Soundcore Spirit X by Anker

To ensure a stable and reliable fit during sporting activities, these in-ears are equipped with small wings, providing extra support in the auricle. There are also ear hooks to provide additional support and protection. At the same time, the design of these in-ears relieves pressure on the ear canal, making them extremely comfortable to wear and meaning they’re more durable. It’s also worth noting that all the earpiece extras are provided in a range of sizes, ensuring a very high degree of fit accuracy can be attained. An impeccable level of workmanship and easy-care design leaves a very good first impression.

Thanks to the quick-charge function, spontaneous sporting sessions of up to one hour are possible with a mere five minutes charging time. A total charge takes approximately 90 minutes. A USB cable is included for the purpose of charging, which can be stored together with the headphones in the handy carrying bag provided. Battery life averages out at about ten hours, even with higher volumes, which is a respectable statistic considering the lightweight nature of these in-ears (they weigh in at 23 grams). Remaining battery charge, along with connected iOS devices, can be seen via display next to the Bluetooth symbol.

Device Control

These in-ears support Bluetooth 5.0 and achieved stable ranges of ten metres in our tests when paired with a range of Android and iOS devices. In several cases, ranges two to three metres further were counted. Pairing is triggered by holding down the central remote control button, which initially switches the system on and then switches directly to pairing mode. When a connection is established, volume can be controlled using the respective plus and minus buttons, which double up as controls for title navigation when held for longer. The middle multifunctional button controls Play/Stop, as well as telephony functions. During phone calls, voices on both sides are clear, with a good level of speech intelligibility demonstrated during our tests.

Sound

The sound of these in-ears is rounded and harmonious, despite an emphasis on the bass, thanks to a powerful bass foundation that never strays toward sounding dominant. While the mids are a touch more reserved, the trebles are consistent without any noticeable fade. Overall, the sound is bright rather than dark, full and clear. This is true even if the bass range seems a little undefined. Small weaknesses are evident in the highs. However, in view of the price range, the sound quality here is very good indeed. Due to the high output levels, there are sufficient reserves for those looking to listen in noisy environments. However, the background noise of the headphones, although not perceptible during training, is worthy of criticism. In a quiet situation, this background noise can be somewhat distracting.