Anker’s Soundcore division has been cranking out Bluetooth speakers and earbuds for years – the Liberty 3 Pro from all the way back in 2021 remain in my collection for their sound quality – but it has struggled a bit in wireless over-the-ear headphones. The company’s first effort in 2024, the Space One, were exceptionally comfortable and sounded fine but didn’t offer very effective ANC. I’ve been testing the new Soundcore Space 2, and it’s definitely better, but the competition hasn’t stood still.
At $130, the Space 2 is priced well below the best ANC headphones from Sony and Bose and waaay below Apple’s updated AirPods Max 2. For the price, it continues to deliver exceptional comfort, reasonable audio quality, and improved, but still only moderately effective ANC compared to more expensive options.
Running through my headphone test playlist, the Space 2’s sound signature is a bit forward but not cloyingly bright. I found that the 3D sound mode (off by default) improved separation without distorting things too much. Soundcore includes over a dozen sound curves in the app; for testing I alternated between Flat and soundcore Signature, which seems to be a version of the Harman curve. Bass is present but not overemphasized, making these good for rock and orchestral alike, but probably not your first choice if all you listen to is EDM and hip hop – even with the presets in the app. Unfortunately, imaging is a bit muddy at lower volumes; make it louder and the soundstage comes alive. Tracy Chapman’s contralto voice comes through clear in Fast Car; the bass saxophone at the beginning of Dave Matthews Band Stay has a nice snarl; the horn section in John Williams’ Star Wars score has decent weight. Play it loud and AC/DC rocks out at the cost of your hearing. The Space 2 sound quality is good for the price – it does nothing obviously wrong and you do have some adjustments in the app.
Soundcore makes a big deal on its website and on the package about the ANC: “Jet Noise Silenced. First-Class Comfort” with a “4-Stage Low-Frequency Noise Cancelling System.” I tested it in my office, on a bus commute, in midtown Manhattan, and on two transcontinental flights. It is definitely an improvement over the first-generation Space One, and given how comfortable it is to wear and the price point, I doubt buyers will be disappointed – as long as they don’t compare the Space 2 to more expensive ANC headphones and earbuds. The noise floor on the flights was lowered, but Apple AirPods Pro 2 (earbuds, not headphones) and Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra were significantly quieter for low frequencies. The Space 2 is most effective on constant single-frequency noise; Apple, Bose, and Sony do a much better job adapting to changes in outside noise, like when the airplane engines change pitch during takeoff. The Space 2 doesn’t even seem to try to cancel out higher frequencies like babies, screeching bus brakes, emergency vehicles a full five blocks away, and PA announcements. While the ANC has been improved, I still found them only to be somewhat effective on flights and not great for city commuting. Of course, to get headphones and earbuds that do excel, you’ll have to pay nearly 2x – 4x the Space 2’s cost. So it’s a tradeoff.
The Space 2 also lacks many of the more advanced features you find on premium headphones. It has high resolution codec support but no gestures or health sensors. I’m glad that the battery life is fairly generous (50 hours with ANC on) because the headphones don’t automatically pause your music when you take them off even though there is a sensor in the left earcup, which I initially assumed was broken on my unit. It’s not ideal to discover your playlist still playing in the earcups when you arrive at my hotel even though they were taken off and put away at the gate. This happened more than once. It turns out that the Space 2 does have wearing detection, it’s just turned off by default, and the toggle for it is buried in the settings section of the app. Why?
The best part of the Space 2 is its ergonomics. Controls are physical buttons. The earcups and headband are both covered in soft material and padding. The whole thing can be twisted down into a ball or laid flat with folding and swiveling cups. It weighs 263g on my scale – not featherweight, but I enjoy wearing them because the clamping force is modest. There is nothing particularly unique about the Space 2’s look, which is similar to designs from Sony and Bose, aside from the new color option: Seafoam. It is also available in boring Jet black or linen white. (Get Seafoam.)
The Space 2 comes with just a carrying bag, not a hard case. There is a hard case available on Soundcore’s website for $37 that is currently included as a free gift with purchase; that same case must be purchased separately on Amazon and other retail outlets, though it wouldn’t shock me if it was included as a bonus on Amazon Prime Day. If you happen to find a Space One Travel Case – it looks like a small purse – the Space Two will fit in it as well.
Link to product page (not an affiliate link): https://www.soundcore.com/products/d1402-space-2-comfortable-noise-cancelling-headphones
Disclosures: Anker sent the Soundcore Space 2 for review but Devices View does not accept paid posts, does not participate in affiliate link programs, and Anker had no editorial control over this article. Anker has consulted with Techsponential on other products.
