The Soundcore Space 2 Pro, Anker’s over-ear headphones, target consumers seeking performance that undercuts major competitors. Priced at £199.99 / $199.99, they aim to prove Soundcore’s ability to deliver strong features.
Reviewers found the headphones succeed in many areas, though the sound quality presented a notable challenge. Design-wise, the Space 2 Pro echo the physical appearance of previous Soundcore over-ears. They utilize the standard physical button layout: power and ANC on the left, playback and volume on the right, rather than touch controls.
The Pro model features a distinguishing silver trim on the earcups and an engraved “Thus” badge. While slightly larger than the original Space 2, they weigh two grams less. The earcup design leaves enough room to keep pressure off the ears and the top of the head. Adjustment involves a headband slider that is not stepless and produces a slight noise when manipulated. The fit remains secure without requiring hard clamping.
Travel is considered, as the headphones fold into a pouch, accompanied by both USB-C and 3.5mm cables. Battery life represents a clear advantage. Soundcore rates 60 hours without ANC and 30 hours with it active. A drain test conducted at 50 percent volume confirmed the 30-hour figure held up across three hours of use with AAC over Bluetooth. Furthermore, a five-minute charge provides eight additional hours of use.
Sound, however, is identified as the main sticking point. The Space 2 Pro improves upon the budget Space 2, delivering bigger, weightier bass and clearer highs. Nevertheless, the overall tuning is aggressively bass-forward. The low end impacts the midrange and over-emphasizes male voices. Consequently, familiar tracks shift character; kick drums sound like thuds, and subtlety often disappears. Some songs even threaten to become excessively boomy.
Other sound attributes include a wide soundstage, smooth and clear vocals, and bright but controlled treble. The headphones offer more overall detail than a comparable JBL model, but they lack balance. Although Anker released a firmware update aiming to temper the bass, it arrived after the review was completed.
Noise cancellation performance is rated as strong. The unit was found to block out ambient noise effectively outdoors and on an airplane. Only a slight vibration in the right earcup was reported as a minor issue. Transparency mode is described as serviceable, though it does not set a class-leading standard. Against the JBL Live 780NC, the Soundcore cancels more naturally, even if the JBL might have an edge in raw quietness.
Call quality stands out as the device’s standout feature. Utilizing the Thus AI chip and six-microphone array, the unit cleanly picked up the reviewer’s voice through challenging environments, including a walk past a DLR, a supermarket, and a busy restaurant. The person receiving the call heard only the voice and zero background noise. At this price point, the review labels this performance the gold standard.
The feature set is expansive. Connectivity supports Bluetooth 6.1, featuring SBC, AAC, and LDAC codecs. Users gain multipoint pairing for two devices, though this function does not operate concurrently with LDAC. Additional features include wind noise reduction, wear detection, safe hearing volume limits, an eight-band EQ, HearID personalization, and an AI Chat mode. The customisation options are accessible via the companion app, though the reviewer encountered initial pairing issues.
The verdict remains that the Space 2 Pro is a confident offering from Soundcore. It provides good value regarding noise cancellation, comfort, battery endurance, and call clarity. Yet, the bass-heavy tuning limits it from competing for the title of best headphones around the £200 mark. Buyers upgrading from previous Soundcore models are directed toward the Space One Pro for better sound balance. However, users who make frequent calls will find the Space 2 Pro model worthwhile.
