The Anker Soundcore Life Q35 is somewhat of a moment for Anker. They exploded in popularity in recent years for their consumer audio products. They were previously known for battery-related products. In recent years, they’ve produced a few fan favorites for Bluetooth speakers and headphones. These products have also managed to appeal to budget-minded shoppers who don’t want to make sacrifices.
The Anker Soundcore Life Q line is meant to accomplish this with active noise-cancelling headphones. And prior releases like the Q20 and Q30 have succeeded. The Q35 is the sequel and Anker has upped the price. The Anker Soundcore Life Q35 is still way more affordable than flagship ANC headphones, but does that mean it’s worth it?
Anker Soundcore Life Q35
Table of Contents
- Design and Build
- Playback Controls
- Battery Life and Connectivity
- Sound Quality
- How is the active noise cancelling for Anker Soundcore Life Q35?
- Soundcore App Support
- Conclusion and Alternatives
- Anker Soundcore Life Q35 Review: FAQs
Design and Build
The Anker Soundcore Life Q35 is the latest model of the Soundcore family. It has a somewhat bulky appearance in comparison to its competitors. The design still manages to be minimal and modern. It’s also pretty light at 9.6 ounces. It gives it off a minimal and professional vibe. The faux leather ear cups are big and spacious with a good amount of padding. Unlike others, this headset doesn’t grip too tightly on your head, and yet it remains securely in place.
This headphone is comfortable enough to be worn for extended periods of listening. What’s more to say? It’s an all-around sturdy and well-done design. Though it is low-cost, it doesn’t feel like Anker made too many sacrifices in its design. In fact, it more than holds its own among more expensive competitors.
Playback Controls
Anker Soundcore Life Q35 is relatively easy to control despite all the available functions. The pause/play button and volume up and down controls are located on the right ear cup of the headset. Holding the pause/play button for a few seconds summons your phone’s voice assistant.
It’s also possible to skip tracks by pressing and holding the volume buttons. Holding the volume up button for one second will skip to the next track. Holding the volume down will go to the previous track. A wearing detection feature will pause playback after removing your headphones. Playback will resume automatically when you put the headphones back on. Two additional buttons are on the left earcup. One is the power button. The other is for switching between transparency mode, active noise-cancelling mode, and normal mode (no ANC).
Battery Life and Connectivity
The Anker Soundcore Life Q35 has extremely impressive battery life. Anker advertises 40 hours of battery life with ANC. We were able to listen to music for 48 hours at moderate volume. Without ANC enabled, Anker claims the Q35 can achieve 60 hours of battery life. It has an active noise cancelling in between charging time which is a great feature for busy people. The Q35 also have fast charge capability. 5 minutes of charging will give you 4 hours of playback time.
An included USB-C cable charges the Q35 headphones. A 3.5mm cord is included if you would like to use a wired connection. An airplane adapter is also included. The Anker Soundcore Life Q35 has Bluetooth 5.0 for a stable connection. We had no range or connectivity issues in our testing. The headphones paired quickly and even supported NFC pairing with a single tap. Codec support includes LDAC (Sony’s lossless codec) in addition to the usual SBC and AAC. That means HiFi playback quality assuming you have the proper source device. Bluetooth multipoint is also supported although audio playback is only allowed from one of those devices.
Sound Quality
Anker Soundcore Life Q35 has exceptional sound quality for the cost. There’s solid detail and clarity despite a slightly bass-heavy EQ. The emphasized low-end works well for bass-heavy genres like pop and techno. The Soundcore app also has a number of presets and complete EQ customization for adjusting the sound to your preference. It works pretty well too. The result is quality sound that punches above its price point.
The addition of LDAC support for the Soundcore Life Q35 is significant. With the rise of lossless playback in streaming, there are more options than ever for HiFi streaming. Spotify is also slated to introduce its own HiFi offering in 2021. While more expensive Bluetooth headphones neglect HiFi codec support, it’s becoming more useful. Finding support for LDAC is a good way to future-proof your headphones. The Anker Soundcore Life Q35 is an affordable option if LDAC support is a priority.
How is the active noise cancelling for Anker Soundcore Life Q35?
Active noise cancelling was always going to be a deciding factor here. Luckily for Anker, the Q35s are a great pair of noise cancelling headphones. They outperform the majority of competitors at this price point, and even more expensive models. People seeking ANC headphones are typically looking for isolation from external noise. These perform admirably for that use case. Noise from the subway and passing vehicles was reduced more effectively than average ANC headphones. There is a transportation mode that yielded particularly impressive results. This was surprising as I typically don’t use these types of custom ANC modes. The Q35’s ANC is great even they can’t match flagship offerings from Sony and Bose. Those offerings cost $300+ dollars though. The Q35 is a little over $100 and the ANC performance is not nearly that far off.
Aside from active noise cancellation, Q35 also has a transparency option that amplifies ambient external noise. It’s not very natural sounding, but it serves its purpose for situational awareness when needed. To turn it temporarily, you can place your palm on the right ear cup. You can also cycle to a permanent transparency mode using the ANC button on the left ear cup. Active noise cancelling on the Anker Soundcore Life Q35 performs well and is very intuitive. There are a number of options to customize the noise isolation. The active noise cancellation along with amazing battery life make the Q35 headphones a great budget option for commuters.
Soundcore App Support
The Application Support of Soundcore has always been user-friendly and with a ton of added functionality. Users of this headset can access all the features with ease and speed. In addition to a graphic EQ, there are a ton of presets available. The app also just looks good. The app also allows you to change ANC to Transport mode, Outdoor mode, or Indoor more. We had the most success with Transport mode although your mileage may vary.
The Soundcore app has other helpful information within the app too. That includes guidance on your headphones and the ability to update the firmware. You’ll even find custom soundscapes, a timer function, and more. The Soundcore app is truly one of the best headphone companion apps on the market. You want your dollar to stretch when buying good headphones. An app like this is a great way to ensure you get your money works.
Conclusion and Alternatives
Active noise cancellation on the Anker Soundcore Life Q35 delivers. It easily tops most ANC headphones on the market. If you’d rather not spend $300+ dollars on ANC headphones, the Q35 headphones should be on your shortlist. They also have amazing battery life, great app support, and good sound quality. This combination makes them a great option for professionals. It also makes the Anker Soundcore Life Q35 one of the best budget headphones on the market. Anker has been a gold standard for budget headphones in recent years. The Q35 repeats that in the ANC arena.
If having the best active noise cancellation is important, you should consider the Bose QC45 or Sony’s WH-1000XM4. The EQ on each varies. The Sony WH-1000XM4 has a slightly bass-heavy EQ, while the Bose QC45 EQ is more balanced.
Anker Soundcore Life Q35 Review: FAQs
Is the Soundcore Q35 worth it?
Definitely. You’ll have to spend much more money for ANC that clearly outperforms the Q35 headphones. They also bring amazing battery life and good sound quality for the price.
Do they have Bluetooth multipoint?
Yes. They can simultaneously connect to two devices. Unfortunately, only one of those devices will be able to play audio.
Do the Soundcore Q35 have fast-charging?
The Soundcore Q35 headphones do have fast charging. A 5-minute charge will provide 4 hours of playback.
Keith Collins has been writing for over 15 years for various publications. He’s a lover of music, home theater, and excellent sound quality. His fondness for technology in addition to his non-stop curiosity fuels his writing ventures.