PROS
- IPX4 sweatproof
- Lightweight
- Enjoyable sound
- Strong Bluetooth connection
- Great battery life
CONS
- Recessed mids
VERDICT
Do you want to own one of the best Bluetooth in-ear headphones in the budget category? If your answer is “yes” then you should order the Anker SoundBuds AK-A3233011 Sport Bluetooth Earbuds. Their offer an astonishing build quality and enjoyable sound that will appeal to all sports enthusiasts.
Anker has extensive experience when it comes to the design of Bluetooth sport-oriented earbuds. The company is known for their ability to deliver on their marketing claims and create products that work exceptionally well for just a fraction of what some other manufacturers like to charge.
Design and build quality
At only 0.44 oz, the SoundBuds AK-A3233011 are 20% lighter than most other sports earbuds on the market. The light weight makes you quickly forget that you have them in your ears. If only Anker made the cable between earbuds slightly shorter, we would be completely happy with their construction. The extra, unnecessary length makes it bounce around when running, which can become annoying rather quickly.
The earbuds are rated IPX Level 4 to withstand heavy sweating, rain, and even an occasional splash of water. We are certain about their ability to survive day-to-day use, as the build quality is superb and all plastic materials feel great on the touch.
Compared to the vast majority of affordable Bluetooth earbuds, the Anker SoundBuds have twice as much battery capacity. The built-in battery is rated at 120mAh and can support up to 8 hours of uninterrupted music listening.
The integrated volume controls are located in a great position that allows you to securely grab the earbud with two fingers and change common playback settings without making the earbuds fall out of your ears.
Sound quality
All Bluetooth earbuds and headphones have one thing in common: the quality of their drivers becomes completely irrelevant, unless they are fed with a strong signal. The SoundBuds communicate with other devices through Bluetooth 4.0 and have an excellent range of up to 66-feet. That’s almost 50% more than many similarly priced models.
CVC 6.0 Noise Cancellation removes signal noise and ensures crystal-clear music reproduction. This is essential in crowded environments where many other people are also listening to music with Bluetooth headphones. Passive noise isolation is okay, and we never felt the need to crack up the volume.
However, the main selling point has to be the sound signature. This kind of sound response is sometimes called “V-shaped sound signature” because of how accentuated low and high frequencies are. As a result, music sounds very dynamic, energetic, and fun. The downside are slightly recessed mids, which can make vocals seem a little recessed. Those who are listening to bass-heavy genders are definitely going to like the sound.
What’s in the box?
The Anker SoundBuds AK-A3233011 In-Ear Sport Headphones come with a Micro USB charging cable, S/M/L eartips, 3 pairs in-ear earhooks, FitClip, travel pouch, and an 18-month warranty. The warranty, in particular, is a nice addition, which shows the level of confidence Anker has in their product.
