Audio review
Soundcore Space Q45 Review: 55 Hours, and Sound Scored 5.2
SoundGuys measured nearly 56 hours of battery against a 50-hour claim. TechGearLab scored the sound 5.2 out of 10 and ranked it sixteenth of twenty-six.
By Paulo GerchonPublished 2 min read
Illustration, not a photo — we don’t have a licensed image of this product yet.
Anker
Soundcore Space Q45
Good · researched from 3 sources
Buy these for the battery and the cancelling, both of which are excellent for the money, and expect the sound to be the compromise. One lab rated it near the bottom of a group of twenty-six on that measure alone.
- Buy if
- Commuting, where the cancelling and the battery both earn their keep · Calls, which SoundGuys rates a standout for the price · Anyone who wants weeks between charges
- Skip if
- Critical listening, on TechGearLab's 5.2 sound score · Glasses wearers over long sessions · Anyone who wants aptX on an Android source
We don’t list prices, because Amazon’s change hourly.
Two numbers that describe the whole product
55 hours 48 minutes of battery, measured by SoundGuys against a 50-hour claim.
Sound quality 5.2 out of 10, measured by TechGearLab, sixteenth of twenty-six.
Anker has built headphones that run for the better part of a working week and do not sound especially good doing it. Whether that is a bargain or a false economy depends entirely on what you want from them.
Where the cancelling actually works
TechGearLab's frequency breakdown is the most useful thing in any of these reviews: 19.1 dB at low frequencies, 23.1 in the midrange, 41.6 in the highs.
That shape is unusual. Most cancelling headphones are strongest in the low frequencies, where engine and traffic rumble sits, and weakest above 1 kHz. This one is the reverse, which means it excels at office chatter, keyboards and high-pitched whine and only does an ordinary job on a train.
SoundGuys' verdict of fairly solid, adequate on transit and behind the Sony flagship, fits that reading exactly.
The sound, from three directions
TechGearLab: harsh treble, uncomfortable sibilance on s sounds, artificial vocals, 5.2 out of 10.
SoundGuys: exaggerated sub-bass, a depressed midrange between 200 and 500 Hz, and a very uneven high-end response that makes cymbals sound notably incorrect.
Cult of Mac: refined and impressive over a wire, boomier wirelessly, not a match for a Sennheiser Momentum 3 for soundstage.
Two measurements and one listening impression, and the measurements agree with each other. The uneven treble is the likely cause of both the harshness and the sibilance.
There is a five-band equaliser and a set of presets in the app, which is where to start.
Comfort has a specific warning
TechGearLab scored it 6.4 out of 10 and puts the limit at about six and a half hours with glasses, reporting that the earcups heat up over a long session and press against spectacle frames.
Cult of Mac found the fit snug and comfortable, and slightly behind a Momentum 3.
If you wear glasses and listen for a full working day, that is the finding to weigh.
The good surprise, and the odd omission
SoundGuys rates the microphone a standout for a $150 headset, rejecting street and wind noise effectively. TechGearLab scored calls 6.4 and Cult of Mac found a MacBook's built-in microphone sometimes did better, so treat that as contested.
The omission is stranger. Cult of Mac points out there is no battery indicator anywhere: not on the headphones, not in the app. On a product whose main selling point is a battery that lasts nearly 56 hours, not being able to see how much is left is a peculiar thing to leave out.
How it scored
The overall 7.3 is the weighted average of these five criteria — we never adjust it by hand.
Sound quality
TechGearLab scored sound 5.2 out of 10, citing harsh treble and sibilance. SoundGuys found a depressed midrange from 200 to 500 Hz and very uneven highs.
Value
Cult of Mac calls it exceptional value at around $150 and gave four stars. SoundGuys scored 7.3 out of 10. TechGearLab is the dissent at 63 out of 100.
Build quality
281 to 294 g depending on the source, in plastic. Cult of Mac notes there is no battery indicator on the headphones or in the app.
Comfort
TechGearLab scored comfort 6.4 out of 10, putting comfortable listening at 6.5 hours with glasses and reporting the earcups heat up and press on frames.
Noise cancelling
TechGearLab measured 19.1 dB at low frequencies, 23.1 in the mids and 41.6 in the highs, scoring the category 7.5. SoundGuys calls it fairly solid but short of the best.
Pros and cons
What we liked
- SoundGuys measured 55 hours 48 minutes against a 50 hour claim
- TechGearLab measured 41.6 dB of reduction in the high frequencies
- Five minutes of charging returns about four hours of playback
- LDAC alongside AAC and SBC at this price
- SoundGuys rates the microphone a standout, rejecting street and wind noise well
- Five levels of noise cancelling plus EQ presets in the app
What we didn’t
- TechGearLab scored sound quality 5.2 out of 10 and ranked it 16th of 26
- SoundGuys found the midrange depressed between 200 and 500 Hz and the highs very uneven
- TechGearLab reports the earcups heat up and press against glasses frames
- Cult of Mac notes there is no battery indicator on the headphones or in the app
- No aptX support, which Cult of Mac raises
- SoundGuys calls the app a cheaper experience than it should be
Specifications
| Battery | 55 h 48 m with cancelling on per SoundGuys, against 50 claimed |
|---|---|
| Quick charge | Five minutes for about four hours |
| Noise cancelling | 19.1 dB low, 23.1 dB mid and 41.6 dB high per TechGearLab |
| Weight | 281 g per SoundGuys; 294 g per TechGearLab |
| Drivers | 40 mm |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC and LDAC; no aptX |
| App | Five cancelling levels, EQ presets, bass enhancement and codec selection |
| Comfortable listening | About 6.5 hours with glasses per TechGearLab |
| Microphones | Four, with adaptive cancelling |
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How we researched this
We have not had this unit on the bench. This review synthesises the manufacturer’s published specifications, independent measurements and owner reports listed below. Every figure on this page comes from one of those sources rather than our own measurement.
3
sources reviewed
SoundGuys supplies the measured battery figure, the frequency response findings, the weight, the codec list and the microphone assessment, and scored it 7.3 out of 10. TechGearLab tested it against twenty-five other headphones and supplies the noise cancelling attenuation by frequency band, the category scores, the comfort findings and the group ranking, scoring 63 out of 100. Cult of Mac supplies the long-use battery observation, the app detail and the criticism about the missing battery indicator, and gave four stars. The three disagree sharply about sound quality, and all positions are reported.
What we read
Common questions
How good is the noise cancelling on the Soundcore Space Q45?
How long does the battery last?
Why did one lab score the sound so low?
Are they comfortable?
What is the microphone like?
The bottom line on the Soundcore Space Q45
Buy these for the battery and the cancelling, both of which are excellent for the money, and expect the sound to be the compromise. One lab rated it near the bottom of a group of twenty-six on that measure alone.
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