On the plus side, they still have a programmable sound profile owing to their companion app and include a few extras like a carrying case, an aircraft adapter, and an audio cord with a built-in microphone. In a number of areas for inexpensive consumer goods, Anker has established a name for itself. With superior features at a fraction of the cost of the competition, the company is now trying a coup in the audio market under the brand Soundcore. The company’s newest flagship over-ear headphones, the Anker Soundcore Life Q35, appear to try to cram as many features as possible into a headphone that costs less than $200.
Design
Comparing the Soundcore Life Q35s to the Q30s, you won’t notice many design differences aside from the fact that the logo on the cups no longer has a gold sheen. That’s okay, though, because Anker has chosen to follow the maxim “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” The construction feels high-end and stylishly understated; the headband and hinges convey a strong sense of durability, and the matte finish is appealing. Given that the dimensions remained unchanged and the weight only slightly increased, wearing them should feel largely the same. Well, not quite. Our issues with the Life Q30 continue, and using the Soundcore Life Q35 for an entire day makes you tired. The Q35s feel a little less snug on my head than the previous model, so it appears that the clamping force has been improved. This allows for slightly longer wear times. The carrying case has undergone the most noticeable change, as Anker switched from a rather large rectangular container to a much more portable oval one. We just wish there would be more colorways sooner rather than later. Although we adore the midnight blue, we believe that only offering one color could turn off a lot of people.
Anker Soundcore Life Q35 review: Comfort
The Anker Life Q35’s design comforts start the moment the box is opened. The convenient travel case houses the collapsible headphones. The case is made of a suede-like material that feels nice to the touch and has enough grip to prevent accidental drops of wireless headphones while in transit. The Q35 has a semi-hard shell case underneath its exterior, which will keep it safe while you’re on the go even though we didn’t try to bash it up or drop it from a great height. onto the actual headphones. The earpads have a substantial amount of plush, soft memory foam cushioning that does partially mould to your ears. We spent a lot of time trying the Q35 headphones, and we never once felt the uncomfortable ear fatigue that results from overheating or too much pressure. Soft memory foam also covers the adjustable headband, and the earcups may be adjusted by 15 degrees to obtain the ideal inclination for optimum comfort. Because the Anker Q35 Life headphones’ earcup covers are made of protein-leather, also known as Pleather, they are suitable for vegans. The Life Q35 headphones weigh 270g, which is about 9.6 oz, making them neither heavier nor lighter than their rivals. The metallic finish on the headband’s surface is another good addition from an aesthetic perspective. It’s a minor detail, but it gives Q35 another texture and style, giving them a reliable if not forward-thinking visual style.
Connectivity
Connectivity is the Life Q35’s underrated feature, with Bluetooth 5.0 operating excellently. 50 feet of wireless listening was possible, and we were able to pair and re-pair devices to instantaneously detect them. NFC and multipoint technology are two additional wireless features that Anker added to improve the wireless experience. With the former, you can connect two devices at once and switch between them without any lag, whereas NFC allows you to pair the Life Q35 by touching the back of a compatible smartphone to the right earcup. Both were faultless. also you will learn our article on Anker Soundcore Life Q35 review.
Noise cancelling
For the price, the noise-cancelling is remarkably effective, outperforming most competitors at this price and even some models that cost twice as much. Boiler, dishwasher, automobile, drill, and other rumbling noises were greatly diminished, and speech was noticeably quieter. While they can’t quite match the best in the business from Bose and Sony, they still perform admirably, especially when used with the Soundcore app in the “transport” mode. Additionally, they have a transparency mode that can be instantly activated to allow you to listen for announcements while the sounds around you are piped into the headphones. Although it doesn’t sound particularly natural, it works. To turn it on or off, place your palm on the right ear cup’s touch-sensitive surface or turn it on or off by pressing the ANC button for one second.
Audio performance
The Anker Soundcore Life Q35 offers excellent sound for the price. Despite a slightly bass-heavy EQ, the detail and clarity are strong. Bass-driven genres like pop and techno benefit from the emphasis on the low end. For further sound customization, the Soundcore app offers a variety of presets and full EQ customization. It also performs fairly well. The end result is high-caliber audio that outperforms its price. The Soundcore Life Q35 now has LDAC support, which is a big deal. There are now more possibilities than ever for HiFi streaming thanks to the rise of lossless playback in streaming. Additionally, Spotify plans to launch its own HiFi service in 2021. HiFi codec support is being neglected by more expensive Bluetooth headphones, but it’s becoming more important. A good way to future-proof your headphones is to find LDAC support. If LDAC support is important to you, the Anker Soundcore Life Q35 is an affordable option.
Anker Soundcore Life Q35 review: Call performance
Even though it’s far from perfect, call quality is an improvement over the Q30. Anker uses two beamforming microphones with an AI system to make calls that sound crisper and eliminate background noise. Our voice seemed muffled both inside and outside the house, the missus noted, although she claimed it wasn’t as awful as other ANC headphones. The majority of house disturbances were absolutely absent during our calls, and our voice was often clear. There were difficulties outside because wind and construction equipment entered our conversations.
Battery and charging
With ANC turned on, Anker claims a 40-hour battery life. The Q35s easily meet this requirement and even came pre-charged to 80%, so you won’t need to plug them in for a while after purchase. Given that these specifications are the same as those on the Life Q30, these lengthy runtimes and the fast charging feature, which can squeeze 4 hours of play out of a 5-minute charge, shouldn’t come as a surprise. However, there is a novel feature to discuss here in the form of smart wearing recognition, which turns off the audio when you take off the headphones. This is not just a convenience function to make sure you don’t miss your turn in the podcast; it also helps keep some juice in reserve for those little pauses. We anticipate Anker will include wireless charging in the upcoming headset. You already have NFC connectivity, so adding Qi won’t do any harm (more on that soon).
Price and availability
Just a few months after releasing the Life Q30, Anker introduced the Soundcore Life Q35, but at a higher price of $129.99. Although the Q30’s price, which is already below $100, is more likely to decrease as a result of their availability on the market, it’s always possible that Anker will offer discounts on them at some point throughout the year. The Q35 are distinctive in that they come in obsidian blue, as opposed to the Q30, which is only available in black. you read our article on Anker Soundcore Life Q35 review.
Anker Soundcore Life Q35 review: Conclusion
The Anker Q35 are suitable for both travel and commuting. They fit well, have a long battery life of over 44 hours, and are well-built. They also have an ANC feature, which can significantly reduce outside noises like bus and aero plane engine rumble. However, they are somewhat heavy, which may make carrying them around a little more difficult.
