Soundcore Space 2 Review: Supreme Comfort with 4 Stage ANC

Soundcore Space 2 Review: Designed and built for travellers.

{Tech} for Travel

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Affordable noise-cancelling headphones have become a crowded space, but very few manage to balance price, comfort and genuine long-haul practicality particularly well. That is where Soundcore has been quietly gaining ground, not by trying to out-luxury premium rivals, but by making travel-friendly features far more attainable.

The original Soundcore Space One played a big part in that. It showed Soundcore could take a more serious swing at over-ear ANC headphones while keeping one foot firmly in the value category.

The Soundcore Space 2 builds on that foundation, but with a stronger sense of focus. This is not a dramatic reinvention, nor does it need to be. Instead, Soundcore is taking what already worked and pushing it further, with a little more oomph.

What makes Space 2 stand out is how much attention seems to have been paid to what travellers demand. Noise cancelling that targets travel noise, comfort designed for extended wear, and battery life that looks built for more than a daily commute all point in that direction.

The headline feature is its 4-stage active noise cancelling, which Soundcore says is optimised for low-frequency background noise such as aircraft engine rumble. That travel-first focus gives the Space 2 a much stronger identity than many other budget-friendly ANC cans you might be considering.

Soundcore has also included a Transparency mode for those moments when you need to stay aware of your surroundings, whether that is listening for gate announcements or hearing cabin crew during a flight. There is even a built-in white noise mode, adding four built-in options to choose from.

The Space 2 uses 40mm double-layer drivers and supports Hi-Res Audio over LDAC, giving it broader appeal for listeners who want a bit more detail and energy from their music rather than simply a travel companion that blocks out noise.

Support for SBC and AAC is also available, and the Soundcore app adds HearID 3.0 personalisation for users who like to tweak the sound to suit their hearing profile.

Smart Wearing Detection automatically pauses audio when the headphones are removed and resumes playback when they are put back on. At the same time, a three-mic call system with AI noise reduction ensures clearer calls.

Battery life is another area where the Space 2 looks built to make life easy. Soundcore claims up to 50 hours of playtime with ANC switched on and up to 70 hours with it turned off, which is the sort of performance travellers expect.

When the Space 2 headphones run flat, a five-minute charge is rated to deliver up to 4 more hours of listening.

Comfort is just as central to the appeal here, as Soundcore leans into an ergonomic over-ear design with soft memory foam padding meant to support longer listening sessions without becoming a nuisance.

The Space 2 comes in Linen White, Jet Black and Seafoam Green, giving it a little more personality than the usual lineup of black travel headphones.

The Soundcore Space 2 made a strong first impression on me because it never felt like a pair of headphones trying too hard to punch above their price.

Some affordable ANC models can overpromise, relying heavily on spec sheets, while real-world experience often falls short of the big numbers. That was not my experience here.

What stood out quite quickly was how well the whole package worked together. The comfort, noise-cancelling and battery life all support the travel focus in a way that felt like all of the headline features worked in unison.

For a pair of headphones aimed at travellers and value-conscious buyers, that matters a lot.

Sounding great

Active noise cancelling is where I was most curious, particularly given how much emphasis Soundcore places on its 4-stage system. In practice, I found it very effective, especially on a couple of short-haul flights aboard British Airways Embraer 190 during the review.

Whilst not the noisiest of cabins, apart from take-off, when full power is applied before brake release to accommodate the short runway, Space 2 performed exceptionally well. I would not put it quite at the level of the very best premium flagship ANC headphones, but that is only because I test headphones for a living and can make the comparison.

The majority of users will be hugely impressed with just how good the ANC is on these headphones.

What I liked was that it didn’t feel overly aggressive or unnatural. Instead, the effect was controlled, making it easier to keep ANC engaged for long stretches.

A perfect fit

I know the size and fit of any headphones, or even earbuds, will differ from each person. During the Soundcore Space 2 review, comfort turned out to be another real strength.

I can be quite picky about over-ear comfort, especially with anything intended for travel, because clamp force, heat build-up and ear cup pressure tend to show themselves quickly.

The Space 2 handled all three surprisingly well.

The ear cushions feel soft and well-padded, and the headphones sit securely without ever feeling too tight. I wore them for extended sessions and rarely felt the urge to take them off. Even on my office days, when I tested them out on Teams calls, I didn’t rip them off the moment the call finished; instead, they were fine where they were!

Soundcore have delivered a headband that is stable enough for everyday movement but relaxed enough for long listening sessions without pressure build-up. Some of the premium brands could learn a lot from this!

Power to rival the best on the market

Battery performance was equally reassuring. In day-to-day use, the Space 2 headphones just kept going. It is incredible how the Soundcore engineers are delivering this level of ANC audio for so long.

By the end of the review period, the battery life and charging were hardly on my mind, which is often the best compliment you can give.

The quoted figures are strong on paper, and in my use, I was getting around the 48-hour mark of ANC use, but I do like my volume a little louder than some.

Fast charging, should you ever need it, worked as advertised, with a 5-minute boost on my Anker Prime charger, delivering a noticeable increase in the battery icon for several hours of use.

If I have a criticism, the linen white version I was sent to review, whilst the best colourway out of the three in my opinion, is more of a challenge to keep clean.

The headband was fine, but the earcup cushions did attract some dirt, which nothing a wet wipe couldn’t handle.

Overall, I came away thinking Soundcore has judged this product extremely well. The ANC is effective, the comfort is impressive (more so if you share my head size), and the battery life makes the travel focus feel credible rather than theoretical.

For me, what makes the Space 2 headphones more than merely good value and moves them into a great pair of cans for travellers is how well each key feature works with the others.

On balance, this feels very much like a 4-Star review, only missing out on a perfect score due to how they fold down and the lack of a decent travel case to protect them.

Features	Soundcore Space 2
Dimensions	168×190×88mm
Weight	264g
Colour Options	Linen White Jet Black Seafoam Green
Driver	40mm Double-Layer Drivers
Main Features	4-Stage Active Noise Cancelling Transparency Mode Hi-Res Audio with LDAC Smart Wearing Detection
Battery	Up to 50 Hours (ANC On) Up to 70 Hours (ANC Off) 5 Min Charge = 4 Hours Playback
Connectivity	Bluetooth Multipoint LDAC AAC / SBC
Microphones	3 Microphones AI Noise Reduction
In the Box	Soundcore Space 2 Headphones 3.5mm AUX Cable USB-C Charging Cable Soft Travel Pouch
Website	soundcore.com

The Soundcore Space 2 headphones are available from April 21st at soundcore.com, priced at $129/£129/€129 as well as at local Amazon stores.