Anker’s New Sleep Buds Block Snoring for Peaceful Sleep
▼ Summary
– The Anker Soundcore Sleep A30 buds feature Active Noise Cancellation and a microphone in the charging case to actively mask snoring sounds.
– Battery life is approximately 9 hours when using locally stored sounds but drops to about 6.5 hours when streaming audio via Bluetooth.
– The buds are smaller and more comfortable for side sleepers compared to previous models and other popular earbuds like AirPods Pro.
– Testing showed effective snore masking at low volumes but reduced effectiveness at higher snoring intensity levels.
– The sleep tracking feature was found to be overly optimistic and inaccurate, and touch controls were unreliable during use.
For anyone seeking a peaceful night’s rest, Anker’s Soundcore Sleep A30 earbuds promise to block out disruptive snoring through advanced noise cancellation technology. These compact sleep buds aim to deliver what their predecessor, the A20, could not, effective masking of nighttime noises with adaptive audio adjustments.
My own sleep habits are far from perfect. I rely on podcasts to quiet a racing mind, which means wearing earbuds to avoid disturbing my partner. Waking multiple times each night forces me to restart audio, and rolling over requires switching earbuds since most models are too bulky for side sleeping. It’s a routine I’ve tolerated for years.
Anker claims up to 9 hours of battery life with active noise cancellation enabled, extending to 45 hours with the charging case, but only when using locally stored sounds like rain or white noise. If you prefer streaming audio over Bluetooth, expect closer to 6.5 hours per charge. More than once a week, I woke to find the buds dead after a late-night podcast session, something that didn’t happen with the passive A20 model.
Comfort is where the A30s truly excel. Their smaller size makes them ideal for side sleepers, a significant improvement over standard earbuds like AirPods Pro. While some pillow adjustment is still needed to avoid pressure or muffled sound, I experienced no ear soreness after weeks of use.
To test the adaptive snore masking, I used an Amazon Echo to simulate snoring at various volumes. At a low volume (comparable to mild snoring), the A30s blocked the sound completely when using masking audio, and about 90% with ANC alone. At moderate volume, they reduced noise by roughly 70%, though the repetitive drone remained audible. At the highest volume, no earbud could fully cancel out the sound.
The sleep tracking feature felt overly optimistic. After a particularly restless night with multiple wake-ups, the app congratulated me on an “87 sleep score” and claimed I slept “like a baby.” It also inaccurately reported that I spent 29% of the night in a prone position, which I never do.
Other quirks emerged during testing. The touch controls proved unreliable, often failing to respond to taps for mode switching or volume adjustments. The “AI Brainwave Audio” feature, which plays different frequencies in each ear, did little to enhance relaxation despite its appealing description.
Additional notes include the lack of wireless charging, the case is USB-C only, and the inability to adjust local audio volume using the phone’s buttons. On the plus side, the Find Device feature emits a loud beep to locate lost earbuds, and a built-in microphone now supports phone calls.
For side sleepers who listen to white noise or podcasts, the older A20 model remains a solid choice at $179.99. But if you share a bed with a snorer, the A30’s improved noise masking could be worth the $50 premium, provided the battery lasts through your night.
(Source: The Verge)
