Anker Soundcore Space Q45 vs Soundcore Life Q30: Affordable ANC!

The Soundcore Space Q45 and Soundcore Life Q30 are two popular budget noise cancelling headphones from Anker’s audio brand Soundcore. In this comparison, we’ll be taking an in-depth look at the key features of both models including sound quality, battery life, design, connectivity, and ANC performance. The Space Q45 are budget headphones with impressive sound and top-tier noise cancellation. The Life Q30 is the older release that still offers great value with long battery life and quality ANC given its affordable price point.

Comparison Table: Soundcore Space Q45 vs Life Q30

Features	Soundcore Space Q45	Soundcore Life Q30
Type of Headphones:	Over-ear	Over-ear
Weight:	10.4 oz	9.2 oz
Total Battery Life:	65 hours (50 w/ ANC)	60 hours (40 w/ ANC)
ANC Support:	Yes	Yes
Wired Connection:	Yes	Yes
Fast Charging:	5-min charge = 4 hours	5-min charge = 4 hours
Charging Port:	USB-C	USB-C
Bluetooth Version:	5.3	5.0
Bluetooth Multipoint:	Yes	Yes
Codec Support:	SBC, AAC, LDAC	SBC, AAC
App Support:	Yes	Yes
Customizable EQ:	Yes	Yes
Included Case:	Yes	Yes

Battery Life and Charging

The Soundcore Space Q45 and Life Q30 are closely matched when it comes to battery power and charging capabilities. The Space Q45 will last slightly longer at 65 hours of total playtime versus 60 hours on the Life Q30. With noise cancelling enabled, the gap is a bit wider with the Space Q45 achieving 50 hours compared to 40 on the Life Q30. If you’re a user looking to listen for extended periods throughout the day, the extra few hours of juice from the Space Q45 is beneficial.

Both pairs of wireless headphones charge quickly via USB-C and offer the same fast charging time. A 5-minute charge will provide 4 additional hours of battery life on either model. This speedy top-up is useful for when you need your headphones ready to go ASAP.

Overall, the Soundcore Space Q45 takes the edge for battery life thanks to those extra playtime hours. But both pairs offer impressive battery endurance and convenient fast charging. While both are capable of long battery life, the Q45 is ideal for travelers or commuters who want the maximum amount of assurance that their headphones won’t die when out.

Connectivity and App Support

The Soundcore Space Q45 and Life Q30 are quite similar when it comes to connectivity capabilities. Both pairs can be used wired with the included audio cable for passive playback, which won’t deplete your battery. Wired listening also provides lossless audio quality when desired.

For wireless listening, the Space Q45 have a slight technological edge with Bluetooth 5.3 compared to version 5.0 on the Life Q30. However, both support convenient Bluetooth multipoint to pair with two devices at once. The Space Q45 include LDAC codec support in addition to standard SBC and AAC. LDAC allows for streaming high-resolution audio over Bluetooth. The Life Q30 is limited to SBC and AAC only. Soundcore’s companion app can be used to expand the functionality of both headphones. That includes facilitating updates in addition to EQ customization to dial in sound based on your preferences.

Overall, the Space Q45 pulls ahead in regard to connectivity, thanks to LDAC support and newer Bluetooth 5.3. This doesn’t represent a huge gap in support though unless you intend to utilize LDAC support for hi-res streaming.

Comfort and Design

The Soundcore Space Q45 and Life Q30 share a very similar over-ear design. Both feature sufficient padding earpads and padded headbands making for a fairly comfortable fit. Both have a foldable construction that collapses inward to fit into their included hard shell carrying cases for protection and portability. While both have pretty understated and traditional designs, the look of the newer Q45 looks a little more refined.

At 9.2 oz, the Life Q30 are slightly lighter compared to the 10.4 oz Space Q45. But the difference is minor and not likely noticeable. Soundcore has improved on the build quality. Despite both headphones having a plastic construction, the Q45 feels a little sturdier. Physical buttons for playback control, volume, and noise cancellation are located on the earcups of both pairs.

Overall, the design and wearability of the Space Q45 and Life Q30 are similar. Neither will be uncomfortable to wear and for long periods. The newer Soundcore Space Q45 does carry a slightly better design and build quality though.

Sound Quality: How Much Bass Is Too Much?

With default audio settings, both the Space Q45 and Life Q30 have a bass-heavy sound profile. How much of a concern this is will largely depend on individual preferences. Between the two, the Q45 has a more balanced sound signature compared to the Q30’s extra boomy and exaggerated low-frequency response. Both Soundcore headphones are capable of reproducing audio with impressive clarity for their price point. The Life Q30’s bass just sometimes overpowers vocals resulting in a muddier sound.

While the Q45’s EQ isn’t perfect, it’s less susceptible to this overly boomy and thudding bass. The Life Q30’s warmer profile does work well for certain genres if you prefer headphones with extra bass thump. Luckily, both pairs allow you to customize the EQ if you connect to the Soundcore app. So you can tweak the bass and mids to achieve your preferred signature. Having LDAC support also gives the Space Q45 the upper hand for streaming high-quality audio streaming over Bluetooth. The Life Q30 is limited to the standard SBC and AAC codecs.

Out of the box, we recommend the slightly more balanced Soundcore Space Q45 for most users. They still carry a fairly bassy sound profile, but not the the same extent as the Q30.

Do The Q45 or Q30 Have Better Noise Cancelling Performance?

The Soundcore Space Q45 and Life Q30 both utilize high-quality active noise cancellation to block out external distractions. The headphones use built-in microphones to monitor environmental noise and generate inverse sound waves to cancel it out. While this isn’t a unique technology, the ANC performance of the Q30 and Q45 is impressive. In real-world usage, the ANC performance of both models is stellar across a range of frequencies considering their affordable price point. The noise cancelling abilities of the Space Q45 are marginally better than the Life Q30, but it’s really close.

Low rumbles like engines as well as higher-pitched sounds are suppressed impressively for both headphones. For office workers, roaring A/C units and chatter are significantly reduced allowing you to focus. While performance is comparable for reducing low frequencies, the Q45 holds a slight edge when filtering out midrange and high-frequency sounds. The Soundcore Space Q45 does have an updated adaptive noise cancelling system which can automatically adjust based on your environment.

The Q30 and Q45 pairs both have a transparency mode that amplifies ambient sound when you need to hear your surroundings. This allows you to quickly chat with others or remain aware while walking outside. Both are among the best ANC headphones available and excellent choices for fighting distracting background noise for a brutal commute. It’s arguable that the Q30 is more impressive considering its comparable ANC performance. It will cost about half as much as the newer Q45’s $150 usual sales price.

Soundcore Life Q30 vs Space Q45: Better Value in 2023?

The Soundcore Space Q45 and Life Q30 are two terrific noise-cancelling headphones available at reasonable prices. You really can’t go wrong with either pair, but the current $80 price of the Life Q30 is much easier to stomach. While the Space Q45 offers a few advantages (longer battery life, LDAC, and better ANC), it won’t warrant twice as much money for most users. The Soundcore Life Q30 hold their own with quality ANC and audio given its lower price point.

For shoppers on a tight budget, the Q30 provides a lot of bang for your buck even though the Space Q45 has slightly more advanced features. Overall both Soundcore models are impressive choices for excellent ANC performance in noisy environments. If you want the newer design with slightly better specs and performance, the Q45 is definitely worth the money. But those who opt for the more affordable Q30 will be happy with their choice.

Alternatives Headphones and Similar Options

You can find several comparisons below for headphones that are similar in price and feature set:

• Anker Soundcore Space Q45 vs Life Q35
• Bose QuietComfort 45 vs Soundcore Space Q45
• Sony WH-1000XM5 vs Soundcore Anker Life Q30
• Sony WH-1000XM5 vs Anker Soundcore Space Q45
• Sony WH-1000XM4 vs Anker Soundcore Space Q45
  
  
  

Feature Comparison List: Anker Soundcore Life Q30 vs Space Q45

Headphone Type:

Both the Soundcore Space Q45 and Life Q30 are over-ear headphones with ear cups that completely enclose your ears. This headphone style helps isolate audio and improves perceived bass. The cushioned earpads sit comfortably around your ears for lengthy listening sessions without fatigue.

Battery Life:

The Soundcore Space Q45 last for an impressive 65 hours per charge, or 50 hours with noise cancellation enabled. The Life Q30 provide 60 hours of battery life, or 40 hours when using ANC. With their extra playtime, the Space Q45 are the longer lasting pair. But both models offer all-day battery endurance per charge cycle.

Weight:

Weighing 10.4 oz, the Space Q45 are slightly heavier than the 9.2 oz Life Q30. But in real world use, this minor 1.2 oz difference is negligible. Both pairs remain fairly comfortable for long term wear.

Active Noise-Cancelling:

Both the Space Q45 and Life Q30 have impressive ANC technology to block ambient noise. This allows you to focus on your work without distractions. Active noise cancellation is a useful and convenient feature for loud environments like planes, commutes, and offices.

Passive Playback:

You can listen to both pairs of headphones passively by connecting the included 3.5mm audio cable. Wired mode provides lossless quality and saves battery life. Passive playback is useful when headphones are dead or you want higher fidelity.

Supported Codecs:

The Space Q45 support SBC, AAC, and LDAC for excellent quality audio over Bluetooth. LDAC allows streaming hi-res sound over a wireless connection. The Life Q30 are limited to standard SBC and AAC codecs only. The extra LDAC support in the Space Q45 is beneficial for those looking to hear the most detail in their music. It’s important to not that your source device must also support LDAC. For example, LDAC isn’t supported on iOS devices.

Fast Charging:

Both pairs offer fast charging via USB-C. Just 5 minutes plugged in provides roughly 4 hours of extra playtime. Fast charging gives you quick headphone top-ups when battery is low and you need to head out.

Charging Connection:

The Space Q45 and Life Q30 charge via a modern USB-C port. USB-C charging allows fast power delivery and is convenient for those with other USB-C devices.

Bluepoint Connectivity:

Bluetooth 5.3 in the Space Q45 provides extended range and faster pairing compared to Bluetooth 5.0 in the Life Q30. Both pairs conveniently support Bluetooth multipoint to connect with two devices simultaneously.

Companion App Support:

The Soundcore app for iOS and Android allows you to customize EQ settings on both the Space Q45 and Life Q30. Tweaking the sound profile lets you achieve your preferred signature.

Included Case:

Both pairs of headphones come with a sturdy hard-shell carrying case. The included cases protect your headphones and keep them safely stored for travel and storage.