Anker’s acclaimed Soundcore audio brand is expanding its popular line of sleep earbuds with the launch of the new Soundcore Sleep A30. As the successor to the Sleep A20, announced about a year ago, the Sleep A30 introduces several significant upgrades aimed at helping users achieve a more restful night’s sleep.
The most notable enhancements are the addition of Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and a unique adaptive snore detection feature, positioning the Sleep A30 as a premium solution in the sleep tech market.
Designed for Restful Nights: Improved Comfort
Comfort is paramount for earbuds worn throughout the night, and Anker has specifically engineered the Sleep A30 for enhanced wearability. The redesigned earbuds are noticeably slimmer (reportedly about 7 percent) and smaller than the previous A20 model. This refined profile is intended to significantly reduce pressure and discomfort, especially for side sleepers who may feel previous models pushing into their pillows.
For a secure yet gentle fit, the earbuds feature flexible wingtips. Anker provides a generous selection of eartips to ensure personalized comfort and a crucial acoustic seal, including four pairs of silicone eartips and three pairs of pressure-relieving memory foam tips, alongside three sizes of flexible ear wings.
Shut Out the Noise: Active Noise Cancellation for Sleep
A major step up from the A20’s passive noise isolation, the Sleep A30 incorporates Active Noise Cancellation. Anker claims these are “the world’s first smart ANC sleep earbuds.” The ANC technology, utilizing two microphones placed inside and outside the ear, is designed to actively counter external sounds.
The earbuds can reportedly reduce low-frequency noise by up to 30 decibels. By combining this active cancellation with the passive noise isolation created by the secure, airtight seal in the ear canal, the Sleep A30 works to block a wider range of sleep-disturbing sounds, from traffic rumble to household noise.
Adaptive Snore Masking: A Unique Solution
Perhaps the most innovative feature of the Sleep A30 is its Adaptive Snore Masking technology. The charging case acts as a real-time snore detector. Upon detecting snoring from a partner or nearby, the case analyzes its frequency, volume, and pattern. It then communicates with the earbuds to generate a tailored, noise-masking sound specifically designed to help the wearer tune out the detected snoring sound. Anker states this snore detection boasts a 93% accuracy rate.
Beyond Sleep: Versatile Features
While optimized for sleep, the Soundcore Sleep A30 earbuds are not limited to nighttime use. They can also function as standard wireless earbuds for listening to audio. Additional features include:
Automatic Sleep Monitoring: Tracks your sleep patterns and can even monitor your sleep position via the accompanying Soundcore mobile app.
Private Alarm: A gentle alarm function that wakes only the wearer, complete with snooze capability.
- “Find My Earbud”: A handy feature to help locate an misplaced earbud, potentially lost amongst bedding.
- www.theverge.com
Battery Life: A Trade-off for ANC?
The addition of ANC impacts battery performance. The Sleep A30 offers up to 9 hours of playback for stored audio (like white noise) with ANC active. When streaming audio like music or podcasts from a connected device, this reduces to approximately 6.5 hours with ANC.
The charging case extends the total listening time significantly, providing up to 45 hours for stored audio or 35 hours for streaming. While this offers ample power for 5 nights of sleep based on the stored audio figure, it represents a reduction compared to the Sleep A20, which boasted 14 hours from the earbuds alone and a total of 80 hours with its case. This appears to be a trade-off for the new ANC capability.
Pricing and Availability: How to Get Yours
The Soundcore Sleep A30 earbuds are available in two colors: Classic White and Mist Green.
Currently, the Sleep A30 is exclusively available for pre-order through a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign. The full retail price is set at $229.99 (€249.99 in Europe), which is a notable increase over the Sleep A20’s retail price of $149.99. However, early backers on Kickstarter can secure the earbuds at a substantial discount, paying just $139 (€149.99).
Following the Kickstarter phase, the Soundcore Sleep A30 is expected for full retail launch in September. At that time, they will be available for purchase directly from Soundcore and on Amazon.
