Anker Soundcore Life Q20 Hybrid Active Noise Cancelling Headphones, Wireless Over Ear Bluetooth Headphones with 40H Playtime, Hi-Res Audio, Deep Bass, Memory Foam Ear Cups and Headband for Travel,Work

Comparison of 6 Headphones of similar price & featuresI've tested a bunch of headphones in the $40-60 range so I may come back to this review with others in mind. My objective was to find a really strong audio performance for music, so I did not evaluate Noise Cancelling (did try it but didn't test it comparatively and it seemed to work OK on all of them) or use the mike. All of these can be used with a phone and can answer calls, again not a feature tested. I tested each with a specific playlist that included variations in dynamics, bass and treble emphasis including songs with substantial changes and mixes, and different genre including pop, rock, prog rock, and acapella. I used a Macbook Pro laptop and iTunes, I experimented with different Equalizer settings to get the best sound with each headset.Soundcore Q20 – $59.99* Ultimately these are the headphones I decided to stick with.and gave them 5 stars for sound in the price category. Most comfortable, seems to be the better made, bass not as boomy as on the NC35 good fidelity. I used my equalizer to tone the bass down and liked these a lot; for those wanting to go the other way they do have a bass boost that was nice in the right places. I wanted to like them better than the Monoprice set but honestly the Monoprice is so close it's very subjective. I liked the heavier feel and better fit, the sound once I equalized it was really good. However I notice in addition that these have the best Bluetooth performance of the bunch; I can be as much as ten feet farther from my laptop and still have good sound, whereas the others would be breaking up or offering no sound. So in a close competition the slightly higher price didn't really matter and the solid feel and comfort did, the sound was the best in the group though the Monoprice and the Vankyo were very competitive.Cowin E-7 $49.99* Comfortable and interesting control setup. But I could not get them to enter the pairing mode and the instructions were very unhelpful. I tried them corded to the computer and was not impressed with the sound. Overall it was muddy at every frequency. The bass was strong but not distinct. Eventually they did enter pairing and the sound was no better. I would not buy these even if I had been able to pair them at first. UPDATE: Their customer service has reached out to me more than once to offer me a better product at no added cost and suggest that perhaps this headset was defective. Since I am settled on what i have I've declined but they do have good customer service.Srhythm NC25 headphones $38.29* The bass was overdone and overtopped the treble and mids; rendered a bit of a muddy sound. Not bad really but I would suggest you can do better for the money. See Monoprice BT-300 and Vankyo C-750.Srhythm NC35 headphones $46.49* Clear, really good sense of position for every instrument and voice, good battery. I bought these right after buying the earlier/lower line Srhythm NC25 headphones. Compared to those these feel and look about the same but sound noticeably better. Understand I like a strong bass but the NC25 boomed enough to drown out some of the other sounds especially the treble. Overall they gave a muddy sound to a lot of music. By contrast while that can happen any well-produced track has far less booming and just a good base, and the amount of L-R separation, the precision with which sound location varies on these is really quite excellent.Monoprice BT-300ANC – $39.99* I tried these as Consumer Reports rate them a best buy. Not as comfortable or as solid feeling as the Soundcore but not bad. Less effective ear seal. Very good treble response and generally pretty well balanced sound. If you want booming bass this not your choice, but if you are looking for “fidelity” and balance these are pretty good. However the battery is 300 mah and the manual says 17 hours operation, the shortest of any in the group. Tempting at the price; a good buy for the money. If you are looking for low cost headphones these are worth your consideration as the sound rises above the price.Vankyo C-750 $44.99* in silver, 25% discount mades these very attractive option! They are very comfortable and noticeably lighter than the Soundcore. BT range typical for the group. Sound is good, not superb. 40 Hr claimed charge. I would say I was torn between these and the Soundcore, they have a nice bright sound and did fine with bass. I suspect I could equalize to get close to the sound the Soundcore produced but in the end I felt the Soundcore was just a little better and the $15 lower price just isn't enough to make me switch.*Prices shown are the actual cost at Amazon including coupon discounts but excluding tax; all got free Prime shipping.

These headphones have truly been a companion for me daily, whether going to school, walking outside, shopping, cleaning the house, and been used for almost four year daily almost an dstill has an an amazing bettary and works well too. it have finally started to show some wear and tear. The plastic near the right ear has come off, and the top leather is beginning to peel. I suspect this might be my fault, as I was quite diligent about cleaning them with alcohol during the pandemic. Every time I returned home from being outside, I made sure to wipe them down to eliminate any germs and viruses. While it felt necessary at the time, I might have been a bit too overzealous in my cleaning routine!Despite these cosmetic issues, I can’t say enough good things about their performance. The noise cancellation is outstanding, allowing me to fully immerse myself in my music or podcasts without being distracted by the outside world. The sound quality is impressive as well, providing rich and clear audio that enhances my listening experience.The design of these headphones is another highlight. They have a sleek and modern aesthetic that I find really appealing. I appreciate how they not only look good but also keep my ears warm during the colder winter months. The cushions are surprisingly soft, and I was pleasantly surprised by their larger size. This added size helps to distribute pressure, making them comfortable for extended wear. However, I will say that if you keep them on for too long, you might start to feel some discomfort.One of the practical features I love is how easily they can be placed around my neck when I’m not using them. This makes them incredibly convenient, especially when I need to take a quick break. Additionally, I’ve noticed that they don’t make me sweat much during the summer months, which is a big plus. They also operate quietly enough that others around me hardly notice I’m wearing them, providing a nice sense of privacy and allowing me to enjoy my music without feeling self-conscious.Overall, despite the wear and tear, these headphones have proven to be a fantastic investment. They deliver excellent sound quality, comfort, and practical features that enhance my daily routine. I look forward to using them for many more days to come!

With pandemic life in full effect and a family of four neurodiverse humans living in a small apartment, active noise-cancelling headphones sounded like an excellent way to regain a little bit of the quiet and headspace that was lacking after months and months of time spent cooped up.We were totally right. I bought a pair of Sony WH-1000XM4s for myself because I was curious what the difference between those and these much, much cheaper headphones would be.Do the Anker's offer everything the Sony's do? No... not quite. The sound isn't as balanced, the noise-cancelling has a more obvious impact on audio quality, and the packaging and accessories aren't quite as nice.That said, the experience is amazing for the price difference. The noise-cancelling works well enough even in a noisy, urban apartment. They're plenty comfortable for hours of use and the battery life is stellar. The build quality is good enough. Yes, it's mostly plastic, but it's not cheap or flimsy feeling. If you're too worried about it, there is a version with a case (as well as a number of third-party case options) available.If you're someone who worries about that "sucking vacuum" sensation some active noise-cancelling headphones can create, the slight decrease in overall noise cancelling of these headphones will probably help you avoid that as well. So it can be a bit of a perk depending on your use case.I've been a fan of Anker for years. They hit a really nice sweet spot between price and performance. More importantly, while I've never had to do so for these, any time I've contacted Anker Support in the past, they've been more than accommodating and helpful.