The Anker Soundcore Life Q30 are over-ear headphones that offer excellent noise cancellation. They include three different noise isolation levels, so you may choose the one that best suits your surroundings.

They also offer an energising, v-shaped sound profile with a lot of thud and boom. If that doesn’t appeal to you, their companion app includes a graphic EQ and presets to help you tailor your listening experience. They have a continuous playing time of over 44 hours, so long commutes or back-to-back days at the workplace should be no problem.

Anker Soundcore Life Q30 Headphone Performance

Although Anker’s sound profile is an acquired taste, it is highly acceptable for the price and well suited for bass enthusiasts. The 40mm Silk Diaphragm Drivers under the hood deliver on their promise of deep, thumping lows, though this can be both a blessing and a curse depending on the track.

The dirty production on Outkast’s “Da Art of Storytellin’ (Pt. 2)” was faithfully reproduced, with the pounding snares effectively piercing my eardrum. Despite the increased bass levels, Andre 3000’s screamed, distorted vocals sounded crisp, which is something few models in this price range can achieve. This wasn’t the case with all boom-heavy tracks, though. In some passages of Chaka Demus & Plier’s “Murder She Wrote,” the infectious bassline sounded harsh, and there was some little distortion when listening to the hook.

These aren’t headphones for picking up on small differences in recordings. Neither the highs nor the lows have much presence. The Life Q30, on the other hand, is still capable of handling high-frequency sounds, but only on melodic, instrumental tunes. I had to listen to Latin Jazz classics like Eddie Palmieri’s orchestral symphony “17.1” to determine if these cans could deliver the hi-hat and flute activity I was looking for; both instruments sounded vibrant.

Also, take in mind that, while the isolation is excellent, the headphones still bleed out a lot of sound. The missus continued to make fun of me by reciting verses from songs on my guilty pleasure Pop playlist that she could hear from a few feet away.

If you prefer to listen in wired mode, the Life Q30 comes with an aux connection, but be aware that the results are mixed. The sound was most apparent on the left channel for some strange reason, resulting in an uneven soundstage.

Anker Soundcore Life Q30 Headphone Design

Anker used stronger plastic, leather, and steel to make the entire construction, so the hinges and headband no longer feel flimsy. Small details like the gold embossed Soundcore logo on each earcup and active noise cancelling imprints on the extenders add swagger to these otherwise understated headphones.

The Life Q30’s smooth, shiny matte finish begs for other attractive colorways like Navy, Platinum, and maybe even Rose Gold, which is a shame because Anker only has one colour available at launch, Black. Anker, these are just some thoughts. A silver version of the Life Q20 was released several months after the original, so I’m hoping Anker will pay attention to my pleadings.

These headphones are big and heavy, measuring 7.8 x 7.09 x 3.07 inches and weighing 9 ounces. When I walked through the living room, all of my in-laws gave me a “damn, those are some huge headphones look. When worn for long periods of time, the extra weight will be felt atop your head or around your shoulders.

Furthermore, the headband’s clamp force is extremely firm, which avoids slippage but also causes soreness on the skull after an hour.

Anker Soundcore Life Q30 Headphone Value

Active noise-cancelling technology, which was once only found in high-end headphones, is quickly becoming a standard feature in low-cost products. You’d have hard to find a pair of over-ear ANC headphones for around $100 just a few years ago, but Anker’s Soundcore Life Q30 demonstrate how far the industry has come in such a short period.

For less than $100, That’s all well and good, but it’s pointless to buy low-cost headphones if they’re not up to the task. Fortunately, the Life Q30 more than makes up for their low price tag with three levels of effective noise suppression, highly adjustable music, and a decent accessory selection.