I am a headphone guru, I have owned the following, from time to time: Sennheiser HD 800, 650, 600, AKG K701, K702, Grado RS-1, 325, BeyerDynamic T1, T50, 880 Pro 600ohm, 990, Bose QC20, 25, 30, 35, Wireless Sports, Jaybird X1, X2, and other many AKG/Audio Technica earbuds. So you can take a reference my experiences :)
Conclusion of Anker Sound Buds:
- Wearing comfort: 9 out of 10, VERY comfortable and fit into the ear deeply and tightly
- Sound Quality: 8 out of 10, comparative to earbuds up to $149 USD. Too much bass for me, clear and comfortable mid and high
- Playback time: 10 out of 10, haven't seen a known brand has >12hrs playtime earbuds. Probably Anker knows better how to maximize battery power usage by design
- Noise reduction: I am not familiar with CVC, but it doesn't seem to be an active noise cancellation like my Bose Q series, which you would notice an obvious switch when coming to NR on/off. It's about 6~70% noise reduction power of comparing to Bose QC30.
Summary: 9 out of 10. I would highly recommend this earbuds to ANYONE who is looking for a budgeted, long play time blue tooth earbuds, which sound quality matters at any kind (preferably pop music, as the bass is a bit too much comparing to other earbuds / headphones). Given the price, it's a no brainier pick.
I came from a pair of JayBird X2's - one of the top wireless headphones, that were $120 at the time of purchase.
The immediate problem with the X2's was the lack of ear hook: something that I seem to require on all of my personal headphones. Everything just falls out, no matter how much adjusting I do! So, kudos to Anker for helping a guy with big ears out, there...
I was also worried these wouldn't live up to the X2's sound quality, but I was proven VERY wrong. They sound incredible, and I couldn't be happier. No, they aren't some ridiculous Bose or similar headphones. But for when you're running your half-marathons or working out in the gym, you'll definitely be happy!
For 40 bucks, these were an absolute steal! Anker continues to pleasantly surprise me with ALL of their products!
Over the years I have bought many different brands of inexpensive earbuds. I am not very rough with earbuds, but I do work outside a lot with them and go to the gym. There are three things that make or break it when it come to earbuds for me.
1.) Sound quality
2.) Comfort
3.) Battery life
1.) Sound Quality - I was decently impressed with these overall when it came to sound quality. I also have the Anker Slims+ and I think these have a better sound overall as compared to the slims. I also have found them to have better sound quality vs some other brands in this same price range.
2.) Comfort - To me, these earbuds are simply the most comfortable earbuds I have ever tried. I the ear loops would make them harder to get on my ear properly and quickly, but they have been great. The ear loops are strong enough to hold them in place properly, but soft enough to make them comfortable and to place on your ear easily.
3.) Battery Life - I have not measured my exact battery life yet, but they seem consistent with other earbuds I have purchased. In some cases I would even say they last longer. I wear them for the largest part of the day and have never ran into an issue of them going dead during the day or evening. I normally charge about every other day.
The only one con I would have for these and it is nothing to do with the Soundbuds themselves it is the case. The case overall is great,but the only problem is the orientation of the mesh screen inside the case should be turned the opposite of the carry loop preventing items in the mesh carry slot from falling out. This is the only reason I deducted one star. It is so minimal I would not even worry about it, but it something to be conscious about it. Overall, these are great for the money and you will not be disappointed.
If you found this review helpful please hit the helpful button. This will make it easier for other people to find and they may be helped as well. Thank you for taking the time to read my review of the Anker Soundbuds curve
My Powerbeats 3 kept on breaking, so I bought this instead. The sound quality is I would say about 4/5 as good as Powerbeats 3. The bass is a bit overpowering. However, these cost 1/5 of what Apple charges for Powerbeats 3. I must say Anker Soundbuds Curve delivers an exceptional value.
UPDATED REVIEW:
Anker support replaced my defective headphones and after three weeks of solid use, I have to say, WOW!
I am once again amazed as to how comfortable these are right out of the box. I have gone on a couple 13 mile runs and the buds stay put and I am not finding myself re-adjusting the cord or fussing with the in ear fit.
As previously stated, the sound quality is fantastic and the reported battery life is legit.
For the $30 price tag, these are a great value and outperform my other bluetooth headsets.
5 Stars for performance, sound quality and overall value (upgraded from 2 stars).
And I would be remiss not to through in an A+ for Anker's customer support!
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I really did like these on my first workout. While they aren't Sennheisers, they sounded fantastic. And lets be real... You should not expect studio quality for this price on a sports headset. The audio was crisp, the feel was comfortable and running with these was great. Minimal bounce and stayed in place.
Sadly on my second run with these, halfway through mile 5, they abruptly stopped working. Basic troubleshooting still will not power back on... Makes me sad as I really liked these. Glad they broke when they did as I was just about to buy a second pair to leave at work!
Feature Product
- 【Loud And Clear】Superior sound quality with Qualcomm aptXTM audio and cVc noise cancellation technology for clear phone calls.
- 【Tailored To You】Customizable Ear Tips for the perfect everyday fit and additional Earwigs to keep your headphones in place during tough workouts.
- 【Full Power】With 14 hours of talk time and 12.5 hours of music time you'll need to recharge long before your headphones do. A 10-minute charge keeps you going for one hour.
- 【Superior Defense】Water-resistant casing and an impermeable Nano-coating effectively protect internal components against liquids.
- 【What's In The Box】Sound Buds Curve, Multiple Ear Tips (silicone and memory foam), Earwigs, Cord Management Clip, Shirt Clip, Micro USB cable, PU Leather Carrying Pouch with Aluminium Carabineer, and our worry-free 18 month warranty and friendly customer service.
Description
Sound Buds Curve Wireless Headphones Playtime:12.5 hours; Bluetooth Version:V4.1; Charging time:1.5 hours; Input:5V=0.1A
TL;DR: This was an outstanding buy @ twenty bucks. Just wanted to give my few cents worth of a review (my other headphones are the Westone W30 and Apple AirPods). I’d compare them most to similar headphones - a lighter weight, less-intrusive version of the LG lanyards. But you’ll lose out on range and sound quality. Anker makes good stuff - give them a shot.
Pros
- The fit is great and pretty comfortable when walking, sleeping, sitting around, and working out
- Unboxing was great - Anker makes quality products across all of their various lines. I nearly cried when I lost my two-port charger (I replaced it)
- Accessories (silicone ear fitments and adjustment clips) are awesome - they give you a bunch to work with (however... see below)
- The remote is in a pretty good spot (there isn’t much room to work with) and works perfectly
- Ample bass for those who want that
Cons
- Took a couple tries to pair - the Bluetooth is kind of wonky
- Bluetooth range - with a brand-new iPhone 8+ (BT 5.0) was iffy. My other devices get 30+ feet; this thing maxes out at about 10 (not a big deal unless you use for calling... see below)
- The bass is too much. Sound profile is okay - I can hear the crowd in live shows, but the low-end overwhelms or distorts overall quality.
- Phone calls are absolutely terrible - in both directions - I wouldn’t use these for calling, Siri, or Google Now (it got all of my commands wrong when other headphones and built-in mics got them all correct)
- The neck strap still rubs the wrong way and flops around, even with the adjustment circle or shirt clip
- Volume doesn’t get as high as I would have hoped (but this isn’t unique to these)
- The foam ear things (only one size included) were useless - too small and didn’t rebound like those on my Shure and Westone headphones (I threw them out)
- The secondary ear fitments are confusing - not sure how they’re supposed to work/hold in my ear. My personal Jawbone ERA (older version) has the in-ear things (the newer ERA and the Anker SoundBuds Sport has the ‘hook’) which fill up the inside of my ear, but these are nowhere near. Maybe just sound isolation.
I got these to replace a lost set of Soundbuds Slims, which have smaller earbuds with no hooks but otherwise are similar in layout. The Curves fit better without even needing to try out different ear tips, but there are something like six different size and material options included in the box so you should not have any trouble finding the right fit. It took a minute or two longer than expected to pair with my Nexus 5X, but once it paired, I found that the audio quality on the Curve benefits from the ear hooks helping keep the buds properly positioned (the Slims had to be teased into just the right spot). These have good bass, reasonably good highs at first use, and if they "wear in" like the Slims were doing, the highs will get better with use. The value for your modest expenditure is really great...Anker seems to be refining their design with each product release. All I wonder about now is if the battery life will meet expectations. I guess I'll have to listen to 12 hours of music to find out.
ADDED DETAIL: Turns out I like these so much that I got a second set to keep in my gym locker for workouts. One nice added benefit is that Anker ships these with a nice zippered carrying case that has a snap-hook on the outside and a little pocket inside for the charge cord. This keeps everything tidy and easy to carry when not in use. Battery and audio performance are still outstanding, and you can activate Google Assistant from the control stick on the headphones wire too.
So I decided recently that I need to get back into a gym routine, get more active, etc. after taking a 2-3 year "break." Naturally, I can't do that without some fresh headphones for the gym. I started searching around, seeing what is out there now since my previous headphones are 3+ years old at this point. They were decent bt headphones, but had that weird LG neck band thing with the wired buds that popped out. Worked fine, just wanted to find something less bulky with good comfort and battery life.
After some researching, I settled on the $200 Powerbeats3 from Apple/Beats. 5 minute quick charge for 1hr play time (perfect for when you realize your phones are dead while on your way to the gym), 12 hour battery life, water/sweat resistant, and an ear clip style for working out. Perfect. Found them at my local best buy marked down to $135 for certain colors, so I bought them. Took them home, charged and tested them out. Not bad. Decently comfortable, easy to use and charge, sound quality was perfect for my needs.
Then, out of curiosity, I decided to search on amazon just to see what else was out there. I came across these Anker Soundbuds Curve by noticing they looked almost exactly like my Powerbeats3. After reading a ton of reviews, decided to order them. At $35, worst I could do was return them and keep the Powerbeats. Well...needless to say I ended up returning the Powerbeats and keeping these Ankers. Why? Well...I like most things about these Ankers better.
PROS:
-They aren't as wide or bulky, have a much more flush feel with the side of my head.
-Much softer touch material
-Ear clips especially are softer and more comfortable
-Feel lighter, hardly notice they're even on
-12.5 hour battery life (on par with the Powerbeats 12 hour life)
-Better travel case. It's a round zippered case vs a silicone squeeze-style clamshell case for the Beats
-More ear bud sizing options. S/M/L buds, S/M/L ear wings, and memory foam bud options are included.
-Great sound. Bass is deep and clear. I'd say they sound 90% as good as the beats, for MUCH cheaper
-Last but not least, PRICE PRICE PRICE. I'll take 90% Beats sound quality and features for almost 1/7 the price ANY day.
CONS (but no deal breakers)
-Rubber cap over charging port isn't as quick or convenient to charge, but it keeps dirt/water out
-No 5 minute quick charge (I think it'll still give you an hour's worth with only a 10 minute charge or so)
In the end, keeping the Ankers was a no-brainer. Sure they don't have Apple's fancy W1 chip for quick charging and connection wizardry for iPhones (which I don't own anyway), but they feel, function, and sound just as nice as the Powerbeats at a fraction of the cost. Even if you wore out a pair of these buds a year, you could replace them annually for 6 years before spending as much as the Powerbeats3 at retail price. The Powerbeats were nice for the few days I had them. I didn't have any issues, but they weren't $165 nicer or better quality than the Ankers. The Ankers are much more comfortable on my ears, feel lighter and softer, don't look as bulky, and come with a better travel case. And, for $35, it's not life-shattering if they get lost or broken at the gym.
I purchased these in September of 2017. They arrived within two days. Brand new packaging. Charged them and they synced and worked instantly. In March of 2018, I started having some issues. Nothing major. Sometimes the sound would go out in one or there was static or sometimes you would hear a pop sound. They usually adjusted themselves by the next day or with a rest and a charge. By June, one side went out for good. They were still within my 18-month warranty. Anker customer service were awesome!! They heard me out and sent me a replacement almost immediately! I'm very happy! Thank you Anker!!
So, i'm not an auidophile by any means. I can't tell you that these are the best in the world because I wouldn't know. But, they are worth the price, and they get the job done. Bass? Don't really need a whole lot of it. Besides, I don't need IMAX theater sound in my ears when i'm listening to audiobooks or Pantera! Well, maybe Pantera, but their loud enough without busting my eardrums! They're also perfect for blocking out the world. They are not 100% noice cancellation, but they work well for ignoring others!
I love that these don't fall out of my ears. They're comfortable to wear. They are sweat resistant. You can run and workout with these. They usually fully charge within the hour or less for me. The battery does last. I've tested these on more than one occassion working a 12-hour shift off of one charge. When i'm talking on the phone, no one has ever told me they couldn't hear me, nor have I ever had any problem hearing anyone on the other end. Everything sounds clear.
Another thing I like about these, is that I don't have any problems with bluetooth reception. I can have my phone in my back pocket or in my front sweater pockets and I still get full reception. They are great in open spaces. I've left my phone at my station in the back of the warehouse, walked to the front, and still had full reception. As far as connecting to more than one device, that's not really an issue for me. If i'm at home, i'm synced to my laptop and when i'm out, i'm synced to my phone. I don't need to be hooked up to several devices all at once.
So, if you want something state of the art::: concert or movie theater sound quality, 100% noice cancellation, can sync up to multiple devices all at once, that you can swim in, or earbuds that can cook, clean, and drive you around in! Then get ready to pay that HUGE price tag because these are NOT for you! If you're looking for something that affordable and meets your fundamental needs, while you're saving up or looking for something else in the meanwhile, then these are worth a shot. If they break for whatever reason, it's not going to break your bank. Seriously, you can't go wrong with their 18-month warranty. Anker customer service is awesome!
UPDATE:
In March 2019, one side of my earbuds went out completely. I contacted Anker Customer Service and was sent a replacement pair (green ones this time). I received them within a few days. Thank you Anker!! I charged them and they synced with no problem. I really do love these! These were definitely worth the original purchase. If this pair ever goes out for whatever reason, I will definitely re-purchase.
These Anker headphones are a solid purchase for the price. As it should, the headphones come with a different sized earbuds that can swapped, a carrying case, and wire holder, and a clip to clip to your clothing.
To sum it up quick:
Pros:
Convenient!!! - Swapping from wired to wireless is really convenient, where the wire can't pull down your headphones or disconnect from the audio jack since there isn't a plug!
Stays On & Never Disconnects - I love using these headphones to box (or for any sports/exercise for that matter), since they never get in the way rarely come off with the right size earbud and how tight you close the wires in. Also, i'm quite surprised as to how it NEVER disconnects or stutters in sound, unless I go a good 30-40 feet away from my phone producing the signal.
Great Battery Life - For me, it lasts a little over a week before I need to recharge. I only tend to use it when I exercise though, so it might vary.
Good Functionality: Has buttons to raise/lower volume, skip/ or backtrack a song, and to pause/play. If you're using it for android, it's a nice new change compared to a lot of headphones that don't have a lot of functionality. Also, I believe the actual headphones have noise canceling features, and it's relatively effective.
Volume: It can get pretty high if it needs to.
Cons:
Sound Quality: It's not bad AT ALL, and it'll work for most people. However, a bit of some quality is indeed lost through bluetooth. If you really want to listen to music for the quality of the sound, stick to wired or drop like $500 on quality professional headphones, since there are quality DACs, headphone amplifiers,etc that you might look for in volume and quality.
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