soundcore Life Q30 by Anker, Hybrid Active Noise Cancelling Headphones with Multiple Modes, Hi-Res Sound, Custom EQ via App, 50H Playtime, Comfortable Fit, Bluetooth, Multipoint ConnectionTCO CertifiedTCO CertifiedTCO CertifiedTCO Certified

These headphones are soooo comfy and they sound superb! The battery life is excellent, especially compared to earbuds, and the noise canceling works great. I also love the “transparency mode,” which lets ambient sound in through the headphones instead of blocking it out. I often watch movies with my long-distance bestie, so it lets me hear the movie clearly while talking to her on the phone.I recently bought a pair of Sony WH-1000XM4s to compare, and I couldn’t hear a noticeable difference in sound quality — definitely not a ~$300 difference. These are also significantly more comfortable than the Sonys (softer cushions and lighter weight), plus they come in pink!

I bought these in July 2023 & never left a review. For nearly 2 years they have served me well.I use them for video calls & meetings as well as music. I also have sensory issues that make wearing headphones very helpful, but finding a pair that I can comfortably wear *very* challenging.They're lightweight & flexible enough to be comfortable for hours of continuous wear, sound quality is good, and the noise canceling is decent. They definitely don't provide silence, but they block low level background noise & dull sharp sounds enough that I can function.I've carried them around without the case in a variety of environments, dropped them, accidentally smacked them against the car door & other hard surfaces, and they've held up surprisingly well- not even a scuff mark! It took about 18 months before the soft vinyl cover of the ear muff pad began to split along the seam on one side. If I cared for them properly it would probably not have done that, but I didn't. Now the other side is also splitting so I'm looking to replace them- which is the only reason I realized I didn't leave a review to begin with.That soft vinyl? It's one of the things that makes them so comfortable to wear. The flexible frame helps too.I'll probably buy the same ones again as a replacement.

Preface: This is the first pair of noise-cancelling headphones I've owned, so my baseline for comparison isn't much different from sticking wads of cotton in my ears.It's been a year of this: working from home at a makeshift desk in my bedroom; kids on the other side of paper-thin walls talking loudly about school and constantly asking for snacks; the laundry machines are operating 24/7 since my mother-in-law moved in; the dog has decided that any and all movement outside my window is threat. My world is a noisy place.I needed something more substantial than the Soundcore Life U2 earbuds I've been sporting for the last year. I trust the brand, so I opted for these. They were at the top-end of my budget and seemed to have the features that I needed.First impressions:- Well-packaged! I like that it came with a carrying case (even though I am absolutely certain I will never use it because I am going to be stuck in this house until I die).- The construction feels pretty solid. No creaking of the head-band as you stretch it, so it seems unlikely to snap under stress. Nothing rattles when you handle them or wear them.- The ear cups and headband are comfortable. Not feeling like I'm going to be collecting ear-sweat in there.Turning it on and pairing it:- About as simple as pairing a Bluetooth device can be. It was pretty simple to pair it to two devices (one PC and one MacBook). There is a little bit of difficulty getting it to reconnect to one or the other after a period of disuse (also not unusual for Bluetooth)- The app (iPhone, in this case) is pretty straight-forward. It allows you to configure the noise-cancelling mode you want (eg: settings ideal for "Transport," "Indoor," or "Outdoor"). EQ settings are available as well, which, while interesting, doesn't seem to add any value for me.Noise Cancelling:Ok, seriously, this is freaky. The persistent ringing in my ears is now the loudest thing in the room. The sound of my typing has almost completely disappeared. I am getting startled by people entering my room without me hearing them. I never noticed how loud the A/C was until I couldn't hear it anymore. As I am writing this, someone is vacuuming the hallway outside my door and the only reason I know that is because the lights dimmed a little when they turned it on.Transparency mode:This is actually pretty handy. It amplifies ambient sound so it's like you're not even wearing headphones. A brief touch of the right ear (and only the right ear) will switch between normal/noise-cancelling (whichever mode you happen to be in) and transparency. My only complaint here (and it has been echoed by others), is that the announcement when you are changing modes feels... disruptive. The announcement ("TRANSPARENCY!") is kinda loud and lasts long enough that the time between pressing the right ear and actually changing modes is nearly three seconds (I know! Scandalous!). I find myself just pulling one of the cups off my ear if I need to hear what my wife is saying (as opposed to pretending to be busy with a call or something).Audio quality:Pretty darn good. I've blown out enough of my hearing using high-quality studio headphones in my distant I-was-in-a-band past that I'm not a complete snob about it anymore. But these are solid.Mic quality:Here's the thing you should know about Bluetooth - it's actually not that great for quality 2-way audio. You know that coworker with the plug-in gamer headset that you can tell what flavor of Doritos he's eating? This isn't that. Still, the mic quality is good when connected to my MacBook - my coworkers report that I do not sound like I am talking to them via speakerphone in a submarine (I'm looking at you, AirPods...)They do, however, report that it picks up a lot of the noise around me. Independent tests confirm that pretty much anything the noise-cancelling counteracts is picked up on the mic. As a result I generally have to remain on mute unless I am actively speaking (not ideal in one-on-one calls).Verdict: I'm quite happy with the headphones, though I can't really recommend these for calls. For this reason alone, I am deducting a star.Overall: My introduction into the world of noise-cancelling headphones has been enlightening. I have realized that the trouble I have focusing on my tasks has little to do with my noisy environment, but is rather a result of the terrifying noises going on in my own head.

This version of Soundcore Life is so comfortable. Amazing for a budget friendly option. The transparency mode is much better than expected. I was shocked with the quality. With a teen with sensory issues these will become a staple in our household. They sound wonderful. Battery lasts for a long time. Various color options. Also comes with a case. It’s very quick and simple to connect them via bluetooth. Volume is able to be controlled on the headphones or the device that its con too. I have 4 children aging 17 to 3 and these fit them all comfortably. I’m hoping they hold up to everyday life and have a long durable quality. My teen can be rough on things.