In the world of sports headphones, the quest for the perfect model is often a headache. It's all about finding a balance between comfort, sound quality, battery life, and, above all, a perfect fit during the most intense workouts. The Soundcore AeroClip, designed by the Chinese brand Anker, adds their stone to this rapidly expanding edifice over the past two years. By adopting an open design, these earphones attempt to meet the demands of athletes.
The design of the AeroClip immediately contrasts with more traditional models. Here, there are no in-ear tips, nor any attempts to seal the ear canal and isolate from the outside world. The idea is completely different: to allow for more natural listening, without the sensation of blocked ears, while maintaining a good fit during exercise.
Weighing 5.9 grams each, the AeroClip are among the lightest earphones on the market. From the first few minutes, you quickly forget you're wearing them, which is essential for prolonged sports. Their ergonomic shape fits the natural curve of the ear very well and is anchored thanks to a flexible and discreet hook, reinforced by a 0.5 mm thick titanium memory wire. Soundcore promises resistance to 20,000 bends, a reassuring figure for products intended to be mistreated.
A finish that's a little too refined for sports?
Furthermore, silicone tips reduce the gap between the two parts of the earphones to keep them even more securely in your ears. This allows you to go from 36 mm to 28, or even 23 mm. A way for the AeroClip to better adhere to the ear.
The whole thing is covered in a soft-touch satin plastic, which gives it a good overall aesthetic. However, one wonders if the immaculate appearance will last over time and the inevitable scratches. Finally, the IPX4 certification guarantees effective resistance against perspiration and splashes - essential for athletes in all weather conditions.
Ergonomics designed for movement
The handling is simple and intuitive. No physical buttons: the surface of the headband is touch-sensitive. The well-distributed controls allow you to manage playback, adjust the volume, answer a call, or even activate the voice assistant without ever taking out your smartphone. Gestures are fluid, actions respond without perceptible latency, and above all, handling errors are rare, which is not always a given with headphones of this type.
The AeroClip also benefits from the Soundcore app (available on Android and iOS) to fine-tune the experience. This app offers advanced equalizer customization via an 8-band setting, as well as a series of predefined audio profiles adapted to different musical styles (Pop, Rock, Classical, Jazz, etc.). The user can also create and save their own profiles based on their hearing preferences.
Amazing sound quality for open-back headphones
Open-back sports headphones often get a bad reputation when it comes to sound quality. But Soundcore has clearly worked hard to correct this. Inside each earbud, there is a 12 mm dynamic driver covered with a titanium membrane, a material known for its rigidity and responsiveness, ensuring more precise reproduction.
From the first listens, the AeroClip impresses with its overall clarity. The sound spectrum is balanced, without excessive domination of one frequency over another. The bass is present and provides enough dynamics to give rhythm to sports sessions.
The midrange is particularly well-crafted: vocals come through with warmth and naturalness, whether on podcasts, acoustic pop, or more complex pieces. The highs, meanwhile, are detailed enough to offer a nice airiness without ever becoming aggressive, even at high volume.
The other pleasant surprise comes from the soundstage. The AeroClip manages to reproduce a nice openness thanks to its architecture. The instrumental separation is perceptible, even on pieces dense in sound layers. The listener thus benefits from a rich and lively listening experience.
A deliberate choice
The open design of the AeroClip is not just a technical extra; it aims to maximize the perception of the environment. Outdoors, especially in urban areas, this translates into safe listening. The sounds of traffic, pedestrians, and cyclists remain audible, thus limiting the risk of accidents.
However, this approach has its downside. In noisy environments, such as a crowded gym or subway, the AeroClips show their limitations: without soundproofing, outside sounds can sometimes overpower music listening. You'll often have to turn up the volume, which isn't ideal for long-term hearing health. Those looking for total immersion will therefore have to move on.
Decent performance in phone calls
For calls, the AeroClips rely on four built-in microphones and an ambient noise reduction algorithm. Result: even outdoors, the call quality remains satisfactory for our interlocutors, with a generally clear voice and little interference despite some artifacts.
On the other hand, for the user, it is more mixed. Without isolation, it can sometimes be difficult to hear your interlocutors perfectly in noisy environments, which forces you to increase the volume, to the detriment of clarity.
Generous battery life
In terms of endurance, Soundcore announces 8 hours of continuous listening, plus three recharges via the case, for a total of 32 hours of use. A promise almost kept: during our test in real conditions, we measured approximately 7 hours 45 minutes of battery life per cycle. The case recharges via USB-C, but is not compatible with wireless charging. Little tip: a quick charge allows you to recover approximately 3 hours of listening time in 10 minutes, perfect for those in a hurry before a workout.
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