Soundcore Space A40 wireless earbuds: noise cancelling, battery and sound

The Soundcore Space A40 (model A3936) are wireless in-ear earbuds from Anker's Soundcore brand. Their main selling point is active noise cancelling that adjusts itself to the surroundings, backed by a long battery life when the charging case is included. Here is what the main features mean.

Automatic noise cancelling

Active noise cancelling (ANC) uses microphones to pick up outside sound and generates opposing sound to reduce it. It tends to work best on steady, low-pitched noise such as engines, air conditioning and traffic hum, and less well on sudden or high-pitched sounds. Soundcore says the A40 detects external noise and automatically picks a suitable level of cancelling, whether you're indoors, outdoors, commuting or on a flight. The brand claims noise reduction of up to 98%, which is its own figure from its test conditions, so real results will vary with fit and environment.

Battery life and fast charging

Soundcore lists 50 hours of total playtime, which it equates to about 1,000 songs or 25 movies. That figure includes recharges from the case. A single charge of the earbuds themselves lasts about 10 hours. Fast charging is quoted at 4 hours of listening from a 10-minute charge. The listing also mentions wireless charging, so the case can be topped up on a compatible charging pad. As usual, running ANC at full strength or listening at high volume typically shortens battery life.

Sound quality and LDAC

The earbuds use double-layer diaphragm drivers, which Soundcore says give strong bass, clear mids and bright treble. They also support LDAC, a Bluetooth audio codec that can send more data than standard codecs, for what is marketed as Hi-Res wireless audio. LDAC needs a phone or player that supports it, and it generally uses the battery faster. Without it, the earbuds fall back to standard codecs.

Fit and comfort

The brand says the A40 are smaller than any of its other ANC earbuds and about as light as a sheet of paper, with an ergonomic shape for long listening sessions. Fit matters more for earbuds than almost any other spec: a good seal in the ear canal improves both bass and noise cancelling. Several ear tip sizes are normally supplied with earbuds like this, so check what is in the box.

App customization

Soundcore's app lets you customize the earbuds, and the brand lists app customization as a feature. Apps of this kind typically offer equalizer settings, control mapping and noise-cancelling options. Check the app's availability for your phone before you buy.

Who it suits

They suit commuters, travellers, students and people working in noisy offices or homes, who want automatic noise cancelling and long battery life in a small case. Audiophiles will want to check that their phone supports LDAC.

What to check before you buy

• Phone support: check that your phone or player supports the codec you want, particularly LDAC.
• Fit: make sure you're comfortable with in-ear tips, and try the different sizes.
• Real-world battery: the 50 hours include case charges, and ANC and volume affect it.
• Charging: check that you have a wireless charging pad if you want to use that feature, as well as a cable.
• Calls: if you take many calls, check what the brand says about microphones.
• Water and sweat resistance: the listing doesn't give a water-resistance class, so check the brand's specifications if you plan to exercise in them.

The short version

• Wireless earbuds (model A3936) with automatically adjusting active noise cancelling.
• Up to 50 hours of playtime with the case, about 10 hours per charge of the earbuds.
• 10 minutes of fast charging gives about 4 hours of listening, per Soundcore.
• Double-layer diaphragm drivers and LDAC support.
• Small, light design with app customization and wireless charging.

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