In this battle of these noise-cancelling headphones, the Sony WH-1000XM4 will go up against the Anker Soundcore Space Q45. The Soundcore Space Q45 is not as premium as the WH-1000XM4. But it brings a ton of features and great speaks. Is it a worthy competitor for good ANC headphones? Below you’ll find our high-level takeaways. You can check out the rest of the article for a more detailed review of both.
Table of Contents
Product Highlights: Soundcore Space Q45 vs Sony WH-1000XM4
- Battery Life: 30 Hours w/ ANC
- ANC: Industry leading performance
- Sound: Dynamic and Detailed
- Cost: $$$$
- Battery Life: 50 Hours w/ ANC
- ANC: Good Performance
- Sound: Bassy and Exciting
- Cost: $$
Sony WH-1000XM4 vs Soundcore Space Q45: Key Factors
Battery Life and Connectivity
Getting long battery life will always be important for commuters and travelers. The Sony WH-1000XM4 battery will provide 38 hours under minimum strain and 30 hours with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) enabled. For the Soundcore Space Q45, the battery life maxes out at 65 hours and a healthy 50 hours even with the additional drain of power when you enable ANC. Other usage variables will impact these times, like the listening volume and whether or not you take advantage of the LDAC codec capabilities available on each set of headphones.
Both have a USB-C connection for recharging the battery. Although it has a longer lifespan, the Soundcore Space Q45 with a fast charger can go from empty to full in 2 hours, a full hour faster than the Sony WH-1000XM4. Soundcore Space Q45 fast charging provides 4 hours of playback with a 5-minute charge, while the Sony WH-1000XM4 can squeeze 5 hours of battery life out of a 10-minute charge.
Both have companion apps to adjust the EQ, facilitate updates, and more. You can connect either set of headphones to both iOS and Android devices. While both are some of the best companion apps available, the Soundcore app has a slightly sleeker design.
The Soundcore Space Q45’s Bluetooth wireless connectivity is version 5.3, while the Sony WH-1000XM4 has Bluetooth 5.0. Both wireless headphones support multi-device pairing, but only the WH-1000XM4 supports NFC pairing. Multi-device pairing or Bluetooth multipoint is great for productivity and office work. It allows users to connect to two devices simultaneously. A 3.5mm jack allows users to attach a headphone cable to both ANC headphones, for those who prefer to stay plugged in while listening for the best audio quality.
Verdict: Soundcore Space Q45
Design and Form Factor
From a quick glance, the Sony WH-1000XM4 and Soundcore Space Q45 both have appealing designs. While both ANC headphones have good build quality but the WH-1000XM4 feels a little more premium. Both headphones also have a folding design and come with hard cases for additional portability. The WH-1000XM4 and Space Q45 should both be comfortable enough for long music-listening sessions. But Sony WH-1000XM4’s padding on the headband and ear cups makes them a little more comfortable.
The Sony WH-1000XM4 and the Soundcore Space Q45 both have comprehensive controls available on their ear cups. Touch controls are used on the WH-1000XM4, while the Space Q45 uses physical buttons. A custom button to control ANC and activate the voice assistant can be found on the left ear cup of the Sony WH-1000XM4. A power button, which is also used to pair devices, is also on the left ear cup. The remaining WH-1000XM4 touch controls, which are completed on the right ear cup, can be found below:
Sony WH-1000XM4 Touch Controls:
- Swipe Forward – Skip to Next Song
- Swipe Back – Go To Previous Song
- Double Tap – Pause/Play Audio and Answer/End Call
- Swipe Down – Decrease Volume (hold to continue reducing volume)
- Swipe Up – Decrease Volume (hold to continue increasing volume)
- Cover Entire Ear Cup – Activate speak-to-talk mode
On the left ear cup of the Space Q45, there power/pairing button and an ANC button to toggle between normal listening, ANC, and ambient mode. A play/pause button and volume buttons (+ and -) are responsible for the remaining playback control:
Soundcore Space Q45 Controls:
- Play/Pause:
- Press 1x: Play/Pause or Answer/End Call
- Press 2x: Activate Voice Assistant
- Hold: Rejects Phone Call
- Volume Buttons:
- Press + 1x: Increase Volume
- Press + 2x: Skip To Next Song
- Press – 1x: Decrease Volume
- Press – 2x: Go To Previous Song
Verdict: Sony WH-1000XM4
Which Headphones Have Better Sound Quality?
In a heads-up comparison of sound quality, the Sony WH-1000XM4 comes out ahead. While the Anker Soundcore Space Q45 put up a good fight, more critical listeners will notice its shortfalls. While both ANC headphones have bass-heavy EQs, the Sony WH-1000XM4 is a little closer to neutral. Vocals and treble don’t are less likely to get outshined on the WH-1000XM4 when listening to music.
On the other hand, the Soundcore Space Q45 lacks the same detail and clarity. This can make vocals and treble sound a little muted at times. Luckily, the Space Q45s can be used with the Soundcore app to customize the EQ or use presets. The Sony Headphones Connect app can also be used to select EQ presets or customize the XM4’s EQ. You can change Sony’s Clear Bass setting to adjust bass levels. Both also have LDAC support for streaming services with hi-res streaming. While the sound quality is impressive on both headphones, the Sony WH-1000XM4 is superior overall. Both will also make good headphones for bass lovers.
The WH-1000XM4 and Space Q45 can be used as headsets thanks to having an integrated microphone. Unfortunately, their microphones won’t blow you away. They are fine for zoom and phone calls, but users shouldn’t expect too much from either microphone performance. The Soundcore Space Q45 is slightly better than the WH-1000XM4 though. It does a better job of mitigating background noise to make voices more clear.
Verdict: Sony WH-1000XM4
Soundcore Space Q45 vs WH-1000XM4: Which Has Better Noise Cancelling?
The best ANC headphones charge a premium to mitigate background noise. The Sony WH-1000XM4’s noise cancelling software quickly gained acclaim after the 2020 release for the way it surpassed the competition. Its five microphones still reduce ambient noise extremely well. For heavy commuters and travelers, the XM4’s active noise cancellation might be worth the extra money to reduce ambient noise. It mitigates lower frequencies like the rumble of an airplane engine during air travel. The WH-1000XM4 will also have effective noise cancelling at higher frequencies, where many ANC headphones falter. This makes them convenient for reducing ambient noise like surrounding voices in a coffee shop or office.
The Sony WH-1000XM4 are top-tier noise-cancelling headphones, but the Soundcore Space Q45s are also pretty good. They’re a much more impressive pair of ANC headphones than they should be for this price. We’ve reviewed budget noise-cancelling headphones like the Sony WH-CH710N before. Those are affordable ANC headphones with performance good enough to be useful. The Soundcore Space Q45 is much more thanks to its two microphones and new adaptive noise cancelling. Noise cancelling on the Space Q45 is good across frequencies. It can handle the reduction of low and high frequencies almost as well as the WH-1000XM4 at a much lower cost. The Anker Soundcore Space Q45 are great noise-cancelling headphones for those looking to save a little money. You’re not losing nearly as much noise cancellation performance as these price tags would suggest.
In addition to active noise cancellation, both headphones also have an ambient or transparency mode. This is perfect for when users want to be more aware of ambient noise. ANC settings for both wireless headphones can also be controlled through the app.
Verdict: Sony WH-1000XM4
Conclusion and Alternatives
This comparison is a tough call, but the Sony WH-1000XM4s are the better noise-cancelling headphones overall. They have better sound quality and noise-cancelling performance. At the same time, the Soundcore Space Q45 ANC performance and sound quality aren’t far behind. In addition, the Space Q45 really outpaces the battery life of the WH-100XM4 and holds its own when comparing build quality. It also has a fun sound profile with more bass, which will be preferable to some. You then have to factor in cost. We know that will be the biggest factor for many. The Sony WH-1000XM4 still retails for almost $350. That’s roughly $200 more than the Anker Soundcore Space Q45. Both occasionally go on sale though with the Space Q45 currently on sale for $100. With the value provided, the Space Q45 is a very impressive substitute for those looking for good ANC performance for a more affordable price tag.
There are a few alternative noise-cancelling headphones we would recommend. The Sony WH-XB910N are a quality pair of ANC headphones that fare well when compared with the WH-1000XM4. While they only have solid ANC, they have more bass along with the XM4’s great connectivity and app support. The Sony WH-1000XM5 are the sequel to the WH-1000XM4 and also has a new design. The Soundcore Life Q35 are also good noise-cancelling headphones with great battery life. While the Space Q45 has better noise cancellation, they are also more expensive.
Noise Cancelling Headphones Comparison: FAQs
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Which Is Better? Sony or Soundcore?
Both companies make great headphones, but Sony has more premium offerings. Soundcore focuses on more affordable products and that includes their recent noise-cancelling headphones. Despite the lower point, Soundcore ANC headphones continue to close the gap and are better for budget shoppers.
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Is The Soundcore Q45 Worth It?
The Soundcore Q45 is objectively good at active noise cancellation. This makes it a steal at the price before considering the great app, sound quality, and amazingly long battery life.
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Is It Worth Getting The Sony WH-1000XM4 in 2023?
For sure, as long as you can find them on sale. The WH-1000XM4 is too often selling for the same price as the WH-1000XM5. When on sale for under $300, they’re more than worth the purchase.
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.