Sleep earbuds have been around for a while, but active noise cancellation (ANC) has only recently been introduced. The Anker Soundcore Sleep A30 is among the pioneering sleep earbuds to feature ANC, following the now-retired QuietOn sleep earbuds, which also had ANC but received mixed feedback. The Sleep A30 is a successor to the Sleep A20 earbuds, which many, including Mashable, regard as some of the finest sleep earbuds available.

Do the Sleep A30 earbuds live up to expectations? I used them for two months to determine their performance.

How effective is the ANC?

Using standard active noise cancellation earbuds while sleeping isn’t optimal, especially for those who sleep on their sides. I discovered this after trying to wear AirPods Pro for bedtime, opting for just one ear for comfort. Battery life presents another challenge, as it frequently doesn’t last a complete eight hours, rendering them inappropriate for extended sleep.

These limitations led to the rise of sleep earbuds, yet the absence of true ANC options created a void. Even high-end models like the Ozlo Sleepbuds missed out on ANC, despite offering features to mask sounds and enhance comfort.

The Soundcore Sleep A30s bring active noise cancellation to the realm of sleep earbuds. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

The Sleep A30 ANC provides dependable and effective ANC for an overlooked market segment. Although it’s not the most impressive noise cancellation I’ve experienced, I don’t anticipate it to be. My bedroom shouldn’t sound like a bustling café. While I lack noisy neighbors or thin walls, I do contend with a moderately loud air conditioning unit, a partner who shifts during the night, and street noise. The ANC mitigates all three. On several occasions, my partner spoke to me without realizing I had my earbuds in, and I was unable to hear him. Similar to conventional ANC earbuds, these don’t eliminate all noise but offer the best option available.

Soundcore Sleep A30 specifications

Now, let’s review the specifications of the Soundcore Sleep A30 earbuds:

– Active noise cancellation
– 9 hours of battery life per charge, 6.5 with Bluetooth audio (45 hours with case)
– Seven total ear tip options (four silicone sizes and three memory foam sizes), plus three ear wing sizes
– Slightly more streamlined design compared to the Sleep A20 earbuds
– Adaptive snore masking sounds powered by real-time detection microphones within the case
– New, highly customizable soundscapes
– Snooze feature with an alarm
– Fresh mint color variant

The most significant drawback of the Soundcore Sleep A30 earbuds

Before highlighting the strengths of the Sleep A30 earbuds, it’s important to mention their primary flaw: the sleep detection feature. As of August 18, there is no option to deactivate it, meaning audio stops as soon as the earbuds detect you are asleep. This frequently occurred while I was still awake, a challenge I also faced with the Sleep A20 earbuds, which had a feature to disable this option.

Missing: the ability to switch off sleep detection. Credit: Screenshot / Soundcore

A solution is on the horizon! Credit: Screenshot / Soundcore

A message from the Soundcore app states that the forthcoming update on August 20 will enable users to disable sleep detection. Until then, the only alternative was to take off and reconnect the earbuds. This situation isn’t convenient, especially when my partner was already asleep, and I had to return the earbuds to the case, which lights up when opened.

Their second major drawback is the cost. Priced at $229.99, they are costly for sleep earbuds. However, they are more affordable than the $349 Ozlo Sleepbuds and provide ANC, so the pricing is understandable. Still, it is a significant amount, and there are other effective noise-blocking choices. The Sleep A20 offers a more budget-friendly option at $179.99, particularly when on sale. For those who don’t require audio streaming, the Loop Dream or Loop Quiet 2 earplugs are excellent for sleep at $49.95 and $24.95, respectively.

The sound-blocking capability

Sleep earbuds frequently incorporate white noise features to block sound, and the Sleep A30 maintains this strategy despite featuring ANC. The app provides three primary sound types: AI-driven brainwave audio, snore masking sounds, and white noise.

Brainwave audio

The brainwave audio section allows users to customize binaural soundscapes through AI for a calming sleep atmosphere. I didn’t perceive a noticeable difference in sleep quality between these soundscapes and the snore masking or white noise, but I valued the customization options. The app features six scenarios: starry sky, ocean, forest, inner peace, deep learning, and productivity boost. The last two were overly stimulating for me, but it demonstrates Soundcore’s effort to create non-sleep applications.

You can customize brainwave audio soundscapes. Credit: Screenshot / Soundcore

Within scenarios, you can adjust spatial audio and modify audio density, space, and brightness. This reminded me of the personalized equalizer on the Sleep A20 earbuds but felt more congruent with sleep earbud requirements.

I added “elements” to these sound.