Wireless Earbuds
Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 4
8.5/10SoundGuys scoreRead our review ›
$299.95at Amazon
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1 / 10Anker Soundcore
Anker Soundcore Life A1
Feeling bassy on a budget? The Anker Soundcore Life A1 might be the answer to your workout's prayers.
Noise Isolation
7.5/ 10
7.5
0.010.0
A 7.5 puts its noise isolation in the top 10% of wireless earbuds we've measured.
Measured on 125 of the 252 we've cataloged.
See the lab data ↓Frequency response · Isolation
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Key specs
Battery Life Earbuds
8.39 hAbove average8.39 h
3 h15 h
above average for wireless earbuds — based on 238 of 252 we've cataloged.
Battery Life With Case
35 hAbove average35 h
7 h60 h
above average for wireless earbuds — based on 235 of 252 we've cataloged.
IP Rating
IPX7IPX436%IP5517%IP5416%IPX74%
IPX7 appears on 4% of the 233 wireless earbuds we've cataloged (of 252).
Noise Cancellation Type
PassiveActive59%Passive15%Hybrid10%None8%
Passive appears on 15% of the 173 wireless earbuds we've cataloged (of 252).
Battery
- Battery Life Earbuds
- 8.39 h
- Battery Life With Case
- 35 h
- Charging Method
- USB-C + Wireless
- Full Charge Minutes
- 10 min
- Charging Case Capacity
- 770 mAh
- Earbud Capacity
- 85 mAh
- Fast Charging
- Yes
Build
- IP Rating
- IPX7
- Sweat Resistance
- Yes
- Water Resistance
- Yes
- Material Case
- Plastic
- Material Chassis Primary
- Plastic
Sound
- Noise Cancellation Type
- Passive
- Driver Count
- 1
- Driver Size
- 8 mm
- Driver Type
- Dynamic
- Frequency Response
- 20-20000 Hz
- Frequency Response High Hz
- 20000 Hz
- Frequency Response Low Hz
- 20 Hz
- Frequency Response Signature
- V-shaped
- Impedance
- 16 Ω
Connectivity
- Bluetooth Version
- 5
- Bluetooth Codec
- SBC, AAC
- Bluetooth Range
- 30 m
- Connection Type
- Bluetooth
- Headphone Jack
- No
- Latency
- 260 ms
Design
- Earbud Form Factor
- In-ear
- Case Dimensions
- 82×37×33 mm
- Color Options
- Black
- Ear Tip Material
- Silicone
- Ear Tip Sizes Included
- S, M, L, XS, S, M, L
- Wearing Style
- Deep insert, wingtip stabilizers
- Weight Per Earbud
- 5.5 g
- Weight With Case
- 59 g
Features
- Control Type
- Touch controls
- Eq Customization
- Presets only
- Auto Connect
- Yes
- Auto Pause
- No
- Mono Mode
- Yes
Identity
- Model Number
- A3927011
Microphone
- Count
- 2
- Type
- Dual microphone
Release
- Date
- 2020-10-02
- Msrp Usd
- 49 USD
- Year
- 2020
Lab data
How we test ›Objective measurements from the SoundGuys test lab — overlay other models to see how this one compares.
Anker Soundcore Life A1SoundGuys Headphone Preference Curve
Measured frequency response (dB relative) against the SoundGuys Headphone Preference Curve. When the measurement goes above the dashed line, that frequency is louder than our preference curve, and when it goes below: it's quieter. Use the curve for comparison purposes only, as your taste may vary.
| Frequency (Hz) | Response (dB) |
|---|---|
| 20 | 9.9 |
| 25 | 10.1 |
| 32 | 10.0 |
| 40 | 9.7 |
| 50 | 9.1 |
| 63 | 8.3 |
| 80 | 7.2 |
| 100 | 5.8 |
| 125 | 4.1 |
| 160 | 1.5 |
| 200 | -1.0 |
| 250 | -3.1 |
| 315 | -3.1 |
| 400 | -3.2 |
| 500 | -3.3 |
| 630 | -2.3 |
| 800 | -1.3 |
| 1000 | 0.0 |
| 1250 | 1.4 |
| 1600 | 3.7 |
| 2000 | 6.6 |
| 2500 | 10.5 |
| 3150 | 9.7 |
| 4000 | 5.1 |
| 5000 | 3.9 |
| 6300 | 6.3 |
| 8000 | -0.1 |
| 10000 | 0.7 |
| 12500 | -8.4 |
| 16000 | -1.8 |
| 20000 | -43.3 |
Anker Soundcore Life A1
Passive isolation (dB) with ANC off — how much ambient noise the fit blocks on its own. Higher on the chart means more attenuation.
| Frequency (Hz) | Attenuation (dB) |
|---|---|
| 21 | -1.1 |
| 26 | 1.0 |
| 33 | 5.1 |
| 41 | 5.5 |
| 52 | 5.8 |
| 65 | 6.6 |
| 82 | 6.0 |
| 103 | 8.6 |
| 130 | 9.3 |
| 163 | 10.4 |
| 205 | 10.4 |
| 259 | 8.6 |
| 325 | 10.6 |
| 410 | 14.4 |
| 516 | 17.7 |
| 613 | 14.4 |
| 772 | 19.6 |
| 972 | 19.6 |
| 1220 | 22.0 |
| 1540 | 22.7 |
| 1940 | 24.1 |
| 2440 | 29.0 |
| 3070 | 28.6 |
| 3870 | 32.0 |
| 4870 | 30.6 |
| 6130 | 31.1 |
| 7720 | 40.2 |
| 9720 | 31.0 |
| 12200 | 38.6 |
| 15400 | 33.8 |
| 19400 | 35.5 |
SoundGuys review
Isolation7.5
Battery life7.1
Comfort & fit8.7
Connectivity5.0
Design6.0
Portability9.0
The verdict
Can this set of cheap earbuds be your new workout companion? The Anker Soundcore Life A1 promises a lot for a little like an IPX7 rating, wireless charging, and full mono listening. If you're looking for bass-heavy earbuds that'll survive your workouts for cheap, the Soundcore Life A1 is a great pick. Still, it has its flaws and certainly isn't the best option from the Anker Soundcore family.
✓Liked: Comfortable and secure fit, Inexpensive, Stable connection, IPX7 rating
✕Could be better: Preset EQs are polarizing, Case feels flimsy, Microphone is not great, AAC and SBC codecs only
Owners
How we verify ownersNobody who owns the Anker Soundcore Life A1 has written in yet.
Owner reviews are not paid for, not solicited from specific owners, and not rewritten by us: at most we proofread typos, which is shown on the review’s own page and which the author can undo. The commission SoundGuys may earn on this page comes from retail links, never from owner reviews.
Own the Anker Soundcore Life A1?
Three answers, four quick reads, one sentence nobody tells you before buying. Shown under a pseudonym.
Questions from readers
What readers ask about the Anker Soundcore Life A1, answered by the people who own it.
Nobody has asked the owners yet.
Ask the first question →Features & Opinions
More from the team ›Commentary and deep dives from the SoundGuys editorial team.
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Dave CarrVideo Producer/WriterSoundcore, please bring this feature back to earbudsEarbud cases don’t need flashy screens or gimmicks. One of the most useful features I’ve tested is way simpler: a built-in phone stand.
Adam BirneyManaging Editor288 people rated the Soundcore Liberty 5 microphone – here's what they saidWe asked, you told us: see how the Soundcore Liberty 5 microphone is rated by the people.
Chase BernathBrand & Partnerships ManagerThese budget earbuds have better battery life than the AirPods Pro 2We tested these new budget earbuds in our SoundGuys testing lab, and they stand out in one key metric compared to AirPods.Chase BernathBrand & Partnerships ManagerCan $100 earbuds sound better than $300 earbuds? We ran tests to find out.We compared the Soundcore Liberty 5 with the Sony WF-1000XM5 to see if a higher price tag gets you better sound.Chase BernathBrand & Partnerships ManagerThese have better ANC than AirPods – and they cost lessWe just tested the latest budget wireless earbuds to come through our lab, and they beat the AirPods 4 in one key area.Chase BernathBrand & Partnerships ManagerHow long should your earbuds last? Our battery tests have the answerEarbuds don't last long, but how much is enough?
Christian ThomasEditor-at-large
Dave CarrVideo Producer/WriterSoundcore, please bring this feature back to earbudsEarbud cases don’t need flashy screens or gimmicks. One of the most useful features I’ve tested is way simpler: a built-in phone stand.Adam BirneyManaging Editor288 people rated the Soundcore Liberty 5 microphone – here's what they saidWe asked, you told us: see how the Soundcore Liberty 5 microphone is rated by the people.Chase BernathBrand & Partnerships ManagerThese budget earbuds have better battery life than the AirPods Pro 2We tested these new budget earbuds in our SoundGuys testing lab, and they stand out in one key metric compared to AirPods.Chase BernathBrand & Partnerships ManagerCan $100 earbuds sound better than $300 earbuds? We ran tests to find out.We compared the Soundcore Liberty 5 with the Sony WF-1000XM5 to see if a higher price tag gets you better sound.Chase BernathBrand & Partnerships ManagerThese have better ANC than AirPods – and they cost lessWe just tested the latest budget wireless earbuds to come through our lab, and they beat the AirPods 4 in one key area.Chase BernathBrand & Partnerships ManagerHow long should your earbuds last? Our battery tests have the answerEarbuds don't last long, but how much is enough?Christian ThomasEditor-at-largeMore Wireless Earbuds
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