[Mhog55]

Just looking for a Bluetooth set, strictly for watching movies and series from my phone. Doesn't have to be the greatest, as I won't be listening to music with them.
Need to be comfortable first and foremost. Imaging/Separation is most important. No bright or shrill upper frequencies. A little extra junk in the trunk on the low end is fine, but nothing excessive. Preferably no recessed mids and a decent timbre and tonality. Just something that keeps binge watching interesting and exciting.
Currently looking at the 1more Sonoflow for 100 bucks, but I'm open to any suggestions.

 

[silentraindrop]

Q35/Q45 should be on your radar. Soundcore often has sale on these for $90/$120 most of the time. As with most consumer wireless, they are V shaped off the bat but EQ works well with these. Has 1more added EQ on their app yet? I know some reviewers mentioned that the eq is not yet available. If you don't mind second market, WH-1000XM4 is something you might want to watch for. They are $150~$200 range but can be had for $100~$150. Also consider Drop THX Panda(No ANC) and Shure Aonic 50 on used market. Both offer better SQ over consumer level wireless, and will fit within your budget. I am thinking about selling my Panda and Aonic(shameless plug), so check with Classifieds section in the near future.

 

[FYLegend]

I fnd the Q45 more of a W shape and Q30 is more like an n shape with rolled off treble.

I wasn't very impressed with the 1More SonoFlow (see my review), the highs sound splashy and rolled off. Custom EQ was added shortly before I returned them, but you can only increase/decrease by a very incremental amount (like 3dB) and it makes little difference for the treble which is very rolled off. The Q30 isn't that different in resolution but have better mids especially after EQ (I recommend using Piano preset and then adjusting accordingly).

 

[Mhog55]

I fnd the Q45 more of a W shape and Q30 is more like an n shape with rolled off treble.

I wasn't very impressed with the 1More SonoFlow (see my review), the highs sound splashy and rolled off. Custom EQ was added shortly before I returned them, but you can only increase/decrease by a very incremental amount (like 3dB) and it makes little difference for the treble which is very rolled off. The Q30 isn't that different in resolution but have better mids especially after EQ (I recommend using Piano preset and then adjusting accordingly).

Thank you, I'll pass on the 1more. W shape - does the Q45 not have much low mid presence? No warmth?

 

[FYLegend]

The Q45 has an interesting tuning. SoundGuys didn't seem to impressed and here are the measurements which shows considerable jagged peaks but overall somewhat W-shaped.


With that said I don't think this tuning is indicative of real-world listening. I don't notice the treble peaking as indicated here and the bass is fairly deep but doesn't sound particularly strong to my ears. There is a bit more emphasis on the upper mids while lower mids are a tad recessed but it doesn't sound hollow or thin. The bass is fairly but doesn't really sound that strong to my ears. The overall presentation is like sitting in the middle row of a concert hall rather than at the front. The soundstage as a result is fairly wide for a closed back with good stereo separation though the depth is average.

One major problem I have found with the Q45 is they are sensitive to air pressure. When using ANC or transparency mode, I notive a sudden oscillation of the volume when I shake/nod my head suddenly, almost like there is a change in air pressure. I asked SoundCore for a second unit which also exhibited the same thing. If you're not a headbanger and keep your head still it is not an issue...

 

[Mhog55]

The Q45 has an interesting tuning. SoundGuys didn't seem to impressed and here are the measurements which shows considerable jagged peaks but overall somewhat W-shaped.


With that said I don't think this tuning is indicative of real-world listening. I don't notice the treble peaking as indicated here and the bass is fairly deep but doesn't sound particularly strong to my ears. There is a bit more emphasis on the upper mids while lower mids are a tad recessed but it doesn't sound hollow or thin. The bass is fairly but doesn't really sound that strong to my ears. The overall presentation is like sitting in the middle row of a concert hall rather than at the front. The soundstage as a result is fairly wide for a closed back with good stereo separation though the depth is average.

One major problem I have found with the Q45 is they are sensitive to air pressure. When using ANC or transparency mode, I notive a sudden oscillation of the volume when I shake/nod my head suddenly, almost like there is a change in air pressure. I asked SoundCore for a second unit which also exhibited the same thing. If you're not a headbanger and keep your head still it is not an issue...

I'll probably go for something else.

 

[earmonger]

These were a good buy when they were $50. Now...well, the FR curve and connectivity are good.

https://www.akg.com/Headphones/Earbuds/N400NCTWS-.html?dwvar_N400NCTWS-_color=Black-GLOBAL-Current

 

[venussea]

Shokz Openrun Headphones is a good example of what you might be looking for.

 

[dweaver]

Been a while since I bought an over ear headphones and decided to try the Soundcore Space Q45 since they were on BF sale on Amazon in Canada.

They arrived today and so far these sound pretty darn good. The ANC is pretty good when I went to the store. It's not complete silence but it decent on quality and seemed to handle wind while outside.

The sound quality is definitely good. Having owned a lot of headphones and several BT products over the years these are as good as other products I have owned that cost a lot more money such as the WH-1000XM3 and WH-910N, NAD HP70, and others.

The tuning is definitely not a Sony style sound and that OK by me since Sony has started to be so dark sounding with muted treble especially in their BT products.

So I will not say these are inferior, different NOT inferior.

I do notice subtle changes in signature when I go from ANC to no ANC modes. Interestingly the ANC and Ambient modes sound the same mostly. But non ANC is definetly a bit more detailed in the upper registers and even somewhat in the mids. this may be just differences in the EQ though so will require some testing.

Non ANC is only good at home or quiet places though. In the car non ANC was way to noisy I actually preferred ANC or even Ambient in the car over no ANC. Note sure how but Ambient seemed to remove the car rumble while letting me hear voices clearly.

Ambient might be a favorite for me as it sounded very natural.

I am currently using these in LDAC but may switch to AAC and do multi-point to my computer for Teams meetings.

One thing I have noticed is the volume seems a bit low as I am cranking these to the point where they claim I am getting to loud and I usually only go to 35% volume in most of TWS. So they might be to quiet for some people's liking.

 

[dweaver]

Hmmmm, interesting, switched from LDAC to AAC on the Q45 so I could use multi-point with my computer. First off, hot damn it works well! I am listening to music then a team call comes in and it just stops the music and I connect to the call with zero fuss. So, loving the multi-point!

But what's more interesting is the volume seems louder?

I will have to play around with LDAC and AAC and do some A/B comparisons with songs.

NOTE: I do not lay any issues with LDAC at the feet of Soundcore assuming I find some... LDAC is problematic with any headphone I have ever used including Sony devices. It's just a challenging codec to get working well and I often just end up using AAC because it just works without all the fuss.

My favorite TWS at the moment in the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro and one of the reasons I like them is they do have 24 bit sound (when the music will allow it...) on my Samsung S20 phone and it just works (to bad it's only a new Samsung device feature...). But I also own several other products that support LDAC and AAC and most of them are just running in AAC since that gives them better battery life and I get a consistent music experience.

 

[FYLegend]

Did you notice any air pressure issue when moving your head around or pressing the earcups against your ears?

I haven't really looked into how different LDAC vs AAC is, but it seems far less drastic than on the Liberty 3 Pro (where LDAC is much brighter). I find connectivity is worse with AAC + multipoint on my Galaxy Note 9 + laptop (occasional dropouts in my home desk) than with LDAC without multipoint (rarely dropouts except when commuting downtown).

I really wish Soundcore could add the option for LDAC as it does feel pretty cumbersome having to switch in the app. I'm not completely certain it's possible but 1More Sonoflow and several true wireless earbuds let you use LDAC with multipoint (not sure if the second device can be as I only tested with my laptop that supports AAC).

 

[dweaver]

I have a pair of Technics AZ60 and that TWS does allow LDAC and multipoint, so it definitely is possible and agree it would be great if they made that work.

I am not able to get any air pressure issue moving my head or pressing the cups against my ears. But did get a weird air pressure issue when I closed the door in my car. I have had this same issue with other over ear headphones though including Sony products, so suspect this is more of an issue with ANC and over ear headphones.

 

[dweaver]

well I have been using the Q45 since 8 this morning and they are at 70% battery (I never actually fully charged them when I got them so was likely only around 90% last night). So wearing them for 5 hours straight and listening at about 30% volume getting around 65db volume according to the safety feature in the app. They are warm but not excessively so and my house is pretty warm in the basement due to winter temps affecting the main floor up stairs.

The MP got messed up when the headphone switched back to music after a teams meeting and then receiving a new teams call almost immediately after the first one ended. I will monitor of this happens again / often...

 

[FYLegend]

I have a pair of Technics AZ60 and that TWS does allow LDAC and multipoint, so it definitely is possible and agree it would be great if they made that work.

I am not able to get any air pressure issue moving my head or pressing the cups against my ears. But did get a weird air pressure issue when I closed the door in my car. I have had this same issue with other over ear headphones though including Sony products, so suspect this is more of an issue with ANC and over ear headphones.

It might vary depending on the unit though Soundcore sent me a replacement which still had the same issue but perhaps slightly less severe. On the first unit I went on a bumpy commute and it was constantly as you described similar to closing a car door. On the replacement I only notice it if I'm really headbanging to the beat in a certain side-to-side motion (up-and-down it's less noticeable). The problem is in the Q30 and other ANC headphones but only if I shake my head vigorously.

I did a brief comparison between LDAC on and off (simply using the toggle switch within my phone's Bluetooth settings) and didn't notice a huge difference except LDAC being slightly more crisp. I don't have exact numbers but feel like the battery life is a tad under my expectations especially with LDAC + ANC enabled, more like 30 hours than 50 hours (generally 4-5 days of medium usage before it drops to 20%).

I'd really like to see what alternatives are on the horizon as I feel like many manufacturers have really skimped on budget ANC headphones to prioritize true wireless products. It's a shame Dyplay and TaoTronics no longer seem to be actively releasing such products but Edifier seems to have a few compelling options recently as well.

 

[FYLegend]

I take these reviews and measurements with a grain of salt but RTings published their results here:
https://www.rtings.com/headphones/reviews/anker/soundcore-space-q45-wireless

Measurements seem similar to Sound Guys (albeit "averaged and compensated") and shows a W-shape with the wonky treble peak though in real-world listening I don't find it noticeable. I also find it silly RTings rates soundstage poorly for every closed-back and IEM. While they don't have the widest soundstage I think the Q45 is quite good for a closed-back.

I was looking on the site Qucox.com which introduces and reviews a fair number of budget bluetooth headphones. Unfortunately it does seem like many of the budget options are removing the auxillary cable for good so they can only be used wired.

Edifier W860NB Pro looks promising but isn't globally available yet: https://www.qucox.com/edifier-w860nb-pro-released/

I'm not putting too much hope given its price point but Blitzwolf BW-HP5 seems interesting as it has dual dynamic drivers (20mm + 40mm):
https://www.qucox.com/blitzwolf-bw-hp5-headphone/