noises attacking your eardrums every minute of every day!
But then one arm started developing a crack, and eventually broke – I am confident he did nothing unusual to cause this crack.
Looking at any possible return process via Amazon or Anker didn’t look promising.
In frustration I left a one-star review here – see original review below.
But a little while after leaving that review Anker contacted me via Amazon messaging, saying that this problem is not normal, and offering a replacement set.
The replacement set has now arrived, and my son has tried them and is happy with them again.
Hopefully the original problem was just a rare occurrence, and the new set will not suffer the same problem.
I am changing my review from one-star to four-star, as I am much happier now, though the situation isn’t quite as good as if the problem had never happened.
I am much more likely to order again from Anker in the future, given how they have handled this problem.
N.B. Anker did not make any request that I change my review, this is just something I have decided to do myself, as I think it is good to encourage companies to resolve customer issues. It’s a pity it took a bad review to get resolution, rather than a more standard returns process, but I am still grateful.
——–Original one-star review below———-
One side of these started cracking after my teenage son had used them for about 4 months.
I have tried using superglue and tape to repair, but they don’t look great now.
In theory they come with an 18 month warranty, but I can’t see any way to do this via Amazon, and the anker website isn’t very helpful either, and I suspect they would claim misuse, which isn’t the case.
Searching online it seems other people have had similar issues with one arm cracking after a small amount of use.
I think Anker should have made the arms stronger.
Will buy another brand next time.
I bought these to replace Tribit’s Xfree Go headphones (model IC-BTH70) which sounded fantastic but the build quality was terrible – the headband formed hairline cracks to the point where it fractured completely rendering them unusable after just 2 years. I couldn’t justify replacing them with a new pair of Tribit after contacting the company and them telling me the build of the new versions was the same.
These were well reviewed. They don’t sound as good as the Tribits – way too bassy – but they are built to last with a reinforced headband that doesn’t look likely to snap. Not too bad though. What surprised me was the noise cancelling. I was completely unaware that while I was listening with them my neighbour was playing bass heavy music that was reverberating through my walls until I took them off. Impressed.
So good headphones if you want something that might last longer than a couple of years of regular use and has good noise cancelling. Not the best sound for the price point, for me that goes to the Tribit Xfree Go, but be warned – the Tribits won’t last long if you use them often.
Now for my own review, I personally love these headphones.
The Noise cancelling is actually fantastic, I didn’t realise how good it was until I was in the office at work recently after a long spell away, it’s a general office with lots of ambient noise and chit chat, as soon as i put these on and started playing my audiobook the external noise just wasn’t there.
The headphones are comfortable with a good range of adjustment for head size and fold well and are easy to stow and transport. I do have to mention that the plastic casing on mine on either side above the ‘L’ and ‘R’ letters has cracked, though I think this is superficial and hasn’t caused any issues yet, though it must have happened pretty easily.
Holds charge for a good amount of time and I’ve found that it charges up in very good time.
The sound quality is where you feel the price point. It isn’t bad by any stretch but if you’re experiencing the rich sound of a 200+ set of headphones then you’re being unrealistic and you won’t find it here. I’ve used them for audiobooks and podcasts mostly but do also use them for music sometimes at the gym. Depending on the song it can sound a bit washed out and it’s more noticeable if you listen to a song on these headphones then listen to it on a home set up. For the purpose though and the price the sound is perfectly acceptable.
Anker has hit really good notes for me with these headphones, they’re very cheap (especially for over ear wireless headphones) but aren’t devoid of quality. For me they’re everything I wanted and have served me really well thus far.
UPDATE JUNE 2022 – Unfortunately I have to downgrade the rating of these headphones to a 2 star as the crack that emerged on the casing turned into a much bigger problem and one of the ears of the headphones became complete detached with no way to repair it. Ordered these November 2021 so they lasted 7 months which isn’t acceptable even for a cheap pair of headphones.
It’s a real shame as they seemed very solid but unfortunately it seems the build quality is very poor.
FURTHER UPDATE JUNE 2022 – These headphones come with an 18 month guarantee and as such I went through Anker’s RMA process to look into obtaining a replacement or refund. The experience doing this was very straight forward and the customer support I received was fantastic.
After logging a ticket and submitting pictures of damage I was informed a replacement would be sent and this arrived promptly. Replacement item wasn’t damaged and I now have a new pair to replace my defective ones.
Back to a 4 star review as build quality is suspect but overall very happy.
I’m no audiophile, but I was pleasantly surprised by the clarity of these headphones. The treble, the mids and the bass are all very balanced. Speech sounds great, music is fantastic and for gaming these headphones are more than adequate. They have an exceptional range (compared to BT 4.0 ones).
With BT 4.0 headphones if I walked much more than about 6 ft (2m) away from my PC with a wall in between, the sound would drop out and skip.
On the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 BT 5.0 headphones I can quite easily go downstairs, in fact anywhere within my terraced house (town house for the US people) and there is absolutely no drop out whatsoever!
They are reasonably comfortable on the ears. Long time wearers mileage may vary.
You can use these with the headphone lead provided and you do not need to have them turned on, but there is no ANC. My personal experience was that the volume went louder this way, but as there was no ANC using this method of connection so if that is critical to your use you will need to use them wirelessly, thus using the battery.
The noise cancellation works extremely well in a home environment. It dulls most low level continuous sounds, but will not hide loud human voices or intermittent higher pitched harsh sounds (like machinery, sirens, car horns)
Pros:
Inexpensive
* Bluetooth 5.0 means great range (assuming you have a BT 5.0 transmitter)
* Sound clarity is very good, in fact exceptional for the price. (Not BOSE or B&O quality, but worthy of headphones 3+ times the price)
* Headphone lead provided and charge cable
* Active noise cancelling works very well
* Battery life seems good, as does charging time.
* You don’t need to power them on in wired mode, saving battery
* Inconspicuous logos and look much more expensive.
* Top volume setting is reasonable without blasting your eardrums out, but still sufficient to work as extra noise isolation! (It goes slightly higher with ANC turned off and even higher when in wired mode)
* They do hinge and fold flat-ish (as can be seen in the photo on the Accessories part of the manufacturers product description)
* All in all, the best set of headphones I’ve ever owned AND they’re without wires!
Cons:
* ANC is not activated in wired mode – but you are not using power. (I haven’t tried powering them up wired)
* To get the best out of these headphones, you need a Bluetooth 5.x capable transmitter/dongle (most sold on Amazon are BT 4.x). However they are relatively inexpensive to buy (less than 10) and quite easy to find.
* ANC is enabled by default (this may be a Pro for some, but does mean if you don’t want it you have to turn it off with the button).
* Volume may not be as high as some would like (if you are one of those people that doesn’t care if people around you to are able to hear what you are listening too!) It is restricted by the manufacturer to around 95dB as it states at the bottom of the manufacturers product description.
Overall:
Would I recommend them? Absolutely
Would I buy them again? Absolutely yes.
Would I recommend other Anker products? Yes. Purchased before, never had a problem.
Should you buy these headphones? That’s your choice. Read a few more reviews and then decide.
Update 10/APR/21 – Make sure to have the correct device selected if you use these with Windows 10 – Headphones (Soundcore Life Q20 Stereo), NOT Headset (Soundcore Life Q20 Hands-free AG Audio)
The Headphones one is the what you want.
Would I change my original review?: No
What rating would it be now?: Still a 5
Would you still recommend buying them?: Yes. Great over ear headphones for a reasonable price with really good ANC and decent sound quality.
The build quality on this is great no creaks, the sound is marvelous! The bass goes real low, mids are rich especially lower mids, highs are well rolled off making listening for long periods comfortable. The Tribit on the other hand has highs that can be a bit tiring and the bass on the tribit doesnt go as low. I find the bass in the q20 much richer. The tribits are louder though and the tribits sound clearer with a slightly larger soundstage. Overall if bass is important to you, you will love these over the tribits. If highs are more import to you then the tribits are better. The Aria pro I cant recommend to anyone for sound quality. The fit was a bit too tight initially but now after 2 days I guess they’ve ‘broken in’ and are comfortable, i find them more comfortable than the tribit but less so than the Aria pro but theyre not bad. The noise isolation (not noice cancellation) from the foam cups is excellent! I find it better than the tribit the tribit is already good but this takes it up a notch and is sometimes better than using ANC as the noise isolation is good sound leakage is minimal. The Aria pro was the worst in this regard.
ANC is good on these and i couldn’t hear the tap running while doing the dishes or even the vaccum cleaner. But using ANC results in a degradation in sound quality on these. Also if you’re in a silent room and you switch ANC on you will hear white noise more like wind/flowing water and i recommend keeping ANC off when listening in a quiet room. With ANC off the mids are richer and overall sound is fuller. For me sound quality is more important than ANC and these just do it right when it comes to sound. Probably drivers that are capable of a wider frequency range make these richer sounding than other budget options that I have tried. The Bass up implementation is absolute rubbish and it severely degrades sound quality it would be better if the low end rumbled or went deeper with this switched on but instead mid bass is boosted and you lose clarity in the mids and highs basically bass is now everywhere in every frequency and voices become recessed and move to the back.
Haven’t owned it long enough to comment on the battery but it was 60% when i got them. I spent 2 – 3 hours listening and it was still 60% so overall battery must be good.
Another minor niggle with these is when the volume is full and you try to raise it further it interrupts your music and beeps to let you know that volume is full. Just a small beep without the interruption would do.
So of the 3 I bought I will be returning the Aria Pros (the most expensive) will definitely be keeping these and still thinking about the tribits might test them a bit more before deciding on whether i keep them or return them. They do have a slightly different sound signature and it could be worth owning both. If you like your bass to go low and want good sound quality on a budget i would recommend these. Under 100 id be surprised if it gets better than these.
Update1: I returned the tribit tune as they were too uncomfortable to wear for more than an hour, guess I have big ears. Also the sound quality was not as good as these to me so didn’t make sense keeping them. Id rather save that money and put it towards buying a sony xm3/xm4 in future. For now these have satisfied my needs and I will be sticking with them for the near future.
Update2: So I couldn’t resist and had to know what the fuss was about and got myself a pair of sony XM3s the “ultimate headphones”. Trust me guys the difference in sound quality is negligible. The sonys are definitely better when it comes to noice cancelling, premium look and feel and overall design because of its slimmer profile. But when it comes to pure sound quality with the nc off the soundcore is nearly as good. The sound is rich, the bass goes quite low and lots of detial is present. Highs and mids are well rounded. With the sonys on the other hand the higs and mids sound a clearer but a bit sharper/shrill at higher volumes. The low end bass is less audible but bass overall is really tight and punchy.. rather than be audible it creates these waves you can feel on your ears like a rumble..where as on the soundcore the low end bass is more audible but it doesn’t create this rumble its the best way i can describe it. Overall when i put on the soundcore i never feel like i miss the sonys these are a perfectly satisfying pair. They’ve even gotten more comfortable over time. In fact the sound leakage is better on the soundcore and i can use it when people are sleeping around me without disturbing them. Also thr plastic on the soundcore feels thicker and will gather less scratches and fingerprints makes it great for a beat around pair. For 40 bucks they’re a steal. If like me you want a good pair of headphones but are wondering if the sonys are worth it… Well they do offer a lot of good things but if sound quality is your only criteria and you like a warm but detailed sound signature then the soundcore will certainly satisfy your needs but only with the nc off. With nc on the sound quality does deteriorate. But overall i would highly recommend the soundcore to anyone.
SOUND. Like everything Anker make, the sound quality is really good. No, it’s not quite as full or rich as it is on the Sonys that will set you back 300+, but for a set of headphones I got for 40 it’s unbelievable. The noise cancelling works well to cancel out high frequency sounds (beeping, voices), though it will still let in lower pitches. It can be turned off easily if you don’t need it. It’s a godsend in the morning to block out the squealing tube rails and phone alert beeps for a calmer commute.
BASS BOOST. The bass boost is a fun but probably unnecessary feature. I use it occasionally to make acoustic or electronica tracks sound a bit ‘fuller’.
CONNECTIVITY. They connected easily to my phone and laptop on first try (my old headphones refused to connect to my macbook) and continue to do so automatically now when I turn them on.
BUILD QUALITY. They feel less sturdy than really expensive sets, of course. But they’re not flimsy, the plastic feels good, and the overall build quality is pretty good. The buttons have a satisfying click and aren’t going to get clogged if you leave the headphones sitting in the gunk at the bottom of your bag.
BATTERY LIFE. Aside from the price, another key selling point for these compared to pretty much all other headphones is the battery. The battery life is frankly wizardry. These last so long I can’t remember when I last charged them and I use them every day. The claim that you can charge them for five minutes to get four hours of use is completely true –amazing when they’re dead and you have to leave for work in ten.
COMFORT. I’m a petite person with a small head, and most headphone manufacturers appear to think that everyone has the same size head as a 6’2″ man. My last pair of higher price-point headphones were somehow simultaneously too loose that they’d fall off, and sat such that they were really sore. I desperately wanted a pair that I could put on and almost forget I was wearing. These have completely fit the bill. They’re totally over-ear, the cushions are so soft, I don’t find they get too hot, they don’t make my glasses dig into my head, and even after 6 hours of wear I can barely feel them.
TLDR. These have turned me into an Anker evangelist. You’re not going to find more comfortable, better built, better sounding headphones with a longer battery life than these for less than 180, let alone for the minuscule price point these retail at.
Still very happy and have recommenced these to several friends looking for good over ear ANC headphones at a budget. No bluetooth signal loss, no signs of wear at all (but I do look after my gadgets) and ANC is decent enough blocking I’d say 80% of noise. Bose QC35 block probably 90%, Sony XM3 I’d say 95% but you do have to spend around 200 more to get that extra 10-15% – you have to decide for yourself if it’s worth it. But having had the Bose they weren’t comfortable for me, the Soundcore were better. I had to bent them out a bit to have less clamping force but after that I wore them on several 6hr+ flights and had no fatigue. As far as improvements go, I wish they were less bulky and that Soundocore provided a hard shell carry case (Taotronics do).
Original review:
This is my second go at reviewing these headphones.
Initially I bought several headphones to compare and decide on my new pair of ANC headphones, having lost my original Taotronics Bh22 at the airport. I wanted a step up in terms of ANC quality and comfort. I got these Ankers and the 2019 version of BH22 at the same time. Whilst the Ankers were better than the TT, I found that the ANC was a bit too sensitive leading to wind noise and internal sound pick up issues. I ended up returning them both and decided to spend much more money on Bose QC35 – had them for about a week but wasn’t that impressed with them at all especially for the money, and the cabin pressure sensation I got from them made me return them too. But that experience also made me think again about the Ankers. In the meantime Anker customer service got in touch and I ended up giving them another chance.
I found that the ANC on the Ankers is actually not that far behind the Bose (and definitely better than TT). Obviously it depends how you use it, but I found that in my commute on London Underground, both the Bose and the Ankers let it some of the high pitched sounds. The Bose probably a bit better and removes a bit more of low humming noises, but the Ankers are pretty impressive especially as they are nearly 200 cheaper! Neither removed 100% of the noise so you still hear maybe l5-10%. The hybrid noise cancellation on these with external and internal mics (a major difference vs most other cheap ANC headphones) works well in my opinion. Plus if you have a larger head, a lot of the cheaper headphones in the 50 ish price range are just far too small. With the Ankers I have room to spare and I can bend the headband to fit me even better so they are not too tight. I found the pads actually more comfortable than the Bose, very similar to Sony 1000xm3.
The initial complaint I had about wind noise pickup, I also experienced with the Bose. The difference with the Bose is that you have an app with the option to turn ANC down. But with the Ankers you can simply switch the ANC off with a button, which is much easier than the app, and even with ANC off the passive isolation of the ear cups works very well to remove a lot of the annoying sounds.
Turning the ANC off also removes the problem I had with feedback from the cups when running / walking fast. The ANC is simply very sensitive – so keep that in mind. But it’s not a big issue for me.
The battery life is great too. Also I like that Anker have come up with an original design and colour which is very dark matt grey as opposed to a lot of other models on Amazon that all look the same cheap glossy black.
My only real gripes are that I wish they were less bulky, and that the sound is too focused on mids and lows – if you like base you will like these, but I wouldn’t use them for critical listening at home (which is fine, I have my Grados for that).
But the comfort, ANC and general quality can’t be beat for this price in my opinion. Plus, Anker customer service is outstanding. I am happy to recommend them.
+ Great comfort, they have nice big cushy earcups that seal well even over my big ears.
+ The buttons are decent and easy to locate
+ Bluetooth pairing worked without many issues
+ 3.5mm cable and jack so you can use them wired if you need to (will probably still need charge?)
+ came with a vinyl carry bag
– USB micro-B charging connector
– Kinda chunky design that doesn’t fold up that small
– Noise Cancelling has a slight background hiss during silence, I have no idea if this is expected as these are my first NC headphones
– if I move around a lot (i.e. walk around my flat) with the NC on it sometimes makes some weird chirping noises when there’s no music/sound on. Not hugely noticeable but a bit weird.
UPDATED I used these on a couple of 2.5hr flights and the NC was effective (maybe not quite as good as the Sonys but not side by side so can’t be sure). The sound level was fine for watching downloaded tv even when taking off and engines at full throttle! Comfortable to wear as well and possibly breath a bit better than the Sonys. Also used on an intercity train and they were very good. Its a shame that Anker do not provide a hard-shell case as they did with the previous model, as the pouch provided is pretty pointless and offers no protection. I contacted Anker to see if they did the case as an accessory and No….Not helpful!
So, May 2020 update. These are still rocking with great battery life and very solid Bluetooth connection. For music, in the house, side by side then the Sonys win hands down, a different league. But for tv/movie and travelling for 40 these are astonishing value.
The sound quality is a bit difficult to justify at the moment as the pair of headphones that I have received seems to have problem with the volume. Usually when I listen to music on headphones via my iPhone I only need to set the volume to around 50%~60%. However, on the Soundcore Q20 I have to set the volume to 100% in order to get the same amount of sound output. I’ve tried to connect to my laptop and the same problem persists. I’ve also tried to rest the headphones but it doesn’t resolve the problem.
Hope Anker will read this comment and provide advice on this problem.
2 Stars for now as I won’t be able to listen to them without setting the volume to 100%.
——Update on 2019-08-22——
I’ve done the sound test via 3.5mm aux & Bluetooth connection and the Soundcore Q20 sounds brilliant for its price. The NC is also very decent and it only creates minimal “pressure” when it is on. I have had a few other headphones that are at similar price and Overall the Soundcore Q20 is the best sounding and most comfortable headphones.
Anker is providing excellent support on the volume issue. Brilliant customer service.
All in all an excellent purchase at an excellent price point with all the bells and whistles that you can find in more expensive headphones. Anker did it again!