soundcore Space 2 review: ranked 12th against 29 headphones

THE SCORECARD

soundcore Space 2

• Build quality and fit

  8.25/10

  Most comfortable Soundcore I’ve tested; light at 262 g with soft, deeper pads and light clamp.

• Battery life

  8.5/10

  Up to 70 h (ANC off) or 50 h (ANC on); 5 min fast charge = ~4 h; can’t use while charging.

• Controls

  9.25/10

  Full set with custom long holds, wearing detection, nap mode and Anker voice assistant; no easy chat/speak‑to‑chat.

• Connectivity

  9/10

  Bluetooth 6.1 with SBC/AAC/LDAC, multipoint works with LDAC; AUX works powered on or off; no USB‑C audio.

• Call quality

  8/10

  Strong across quiet, crowd and windy tests; on par or slightly better than other budget picks tested.

• Customization and extra features

  8.5/10

  Robust app: 8‑band EQ, presets, HearID, safe volume, 3D surround (optional), soundscapes, auto power‑off, voice options.

• Noise canceling

  7.75/10

  Clearly stronger than Space 1 (~10–15%); no strength levels or wind‑reduction; some EQ shift when toggling modes.

• Transparency mode

  7.75/10

  Much clearer than Space 1/1 Pro with low occlusion; slight hiss in quiet rooms; minimal wind pickup; no strength control.

• Sound extras

  9/10

  Very loud (measured 104.6 dB without seal), low leakage (~80% before notable), AUX supported; no USB‑C audio.

• Sound quality

  7.75/10

  Stock is still bass‑boosted but improved; standout mids/vocals, smooth treble; bass lacks a bit of punch; best at its price.

The Pros and Cons

How comfortable is the Space 2?

This is Soundcore’s most comfortable headphone I’ve tested. At 262 g with thicker, softer pads that are deeper and more breathable than Space 1/1 Pro, my larger ears don’t touch the pads and heat build‑up is lower. Clamp is on the lighter side, great for comfort but not ideal for vigorous workouts or smaller heads. Finish is basic hard plastic, but it keeps weight down. Colors include seafoam green, jet black and linen white, and you get a high‑quality fabric soft case (Soundcore sometimes bundles a hard case or sells it separately).

How long does the battery last?

I scored battery life 8.5/10: up to 70 hours with ANC off or 50 hours with ANC on. Fast charging gives about 4 hours from a 5‑minute top‑up. One limitation: you can’t listen while charging.

What are the controls and voice features like?

Controls scored 9.25/10. You get power and noise‑control on the left, volume and track on the right, plus a multi‑function button for playback and calls. Long holds are customizable: trigger your phone’s assistant or the Anker voice assistant, AI translation, or the new nap mode. Nap mode flips ANC on and plays one of four built‑in soundscapes (stored on the headset) with an optional sleep timer. Wearing detection works reliably. The dip versus Space 1 is the loss of easy chat/speak‑to‑chat.

Does the Space 2 connect well and support LDAC?

Connectivity is a 9/10: Bluetooth 6.1 with SBC, AAC and LDAC, plus multipoint. Pause playback on one device and resume on the other to switch, and LDAC still works with multipoint. You can plug in via the 3.5 mm AUX for near‑zero latency and even listen with the headphones powered off. USB‑C audio isn’t supported.

How good is the call quality?

Call quality scored 8/10 after three tests (quiet room, crowd noise, and a windy city simulation) recorded over a real phone call. Space 2 is at least on par with, and in some cases slightly better than, other budget standouts I’ve tested.

What does the app actually offer?

Customization and extras scored 8.5/10. The app covers noise‑control settings, 3D surround (a subtle spatial push I’m not a big fan of), HearID hearing and preference tests, an 8‑band EQ with plenty of presets, safe‑volume limits, wearing detection, voice prompts, always‑on Anker assistant, device management, auto power‑off and ambient soundscapes. It’s everything you need. Note: the always‑on assistant requires the app to stay open.

How strong is the noise cancelling?

ANC scored 7.75/10, a clear step up from Space 1 (roughly 10–15% stronger in my plane and crowd tests). Space 1 Pro still cancels slightly more, but for the price this is strong performance. There’s no strength slider or automatic wind‑reduction, though wind pickup is minimal. Switching between ANC and transparency/off adds a noticeable EQ shift (~10% more mid‑bass, ~5% less treble).

Is the transparency mode any good?

Transparency mode scored 7.75/10 and is Soundcore’s clearest yet. Voices and distant sounds come through more naturally than Space 1/1 Pro, occlusion is low, and wind pickup is minimal. There’s a slight hiss in quiet rooms and no strength control, but overall it’s strong for the price.

How loud do they get and do they leak sound?

Sound extras: 9/10. These get loud—measured 104.6 dB without a seal—and I rarely went past 70% volume. Leakage is low; I had to push ~80% in a quiet room before it became noticeable. Wired options are AUX only (powered on or off). No USB‑C audio.

How do the Space 2 sound?

Sound quality scored 7.75/10. Stock tuning is still bass‑boosted, but less so than Space 1/1 Pro. My go‑to tweak is dialing down sub and mid‑bass in the 8‑band EQ. The surprise here is the mid‑range: vocals are clear and forward without harshness, and treble is smoother than Space 1 (and less edgy than Space 1 Pro). Even after EQ, bass isn’t the punchiest, so kicks won’t feel super meaty, but overall it’s the best sound I’ve heard at this price. Versus Space 1 Pro you trade a touch of V‑shaped sparkle for cleaner vocals and separation.

Where did it rank, and should you upgrade?

Final tally: 83.75/100. After re‑weighting key categories (calls, ANC, sound), Space 2 comes out at 81.1/100 and ranks 12th out of 30—still the highest score at its price. It’s only a point behind Nothing headphone A and Sony All Wear in my sheet. Versus Space 1, ANC/transparency/sound are all worthwhile upgrades, but you lose easy chat. Versus Space 1 Pro, you give up a bit of ANC strength and a more compact fold, but gain clearer transparency, better mids and better calls. For pure value, I’d pick Space 2.

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