Definitely one of my best purchases in 2024.
Soundcore Sleep A20 are headphones for business. They are not about sound quality, but about the sound sleep of the owner. Everything in them is thought out for this purpose. And they work.
I’ve been using the A20 every night for three weeks now. Likes of almost everything, and what you don’t can be written down in small details. The first headphones in my life that I can actually sleep on my side all night without discomfort. Nothing will disturb them. You won’t have to look all over the bed for them in the morning because they won’t fall out. Your ears won’t hurt because there’s no pressure on them. Moreover, the device can be used for its intended purpose even without Bluetooth and without a smartphone.
In the review, I’ll tell you why I started looking for them in the first place, why the Anker Soundcore Sleep A20 specifically is good, and why I recommend these to everyone who wants to fall asleep in their own sound atmosphere.
What is the point of headphones for sleeping?
Let me note right away: not everyone needs gear for headphones. They need cause. Here I have a reason.
One day I acquired a bad habit: falling asleep with headphones on. A son was born, night shifts began, uninterrupted sleep became more valuable than gold, that’s all. Time has passed, but the habit remains.
The headphones turned out great for listening to a podcast, interesting videos, or just white noise, relaxing sounds, and so on. But if you also like to sleep with headphones, then you know: it’s inconvenient. One, well, two times in a row is still possible, but then it becomes uncomfortable: either they make it difficult to leave on the side, or your ears hurt in the morning, or in your sleep the “plugs” fall out and are justified in bed.
I tried more than ten different models, including all AirPods models, as well as wireless headbands. Everything turned out to be wrong, we need headphones specifically for sleep.
Which headphones are better to buy for sleeping?
From left to right: Bose Sleepbuds II, Ozlo Sleepbuds, Anker Soundcore Sleep A10.
Leave toys from China behind. I’m talking about all sorts of pillows with speakers, headbands, models with bone conduction, and so on. I will not explain the faulty disadvantages of each of the options here. A working version of headphones for sleeping is just “plugs” and that’s it, personally verified by wasted tens of thousands of rubles. Let’s move on.
Among the more specialized earbuds on the market, there are literally three models that do the job decently. These are Bose Sleepbuds 1 and 2, which have been discontinued and are obsolete. Then Ozlo Sleepbuds (actually Bose Sleepbuds 3). Finally, two models from Anker: Soundcore Sleep A10 and A20. The rest are not worth attention in comparison.
Ozlo Sleepbuds are almost impossible to get in Russia. They are considered the best in the West in this niche. Made by a startup of former Bose employees. The price is not popular, from 250 dollars, which for such niche ears is a death sentence.
In the meantime, everyone can afford Anker Soundcore Sleep. A10 costs 5-6 thousand rubles, and A20 costs about 9,500 rubles. And if the A10 is made on a budget cosplay of closed Bose models, then the A20 is a much more convenient and modern device that allows you to light up Ozlo Sleepbuds on all fronts at a price two and a half times cheaper.
So I bought the A20 version. I waited two weeks for delivery, but I’ve been using it for three.
Equipment
What’s in the box:
▪ 4 pairs of earbuds with noise insulation
▪ 3 pairs of earbuds without sound insulation
▪ 4 pairs of soft silicone ear tips.
▪ USB-C cable
▪ headphones in a slider case
The in-ear tips are much softer here than in other wireless headphones. The silicone mounts, which are placed on the surface of almost the entire body, have their own ear pad – even softer than the ear tips. Petals are necessary for better fixation inside the ear canal.
Built-in devices without sound insulation have slots with which the owner can avoid the “vacuum” effect. Fans will love the regular AirPods. I’m not impressed and use standard earbuds.
To be honest, storing all this stuff is not very convenient, because the cardboard is disposable. A hard case didn’t hurt. But you will most likely never need alternative inserts and fastenings after the first careful fitting. In short, this will do.
Headphone and case design
The Soundcore Sleep A20 is one of the best looking headphones on the market in my opinion. I really like the flesh color of both the body and the case. For headphones you sleep in all night, this is a practical solution. High-quality plastic, the coating is soft, it is difficult to scratch it. It feels solid in the hands and is higher than the stated price. I don’t like the word “premium,” but it’s appropriate here.
The cover of the case slides up and has a closer in both directions. You can open and close with one hand. The size of the case is not the most compact, but it will not create any difficulties when traveling. The rest of the time, his place is stationary: next to the bed around the clock, and not in his pocket.
Charging is via USB-C, the status is visible from the three pale LEDs of the built-in case. There is a button next to the USB port for reset and connection.
The headphones are very light and, fortunately, small. The super soft ear hook and ear tip will be larger than the body, so the size in the photo is deceiving. They are held in the case by powerful magnets and do not dangle. It’s easy to take out with one hand, and to put in too.
The headphones have touch controls. By clicking on the Soundcore logo you can switch tracks. If you hold your finger for 3 seconds, they switch between operating modes. There are two modes: either standalone or Bluetooth connection. I turned on the touch panels just in case. You only hold hands in a mediocre way in your sleep, and you can call by accident.
Headphone operating time: 14 hours in (useless) standalone mode, 10 hours in Bluetooth mode. The case gives 80 hours of work. In an ideal world, you get 9-10 days of using the headphones for their intended purpose without recharging from a power outlet. I actually charged them once in three weeks. I know the reason, I’ll think about it.
Comfort while sleeping
A moment of comfort in the ears to ensure their use. You spend more hours in them than in any other model, including the rest of the day. Everything here is better than my expectations: the A20 format package and useful tips are worth five points.
The hypoallergenic material of the attachments and fasteners is indescribably soft and pleasant to the touch. Headphones are ear pads. Nothing presses anywhere – neither inside, nor outside, nor outside. But this is half the battle: the main thing is that the body does not stick out from the ears.
Yes, you can leave the A20 on its side.toss and turn and change position in every possible way without discomfort. They do not press, even if a hard pillow rests on the ear. It’s like there are no headphones.
If you have tried to sleep in other models and are a little in the know, then you can quit in this review line. I know that you have already heard the main thing and are going to buy them. Understand!
I’ll just warn you that it’s not in vain that Anker recommends experimenting with attachments of different sizes on the box, inside it, and even right in the side inserts. If you do this incorrectly, the headphones will not cover the ear canal enough, bulge out, or put a little pressure on it. Personally, the option with the M mount and S attachment suited me. They sit as if they were born in them.
Sound quality
The sound is so-so.
In Bluetooth mode, these are C grade headphones. Not even the level of the first AirPods Pro. There is little bass, midrange is so-so, the stage is narrow. But this is more than enough for podcasts, listening to YouTube and some relaxation or noise-canceling sounds. You can listen to music without making your face cringe in horror. You will not get simplicity and pleasure.
In offline mode… to be honest, I don’t recommend it. It can only play those sounds that you “poured” into the headphones from the proprietary application. There are few of them (only 7 pieces), all pre-installed. And most importantly, for some unknown reason they played it in mono mode. This is the impression you get when white noise crackles strictly in the center of your head. This, by the way, is the difference in some cases of using Ozlo: it uses stereo sound in offline mode.
Taking into account the specifics of purchasing and using such headphones, the sound of the A20 is fine. You won’t find it anyway piece Sound quality among headphones for sleep. Because in Bluetooth mode, the advantage in sound quality will be on the side of the A20, and not on the much more expensive Ozlo. We won’t talk about Bose Sleepbuds here; they don’t have Bluetooth at all.
The very fact that BT with 10 hours of operation makes the offline mode some kind of pointless undertaking. The smartphone is still always lying close to the bed and charging. So I turn on what I want on my iPhone, put it on charge, put in my headphones and all that, see you tomorrow. You can also connect it to Apple Watch, by the way.
Application features
The A20’s receptions must be controlled via the proprietary Soundcore app for Anker headphones.
In the program you can:
▪ switch operating modes
▪ set an alarm that can only be heard through headphones
▪ delete and download sounds for offline mode
▪use the audio signal mixer (toy at a time)
▪ enable “virtual noise reduction” (nonsense)
▪ change the behavior of touchpads (I turned them off)
▪ update firmware
▪ finally, look at your sleep statistics
Yes, Soundcore Sleep A20 collects sleep statistics. For this feature to work, you must enable it in the app and register with the Anker ecosystem. Measurements are taken from the moment the headphones are put on until they are removed. This period is called “sleep”.
The quality and accuracy of the measurements… are unknown. I would not neglect their practical purpose. Professional tests and comparisons are pointless, this is not a medical instrument. Moreover, the scientific definition and designation of the sleep phase itself is still subject to challenge.
On the A20, unlike the Apple Watch, it is written on which side you slept on and how many times you tossed and turned in your sleep. This is useful information, especially for snorers. In the context of your political position, the condition is better than the sleep phase share.
Unfortunately, the Soundcore app does not sync data with Health in iOS. What a shame! I want to slap them for this fat minus. But then I remember that the fashionable phi-trackers of Ozlo only gave words, but never welcomed. The owners have been feeding “breakfast” for six months now. Maybe they will never launch. Because they are just a startup, they could disappear tomorrow. At least A20 already has it today. It even seems to work.
Where to buy Soundcore Sleep A20
The average price of Anker Soundcore Sleep A20 in Russian stores is from 14 to 19 thousand rubles. The A10 model can be bought for 6 thousand rubles, but I do not recommend even looking in their direction. They are outdated, and sleeping on your side is not so comfortable.
Instead of all this, I suggest buying the A20 for 9,400 rubles at this link. Yes, these are new headphones, and yes, they work in Russia, there are no “region locks”. I ordered them exactly for that money, exactly there. I received it, I’m using it, I’m glad. I haven’t seen a lower price.
Conclusion? If you want to sleep with headphones or just at least watch “Videos” while lying on your side on the couch, then you won’t find anything better than the Soundcore Sleep A20 from Anker. Nothing. It is not logical to look towards the 4 times more expensive Ozlo from a virtually no-name company that may close tomorrow. And there are no more options.
For three weeks I have been sleeping like a groundhog in A20. Your ears don’t chatter in the morning, your headphones stay in place and aren’t scattered all over the bedroom, and your sleep itself is much more sound than without them. Even connecting to an alarm clock in the application, which has been launched recently, allows you to wake up without disturbing the woman next to you.
Therefore, I praise and recommend these headphones. I hope that those who want to succeed in purchasing before Ya.Market algorithmically increases the price tag due to the growth of product traffic. If it turns out to be cheaper than 12 thousand, I still recommend no less than before.
📸 All photos in the article:
Source: Iphones RU
I am a professional journalist and content creator with extensive experience writing for news websites. I currently work as an author at Gadget Onus, where I specialize in covering hot news topics. My written pieces have been published on some of the biggest media outlets around the world, including The Guardian and BBC News.
