Anker is a sleeping giant in the audio world. While it lacks the brand force of Sennheiser and Sony, it nonetheless makes some incredible products at a competitive price point.
KnowTechie has covered Anker’s in-ear and over-ear headphones over the past few years. And now, it’s time we looked at a new category of audio gear from Anker: Sleeping earbuds.
Yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like.
Quick Verdict
The Soundcore Sleep A10 won’t be for everyone. It isn’t cheap. It’s not a good pair of day-to-day headphones. And it takes some getting used to. At first, it won’t feel natural. You must persevere. Despite this, they’re worth considering if you’re looking for a tech-centric way to improve your sleep quality.
The Soundcore Sleep A10 are earbuds intended to be worn as you drift off to sleep. Think of them as an alarm clock, sleep monitor, and white noise machine in one package.
Anker isn’t a pioneer in this space. There are other brands with competing products, most notably Bose, arguably the most premium mass-market name in audio.
But the subject of today’s review, the Anker Soundcore Sleep A10, has a trick up its sleeve. It’s almost half the price of the equivalent Bose Sleepbuds II.
But is it any good? Read on to find out.
The Soundcore Sleep A10 won’t be for everyone. It isn’t cheap but they’re priced at $180, which costs a fraction of of its competitors.
Form and fit
Like many people, I find in-ear headphones incredibly uncomfortable to wear for prolonged periods of time.
The idea of wearing a pair to bed is, put mildly, not a particularly attractive prospect.
Fortunately, Anker did a good job with the Sleep A10’s ergonomics. The buds are small. Unfathomably so.
It’s about half the size of your pinky finger’s tip. Here they are next to a British five-pence coin, for scale.
For side-sleepers (like myself), that’s essential. You want to be as comfortable as possible. Otherwise, what’s the point?
Although the Soundcore Sleep A10 takes a bit of getting used to, you eventually become accustomed to it. After a few days of consistent usage, you stop noticing it’s even there.
Within its box, I found a generous selection of ear tips and wings designed to accommodate every conceivable variety of ear canals.
You’ll want to experiment. Finding the right fit is essential to the Anker Soundcore Sleep A10’s proper functioning.
The alarm functionality works best when the earbuds can assault both of your eardrums. And, as I mentioned, they’re incredibly small (and, thus, easily lost among the bedsheets).
Software, sound, and sleep
The Soundcore Sleep A10 lacks ANC (active noise canceling). That’s hardly a surprise, given the buds’ tiny size.
ANC is incredibly power-hungry. It requires dedicated circuitry and a constellation of microphones.
Instead, it uses four-point noise masking, which Anker claims can reduce background noise by up to 35db.
Why we like it
- Designed for comfortable sleep
- Fits well with a variety of silicone tips and wings
- Comes with a charging case and a USB-C cable
- Case holds enough charge for seven uses
- Earbuds last 6 hours in Music mode and 10 hours in sleep mode at 50% volume
- Audio quality is good, especially for sleep.
I’m a deep sleeper, and my bedroom doesn’t face the road, so I didn’t really benefit from this. Others, however, might.
On the battery life front, Anker promises around 10 hours of continuous nighttime usage. In our testing, this was about right.
Charging came via the included hockey puck-shaped case, which felt disproportionately large when compared to the earbuds themselves or, indeed, the cases of other conventional wireless earbuds.
Although the Soundcore Sleep A10 can perform like traditional wireless earbuds, it does grant the wearer access to the Soundcore Sleep Music Library.
What to know about the Sleep Music Library
This Music Library contains a bevy of bedtime-friendly soundscapes designed to send you into a restful state.
You can configure this mode to activate automatically when you fall asleep, which is a nice touch.
In practice, this means you can listen to your favorite podcast, and as you begin drifting off, you won’t lose your place or be startled by an unexpected ad for the latest iHeartRadio exclusive.
The sound quality was surprisingly excellent, even given the Soundcore Sleep A10’s tiny frame and lack of ANC.
We also appreciated the generous size of the Soundcore Sleep Music Library, as well as the ability to upload your own sleepytime audio to the device.
It doesn’t compare to other high-end audio gear or Anker’s latest mid-range over-ear cans, but it’s more than capable of delivering an acceptable nighttime listening experience.
Sleep tracking and an alarm clock that is sure to wake you up
The results from the earbuds’ sleep-tracking functionality largely mirrored that of my Apple Watch SE. It gives you an overview of your time spent asleep, divided into periods of deep and light sleep.
Arguably its standout feature is the alarm clock. Put simply, this works. It will wake you up. And, best of all, it won’t disturb anyone who shares your bed or bedroom.
This could be a game-changer for college students with roommates or couples with different shift patterns.
Alternatives to consider
Sleeping earbuds are a vanishingly small category within the wider audio space. As such, there aren’t too many competitors.
We mentioned Bose’s Sleepbuds II, which retails at $250. Similarly, there are the lesser-known QuietOn 3 earbuds, which cost $269 new.
The Soundcore Sleep A10, priced at $180, costs a fraction of those products. More details below.
Who are these good for?
Overall, the Bose Sleepbuds II is a good alternative for anyone looking to upgrade their sleep game. While they may cost a bit more than other options on the market, they offer top-notch comfort, convenience, and sound quality that make them well worth the investment.
Who are these good for?
The QuietOn 3.1 sleep earbuds are a solid choice for anyone looking to block out external noise and get a better night’s sleep. However, they’re not for everyone, as some may find it hard to get a comfortable fit, and then those who prefer to listen to music or white noise.
Final Verdict
The Soundcore Sleep A10 won’t be for everyone. It isn’t cheap. It’s not a good pair of day-to-day headphones. And it takes some getting used to.
At first, it won’t feel natural. You must persevere. Despite that, there’s a lot to appreciate here.
From an engineering perspective, they’re impressive. You can’t help but admire their tiny frame. The alarm functionality is excellent. As mentioned, it will wake you up.
Similarly, the earbuds’ ability to switch audio output when you fall asleep is another understated gem within the Soundcore Sleep A10.
Why we like it
- Designed for comfortable sleep
- Fits well with a variety of silicone tips and wings
- Comes with a charging case and a USB-C cable
- Case holds enough charge for seven uses
- Earbuds last 6 hours in Music mode and 10 hours in sleep mode at 50% volume
- Audio quality is good, especially for sleep.
Where to find them
They are available directly from the company and from Amazon or Best Buy.
While they’re not exactly something you’d buy on impulse, they’re worth considering if you’re looking for a tech-centric way to improve your sleep quality.
Editors’ Recommendations:
- Review: Eight Sleep Pod 3 Mattress – deep sleep at any cost
- Review: EPOS GTW 270 Hybrid wireless gaming earbuds
- Review: HHOGene GPods light earbuds
- Review: AGM H5 Pro smartphone – a rugged smartphone, but is it worth buying?
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