The market for truly wireless earbuds is currently a fiercely competitive space at every price point. Every manufacturer is pushing hard to get ahead.
In this review, we’ll be looking at the Anker “Soundcore Space A40“ earbuds. These are a true gem of a product; they have no significant drawbacks and offer excellent noise cancellation and multipoint connectivity, all while boasting exceptional battery life.
Pochipp
- Please note that listed prices may differ from actual prices, so please be sure to check the final price when making a purchase.
Prices are particularly likely to change during sales, so please verify before buying.
- Great cost performance
- Equipped with Anker’s latest noise cancellation
- Earbuds are ultra-compact
- Supports ambient sound mode
- Supports multipoint connection
- Supports LDAC
- Supports wireless charging
Basic Information: Soundcore Space A40
Specifications
| Codec | SBC / AAC / LDAC | Colors | White/Black/Navy |
| Bluetooth | 5.2 | Waterproof Rating | IPX4 |
| Weight | Earbuds (per ear): approx. 4.9g Including charging case: approx. 58g | Actual Weight | Charging case: 57.9g (measured by our site) |
| Max Playback Time | ・Normal Mode: Max 10 hours (earbuds only) / Max 50 hours (with charging case) ・Noise Cancelling Mode: Max 8 hours (earbuds only) / Max 40 hours (with charging case) ・Using LDAC (Normal Mode): Max 6 hours (earbuds only) / Max 30 hours (with charging case) ・Using LDAC (Noise Cancelling Mode): Max 5 hours (earbuds only) / Max 25 hours (with charging case) | Charging Time | Approx. 2 hours (earbuds) / Approx. 3 hours (charging case *using USB-C cable) / Approx. 3.5 hours (charging case *using wireless charging) |
| Dimensions | Earbuds (excluding eartips): 21mm x 17mm x 20mm Charging case: 44mm x 68mm x 29mm | Charging Port | USB Type-C / Wireless Charging |
| Noise Cancelling | |
|---|---|
| Ambient Sound | |
| Multipoint | |
| Wear Detection | |
| Gaming Mode (Low Latency) | |
| Dedicated App |
Mr.GadgetsPersonally, I don’t need auto-wear detection, so I’m glad it’s not included! (lol)
- Lightweight design at approx. 4.9g per ear
- Snug fit that sits comfortably in the ear
- Compact case × 50 hours of playback
- Automatic adjustment of noise cancelling intensity
- High-resolution playback × delicate sound quality from dual-layer diaphragm drivers
We explain how to choose earbuds, what IPX ratings are, and details about Bluetooth versions in this article.
Pochipp
- Please note that listed prices may differ from actual prices, so please be sure to check the final price when making a purchase.
Prices are particularly likely to change during sales, so please verify before buying.
Included Items
- Earbuds (M size eartips pre-installed)
- Charging case (supports wireless charging)
- Eartips (XS, S, L, XL)
- USB-C & USB-A cable
- Quick start guide
Appearance
Pochipp
- Please note that listed prices may differ from actual prices, so please be sure to check the final price when making a purchase.
Prices are particularly likely to change during sales, so please verify before buying.
Real-World Usage
Sound Quality… Well-balanced, better than the price suggests
Overall, it is well-balanced, and I didn’t really feel the “don-shari” (V-shape) sound profile that Soundcore has been known for in the past. While it is slightly V-shaped, I feel it has a well-balanced sound across all frequencies.
Vocals come through clearly, so I especially recommend these for people who like pop music and J-POP! Conversely, those who prefer a strong V-shaped sound with emphasized bass and treble might find it a bit lacking. However, as I will mention later, you can tweak the sound itself to some extent using the app’s equalizer.
Also, it supports LDAC, allowing you to listen to high-resolution quality audio, and as I will detail later, the sound quality changes significantly.
LDAC Support!
Are you familiar with LDAC, the codec known for providing overwhelmingly better sound quality?
| Codec | Features |
|---|---|
| SBC | The most standard codec. Basically supported by all devices. Standard in terms of both sound quality and latency. |
| AAC | Commonly used in Apple products like the iPhone. Generally supported by Android 8.0 and above. Higher sound quality and lower latency than SBC. |
| aptX | Mainly used in Android. Lower latency and higher sound quality than SBC and AAC. |
| aptX LL | “LL” stands for Low Latency. Even lower latency than aptX. Sound quality is equivalent to aptX, but realizes ultra-low latency of less than 0.04 seconds. |
| aptX HD | Capable of high-resolution equivalent sound quality. Slightly more latency than aptX. |
| aptX Adaptive | A codec that stabilizes and reduces the latency of aptX HD. By switching from a fixed bit rate to a variable bit rate, processing is more stable, achieving lower latency. |
| LDAC | An ultra-high sound quality codec developed by Sony. The highest quality among those introduced so far. Generally supported by Android 8.0 and above. Can switch between 3 sound quality modes such as “Sound Quality Priority” and “Connection Priority”. Higher latency than SBC. |
We explain codecs and other information regarding wireless earbuds in this article.
Please note that iPhones do not support LDAC.
Most recent Android devices support it.
I tested LDAC with these earbuds, and the sound quality is quite different. Before testing, I thought it would be a difference that you’d only notice after carefully listening, but the difference is surprisingly large. In my estimation, the sound quality improves by about 1.8 levels. Especially in the treble and bass, the difference is clear, and I was surprised while listening!
However, please note that turning on LDAC shortens playback time and increases sound latency. You also won’t be able to use multipoint connection or gaming mode.
Mr.GadgetsWell, most other earbuds lose multipoint connection when LDAC is turned on, so it’s not just this model’s fault.
Noise Cancelling… Extremely effective for the price
The “Soundcore Space A40” is equipped with Anker’s new proprietary Ultra Noise Cancelling 2.0 technology. I felt it was quite advanced, as it can automatically adjust the strength of the noise cancellation according to the surrounding noise level.
The effectiveness is very good for this price, and I felt the cost performance was excellent. If you turn on noise cancellation and play music even on a train, you won’t really notice the surrounding noise. However, if you turn on only the noise cancellation without playing music and ride the train, you can still hear the train’s running noise to some extent.
Ms.GadgetsI think it’s top-class among earbuds in the same price range!
Pochipp
- Please note that listed prices may differ from actual prices, so please be sure to check the final price when making a purchase.
Prices are particularly likely to change during sales, so please verify before buying.
Ambient Sound… Usable, but feels unnatural
When you switch the mode from noise cancelling to ambient sound, the change is extremely obvious. You will be surprised at how well you can hear your surroundings. However, high-pitched sounds are quite emphasized, so it doesn’t feel natural.
Compact yet super long battery life!
If there’s one standout feature of these earbuds, it’s the playback time, which is exceptionally long even among Anker earbuds. They can play up to 10 hours on a single charge, and up to 50 hours when using the included charging case. It’s insane for how compact they are.
Mr.GadgetsEven if you forget to charge them for a day, you’ll be fine!
Of course, if you use features like LDAC or noise cancellation, the playback time will be shorter, but even then, you won’t feel like you can’t get through your daily use on a single charge.
The Soundcore app and equalizer are incredibly easy to use!
You can adjust the earbud settings in the app like this.
You can also customize the touch controls.
Mr.GadgetsBeing able to customize down to the fine details is a nice point!
You also need to use the app to set other things like turning LDAC on/off, gaming mode to reduce latency, wind noise reduction, and touch sounds.
You can create your own custom equalizer settings, or select from presets.
Ms.GadgetsAs you can see, there are many presets prepared. I have a very favorable impression that so many presets are properly provided!
Pochipp
- Please note that listed prices may differ from actual prices, so please be sure to check the final price when making a purchase.
Prices are particularly likely to change during sales, so please verify before buying.
Gaming Mode Support!
You can set a Gaming Mode to reduce latency. You can also theoretically turn on Gaming Mode even while using LDAC.
However, if you turn on Gaming Mode, you won’t be able to use features like the equalizer.
Multipoint connection is convenient!
The “Soundcore Space A40” supports multipoint, allowing it to connect to two Bluetooth devices simultaneously. Up to two devices, you don’t need to disconnect or reconnect. For example, you can respond to calls on your smartphone while watching YouTube on your tablet.
Ms.GadgetsThis is very convenient!
Summary
The Soundcore Space A40 is a must-buy!
I bought mine during the Amazon Black Friday sale, so the price was under 10,000 yen! At this price, you can experience Anker’s noise-cancelling technology and it supports LDAC, so there is nothing to complain about. Of course, if you spend more money, there are earbuds with better sound quality or that are easier to use, but at this price, it’s rare to find earbuds this balanced. As for the battery, even though they are compact, they last 50 hours, which is far longer than other series from Soundcore, so not only do they have no downsides, they have nothing but upsides.
Pochipp
- Please note that listed prices may differ from actual prices, so please be sure to check the final price when making a purchase.
Prices are particularly likely to change during sales, so please verify before buying.
- Great cost performance
- Equipped with Anker’s latest noise cancellation
- Earbuds are ultra-compact
- Supports ambient sound mode
- Supports multipoint connection
- Supports LDAC
- Supports wireless charging
Recommended for
- People looking for well-balanced earbuds
- People looking for earbuds with good battery life
- People looking for earbuds with great cost performance in the 10,000 yen range
Thank you for reading to the end!
- Product prices, information, etc., are information at the time of writing the article.
- Please note that this site cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies in this information.
- Product and service names mentioned on this site are trademarks of their respective companies.
This article was originally written in Japanese and has been translated.
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