Review of headphones for listening to rap songs Anker Soundcore Life Q35

Anker Soundcore Life Q35 are an upgraded Life Q30 with an extra LDAC codec, different earpads, carrying case, and a marginally better default tuning.

Visually, the Soundcore Life Q35 and Life Q30 are identical. The only difference is in slightly different earpads and the color. The new Q35 come in obsidian blue instead of black.

Even internally, not much has changed. Both share the same decent ANC and transparency mode performance and exceptional Bluetooth range and battery life.

That being said, a couple of things are indeed different. The Soundcore Life Q35 support both hi-res audio and LDAC Bluetooth codec and have a slightly flatter tuning.

However, despite that, the sound is still overly bassy and a tad too bright. And the worst thing is that you can’t fully correct it inside the Soundcore app.

That begs the question: are they worth paying $130, which is $50 more than the Anker Soundcore Life Q30? Find the answer in the review below.

Sound

Star Rating 4.0 Great

The new high-res model offers a very precise sound but only after some EQ tweaks. However, even after that, they can still sound a bit harsh on certain songs.

The idea behind Anker Soundcore Life Q35 is that they offer hi-res audio for pristine sound quality. However, high-res audio is only a marketing term for a wider frequency range and nothing else.

While they have a better default sound profile than the Anker Soundcore Life Q30, they still suffer from overpowering bass and a dip around 3.2kHz. Therefore, it’s advisable to apply your own EQ settings.

Strangely, while our measurements show a big difference in sub-bass between ANC on and ANC off, in practice, both modes sound pretty much the same.

Bass

Out of the box, the bass is on the boomy side. It’s less so than the Q30, but it still muddies the midrange and lacks control for genres like metal or punk. Drums sound big but mushed together.

Lowering the bass for -6dB helps the sound breathe and tightens up the drum kick. Instruments like bass guitars also come to life and start sounding more transparent.

You can’t make it sound neutral, though. The bass quantity is still above ideal, but at least it’s much better than before.

Midrange

The mids are relatively balanced but with a few peaks and dips, the most significant at 3.2kHz (as you can see from the graph below).

While you can tweak the midrange to sound somewhat neutral, the graphic EQ isn’t precise enough, so it also boosts other unwanted frequencies.

Consequently, there’s some harshness present when listening to specific songs. I’ve noticed it throughout the song “Emotion Detector” from Rush.

The same song on the Life Q30 sounded smoother and more bearable in comparison.

Treble

The high-end rendition is good and reasonably detailed. Lowering the treble by -1dB helps avoid harshness when listening at higher volumes.

Cymbal crashes are nice and clean and have a good texture. There’s a decent sense of air, although not as much as with the Q30 or even Anker Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro.

The soundstage is open, so you don’t feel congested, which is standard for closed-back headphones.

The imaging is decent, but there are some blurry spots between the center and left/right image.

As a whole, Anker Soundcore Life Q35 provide an almost identical sound quality to the Life Q30. However, they sound slightly harsher in comparison, which could be bothersome to some users.

Though, unless you want to blast them on the highest volume, they are great for all kinds of music genres.

Also, due to the bass boost, they aren’t the best option for critical listening or hardcore audiophiles but cater to a casual consumer who likes a bit more bump.

There’s also a difference between wireless and wired mode. The latter sounds more natural in the mids and less bassy.

Comfort & Fit

Star Rating 4.5 Almost Perfect

Sufficiently thick and soft earpads provide excellent comfort, while a moderate clamping force prevents headphones from falling off your head.

The new Anker Soundcore Life Q35 have ever so slightly thicker earpads than the Life Q30.

Memory foam padded earcups feel a bit stiffer in comparison but offer the same comfort level.

Thanks to the over-ear design, headphones don’t squeeze your ears, which is essential for long-lasting comfort.

The top of the headband is also nicely padded with a thick piece of memory foam.

Since headphones are mostly plastic (apart from an aluminum headband), you don’t feel their weight pushing down on your head.

Furthermore, the clamping force is strong enough to keep the over-ear headphones in place but not too strong to cause headaches.

They will stay on your head during regular use and can even endure some sprinting when trying to catch a bus.

In contrast, if you like to clumsily hit things when listening to music, pick one of the most durable earbuds instead.

Durability

Star Rating 4.0 Great

Headphones feel pretty solid in hand, despite making slight rattling noises when shaken. They come with a hard-shell case with a suede finish.

The headphones are mostly plastic, apart from the aluminum headband. The latter is exposed and gives the premium headphones a shiny look.

Earcups can fold inward to save space and rotate for 90°, so you can lay them flat on your chest or desk.

Hinges are also plastic but look reinforced, so they shouldn’t break with proper care.

The new leatherette earpads are slightly stiffer than the ones from the Life Q30 model. Not sure why they have extra stitching, but they should last you for at least a couple of years. If you learn how to keep your headphones clean.

Sadly, you can’t replace earpads by yourself. For a product that costs more than $100, that should be the norm.

Anker Soundcore Life Q35 also come with a hard-shell carrying case. It’s the same as the one for the Q30 but with a soft finish that resembles suede.

Also, the “new” case lacks a piece of foam for the headband to rest on.

Battery

Star Rating 5.0 Perfect

With up to 60 hours on a single charge (35 hours if you enable ANC), the Anker Soundcore Life Q35 are hard to beat. On top of that, the fast charging feature is super quick.

If you need a reliable and long battery life, Anker Soundcore Life Q35 are one of the best on the market.

On their own, they last for 60 hours of playtime, which is two and a half days of constant playing.

Of course, active noise cancellation does take its toll, reducing the battery life to 35 hours on a single charge (35 hours and 5 minutes in our test).

The latter is still impressive and much better than the competition.

Headphones charge via a USB type C port and support fast charging.

A mere 5-minute charge adds extra 4 hours of battery life.

If you end up with an empty battery, headphones also support an AUX connection for wired mode. The audio cable with a 3.5mm jack comes in the box.

Features

Star Rating 4.5 Almost Perfect

Anker Soundcore Life Q35 offer a good selection of features and reliable controls that help you enjoy the experience. Headphones also sport smart wearing detection.

As it’s suitable for more expensive products, you get a good selection of features, from multi-mode noise cancelling (with 3 separate modes) to ambient sound mode.

Additionally, headphones also come with the Soundcore app. From there, you can update firmware, tweak custom EQ or select from built-in preset EQ settings (listening modes), or play with Sleeping mode.

The latter is a sound generator, where you select the sound (birds chipping, sea waves, wind, rain) and its intensity.

That supposedly helps you fall asleep if you live in a noisy area or want to take a nap on your travel.

A built-in sensor detects when you take your headphones off and automatically play/pause the music playback.

Moving to controls, they primarily consist of physical ones. There are dedicated on/off, ANC, volume up and down, and play/pause buttons.

A touch-sensitive area on the right ear cup enables transparency mode if you touch it for 1 second. Sadly, you can’t remap the command; you can only disable it.

Noise Isolation

Star Rating 2.5 Average

Passive noise isolation is good enough to muffle down most annoying sounds that would interfere with your music, but don’t expect a night and day difference.

The new earpads don’t do much to improve the overall passive isolation from unwanted noise. It’s practically identical to the Q30.

Of course, that means it’s sufficient enough to reduce background noise to a point where it no longer mixes with your music.

You can listen to your favorite tunes on a bus without needing to turn on the active noise cancellation. Be aware that there’s some sound leakage when listening to music at a high volume.

The latter becomes useful when you’re in a really noisy environment, where passive isolation simply isn’t enough.

Noise Cancelling

Star Rating 3.5 Almost Great

While headphones can block most low-end frequencies, they let too much higher frequencies pass through. They’re pretty average for the price.

Like most things, the active noise cancelling performance is the same as the Q30. It does a great job with lower frequencies, blocking them almost entirely.

However, they’re struggling with mid and high frequencies. The overall traffic noise reduction isn’t bad, but you still hear a shimmer coming from tires.

From 3 available noise cancelling modes (Transport, Indoor, Outdoor), the first one is the strongest and, therefore, the best option.

There’s no adaptive ANC feature for tailored noise cancelling experience like with Anker premium true wireless earbuds, the Anker Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro.

Overall, while I understand that the Life Q30 don’t have an excellent ANC for their price, it’s harder to swallow the same kind of average performance from Anker Soundcore Life Q35.

Nonetheless, they cost $50 more and should provide a better experience.

Even the ambient sound mode, which boosts the surrounding noise, is uninspiring. It focuses primarily on vocals but forgets the lower end, making the sound thin and hollow.

Bluetooth

Star Rating 5.0 Perfect

Simply spotless Bluetooth connection without stutters, even when using the LDAC codec. There’s no lag during videos, but you might see some in mobile games.

Anker Soundcore Life Q35 offer a complete experience for Bluetooth connectivity.

Usually, headphones’ connection range suffers when using the LDAC Bluetooth codec. However, not with the Soundcore Life Q35.

They maintained a stable connection throughout the house, lasting for more than 65 feet and 2 brick walls in between.

You can easily leave your smartphone on a desk and walk around your house with headphones on.

How to pair the Soundcore Life Q35?

The first pairing is easy. You only hold the power button to turn them on, and they should appear in a Bluetooth menu on your smartphone.

For the second pairing, turn the headphones off and then back on. Only this time, hold the button for 5 seconds or until you see a small blue light blinking.

Also, Anker Soundcore Life Q35 support multipoint. They can connect to 2 devices simultaneously, so you can seamlessly switch between them.

You get support for NFC pairing by simply tapping your smartphone against the right earcup.

But, since the standard pairing process is so simple, hardly anyone will use the NFC method.

What Bluetooth Codecs Do They Use?

Headphones use standard SBC, an Apple-friendly AAC, and an LDAC for high-resolution audio streaming. It also covers a wide frequency range (16-40.000Hz instead of 20-20.000Hz).

To enable the codec, you have to go into the Bluetooth menu, find the Soundcore Life Q35, click on the Settings button, and allow the LDAC codec. Otherwise, headphones will use AAC instead.

Is There an Audio Lag?

When watching YouTube, the audio is perfectly in sync with the video. That’s even when you use LDAC, which is heavier on the bandwidth and usually causes a noticeable delay.

Even mobile games are playable with LDAC, although the lag is noticeable. Therefore, these headphones aren’t suitable for users who demand zero-latency audio.