Soundcore - by Anker Sleep A30 Smart Wireless In-Ear Sleep Earbuds, Bluetooth, ANC Noise Blocking, Snore Masking - Mist Lilac

First, I want to mention that I did receive the "Special" variation, which has longer battery life than the standard version. I've had the Sleep A10s and A20s, and these are a fairly nice iteration. ANC works well enough, battery life gets me through the night just fine. My only issue is that they still don't support mapping controls outside of double tap and triple tap on each earbud. I'd like the option to map single taps and long taps (or double/triple long taps if they're worried about accidental activation) to keep controls consistent on these in line with my other earbuds. Also, I was really hoping the case would finally support wireless charging this iteration, but still not a feature. Maybe next time. Overall, they're solid, but feels like they're leaving some easy wins behind.

In general, I have a hard time staying asleep and I've tried different things on the market to help aid with that but I've never tried sleep earbuds. I did some research and found that the Anker Soundcore Sleep A30 Special smart sleep earbuds were highly rated. I thought now is the time to give them a try and see if they could help. Unboxing was quick and painless and these earbuds appear to be of very high quality. There is a smart charging case (has a built in speaker to detect snoring), the earbud units – which are tiny and very light, a USB C charging cable and a plethora of silicone or soft foam ear tips and silicone ear wings. I loved the wide array of options to customize these so that they fit as comfortably as can be in my ear canals. I tried a couple of different size options and eventually found a comfortable combination – or so I thought. These earbuds need the Anker Soundcore app to function properly and I installed it without an issue. Pairing them was quite simple via the app and once paired, the app provided me with a bunch of usage options. The earbuds have built in tap/touch controls that can be customized in the app. I love that these earbuds require a firm double tap to change settings so that these settings can't be accidentally changed while using them throughout the night. They are ANC earbuds that are quite effective at blocking out sound, which can be deactivated if you choose. The Soundcore app has a relationship with Calm which provides the different soundscape options that you can choose from. It's a no brainer that they did this. The app lets you select from 5 different Calm sound categories: 1) Sleep Stories which are narrated calming bedtime stories. 2) Meditations which are guided meditation sessions. 3) Brainwave Audio which are natural sounds with music overlays with the option of adding an additional sound element overlay like a singing bowl or rain sounds. 4) Snore Masking sounds are natural world sounds that are activated if the smart case detects snoring. 4) White Noise are varied thematic sound stages that don't have music overlays. You can even create a custom white noise soundstage within the app. 5) Tinnitus Masking offers tinnitus sufferers relief with a custom set up of soundstages that play at a certain frequency to offset the tinnitus. The app also allows you to select the Listening Mode of choice. That's either with traditional bluetooth or local mode which downloads the sleep program of choice directly into the earbuds themselves. Via the app, you can also select from 3 options of play through after you fall asleep. Each affects the battery life differently. 1) Play Local/ANC off, which automatically plays downloaded sleep programs and turns off the ANC after the earbuds detect you are asleep (not sure how they determine this). 2) Pause Audio will stop playing the sleep program but continue allowing ANC to be active. This was my favorite of the three. 3) Keep Audio keeps playing the sleep program and ANC remains active the entire time. Obviously, this one draws the most battery power and may not last the entire sleep cycle if your earbud batteries are not full. Anker lists the battery life between 6-16 hours depending on playback options. The charging cases supplies an addiotnal 5 nights worth of battery. Importantly, there is an alarm mode that can be set up to wake you and the earbuds also track your sleep and let you know how well you did. Ive never been one to really trust these sleep monitoring/tracking modes. But, it's nice to know that they do this and you can easily pull up the sleep report/history and see how it went. You can even connect this data to Apple Health if you use an Apple product. Lastly, the app also offers product tips and tricks as well as sleep Insights for people who are needing more specific info on the earbuds or on sleeping habits and issues. I was very eager to select a sound program and see how effective these buds could be. After going through all the options, I made a sleep program and it was very effective at calming me down and getting my mind ready for a good nights sleep. Anker says these A30 Special earbuds are good for any sleeping position and I sleep on my side most of the time. I was a little worried about this but wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt. They were quite comfortable while I was falling asleep, which was on my side. The issue arose about 2 hours after falling asleep on the first night. My ear canals were sore which woke me up. I fiddled with the earbuds and tried to go back to sleep. About 30 minutes later I gave up and took them out. The next day, I switched out the ear tips and ear wings for a smaller size and gave them a try again that night. Again, they were comfortable falling asleep but in the middle of the night I awoke with the same issue, sore ear canals. The next day I tried switching out the ear tips for a third time but ultimately, the soreness returned. I imagine back sleepers won't run into these issues or may find a solution much easier. Because I sleep about 90% of the time on my side (via the app's sleep report), these earbuds aren't probably going to be a permanent solution. I will try one last time using the smallest earbud tips and see if that makes difference but I don't have high hopes. In the end, they really did help calm my mind and blocked out a ton of noise, which allowed me to fall asleep much easier. I really enjoyed that, truly. They're probably great for back or stomach sleepers, just not for me, as a side sleeper. They are extremely well built and the app provides a ton of effective sleep solutions. Maybe the next version will specifically address the side sleeper issue since they have pretty much solved for all the things needed for a good night's sleep. I'll definetly be on the look out to see.

As a side-sleeper, I never imagined I would find earbuds comfortable enough to sleep with. The fact that I have been able to sleep with these says a lot about their comfort. I have small ears and a really small ear canal, yet Soundcore was able to provide enough size options that I found my perfect fit. *What’s included?* The earbuds come with a plethora of ear tip and wing sizes plus two kinds of ear tips, silicone and foam. It also comes with a charger for the case. *Quality* The case is lightweight but feels high quality and durable. It has an aesthetic design and is larger than most earbud cases, but it is perfect for keeping it on the nightstand and easily finding it at night if needed, plus the case plays a vital role in the earbuds’ functionality. The earbud base is miniscule, and their size varies depending on the attachments you chose for your fit. *Comfort* They are incredibly comfortable with the right tips. It took me some trial and error over several nights to find the best option. I’m a side sleeper and was able to sleep on my side without any discomfort with these. Perhaps the only discomfort I found was that suction feeling I get in my ear canal when I lay on my ear. I had to use the xs wing tip and xxs ear tip. I do find I take them off at some point in the night. *Sleep sounds* I really like the snore masking library. It is filled with options of relaxing audio. I do have issues with some of the audio though, there are some where it is very evident where it restarts the loop and it drives me crazy listening to it. I suggest listening long enough to ensure you like it before trying to sleep with it as was my mistake with two audios on two different nights. That said, it has a lot of options, including brainwave audio, meditations, and even sleep stories. *Sleep tracking * These headphones track your sleep, can tell how much you toss and turn, and can even tell you what time of night you snored. *Noise Cancelation* The anc works well, but there is definitely leak-through noise when people are talking. Personally, I like to be able to hear if someone talks to me in the night in case there is an emergency, so this is fine. It blocks out the majority of noise and muffles sounds adequately enough for me. *App* The Soundcore app contains a lot! It has customizable sounds, can set an alarm, can set bedtime vs sleep audio, a sleep report, auto-stop audio, and so much more. *Battery Life* The earbud battery lasted all night, about 9 hours, and the case has not needed charging since I last charged it several days ago. It is definitely true to their specs. *Conclusion* These earbuds are perfect for anyone who struggles to fall asleep. I normally spin in thoughts but with these, I am able to drift off to sleep so fast. They are also perfect for napping in a loud area.

The Soundcore Sleep A30 Special is one of those products you never realize you needed, until you've tried it. As someone who struggles with insomnia and restless sleep, even the slightest noise can wake me. I was desperate to find something that would help me stay asleep while also blocking out my spouse's incredibly loud snoring. My biggest concern before ordering them was comfortability. I'm a side sleeper naturally, so I assumed sleeping with earbuds would be an issue, but these are easily the most comfortable earbuds I've ever owned. They come with multiple sizes of both silicone and memory foam ear tips, along with different wing attachments to help you find the perfect fit. Surprisingly, the pre-installed tips fit me perfectly, so I never felt the need to swap them out. Their low profile design means there's very little pressure on my ears, even when they're pressed against my pillow. The sound quality is excellent and the Soundcore app includes a huge library of sleep sounds; sleep stories, snore-masking audio, tinnitus-masking sounds, and more. Since I already subscribe to the Calm app, I still find myself connecting via Bluetooth and listening to my favorite Calm sleep melodies most nights, but it's nice knowing there are plenty of built-in options available if I ever want to switch it up. Battery life has been hassle free, as every morning I place the earbuds back in their charging case on my nightstand. That way they're always fully charged and ready for me at bedtime. What has impressed me the most is the noise cancellation. I used to wake up multiple times throughout the night from any amount of noise but now I'm able to sleep no problem. They've made a noticeable difference in both sleep quality and the amount of rest I get, each night. If you're a light sleeper or have a snoring partner, I can't recommend these enough.

Lots to like but I hoped for more. The good: Love the app and especially that the A30 Special has a sleep app included. That app is available for about $9 per month so there is a savings. The sound quality is very good for sleep buds. Volume is lower than earbuds for daytime use, but this is to be expected. Included are a number of ear silicone and memory foam fittings are critical to find a comfortable fit. The case is compact and works well. Disappointments: I’m a side sleeper. While small this still ends up becoming uncomfortable to my ear while sleeping. I’ve done a lot of adjusting and can keep it in for up to three hours but by the time I take them out my ears are sore. I’m continuing to try to get used to them and constantly readjust the placement, but I would not buy again only because of the side sleeping comfort. If you sleep on your back you will probably love them.