Soundcore has a new pair of over-ear headphones aimed at people who want solid noise cancelling without spending over $200 on a pair. The Soundcore Space 2, announced at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, come in at just $129.99. The Space 2's key feature is 4-stage adaptive noise cancelling that continuously adjusts based on your environment. So the headphones can detect whether you're on a plane, a bus, or in a noisy office, and adjust the noise cancelling on the go.
The Soundcore Space 2 offers a great value proposition at $130. That kind of adaptive ANC is usually something you find on much pricier headphones, including Soundcore’s own Space One Pro at $200 and& Sony’s WH-1000XM6 and Bose's QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) that are north of $400. The Space 2 also uses three microphones with AI noise reduction for clearer calls and features Smart Wearing Detection that automatically pauses your music when you take the headphones off.
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The Soundcore Space 2 are designed to make travel easier
Travel is the focus of the Space 2 adaptive ANC headphones. Soundcore is promising up to 50 hours of battery life with ANC on and up to 70 hours with it off. That's enough to get you through multiple flights without needing a charge. You can top these up quickly as well, with a five-minute charge getting you four more hours of listening. That can be very handy in a rush.
Soundcore has also gone with memory foam padding wrapped in a buttery-soft faux leather and were super comfy when we tried them on at MWC. They felt light and had a soft, complete seal that provided noticeable passive noise reduction.
On the actual audio hardware side, you get 40mm double-layer diaphragm drivers that produce the actual sound. These drivers combine silk and metal ceramic layers to produce clearer sound across bass, vocals, and highs. They’re are also one of the four stages in Soundcore's noise cancelling system, along with enhanced noise sensors that pick up more ambient sound, an upgraded processor that handles the cancelling, and an optimized acoustic chamber that helps seal out noise physically.
There's also HearID 3.0, which tests your hearing and adjusts the sound to match. This is a really useful feature found on other Soundcore headphones, so I'm glad to see it here. The Space 2 also has a Nap Mode, which provides one-tap access to soothing soundscapes, including Rainstorm, Blizzard, Rainy Park, and Babbling Brook. While Nap Mode is on, all incoming calls and notifications are blocked to give you a quiet break from your busy life.
At $129.99, the Soundcore Space 2 are a strong pick for anyone who wants travel-ready noise cancelling without paying flagship prices. They will be available in Linen White, Jet Black, and Seafoam Green on Soundcore's website starting April 21.
[Image credit: Suzanne Kantra/Techlicious]
