Anker Soundcore Space A50 wishlist: All the features I want to see

Anker makes some of the best wireless earbuds for different purposes. For example, the Liberty 4 Pro are much cheaper than rival earbuds of the same calibre and feature a smart charging case, excellent noise canceling, and pleasing sound quality. Likewise, the newer Anker Soundcore Sleep A20 are specifically designed to aid light sleepers in achieving a good night’s rest. The company’s current Space A40 earbuds represent the best bang for your buck and bring good noise canceling, an IPX4-rated exterior, and tons of EQ options. Little wonder, then, that fans are excited about the Anker Soundcore Space A50.

There has been no mention of Anker’s Space A50 earbuds yet. Nevertheless, here are all the features and everything I want to see while the rumor mill churns up hope.

A better charging case

How can Anker get it so right with one product and so wrong with another? As mentioned, the company’s Liberty 4 Pro ships with a handy and relatively unique charging case. In addition to a nifty sliding lid, it features a display for checking the earbuds’ battery life, setting ANC strength, toggling spatial audio modes, and more. Sure, it’s a fingerprint magnet and a bit of a gimmick, but it’s good to see the company pushing itself in an area many other manufacturers overlook.

Even if you’re not into all these bells and whistles, it’s reasonable to expect your charging case to protect your earbuds. Unfortunately, the hinges on the Anker Soundcore Space A40 case feel flimsy. The case also does not have lid magnets, meaning the earbuds can easily fall out in transit. This is particularly annoying when storing the earbuds in a backpack, only to find they have come loose and are lost amongst all your other belongings. The Anker Soundcore Space A50 will need a better, more robust charging case to remain competitive.

Improved microphone quality

Be under no illusion — earbuds will never reproduce voices as clearly as over-ear headphones or gaming headsets. Even the best earbuds for calls, like the Sony WF-1000XM5, cannot hold a candle to gaming headsets like the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro (2023). This is because dedicated boom microphones placed in front of the mouth do a much better job of capturing voices than beamforming microphones near the ear. However, frequent callers needing a more street-friendly product should consider the new Sony WH-1000XM6.

The Anker Soundcore Space A40 can take calls, but it’s an average experience. The microphones do not handle sibilant sounds well, and the earbuds perform best with minimal environmental noise. Street sounds, for example, are prone to cutting into the voice, and wind noise will make the end caller hear major processing artifacts. This interferes with speech intelligibility, making it much more difficult to conduct seamless conversation. The Anker Soundcore Space A50 must improve microphone quality to appease frequent callers.

Comprehensive controls

Companion apps are vital for unlocking the very best features our headphones offer. For example, they can provide native custom EQs, spatial audio with head tracking, and advanced noise canceling functions. Perhaps most important, though, are control customizations. These allow headphone wearers to adjust which buttons or touch surfaces alter specific functions. Some earbuds, like the JBL Tour Pro 3, support single, double, triple, and long presses for controlling over seven unique features.

By comparison, the Anker Soundcore Space A40 feels significantly limited out of the box. For example, the earbuds only support double-tap and press-and-hold commands by default. While you can enable single-tap functionality in the Soundcore app, the earbuds do not support previous track skipping. Likewise, you must cycle through the ambient sound modes to toggle between ANC, transparency, and normal listening. There is no slider control for adjusting volume, and you must assign the function to a single-tap command in the Soundcore app. Anker should implement easier and more comprehensive default controls with the Soundcore Space A50.

A more comfortable and robust fit

While I may have trumpeted some of the more niche features of the Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro, they are, first and foremost, comfortable. They ship with several ear tip sizes, support an ear tip fit test, and wear a similar lollipop-stemmed form factor as the popular Apple AirPods Pro 2. Sure, they’re not as suitable for working out as hook-designed earbuds like the Powerbeats Pro 2. However, the Liberty 4 Pro’s ergonomic fit sits well in the ear. They also do not fly out when you shake your head.

Conversely, the Anker Soundcore Space A40 can be difficult to place in the ear and are prone to falling out. Like many others, I struggle to achieve long-lasting comfort and a tight seal with ovoid-shaped earbuds like the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro. This is even more apparent when trying to work out. The Soundscore Space A40 may be IPX4-rated, but their lack of stabilizing wings and limited contact with the outer ear means they easily spill from the ear with vigorous exercise. Anker must redesign the Soundscore Space A50 with superior comfort and a robust fit in mind.

Improved sound quality

Like music genres, we all have a personal preference regarding how we like our headphones to sound. For example, while much too prominent for most listeners, the Sony ULT WEAR will appeal to bass heads that enjoy a skull-rattling amount of bass. Counterwise, the Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X serve audiophiles and music producers who require a “flat” frequency response. However, their perceived lack of bass may sound far less exciting to those accustomed to headphones with a “U-shaped” frequency curve.

No matter your preference, we rarely find a pair of true wireless earbuds that underemphasise bass and treble frequencies. And yet, that’s exactly what the Anker Soundcore Space A40 does. Against our target preference curve, the earbuds cut bass and sub-bass frequencies by over 5dB more than we’d like. Similarly, upper-midrange and treble frequencies above 1.8kHz deviate from our ideal curve by as much as 16dB. While the earbuds do not sound bad, many listeners will find they lack the “oomph” of competing earbuds. Anker should improve the bass and treble response of the Soundcore Space A50 at launch.

Will there be an Anker Soundcore Space A50?

Anker undoubtedly remains invested in the earbuds and headphones categories. For example, its latest Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 launched on May 7, 2025. These earbuds enjoy a comfortable fit, Bluetooth 5.4 with the LDAC codec, and a handy companion app. They also represent excellent value for money compared to rival TWS buds from Apple, Sony, and Bose. However, compared to the Liberty 4 Pro, the earbuds have middling ANC and overemphasize bass and treble frequencies more than we’d like.

Unfortunately, Anker has not uttered a whisper about the Soundcore Space A50 yet, and rumors are surprisingly absent at the time of writing. However, we will update you as soon as we hear any news.

• Anker Soundcore Space A40 — August 24, 2022

Given Anker’s limited Soundcore Space A-series release history, it is difficult to gauge exactly when the Soundcore Space A50 will materialize. Generally, the company updates its earbuds every 2-3 years. For example, the Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro launched on May 31, 2019. The Liberty 3 Pro succeeded these on August 12, 2021. These were updated three years later by the Liberty 4 Pro in October 2024. Judging on that timeline, and considering the Anker Soundcore Space A40 launched on August 24, 2022, we could expect the Soundcore Space A50 to materialize this year. However, we must wait for confirmation from Anker.

Should you wait for the Anker Soundcore Space A50?

Herein lies the question. Anker makes many enticing earbuds, and deciding which best suits your needs is tricky. If you prefer stemless earbuds and are working on a budget, then the Soundscore Space A40 will work well for you. Otherwise, we recommend exploring some of the competition, including sibling Anker buds.

The Anker Soundcore Space A40 ($79 at Amazon) are a compelling choice for price-conscious buyers. The earbuds’ excellent noise canceling makes taking public transport a breeze, attenuating up to 47dB of environmental noise. Those on long-haul commutes can enjoy nearly eight hours of listening time with ANC activated. Those in a bind can fast-charge four hours of listening time from a 10-minute top-up. The earbuds can be charged atop a Qi charging mat, and listeners can connect with Bluetooth 5.2 via the SBC, AAC, and LDAC codecs. The last profits 990kbps, 24-bit/96kHz Hi-Res playback, which spells good news for those who stream high-quality audio files. Downloading the Soundcore app (iOS/Android) begets vital firmware updates, control customizations, 22 EQ presets, and ANC toggles. However, frequent callers may be disappointed by the mediocre microphone quality, and the case leaves much to be desired.

Superior comfort can cost a little more, but the Nothing Ear (2) ($149 at Amazon) are worth it. The IP55-rated case features a stylish transparent design that protects the IP54-rated buds from dust and water. It also supports wireless charging or can be boosted with a USB-C cable. With ANC enabled, the earbuds should last over six hours, with the case yielding four or five extra charge cycles. However, those in a hurry can fast-charge eight hours from a 10-minute top-up. Nothing includes three sets of oblong-shaped silicone ear tips out of the box to secure a comfortable fit, and the earbuds connect via the SBC, AAC, and the rarer LHDC 5.0 Bluetooth codecs. Noise canceling is better than their predecessor, although sensitive listeners may experience minor issues with in-ear pressure. The earbuds also exhibit drastically over-emphasized treble frequencies that will almost certainly need tempering with the Nothing X app’s basic EQ.

The Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC ($99.99 at Amazon) are one of our favorite earbuds at the office. They are guarded with an IPX4 rating and are reasonably secure for anything except the most intense workouts. Android and iOS smartphone owners can connect via Bluetooth 5.3 over the SBC, AAC, and LDAC codecs. Battery life lasts a formidable nine hours and 53 minutes with ANC enabled. Similarly, the case yields an additional 50 hours of listening time, fast-charges four hours from a 10-minute boost, and offers wireless charging. Noise canceling is excellent and quells low incidental sounds by nearly 40dB. Anker delivers good sound quality with the Liberty 4 NC, although the bass is much too exaggerated compared to what we like. However, this can easily be remedied by selecting one of the 22 EQ presets in the Soundcore app. Avid tinkerers will enjoy Anker’s 8-band custom EQ, Fit Test, and ANC toggles.

Athletes looking for a set of similarly priced ANC earbuds should consider the JLab Epic Air Sport ANC ($89 at Amazon). Unlike the Anker Soundcore Space A40, these buds wear ear hooks to keep them in place. They also sport an IP66-rated exterior to guard against the elements. I’m also a big fan of the Epic Air Sport ANC’s triple tap controls for changing between EQs. Battery life is extraordinary and lasts over 15 hours. The case tops the buds with an extra 55 hours of listening time, and the buds fast-charge one hour of listening time from a 15-minute boost. Achieving a tight seal is easy with the included ear tips, and ANC helps to dampen low-frequency sounds by up to 30dB. Sound quality is pleasing, although there’s a moderate underemphasis in the mids and treble ranges. The JLab Air ANC app unlocks a custom EQ, firmware updates, and control customizations.

Anker Soundcore Space A50 FAQs