This made for an exciting benchmark since one of Anker’s earlier (yet still recent) models (Soundbuds Slim) wound up being one of our top contenders during a number of durability and distance tests. Now with their Soundcore Spirit Pro earphones (Soundcore is a sub-brand/series by Anker), we get to see if finally, we have found a pair that knocks the previous model off its pedestal, setting a new level of standard in our testing of other models.
To begin, the design of the Spirit Pro earphones are slightly larger in comparison but not by much. The materials are mostly plastic and silicone with metal backing and magnets. The magnets keep the buds attached to each other while they are hanging around your neck (not in use), so that they keep around your neck without falling off during moments of high activity.
The in-line controller is the same as any, with a small hole for a microphone (for taking calls with), a micro-USB port for charging them, and a three-button layout. The outer buttons control both your volume and your track selection, while the middle button serves as a catch-all: play, pause, answer/disconnect calls, and trigger digital assistant.
There is no flap covering the USB port, which you may normally find as odd, but these earphones are water-resistant despite this, allowing them to take a lot of abuse without ever having to worry about covering it. This is all thanks to what they refer to as a submarine-inspired structure and impermeable hydro-seal that keeps water out (they officially call it “SweatGuard technology.” This helps them carry an IP68 rating for resistance, allowing them to withstand a lot of abuse in many dirty or wet situations. They say this even includes corrosive substances (ie, sodas, sports drinks and so forth).
They come with all of the tips and wings necessary to find a solid fit for your ears. Naturally, you want to get as tight of a fit as possible while not causing any physical discomfort. This helps to expand on the range of frequencies that make their way to your ear, allowing for a bigger bass presence. In total, you get three pairs of wings and four pairs of tips.
Performance
The Spirit Pro earphones have a decent range to them (when you match the right accessories to your ear, as just mentioned), allowing you to enjoy a number of music genres. Like the Soundbuds, you won’t find it to be audiophile by any means, but they will still sound great within the price and function range.
You are supposed to get up to 10 hours of use out of them before having to recharge. We have spent a number of hours passing them around and testing them, and we haven’t had to recharge them yet. So they seem to be doing just fine battery-wise.
Although they do come pretty close to the previous earbuds we tested from Anker (that have held top contender for distance plus water resistance), it misses the distance capabilities by just a handful of feet. We found that the SoundBuds Slim made it further in odd situations. At some cases they made it just as far, but couldn’t hold a solid connection at the distance, leading to some drop outs here and there. This means the SoundBuds get to hold onto their pedestal for now.
They do however perform fantastically still, especially with water resistance. At first, we thought, it might not be so smart to submerge them, but they are bragged to be pretty resilient after all. So we spent a half-hour diving in and out of the water both warm and cold, just to find out they took every bit of it. Given, once fully underwater they lose their connectivity briefly until you come back up–so no underwater music this round. This is quite common with most headphones or speakers. They lasted a total of 1.5 hours in and out of the water and hanging around a moisture dense atmosphere, including spas, saunas, and steam rooms. So although they didn’t knock the other model off its pedestal, it does create one of its own.
What’s Inside The Box?
Well, we have already covered the tips and wings. Along with those, you have a shirt clip, two slip-on sliders to help manage wire slack with, a USB cable to charge them with, and a small felt-like bag to store them in (with pinch to open design).
Our Conclusion
These earphones are pretty decent for the price. They offer a nice range to them while being able to get a distance away from their connected device that does beat out a lot of the other in-ear solutions we have tested in recent years. They just barely miss beating out the SoundBud Slims in this category but dominate them when it comes to water resistance. They come with everything you need to hit the ground running and provide a full day listening (on and off).
| Buy from Amazon | Buy from Soundcore | |
Our Rating | Average Price* $49.99 |
*Average price is based on the time this article was published
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