Anker Soundcore Space 2 Pro Review: $200 Headphones With Standout Voice Clarity

Billy Steele, a reviewer at the tech site Engadget, has assessed the Soundcore Space 2 Pro, over-ear headphones from electronics maker Anker priced at $200. They are pitched as a cheaper alternative to flagship models from Apple, Bose, Sony and Sennheiser, which typically cost $350 to $500. The review gives them 8.4 out of 10.

What works

The Space 2 Pro is the first Anker headphone to use the company's new Thus audio chip. The reviewer praises the design: the fit-adjustment sliders are metal, and both the headband and ear pads are wrapped in soft leather. Sound comes from 35mm drivers made of two different materials, and he says the bass and clarity exceed what is usually available around the $200 mark.

The headphones hold a Guinness World Record for the "clearest over-ear headphones for calls." In the reviewer's experience, a six-microphone array suppresses background noise effectively without making the speaker sound robotic. Anker promises up to 30 hours of battery life with active noise cancellation (ANC) on and up to 60 hours with it off; in testing, the headphones ran for 31 hours.

Drawbacks

The reviewer was unimpressed by the extra audio features. Hear ID 5.0, which tailors sound using a hearing test, along with spatial audio and curated presets, did not improve on the default tuning in his view. The Adaptive ANC 3.0 system, which uses eight microphones, handles human voices and keyboard clicks well, but struggles with constant noise such as white noise machines and loud fans.

An "AI Note-Taker" feature is listed as "TBD" on the spec sheet, so it is not confirmed. If it arrives, transcription and cloud storage will require a subscription of $8.33 or $20 per month after a free allowance.

Verdict

The reviewer concludes that anyone who prioritizes voice clarity should consider this model first. He notes that the best overall headphones currently cost $460 at full price.