Soundcore Spirit X Sports Earphones by Anker, with Wireless Bluetooth 5, 12-Hour Battery, IPX7 SweatGuard Technology, Secure Fit for Sport and Workouts, with Mic (Blue)
Note: I bought the product at the full retail price.
1. Comfort
It fits me pretty well out of the box, and no adjustment needed.
I didn't bother trying out other ear tips/wings included. It feels very secure even when I'm running.
All the plastic or rubber materials which directly contact skin appear to be of high quality and don't irritate my skin after hours of using.
2. Design
The quick-adjust behind the neck is literally genius!
This is one of the most impressive functions I noticed.
With a simple pull, I'm able to create a tangle-free tight fit, which greatly reduces the annoying sound as the wire contacts clothes. See attached picture. Replacement included in accessories just in case it's lost.
Pairing is straightforward just like any other Bluetooth devices, nothing unusual.
I found it interesting as the sound prompts is the same across all the newly branded Soundcore products, such as "Soundcore Vortext". It's easy to understand and remember. It only pairs with
2. Range
It says 10m / 33 ft on the user manual.
I have no problem playing music uninterrupted in this range with 3 walls in between!
3. Audio quality
Bass is substantial leaving nothing to be desired.
It's on the warm side and may have the sound signature of Bose?!
It is much better than Apple AirPods for sure :)
I own "Anker SoundBuds Sport IE20" for almost two years now (still going strong), but I prefer the new one thanks to the better fit and seal. It blocks a lot of surrounding noise.
One would really appreciate this noise-isolating feature in an open office or on the plan. I have so many other great headphones and earphones, and I have to conclude the sound quality should be satisfactory for most people.
It's using the latest and greatest Bluetooth v5.0
4. Battery life
It came 100% charged as shown in the status bar of my iPhone.
Music played for more than 1.5 hours non-stop and it shows 90%.
It may reach the 12-hour time. I just don't have the time to test it yet.
Something to update later.
Things I miss:
I miss the magnet switch on/off from "Anker SoundBuds Sport IE20".
I miss the ability to connect to two devices at the same time without power off and do connecdt again.
I hope this review would help someone who's looking for a quality pair of wireless earphones. It is evident that Anker refines products over the years and I think it deserves to be successful.
Tried 4 different brands and these are definitely the best. Summary of all 4:
• Apple AirPods: Great overall sound, but fell out easily during exercise. Too expensive to sweat on and possibly ruin.
• Taotronics 027 (New model - Black): Great Bass, lots of volume, do not stay in my ears. Somewhat uncomfortable.
• SoundPeats Q30: Poor Bass, nice Midrange and Highs. More comfortable than Taotronics, still fall out of my ears.
• Soundcore Spirit X (by Anker): Best Bass and best overall sound quality of any earbuds I've tried including my son's Apple AirPods. Fit is secure and by far the most comfortable of any of the models I've tried.. Sound is GREAT. Lots of volume, clean Midrange and Highs. Bluetooth 5.0 is a HUGE plus and my iPhone 8 has it (iPhone X has it too as well as some of the newer high end non Apple phones). BT 5.0 has twice the Data capability and 4 times the range of Bluetooth 4.2. and as far as I know SoundCore is the first company to incorporate it into their wireless headphones.
So now the long version: In a previous life I was a sound engineer and made Fitness CD's for Cardio Instructors to use in their classes. Did all my mixing with headphones and I am very picky about good sound. I have been using Sennheiser wired workout headphones for years but with the advent of the new iPhone 8 with no headphone jack, I decided to finally get with the times and try a Bluetooth version.
• Fit and Comfort: I didn't care for the new Apple AirPods as they fall out of my ears and look ridiculous, so I tried a step up with the Taotronics Model 027 that use the ear "wings" that go inside your ear. While better than the AirPods, they still fall out with little help from me. I was constantly shoving them back in every time I touched the controller.
The SoundPeats Q30's fit much better in my ear and were much more comfortable. Unfortunately, they didn't have much Bass compared to the Tao's (and especially compared to the SoundCores) and I just wasn't that impressed. While they fit more snugly than the Tao's, by now I'd become disenchanted with the whole system and opted to see about a pair that uses Ear Hooks. My wired Sennheisers used Ear Hooks and it was never a problem..
So, the next step up was the Spirit X that uses the afore mentioned over the ear "hook" in conjunction with their own better version of the inner ear "wing". As soon as I put them on I knew I'd found my answer. They were very secure and I can adjust the volume at will without the bud popping out of my ear. They were the perfect size out of the box and fit securely and comfortably. The little adjustment puck on the cable allows you to cinch up the extra cable asymmetrically and it did a good job of getting the controller off my neck. The cord is easily adjustable but it also comes with a second Puck that you can attach if you want a more permanent cable length solution.
• Sound Quality: Did some research. SoundCore is Anker's new high end audio product division and apparently they brought in a panel of experts to help them tailor the sound on these. In short. It worked. These are the best sounding earbuds of any I've tried, and it's not even close. They sound better than the Apple AirPods and those are 4 times the cost. The best part is their BASS! It's thumpy and DEEP... As far as I know these are the only exercise Ear Buds that are rated down to 16 hz! That's Bass you can feel, and best of all, it's clean, punchy and undistorted even at full volume. Speaking of volume... these get louder than any of the others in this review. The Taotronics get loud too, but these edge them out. Midrange and Highs are clean, crisp and detailed. They rival my wired Sennheiser workout headphones, and in fact, I'd say the highs on these are even a bit smoother while being just as detailed.
• Honorable Mentions: If you have a newer Samsung/Windows/Google phone or an iPhone 8 or X you probably have Bluetooth 5.0. As far as I know SoundCore is the only wireless headphone brand on Amazon that uses BT 5.0. This is a HUGE Advantage! BT 5.0 has twice the data capability, and FOUR TIMES the Range of BT 4.2. I walked all over my house and never lost connection or experienced any skips. Could not do that with any of the BT 4.2 models. So that means a stable connection and instant pairing.
The build quality is fantastic just like their cables and batteries. Circuit boards are coated with a waterproof coating (unlike Beats) and utilize the highest waterproof level available (level 7). These should last a very long time and at a price point of 40 bucks, they are the bargain of the century. Honorable mention also goes to the LED. Really like the Red/Blue. Much easier to see than the Red/Green for my eyes. It blinks red when the battery is low (Battery level also shows on the iPhone display), solid red means charging, and blue means full charge. You can use the multi-function middle button to answer calls and even hold it down to reject the call to voicemail. The Mic works well for Siri too. Today I was able to press the middle button for one second and say "Hey Siri, play playlist "Treadmill Faves" and it worked like a charm. Phone calls are also clear and I'm told the sound quality at the other end on phone calls is pretty good for this type of device.
• To sum up: If you are considering one of the sub 30 dollar units as I was, consider stepping up to 40 bucks for these bad boys. Well worth it for the better BlueTooth range, and the exceptionally good Sound. Overall, I couldn't be more pleased with them.
I've been through a variety of these types of headphones (two iterations of LG HBS730 primarily) and finally I have to say the proverbial jackpot has been struck. The fit out of the box was perfect and then the sound...easily the best reproduction I've heard with this type of headphone. The bass sits perfectly and isn't overbearing...it's where it should be. Hard to describe but the full spectrum of the music is there. It fills up ears and blocks everything else out. All these are promises/features I've heard with other headphones I've tried. This is the first time a product has delivered on all those for me.
I've not exercised with these headphones yet so I will certainly update this review if there is anything interesting to note in that respect.
UPDATE 06/14/2018 - Removing a star due to a design annoyance. Having used these headphones for over a month (on walks, doing yardwork, etc.), I am still extremely happy with the sound and convenience of these headphones. There is however an annoyance that I've not been able to ignore. Due to the controls/recharging being affixed in housing on the wire, this adds an imbalance of weight to the right side and thus when turning my head, it noticeably starts "shifting" the excess slack to that side. This is especially noticeable when any amount of sweat causes the wires to "stick" or adhere to your skin. Even adjusting to a more snug fit does not completely alleviate this problem since the sticking part is still an issue AND it places the control further behind your head and results in some awkwardness feeling for the controls (pausing, adjusting volume, resuming playback, etc.) This leads to my other complaint and that is, when adjusting for a more snug fit to mitigate the slack, I ran into an issue where the wire has fallen out of it's recess and it is inordinately difficult to place it back into the recess.
All of this leads me to believe it would have been a better design to have the control surface(s) and charging port somewhere on the buds themselves and not suspended along the wire as it is now. Any added weight to a bud (or buds) would be pretty much a non-factor since the buds have supreme support with the ear bracing. Again, I'm still happy with the quality of the sound and will continue to use these headphones It's simply not a "5-star" product as I initially perceived.
UPDATE: July 5th, 2018 -- Wanted to give a shout out to Anker Direct support. They contacted me and offered a different model that has the controls on the buds themselves. The sound quality is basically the same (it's good) and I like this design much better. The overall experience with Anker and their willingness to address customer concerns is exemplary.
I bought the Anker Soundcore Spirit X Earphones earlier this week for a trip next week. I’ve been using an older version of their earbuds, which are awesome. Several years ago, I purchased a pair of high end Shures with custom earbuds. They are amazing...and the Anker line is very similar. The quality of my last Anker earbuds was good; these are a step or 2 better.
I wasn’t sure about the ear hooks, as I’ve had uncomfortable ones in the past. I’ve been wearing these for a couple days and don’t feel them at all (with glasses on or off).
The battery came fully charged and still have a 90% charge after between an hour or 2 of playing.
The packaging is typical Anker, meaning it’s of nice quality. They included a charging cable, extra earbuds, a locking clip, and even a carrying case. I like the semi-hard case. It will be great for travel. This isn’t a major issue, but I have pets and it has caught some of their hair and a pocket lint.
As for sound quality...it’s excellent! It’s very well balanced. It trends more toward the highs versus the lows, but you can hear lows, too. It lets you hear the full range of music.
I am glad I purchased these and will continue purchasing Anker products.
I am completely impressed by the Soundcore Spirit X Earphones by Anker. They are WAY better than they should be for the price. The sound is really good for earphones in general and the functionality is seamless.
PROS:
- GREAT Audio: VERY good bass for earphones and you can easily hear the entire sound stage in any song
- Sound blocking: I have to go back and revise a review for the Bowers and Wilkins PX because these block the same amount of sound as those do and they are active-noise cancelling over-ear headphones. It just tells me that the B&W PX's are not as impressive as I thought if these $40 earphones can do the same thing for a 10th of the price.
- Easy to use: it took me less than 30 seconds to set them up with my iPhone
- Lightweight: they easily stay on my head while running or working outside and I honestly forget I have them on sometimes.
- Carrying cases and ear sizes: comes with a great carrying case and a ton of different ear sizes to fit any ear
- Battery life: Only had to recharge them once since getting them, but they lasted a solid 10 hours out of the box.
CONS:
- Remote does not switch songs with a double-click of the center button
That is literally the only con I can come up with right now. These earphones are easily the best earphones I have ever owned, and they only cost $40. Just TOO impressed with Anker right now.
Feature Product
Description
Anker kindly let me try these earphones after having many issues with the SoundBuds Curve. The SoundBuds break every 3 or so months, so I thought I'd try this option instead. The Soundcore Spirit X are pretty much a refined version of the SoundBuds Curve. Same shape, same design, similar build. The audio quality is the same and good: punchy bass, and strong mids, but lacking some clarity in the highs. For an everyday headphone the sound quality is great, I'm sure comparable to the much more expensive Beats, and the sound isolation is also very good. With the volume medium level you really can't hear much from outside. The earphones are very light but do feel a bit plasticky, so I hope this doesn't affect their longevity. The best feature, by far, is the battery life. These earphones seem to last forever, and definitely live up to their 12 hour playtime. Having looked at a lot of earphones I think these are the best you can get for a very good price, would definitely recommend!
I’ve had these headphones for 2 months and they suddenly died and will not turn back on, extremely disappointed in these.
Edit: Anker reached out to me about my first pair of headphones that unfortunately died, they sent me a brand new pair to make sure I was satisfied with my purchase and have checked in on their quality. The new ones are still working good and their customer service I would say is top of the line.
I was in the market for new headphones to wear while running. I bought these because they were advertised as "sweatproof" and I have other Anker products (rechargeable, portable battery packs) that work great. I bought the headphones in early June. I run three times a week so I had only worn them about 35 times before they stopped working entirely. In mid-August I wore them to run and during my run the controller malfunctioned and started raising/lowering the volume, skipping tracks, pausing and playing the music at will. I couldn't control the headphones myself. I had to disconnect them from my phone and eventually they died, I re-charged them, and they worked again. Since then I have only ran six or seven times. Two days ago the headphones had the same issues: controller malfunctioning and unable to control. I disconnected them and they turned off. Now I can't charge them or turn them back on. The return period was only one month and the manufacturer assistance is only two so I missed both windows.
EDIT/UPDATE: the manufacturer contacted me and sent me a new pair that have worked very well including lasting for a full marathon and afterwards. I have had NO problems with the second pair whatsoever. Anker's customer support was fantastic at following up and ensuring I was fully satisfied. THEN, Anker sent me another pair when the updated version of the headphones came out. Based on the stellar customer service from Anker and the functionality of the new pair (and bonus extra pair!) I've changed my rating from one to four stars (the only reason I can't give it 5 is because of the first pair, but otherwise it would be 5 stars).
***EDIT: After the review was posted, Emily from customer support contacted me and was highly courteous in listening to and understanding my problem. She was kind enough to send me a brand new pair of Anker Spirit Pro headphones as this pair had greater mic sensitivity. It didn't take much of using them for me to figure out that they were truly superior as I had almost no problem with making calls with those and I had no issues with my voice being distorted, everyone I called could hear and understand me clearly. That being said, I still want to emphasize that Soundcore Spirit Xs are still the best in terms of headphone build quality if all you're looking from this pair is listening to music. The texture and bass of the sounds is great. I would definitely recommend the Pros over the Spirits if you're looking to use these for business purposes as well though, the mic quality is light years better. Moreover, I'd invest my money in Anker products in the future mainly because of the outstanding customer service. They truly do go above and beyond to satisfy their buyers!
I purchased this product with fairly high expectations after reading the stellar reviews, but I have to say that I'm highly disappointed. Although the headphones themselves were fairly well built and the sound was good, one of the MAIN reasons that I purchased these headphones was the microphone functionality available that would let me make calls on the go. Given the long battery life Anker advertises perfect to last a whole work day, you would think that they'd make this product with quality build with a decent microphone. That was the absolute baseline of an expectation for me, that the microphones would have some range of fair functionality. But the product I received had CRAP microphone quality. The DAY I opened it and charged it up I made calls, and every single caller complained that my voice was going "in and out and fading at random parts" throughout the conversation. Continued to call at least 3-4 people over the next few days and every single person experienced hearing difficulties when I was using the mic in this product. This is a piece of JUNK if this is the actual product quality Anker wants to offer people for a $40 price tag, and I say that because you can find products with more functional microphones and similar headphone build quality at your corner pharmacy store for half the price. I really truly wanted to be a satisfied customer, but this product has been extremely underwhelming in terms of performance!!
don't work out as much as I should nor I am not one of those jacked guys at the gym doing power sets. I am a casual exerciser but now I don't have to look like one with the Anker Soundcore Spirit X Sport Headphones. I recently was given a pair of these for an evaluation and I am walking away impressed.
Anker always does a good job of packaging their products, and these headphones are no different. In addition to the headphones, you get microusb cable, carrying case, and replacement ear buds. Let's get down the quick and dirty:
Pros:
- Great build quality.
- Sounds great: Sharp Highs and decent lows (see cons).
- Long battery life: havent died on me yet.
- Surprisingly comfortable.
- Good Value
Cons:
- The bass isnt going to blow you away but it doesn't take away from the quality.
In closing, these are great headphones for the value. They aren't audiophile quality, nor do they have the same lows as my Sennheisers, but you're working out it these. No one wants to take $200 headphones to the gym to just cover them in sweat and possibly lose them. Next time I go to the gym, I am grabbing these Soundcore's from Anker.
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