According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, one in two adults in this country has trouble getting to sleep, and one in five don’t find their sleep refreshing. Neighbourhood noise, especially for those living in urban settings, can be a huge contributor to sleep deprivation. Ever try falling asleep on a plane? Cabin noises often reach 80-85 decibels (dB), similar to that of a vacuum cleaner, which, on top of the discomfort of your seat, doesn’t help matters.
Recognizing just how sleep-deprived we are, Soundcore recently launched the Soundcore Sleep A30 by Anker Sleep Earbuds: the world’s first “smart” active noise-cancelling earbuds that use AI technology.
As someone who is part of the 50 per cent of the population that has trouble sleeping at night, let alone on an overnight flight, I recently gave the Soundcore Sleep A30 a try. Keep scrolling for my honest review.
Finding the right fit
My first impression was how well they fit into my ears. Weighing just 3 grams, the A30s are much smaller than similar products, like Apple AirPods. They have a streamlined design that fits over your ear canal without jutting out, making them comfortable for side sleeping.
The design also features a novel wing design, whereby, after inserting the earbuds, you rotate each bud backward until they essentially lock in place, providing a snugger fit. In addition to three different sizes of silicone wings (S, M, L), the earbuds also come with more conventional silicone eartips, as well as foam versions, which provide a firmer fit that blocks out more noise.
Testing the soundcore Sleep A30 (Photo via Mark Douglas Wessel)
Tuning out
As for how effective the A30s are at noise cancelling, I tried a few less-than-scientific experiments.
One test was to compare them to an older generation of Bose plug-in ANC earbuds during my less-than-favourite time of the week — when the next-door neighbour’s very loud lawn mower fires up and runs along the side of our house.
Compared to the older Bose pair, the A30s blocked about 50 per cent more noise, consistent with Soundcore’s claim that the earbuds can block up to 30 dB of external racket. That said, at its worst, I still found the noise quite irritating. Taking things a step further, I then tried on my Soundcore Space One Pro Adaptive Active Noise Cancelling Headphones (read my full review here).
Without activating the ANC feature, the headphones did a similar job of blocking out noise as the A30s. And once ANC was turned on, most of the noise from the mower was gone.
In a separate test, I played the sound of an airplane cabin, approximating plane cabin loudness. The A30s did better than my old Bose. While they made the ambient “cabin noise” tolerable, the Space One Pro’s blocked virtually everything out.
The A30s do a good job of blocking out most daytime noise (Photo via Mark Douglas Wessel)
They’re comfortable to sleep in
I also wore the A30s to bed, and thanks to their low-profile design, they were quite comfortable to sleep in, even when lying on one’s side. And when I could hear the blare of our neighbour’s TV, the earbuds blocked most of the sound with ANC activated. If you prefer white noise, there are options ranging from a flowing river to a tranquil forest to soft piano music.
Using AI to help you fall asleep
Many manufacturers offer ANC and white noise options, but Soundcore has taken things up a notch. The A30s use AI technology to detect and block the snoring of a partner using noise masking audio.
The A30s also use AI to produce brainwave audio that helps you fall asleep faster. Personally, I experienced a deeper sleep, waking up less frequently, which was a pleasant surprise.
The verdict
Having tried the A30s out for a couple of weeks now, I’m sold on the product. But for different reasons than expected. I plan on using them at night for a better sleep. But also during the day to block out ambient noise while working. Except when the neighbour’s lawnmower from hell fires up — in which case the Space One Pro’s will continue to be my go to product.
As for airplane travel, I’ll continue to use the Space One Pro’s, which thanks to a unique foldable design, are much less bulky than conventional headphones.
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