The new over-ear headphones from the Anker subsidiary, the soundcore Space One Pro, were launched just a few days ago. In the test, they not only stood out due to their unique, space-saving design, but also due to their excellent active noise suppression and high wearing comfort. However, the headphones did not convince us in all respects.
Technical data
| The product | Space One Pro |
| Headphone type | Over-ear (closed) |
| Bluetooth version | 5.3 |
| Bluetooth codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Maximum operating range | 12m (without obstacle) |
| Battery life | Up to 60 hours (without ANC); Up to 40 hours (with ANC) |
| Weight | 286 grams (without cable) |
| Connections | USB Type-C, 3.5 mm jack |
| Color variants | Black, cream white |
| Special features | Multipoint; Foldable design; Dolby Audio; Easy Chat function |
| Price | € 199.99 * |
soundcore Space One Pro test: A touch of AirPods Max
The soundcore Space One Pro remind me of the AirPods Max in terms of appearance and, above all, the adjustment mechanism of the ear hooks. Only with a round design. The new model from the Anker subsidiary has a simple, elegant design that is a real eye-catcher with its two-tone accents in either white or black.
However, the design is predominantly dominated by plastic. With the exception of the metal headband. Although this, like the entire headphones, has a high-quality finish, we would have expected a little more in this price range.
And yet: the Space One Pro’s plastic content is also visible. In a direct comparison, the well-known competition from Sennheiser, Bose, Sony or even Apple seems noticeably more valuable – even if we have nothing to complain about in terms of the build quality.
A unique selling point of the soundcore Space One Pro is the space-saving foldable design. The ear cups can be folded much more compactly than the competition, so that the headphones can even fit into smaller sling bags.
It’s hardly a problem that there is no real hard case included, just a carrying bag. On top of that, there is a USB cable and a 3.5 mm jack cable, as the Space One Pro can also be operated via cable if desired.
Wearing comfort and operation
On the other hand, I really like the wearing comfort of the soundcore Space One Pro. On the one hand, because the wireless Bluetooth headphones weigh just 286 grams and are therefore noticeably lighter than the Sennheiser Momentum Wireless 4 (our test), for example.
On the other hand, because soundcore has given the headphones pleasantly large and soft padding. The ear pads are around 22 mm thick and, at 65 mm x 55 mm, also offer space for larger ears.
Unfortunately, the Space One Pro reveal some weaknesses in terms of operation. The fact that the manufacturer has consistently dispensed with touch control doesn’t even bother me. I prefer dedicated and handy buttons anyway.
There are four of them on both sides of the headphones. You’ll find the power button on the left and the “NC” button above it, which can be used to switch between active noise cancellation and transparency mode.
On the right-hand side, on the other hand, there is a play/pause button and a volume rocker. The latter can also be used to switch to the previous or next song. All quite good so far. However, the buttons are relatively small, which makes operation a little more difficult. The feedback from the buttons could also be a little more tactile.
App connection: soundcore
Only the NC button can be customized within the companion app. And only in terms of the option to activate or deactivate the BassUp function by tapping it twice.
The soundcore app also proves to be extremely practical and scores with a wide range of setting options. For example, the active noise cancellation can be adjusted in five stages or adaptively, while you can significantly influence the sound with the help of numerous equalizer presets or your own 8-band EQ.
The app also offers the option of using a HearID hearing test to check your own hearing sensitivity and adjust the sound to your individual hearing ability. If you like, you can also switch on Dolby Audio to achieve a more spatial sound – although I wouldn’t recommend this when listening to music, as I didn’t really like the sound here.
Features and battery life
Fortunately, the soundcore Space One Pro don’t leave much to be desired in terms of features. The headphones use the modern Bluetooth 5.3 standard and, as mentioned, also allow wired use via USB and jack.
Unfortunately, Bluetooth LE, Auracast and Qualcomm aptX are not included. Anyone who values high-resolution sound must therefore ensure that their own smartphone or other players can cope with LDAC.
Thanks to multipoint connectivity, they can also be paired wirelessly with two audio sources at the same time. They also support Hi-Res sound including Sony’s high-resolution LDAC codec and offer voice recognition, which means the headphones massively reduce the volume when you speak.
This enables clear conversations with headphones on, even in ANC mode, without having to switch to transparency mode. Unfortunately, however, there is no wear detection. The Space One Pro simply continue to drone on when you take the headphones off.
The headphones are also very well positioned in terms of battery life. Up to 40 hours of playback with active noise cancellation and 60 hours without ANC are possible. A really good value that is only topped by a few competitors such as the Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 (our test).
The quick-charging function also proves to be practical: just 5 minutes on the power supply is enough to get the headphones ready for a full eight hours of music playback. Outstanding.
Playback quality, ANC and microphones
In terms of sound, the soundcore Space One Pro cut a fine figure. The 40 mm drivers produce a warm, pleasing sound, but the factory tuning is too bass-heavy for my taste and lacks the open airiness in the highs.
You can use the equalizers to counteract this somewhat, but I was only able to achieve the best results (and a coherent sound for me) with the HearID sound profile.
Overall, the headphones produce a well-rounded sound that is particularly strong with electro and pop music, as the emphasized bass is particularly effective here. However, in more complex arrangements such as Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody or the atmospheric singer-songwriter track Running Out Of Time by Wyatt Flores, the Space One Pro unfortunately swallow up some details in the instrumentalization that the Melomania P100, for example, which cost around 80 euros more, bring out much better.
In terms of sound, the soundcore Space One Pro – with its own adjustments – is definitely good. However, for me personally, who is mainly at home in the hard rock and metal segment, the headphones deliver a sound that is too unbalanced for me to be completely carried away. In my opinion, they could also be a little louder.
And at a price of 200 euros, it would be difficult to find better sounding ANC headphones. However, if you go around 80 above this price limit, the Space One Pro fall noticeably behind. The competition from Bose, Cambridge Audio, Sennheiser or Sony simply delivers a noticeably more detailed, better sound.
Strong ANC, weak transparency mode
soundcore has done a great job with the active noise canceling. This not only manages to almost completely block out monotonous low noises, but also copes very well with higher frequencies, which are greatly reduced.
The situation is different with the transparency mode, which amplifies the ambient noise and thus enables conversations with headphones on and is intended to ensure greater safety. However, even at the highest of five levels, it still filters out too much background noise. This ensures that you hear much less of your surroundings.
Microphone test recording soundcore Space One Pro:
Microphone test recording Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4:
On the other hand, I really like the microphone quality of the soundcore Space One Pro. A total of four microphones with wind noise suppression are installed, which enable clear communication even in noisy environments. Here too, however, more expensive headphones deliver noticeably better quality.
soundcore Space One Pro test: Conclusion
With the soundcore Space One Pro, the manufacturer has produced really good over-ear headphones. I was particularly impressed by the excellent wearing comfort and the outstanding active noise suppression, together with the sound.
The battery life is also really good. Up to 40 hours of playback with ANC easily got me through an entire weekend. The Space One Pro also have a lot to offer in terms of sound, although I personally find the sound too bass-heavy, which means that details in the mids and highs are somewhat lost.
On the other hand, the headphones don’t tend to exaggerate. I really like the HearID sound test, which allows me to tune the sound to my own hearing. This makes a huge difference in practice. The operation could be a little crisper and an adjustment would also be nice and the transparency mode is a little disappointing. Otherwise, you get a lot of headphones for the price with the soundcore Space One Pro.
soundcore Space One Pro
Workmanship
Wearing comfort
Sound quality
Noise-canceling
Features
Value For Money
89/100
Comfortable headphones with great ANC, good sound and a convincing battery life. However, the workmanship could be a little better.
