Soundcore VR P10 by Anker

The clever thing about the Soundcore VR P10 is that the dongle and the in-ears fit into the charging case, which has a compact, handy format and is easy to take along for everyday mobile use. As a special visual feature, three small, illuminated stripes adorn the earpiece stems; otherwise, the design is straightforward and without frills. With a weight of five and a half grams per side, the Soundcore VR P10 are pleasantly light, which ensures a comfortable fit that does not pinch even during longer gaming sessions. Thanks to an IPX4 sweat- and water-resistant finish, these earphones are also equipped for sports use.

Wireless LightningSync technology

The Soundcore VR P10s were developed for seamless VR gameplay with the Meta Quest 2, with a USB-C dongle that, according to the manufacturer, uses a special chipset in conjunction with the LC3 codec. Officially, in addition to the PS4 and PS5, Switch and Windows systems are also being considered as future platforms. In addition, the dongle runs smoothly with macOS. However, a USB-C to USB-A adapter for operation on a console or PC is not included in the package. If you want to use several devices with these earpieces, you can operate up to four dongles in parallel, which can be switched between using the app. For this purpose, a dual connection via dongle and Bluetooth is supported, and this also makes it possible to make phone calls via a smartphone during a gaming session, and this works perfectly in practice. Another highlight is the feeling of direct, immediate gaming that the wireless dongle connection can convey thanks to high synchronisation between image and sound. The LightningSync technology also performs well in terms of stability, with a movement radius of up to ten metres in stationary use. If there is a wall in between, the range is reduced to seven to eight metres.

Bluetooth operation of the Soundcore VR P10

In everyday life, the Soundcore VR P10 can also be used as Bluetooth earphones, which support a high-quality audio codec with AAC. Pairing with a smartphone or tablet can be done as soon as the case is opened, this switches the earphones on and automatically puts them into pairing mode. Manual switching on or off via the touch-sensitive earpiece surfaces is not provided, but it is possible to control playback, handle phone calls, skip to the next track and call up voice assistants straight out of the box. There is also the option of retrofitting volume control via the app and adjusting the assignments to suit your own preferences. Other functions, such as muting the microphones, jumping back when selecting a title or activating and deactivating the “super hearing” mode for FPS games, are also available. The connection is stable via Bluetooth so that several rooms can be covered while you are inside buildings, and outdoors there is a range of up to 18 metres.

Battery life of the Soundcore VR P10

These in-ears achieve a runtime of just under six hours per charge in Bluetooth mode when a higher volume is used, and the lighting is switched off. About six and a half hours are possible via dongle, and the earphones can be fully charged three times in the case. When the batteries are empty, the charging cycle is completed after about 40 minutes, while a ten-minute quick charge provides capacity for a good hour and a half. The case’s battery reserve can be restored in about 90 minutes via the USB-C port, for which a USB-C to USB-A charging cable is included.

App connectivity of the Soundcore VR P10

In addition to the configuration options of the touch control, the Soundcore app (Android and iOS) provides an extensive EQ section with the BassUp function and 21 predefined settings covering a wide range. In addition, eight bands are available for custom settings that can be saved as pre-sets. As a light effect, a constant or wavelike (up)glow can also be activated, with five colour options: red, orange, pink, blue and violet. In addition, the microphones, the “super hearing” and a special Meta-Quest mode, which is intended to optimise the VR system’s WLAN connection if required, can be switched on and off. If the “Gaming & Talk” function is active, a dual connection can be used so that you don’t miss phone calls during a gaming session. On top of this, firmware updates can be carried out via the app.

Microphone technology

In a quieter environment, the Soundcore VR P10’s built-in microphones provide good, clear intelligibility. Outdoor wind noise, however, is not filtered. Louder background noises also impair communication, although it is still possible to understand the caller as your own voice is transmitted in the foreground.

The sound of the Soundcore VR P10

The Soundcore VR P10 have dynamic 11 mm drivers that are powerfully tuned and, at the same time, offer detailed reproduction.Unlike many gaming headsets, the bass reproduction does not seem overloaded and boomy but is instead defined and powerful. In this respect, these in-ears do not get bogged down with modern music styles and are a lot of fun. The basic sound already has substance in the lower ranges, and if desired, this can be expanded via the BassUp function, which makes rumbling thunderstorms or thunderous cannon blasts more impressive and spacious without being too boomy. The mid-range also has a certain fullness and sounds pleasantly warm but seems clearly structured and tidy, and this allows the targeted localisation of individual sounds. Fans of first-person shooters can also use the “super hearing” mode to locate footsteps or gunshots more precisely, as the bass range is lowered. However, the basic sound already does a good job, and this succeeded in creating pleasant voice reproduction with clear intelligibility. Furthermore, it was noticeable that the upper registers did not fall off; they sounded vivid and lively but not obtrusive. At the same time, sibilants sounded slightly rounded, which reinforced the harmonic sound impression.