TWS True Wireless Earphones - $25 - $50
The Soundcore A30i are super compact Active Noise Cancelling wireless earbuds that provide enough comfort to sleep on your side with them. If only they nailed that aspect just a bit better…
Soundcore A30i specs and features:
Bluetooth 5.3 with AAC codec
IP54 waterproof rating
6,5 - 9 hours playtime on a single charge (ANC on/off)
Charging case can charge earpieces fully 3 times
Has: ANC, Transparency, app support, multipoint connection
Doesn't have: gaming mode
Comes with 3 sets of ear tips, USB-C cable, English manual
$50 - Buy on Amazon US or your Amazon country
Underneath this Soundcore A30i review, you will find comparisons between the Soundcore A30i vs Soundcore P30i, Soundcore Life A3i, Soundcore Space A40 and the Edifier TWS1 Pro2.
I bought these earbuds myself to test and review. All reviews on Scarbir.com are unsponsored and honest. Want to support my research? Buy me a coffee or support me via PayPal.
When was the first time you took your earbuds out of your pocket, and people thought it was a lipstick? Or a vape? You can easily trick people with the Soundcore A30i's, available in black, white, pink, or this rather sleek light blue.
Still, the charging case not just a gimmick: the case is sturdy, had a bright (!) LED-light that indicates the battery status and it slides open easily to reveal the earbuds.
A lipstick, a vape or a travel power bank? Nope!
The buds itself are nearly as unique: they're shaped like a bean, very light, and very compact. What's more, is that the earbuds barely stick out your ears - well, at least my average-sized ears. They're so compact and comfortable, I can even sleep on my side with them. You can feel them a bit when you do, just like on the bigger Soundcore Space A40, but not in a hurtful way.
The sleep-proof fit is a fantastic combination with the usable Active Noise Cancelling on display here. The Soundcore A30i doesn't provide the strongest ANC, but it does a fine job of dampening lower, middle and higher sounds around you enough to get rid of the sounds that would bother you most while sleeping - like loud aircons, electronic humming, distant dogs barking or partying, or a person snoring in another hotel room. It doesn't remove chatter, laughter, or a loud radio playing, however.
Unfortunately, the battery life falls a little short to make this pair perfect for sleeping. The Soundcore app for iPhone and Android phones has the brilliant option to turn off the low battery warning beeps at 20 and 10 percent battery left… but it does still make a sound when an earbuds turns off. Thus, the earbuds will wake you after 6,5 hours on a single charge, with ANC activated and without playing any music. Unlike the Space A40, they don't last an entire night.
I really hope Soundcore releases a firmware update that turns off the ‘off’ sound as well. When that's the case, the A30i will get you through the night, and it will immediately be a strong recommendation for this purpose alone.
Now, there are more purposes for your earbuds of course, so let's handle other aspects as well.
The earbuds are IP54 water- and sweatproof for your runs and workouts, and you can connect it to two devices at the same time with its multipoint connection. It's also suitable for gaming. The A30i doesn't have a dedicated low-latency mode, but it synchronizes the sounds with the action on your screen well - and works flawlessly in videos too. Calling is doable in easier going circumstances - your voice sounds natural, but is a bit thin. It doesn't take much wind or surrounding noise you make your voice dip.
Next to the decent ANC mode, the Transparency mode works fairly well to make you hear a conversation when you're playing music on background level, and the controls can be setup fully via the app - meaning you can add volume controls to a single tap for instance, without offering any other function for it. Great, but the controls aren't always responsive. Especially my right earbud has some trouble recognising the input, and sometimes fails to cycle between the ANC modes (hold the touch panel) or play/ pause the music (double-tap).
Let's talk music. The Soundcore A30i leans strongly on the lows. The mid-bass gives quick, controlled yet full thumps, and the sub-bass (darkest bass tones you can feel as much as hear) feels strong and thick too. Both are powerful and tight enough, but they don't really stand out from the lower mid-tones. As drums, darker electronic tones and lower voices are heavily boosted as well, things can feel a bit dense and lacking in detail down below.
You really need to switch that 3D Surround Sound slider in the app to liven things up. Not that it treats you with an immersive spatial audio experience - far from it; the sound is rather closed-in - but it does increase the volume and dynamic range, bringing vocals and lower treble more forward.
With the setting on, vocals are just forward enough to take the center stage. Both male and female vocals, higher and lower, appear smooth and full, and roll off early before they can become bright or harsh. The same goes for treble too; brighter instruments like violins, cymbals and lighter piano play only play a small part in the music, and can even feel somewhat muted.
As every so often on Soundcore earbuds, things do become more lively on high active volumes - on which the A30i suddenly unlocks the center-mids and lower-treble. It then has a slightly artificial and metallic character, but it does .
Unfortunately, with either the standard Soundcore signature, one of the 20 other equalizer presets, or with the custom EQ option, the Soundcore A30i misses a spark in its music. It's decent, it's suitable for background listening, but due to the recessed vocals and highs, it isn't a big entertainer.
If Soundcore releases a software update that removes the beep when the earbuds turn off, the Soundcore A30i can be a unique and terrific pair of budget wireless earbuds for sleeping purposes. Now, it's mostly a comfortable pair of earbuds with a great case design, that misses a real standout feature.
Design and comfort: 4.5/5 - Sleek charging case, comfortable and sleep-proof fit; solid 6,5 hours battery life
Controls, connectivity and app: 3.5/5 - Dual-device multipoint connection and a ton of options from the app, but controls can be very unresponsive
Playback: 4/5 - Flawless video playback, solid game performance
Call quality: 3/5 - Doable in easy circumstances, not great in wind or lots of noise
ANC: 3.5/5 - Not the strongest, but reduces constant sounds well. Usable Transparency mode when you're playing music up to moderate volume
Sound quality: 3.5/5 - Weighs heavy on the lows, lacks a little treble spark
VERDICT: 4 STARS (Good)
Buy on Amazon US
Buy on your Amazon country
Soundcore A30i comparisons
Soundcore A30i vs Soundcore Space A40: Battle of the sleeping buds
The Soundcore Space A40 is the only pair of wireless earbuds I truly recommend for sleeping on your side, as it combines good Active Noise Cancelling with a battery that lasts the entire night. After 8 hours of sleep, the Space A40 still has some juice left. That's better than the Soundcore A30i, which will wake you up with its shutting down-sound after 6,5 hours. As the Space A30i is more compact and sticks out of your ears less, it is the (even) more comfortable choice of the two, however.
The Soundcore Space A40 has stronger ANC than the A30i and more reliable controls, and it sounds more natural too. The A30i has a stabbier, aggressive mid-bass, which bass lovers may find more entertaining. The Space A40 has a fuller mid-bass, but more importantly - a more fluent sound. It combines the warmth from the lower frequencies with more natural mid-tones than the A30i, which sounds metallic in comparison.
As the Soundcore A30i and Space A40 don't differ much when it comes to phone calls and the gaming performance, the Space A40 holds the crown as the best earbuds that can also be used for sleeping.
$60 - $100 - Buy on Amazon US or your Amazon country
Soundcore A30i vs Soundcore P30i: Which is better?
The Soundcore A30i has been released at the same time as the Soundcore P30i, which is a similarly priced pair of wireless earphones with a comparable feature set. The P30i has stem design earbuds, with over an hour longer battery life on a single charge. While the case of the A30i is more fun, the P30i's case is brilliant, as there's as an extra lid on the case that lets it function as a phone stand.
The P30i has more responsive touch panels than the A30i, while they both have multipoint connection and comparable ANC performance. Sound-wise, both aren't Soundcore's best models, as both tend towards the lows very much and forget to refine the treble on top. The P30i has a punchier bass and feels more uplifting. Still, with the 3D Sound setting in the app, the A30i manages to sound clearer and more open, while the P30i is dark, muted and closed-in whichever sound setting you throw at it.
$30 - $50 - Buy on Amazon US or your Amazon country
Soundcore A30i vs Soundcore Life A3i: Is newer better?
The Soundcore Life A3i has been a long recommendation for earbuds under 50 dollars on Scarbir.com, but it starts to show its age in some ways. The A30i has an easier fit, is more comfortable to wear for a long period of time, has a better Transparency mode, and a much better gaming performance. Its Active Noise Cancelling is slightly better as well, and it comes with multipoint connection, which the older A3i lacks.
The Soundcore Life A3i controls better with its actual buttons, however, and more importantly: the Life A3i sounds better too. The Life A3i has a stronger mid-bass, more forward and engaging vocals, and better pronounced and clearer treble.
$40 - $50 - Buy on Amazon US, or your Amazon country
Soundcore A30i vs Edifier TWS1 Pro2
Switch over to the Edifier TWS1 Pro2, and you're instantly reminded of how much treble and clarity you're missing out on the Soundcore A30i. The Edifier just sounds better - it makes vocals much more prominent, gives center mid-tones like guitars and piano play more presence, and feels more natural and spacious as a result. Combined with stronger Active Noise Cancelling, it's still a better deal than the A30i.
Things the Soundcore A30i does better are its sleep-proof fit (the Edifier sticks out of your ears just a bit too much), it's 2,5 hours of extra battery life with ANC on, and its multipoint connection.
$40 - $50 - Buy on Amazon US, your Amazon country or AliExpress
Also read: The best wireless earbuds under $50
Consider buying an earphone? I'd really appreciate it if you use the links in this article. It won't cost you extra, yet it will financially support me a bit in my ongoing quest for great affordable audio. <3
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Disclaimer: I bought these TWS true wireless earbuds myself. I test and review all audio products equally honest - read about it here.
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