First of all, over-ear headphones sound better. For those who not only love music, but also enjoy good sound, this is the most important factor.
Secondly, they have better passive and active sound insulation. Passengers of electric trains, subways, long-distance trains and airplanes appreciate this.
Thirdly, they make your ears less tired. After wearing them for an hour or an hour and a half, you feel like throwing them away, and in general, many people don’t like putting something in their ears.
Fourthly, in late autumn, early spring, and sometimes in winter, you can walk without a hat (ears with headphones do not freeze). Of course, this is a joke, but only partly.
Content
Design, construction, ergonomicsActive noise cancellationSoundApplicationVariousTechnical characteristicsConclusion
The floating design of the Soundcore Space One cups allows them to surround the head more precisely. Photo: Dmitry Bevza/RG
So, after the advantages of full-size headphones have become obvious, let’s move on to the hero of our review – Soundcore Space One. Although Soundcore advertises itself as a “premium audio brand”, music lovers They are primarily known as an affordable alternative to older, more classic hi-fi headphone brands. Soundcore Space One fits perfectly into this concept.
As usual, I wanted to start the review with the “Main” item, but this time there are problems with it. The phrase “Soundcore Space One stands out for its active noise reduction” will sound blasphemous while Sony and Bose are alive. In response to the maxim about “great sound” (and it is really good), owners of Bower & Wilkins, Focal, Beyerdynamic and other Bang & Olufsen will stick their mouths out in disdain. However, there is still “The Main Thing” in Soundcore Space One. And this is the “Holy Grail” of all consumer electronics manufacturers: the quality/price ratio. In our case, the famous “bang for your buck” meme could be included in the review title. For 12 thousand rubles, the owner of Soundcore Space One gets full-size wireless ears in the “full filling” style.
Soundcore Space One is very light. Its weight is only 265 grams. Photo: Soundcore
Design, construction, ergonomics.
Soundcore Space One looks expensive, rich and… a little Beats-esque (we’ll come back to Beats later). However, once you take them in your hands, the “premium” effect fades a bit. Plastic, eco-leather and very ecological. It seems that imitation of natural materials was not part of the designers’ specifications.
Regarding the design, there are several points to pay attention to. The headphones fold up. It’s not ideal when both cups are inside the headband, but it’s still a plus for carrying.
Soundcore Space One folds. It’s not ideal when both cups are inside the headband, but it’s still a plus for carrying. Photo: Dmitry Bevza/RG
Also worth noting is the floating design of the cups, which rotate approximately 8 degrees, allowing them to cover the head more precisely. The pads are not very deep. On the one hand, this makes Soundcore Space One more compact, on the other hand, if you have glasses, a complex hairstyle and jewelry on your head, it requires more careful fixation.
Soundcore Space One owners should also remember that its earpads, unlike most premium models, cannot be removed, and if they are damaged, you will have to “collective farm” (glue and repair the earpads) or change them completely. headphones.
The Space One earbuds are large enough to hug your ears instead of pressing on them. Photo: Dmitry Bevza/RG
But the ergonomics of the Soundcore Space One are simply luxurious. First of all, they are very light: 265 grams (for comparison, the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 Mclaren Edition weighs 320 grams).
Secondly, the stiffness of the headband is very well selected. On the one hand, it is enough that the headphones hold well and do not fall out, on the other hand, the pressure is not strong and you can comfortably stay in the Soundcore Space One for several hours. However, we would not recommend this model for sports activities, however, TWS models are ideal for sports.
Third, the Space One earbuds are large enough to cover your ears and not put pressure on them.
The Space One controls are not touch, but push-button, which can be considered an advantage in the Russian climate, when you often have to wear gloves and the sensors stop responding to touch in the cold. The controls are convenient and intuitive. There are all the standard options: volume, track change, noise reduction adjustment. On the other hand, I note that Soundcore Space One supports Fast Pair technology, which simplifies and speeds up the discovery and pairing of headphones with Android devices.
The controls of the Soundcore Space One are push-button, which can be considered an advantage in the Russian climate, when you often have to wear gloves and the sensors stop responding to touch in the cold. Photo: Dmitry Bevza/RG
Space One has an audio transparency mode, both permanent and temporary. It’s called “convenient communication” and it’s useful when you need to take a break from listening to music or a podcast to talk offline. To do this, simply bring your palm to the left cup. There’s also an experimental feature where the headphones mute the music and go into “talk mode” as soon as you start talking, but this great feature is still in beta testing mode and there are currently too many false positives when it’s enabled. . I hope Soundcore makes it happen sooner or later. Something very convenient.
Space One also has a sensor that is responsible for determining whether the headphones are on your head or not. Before using it for the first time, you have to calibrate it using an app (more on this later), but it’s not difficult. Works correctly. I took off the headphones and the music stopped. I put it on and started playing again.
Space One has a sensor that is responsible for determining whether the headphones are on your head or not. Photo: Dmitry Bevza/RG
As for reliability, of course, it cannot be fully assessed in two weeks. At first glance, a design made of plastic and eco-leather seems less reliable and durable than metal and genuine leather, but, nevertheless, this is just a stereotype. Modern synthetic and composite materials are often stronger than natural ones.
Active noise cancellation
Soundcore Space One has active noise cancellation (ANC). Like most headphones, it has two modes. Adaptive noise reduction, increasing/decreasing depending on the volume of surrounding sounds and fixed, five levels.
The noise reduction works very well. Yes, if we compare it with the Sony and Bose standards, the first thing you notice is that low-frequency hums and harsh sounds are suppressed worse. However, overall the noise cancellation works very well. You can listen to music, podcasts, lectures and talk on the phone even in the Moscow metro, and in headset mode the interlocutor hears you, not the roar of the train.
Sound
Let us now dive into the abyss of subjectivity, that is, the sound of headphones. In my opinion, both the creators of Space One and the marketers of Soundcore were guided by the sound of Beats headphones with an emphasis on low and high frequencies. As they say, let it hit and make noise. It’s definitely not my favorite sound coloration, and on the original Soundcore Space One setting, I found the midrange to be crisp and clear. Does this mean that the Soundcore Space One’s sound is “not very good”? Of course not. Many are delighted with this sound image. She is really brilliant and impressive.
However, in the end, thanks to the Soundcore app and its rich settings, your humble servant was satisfied with the sound, but let’s be honest, you still won’t find as much detail and balance as in the “real” Hi-Fi headphones in the Soundcore Space One. However, if the Soundcore Space One (for 12 thousand) sounded exactly the same as the headphones for 40-90, it would be strange to say the least.
It is STRICTLY MANDATORY to install the Soundcore app. Without it, approximately a third of all Space One capabilities are lost. Photo: Dmitry Bevza/RG
Application
It is highly recommended to install the Soundcore app on your smartphone. No, not like that. It is strictly necessary to install the Soundcore application. Without it, you lose about a third of all Space One capabilities. This is where the AAC/SBC/LDAC codecs are changed. If you have LDAC enabled, you will be able to listen to music in the highest quality, and if it is AAC or SBC, you will be able to connect your ears simultaneously to two sound sources (smartphone/tablet/computer).
You can adjust the noise reduction and sound transmission level. But the main thing is that it has very rich sound settings, ranging from listening tests and adjusting the headphones to their characteristics, to excellent equalizer presets. In general, the possibilities for customizing sound in Soundcore Space One are simply enormous.
Soundcore Space One has very rich sound settings, ranging from listening tests and adjusting the headphones to their characteristics, to excellent equalizer presets. Photo: Dmitry Bevza/RG
Miscellaneous
The Soundcore Space One’s battery life is 40 hours with noise cancellation enabled and 55 without it. These are good features, but they are more or less similar to other models.
Unfortunately, the package does not include a hard case, but only a waterproof bag for transport, so you should carefully store the headphones in a backpack, bag or suitcase when transporting them.
The package also includes a cable with mini-jack connectors. That is, the headphones can also work via cable. But there is a nuance. If the headphones are on, the sound through the cable is quite good. But if the power is turned off and the analog signal is supplied directly from the smartphone unprocessed, the sound deteriorates noticeably. However, this image is seen on many wireless headphones that have the ability to connect via cable. They often sound worse over wired than over Bluetooth, since their music path is optimally configured for Bluetooth settings and the intrusion of a third-party source into it, as a rule, makes the sound worse.
Specifications:
Active noise cancellation. Adapts to the characteristics of the ear canal and operating conditions; 40mm dynamic drivers; Operating time – without ANC 40 hours; with ANC 55h;Bluetooth – 5.3 / 10 m;Fast charging – 5min = 4h;Connection to two devices;3 microphones compatible with AI sound enhancement algorithms;Maximum volume 93dB;Codecs: SBC, AAC, LDAC;Listening time full charge 2h; Dimensions 195 x 172 x 902 cm.
Conclusion
The Soundcore Space One is an exceptionally impressive (in our opinion) model in its class. It is difficult to even find competitors for it in the price category up to 12 thousand. In terms of sound quality, level of active noise reduction, ergonomics and the breadth of possibilities offered by the Soundcore app, Space One even ranks among premium models that cost 3 to 5 times more.
However, since we still need to give readers freedom of choice, if for some reason you don’t like the sound or design of Soundcore Space One (and it is better to listen to the headphones before buying them), then you can pay attention to the models . such as the JBL T750BTNC, Audio-Technica ATH-M20xBT or 1MORE SonoFlow.
I almost forgot. We thank the Dr.Head store for providing us with the Soundcore Space One headphones for review.
