Anker Space A40
JBL Live Buds 3
What Buyers Say
Anker Space A40
The Soundcore Space A40 earbuds are widely praised for their excellent sound quality, customizable EQ via the app, and strong noise cancellation. Users appreciate the long battery life, fast charging, and comfortable fit with multiple ear tip sizes. Some note that the ANC is not as powerful as premium competitors and that Bluetooth connection can occasionally drop in bumpy vehicles or certain environments. Overall, they are considered great value for the price.
Pros
- Excellent sound quality
- Customizable EQ via app
- Good noise cancellation
- Long battery life
- Fast charging
Cons
- ANC not as strong as premium competitors
- Occasional Bluetooth connection drops
- Touch controls limited to certain options at once
- Battery life slightly less than advertised
- Left ear discomfort for some users
JBL Live Buds 3
The JBL Live Buds 3 receive praise for their excellent sound quality, effective ANC, and comfortable fit. Users appreciate the customizable case screen and useful features like ambient aware and talk-through. However, significant complaints include poor charging case battery life, random disconnections, and misleading battery life claims. Some users also report issues with connectivity to non-phone devices like Garmin watches.
Pros
- Excellent sound quality
- Effective active noise cancellation
- Comfortable and secure fit
- Customizable case screen
- Useful ambient aware and talk-through modes
Cons
- Poor charging case battery life
- Random disconnections and connectivity issues
- Misleading battery life claims
- Ambient aware mode auto-enables
- Case battery drains quickly when idle
Scores
Specifications
| Anker Space A40 | JBL Live Buds 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Design | ||
| Form Factor | in-ear | in-ear |
| Wearing Style | true wireless | true wireless |
| Ear Tips | 5 sizes of silicone ear tips | XS, S, M, L |
| Weight | 0.06 kg★ | 0.08 kg |
| Audio | ||
| Driver Type | dynamic | dynamic |
| Driver Size | 11 mm★ | 10 mm |
| Drivers | 2★ | 1 |
| Freq Min | 20 Hz | 20 Hz |
| Freq Max | 20 kHz | 40 kHz★ |
| Impedance | 16 Ω | 16 Ω |
| Sensitivity | — | 103 dB★ |
| Max SPL | — | 97 dB★ |
| Hi-Res Audio | ✓ | ✓ |
| Codecs | LDAC | SBC, AAC |
| Surround | Soundcore by Anker Space A40 Auto-Adjustable Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds, Reduce Noise by Up to 98%, 50H Playtime, Hi-Res Sound, App Customization, Wireless Charge (Renewed) Blue (Refresh | — |
| Noise Control | ||
| ANC | ✓ | ✓ |
| ANC Type | adaptive | adaptive |
| Transparency | ✓ | ✓ |
| Connectivity | ||
| Wireless | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | 5.2 | 5.3★ |
| Profiles | — | A2DP 1.4, AVRCP 1.6, HFP 1.8 |
| Multipoint | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wired Connector | Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5 |
| Range | — | 9.100000381469727 m★ |
| Earbud Battery | ||
| Battery Life | 10 hrs | 10 hrs |
| Charge Time | 2 hrs | 2 hrs |
| Fast Charging | 10 min for 4 hours playback | 10 Minutes for 4 Hours |
| Charging | USB-C | USB-C |
| Case Battery | ||
| Case Battery | 50 hrs★ | 30 hrs |
| Case Charging | USB-C | USB-C |
| Wireless Charging | ✓ | ✓ |
| Capacity | — | 60 mAh★ |
| Microphone | ||
| Microphone | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mic Count | 6 | 6 |
| NC Mic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Features | ||
| Voice Assistant | Siri, Google Assistant | Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa |
| Touch Controls | ✓ | ✓ |
| App | soundcore | JBL Headphones |
| Gaming Mode | — | ✗ |
| Bone Conduction | ✗ | ✗ |
| Water Resistance | IPX4 | IP55 |
Pros & Cons
Anker Space A40
- Strong mic (98th percentile)98th %ile
- Strong connectivity (97th percentile)97th %ile
- Strong anc (97th percentile)97th %ile
- Strong sound (94th percentile)94th %ile
JBL Live Buds 3
- Strong connectivity (100th percentile)100th %ile
- Strong mic (98th percentile)98th %ile
- Strong anc (97th percentile)97th %ile
- Strong build (91st percentile)91st %ile
- Below average user sentiment (33rd percentile)
Pricing
Verdict
Scores 85 overall, wins 1 of 7 usage categories and 4 of 41 specs.
