Review · Over-ear ANC (budget)
Soundcore Space One
The Space One is the cheap noise canceller to buy: it's Wirecutter's budget pick, and it brings 40 hours with ANC, LDAC, and multipoint at a fraction of flagship prices. It's a 2023 model, and our travel, call, and sound scores sit below the flagships'. For most budget buyers, that's a trade worth making.
Our take
The short version
If you want noise cancelling and don't want to spend flagship money, start here. The Space One is Wirecutter's budget pick in its noise-cancelling guide (updated Jul 20, 2026), and its spec sheet reads like a pricier headphone: up to 40 hours with ANC (55 without), a 5-minute charge for 4 hours, LDAC, Bluetooth 5.3, multipoint, and an AUX input.
List is $99.99, and it was around $84.99 on Amazon in early October 2026, under a quarter of what the Sony WH-1000XM6 was selling for (~$378). That's why it's the only over-ear on our list with a 5 for value.
Keep expectations in line with the price. It came out in 2023, which makes it the oldest model on our list, and our travel, call, and sound scores sit below the flagships'. LDAC is an Android feature; iPhones use AAC. Soundcore also sells the Space One Pro ($139.99), which we don't review; the regular Space One is the one Wirecutter picks.
Pros and cons
What we like
- Wirecutter's budget pick
- 40 h with ANC, 55 h without; a 5-minute charge gives 4 h
- LDAC and multipoint at a budget price
- AUX input for wired listening
Trade-offs
- A 2023 model, the oldest on our list
- Our travel and call scores trail the flagships
- LDAC does nothing for iPhone owners
Who it's for
Buy it if…
- Anyone who wants real ANC at a budget price
- Students and commuters who need long battery life
- Android owners who want LDAC without paying flagship prices
Skip it if…
- Flyers who want the strongest ANC: the Sony WH-1000XM6 is Wirecutter's top pick
- Earbud fans on a budget: the Soundcore Liberty 5 has ANC and multipoint
- Sound-first listeners: the Sennheiser Momentum 5 scores higher for music
Spec sheet
Space One specs
| Battery | 40 h with ANC, 55 h without; 5 min charge = 4 h |
|---|---|
| Noise cancelling | Yes |
| Weight | 265 g |
| Drivers | 40 mm |
| Codecs | LDAC |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 |
| Multipoint | Yes |
| Water resistance | Not specified |
| Wired / USB-C audio | AUX in |
| Microphones | Not specified |
| App / EQ | Not specified |
| Also notable | Not specified |
From the manufacturer sources listed below. “Not specified” means those sources don't state it.
Watch
Space One on video
Video by SoundGuys on YouTube. Their views are their own.
Cross-shop
Alternatives to consider
Sony WH-1000XM6
- Over-ear ANC
- ~$378
- May 2025
- Any phone
The safest over-ear noise canceller: the big reviewers' default pick, now well under list.
Pros
- Pro: Wirecutter's top pick and SoundGuys' best for most people
- Pro: 12 mics and multipoint make it a strong office-call headset
- Pro: LDAC and LC3 support plus a 10-band EQ
Trade-offs
- Trade-off: 30 h with ANC trails the Momentum 5 (57 h) and Space One (40 h)
- Trade-off: SoundGuys saw stronger noise cancelling from the AirPods Max 2
- Travel
- 5 out of 5
- Calls
- 5 out of 5
- Music
- 4 out of 5
Editorial fit scores, 1–5, from published reviews and specs — not lab measurements.
Beats Solo 4
- On-ear, no ANC
- ~$99.95
- 2024
- Any phone
A long-lasting, easy-pairing on-ear for Apple and Android, worth it only at its sale price.
Pros
- Pro: Up to 50 h battery; a 10-minute Fast Fuel charge gives ~5 h
- Pro: Lossless USB-C and 3.5 mm wired audio
- Pro: One-touch pairing on Apple and Android
Trade-offs
- Trade-off: No noise cancelling
- Trade-off: The on-ear fit gets tiring, per Digital Trends
- Value
- 4 out of 5
- Calls
- 3 out of 5
- Workouts
- 3 out of 5
Editorial fit scores, 1–5, from published reviews and specs — not lab measurements.
Soundcore Liberty 5
- Earbuds ANC (budget)
- ~$79.99
- 2025
- Any phone
Feature-packed budget earbuds with strong ANC for the money; plan to tame the bass with EQ.
Pros
- Pro: Strong ANC for the money, per reviewers
- Pro: LDAC, multipoint, and Bluetooth 5.4
- Pro: IP55 and a light 4.6 g per bud
Trade-offs
- Trade-off: Bass-heavy tuning needs EQ
- Trade-off: Fiddly stem controls
- Value
- 5 out of 5
- Travel
- 4 out of 5
- Workouts
- 4 out of 5
Editorial fit scores, 1–5, from published reviews and specs — not lab measurements.
Check priceAffiliate link to Amazon. Price approx., seen Oct 2026.
Read the review: Soundcore Liberty 5
Related guides and comparisons
Sources
Manufacturer specs
- Soundcore Space One product page (opens in a new tab) — Battery, charging, weight, driver, codec, Bluetooth, multipoint, and AUX input
Review consensus
- Wirecutter — Best noise-cancelling headphones, updated Jul 20, 2026: budget pick
Published reviews and manufacturer specs, researched October 5, 2026. We didn't test these headphones ourselves; judgments credited to an outlet are that outlet's.
Disclosure: Our picks are independent and editorial — a synthesis of published reviews and manufacturer specs, not our own lab measurements. Prices are approximate Amazon prices seen October 5, 2026, not live quotes. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases made through links on this page, at no extra cost to you.