The Anker Soundcore Space Q45 active noise cancelling (ANC) headphones are fantastic, and $150 USD makes them even better. This pair sounds great for most listeners but not for purists. The Q45’s microphone technology filters background noise better than most mid-tier wireless headphones, making it a superb work headset. If you can handle the sound profile and mobile app requirements, the Soundcore Space Q45 is worth it.
Anker Soundcore Space Q45 Specifications
Pros
- Sound with lots of bass
- Long battery life
- Plus additional features
- Effective ANC
- Bluetooth 5.3 supports multipoint and LDAC technology, which means you can stream audio to multiple devices and enjoy high-quality sound.
Cons
- Clunky
- A digital assistant takes some work to set up, but can help you with your day-to-day tasks.
- If the wind were less of a factor, your calls would be clearer.
- No, find my headphones.
Design
Black is the only color available at launch, with navy blue and white coming later. A carrying case, USB-C charging cable, aux cord, and user handbook are included. These devices join a crowded mid-range noise-cancelling headphone market topped by the excellent Cleer Enduro ANC ($139) and Urbanista Miami ($149). If you want better performance than these models offer, spend more on category leaders like the Sennheiser Momentum 4 ($349) or Sony WH-1000XM5 ($399). Bookmark our top headphones deals page for deals on wireless earbuds, which will become more popular as Apple removes the headphone jack from newer iPhones.
Comfort
The Space Q45 looks similar to the Life Q35, but there are a few differences. The Space Q45 has a matte finish and embossed Soundcore branding on its earcups. High-quality aluminium alloy hinges and thick plastic yokes prevent it from shattering if dropped.
The Life Q35 and the Space Q45 both have carrying cases, but each one has a different design. The Life Q35’s carrying case contains a plastic mould for packing headphones and accessories, whereas the Space Q45’s carrying case has elastic fabric that can stretch to fit more items. However, I prefer the felt casing of the Life Q35 over the elastic fabric of the Space Q45 because it feels nicer against my skin. According to Anker, these headphones weigh 9.6 ounces (281 grams) and 10.3 ounces (290 grams), respectively. Although these two models are similar in weight, they feel lighter on my head than most ANC headphones because they have comfortable padding on their earcups and headbands.
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Controls
Anker has yet to adopt touch controls on its headphones. Although the Space Q45 lacks auto-pause when removing the headphones and wear detection (no auto-pause when removing headphones), the multipurpose buttons for media controls work as expected and perform other duties.
The computerised assistants I tested sometimes acted crazy. Siri was less helpful than Google Assistant, and it took 3 seconds for Google’s AI bot to load the Bleacher Report website. But Siri on my MacBook Pro regularly misconstrued simple queries like “What is my next event?” for “What is my next alarm?”
Sound Quality
The Space Q45 mid-range headphones feature powerful 40mm double-layer diaphragm drivers and BassUp technology. The soundstage is broad, and music is immersive thanks to Anker’s BassUp feature, which boosts bass. Users can enable BassUp through the companion app and customise EQ settings as well as choose from over 20 presets for different music genres and materials.
Two Feet’s “I Feel Like I’m Drowning” sounded epic in the BassUp mode of the Space Q45. I could feel each note of the bluesy guitar and hear every breath of the saxophone. Jazz standards like Duke Ellington’s “In A Sentimental Mood” were intimate, with subtle drum rolls and tinny hi-hats that put me right in the front row.
The Space Q45 has a few features in common with the Sony WH-1000XM5, including noise cancellation and wireless streaming. But it has some differences, too. The Space Q45’s Safe Volume feature gives you an idea of how loud your music is in real time, so you can adjust accordingly to avoid hearing damage.
Noise cancellation
The Anker Space Q45 has many features that make it an excellent pair of noise-canceling headphones. They block out 85% of ambient noise and reduce wind, making your music or podcast listenable even when there is a lot going on around you. The ANC can be adjusted between five levels in the companion app by enabling personalised noise cancellation.
The higher the Q45’s noise-cancelling level, the stronger its low-frequency noise reduction effect. This means that 30 minutes of use can cause some pressure in your ears.
I lowered the ANC on my headphones to level 3 to reduce background noise. Although this helped, I could still hear dogs barking and landscaping tools. Switching to adaptive noise canceling improved things because the headphones automatically adjusted to the level of background noise. Although it struggled with loud noises like lawnmowers, it was less bothersome when listening to loud music. Anker’s four-mic system and wind noise reduction technology reduced windy sounds.