Table Of Contents
Soundcore by Anker is one of my personal favorite audio brands because all they do is give us high-quality headphones and speakers at budget-friendly prices. The Soundcore Life A1’s are the latest addition to the family. With premium features like 9-hours of listening time, IPX7 water resistance, and 10-min quick-charging, they’re the perfect true wireless workout earbuds.
On top of that, the extra luxury features make them perfect for all-day usage. Features like a wireless charging-enabled case and a customizable EQ, add a nice touch of luxury. Like every other set of Soundcore earbuds, they come with plenty of ear tips and ear wings to get the fit JUST right. Here’s the rest of what we liked, and everything we didn’t like:
Anker Soundcore Life A1
True Wireless Workout Earbuds
Specs
- Battery Life – 9 hrs (35 hrs total with charging case)
- Dust/Water Resistance – IPX7
- Fast Charging – 10 min for 1.5 hrs of listening
- Charge Type – USB-C & Qi-certified wireless charging
- Driver Size – 8mm (triple-layer composite diaphragms)
- Bluetooth Version – 5.0
- Noise Cancellation – No (noise-isolation)
- Accessory Kit – 3 sets of ear wings & 5 sets of ear tips
Pros
- Excellent battery life on a single-charge and total charging case (9hrs/35hrs)
- 10-min quick-charge (via USB-C) for 1.5 hours of listening
- On-ear EQ setting – (Soundcore Signature, Bass Booster, or Acoustic)
- Wireless charging-enabled case
- Fairly compact charging case
- Bluetooth version 5.0 provides extended battery life and wireless range
- Comfortable and fully customizable fit with plenty of combinations of ear tips and ear wings
- Premium 8mm drivers provide impressive clarity and above-average bass
- Siri, Google Assistant, and other voice-assistant compatible
- On-ear controls include music, calls, voice assistant, and EQ
- Single-ear audio on either left or right earbud
Cons
- Doesn’t fit smaller ears very well (Soundcore Life A2 NC’s are your best alternative)
- Only available in black
- No digital noise-cancellation (only noise-isolating)
- No ambient or through mode for safer road workouts
Conclusion
Getting Picky
Anker Soundcore is notorious for offering black as the only option on their tech, and the Life A1’s are no different. The least they could do is give us a white or grey option like some of their other models, but in the end, every color sounds the same.
The most annoying audio feature they left out is having some sort of ambient or through mode. As a runner, it’s nice to be able to hear your environment around you at the same level as your music. For safety and convenience, I hope they add that to the next model.
Bottom Line
When it comes down to it, there’s no better set of true wireless workout earbuds under $50. Even if you don’t use them for workouts, there are not many better options at the price.
