Why these budget headphones still have bomb ANC – nearly 3 years later

ZDNET's key takeaways

• The Soundcore Space One headphones are a solid pair of headphones on sale for $80.
• They're stylish, have good noise canceling, and come with a host of features found on much more expensive headphones.
• However, some might find them a little too snug, and they don't come with a proper carrying case.

I think having a reliable pair of over-ear headphones is just as important as having a reliable smartphone or laptop. Everyone goes to work, travels, commutes, studies, or likes to have a solo jam session, and the right headphones can only augment those experiences. Plus, everyone deserves to feel cool and tech-forward when they wear their over-ear headphones.

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But these days, consumer tech products can be all or nothing. You either cough up hundreds of dollars for the best of the best, or pay less for less functional, less aesthetically pleasing, lower-quality tech. Yet everyone has an inner Goldilocks who wants something right in the middle -- and that's hard to find. 

So, what if I told you that you could have a good-quality pair of fashionable headphones with luxury features for only $80? The Soundcore Space One is an affordable pair of over-ear headphones that sound great, look stylish, and offer features that a $400 pair omits. I should also point out that every single color option of the Space One is on sale for $20 off at Amazon.

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The Soundcore Space One headphones arrived one year after the Space Q45, which are popular for their impressive active noise canceling (ANC) capabilities despite their $150 price tag. But the Space One headphones have better ANC, a sleeker look, and enhanced microphone performance compared to their predecessor.

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For a pair of $100 headphones, everything about the Space One headphones is impressive. These cans use adaptive noise cancellation technology to detect and eliminate noise disturbances around you. And they do a decent job at blocking clicking sounds, such as typing on a keyboard or clicking a mouse.

Droning noises, like a refrigerator, lawnmower, AC unit, or the hum of a plane, can sneak past the Space One's ANC, but turning the volume right over 50% eliminates this problem. The Space One headphones deliver full-bodied bass, mids that aren't hollow, and treble that's enjoyable and clear without piercing your eardrums. These headphones don't deliver the deepest bass, so if you don't like boomy, cranium-vibrating bass, these cans are for you.

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When I listened to "Part II (On The Run)" by Beyoncé and Jay-Z, the bassline was clear enough to keep me in the groove, but it lacked the deep punch that makes a song feel like it's in my bones. Still, the mids remain clear and natural, while the treble is steady enough to bring out small details in the song without sounding shrill.

The Space One headphones are the latest in Soundcore's Space lineup, and their name fits their design: they have a sleek, outer-space vibe. Soundcore has blended matte finishes with chrome details, and the Sky Blue color I tried solidifies the galactic feel.

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The Space One ear cups are made from polyurethane leather and are more circular than oval, providing a mix of over- and on-ear fit, leaning more toward on-ear. 

Instead of sporting an elongated oval ear cup shape like the Bose QuietComfort 45 headphones, the circular Space One earcups can press the ears a little too tight. I wore the Space One headphones for two-hour increments, then removed them briefly to alleviate ear fatigue.

But you'll need plenty of breaks before the battery gives out, as you can get 55 hours of playtime with these headphones with ANC off. With ANC on, the Space One headphones will last 40 hours, and just 5 minutes of charging can give you 4 hours of playtime.

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Now, let's get into the extra features Space One gives you that some headphones, at double, triple, or quadruple their price, won't. First, the Soundcore companion app is a highly comprehensive hub for your EQ preferences. In the app, you can create a Custom HearID, which asks you a few prompts before creating a bespoke EQ setting based on your responses.

Additionally, the Soundcore app offers 22 EQ presets that adjust the Space One EQ settings to deliver the best sound for the music you're listening to. For example, the Pop EQ setting will amplify the treble and mids while slightly decreasing the bass, and the Hip-Hop setting will boost the bass, lower the treble, and slightly raise the mids. These extremely tailored EQ settings don't come with the Bose 700 headphones, which cost $380.

The Space One headphones are equipped with Wearing Detection, a feature that pauses music when they sense you've taken them off your head and resumes playback when you put them back on. This is a feature you won't have with the Beats Studio Pro, which retail for $350.

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Easy Chat can be enabled in the Soundcore app and will lower the volume of your music when the Space One headphones detect your voice, assuming you're trying to have a conversation. Then, the Space One headphones will amplify the other person's voice, allowing you to hear them better, all without removing your cans. You won't find this feature in the AirPods Max, despite their $550 asking price.

There's only one real complaint I have about these headphones: the carrying case -- or carrying dust bag, I should say. This is a bit tedious and isn't a direct critique of the headphones, but having a convenient carrying case adds to the experience -- and it's something the Space One lacks.

Inutile carrying cases that make your precious headphones susceptible to damage, like the AirPods Max case, don't give you a safe place to store your device. Hardshell cases (my preference) tend to come with more expensive headphones, but a soft, zip-up case would still do the Space One more justice than the drawstring bag they come with.

ZDNET's buying advice

All in all, the Space One headphones are great for their low price. I would recommend these headphones for people who don't want the fanciest, most expensive headphones, but don't want to sell themselves short with cheaply made ones either. 

The Soundcore Space One headphones won't impress audiophiles, but they will give the average listener everything they're looking for in a good-quality pair of headphones. If you want to make $80 stretch as far as it can for a pair of headphones, hop on the Space One. 

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