Updated on 4/17/2024 with link to active Kickstarter page.
In celebration of World Sleep Day 2024, Soundcore, Anker’s audio brand, has announced the Soundcore Sleep A20. These new sleep-focused earbuds promise a significant upgrade over their highly-rated Sleep A10 model. They offer enhanced noise-blocking, greater comfort, and sleep tracking to help you achieve more restful nights.
Deeper silence: the key difference
The Sleep A20's most significant leap forward is its 3x better passive noise reduction (measured in decibels) to shut out the world. These earbuds have double-flange eartips instead of the single tip found in the A10, which should be dramatically better at blocking noise, whether it's traffic, a snoring partner, or other distracting nighttime sounds.
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Comfort is king (or queen)
The Sleep A20 earbuds are designed to be more comfortable, especially for side sleepers. Their curved shape minimizes the feeling of something sticking out of your ear when resting on a pillow. Anker also added ultra-soft silicone across the earbuds to add softness for extended wear.
Sound quality: beyond just sleep
While the Sleep A20 primarily focuses on blocking sound and enhancing sleep with its sound library, these earbuds can double as Bluetooth headphones for daytime use, like the Sleep A10. The sound quality of the Sleep A10s was mediocre due to the small size of the drivers, and with an even smaller form factor, I’d expect the Sleep A20s not to be much better. But at least that can pull double duty, which many sleep buds can’t do.
Powering through the night (and beyond)
With the Sleep A20, you can leave battery worries behind. It boasts a significant battery boost over the Sleep A10, with 14 hours of playtime in Sleep mode (versus 10 hours) and an impressive 80 hours with the charging case. Even when using Bluetooth for music or podcasts, you still get a solid 10 hours (55 with the case), outlasting the Sleep A10’s 6 hours.
App upgrades
Anker added sleep tracking and new convenience features through the Soundcore app. New for the A20, you’ll get automatic sleep monitoring and position tracking and receive insights into your sleep patterns. The A20 gains the ability to repeat an alarm and a “Find my earbuds" feature if you misplace an earbud.
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Sleep A20 vs Sleep A10
There's no question that the Sleep A20 ($149) will be better sleep earbuds than the Sleep A10 when they go on sale next month. They have the advantage of increased noise blocking, longer battery life, and a sleeker, more comfortable design. However, if you're looking for an immediate and cost-effective solution, you can buy the Sleep A10 on sale for $85 now. Despite being the older model, they offer solid performance for sleep assistance.
The Soundcore Sleep A20 has launched on Kickstarter with early-bird discounts of up to $60 off. They are expected to be available for $149 on Amazon and Soundcore.com in mid-to-late May.
[Image credit: Anker]
For the past 20+ years, Techlicious founder Suzanne Kantra has been exploring and writing about the world’s most exciting and important science and technology issues. Prior to Techlicious, Suzanne was the Technology Editor for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia and the Senior Technology Editor for Popular Science. Suzanne has been featured on CNN, CBS, and NBC.
